Friday | May 30, 2008

Should I Prewash my Quilting Fabric

By Penny Halgren To tell you the truth, I had not really thought much about the question prior to last week. Long ago, I took a quilting class, and the teacher told us to arrive at class with our fabric already washed and ready to cut. When we arrived for the class, she explained that quilters always pre-wash their fabric for many reasons: 1) To remove all of the sizing (chemicals) the manufacturers add to the fabric to make look more attractive, prevent wrinkles, and make it come off the bolt easier in the store. Although it makes the fabric easier for them to handle, sizing makes the fabric a little stiffer and more difficult for quilters to handle; plus it may leave a residue on your needles and thread as you are sewing. 2) Fabric with a high cotton content will shrink even if it says it is pre-shrunk. (We all know about the pre-shrunk jeans that dont fit any more after one washing! Eeek!) Since not all cottons are born equal, they dont shrink equal either. That means that some cotton fabric will shrink 1%, other cotton fabric will shrink 3% or possibly more. The result is that once your quilt is washed, the fabrics will exert their own shrinking personality, and you will have a quilt that has puckers and some patches will pucker more than others. 3) The color bleeds out of some fabric; and may deposit itself into other fabric. Reds, blues, yellows and purples are famous for sharing their beauty with whites, muslins, and tans. Translation the beautiful, bright white in your quilt may end up with a pink, blue, yellow or lavender haze, if the excess color is not removed from the colored fabric. I wasnt surprised when the beginning quilter asked the question in an on-line quilt discussion group about whether to pre-wash the fabric, and I wasnt surprised to see that several quilters answered with all of the above reasons. I was surprised, however, at the quilter who responded that she never pre-washed her fabrics because she liked the puckered look. I understand completely liking the puckered look; I love it! It makes a quilt look well-loved and handmade. And I am always happy when my quilts develop that look, whether it is the first time they are washed or after several years. I would do almost anything to make sure that my quilts (although maybe not my wallhangings) could have that look of love. I just wish I could figure out a way to get the sizing and excess color out of the fabric without washing it before I sew. Happy Quilting! Penny Halgren Penny Halgren is a quilter of more than 24 years who seeks to interest new quilters and provide them with the resources necessary to create beautiful quilts. This article courtesy of www.How-to-Quilt.com. You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact. 2006, Penny Halgren Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Penny_Halgren http://EzineArticles.com/?Should-I-Prewash-my-Quilting-Fabric&id=258139 christmas fast cash advance car loan bad credit low rate tennessee private money lenders el paso bad credit bankruptcy car loan
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Wednesday | May 28, 2008

Schmoozing for Profit

By Avis Ward Competition is a good thing provided you are at the top of your game in your given field or industry. If you are a mediocre service provider and have competition, you're in trouble unless you begin immediately correct the problems. I did not attend some Ivy League School of Business or even earn a bachelors degree in business but common sense is very common for me. I would not want to go up against one of Donald Trump's aspiring apprentices but I know a few sensible ways to market one's product or service without an MBA. On second thought (a very quick second at that), I'd welcome the competition from a Trump wannabe! Did you know that Schmoozing is an art form? If it is perceived as "kissing up" or "brown-nosing", you're not an expert and are ineffective. If you are known as a "smoooooth operator" because of your suave mannerisms or called a "silver-tongued devil", you should smile and say, "thank you very much!" You're an effective Schmoozer! I am only relating this to business not personal situations. An effective schmoozer has style, class and "know-how." Others recognise him/her as someone they want to know and enjoy being around. The common mistake by wannabe Schmoozers is that you can be insincere, deceptive and not faux-real. You will never make it out of the dugout with the object of your schmoozing if this is your style, or should I say, lack of style? Any compliment given, should be sincere. All statements made should be true. Schmoozing can be learned if a person is willing to put in the time to develop their communication and verbal skills. The expert schmoozer knows it is not about them but paradoxically, it becomes about them. Others genuinely like a Schmoozer because the Schmoozer is an effective communicator; he/she listens well and focuses the attention on the other person. A Schmoozer does their homework to become a success at getting their mission accomplished. Do not mistakenly think a Schmoozer with someone who is a charmer. Coincidentally, a Schmoozer might be charming. This is usually true, actually. There is nothing illegal about schmoozing. Schmoozers are not embezzlers. They would never consider being phony or insincere. A Schmoozer has perfected the art of putting other's before themselves to get a desired result or what is needed to achieve success in their pursuit or on someone else's behalf. Professional Schmoozers are an asset to any company. They are wordsmiths. They have excellent communication skills; orally and written. They are usually the ones who handle difficult situations with ease. They can resolve a brewing situation with swiftneess and finese and then invited out to lunch by the offended party. Some are born Schmoozers and others were taught by these masters. Schmoozing is capable of opening doors and increasing profits. Schmoozing is also personally rewarding as you increase your contacts of "low maintenance" people who are a pleasure to know. If you are a professional Schmoozer, life is grand! If you are not a P.S. but want to be, begin by improving your verbal skills. Words are our friends. Avis Ward is a Consultant to dental healthcare professionals in Practice Management specializing in Case Acceptance and Marketing. More information can be found here: http://aviswardconsulting.com/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Avis_Ward http://EzineArticles.com/?Schmoozing-for-Profit&id=243139 can i use a pension plan as colateral for a personal loan unsecured loans commercial private money lender instructions for the parker brothers game payday
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Saturday | May 24, 2008

Candle Supplies

By Peter Emerson Candles can make great gifts for any occasion like Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentines Day, New Year's, even weddings and birthdays. These days, there are many beautiful kinds of candles available. Some of the main categories of candles are: pillar candles, decorative candles, jar candles, votive candles, tea light candles, taper candles, container candles, luminescent candles, travel candles, floating candles, and novelty candles in interesting shapes like animals, people, food, flowers and plants, celestial bodies etc. Candles can also be categorized as scented or unscented. Candles are also classified on the basis of the raw material used: oil, soy wax, palm wax and beeswax. Some candle makers are concentrating on specialized candles that burn with little or no soot, and are eco-friendly. Candle making is a relatively easy art and just requires practice. All it needs is to melt the wax, add color dyes or fragrance oils or any other additives. The melted wax should be poured into containers or moulds that contain a wick. It generally takes a night for the wax to cool down. Candle making needs certain raw materials, the main ones being waxes, wicks, dyes and pigments, additives, fragrances, molds, wax melters, taper equipment, containers etc. These are each of many different kinds, for instance, waxes include soy wax, palm wax or bees wax. Similarly, containers can be apothecary jars, beehive jars, crock jars, mason/canning/jelly jars, tea light cups, barrel jars, cracker jars, patio jars, tins etc. The dyes are also of many kinds: dye flakes, color chips, glow color chips, pigment chips, color blocks, pigment dyes, liquid candle dyes, powdered candle dyes, and others. The gels can be CLP low density, CMP Medium density or CHP High density. Molds may be made of metal or plastic. They are generally in the form of embed trays. There are also several kinds of wicks: citronella wicks, ECO wicks, flat braid, coreless wicks, tabbed and pre-tabbed wicks, square braid, spooled wicks, zinc core and tea light wicks. Decorative accessories include glass embeds, wax embeds, natural embeds, colored sand, glitter, and so on. Candle making supplies can be obtained very easily. They are also available in bulk at wholesale prices. Candles supplies can also be ordered online through the various websites over the Internet. The orders can be placed by phone, fax, or e-mail, or by filling in direct order forms in the websites. The payment can be made by credit card, check, money order or PayPal. Some suppliers also give provision for returning the supplies if not satisfied. There are many such websites that provide comprehensive information about candle supplies. Candle Supplies provides detailed information on Candle Supplies, Candle Making Supplies, Wholesale Candle Supplies, Wholesale Candle Making Supplies and more. Candle Supplies is affiliated with Candle Holders. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Emerson http://EzineArticles.com/?Candle-Supplies&id=273637 ocd and repeated payday loans student loan bad credit hard money home loans texas payday law mandatory direct deposit
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Monday | May 19, 2008

Secret Shoppers

By Marcus Peterson Secret Shoppers are people hired by companies to evaluate the quality of work and customer service in a particular industry. A secret shopper works freelance and anonymously, posing as a normal everyday shopper, and submit a report to the management at the end of the day. Secret Shoppers are usually employed by large retail, department stores, restaurants, manufacturers and theaters etc. The most important key to a successful business setup is customer satisfaction. The profit of a company that produces consumer goods significantly depends upon the type and quality of service it provides to customers. Studies have confirmed that only 5% of unsatisfied customers register complaints, while 95% simply stop doing business. That is why the role of the Secret Shopper has gained much importance in recent years. Secret Shoppers, also commonly known as Mystery Shoppers will normally keep questionnaires or report sheets in which they have to fill in answers to detailed questions asked about their shopping experience. These feedbacks enable the management to make crucial employment decisions, evaluate performance, the degree of adherence to standards and quality of customer care. Secret Shopping can be a great part time job because it normally pays well ($20.00 to over $40 for a particular assignment) and you get to take home many free products and gifts. Moreover, companies seldom ask for work experience though it may be a plus point when applying for the job. Since the feedback information provided to employers is so important to them, they also usually pay bonuses to Secret Shoppers who perform well in their jobs. With only about 5 to 10 working hours a week, many people have taken up this job because its one of the most convenient ways to earn a little extra cash. Secret Shoppers provides detailed information about secret shoppers, how to become a secret shopper, restaurant secret shoppers and more. Secret Shoppers is affiliated with Instant Win Sweepstakes. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcus_Peterson http://EzineArticles.com/?Secret-Shoppers&id=130421 undecured personal loan how to qualify for a short term mortgage loan interest only real estate loans no money down capital one sba loan
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Monday | May 05, 2008

Nokia N93: Amazing Deals With An Affordable Package

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Amber_Dulce]Amber Dulce Mobile phones are today a common and essential means of communication. Whether you are in your car or on a vacation or at work, if you dont have your mobile phone with you, you feel incomplete. If you are looking for a mobile phone plan that meets your desires and needs, you need to research and be sure to find that plan that would work for you. If you want to get the best deal in the market, you need to assess your lifestyle and phone usage. One of the latest phones of Nokia N-series, N93 is beyond doubt, a mobile phone for the modern age that lets you share pictures on web right away. With the built-in stereo, Nokia makes much of the musical abilities. The 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics gives you a real camera like experience. You can even organize your image collection on your PC with the Nokia XpressTransfer. The N93 has much better picture taking ability because of the mechanical shutter and advanced auto focus. For downloading music and videos, there is a PC suite that helps you synchronise your mobile phone with your PC. The N93 comes with the best quality music feature so you can have a fun music experience on the N93. The messaging features include text messaging, multimedia messaging and email with attachments. The camera feature includes different setting modes to make sure that you will capture the perfect picture every time. Meeting everyday needs of the consumer, the Nokia N93 has all the powerful multimedia features. This good looking phone can be found with amazing contract Nokia N93 deals and offers only at the online mobile phone shops. Great mobile phone deals are waiting for you to be explored so take your time and effort to check out those amazing contract deals. Visit [http://www.ukonlinemarket.co.uk/mobile/index.asp]mobile phones Shops for Contract Mobile Phones with best [http://www.ukonlinemarket.co.uk/mobile/Phone_Deal.asp?Ph=Nokia--N93]Nokia N93 orange, O2, Vodafone network. compare and buy contract deals with multifearured mobile phones. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amber_Dulce http://EzineArticles.com/?Nokia-N93:-Amazing-Deals-With-An-Affordable-Package&id=378239 personal loan secured with electronic equipment payday trans georgia pay day loans private money loans
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Friday | May 02, 2008

Go for Higher Education on Bad Credit Unsecured Student Loan

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Peter_Taylor]Peter Taylor Students have no source of own income and hence need to borrow for each of their expenses such as tuition fee, hostel fee, food, books, travel etc. Bad credit unsecured student loan is mostly required for college education expenses. It is easier to avail bad credit unsecured student loan than it is thought to be. It must be noted that one can go for a bad credit student loan only when the student has completed his education and has started earning. Now to qualify for the bad credit student loan a student is required to earn a minimum of 10000 to 15000. But the earning does not make the loan taking easy as lenders still think that students are not in regular employment and plus there is this bad credit of the student which is a deterrent. Despite some hurdles posed by the lenders, they offer bad credit unsecured student loan to the students. These students do not offer any security of the borrowed amount to the lender, hence, to cover the risks involved the lender charge higher interest on the loan. The loan amount will depend on how much the student is earning which indicates the repayment capability of the student. Students do not have to worry about repayment duration of the loan much as normally lenders give ample time which is when the student actually starts earning through regular employment Parents of student can be of great help. If parents possess better credit than the student he can opt for a PLUS loan which is given to parents and the amount can be utilized by the student. One disadvantage of bad credit unsecured student loan is that it comes with higher interest rate. The lender has to cover for the high risk involved in the loan offer which prompts him to charge higher interest rate. The higher interest rate should not worry students because many of these loans defer payment till they finish college and start on a regular job. You can source the loan from credit card companies and banks but both of them will charge very high interest rate and there are in-built dangers also. One option is that you search for the lender on internet and see if terms-conditions suit you and apply to the lender. Bad credit student loan enables you in taking finance for higher studies even when you are not regularly employed. The loan besides meeting educational expenses goes a long way in improving credit score also. Peter Taylor is a senior financial analyst at Bad-credit-unsecured-loan with an acumen for finance and insurance. In recent years he has taken up to provide independant financial advice through his informative articles. His articles are widely read because of the lucid manner of wriiting and thoroughly researched datas. To find [http://www.bad-credit-unsecured-loan.net/Bad_credit_unsecured_student_loan.html]bad credit unsecured student loan , bad credit unsecured tenant loans, unsecured bad credit tenant loans UK that best suits your need visit http://www.bad-credit-unsecured-loan.net Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Taylor http://EzineArticles.com/?Go-for-Higher-Education-on-Bad-Credit-Unsecured-Student-Loan&id=290676 free debt consolidation services acceptable credit score bad credit foreclosure loan mortgage credit report comercials
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