Inexpensive ways to wrap gifts without gift wrap

Wrapping gifts with alternatives to the pricey gift wrap is inexpensive but it does not by any means have to come across as “cheap”! Instead you could be the artistic one who’s skill and craftiness everyone admires. There are many ways to gift wrap without actually buying the pricey stuff. A lot of times you can re- use the wrapping material (no not the wrinkled ripped up wrapping paper with tape still stuck to it!) you already have or create wrap from non conventional methods.

I love using pages from the magazines to wrap gifts. We all have random magazines and papers lying around the house that are most likely collecting dust. Leaf through them, chances are they have random cool looking pages, some are ads, some photo shoots, it doesn’t matter. Test try wrapping a book up in one of them, it comes out quite nice. Make sure the wrap is appropriate for a recipient, you don’t want to wrap your guys video game with something that has pretty butterflies on it, or that little girls hair set wrapped up with a cool biker dude on it.

Here are a few quick samples which I made for this article (apologies for the bad picture quality however):

- This One was actually filled with chocolates as a small Valentines day gift for my husband (yay for going cheap huh?)

- It was made with a square of scrap booking paper found amongst my other crafts stuff, piece of old rope, lip sticker from few Valentines ago, scrap heart bead and a random tag I found and painted.

- This is a page from a “photo shoot I believe, the golden part is pants and the rest might be a couch! Add some ribbon if you can find and voila!

- The “IT LIST, I like this one it always passed with my girl friends since early teens, especially if the gift is beauty or fashion oriented.

- Another very cute one.

All of these were made by just using magazine pages instead of gift wrap, and all I had was one magazine to work with too! News paper could look really cool as gift wrap but it is better to stick to magazines as their ink wont smudge and smear all over the place. Another great idea is getting printer paper (this works for bigger gifts too as you can tape the pieces together) and painting it yourself. Paper bags and plain manila rope do well for those who like the whole “green thing”. Wrap the gift up into the paper bag, use the string to tie it instead of the bow and stick an interesting looking branch or flower under it on the top.

There are a lot of cool shaped candy boxes out there, I have emptied and cleaned them before then painted and they come out amazing as gift boxes. If you are more crafty or if you know how to sew and have some fabric (be it store bought meant for crafts or a top that you don’t wear anymore) you can also sow gift wrap. This works especially good with bottled gifts, or smaller ones for which you can sow gift baggies.

However you decide to wrap your gift without using any gift wrap make sure that it compliments either the present or the recipient of it in some way and the economic crisis that everyone talks about will be the furthest thing from anyones mind when looking at your work of art!

Ways to Celebrate Your Anniversary in Boracay

The importance of celebrating your anniversary cannot be overstated. Every year you spend together is worth celebrating, a milestone of keeping the love alive, for better or for worse. One of the best ways to celebrate your anniversary is to have a romantic getaway, and Boracay is the perfect setting for such an intimate trip. Whether it’s for a short stay or a full vacation, Boracay can easily make this event doubly special.

Just married (again)

If you plan to renew your wedding vows then Boracay can be the magical setting for you. This tropical island is conducive for rekindling your feelings. Your repeat “I dos” will resonate deeper with the waves of the island in the background. Everything will be wonderfully tactile with the powdery sands beneath your bare feet. And with the rosy streaks of the setting sun as your backdrop, you could have a truly meaningful anniversary.

The best thing about it is you need not concern yourself with the nitty-gritty of your wedding ceremony. There are wedding packages that would handle everything from airline to church reservation, accommodation, and even fireworks display.

Cuddle like the first time

Of course, a second honeymoon is a requisite. Finding a secluded place to stay in Boracay is possible despite the seeming invasion of local and foreign tourists. The entire 10.32 square kilometers of the island is dotted with hotels, inns, apartments, and lodges that could cater to any client’s romantic whims.

There are other romantic treats for the two of you. Find intimacy in simple things like walking barefoot on the shoreline. Visit a spa and relax together with your partner. A candlelit dinner at the beachfront, under the starry skies can make you fall for each other once again.

Fun activities together

Who says laughing is not romantic? Try the banana boat ride; even adults like you would find the ride exhilarating and fun. Be carefree. Frolic together in Boracay’s world-famous crystal clear waters.

If you miss the nightlife of your courtship days, Boracay can offer you the chance to relive them. Bars and party places are numerous, catering to different crowds. If you prefer throbbing dance music and the hyperactive crowd, go to those located near boat stations 1 and 2. Hey Jude Bar is famous for its hip hop and R&B music with live DJ.

If you want a memorabilia of your anniversary, try Cocomangas where you can win a t-shirt and a plaque for your partner if you surpass the bar’s Still Standing After 15 drinking challenge. It’s always a nice way to impress a lady. For a more relaxed ambiance, explore the bars and other establishments at station 3.

Boracay is about 315 kilometers south of Manila and is part of the province of Aklan. This dog-bone shaped island has become popular for its tropical attractions during the 1970s. Now, Boracay receives a monthly average of 41,000 tourists and boasts of facilities for water sports and activities for rest and recreation.

Musical reviews: Oklahoma!

I first remember “Oklahoma!” from seeing it performed on a makeshift stage in the bombed-out Rizal Stadium in Manila. The musical had been a huge hit when it debuted on Broadway in 1943. Just before the end of the war in the Pacific in July 1945, a USO troupe of actors and singers took the play to perform for GIs in various Pacific locales, including the capital city of the Philippines.

The stadium, which had been the scene of bloody fighting between American and Japanese forces just weeks before, was the only large venue in the damaged city that could be repaired in time to stage the lavish musical. Army engineers and Navy SeaBees worked for weeks to make it ready to seat the 50,000 expected attendees.

In addition to at least two divisions of GIs, several hundred sailors from the Navy fleet landing just a few miles away made our way into the makeshift theater. We were delighted to see everything was set up just like a Stateside theater, including the stage, a curtain and a big orchestra out front. It was a touch of home most of us hadn’t seen for several years.

Of course, even if the musical had been lousy, we would have appreciated every moment of it. It was perfect way beyond our expectations. The original star, Alfred Drake, was still on Broadway, and the part of Curley was sung and acted by an unknown named John Raitt. I think he was an Army pfc at the time. Most people today only remember Raitt as Bonnie’s dad, but he went on to star in many Broadway and Hollywood musicals.

The story line is familiar to everyone who has ever seen the play performed in places from Broadway to high school auditoriums. Curley, the cowboy, loves Laurie, the farm girl. Jud, the bad dude who works for Laurie’s aunt Eller, is also in love with Laurie. They run around, do some Agnes DeMille choreography and sing a bunch of songs. Curley fights Jud, Jud gets killed, Curley marries Laurie and the story ends with the rousing title number.

That bunch of songs include true American classics: “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’”, “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top”, Everything’s Up To Date In Kansas City”, “I’m Just A Girl Who Cain’t Say No”, “People Will Say We’re in Love”, “The Farmer and the Cowman”, and of course, the exciting “Oklahoma!”

The movie debuted in 1955, starring Gordon MacRae as Curley, and the 19-year-old Shirley Jones as Laurie. The wide-screen format was meant to showcase the beauty of the great state of Oklahoma. However, Hollywood moguls decided that southern Arizona made a much better movie Oklahoma.

Theme Marketing: Copywriting Technique #127

One of the best-designed sales pieces I’ve received in years was a come-on for an MIT conference. Every panel implemented the metaphor of a deck of cards in both design and text. Bullets in the form of hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs and subheads like “This session provides you with all the aces you need” carried through the unified theme. After spending so much time exploring this piece, I figured the conference sessions would have something to teach me too, and I signed up.

Another marketing piece, from CM Communications, Inc. of Boston, landed in my files because of its clever use of a tailoring theme. Headed “Getting the Right Fit,” the three-panel brochure used a tape measure to illustrate subheads like “Don’t Hem Yourself In,” “Look for a Versatile Outfit,” “Button Down Costs” and “S, M or L?”

Well-executed themes get results in marketing because they reach beyond features and benefits to engage emotions as well as the intellect. In addition, they provide unity between words and graphics and thus become more memorable. Sometimes they involve a creative format too.

Cindy Marshall, of Jefferson, South Dakota, used the theme of a police suspect file in a promo piece for Media Concepts, in nearby Sioux City, Iowa. The manila file, complete with a real-looking coffee stain, opens to fingerprints, Polaroid crime-scene items and a profile including “caught guiding unsuspecting clients in specifying advertising goals” and “known to be armed with state-of-the- art equipment.”

To select an effective theme, stay away from any you’ve already seen implemented in your industry. Play an old parlor game to spur your imagination: If your product, service or business were a fruit, which one would it be? If it were a song, which one would it be? If it were a communication medium, which one would it be? How about a feature of the landscape, a type of weather, a dessert, a bank transaction?

Or, think about some general categories of phenomena that provide rich sources for themes: Nature; Technology; Hobbies; Relationships; Mythology; Popular Culture; Occupations; Common Problems. Sometimes a pun, such as in “A Hire Authority” for an employment firm, supplies an interesting metaphor you can build upon. Once you choose a tentative concept, brainstorm related ideas, such as for “shoot-out”: holster; OK Corral; bad guys; sheriff; Wild West; trigger-happy.

For maximum effect, a theme should be unexpected, such as “Setting Sail for Internet Profits” and yet sufficiently familiar so that visual elements like anchors and rudders and textual references to “catching the wind” and “calm seas” make instant sense. The theme should always be more concrete, picturable and commonplace than what you’re selling. Otherwise you will have created an unnecessary mystery instead of a compelling sales piece.

As with any marketing idea, test it out with people similar to your prospects to make sure it provokes a laugh or a nod instead of a “Huh?”

Poetry: Strength

submissive

object of men’s erotic desire

exotic love slave

lotus blossom

dragon lady of the orient

adorned in jewelry/pearls/jade/mystery

with golden fingertips (or should i say claws)

a prowling jungle cat ever so graceful

porcelain china doll

silky white/brown flesh

perfumed in jasmine

painted almond slits

delicate cherry lips

a face in a mail order catalog

manila girl

you’re a great way to fly

if you listen to my words

and

not your fantasies

you would come to know

my

strength

Subic Bay Philippines

For many centuries, Subic Bay was recognized as a deep safe harbour. Realizing Subic Bay’s potentials, the Spaniards used the bay as a port to defend and maintain the Philippines as a part of their empire in the 17th century. In 1885, it was built into a naval base that utilized the safe harbors and natural resources.

After their victory over the Spaniards in 1898, a naval repair and supply base in Subic Bay was established by the Americans. It was only reachable by sea until 1932 when the zigzag roads were opened linking Subic Bay and Olongapo to the rest of the Philippines.

The Japanese bombed Subic Bay in 1941 and was held by them until the US took back the Philippines in 1945. The naval base was returned to the control of the United States. The two invasions by the Japanese and Americans produced a number of bombed or scuttled naval ships in Subic Bay. Scuba divers from around the world are now enjoying these wrecks in their underwater graveyards.

Control and maintenance of Subic naval base remained under the United States despite the Philippines gaining their independence. The United States was given 99 years free access of the facility via an agreement signed between the Philippines and US. With the outbreak of the Vietnam War, Subic Bay became a strategic site in the maintenance of a strong US presence in Asia.

In 1991, the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo covered Olongapo and Subic Bay with nearly half a metre of ash. After the Senate of the Philippines rejected the renewal of the US bases treaty in 1992, the Subic Bay Freeport was established after the last of the American naval ships completed its pullout of forces.

Since then, Subic Bay Freeport Zone has now become a well-known economic, commercial and tourist hub. It is booming with world class restaurants and duty-free shopping.

Subic Bay is situated in Zambales Province on the west coast of Luzon 120 kilometres north of Manila. Mountains with lush jungles bound its coastal area. Mountains with lush dense jungles, suitable for trekking, surround the coastal area. The bay cuts out into the South China Sea.

Subic Bay brags of interesting wreck dives. It is home to a impressive combination of wrecks. The six wreck sites have an average depth of 45 ft.

Subic Bay boasts of its rainforest and a white sand beach. Its world-class facilities, which include a marina, yacht club, hotels, shopping arcades and food shops, are supported by Philippine tourism. An international airport is another attraction.

Why you should shred your mail and documents

You lock all the doors of your house, you roll up the windows and lock your car, and you keep your wallet or purse on you when you are out in public. Why would you leave personal, financial information exposed and vulnerable?

Shredding is an important precaution to take to help prevent identity theft, which is continues to rise steadily year after year. It doesn’t matter where you live or work, what school your children attend or what kind of car you drive, identity theft can happen to anyone.

WHY YOU SHOULD SHRED

Identity thieves use personal information to access existing accounts and to open new, fraudulent accounts in someone else’s name. Some thieves sell the identification info to other ID thieves.

Victims have had bank accounts wiped out, had tickets and arrest warrants issued in their name when someone else used their license, had collection agencies start hounding them for accounts they never opened or used, and have found out that they had a delinquent mortgage in another state where they never lived.

While federal law states that, in most cases, an identity theft victim is not responsible for more than $50 in fraudulent charges on their accounts, many victims spend vast amounts of time and money trying to clear their name and restore their credit rating.

WHAT TO SHRED

Almost everything. All paper and envelopes with your name, address, any account numbers, and, certainly, your social security number on it should be shredded. This lists includes:

Solicitations for pre-approved offers

Bank statements

Credit card statements

Credit card “convenience” checks

Car loan paperwork

Mortgage and Home-Equity loan paperwork

Utility bills including cell phones and cable

Subscription notices

Medical bills and statements

Pay stubs

Insurance statements

Old tax records

Expired credit cards

Store and gasoline credit card statements

Address label from magazines and catalogs

Order form label inside catalogs, often with a pre-approved offer

Membership rosters from clubs, schools and organizations that show each person’s name, address and even birth date

HOW TO SHRED

A cross-cut shredder is effective for making your personal information almost impossible to reassemble and read. A decent cross-cut machine can be found at most office supply stores for under $50. You can put the shredded material into two separate bags for disposal and put them in the trash can at different times to further limit any theft possibilities.

Doing the shredding while you open the mail might be more convenient. Or using an empty manila envelope to collect all the shredding and then taking 10 minutes each week to shred it might be easier. Just be sure to consistently shred your personal and financial information to help prevent identity theft.

Tug of War… Olympic Gold

Tug of War is the challenge of brute strength between two teams.  It is not known when the idea of tug of war was created but it is agreed upon that is was a long time ago.  Tug of War is such a competitive activity, it was included in the Olympics from 1900-1920.

In 1904 the United States won not only the gold medal in Tug of War, but the silver and bronze as well.   Some of the top men were Oscar Olson, Sidney Johnson, Henry Seiling, Conrad Magnusson, and Patrick Flanagan.  These men used their combined brute strength to defeat the other countries.  They may have been Olympic athletes, but the same thrill of victory can still be felt today by any winning team. 

Tug of War has been used in schools, gyms, clubs, the Olympics, and the corporate world. Many businesses have been using the Tug of War rope at company picnics and events to bring fun competition and bonds between their employees.  So much competition in the corporate world has been between the brains, but its also fun to compete in the physical arena for a change of pace.

Tug or War has also been a staple in schools’ physical education programs.  Schools have used the tug of war rope to pit class against class and grade against grade in school events like spirit day, or just gym class fun.  Tug of War has been around for a long time and isn’t going anywhere.

Tug of War ropes can be purchased in many different lengths, giving you a custom fit to your use.  You don’t have to lug around a 100′ rope when you only have 6 people competing.  You can also now get 4-way tug of war ropes so you can have 4 teams compete at once.  For competition Tug of War and Olympic Tug of War, a larger rope is needed.  For these situations, a 120′ rope is used.  The extra length is so that red tape can mark the center and white tape can mark 15′ out from the center on each rope.  A white line on the rope crossing a line on the ground constitutes a win.  So, 30 feet of the rope is used just for determining who wins.  You do not have to have these exact measurements when you are competing just for fun.  You can set up the tape lines anyway you want, or you can just have it so a person’s feet or the whole team has to cross a line to win.

There are also different diameters of grips you can get.  Ropes are available in .5″, 1″, and 1 .5″.  The most popular size for kids is 1″, and the most popular for teens to adults 1.5″.

The material for tug of war ropes has come along way as well.  You have a choice of Grade A manila or an unmanila material.  Manila is a natural fiber and is a lot better wound than it used to be.  Unmanila is a man made material that is similar to manila, but is lighter and holds up better than the manila, especially if the rope is stored outdoors.  There are also ropes that are made out of durable webbing that can stand more that 5,000 lbs of force and ones made out of 100% cotton to protect fragile hands.  Which ever you choose, the technology of the rope has been greatly improved with each to provide for a better grip and less wear on your hands.

So next time your in need of some healthy competition, think Tug of War!  Challenge yourself,  your business team or your students, who ever it is, it’s sure to be a good time!

For more information on Tug of War ropes go to Tug of War!

When and When Not to Ride in a Limo

With companies offering cheap limousine service in LA, Brazil, France, Manila and every corner of the globe sprouting up like wild mushrooms, renting limousines has never been easier. It’s so easy in fact, that many tend to make the mistake of renting a limousine for every event they attend, irregardless of the fact that in many occasions, they are already breaching the rules of tact and propriety.

To avoid committing etiquette faux pas (and being branded tacky), here is a brief guide to help you determine when and when not to ride a limo:

Do ride a limo if you and your friends plan to have a fun night out on town.

The vehicle is without a doubt the perfect vehicle to use when you and your friends decide to paint the town red. With its spacious interior and fun accessories (mini bar, DVD players, plasma TVs), even the act of driving from one hot nightspot to another becomes a party in itself. And because it seats more people than the ordinary SUV o sedan, there is no need to drive in separate cars and you and your friends can maximize the time you’re together. Ultimate party vehicle? Definitely.

Do ride a limo if you’re going to a big, glitzy event.

Going to a red carpet event like a movie premiere or a club opening? Then arriving in a limousine is acceptable since the vehicles are after all, synonymous with glitz and flash.

Do not ride a limousine to a simple gathering.

While arriving in a limousine is acceptable in big and glamorous events, doing so when going to a simple gathering is not. There are times when it is okay to be ostentatious, and your niece’s 3rd birthday party in the suburbs is not one of them.

Do not ride a limo unless there’s a special event or occasion

Limousines are not ordinary vehicles. You do not use them for everyday tasks like going grocery shopping or eating out with your buddy; this just screams of tactlessness and vulgarity.

Because of their flashy and attention-grabbing appearance, limousines should only be used during special events and occasions. Going to the suburbs for your weekly visit to your mom? Don’t even think of hiring a LA limousine service company.

Do ride a limousine if you’re going to your prom.

It is okay to wish to impress your date with a glamorous black limousine when you take her to prom. Actually, it is more than “okay”; you are actually expected to ride a limousine when you go to your prom. Riding a limousine to your prom is like baseball or eating hotdogs– it’s an American tradition.

Senior prom coming up soon? Then better start looking for companies that offer limousine services now; your date expects nothing less than a stretch limo.

Just like every thing else, there are rules to follow when it comes to riding limousines. Keep this guide in mind and be secure in the fact that you are always on the side of tact and class when it comes to choosing the right mode of transportation.

Internet Dating – It is All About Options

There was a time, fairly early in its history, when the Internet was an almost purely social place for most of us. Shortly after it became popular, the average person connected through America Online (AOL) or CompuServe and paid by the minute to enter chat rooms and meet new people. Most of us were wary of the people we met online at first – the anonymity offered online brought out the worst in many of people during the early days when the idea of communicating with people via the Internet was new. However, the bad experiences that were had by some were vastly outweighed by the convenience, the uniqueness and the sheer fun offered by those simple chat rooms of the past.

No one – not even the Internet pioneers – could have predicted how fast the Internet would grow, and how much a part of virtually everyone’s daily life it would become. From the humble beginnings of those early chat rooms, the Internet has become a tool that most of us use to do business, stay in touch with family and friends, get news, sports and weather reports, directions and maps, buy and sell things – you name it, the odds are very good that the Internet offers you a way to do it. The amount of information available on the “information hi-way” is staggering – a simple search on Google or Yahoo can net literally millions of matching sites – and if you can buy something in a brick and mortar store, you can more than likely buy it from your PC or laptop.

Interestingly, in some ways the Internet has come full circle in that along with the other things we do online on a day-to-day basis, many people are now finding that dating online – meeting new people to form relationships with – offers them options that the bar scene, blind dates, fix-ups and other traditional ways of forming romantic relationships simply don’t. The recent explosion of online dating and online dating sites has created a situation in which proximity is no longer the deciding factor in who a person can meet. Rather than being confined to a single town or city, Internet dating offers people the option of looking for that perfect someone across the state, the country and even all across the world.

Not only has the online dating industry exploded in recent years but it has become both more user friendly and relationship specific. No matter who you are or what sort of relationship you are looking for, the odds are that there is a site out there that will fit your needs. There are sites that cater to straight dating, the gay/lesbian community, ethnically based dating (white, black, Asian, etc), bi-sexual and interracial relationships, dating based on religion, political views, ages (under 30 or over 50, etc) and pretty much any and all combinations of the previously mentioned groups. There are sites that will try and find the perfect match for you, and sites that will simply offer thousands (and in some cases tens of thousands) of user profiles and pictures for you to search through. Some sites offer only simple email introductions while other sites will offer instant messaging, private chat rooms, streaming audio, and live video capabilities all administered through the site. It only takes the investment of an hour or two of your time to find an online dating service which caters to your specific needs and desires.

While online dating certainly isn’t going to appeal to everyone, there can be no doubt that the industry’s rapid growth and expansion indicates that more and more men and women are finding it to be not only a viable but a preferable alternative to traditional forms of dating. As a matter of fact, an increasing number of men and women are finding that there are many advantages to looking for romantic companionship online. Some of these advantages include:

* Safety – There is no doubt about it, the world in general and the dating world in particular can be a dangerous place for both men and women. While a person may look or seem to be okay, it takes a considerable amount of time to really get to know anyone. Many people find that getting to know another person online – where they have control over both how much personal information they give about themselves and how much information they ask of another person – alleviates most of their safety concerns. No reputable online dating site will give out your personal information (last name, address, phone number or even email address) without your permission. It is up to the user(s) how fast or how slow a relationship progresses and, should one person have suspicions or fears about their online dating partner, ending the relationship is as simple as clicking out of the chat box or instant message.

* Convenience – For most of us, traditional dating is WORK. Whether male or female, it takes a considerable amount of time to get that look you want perfect, pick out the right wardrobe, find the right place to go, etc. The truth is, in today’s hectic world, a lot of people simply don’t have the time to do everything that they need to do to get ready for a date on a regular basis. Online dating, however, is as simple as switching on a computer and logging into your dating site. Even if you use a site that offers webcam functions, you control whether you turn the cam on, and even if it shows anything other than your smile. The impression you make on the people you are interested in can be made in ripped jeans and an old tee shirt – you don’t even need to comb your hair.

* Variety – One of the most common complaints that people in the dating scene have is that they always seem to meet the same kind of people. A lot of this is, of course, due to the fact that in many cases people from the same towns or cities tend to share many of the same personality traits. This is not the case in the online dating world. You can just as easily strike up a conversation with a girl in Kiev or a guy in Manila as you can with your next door neighbor, and this offers a wide variety of people that simply isn’t available with any other form of dating.

* Cost – Love may be blind, but finding it by traditional dating methods certainly isn’t cheap. A first date with someone you may not even know or actually be compatible with can easily run $200 or more, and there is never a guarantee that you will even enjoy yourself or want to see that person again. While virtually all online dating sites charge fees for their services, in many cases the cost of that first traditional, three hour date will buy you weeks – and even months – of online dating with a variety of people who catch your attention. And again, if you find that someone simply isn’t what you are looking for, you can simply say goodbye and try someone else … without having to pay for a cab to take them home!

As I said before, online dating isn’t for everyone – and not every approach to online dating offered by specific sites will be right for everyone. But with the almost unlimited options available and the wide variety of choices that can be explored from the comfort of one’s own home, online dating is something that should at least be looked into by anyone who is in search of that perfect someone. The one you’ve been looking for could be as near as the next chat room!

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