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The Mysterious Valentine’s Day
by Eric V. Allen

February 14th, the holiday of Love! Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. Who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine’s Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred - none of whom were associated with roses OR chocolate.

Most scholars believe that the St. Valentine of the holiday was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. During this time, around 270 A.D., emperor Claudius ll prohibited marriages for young men, claiming that bachelors made better soldiers. Valentine continued to secretly perform marriage ceremonies but was eventually apprehended by the Romans and ordered by Claudius to be put to death. But his courageous blessing of the bonds of love may have earned him a notable place in history.

Another legend has it that Valentine, imprisoned by Claudius; fell in love with the daughter of his jailer who visited him during confinement. Before he was executed, he allegedly sent her a letter signed “from your Valentine” an expression that is still used today. We could say this marked the very first Valentine’s Day.

Possibly the most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine and his day is one not focused on Eros(passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion. Subsequently, his love for his god may have gone down in history.

Our final possiblity for the origins our our holiday: It could be that we celebrate Valentines Day on the 14th because this is the day that St. Valentine died. However, some believe that the celebration of Valentines Day was an attempt by the Church to civilize the celebration of the pagan Lupercalia festival - held on the 15th of February. Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine’s Day around 498 A.D. The Lupercalia festival was deemed un-Christian and outlawed.

Valentine’s Greetings

The oldest known valentine gift still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. The greeting, written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.) The first commercial Valentine’s Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as “scrap”.

And Who is this Cupid?

Another valentine icon you may be wondering about is Cupid (from Latin cupido, “desire”). In Roman mythology Cupid is the son of Venus, goddess of love. His counterpart in Greek mythology is Eros, god of love. Cupid is often said to be a mischievous boy who goes around wounding both gods and humans with his arrows, causing them to fall in love. The Romans believed white roses grew where the tears of Venus fell, as she mourned the loss of her beloved Adonis. Her son Cupid, while being stung by a bee, shot arrows in the rose garden; the sting of the arrows became thorns. Venus pricked her foot on a thorn, and the droplets of blood dyed the roses red.

Sending Roses on Valentine’s Day

Why should you send roses to your loved one this Valentine’s Holiday? The rose is the symbol of love, of magic, of hope, and of passion….perfect to let your loved one know how you feel about him/her! The rose represents ultimate beauty and perfection. It is the messenger of Romance!

A dozen red roses remains the classic Valentine’s Day favorite (ok, it’s a toss up between roses and chocolate - but we all knwo why chocolate is). However, many women report that they adore roses in other colors just as much. There are hundreds of colors to choose from. The choices are endless and it’s easier than ever to select a rose that is as unique as your sweetheart.

Whatever your Valentine’s gift to give or receive, have fun this holiday of love - may this little bit of history add to your enjoyment!

Eric is a friend of the rose growers at rosefarm.com, where one can send flowers and long stem red roses to their friends and loved ones

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In Sunday, November 6, newspaper, The Usa Today Weekend section is carrying a full fold page poster of Harry Potter. with Daniel Radcliff’s autograph printed on it.

On the opposite side is an article. With a teaser about the upcoming movie, there are three secrets for the three posters which include, posters of Harry, Ron and Hermonie. Different posters have been inserted into different areas of the country.

If you want to receive all three posters, the article tells you to go to Usa today to enter a contest to get all three. That is http://usatoday.com

Of course, as you will figure out, this a way for them to grow an email list of Harry Potter fans. They ask for full details, address, phone number etc.

But if you have a Harry Potter fanatic in the family like I do, you might want to go visit your local store and pick up a copy of todays paper. My daughter is very glad I did.

Kindest regards,
Laurie Meade

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Sewing Machines: Making A Comeback?
by Kathryn Whittaker

While we don’t have to rely on sewing machines to satisfy our basic clothing needs, more and more people today turn to sewing to create unique, luxurious, one-of-a-kind pieces. Every family has that hand embroidered grandmother’s table cloth or a hand-made quilt, and these pieces are as cherished as the most sophisticated haute couture creations. And instead of paying hefty sums to someone for creating these little pieces of luxury for you, you can develop the easy skills of making your own monograms, embroideries or even hand-sewn button-holes – all the little luxuries that make the difference.

With the help of a reliable sewing machine, you can instantly personalize a lot of everyday necessities. For example, you can create a set of unique napkins or add a classy touch to your bed linen and bath towels with a monogram. And with a little practice you can even alter and mend your clothes.

When choosing your first sewing machine, make sure you understand how much sewing you plan to do. The honest answer will save you money and time, as you will not pick a too complex and upscale sewing machine for your basic sewing needs.

If you plan to study sewing and even recreate expensive designer clothes to save money, you will need a more upscale sewing machine. Sewing your own clothes makes sense only if your sewing skills are high enough to recreate high-end clothes, such as suits, jackets and dresses. You won’t save money on sewing your own jeans, because the pattern, fabric, buttons, and the time spent will make this pair of jeans more expensive than any of the designer creations. However, sewing children’s clothes does make sense, because you need little fabric, and you don’t really need complicated patterns.

A sewing machine is a great investment for those who have a passion for clothes design and like to wear one-of-a-kind pieces and don’t want to limit their clothing choices to what they see in department stores. With a sewing machine and a little patience you have full control on where the pockets go, what kind of buttons you use, and where the hemline stops. You should be aware that creating clothes from scratch or even amending the existing pattern requires sewing skills and a lot of time and devotion.

A more practical use for sewing machines is mending and altering the clothes you already have. We all have that special pair of trousers or jeans that we love and hate to throw them out. Sewing machines also work great for those who like personalizing item with monograms and embroideries.

Sewing for your home is quite labor-consuming; drapes and upholstery require lots of fabric and professional-grade equipment for precise sewing notions, such as rivets and hooks. Still, you can create simple drapes and even roman blinds on your basic sewing machine. Don’t forget about quilting that once fuelled the sewing machine craze. It seems like patchwork is coming back, and many fashion designers even use elements in their collections.

Sewing machines are indispensable for crafts, which are a great way to relax and unwind after a busy day. Studies have shown that sewing reduces stress! When sewing something, no matter for what purposes, people achieve something that gives them a lasting satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. Besides, hand-made simple purses, gift bags for wine bottles, tablecloths and napkins make wonderful and thoughtful gifts.

And who knows, maybe after you discover the joys of sewing, you will decide to move forward and open a small sewing business to create and sew unique pieces of clothing. Many upscale boutiques and fashion fairs feature such mini-collections often sewn on simple household sewing machines.

Kathryn Whittaker writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on Sewing Machines please visit http://www.sewing-machine-guide.com/sewingmachine-articles

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Get Digital At Cheap Prices, Purchase Cheap Digital Cameras by Mark Humphrey

Do you want a digital camera for yourself but do not want to spend much money on it? There is no need to loose heart.

Gone are the days when digital cameras were the gizmos for rich and classy. The ‘digital’ need not be very expensive always. There are many cheap digital cameras in the market today.

So, following the digital technology for your photo hobby or professional photography is not a tall order at all. The Internet is the best place to gauge for all kinds of digital cameras at cheap prices. Just browse the web and you will get the grand choices for picking up an affordable digital camera.

Still, at doubts? Just read on this article and you would know how easy it is for you to find the digital technology at low rates today.

First things first, you must always know your budget and camera specifications you are looking for very well. The low budget should not be a hindrance to your preference. Just keep that in mind. In fact the advantages of having a cheap digital camera are many.

The range of cheap digital cameras starts at prices as low as £30. With such cost-effective price range, there is no need for you to be bothered about giving them to your young kids for photo explorations as well. Today’s cheap digital cameras also make for a great birthday gift or Christmas Day present for your friends and the members of your family. Moreover, a cheap camera is always utilized in a much better way than any of those expensive high tech gadgets. The reason is simple– you feel more at ease with them.

In fact, if it is seen logically, the digital cameras are basically cheap gadgets. The main cost is of buying them and that is for once and all. Later, they will not make you spend your dollars on film rolls like the traditional cameras. This is because digital cameras mean no intake of films, no printing, no processing and thus no continuing costs.

There are many kinds of cheap cameras available in the market. Many of them are made on ‘use & throw’ basis. They are disposable cameras, which are rated quite inexpensively by the companies. Moreover, there are chances for you to get them at much less or bargained price even. As they are very cheap and affordable, people buy them on an urgent basis, or when they need them at once, for a family function, wedding or any other occasion.

Now, where you can find the cheap digital cameras? You can go and visit your nearby digital camera showroom to have a look at their collection of cheap digital cameras. You can get them in all sorts of brands, from renowned to local dealers. If you want to buy them online, there are many Internet sources as well to buy these cheap digital cameras, say Froogle or eBay.

One way to get the best price for each camera is to purchase them in bulk. For this you can contact the retailers who offer some particular discounts and packages to sell the digital cameras. The rule—the more the quantity, the lower the price—follows the camera trade, if you want to buy digital camera at low price.

Just remember that a cheap digital camera may or may not have all those features of a standard digital camera. It may not have a flash, good resolution or an effective zoom lens. But they certainly serve the simple photography purposes well. So judge all the pros and cons before making the deal.

If the price is the thing most important for you, a cheap digital camera is undoubtedly the best deal for you.

Mark is an avid camera enthusist whose views can be read online at his blog… http://www.digitalcamerablogonline.com.

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Homemade Halloween Costume Ideas For Children by Nicole Dean

You can find a large variety of Halloween costumes available at stores in your neighborhood. However, when you consider the cost and lack of originality, homemade costumes are a more fun and oftentimes more cost-effective option. Plus, if you involve your children in creating the homemade costumes, the results will be worth more than any store-bought costume in any store.

Here are some inexpensive, homemade Halloween costume ideas that will cost little money and show lots of imagination.

Scarecrow: An over-sized flannel shirt, some straw, and faded jeans with patches will make a great scarecrow. Stuff the jeans and shirt with plastic grocery bags and leave a little straw hanging out of the shirt and jeans. A little makeup will complete your scarecrow costume.

Ghost: Ghosts are an old stand-by that never goes out of style. Use an old white sheet with holes cut for the eyes and sew a simple treat bag out of a scrap of material or a worn out pillow case. You can dress your ghost up a bit by making lips out of red lipstick and a few false eyelashes. Or you could color a beard and moustache with markers. You may want to create a colorful ghost by using a sheet covered with polka dots or one that is brightly colored.

Clown: You can create a great clown with sweat clothes that are a bit to large decorated with fabric paint or markers. Sew on some pom poms, use an inexpensive wig with a large, colorful hat, and you could even stuff the clothing with tissue (although the tissue will be a problem if the need for a restroom break arises).

Hippy: You can become a hippy from the 1960s with a tie-dye shirt and faded jeans with holes in the knees. Combine this with a headband, a ponytail wig, and a jacket or vest covered in fringe and you will have the most authentic looking hippy costume of all time.

Nerd: Halloween is the time to dress like something completely out of character. You can dress your child as a typical nerd, complete with white shirt, pocket protectors, pants that are too short, horn-rimmed glasses, while socks and black dress shoes. Don’t forget to tape one corner of the glasses for a true nerd appearance. Make sure you use plenty of hair gel to slick back the hair and a few overly large fake teeth will be a great addition.

Soda Can: Find an inexpensive plastic barrel and cut a hole in the bottom. Paint the entire barrel the colors and design of your favorite brand of soda in a can. With holes for arms and your head, a simple barrel can transform your child into a soda can.

Your child can be the hit of your block or at the neighborhood Halloween party if you use a little imagination and create special homemade costumes out of inexpensive, household items.

Like the commercials say “The memory of your child in a costume you made together”… priceless.

For money-saving tips, don’t miss Frugal Mom Tips (link to http://www.showmomthemoney.com/timesavers.asp ) And, if you’re a mom who likes to have fun with your children, visit ShowKidsTheFun (link to http://www.ShowKidsTheFun.com ).

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