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2017 Holiday Gift Guide
Since we're right in the middle of the holiday season, we've made a list of some of the best gifts we have available here at The Southern Mercantile! In addition to this list, we have a category dedicated to "Our Favorite Gifts" for more ideas!
Every show we've been to, folks have oohed and ahhed over this little play set! We just love Maileg - their incredible handmade quality and whimsical feel make such special heirloom toys. My personal favorite (for now, anyway!) is this sweet Mouse Princess and the Pea. I love how the pea that makes the princess so uncomfortable is included, stitched onto one of the mattresses in the stack, so it doesn't get lost, and how everything fits together into the beautiful cardboard castle. This gift is perfect for any little girl, especially ages 5-10. You can also find other Maileg toys, such as bunnies and matchbox mice in our "Littles" category.
What little boy doesn't dream of being a farmer at one point or another? This adorable Down on the Farm Magnetic Truck makes his dream come true, at least for a little while! It comes with a magnetic farmer and six animals to load up and carry around the farm or take to town. With its sturdy design, it's great for ages 3 and up. You can find other sweet little boy toys in our "Littles" category.
Every man has to shave, so why not make it an enjoyable experience instead of just a chore to suffer through? This gift set includes a bar of soap, a shave brush, and a tin of shave soap. The scent from Pre de Provence is clean and masculine, perfect for a young man just learning to shave as well as the man who has everything! For other gift ideas for men, go to "Our Favorite Gifts" category.
The flip-style Herb Garden Calendar from Rifle Paper Company is perfect for every woman on your list! It's the perfect size for any desk, and with a different floral design for each month, it's sure to suit a teacher, businesswoman, or stay-at-home mom of any age. Visit our "Paper Goods and Embellishments" category to find other products from Rifle Paper Company.
This gift set of Southern Cocktails recipe book with a stainless steel bottle opener is perfect for any host or hostess. With classic cocktails like Mint Julep and concoctions like Watermelon Crush, as well as fun finger foods such as Spiked Pimiento Cheese and Devilish Eggs, this book has all the recipes needed for a southern soiree! The simple and classic design of the bottle opener makes a great addition to anyone's barware. See other recipe books in our "Entertaining" category.
Holiday Cheer, or Lack Thereof
Christmas is my most favorite time of the year. I know, you must hear that a lot. I can truly tell you that when November rolls around, I am ready to start decking the halls and wrapping presents. Yes, I am one of those people, and yes, I do love Thanksgiving and fall, but who says you can't already have a few decorations up when you sit down to carve the Thanksgiving turkey?
Part of my love of the Holidays comes from owning a small, retail store The Shoppes at Fourth and Cherry in Ocilla, GA. This is the time of year that my shop looks the prettiest. Ornaments and twinkle lights have a magical way of transforming a space and, of course, there is always lots of glitter! Sales are good, so the normal worries of small business subside, temporarily. People coming in are usually happy and excited to pick out the perfect gift for the special folks on their list. Cakes and casseroles are being picked up, children are counting down the days to Santa and we can't wrap gifts fast enough to keep up! I am usually happily checking off names on my list and finding great joy in picking out gifts that my special folks will really love. This time of year is usually so exciting! Usually.
To be perfectly honest with you, I am struggling this year. I am not super sad or depressed, just having trouble getting into the spirit of the season. I am low on Holiday cheer. I have found myself not super excited about Christmas shopping or wrapping presents. (Check my temperature!) I have struggled to throw together a Christmas party for my Shoppes family, an event I usually look forward to all year. I have not put up one single decoration at my house. I am also pretty sure that I am not the only one who is experiencing a holiday cheer deficiency this year.
I am surrounded by so many who have lost loved ones, are dealing with illness, or are going through a divorce. It seems extra hard to summon your Holiday cheer from within when you are feeling burdened by the state of the community around you. Burdened by the fact that there are not enough hours in the day to call or send notes to all who are hurting. Burdened by the fact there are more foster children than I can count from my community that will be wishing they were home this Christmas, in their own beds and wishing they had family to love and take care of them. Basically, burdened by the needs, both spiritually and physically, of my community, and feeling like there is not enough of "me" to go around! It seems selfish to focus on gifts and parties when there are so many who are hurting and in need.
So, what should I do about this holiday cheer problem? Be a scrooge and just not celebrate this year? Just let Christmas pass and pretend it is not happening? Well, I don't think that is the answer to the problem at all. There are people that need me. They need me to be cheerful, to greet them with a smile, and to show them the love of Christ, no matter how I am feeling on the inside. I know you have all heard the phrase "fake it til' you make it." There really is something to that. The act of going through the motions, even if you heart is not in your task. I believe that if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep showing up and being faithful, your heart will catch up with you eventually.
I have decided that I will keep singing my favorite Christmas songs. I will keep greeting folks with a smile, and be as loving as I can be. I will write notes and visit with as many hurting folks as I can. I will keep collecting shoes for foster children and praying for their comfort and peace this holiday season.
I will have a great time at our Shoppes Christmas party and celebrate our 14th year in business together! I will take great joy in wrapping my gifts and giving them to my loved ones. Most of all, I will remember that my life is not my own, my time is not my own, and this Christmas season is just that, a season. This season of my life will pass and another will follow. My purpose here on earth is to love and to share the good news of Jesus. To be burdened and aware of the hurt of those around you is essential in being able to encourage and love those around you.
If you are feeling burdened this year by life's circumstances, take heart in knowing that this season may pass, but Christ is sovereign and eternal and his love is with you always. Go home and put a wreath on your door. Take some goodies to your neighbor and put on your favorite Christmas music. Spend some time focusing on those around you, and I promise, your heart will catch up. Even as I was writing this, a very sweet foster mother in town brought in a bag of shoes and a coat for our clothing closet. Don't you just love those little encouraging "winks" from God, to remind you that He is standing right with you? This sweet act of kindness inspired me to go home last night and decorate my mantel, hang up our stockings and put a wreath on the door!
I looked ahead to December 25th in my daily devotional book, "Streams in the Desert," to find a little inspiration for this blog. I love the power in the simplicity of this thought: Let us be glad and rejoice today, because He has come. And let us remember the proclamation of the angel: "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord!" (Luke 2:10-11)
Let's be about the Lord's business this holiday season and in the coming year. Let's make it a point to be aware of the needs of our community and see that burden as a blessing, not a curse. Opportunities to share the "good news of great joy," the love of Jesus to a hurting world!
I have owned a retail store for the past 14 years and Christmas, of course, is our booming time of year! We go all out! This year, my team of elves and I decorated 7 large trees for the store and countless table top trees. Over the years I feel I have perfected my tree decorating methods and wanted to share them with you! I like a Christmas tree to be very full and to have lots of layers. Whether your tree is fresh or faux, follow these simple steps and you'll have your tree looking as fabulous as the ones you drool over in magazines!
Step 1: The Lights
My Dad (to whom we lovingly refer as "The Wizard") would tell you that this step is the most important one. He has a 10ft tall faux Frasier Fir that he puts over 1100 lights on every year. You have to put your sunglasses on just to enter his home through the front door. I am not as patient as he is, though I do believe you need a well-lit tree. If you have a pre-lit tree, then just plug in and you are ready to roll, unless of course some of your lights won't come on! If you are putting your own lights on your tree then start at the bottom of the tree at the back and begin to work your way around. You also want to run the lights up and down the branches as you work your way around so that your tree has lights in the center as well as the outer branches. Remember you should have no more than 3 strands of lights connecting to each other. If you have a large tree you may need to run an extension cord up the center of the trunk to start a new strand of lights. If you end up with extra lights at the top of the tree you can run them down the center of the tree to help illuminate it from the inside out.
Step 2: The Topper
Many would save the topper until last but I like to put it on before I do anything else. If you choose to use a classic simple topper then this will not take you long. If you like to have a bow at the top of your tree, it is good to put it on first so you can place the tails where you want them without having to worry about bumping your ornaments. I like to put unusual things in the tops of my trees. You will see from the sample pictures that the sky is the limit! From wooden reindeer to chandeliers, we are willing to try anything!
If you choose something like a chandelier that lights up, you will need to run a separate extension cord up the middle of your tree to the top to plug the topper in. Do not plug this item in to your lights! If you choose to use a bird's nest, or bird cage, wooden cut out, etc. you will need to affix it to the top of the tree with a little floral wire. If you will wrap the wire with floral tape first it will not damage or scrape your decorative items and will be easier to work with. Sometimes I also like to add large branches, or stems of berries in the top of the tree. These will usually secure themselves in the braches but if you have trouble, just grab your trusty floral wire.
Step 3: Garland
If you are using any type garland or ribbon around the tree, now is the time to do it! You want to wrap the tree before you fill it with stems and ornaments. With paper or stiff garland you want to tuck it in at certain points to create a billowy effect. If you are using beaded or glass garland, you want to drape it loosely so it doesn't look too tightly wound on the tree.
Step 4: Stems
I love to add glittery stems or berries of some sort. I even love to add picks of pine and different greenery. You can see in the sample pictures that I added butterfly picks to the garden tree. This really adds some depth and interest to your tree and helps to create a nice full look. I usually have a higher concentration of picks at the top and then intersperse them through the tree all the way to the bottom.
Step 5: Large Ornaments
I like to put on all the larger ornaments first. Be sure to work your way from the inside of the tree outward. You don't want all of your ornaments dangling on the end of the branches and have emptiness in the middle. The larger ornaments are great for filling the spaces between the branches on the inside of the tree. Concentrate most of your large ornaments in the middle and the bottom of the tree. Sometimes they can be a little overwhelming at the top.
This is also a good time to incorporate unusual items! We decided to use these small metal mirrors as ornaments because they looked so good with the colors in this tree!
Step 6: Small Ornaments and Ornament Clips
Finish the tree by decking it out with the rest of your ornaments. If you have any ornaments that clip (i.e. flowers, birds, candles etc.) clip those on the outer tips of the braches very last. Don't be afraid that you are using too many ornaments. It is my opinion that less is not more when it comes to your Christmas tree!
Step 7: Tree Skirt
Last but not least, add the tree skirt. If you have a premade tree skirt that you love, go for it. If not, don't be afraid to use an old quilt or yardage of fabric that matches your décor. I have even used table cloths before! Just find something that really goes with the personality of your tree and your room.
I hope this little tutorial was helpful! Try out these tips and post your pics to The Southern Mercantile Facebook page. We'd love to see your handiwork!
Don't forget to stop by our Holiday category to take a look at our Christmas selection!
Mistletoe Market
The Southern Mercantile was thrilled to be a part of the annual "Mistletoe Market" this year in Perry, GA. We had a blast getting to set up a mini Southern Mercantile store. Here's our finished product, what do you think?
It was so much fun to fill our little space up with all of our favorite things!
We introduced our favorite soaps in our favorite scents. These shea butter soaps from France feel like such a treat! Who can go wrong with lavender, white gardenia, sage and mirabelle. These soaps are now available in the store and they make a perfect hostess gift or stocking stuffer! Click HERE to shop!
We had the opportunity to meet new people and make some new friends! We served our special "spiced percolator punch" as a special treat to those who stopped by. It was such a hit, we're sharing the recipe below!
Our Maileg bunnies, angels and mice were a huge hit! We have restocked our "Littles" category and they are all available now!
One of the highlights of the weekend was getting to meet James Farmer! We just love all of his books and have carried them in the store for years. You guys can nab one of your own by clicking HERE!
Next weekend we are headed to Jacksonville, FL to participate in the "Vintage Market Days of Jacksonville". If you are in the Jacksonville area drop by and visit with us! We'll be hitting the road to some new places in the new year, so we'll keep you posted on our schedule. If we're ever in your neighborhood we would love to meet ya!
Hot Spiced Percolator Punch
(makes 22 servings)
Be sure to join our Recipe Club to have access to all of our wonderful recipes!
A Family's First Christmas
These past few months of marriage have been filled with laughs, tears, adventures and plenty of burnt bread. It's amazing to think about how much our lives have changed within the last year and all of the changes to come. This will be our first Christmas as a family—and I have to admit that it seems pretty surreal. We are in a strange but wonderful stage of life, wondering what our Christmas traditions will become.
The one thing that has become a tradition for Phillip and I already is finding a tree in the woods and cutting it down! This was our third Christmas doing so and it is always a treat.
Phillip built a rustic tree box for me that very first year we were together and I just think it is wonderful. It fits our style and looks great with our airy trees.
Last year, since we were engaged, I went ahead and purchased stockings for us to use! I love coordinating, but not matching, stockings! That way you can add to your collection over the years without the stress of finding the exact same thing. We don't have a mantle, so I just hung them along our buffet next to the tree.
The first year that I worked at The Shoppes, Roxie tied an adorable "T" ornament to my Christmas gift. I loved it so much that last year she hunted for a "P" for Phillip! She sadly couldn't find one, but this year she had a surprise waiting for me. She ordered a "P" and a "B" at the beginning of the season! (The "B" is for our sweet puppy Breeze, in case you didn't know) Now our entire family is represented on the tree.
I was so thankful to have had a Christmas shower thrown by a family member when Phillip and I were engaged. It was so fun to receive things that I could use to make our house a home during the most festive time of year. I received the beautiful ornaments you see below on the left. I just can't get over how pretty they are! The ornaments below on the right belonged to my great-grandparents. I love most vintage things--but I especially love having something of theirs hanging in the tree. They add the perfect pop of color while reminding me of the true meaning of Christmas. My great-grandfather, Pap, was a preacher and I know that their Christmas traditions didn't revolve around expensive gifts or rushing around--but rather time spent with family and friends and honoring the birth of Jesus.
At my Christmas shower, I received the glass trees and the angel you see below. I LOVE gold in case you haven't noticed, so you know that I adore these trees!
I carried the gold and green theme throughout my wrapping paper as you can see.
One thing we did this year that I think may become a Christmas tradition was what we gave to our nieces and nephews. With Phillip having nine just on his side, we knew we wouldn't be able to afford gifts for all of them. We decided to make a ticket and treats for each child. The ticket is valid for a day of fun with Aunt Tara and Uncle Phillip. They get to choose an activity (out to a movie, gone fishing, let's get crafty, spa day, or other) and a restaurant they'd like us to take them to. By doing this, we hope that we can begin to build lasting relationships with these children one on one, and become someone they can trust, look up to, and have fun with.
This year, Phillip and I decided that rather than giving each other gifts, we would take a trip! We recently went to Texas on a whim with another couple and had the time of our lives! We will be heading up to Tennessee after Christmas for a little hunting and relaxation. We aren't in need of anything. We are very blessed and are excited to have this opportunity to make memories with one another. Who knows, in the next few years it may be a little more difficult to travel!
Our first Christmas may not be very exciting, but it will be memorable. I can't wait to see what our Christmas traditions become and how our lives change. Though Christmas traditions may come and go--we know one Christmas truth that never changes. If God hadn't chosen to save the world through a baby, born to a virgin, there would be no Christmas. May we always be in awe of what He has done.
A Christmas Breakfast Tradition
Every year on Christmas morning, my husband and I invite our parents and grandparents to enjoy breakfast with us and our two boys. This gives them the opportunity to see what Santa Claus has left for our boys and fuel up before visiting the rest of the grandchildren. This is one of my favorite Christmas traditions, and I am honored to be able to carry it on. Before my older son was born, this tradition took place at the home of my in-laws. My mother-in-law and father-in-law served breakfast for their parents for years while raising my husband and his siblings. After the birth of their first grandchild, they passed the torch to my husband and me.
I believe this year will make the 10th Christmas breakfast in our home! Let me assure you, I have learned a few lessons to make things easier. If you're interested in starting your own Christmas breakfast tradition, here are a few guidelines:
First, keep it simple. Don't try complicated recipes, especially if it's the first time you've made it. I serve a savory breakfast casserole, grits, a sweet coffee cake or danish, and fruit, plus coffee, juice, milk, and water. If you don't want to cook, purchase bagels or frozen waffles or pancakes. I do use my Christmas dishes just because they are so fun and festive and I love them, but feel free to use paper plates, especially if the dishwasher is not empty.
Second, do what you can ahead of time. The breakfast casserole recipe I use (Paula Deen's recipes have never let me down!) has to be refrigerated overnight. The last thing you want to be doing on Christmas morning is running around your kitchen, trying to get everything done. Put your kids to work making sure your living room, dining room, and kitchen are straightened up before everyone goes to bed on Christmas Eve. Nobody wants Santa to trip over your stuff, right?
Last, but certainly not least, remember the reason you're doing this. It's not to impress people with your culinary skills or your sacrificial sleep-deprivation. It's to create memories with the people you love. I will never forget the Christmas that Santa left puppies at our house for our son, his grandfather, and his great-grandfather! Also, I have come to realize how life can change in an instant. We are not guaranteed to even have tomorrow, so make the most of the time you have!
Join our Recipe Club to receive a Recipe Card of the Breakfast casserole I serve every Christmas morning!
Roxie's Holiday Home Tour
You all know my little cottage has been quite the work in progress! My husband and I franticly moved in right before Christmas last year, my busiest time of the year! Needless to say, I did not get to decorate for the Holidays. I was so excited to get to unpack all of my pretty Christmas decorations this year, so I wanted to have you all over for a little Holiday Home Tour. Welcome!
It's no secret that I love my porch and I love entertaining outside. In South Georgia our winters are usually rather mild, which makes for perfect outdoor entertaining! I keep my festive pillows ready to toss on the glider when guests come over.
I love the look and smell of fresh greenery. Most of my décor this year incorporates faux greenery but I did snag this cute fresh wreath to hang on my porch. Fresh wreaths are usually rather inexpensive and will last a good month as long as the weather is cool.
Decorating mantels is one of my favorite things. My mantle this year is decked with mercury glass and tinsel garland. Our stockings are hung with care, and labeled with my letter ornaments from Pottery Barn.
My grandmother Crain was a very creative lady. She died when I was in kindergarten, so I didn't get the chance to know her well. Not only do we look a lot alike, but I am certain we would have a lot in common. She made this little red bird ornament for me when I was little so I have it lovingly displayed here with her beautiful picture.
Bell jars are a great accessory to have in your home year round. You can change what you display in them with the seasons. I am loving my giant pine cone and extra large ornaments displayed under this bell jar on my coffee table.
,I'll be hosing Christmas breakfast at my house Christmas morning for a small group of my family, so I decided to go ahead and set up my table so I'll be ready.
I have quite a love affair with dishes, linens and silver so setting fancy tables is sooooo much fun! Here, I have used faux Magnolia leaves and extra large mercury glass ornaments to create a centerpiece. I didn't have just the right runner or cloth so I used a long piece of wrapping paper as my runner. I have already confessed to you my love of wrapping paper. This a great example of a different way you can use it and why it is great to have on hand! My fine china and antique silver plate were all wedding gifts and I love to use them on special occasions.
My little home is cozy and ready for company! Christmas time is so fun because it seems to be the only time of the year that it is acceptable to swath your home in greenery and glitter and all things fun!
My Christmas tree was so fun to decorate! After decorating so many at my shop, you would think I would be tired of trees and ornaments but every one is a work of art to me! This year I used a felt-like rope as the bow on the top along with large glittered snowflakes and silver tinsel picks. I have mixed new as well as vintage ornaments and all in shades of cranberry, dark teal, gold and silver. If you missed my helpful tips on tree decorating, you can click the link here to read it and brush up on your skills.
The little striped ornament is my favorite vintage ornament. It has all my colors, gold, silver and blue and is just so darn cute! The bells, flowers and polka dot ornaments are all new but still some of my faves. Some of them are available in our store.
You know I love a thoughtfully and beautifully wrapped gift. If you missed my gift wrapping guide you can click this link to check it out.
I've devoted one small corner in my hallway to one of my favorite places on earth, our family vacation spot in Colorado. This may sound very glamorous but I kid you not, it looks very much like the ornament. (And is about that size too!) I am so blessed to have a water color painting of this special place painted by my good friend Mary Ann Cox.
This guest room is ready! Now I just need a guest. Adding a cute Christmas pillow to the bed and a small, festive arrangement on the side table was just enough to brighten up this little room.
Even the bathroom got the holiday treatment with silver tinsel garland over the mirror and bright colored bottlebrush trees on the chest.
My bedroom is my sanctuary so it got the holiday treatment in the form of cozy pillows, tinsel tree and fresh flowers on the bedside table.
There are little touches of Christmas throughout the kitchen. Including the fresh, mini poinsettia. Wish I had a dozen of those!
These Christmas trees made of sheet metal are the perfect home for my special Christmas cards of friends and family.
Ok y'all, confession time. Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes are my all time favorite holiday dessert. I can resist Little Debbie snack cakes all year long but when the Christmas Trees hit the shelves, I just can't help myself! Call me crazy but give me a glass of eggnog, (spiked of course) and a Little Debbie Christmas Tree and I feel as though I have died and gone to heaven.
I am so glad you came over to take a peek at my little nest. Christmas really is my favorite time of the year and it makes me happy to share so many of my favorite things with my guests. Many of my favorite things are available in The Southern Mercantile Store but, if you saw something you like that is not listed in the store, chances are it is available in our brick and mortar store, The Shoppes at Fourth and Cherry. Shoot us an email, we'll be glad to answer any questions that you have! Merry Christmas!
Holiday Gift Wrapping Guide
I LOVE to wrap presents! After 12 Christmas seasons in retail, you would think that I would be tired of gift wrapping by now! Lovingly wrapping gifts is one of my favorite activities that comes around with the Holidays. Every year and I am scouring the after Christmas sales for cute gift wrap, cards, tags, etc. I was too embarrassed to take a picture of my entire gift wrap collection so I just picked a few of my favorites to show you! I think it is so much fun to dress up my packages and put extra thought into the presentation of the gift. Here, I am sharing with you a few of my tips on creating beautiful and special gifts!
I like to set up and wrap all of my gifts at one time. Your dining room table or living room floor with look like a Christmas explosion for a couple of hours but the end product will be so worth it! Along with cute wrapping paper, it is nice to have a selection of tags, small ornaments, bells and stems to decorate your packages with. You will also need tape (I prefer "Scotch" transparent), scissors, assorted boxes, and perhaps wire cutters, depending on the decorations you are using. I never wrap presents without the trusty tape dispenser that was my Grandpas. It is very heavy and has sharp teeth. New dispensers just don't cut it, they just don't make em' like they used to!
When wrapping in a box, it is fun to line the box with tissue to add an extra bit of fancy. Lay out your tissue long ways, folding up one end to make it fit perfectly inside the box. Once you have folded the tissue, make sure that you carefully insert the tissue along the edges to keep it from ripping.
Fold your gift to the best fitting size and lay it in the box. Bring one side of the tissue over the gift and then bring the other side, folding the edge for a finished look. You can even secure the tissue with a fun Christmas sticker if you have them!
Next comes the wrapping. This paper happened to come in sheets that were the perfect size to wrap a standard shirt box. No cutting necessary! So I laid the top side down and pulled the paper around each side to meet in the middle of the bottom of the package. I do not tape the paper to the box, but if you are having trouble keeping the paper in the right place you can do that! I then tape the paper to itself to keep it secure. On each edge of the package, I press in the ends of the paper while I crease the top and bottom portions at an angle that will lay flat. I bring the top piece down, creasing the seem, and bring the bottom piece up tightly securing it with tape on either side.
I like to crease the edges with my fingers to help make the package look crisp and neat.
Choose your embellishments based on the color scheme and attitude of your paper. You will want it all to coordinate and make sense to the receiver.
When tying ribbon around all sides of the package, you want to measure before you cut. This will ensure that your piece is long enough to wrap and tie a pretty bow.
Lay the ribbon across the front of the package and wrap around to the back. Cross the ribbon in the back and bring the ribbon around the other sides. Once you have the ends of the ribbon on the front of the package, adjust the ribbon until you know that you have enough to tie your bow. Now you can finally cut the ribbon to size.
Once you have cut your ribbon down to size, you will need to tie a knot to keep things in place. Now it is time to layer your other embellishments and finish your package! You will always want to thread your gift tag first, so that any other little do-dad can be seen.
Once your embellishments are in place and secure, finish tying your bow. When writing on you gift tags, consider choosing a pen that coordinates with your gift wrap. Tara says you can't write on a special package with just any ole' pen. (She just happened to have this gold pen in her purse. :) Always prepared!)
When I am including a small gift item (like these earrings) in the same package as a larger item, I try to make it look a little special. This way the gift receiver is sure to notice it and not throw it away with the tissue paper.
When you are using a roll of paper rather than sheets, cutting is a must. Roll out your paper, print side down, and place your box on top, top side down. Cut your paper down to size ensuring that you have enough to cover the entire box. Wrap your gift as stated before.
With this print, we chose to go with a natural and rustic theme with the embellishments. We tied the jute twine, as we did before, wrapping around all sides of the package. We wanted to use a pine cone to dress it up a bit! Once we tied a knot to secure the twine, we began attaching the pine cone.
We have found the easiest way to do this is by threading the twine between the bottom later of the pine cone and tying a tight knot to hold it in place. Then we are able to finish our bow!
Sometimes rather than a traditional gift tag, I like to use Christmas cards!
We've all heard the saying, "Measure twice, cut once." What happens when we don't follow this piece of wisdom? Is all lost? Certainly not! Though it isn't ideal to end up short on wrapping paper, sometimes it's an easy fix to use scraps to fill the gap!
Start by measuring your gap, and cutting a piece of paper to fill it. Tape down (on the back of the package of course) your fill in piece right in the middle. Bring your sides up like you would normally do and tape them to the fill in piece. Continue to wrap the package as you would normally do, being mindful of keeping everything tight and secure.
From the front, no one would ever guess that this package was pieced together!
When only tying ribbon around one side of the package, I tend to wrap it around the taped side. I tied a tight knot and moved on to embellishments! Don't be afraid to use festive stems or unusual objects. The more interesting the embellishments, the more fun it is for the receiver!
Here is one more example of using a stem to dress up a package!
And if you must use a bag....
When prepping tissue for a bag, open one piece up fully. Put one hand under it, finding the middle. Use your free hand to pick up the tissue in the middle, pulling upwards quickly. Gather the bottom portion and begin stuffing the tissue in the bag around the gift. Do this with individual pieces of tissue until your gift is covered and the tissue looks nice.
Don't be afraid to add embellishments to your bag!
I hope this was helpful and that you feel inspired to toss the premade sticky bows and put a little extra umph into your gift wrap this year!
We have made some of our favorite wrapping paper available for you to shop!
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How to Make a Pine Cone Wreath
Here, in the south, most of us are blessed with plentiful pine cones to pick up in our yards. This time of year there are so many cute things you can do with those treasures! One of my favorite pine cone projects is to make a wreath. Dad and I have made many of them for the shop, all of them gigantic! Here, he will show you how to make a pine cone wreath for your door or porch.
For this project you will need: pine cones, floral wire, wire wreath base, spray snow, glitter, ribbon of your choice and work gloves. All of these supplies can be found at a craft store near you, such as Hobby Lobby or Michael's.
You'll start by picking up lots of pine cones of course! Yay, fun outside activity! (I have been known to pay some of my young friends to aid in this process. )
Next, you will want to wire all of your cones in advance, this will make the job go faster. Wrap the wire around the tops of the cones, leaving plenty hanging off to attach it to the wreath.
One the cones are wired, you will begin to attach them to the wire base, beginning on the outside and working around the circle.
Once you have completed the outside of the circle, begin attaching them to the inside of the circle.
Once you have completed the inside of the circle as well, begin filling in the middle of the wreath base.
When you are finished attaching the pine cones, you can spray the whole thing with the spray snow. While the snow is wet, sprinkle the wreath with glitter. Any color you like will do, but I have found that silver, gold or a pale blue make the prettiest wreaths.
You'll need to give your wreath plenty of time to dry before attaching the bow.
All that's left to do is hang your beautiful creation and impress all of your friends!
Christmas Cookie Exchange
One of our favorite things to do here at The Southern Mercantile is share some of our favorite recipes with our followers. This month, we have decided to begin an online cookie exchange! This will allow us to share some of our favorite cookie recipes with you while you share some of yours with us and our followers! What better way to ring in the Christmas season than with cookies?
All you have to do to participate is post your favorite recipe on our Facebook page for all of our friends to see. The more recipes that are shared, the more fun we will have! Try a new recipe and even post pictures on our page! We would love to see our online community come together and share in the Christmas spirit.
Need a little something special to package your cookies in this Christmas? Our Cookie Box Kits are just the thing!
September 2020


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A New Routine- Natalia Alonso Talks Candidly About Pregnancy and Dance
Even though I am ready to be a mother, I was slightly shocked and scared when I learned I was pregnant. Sure, the timing could not have been better: I already had the opportunity to see some of the world's most amazing cities and stages while touring with Ballet Hispanico and Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and had just finished playing Maria Tallchief in the show Nikolai and the Others at Lincoln Center Theater. For the first time in thirteen years, I had a break. Yet, something seemed daunting about the prospect of having a baby and knowing I would have to put my career and goals aside for some time.
Since I was a young girl – not to mention during my career as a professional dancer — I have always defined myself as an artist and performer. My self worth was based on whatever job I was doing at the moment. Suddenly here I was, pregnant and unable to go to any castings in search of the next job that was going to define me. People were asking me what I was doing next and I was embarrassed to tell them, "nothing." Nothing?
Naturally, it took some time to adjust to the fact that I am doing something. I am going to become a mother, and that is as important and defining as any job I have had. I have also found that the two are not mutually exclusive. At seven weeks pregnant, I performed for Complexions. At sixteen weeks, I taught ballet class for two weeks at New Orleans Ballet Association (NOBA). I subsequently joined the modeling agency Expecting Models, with whom I have done several fitness photo shoots. Slowly, I have realized that even though I am adding a very different type of job to my resume, I do not have to give up on everything that I once identified with. Now at 33 weeks pregnant, what am I doing? Taking ballet class, practicing yoga, teaching, modeling, and mostly… looking forward to ALL the new things to come that will define me.

subset: commoncrawl


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Full Moon in Scorpio
During the Scorpio Full Moon, you may feel your personal power growing within, gaining strength. The consequences of your initial work during the New Moon begin to show in obvious ways.
Physical and emotional wounds are beginning to heal. You feel in control of your life, as opposed to being controlled by circumstances. Personal power is central to self actualization, and you are certainly on your way. Carry on with your good work!
If you have been playing detective, attempting to demystify a particular problem or issue, chances are good that some answers are starting to show. Don't stop your line of questioning. Delve further for a deeper understanding of the matter.
Emotions are highlighted with this full moon. You are present, completely engaged in your close relationships. Time spent with loved ones can be more meaningful, as long as you don't try to project your fears onto your sweetheart. Physical intimacy can be particularly passionate and steamy.
Under Scorpio's influence, meditation is sure to generate amazing insights. You may even get more ideas about your future direction.
As the moon begins to wane, enjoy whatever quiet time you have at your disposal. Take a time-out from partying. In this day and age, we do not know how to appreciate quiet times. When the mood seizes you, relish the messages that silence can offer.
Learn more about all the Full Moons: Full Moon in Aries, Full Moon in Taurus, Full Moon in Gemini, Full Moon in Cancer, Full Moon in Leo, Full Moon in Virgo, Full Moon in Libra, Full Moon in Scorpio, Full Moon in Sagittarius, Full Moon in Capricorn, Full Moon in Aquarius, Full Moon in Pisces
Suggested reading:
Full Moon Magic: Invoking Spiritual Energies for Personal and Planetary Transformation by Karen Johannsen
Gita Saraydarian presents the Wisdom of the Zodiac summary for the full moon of Scorpio. The topic is taken from Volume 3, Wisdom of the Zodiac by Torkom Saraydarian, Chapter 24, "Breaking Our Identifications."
Learn more at http://www.tsgfoundation.org/
Read the entire text of Gita's Blog "What do you mean I am your Teacher"? on http://gitasblog.blogspot.com/


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CLINTON, NY -- The Williams College Ephs will head into the last two games of the season against Little Three rivals Wesleyan and Amherst with an unscathed record, as they overwhelmed a shorthanded Hamilton squad 38-7 at Steuben Field this afternoon to improve to 6-0. The Continentals fall to 1-5 with the loss, and have now dropped 14 consecutive contests to the purple cows.
Under the influence of rookie head coach Aaron Kelton, the Eph defense has given NESCAC opponents a considerable amount to handle this season, limiting them to just 15.4 points per game coming into today's road matchup at Hamilton. The challenge of overcoming that unit was made all the more difficult for the Continental offense this afternoon, as they were operating without regular starting quarterback Jordan Eck.
Eck's replacement, senior Steve Mello, struggled to get things going against the highly physical, highly athletic Eph defenders, while senior counterpart Pat Moffitt and the Williams offense flourished, cranking out 4 touchdowns in the opening two quarters and 38 unanswered points through 40 minutes of regulation. Hamilton finished with 138 yards of total offense to the Ephs' 455 and 4 first downs to their 23.
"I thought we did a really good job all day [on defense] of executing our scheme," remarked Kelton. "They were missing a quarterback and had a lot of key kids who weren't able to play. We ended up being able to handle most everything that they threw at us."
The Ephmen had quite a comfortable handle on the Hamilton offense in the opening half, forcing seven stragiht 3-and-out drives before freshman runningback James Stanell barged through the line for a pick-up of 15 yards with less than 13 seconds left in the second quarter. Mello rushed his squad to the line and heaved a deep pass towards the red zone, hoping to get lucky in the closing ticks of the half. His attempt was intercepted by first-year defensive back Andre Lafontant, a sequence indicative of the day's events for the Continentals.
While Hamilton stalled for the vast majority of the game, Williams shined, as Moffitt completed passes to 7 different receivers over the course of 6 possessions in the first half, netting 203 yards and 3 touchdowns in the process. The first of these scores was set up by a blocked punt courtesy of sophomore linebacker Hill Hamrick, a clutch play that placed the chains at the Hamilton 8-yard line. From there, a 3-yard carry by senior Ryan Lupo and a 5-yard pitch and catch from Moffitt to sophomore stud Darren Hartwell gave the Ephs a quick six and an early lead. Junior kicker Chris Cleary tacked on the point-after to put Williams ahead 7-0.
With his 8th touchdown reception of the season, Hartwell jumps to the top of the Eph list for most touchdown catches in a single season, sitting along side two other star athletes. He joins Ryan Friend '03, who pulled down 8 in 2002, and Brendan Fulmer '07, who achieved that stat in both the 2005 and 2006 campaigns. With one more six-point snare in either of the final two games, Hartwell will eclipse these alumni and claim sole ownership of the program record.
To be sure, Hartwell has been the go-to target for Moffitt this year, but this afternoon it was junior wide receiver Tomas Kearney who entered the spotlight. Kearney snagged a pass of at least 10 yards on each of the subsequent Eph touchdown drives, including a 14-yard touchdown snag at the top of the second quarter that stretched the Williams advantage to 14-0. His longest catch of the day came three possessions later, when Moffitt sniped him for a 35-yard gain. That drive ended with a 9-yard plane-breaking dash by freshman back Kristian Lapointe, the first of his Williams career. Kearney wasn't done there however, as he snatched 20 and a 25-yard tosses on the opening drive of the third quarter, one that ended with a 2-yard endzone dive by sophomore Tim Morris, the first score of his career as well. Kearney totaled 8 catches for 131 yards in what was a breakout afternoon.
Senior tri-captain Jon Carroll featured prominently in the offensive mix today as well, particularly on the third Eph touchdown drive. The tight end jumpstarted that series with a 23-yard reception, and he ended it with a 5-yard touchdown grab that made it a 21-0 ball game at that point. Moffitt found him a third time midway through the third quarter, connecting with Carroll for a 20-yard hook-up that gave Cleary a chip shot from 25 yards out. He hammered it through the uprights to put the Ephs up by 38 points, sealing the eventual 38-7 victory. Moffitt finished the game 19 of 28 passing for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns, and he earned a well-deserved rest in the fourth quarter.
With the three TD passes Moffitt upped his season toaal to 17 and tied the Eph record set by Mike Bajakian '96 and Joe Reardon '03.
"Overall, I think we were much more disciplined than in previous weeks," noted Kelton. "We were much better at limiting our mistakes and not allowing giving the other team any free first downs. It was something we talked about a lot this week in practice and in the locker room, and we will have to get even better at it if we want to end our season with a championship."
Williams will also have to rely on veteran stars like senior defensive back Pat Barren--who lead the team in solo and total tackles on the day with 5 and 6 respectively--and junior linebacker Dylan Schultz--who recorded 3 tackles of his own--for their continued leadership if they want to have a shot at corraling the potent offenses of their Little Three foes. Additional contributions from younger players such as sophomores Hunter Lent--who registered 3 total tackles and 2 pass break-ups in this contest--and Chris Cameron--who had a tackle for a loss of 6 yards--will also greatly advance that cause.
Next week, the purple and gold return to Williamstown for their homecoming game against the Cardinals of Wesleyan University. Not only will Weston Field be packed to the brim with alumni, parents, students, media, and fans, but former Eph head coach Mike Whalen will also be in attendance at the game as the head coach of the opposing Cardinals.
When asked about the inherent drama in a situation where he would be attempting to go 7-0 at homecoming against the man he had replaced this season, Kelton was rather diplomatic in his answer, simultaneously acknowledging and downplaying the excitement.
"It will certainly be an emotional game for our players and our team...and homecoming in general is always an emotional game. In the end though, it's just the seventh game of our season. We have to come with the same focus and composure that we have all year and do the things that we do best. As long as we stay focused on every play of every series, we will be fine.
"Right now, I'm just trying to enjoy this win," concluded Kelton. "We'll worry about next week tomorrow."


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Video-conferencing technology is allowing county staff and contractors to get construction permits issued more efficiently.
Skype may be known as a free way for friends and family to have face-to-face chats over the Internet, but it's also helping overcome logistical hurdles in Frederick County, Md.'s permitting process.
Construction permits that had a water and sewer component in the county often got delayed, as separate departments located 10 minutes away from each other are required to evaluate the applications. But Skype bridged that gap by allowing staff members and developers to connect online, allowing any issues or questions to be addressed in real time.
Instead of an applicant going to the Frederick County Department of Permits and Inspections to apply for the permit and then driving to the Division of Utilities and Solid Waste Management to drop off the plumbing details, the entire case can now be handled from one location.
The equipment for the video conferencing system cost approximately $3,000 and launched in mid-December. It features two computers, four monitors and two high-definition video cameras and is available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. The county health department can also access and use the system when the permit requires its involvement.
According to Kevin Demosky, director of Frederick County's Division of Utilities and Solid Waste Management, the change is in response to a desire from county commissioners to provide a more business-friendly environment when it came to permitting.
He said that initially, the plan was to have a dedicated staff member from the Division of Utilities and Solid Waste Management working at the Department of Permits and Inspections. But since the frequency of walk-through permits was uncertain and the staff person would have to drive between offices, the focus turned to video conferencing as a potential solution.
In addition, since many historical documents are stored in huge filing cabinets, moving those cabinets or even devoting the time to scanning all of them wasn't as easy and cost-effective as it might sound to some.
Skype provided an effective stop-gap measure for the county to get the work done and increase efficiency in the permitting process.
"I think some people may look at video conferencing as being old school, but it's an inexpensive way for offices that may have remote locations that need to interact at a central hub, rather than moving people or building more office space," Demosky said.
Initial Reaction
Since the system came online with the holiday season kicking in, county officials don't yet have a definitive handle on just how much the service will be used. Sharon Goetz, manager of Permitting Services in Frederick County Department of Permits and Inspections, said that so far only one applicant has used it.
That user — Bill Raymond, vice president of Summit Construction — told the Frederick News-Post that in the past, people like him who simply had one sink to install got "lumped together" with other projects that may have had a large amount of plumbing work. But the new system enables county staff to take a look at those situations much more quickly.
Goetz expected use of the Skype system to increase once companies realize it is available and more projects get started later this year.
"We anticipate having a few of these permit applications a week when permit activity picks up," Goetz said. "Even if it's a small number, it will be worth it, because it will make a difference to those customers."
Initially, however, staff members weren't as gung-ho about using Skype for permitting issues. According to Goetz, employees were skeptical video conferencing would be a worthwhile effort. But once folks started training on the system, opinion on its effectiveness quickly changed.
"Once we actually used it in the test/practice sessions, we could see the benefit," she admitted. "Not only is it more personable to talk to someone that you can see; it also puts a face to the name for both the permit applicant and the person reviewing the application. It definitely has a more customer-friendly feel than just talking on the phone."
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Path of Renewal helps 52 congregations explore new approaches to mission
Published on 1 November 2018
The Path of Renewal initiative aims to bring ministers and church members together to discuss and reflect on the big picture and explore new approaches to church life.
Launched in September 2015 with a pilot of 30 congregations in 2016, the initiative has expanded to include 52 congregations and 32 presbyteries in 2018 across the Church of Scotland.
Path of Renewal aims to help churches move from using a maintenance approach to a missional one; focussing more on their core calling.
Groups from congregations across the Church have come together to share their experiences of discipleship in everyday life and how faith might be shared in places of work and play.
Rev Liz Crumlish, who coordinates Path of Renewal, said:
"Path of Renewal does not provide a blueprint for how church should be today but encourages ministers and congregations to work out - together with God - how God is inviting them to be in and with the communities they serve.
"To do that demands a shift in mind-set – moving from having answers to asking questions.
"It also involves an element of risk taking, cultivating an environment in which experiments are welcome and one where, if something doesn't work, that's OK – we have something to learn from."
A report on the progress of Path of Renewal will go to next year's General Assembly.
The report will highlight how ministers have benefitted from working alongside colleagues who are also dealing with similar issues in how cultural changes are affecting their churches.
'A journey back into a newness of life with Christ'
More than half of the ministers who embarked on the first phase of the pilot are now mentoring colleagues in the second phase as the project continues to discover what it means to be involved in the Mission of God in all our many and varied contexts today.
Rev Scott Cameron, the minister at Stevenston High Kirk in North Ayrshire, who has participated in the initiative said:
"The most remarkable part of my three year journey with Path of Renewal was to find that it was not a journey into a new programme or project, but a journey back into a newness of life with Christ.
"At the beginning of my journey I felt spiritually dry and drained.
"I felt my ministry was becoming an endurance rather than a delighting in God.
"Path of Renewal gave me the opportunity to pause and return to Jesus my 'first love'."
'Something of His Spirit is afoot in what we do'
Rev John Murning of Sherwood Greenlaw Parish Church in Paisley, reflected on his church's journey through Path of Renewal by writing:
I have noticed that …
people are smiling more
and talking more in our church.
Some people are praying more,
others are caring more,
and some are thinking more.
I have noticed that people are willing to give things a try,
and experience something new.
people want to get involved,
and we now have a number of babies and young families
coming regularly to church on a Sunday morning.
and more parents
have supported the Remembrance Day
and the Uniformed organisation services.
I have noticed people being kind,
and saying thank you
for what other church folk have done for them.
not many folk fall asleep during the sermon,
and people in our community
recognise some of the things we are doing as a church
to be good and healthy and wholesome.
I have noticed new people joining our choir,
And the fun that the Time out Group have at the manse.
people are being generous
with their time, talent and money.
People are asking questions,
And probing for a deeper understanding about God.
I have noticed, faithful men and woman,
who come week in and week out to worship,
and bring something of themselves to Sherwood Greenlaw,
and offer themselves for the work of the Kingdom of God.
I have noticed, growth and optimism in people,
and a real willingness to take on board
new opportunities as they arise,
that expand the Kingdom of God in this place.
All this suggests to me that God is not dead here.
That something of His Spirit is afoot in what we do,
A little spark of the Spirit;
that seeks to kindle a deeper fire for God and this Kingdom work.
You can keep up to date with Path of Renewal through Liz's blog.


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HomeProductionsArchivesThe concert for the 175th anniversary of P.I. TchaikovskyPart I
Part I
Scenes and arias from the opera "Eugene Onegin":
1. Introduction to the opera
2. Lensky's arioso "I love you"
By Oleg Zlakoman
3. Tatyana's Letter Scene
Performed by Inga Martynova
4. Onegin's aria "You wrote to me ..."
Performed by Aleksandr Stryuk
5. Lensky's aria "Where, where, where have you gone?"
Singer - Honored Artist of Ukraine Vladislav Goray
6. Gremin's aria "All men surrender to Love's power…"
Performed by Viktor Shevchenko
7. Overture-Fantasia "Romeo and Juliet"


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Olu Jinadu, a current MBA candidate at the University of North Carolina at the Kenan-Flagler School of Business with an MS in Engineering from San Diego State University has more than six years of experience managing undervalued investments and conducting fundamental analysis. Now, he has launched an IndieGoGo campaign aimed at providing exposure for investors to learn more about high-return frontier markets and to enjoy the opportunities available for these types of investments. He analyzed the fundamentals of the 250+ companies and correctly predicted the takeover of DirecTV by AT&T, Spinoffs from Valero Energy and Noble Drilling Corp. Also he purchased one company for every 25 different companies analyzed, as a result, beat the S&P 500 by 2% annually in the last two years.
According to Jinadu, "Today's current emerging marketing Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) are very broad and do not accurately capture the $250 billion value opportunities in frontier equities. Existing ETFs are very expensive for investors because of high fees and commissions." Because an ETF trades like a stock, these funds are very liquid and can be purchased or sold like any other type of stock on the NYSE. Based on his research over the past six years in frontier markets, Jinadu has discovered that there are many mispriced securities that cannot be currently accessed by global financial markets. These investments have the potential of a much greater return than the S&P 500.
"Frontier market countries such as Kuwait, Nigeria, and Pakistan are at an earlier stage of development relative to emerging-markets countries, and these frontier market countries are entering a period of mid- to high-single-digit growth due to fragile economic base, favorable demographics, growth in infrastructure spending, and, in some cases, abundant natural resources," notes Jinadu. His campaign is designed to create an ETF based on his observations.
Located at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/value-investing-opportunity#/story, the IndieGoGo campaign offers pledge levels from $25 to $1,000 and a variety of perks.
For more information on the campaign, visit the IndieGoGo page.
About Frontier Market ETF:
UNC student Olu Jinadu has unlocked the secret of high-return frontier investments and is sharing his knowledge with others to help them make more money on their investment dollars. Now, Jinadu has launched an IndieGoGo campaign to raise funds for his proposed ETF.
Media Contact
Company Name: Value Investing Opportunity
Contact Person: Olukayode Jinadu
Email: email@example.com
Phone: 7604436744
City: Minneapolis
State: Minnesota
Country: United States
Website: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/value-investing-opportunity#/story


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We all wish to have that confidence that there is some money stashed up somewhere which may come in handy during emergencies but sometimes our basic and secondary needs become so overwhelming that we find it difficult to save. Do not worry yourself anymore because now you have the opportunity to shop endlessly on various items and enjoy huge discounts. Vouchers-UK is a website that offers free shopping discount voucher codes to ease up your shopping expenses on various ecommerce websites in the United Kingdom. Visit their website at http://vouchers-uk.co.uk.
On this site, you will find a number of UK companies and brands offering awesome discounts on quality products. If you are looking for website ideas for the things that you need on which you can enjoy huge discounts with discount codes or free delivery codes then this website http://vouchers-uk.co.uk is for you.
There are lots of brands in the UK that offer everyday items ranging from art and art supplies, auto parts, baby items, books, electronics, fashion items, health care to office supplies. There is nothing you need that you will not find on Vouchers-UK and Cheapvouchercodes.co.uk websites.
There are many online saving tips you must have read or seen and of course top of the list will always be to get discount codes on shopping websites. Vouchers-UK and Cheapvouchercodes.co.uk make that easy and possible. Theese websites are flexible and easy to use with its friendly user interface and navigation.
Everything you need is easily accessible. You can search for promo codes or free delivery codes based on categories or based on stores which are listed in alphabetical order. One very good thing about these websites are that you really do not have to visit the websites to know the latest working discount codes.
There is a part of the website where you can enter your email address and you will have the discount codes delivered to your inbox. No hassles, no stress. With this method, you are assured of getting the latest and working discount codes without going through the stress of looking for them.
There is a blog section on the website too where you can read up on some of the brands and other shopping topics. The discount codes are all available on the website but there is a catch, they all have a specific duration that they last through. Expiring discount codes are separated from the active discount codes so it makes your job easy. You can enjoy all the discount codes as they are expiring and shop as much as you would love to. These 2 sites, Vouchers UK and Cheapvouchercodes.co.uk are dedicated to serve the best discount codes and free delivery vouchers to their customers for instant money savings on orders online.
Once again, it is not really that difficult to save money that can be used for other things. Get the chance to spend as little as half or even less on products that you love. Vouchers-Uk makes this possible and it emphasizes that you do not have to spend a fortune to buy quality. Just visit http://vouchers-uk.co.uk and our other site http://cheapvouchercodes.co.uk to get products of high quality as Vouchers-UK & Cheapvouchercodes.co.uk do not promote products of low quality. At Vouchers-UK you are covered and as much as quality is delivered, we make sure you don't have to break the bank to have quality.
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text:
Catrin Jones Architectural Glass is an award-winning, contemporary specialist in decorated glass for architecture.
We have over 25 years' experience in contemporary glass techniques, such as enamelling, screenprinting, laminating, sandblasting and waterjet cutting, as well as the traditional stained glass crafts of painting and etching hand-blown glass.
We can work with public and private sector clients, at any scale, in commercial, educational, cultural, healthcare and spiritual environments worldwide. We manage the complete process of commissioning glass in architecture, from design through manufacture to installation.


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When I found out I was having my second son I made no secret of the fact I had some gender disappointment. I feared that by not having a girl I would be missing out on all the pretty outfits that comes with having a girl to dress up, and that boys clothes just wouldn't be as cute.
Thank goodness Roco Clothing have stepped in to prove me completely wrong and kindly sent me an outfit for Piglet and JJ. With a gorgeous selection of clothing for both girls AND boys I was spoilt for choice, but I think I chose well!
The first outfit I picked was for JJ, and I selected this adorable Sarah Louise romper. It is available in sizes 3 months up to 18 months, and since JJ is only 1 month old and still in newborn clothing I knew that it would be too big. That really doesn't matter though as he is not crawling around so a bit of extra material is fine – and it means he'll get lots of use out of it!
The material is light making it perfect for summer, and I adore the embroidery detail on the top. The top and shorts are detachable too to make nappy changes a little bit easier.
For Piglet I opted for something a little more grown up. There was a big selection of suits available for toddlers, and I chose a chino and suit jacket set and some leather loafers. I didn't want something too formal, but still dressy enough to be worn to a smart occasion.
The shoes in particular caught JHogg's attention and of course he now wants to source a matching pair for him. The leather is soft making them appear to be quite comfortable to wear. Piglet was able to run around in them straight away without hesitation.
The chinos had tabs on the inside so you can alter them to fit your child. This is perfect for us as Piglet has always been skinny and this means the trousers won't be constantly falling down on him.
The jacket looked adorable on him. There was enough room in it for him to run and play unrestricted, which I think is really important in kids clothing. Popping up the collar gives a splash of colour and a more casual look.
If you want to look extra casual though, just take your jacket and toss it away. That's what Piglet did – serves me right for trying to work with children!
To celebrate the royal wedding Roco Clothing are giving away a weekend in London for two. The prize includes travel, 2 night stay in a central hotel, tickets for the London Eye, tickets to the Buckingham Palace Mews and an afternoon tea for 2. To enter head on over to the Roco Clothing facebook, twitter and instagram before the 18th June and follow the instructions.
We were sent these outfits for the purpose of carrying out a review. All words an opinions are my own.
Please note this post may include some affiliate links. This has no effect on you - to find out more please check out the disclosure


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Boxing Tips for Beginners
Those who want to pursue boxing, it is essential that they get proper tips from a good coach. But the onus of following those tips is totally on the aspiring boxer. Read on.
Medha Godbole
Mar 4, 2020
This is a sport where if you are not ready for the attack, the opponent can and will, surely knock you down. Just like this dialog from a boxing movie 'Rocky' starring Sylvester Stallone;
Mickey: Your nose is broken.
Rocky: How does it look?
Mickey: Ah, it's an improvement.
Yes, this is what is the quintessential sport boxing we are talking about here. The likes of Mike Tyson and Cassius Clay aka Muhammad Ali, they have been there done that. These boxers slogged and slogged hard to get to the top.
Tips for Boxing
Proper Gear
It is extremely significant that you have a good pair of gloves at your disposal at the onset when you want to learn boxing. Apart from that, you would need hand wraps, mouth piece, headgear and shoes.
Basic Techniques
You would most probably begin with learning what is, in boxing jargon, called a jab. Here is what you do.
Get in a boxing stance with your lead foot forward.
With the weight on your toes, take a step forward, and simultaneously throw a straight punch using your lead hand.
Get your fist back in its original position and repeat.
Once you get the jab, it will serve as a pathway for learning other techniques involved in boxing. One of them is footwork and the other is blocking. Footwork for most part would be taken care of while jabbing, but still you would need to work on that.
Blocking will help you know how to block those power packed blows from an opponent. There too, you have to analyze the situation and then block.
In addition to this, you also need to attack. So, for attacking, you need to create opportunities to throw that lethal punch. A good punching bag will do the needful for you.
Along with this, you need to be mentally prepared to take hard blows as well. That will be developed as you train more and more.
Another factor when you are in a ring is preemption. Somewhere down the line, you would be required to anticipate a punch, where in you will need to attack before that. Again, this would be a result of your hard training. There are some more techniques, but they are better left for the trainer to explain and teach!
Fitness and Nutrition
Imagine you have a great potential, have all the punches, blocks and preemptive methods in your kitty. But you blow it off in just the 3
round. Reason? Lack of stamina and requisite endurance.
So the point is to be fit as a fiddle and concentrate on maintaining perfect health. This is done by proper nutrition or eating habits, rigorous boxing workouts, and stamina building exercises. For instance eating carbohydrates before training and proteins after training.
Running or any other cardiovascular exercise is excellent for improving stamina. Without this, all your mind-boggling boxing skills can go for a toss.
Sparring, in short is fighting it out like an actual boxing contest with a partner. But this a bit of an advanced stage. Sparring gives you a real feel of being in the ring.
Fine, you can punch the punching bag to a lump, but are not so good in front of an opponent. The solution for this is sparring. Sans sparring, you would not get any idea about how to go about defending, clinching, and distancing.
Last but not the least, you would need a truckload of patience, ye fellas, because boxing is not child's play. It is a sport where you should be ready to take blows in the same spirit as you are to throw punches. It is all a part of the game.
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Support your immunity
To protect yourself from winter colds and flu pay attention to your diet to boost your immunity (Marcos et al 2003). Your immune system is composed of a delicately balanced system of tissues and cells designed to protect you from invading bacteria and viruses and allergens. Physical barriers such as the skin, and the mucous membranes of the respiratory and digestive tracts are your first line of defence. In the blood stream specialized white blood cells fight invading organisms. T lymphocytes seek out antigens and B lymphocytes create antibodies to destroy germs. Deficiency of one or more essential nutrients may prevent your immune system from performing at its best. Base your diet on whole, real foods and where possible choose organic animal and vegetable produce.
Increase you consumption of fruit and vegetables which contain valuable vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients (WebMD 2012). These support immunity by having antioxidant, immune boosting and detoxification effects.
Aim to eat 5-7 portions of fruit and vegetables a day and try to eat a rainbow – this will provide you with a wide a variety of immune boosting phytonutrients Include berries, peppers, papaya, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, parsley, apples, dark green salad leaves, garlic and onions.
Eat more nuts and seeds and wholegrains which provide vitamin E, a potent antioxidant, which stimulates the production of immune cells known as killer cells. Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc which also increases these infection-fighting T cells.
Try to eat two portions of oily fish a week and a handful of nuts and seeds daily which provide essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids play a role in modulating the immune system.
Include protein at every meal and choose lean options such as fish, chicken, eggs and pulses. Protein is digested into amino acids which are the building blocks of all bodily systems including the cells involved in immunity. Whey protein powder or pea or hemp protein powder helps to support immune function and can be added to smoothies. Add green super foods for extra antioxidants and phytonutrients.
Check your vitamin D levels Vitamin D has a crucial activating effect on infection fighting immune cells (Rode von Essen 2010). Sun exposure raises vitamin D levels and it is found in eggs and oily fish.
Support healthy digestion. Chew your food well which begins digestion and also stimulates your stomach to produce acid. Stomach acid along with digestive enzymes can inactivate bacteria and viruses. Stomach acid is required in the first step of protein digestion, which provides amino acids required as the building blocks for immune cells.
Seventy per cent of your immunity lies in your gut as a network of lymphatic tissue. As well as supporting digestion, healthy gut flora or probiotics – stimulate the lymph tissue in the gut to produce antibodies against disease-causing bacteria and viruses. These friendly bacteria also create a physical barrier against invading pathogens. To encourage the growth of healthy gut flora eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and fermented products such as yoghurt and kefir.
Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, pasta and rice, which are turned rapidly into sugar. This has been found to reduce the ability of immune white cells to engulf and destroy bacteria. Replace refined carbohydrates with wholegrains such as brown rice or quinoa.
Reduce saturated fats which can contribute to inflammation in the body. Avoid hydrogenated fats and trans fats, which are found in processed foods and are toxic to the body. Do not fry with sunflower or other vegetable oils as these oxidise, creating reactive free radicals which use up your antioxidant supply leaving fewer to support immunity. Free radicals can damage T cells as well. Use olive oil for cooking and raw as it contains antioxidants.
Reduce caffeine and alcohol which, as diuretics, deprive the body of immune boosting vitamins and minerals. Increase water and herbal teas such as ginger, green tea or pau d'arco.
More sleep is an obvious way to boost immune function. Aim for 7-8 hours per night.
Relax. Stress inhibits systems in the body which are not essential to immediate survival such as digestion and immunity. Instead focus is placed on increasing your heart rate and rushing blood to your muscles so that you can run from or fight your 'attacker'. Prolonged stress can lead to continual immune suppression. Try to deal with the stress in your life with meditation or yoga or any activity which you find absorbing and enjoyable. Depression can also affect immunity so address this if you need to.
Regular moderate exercise supports good immunity but in excess can have the opposite effect.
If you find that despite following the above advice you are continually picking up infections a consultation with a nutritional therapist may give help to identify contributory factors such as intestinal dysbiosis, adrenal fatigue or vitamin D deficiency.
Marcos A Nova E Montero A (2003) Changes in the immune system are conditioned by nutrition European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 57(1):S66-S69
Rode von Essen M Kongsbak M Schjerling Olgaard K Odum N Geisler C (2010)
Vitamin D controls T cell antigen receptor signaling and activation of human T cells Nature Immunology 11:344-349
WebMD(2012) Healthy Eating and Diet Frequently asked questions about phytonutrients (online) Last accessed 23.02.2012 at http://www.webmd.com/diet/phytonutrients-faq#3


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High Power Probe | High Power Probe Station | MPI | 200mm Probe Station | High Power Probes | Probe Stations | Automatic Probe Station
TS2000-HP – Advanced High Power Solution
TS2000-HP – Advanced High Power Solution
MPI's automated TS2000-HP provides reliable on-wafer high power device measurement over wide-temperature range and measurement capability up to 3 kV (triax) / 10 kV (coax) and 600 A (pulsed). Advanced ShielDEnvironment™ offers low-noise and shielded test environment.
Features & Benefits
Interlocked enabled safety light curtain to protect user from accidental high voltage shock by shutting down the instrument through interlock system.
The system has rear doors, protected by interlock as well in order to provide easy and convenient initial measurement set-up.
MPI ShielDEnvironment™ is a high performance local environmental chamber providing excellent EMI- and light-tight shielded test environment for ultra-low noise, low capacitance measurements.
To prevent arcing between chuck and platen, TS2000-HP platen is specially designed with MPI advanced ArcShield™.
High Voltage Probes (HVP)
Low leakage probes specially designed to withstand high voltage up to 10 kV (coaxial) and 3 kV (triaxial). Choice of various connectors options such as Keysight Triax/UHV, Keithley Triax/UHV, SHV or Banana.
High Current Probe (HCP)
High performance probes specially designed for on wafer measurement of high current up to 200 A (pulse). MPI multi-fingers high current probes are single piece construction to efficiently handle high current and provide low contact resistance.
Optional Anti-Arcing LiquidTray™
Specially designed anti-arcing LiquidTray™ can be used for arcing suppressing by simply place on the high power chuck surface. Wafers can be safely placed inside the tray to submerge in the liquid for arcing free high voltage test.
Hot/Cold Wafer Swaps at Set Temperatures
The automated single wafer loader and the safety test management provide a unique capability to load/unload wafers at any chuck temperatures. Cooling down or heating up to ambient is not required anymore to load or unload a wafer. This saves major down time and increases the overall MPI Test Systems efficiency significantly. Necessary settings are protected by a convenient supervisor log-in procedure.
MPI TS2000-HP shares the same standard features, such as, thermal chuck integration, Safety Test Management™, automated single wafer loader, vibration isolation, and integrated prober control of the TS2000-SE system.
Feel the Difference
Software Suite SENTIO®
MPI automated engineering probe systems are controlled by a unique and revolutionary, multi-touch operation SENTIO® Software Suite – simple and intuitive operation saves significant training time, the Scroll, Zoom, Move commands mimic modern smart mobile devices and allows everyone to become an expert in just minutes. Switching between the active application and the rest of the APPs is just matter of a simple finger sweep.
For RF applications, there is no need to switch to another software platform – the MPI RF calibration software program QAlibria® is fully integrated with SENTIO® – for ease of use by following a single operational concept methodology.


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In progress
Deep Pothole on Orlingbury Road
Reported in the Potholes / Highway Condition category by Fiona Clarke at 20:43, Tue 3 December 2019
Sent to Northamptonshire County Council 3 minutes later. ref: 1873645.
Large deep pothole on nearside of carriageway heading into Pytchley. Close to NSL zone starting and finishing.
Holding water, large diameter pothole
Nearside driving line.
Thank you for reporting a fault. We will use the information you have provided to assess and prioritise this fault in accordance with our published response times for fault reports.
State changed to: Investigating
Posted by Northamptonshire County Council at 20:45, Tue 3 December 2019
Thank you for your enquiry. site visited, works have been instructed and will be undertaken monday 9th December 2019.
State changed to: Action scheduled
Posted by Northamptonshire County Council at 13:24, Wed 4 December 2019
This took out 3 of my tyres last night. Unfortunately I was unaware of the notice to repair until 9nbestigating how I go about claiming for the extensive damage and cost its caused me.
Please can you point me in the right direction.
Posted anonymously at 17:19, Thu 5 December 2019
Still damaged and took out my tyres driving home last night. Only came across this notice by trying to find how I claim against the significant damage caused
Posted anonymously at 20:28, Thu 5 December 2019
Provide an update
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Are you on the hunt for a business or hobby? Are you one who enjoys working with your hands? Are you interested in woodworking? Now you are able to learn the craft. The tips from this article will assist you in turning woodworking into a hobby or occupation.
Always stir your stains instead of shaking. Some ingredients they contain will settle at the bottom of the can, which can effect the outcome of your project. Shaking too much can cause bubbling to occur, and also prevent it from mixing well. Stir thoroughly until it is even.
Try out some gel stain next time you are staining furniture items. Gel stains adhere to wood better, while liquid stains run a lot more. Gel stains will create a more consistent finish on pieces, as well.
If you plan on renting an unfamiliar tool, ask the company if they can provide a short tutorial. Many times, they have specialists that will show you how to use the tool properly and safely. You can also ask them if they have some kind of a handout that gives tips on what you can do with the tool.
Every woodworking shop should have a stair gauge in it. Typically, they are used for the layout of stair jacks, but they can also be used to clamp down the carpenter's square. This can make your carpenter's square into a guide for your circular saw. Using this square will allow you to make cuts that are straight.
Before you begin any sawing assure the blade is in working condition. A dull blade makes good cutting impossible. It will also make you make more mistakes that could end up costing you money depending on the wood you're working with.
Always ensure that the area you are working in is well lit. You need to be very accurate when measuring. Additionally, you are working around dangerous, sharp tools. You also have to see well too or else you could get injured or make other mistakes.
It is important to choose the correct wood for your particular woodworking project. Refrain from using a soft wood such as pine, as this can become scratched quite easily. Also consider that woods will have different colors by the time they're finished.
Safety is optimal when you are woodworking. When you're crosscutting, set the cut's length by using a block clamped to the fence. This is preferable over utilizing the fence alone, as it prevents the board from springing back. This can save you from a serious injury during your project.
Use woodworking kits when you're just getting started. They include wood which is pre-cut, allowing you to easily assemble your project. This makes it easy to help understand how woodworking works. Additionally, these kits save you time because they contain everything you need to complete the project in a timely manner.
Now, can you tell why woodworking is a great hobby? Are you into trying it? Begin woodworking today. Take what you've learned and put it to use. When you use this advice, you'll begin realizing your woodworking goals.


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It is pretty easy these days to set up and manage a pivot table (PT). It is not too difficult to create a pivot chart (PC) either. There is a problem, though, when you might want to create two or more different charts from the same PT. This page explains two approaches to dealing with this issue.
Ordinary PT
Let's start by creating an ordinary PT. Go on, then! You've got some data and you know you want to analyse it so off you go! You might have a PT like this:
and a PC like this:
You can see how I did this from this overview screenshot:
Good! Now imagine we want a new time series PC, with the PT revised as you can see below; and to do this I had to create a new PT based on the existing database that I also used for the first PT and PC:
To make the changes we see so far, you just change the groupings for the new PT. In the first case I grouped the dates under … Years + Quarters + Months
In the second case I grouped the dates under … Year + Days
The Problem
The problem is that when I change the grouping in my second PT and in my new PC, the first PT and PC also change. This happens because Excel anticipates your memory and other system needs and bases both PTs and PCs on the same cache of data. It always does this until you tell it not to.
The Solutions
Delete or Add a row
I will present this solution with a warning: it is a bit clumsy if you are dealing with a small database because what you do is to change the database by changing the input range by leaving off one row of data. For example, if your original database is in Sheet1!A1:A20, you would create a new PT using the range Sheet1!A1:A19. Therefore, two PTs are not equivalent and Excel will create a new PC for as you change the grouping in the PT. The example I am using here has more than 5,500 rows of data so deleting one row is not so bad but be careful with this approach if your database is much smaller.
You can, of course ADD a new row the database and Excel will create the new PT and charts for you but look at this inconvenience:
You can see that there are blanks in the PT now. Of course, this is not a surprise and you can easily deselect them but be ready for a mess if you don't!
Use the Old PT/PC Wizard
Excel is over 30 years old now and we are in the 21st century but sometimes we need to turn the clock back to the days when the men wore polyveldt shoes and the ladies wore crimplene dresses!
- Open a new worksheet
- Alt+D+P … that is press the Alt key … keep it pressed then click the d key then the p key and you will see this:
- Feel free to experiment with this wizard but for now we are going to accept these defaults by clicking Next
- In the next screen enter the SAME range for the database you are already using … Next
- As soon as you click Next, Excel realises you are using the same database and presents you with this:
- You have to click No for Excel to create a separate PT for you. You can see that the downside of the selection is that you will use additional memory and your file size will be bigger … but the benefit is that we can now create our new, different PC.
- Finally, Excel asks where you want to put your PT with this screen:
There you are: create your new PT now and your new PC and they will not interfere with your existing PT and PC.
Every now and again we might want to create two or more charts from one database via a pivot table. This page has shown two ways of doing that. There are other ways, especially if you are using external data sources; but for now this should be enough for most of us! Another way is to create the pivot table and then copy and paste from it … but you lose flexibility that way.
There is no Excel file to download for this since it is best you work on your own data and your own PTs.
Duncan Williamson
18th August 2017


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After going to Olga for 6 years, it is so wonderful to see Simply You open! I drive from Massachusetts four times a year, just for her. After years of going to stylists who honestly have no idea how to cut curly hair, Olga is truly the diamond in the rough. She is so open, and willing to listen to what you want. Her main goal is to have you walking out feeling beautiful. Thank you Olga, for all the work that you do!Meredith Merchant,
EVERYTHING you read on this website about Olga is absolutely true!! I went to her this past Saturday after reading so many referrals. She is so very nice. She took her time with me and even offered to highlight my hair. I was only scheduled for a haircut. I had a cut, highlight and blow-out and hardly recognized the "beautiful" person staring back at me in the mirror. It was a wonderful experience. Everybody in the Salon..from the receptionist to the shampoo girls to the hair stylists are so kind and caring. I highly recommend this salon...book today with OLGA...you will be HAPPY you did!Guest,
I went to Olga after hearing so many great things about her on this website. She gave me the best haircut I have ever had!!! My hair is really curly on the bottom, but less so on top- and she really cut it to perfection, taking that in mind (which no one ever has done before). I absolutely recommend her!! I LOVE MY HAIR. IT HASN'T LOOKED THIS GOOD IN I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG. My curls look great.Guest,
Olga is very nice, thorough and, most importantly, knowledgeable about cutting and styling curly hair. I got a mix of short and long layers that turned out very nicely, and to style my hair Olga put in ag-recoil, twisted strands at the root to create volume on top and diffused. I am very happy with the end result. (P.S. I have 3a/3b type of hair; when wet - the length was toward the middle of my back)goluboivagon ,


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Here's How To Buy The Off-White Nike Blazer "Grim Reaper"
Virgil Abloh's Off-White x Nike collaborations have been some of the most popular releases Nike's seen in a while. It all started with "The Ten" which brought on sequels to those original silhouettes. There hasn't been a sneaker collection to move fans the way Virgil's Nike collaborations have. On October 3rd, we'll see two new Off-White Nike Blazers with Halloween themed aesthetics. The darker of the two – dubbed the Grim Reaper features a black and white colorway, reminiscent of death's black cloak and white skeleton. In addition, its signature zip-tie comes in a soft baby blue color and not the red zip tie we've seen on other models. Cone-colored hits make their way on the tongue, stitching and the square tag that hangs off the back of this Blazer's midfoot Swooshes.
You can look at the detailed images of the Off-White x Nike Blazer "Grim Reaper" below. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section. Furthermore, if you plan to pick up a pair, just know these will go fast so have a plan and a backup plan. Wishing you the best of luck! Lastly, for more sneaker news, Nike's New Air Force 1 LV8 Utility Drops This Fall.
|[sliderpro id="280″]
Off-White x Nike Blazer "Grim Reaper"
Release Date: October 3rd, 2018
Color: Black/White-Cone
Style Code: AA3832-001
Where to Buy Off-White Nike Blazer "Grim Reaper"
- Stadium Goods – After-market Prices
- Nike SNEAKRS UK – 8am GMT+1
- Nike SNEAKRS FR – 9am CEST
- Nike SNEAKRS DE – 9am CEST
- Nike SNEAKRS NL – 9am CEST
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- SNS – Raffle
- END. – Raffle
- BSTN – Raffle
- Slam Jam – Raffle
- Nike SNKRS – Raffle
- Solebox – In-Store
- Excelsior Milano – Raffle


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When I was a kid, I watched a lot of black and white war movies on TV. My parents didn't seem to care because WWII especially, was a "virtuous war." The Americans were fighting evil and we were Christians, so of course God was on our side. (And I think he actually was!)
One of the more popular movies was entitled, God is my Co-Pilot. As the title implies, it's about a fighter pilot who lives through a terrible dog fight with the Japanese, but makes it back because he believes God was right in the seat next to him, protecting him all the way and "talking him in." The movie wasn't about theology obviously, but I grew up believing God was my co-pilot and I meet with lots of Christians who still think that.
Here how I'd describe "God-is-my-co-pilot theology."
"Alright Clare, I have a very important and potentially tough meeting today. Exactly what does it mean to be led by the Holy Spirit in that meeting?"
That's the question a CEO of a major company posed to me a few years ago over breakfast. He didn't want the theologically correct answer; he wanted advice in a way he could understand and use. Today! So, here's what I told him.
This verse reminds me that I can bring God glory by how I live. But the inverse is also true. By not living virtuously, I can actually rob God of the praise he would have received.
A life verse is generally a reminder of who God wants you to be. It's much like a personal mission statement, but God has written this one. Here are some examples of life verses others have chosen and why I believe they've chosen them. (Perhaps you'll find one for yourself, or share yours with us.)
Thirty years ago, as a new follower of Jesus, I went with several reformed pastors in my city, to the World Conference on the Holy Spirit and Evangelism in New Orleans. Here I was a Dutch Reformed guy, new to serious faith, in the Super Dome surrounded by 40,000 charismatics!
I went to that conference for the same reason I've since attended masses, gone to a monastery and attended healing services and evangelistic revivals. Most of my life I'd arrogantly written off other expressions of faith, as being either in error or a bunch of misguided goof balls. As I wrote in The 10 Second Rule:
My people are Dutch. Responsible. Wary of spontaneity. We knew where that led. We'd seen them on Christian TV sitting on gold thrones, with helmets of white hair, jumping up praising the Lord after getting some "word" from him. We were not about to let that happen us – get ourselves bushwhacked by emotion. Ours was a sensible faith.
So, when I had repented of my cultural Christianity, I began my quest to understand why other Christians believed things I didn't, or worshipped in ways that were really uncomfortable to me.
So, one evening after a long day in the Super Dome, we were discussing what we had heard and seen. I asked the question, "How much bad theology can a born-again Christian believe and still be saved?" (I've also since repented of the assumption that all theology I didn't agree with was "bad.")


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I mentioned in a recent post (okay it was the headline so not so subtle) that I wanted a Sew Sassy Button. The maker, Sam of Sew Sam Sew Etsy, contacted me and in a few days, this entire set of buttons arrived. I love them all! Thank you Sam, this gift made my day.
Image credit: Uploaded by editor


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Patient Care Manager - RN
As a Registered Nurse, you'll be part of a team that plays a vital role in the lives of others. This is an ideal role for new graduates as well as experienced nursing professionals. Not only will you be empowered to assess patient needs and implement care, but we'll look to you for nursing staff leadership. What does it take to be successful here? A strong work ethic. Outstanding observational skills. The ability to communicate with everyone in the HCR ManorCare family — and unyielding compassion to those around you. In return, you'll enjoy excellent training, industry-leading benefits, and opportunities to learn and grow into Nurse Management roles.
If you're ready to have a health care career in which you can build long-lasting relationships and find professional and intellectual fulfillment, then we're excited to work with you.
- Full Time,
Part-Time, PRN
- Job Level: Mid
- Travel: Only for Home Health
and Hospice Nurses
- Glassdoor Reviews and Company Rating
Success Profile.
Who is the ideal HCR ManorCare employee? We're looking for people to join our team who are motivated by making an impact and doing meaningful work.
- Adaptable 10
- Responsible 9
- Proactive 9
- Communicator 9
- Compassionate 9
- Multi-tasker 8
Detail-oriented, Flexible, Helpful, Patient, Sincere, Understanding
ManorCare and Heartland offers you:
Professional Growth
Work with people who
inspire you to do your best.
Flexible Scheduling
Build a work-life balance that
works for you.
Innovative Training Programs
Opportunities to advance your skills and knowledge. Free online CEU Program for full-time/part-time employees.
Career Stability
More than a job, this is a
lifelong career.
Paid Time Off
Time off for when you
need it most.
Comprehensive Health Coverage
Stay well as you care
for others.
Retirement & Savings Plan
Prepare for your future while
growing in the present.
Student Loan Repayment
Get up to $100 per month to ease the burden of your student loans.
Patient Care Manager - RN
HCR ManorCare provides a range of services, including skilled nursing care, assisted living, post-acute medical and rehabilitation care, hospice care, home health care and rehabilitation therapy.
The Patient Care Manager is responsible for the supervision, orientation, instruction and on-going evaluation of all patient care staff who are engaged in the delivery of care. The PatientCare Manager assures compliance with agency policies and procedures, state and federal laws, regulations and accreditation standards.
In return for your expertise, you'll enjoy excellent training, industry-leading benefits and unlimited opportunities to learn and grow. Be a part of the team leading the nation in healthcare.
Minimum of one year experience in home health care, or hospice nursing preferred, may be specified by state.
Previous management or supervisory experience preferred.
Working knowledge of Home Care or Hospice Conditions of Participation
Educational Requirements
Currently licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in good standing with the State Board in which he/she practices.
Nurse Manager
Posting ID092320*IP
HCR ManorCare is a leading provider of short-term, post-hospital services.
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