KIM HOLLAND

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Christmas Lawn Ornaments

Christmas is one of the most joyous times of the year, it seems like the whole world is happier, brighter and kinder. It is a time when you want to make your home look warm and welcoming both inside and out and Christmas lawn ornaments can surely help with this.
All department stores from Wal-Mart to Nordstrom stock all types of Christmas decorations including those made for outdoors. You can find everything from plain Christmas lawn ornaments that cost less than $10 to extravagant ones that run upwards of several hundred dollars. The only thing limiting you is your imagination and the amount of yard space you have to work with.
Every year there are new and different designs introduced. Instead of purchasing all of your Christmas lawn ornaments at one time, why not buy one or two a year? Big things like Santa Claus on the sleigh with his reindeers can be stored and used every year but other decorations you may want to change each year just to add a touch of excitement and fun.
They add color to your house from the outside, letting everyone know that you welcome the festive season of the Holidays. Children love decorating the outside as well as the inside of the house because it not only brings in the festive spirit but also they feel a step closer to Santa Claus who will bring them gifts come Christmas day. Why not let the children help choose the Christmas lawn ornaments? It will help them feel more grown-up and they will welcome the fun responsibility.
All of these decorations are pretty and colorful; while some are bright and light up the evening sky some are very serene and peaceful. There are many types of Christmas lawn ornaments to choose from, all sizes and to match all budgets as well. Therefore during the festive Christmas season, don’t restrain yourself, be happy and show others that you are in the holiday spirit by decorating inside with a holiday tree and outside of your home with Christmas lawn ornaments.
Christmas should be a joyous time for everyone, so start by making your house look festive as well as your yard with Christmas lawn ornaments, which if you have the time and patience can even be created by yourself at home. Some grandparents love to teach their grandchildren to decorate and create great looking Christmas ornaments by themselves both for the inside and outside of their home. It is a wonderful skill, which will bring grandchildren closer to their grandparents as well as learn how to appreciate art and beauty while enjoying the spirit of Christmas.
Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor furniture is an important addition to any yard or patio. If you tend to entertain often the furnishings are almost a necessity. When you purchase furnishings for your outdoor living space you definitely want to make an investment and a good way to protect that investment is with outdoor furniture covers.
A good way to save some money is to make outdoor furniture covers on your own. However, most of us do not have the time or the patience to create our own. Fortunately, this product is available for very reasonable prices. Instead of trying to make outdoor furniture covers on your own it is simply better to shop around for the best price.
There is no better way to find the best price for any product than through searching on the World Wide Web. There are a lot of websites that can do some of the comparison shopping for outdoor furniture covers for you. One of my favorite sites is Biz Rate.
Biz Rate offers a list of companies that sell products like outdoor furniture covers. You can choose to enter your keywords into the site and search for the best price for the product. This is how I found a great deal on my outdoor furniture covers. There are other great places to look as well.
EBay offers great deals on just about ever item imaginable and you may have a shot of getting outdoor furniture covers that are gently used for an outrageously low price. The only drawback is that it is a bidding site so you may lose your ideal set if you don’t keep up with the activity on the item.
Some people look to retail stores for this kind of item and this is usually good practice. Items like outdoor furniture covers should be of excellent quality just like the furniture itself. There is no sense in spending a lot of money on the furnishings while making no investment in protecting it.
My outdoor furniture covers were mid-priced. I got a fair deal on the item and I feel good about knowing that I made a sound investment that will protect my quality outdoor furnishings. All it took was a little research on the computer and my order was on its way. I’m glad that I took the time to invest in the outdoor furniture covers. It is nice to know that my investment will pay off.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Christmas Gift Idea

It is almost that time of the year again - Christmas. It is a holiday that is considered the most peaceful and anticipated throughout the year and yet it causes so much stress for many. Everyone has an easy time making lists of who they need to get a gift for, but have a difficult time coming up with a Christmas gift idea for everyone. It is not an easy task to find the perfect Christmas gift idea for each and every person on your list but sometimes a little bit of creativity may help you find something that is unique and appreciated. When you make your list of people - figure out what they like and are interested in. It is sometimes impossible to come up with a Christmas gift idea for someone if you don't know much about them. However, if you do find yourself having to come up with a Christmas gift idea for someone you don't know very well, there are many things that you can do. Gift baskets with a theme always work well for people, as do gift certificates.
If you do know the person well, it will be easier to find a Christmas gift idea that will be fun and score you some bonus points. If the person is interested in sports, perhaps you can get some tickets to a game or a jersey. While that may be out of your price range, you can find a hat or t-shirt for less money and still be sports related. Golf fanatics will always appreciate passes for games of golf or a theme basket as well. Making a sports theme gift basket is an excellent Christmas gift idea as well. You can put a hat in the basket, some favorite snacks for watching the games, tickets, etc. That may end up being a Christmas gift idea that will be used over and over again.
If you really cannot come up with a Christmas gift idea for someone, try asking around. Ask a friend or a spouse, someone who may know them better or have heard them mention something that they may want. Getting inside information can help you find the perfect Christmas gift idea in no time at all. Unique items such as paintings or other forms of art can make a unique Christmas gift idea for some people. While that is not something that would be appreciated by everyone, some people may adore the thought and gift.
Traditional gifts always serve as a good Christmas gift idea when it comes to being something that people enjoy. That could be tickets to movies, restaurant gift certificates, store gift certificates or anything along those lines. Of course, a gift certificate is always a good Christmas gift idea when all else fails.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Balsam Christmas Trees

We live in an area with many tree farms. Many people do not realize the work that goes into growing Christmas trees. The trees need to be planted, trimmed and harvested. Many of the farms plant a variety of trees because of the different rate of growth for each species of tree. Because we live close to several of the tree farms we go out and cut our own tree each year.
When I was growing up my parents had Norway pines on one end of the property. We always cut down one of these trees and dad would try to shape it before bringing it into the house. The long needles made it difficult to hang ornaments. Since I have been married we have tried many varieties of trees. Our favorite is the balsam Christmas tree. We also like the looks of a blue spruce, but it is so prickly that you have to wear gloves while putting on the lights. The balsam Christmas tree has a wonderful fragrance and is soft to the touch. It has short needles and sturdy branches so it is easy to hang many ornaments on it. The balsam Christmas tree also holds its needles very well so there is not the problem of shedding that many of the other short needle varieties have.
Last year when we went to cut down our tree we were told that a new field had been opened for cutting. This field featured the balsam Christmas tree that we were after, but also had several of the Frasier firs. The Frasier fir is suppose to be the most aromatic of all evergreens and does not shed. We tried one a few years ago and liked the looks of the tree and the fragrance; however the branches are very soft. The soft branches cannot hold the heavier Christmas ornaments that we have collected through the years. This meant that many of the ornaments that had the most meaning to us were placed in the inner branches. We decided that because of this we would not spend the extra money for a Frasier fir again.
Many of the tree farms offer a shaker service as well as a bagging service for the trees that are cut. The tree is placed in a stand on an automatic shaker that helps get rid of dead needles and other debris that may be in the freshly cut tree. The tree is then shoved through a barrel that has netting on the end. The netting is cut the length of the tree and tied on both ends. This allows for easy transport as well as ease in getting the tree in the house. The tree growers are always looking for ways to make getting your Christmas tree more enjoyable. We are looking forward to going to cut down our balsam Christmas tree again this year.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Anne Klein Watches

If you are looking for a classic ladies watch, or even a more trendy and up to date style, Anne Klein watches seem to be a good choice. Not only are Anne Klein watches nicely styled and nice to look at, but my experience with these watches is that they are also very well crafted and last quite a few years.
Anne Klein watches can be a little pricey, but compared to other comparable brands they are right on target. When compared with more expensive brands, Anne Klein watches stand up very nicely in terms of looks and craftsmanship. If you look at it that way, Anne Klein watches are a really good deal for the money. They generally begin pricing at about fifty-five dollars and can range up to one hundred and fifty for styles that include diamond accents.
Their style is mainly classic, but their coloring has been updated to match the trends. They have quite a few watches that are a blend of sliver or white gold and yellow gold, which is high on the trend list lately. In addition, they offer several pieces of single colored faces and bands, including silver, white gold and yellow gold.
Anne Klein watches are sold at various retail outlets, and can generally be found at just about any large department store in existence. If you want to try to find a deal, there are always new with tags Anne Klein watches listed on Ebay. You have to watch with Ebay, though, and make sure you are not getting a knock off. It should be listed in the auction whether or not it is indeed real, but you never can be sure. If Ebay is not for you, websites like Overstock.com and Smartbargains.com, as well as other outlet stores, also offer a variety of Anne Klein watches. Generally, these are from a past season, but because these watches are crafted in a classic style you most likely will not even notice. These websites are more secure in the fact that they are selling authentic Anne Klein pieces and if you are not satisfied you are able to return the watch for a refund.
My suggestion is to go to a store and try on several Anne Klein watches. If you find one you really like, go home and try to find it for a better price online. This way you know what you are getting before purchasing, and searching out a deal is always exciting!

Animated Outdoor Christmas Decorations

I do not know about you, and in your crew it might be different, but in my family appearance is important. The spirit of Christmas is all fine and good for school pageants and such, but for me the most important part of the holiday season is to have the best Christmas decorations that you can. A lot of people think that quaint wooden ornaments look good, but I think that that is just silly. I think that anything less than Animated Christmas Decorations is simply a waste of time and money. Even those blow up Santas and the inflatable snowmen just do not compare to the Animated Outdoor Christmas Decorations. If you put Animated Outdoor Christmas Decorations on your front lawn, you will be the envy of the whole entire neighborhood, and that is just no lie.
The coolest thing about Animated Outdoor Christmas Decorations is how flashy they look. Christmas is all about one thing: Christmas lights, and the Animated Outdoor Christmas Decorations take Christmas lights to a whole new level. If you are not familiar with the way an Animated Christmas Decoration works, allow me to enlighten you. The way that it works is pretty simple, really. Basically it uses sequences of colored lights to create the picture on the Animated Outdoor Christmas Decorations. A lot of the better ones can show some pretty neat and elaborate pictures on them, such as Santa in his sleigh bringing presents to all of the little boys and girls, or the three wise men walking to the tent of baby Jesus. You see that? Animated Outdoor Christmas Decorations are not only showy, they can also be pious. Who says that religion and crass commercialism can not mix right?
Of course, Animated Outdoor Christmas Decorations do not make the whole holiday by themselves. It is still important to get a good Christmas tree, and we have the best tree on the whole block. The tree that we use is massive, and covered top to bottom with lights. And you better believe that we put that tree right in the window where everyone out there can see just how cool it looks. Remember, the spirit of the holidays is about lights, about sparkles, about stars on top of decorated trees. If you do not get into the decorating, then what is the point? Animated Outdoor Christmas Decorations can give you the flair that says Christmas.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Spring Valley Vitamins

Have you taken your multivitamin today? Ah ha, I caught you! You haven't been taking those essential vitamins at all, have you? This is not a good thing and I'll tell you why. First and foremost, you probably don't eat that healthy. Do you get your four fruits and four vegetables each and every day? I think I only get around three total. Secondly, did you consume fast food today? This is a major no no, and all the more reason you need a multivitamin each day. Those fast food joints certainly don't supply your body with any real nutrients. Therefore you have to not only start eating more healthy, but you also have to do the daily vitamin thing. It's an easy routine to get into. Ever heard of spring valley vitamins? This is a wonderful product to get you started.
What are spring valley vitamins? They're basically a nutritional supplement you can take on a daily basis in order to replenish your body with those essential minerals it lacks. If you deprive your body of certain nutrients, it doesn't perform properly. Just take a gander at half of America. Do they look like they're in ship-shape condition to you? As much as folks hate to hear it, they need to step up to the plate and really start taking care of themselves. This not only involves spring valley vitamins, but also decent eating habits and a good fitness regime. Are you on top of all these things? One thing I've noticed that oodles of individuals fail to recognize is that high-fat foods lead to lethargic states. Again, just take a gander at our country's current condition. Folks across the nation are lounging on their sofas night after night. Not to say this is bad, but some exercise is required as well. How else do you expect your body to function properly? The first step is to consume low fat foods. Sadly foods high in fat and salt weigh you down and leave feeling tired and unable to function. However, have no fret! It's not too late to snag those spring valley vitamins and acquire that new fitness regime so that you too can get in shape. Start by adopting proper and prudent eating habits. Then move on to your exercise program. With the World-Wide-Web on your side, it's easy to establish a good routine that works well for your schedule and body. Hop online and check a few out today. Oh, and don't forget to order those spring valley vitamins.

Singing Lessons

Just about anyone can sing. Not everyone has a great voice, but that doesn’t mean you can’t at least hold a note, or sing in key. If you love to sing, but you know you frequently go off key, there is no reason why you can’t take singing lessons to help you get better. Singing lessons won’t make the tone of your voice beautiful, but it can help make it smoother. Those with a natural talent for singing should take singing lessons so that they are getting the best out of their voice. You may have a great voice, but you may be able to get even better with the right training.
I know a guy with a good voice, but he doesn’t know how to use it. He was a great live singer, but when his band went into the studio, he couldn’t cut it. In fact, the resulting product was horrible, and could not be used. His band mates knew he could sing, and they asked him if he would mind taking some singing lessons. He was offended at the suggestion, and the band soon fell apart for that and a host of other problems as well. If he had taken singing lessons, his good voice would have become great, had he only been able to see past his own ego.
The truth of the matter is that a voice is an instrument just like a guitar or a clarinet. Any musician needs to learn how to use their instrument before they can play it well. Every musician must take lessons. They can’t just pick up a guitar and instantly know exactly how to play it. Taking singing lessons for your voice is no different than taking lessons for playing an instrument. One of the first things you learn when learning to play a woodwind instrument, for example, is breathing. When you take singing lessons, this is also one of the first things you learn. Breathing can make all the difference.
You can find DVDs online to give you singing lessons, but I don’t know how effective they are. You may have the best luck finding someone in your community who offers singing lessons and go with them. There may be no substitute for one on one lessons with a real live person. If this is out of your price range, you can try a DVD for lessons, but don’t expect miracles if you go this way.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

African American Christmas Decoration

There are many people who have a very traditional idea about Christmas, however few of these really realize that most of the Christmas traditions that we have come not from Bethlehem, but from Northern Europe. Everything from the snow in the manger scene to the Christmas tree actually starts in European countries, and not in the holy land. With this in mind, why should we not change Christmas when it suits us to fit our cultures and our individual styles.
This is why I have begun to collect African American Christmas Decorations. There is definitely a unique African American style which has penetrated the American mainstream as much as any other style that there is, and it seems like a shame not to celebrate it. African American Christmas Decoration not only celebrates authentic African traditions, but also the styles and contributions of generations of African Americans. Getting or making your own African American Christmas Decoration is the best way to celebrate your own heritage if you are an African American, or to celebrate tolerance and cultural diversity in America if you are not. I am not saying that you should go all out and discard all of those blown glass Christmas ornaments that you have stocked up to put all over your tree. But what I am saying is that that same tree will look all that much better with African American Christmas Decoration strung up alongside the more traditional Christmas decor.
Of course, what exactly constitutes African American decorations really varies depending who you are asking about it. Some people take African American Christmas Decoration to mean African Christmas decoration, and like to adorn their trees with charms shaped like giraffes, gazelle, and stylized masks. I do think that this has a place in African American Christmas Decoration, but I do not think that it is enough by itself. In reality, African American Christmas Decoration has so much more to offer. When I think of African American Christmas Decoration, I think of Christmas ornaments that celebrate and remember African American history. That means celebrating literature, music, education, farming, and all of the other areas in which African Americans have made a contribution to our culture, and doing it with a distinctly African American style. Of course, that is just me. The beauty about African American Christmas Decoration is that you can do it in whatever way is the most meaningful to you.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Healthy Hair

Do you have healthy hair? Or can you even tell if it's truly healthy or not? The business of hair care and styling is certainly a big one now days. The question is; what can you be doing to keep your hair looking great? Your first concern may regard your current hair products. Do you wash every night with the drugstore stuff, or go all out and shop at a salon for hair care? Well, while we all want healthy hair, not everyone has the cash to fork out for the finest products. Luckily there is a solution to this dilemma. Have you considered the World-Wide-Web as an answer to your hair care bill? Online you can find virtually anything and everything, but often for a lower price. When it comes to healthy hair, females pretty much have the knowledge on this issue. This is probably because they're typically much more into their dews than men are. I mean, women will spend hour upon hour fixing their hair each day. God knows why they do this. Don't they understand that men could care less if it's simply in a ponytail? Regardless of why women strive for new hair heights, it's a good thing there are so many quality healthy hair products storming the market these days. Most hair fanatics will tell you that they only go for the high-end stuff. Yes indeed, that means the salon products all the way. Have you checked the prices on many of these? Some can screw with your blood pressure. My wife is always buying salon hair products. I noticed one pomade was 30 bucks. Yikes, that's a tad more than the 5 dollar hair wax I buy at the local Walgreen's. The big issue here is quality. Are salon products truly worth the extra bucks, or can you simply buy the drugstore stuff and attain the same healthy hair? Well, this is where the Internet comes into play. It's simple to research healthy hair online and find out what products are rated the best and which ones are a waste of your hard-earned dough. The key to having healthy hair does not only concern your chosen products, but your diet and lifestyle as well. You want to always remember to eat healthy and drink plenty of water. This regime in addition to a daily multivitamin are crucial if you want healthy hair. Things to avoid are overexposure to the sun and smoking. Both have a detrimental effect on your precious dew. Get that healthy hair by living right and using quality products.