Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Last Minute Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

If you're the type of person that doesn't do their holiday shopping until a few hours before presenting the gift - then you probably don't have a V-Day gift for your main girl(s) yet either.

Check these out for some last minute ideas:

Keep her warm with these awesome scarfs... if she's not into hearts they have skull motifs as well for your kick ass girl. www.lulette.com


V-Day + Chocolate + Gift = Sex...
Why not excite your gorgeous partner with some interesting new tricks: 2007 Position of the Day Engagement Calendar

You like looking at girls in sexy underwear, your lovely lady likes you looking at her instead instead of the girls in Maxim. So why not put her in sexy lingerie - enter check out Cosabella.

Good luck and Happy Valentine's Day.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

How To Hire A DJ For Your Wedding

Know what questions to ask before hiring a DJ for the most important day of your life, your wedding.

Hiring music entertainment can arguably be the most important booking made for your wedding. Guests remember whether or not they had fun at your wedding. What you pay for is what you get is a good rule of thumb. However, I would like to educate the consumer, future brides and grooms, of how to hire a DJ and things to consider. The following are 9 important factors to consider when hiring a disc jockey before you sign the contract.

Who would be the DJ for your occasion? Many DJ companies are a multi-system operation. Be sure to have in writing of who your DJ will be at your event. I would recommend meeting your DJ before hiring the company at a neutral place, like a restaurant.

How many years experience does your DJ have with your type of function? Anyone can pretend to be a DJ. If you are having a formal event, does your DJ know how to organize a wedding reception or a grand entrance? The DJ should perform the type of show that you want!

Does the DJ get everyone involved dancing or do they just play music? You have to ask yourself if you want a DJ that will get everyone dancing? For example, will the DJ involve guests by playing and conducting motivational dances like the Chicken Dance, Hokey Pokey, and Cha Cha Slide or just play music?

Will the DJ be dressed appropriately? Formal means tuxedo or dress. Semi-formal means dress pants, shirt & tie or slacks and blouse. Casual means polo shirt or company shirt. Be sure the DJ is dressed appropriately during set-up and takedown of equipment. Some guests do arrive early and stay late.

What is the DJ's fee? How much is overtime? Is a tip included in the fee? Will there be an extra charge for lighting-what does the lighting include? How much is travel to your location? Are you ONLY paying for the time the DJ performs?

Does the DJ include a contract? Be sure to have all details of your function in writing. The DJ must know the date, place, and time! You must know each other's names and phone numbers including the DAY of the occasion.

Is the DJ company professional? This may sound silly, but does the DJ have insurance? Accidents do happen. It's better to be prepared. Also, is the DJ a member of a national DJ association like ADJA or NAME? If they are, then they care about what they do and are a better chance of being professional.

What kind of equipment does the DJ use? Typically, if a DJ is using a brand of equipment you can buy at your local retail store, then that's what you will get. Excellent brand names include: JBL, Community, Gemini, QSC, Crown, etc. Always, and I mean always, ask if the DJ has back-up equipment WITH them for your function. Also, be sure the DJ brings the right amount of sound for the number of guests expected.

What music do you play? How many music selections will the DJ have WITH them? Be sure your DJ takes requests before and during your function. Also, give them a guideline of what you want played. However, this is what the DJ is paid to do. Don't limit the DJ by saying you want all of one kind of music or a list of 100 songs they must play. The best scenario is to play any type of music that gets people dancing and having fun. By the way, it should be understood the DJ does not play any offensive music.

About The Author: Matt Campbell is the owner and Webmaster for WeddingsMuseum.com. WeddingsMuseum.com is a place to plan, book and rate your wedding day. You can email him at matt@weddingmuseum.com or visit http://www.weddingsmuseum.com.

Friday, February 9, 2007

Watch For The Four C's When Buying Diamonds

Of all the precious stones in the world, the diamond is certainly the most popular. You've seen it worn by royalties and celebrities, but it's also available to every me and you.

Its toughness and beauty have been known and praised since ancient times. The actual word "diamond" comes from the old Greek "adamas", which means "unconquerable".

The decision to purchase a diamond is a rather important one. To the Romans, diamonds were falling stars that tipped the arrow of Eros, the God of love. This meant that those who wore them would be filled with love and spread feelings of happiness around them.

Whether or not the belief was based on real facts, diamonds seem to have some form of energy around them, and you should pay special attention when choosing one.
The Four C's

Assessing the Four C's is a method that helps us see the true value of a stone we're about to purchase. Used mainly by professional jewelers, it's still very simple to be applied even by an untrained eye.
So What Are The Four C's?

They are Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat.

The Cut...

... is considered by many jewelers as the most important of a diamond's properties.

Depending on how well it is made, it determines how well it reflects light. Professionals strive to make the cut as precise as geometrically possible so that it will reflect more light. If the cut is too shallow, light escapes out the sides and the diamond loses brilliance. If the cut is too deep, light is lost out the bottom and the diamond appears dark or dull.

Therefore, a bright shining diamond, with a symmetrical appearance is a definite sign that the cut is of high quality.

Color

Despite the common belief, not all diamonds are white or colorless. In fact, most diamonds you will find have slight tones of yellow, brown or blue.

There is an actual scale you can use to get a beautiful diamond at a reasonable price. It covers all leathers from D to Z.

D to F are colorless diamonds. These are the rarest and of course, the most expensive. Unless you have a huge pocket, look for stones in the range of...

G to I. These ones offer excellent value and they have a light blue color.

Stones graded above K can still be lovely if they have a great Cut and ...

Clarity...

... refers to the number of imperfections in the stone. Absolutely perfect diamonds are extremely rare.

So the value of the crystal is deeply influenced by the number of "Inclusions" or "Blemishes".

There is also a more complicated scale to rate the perfection of a Diamond, but I won't bore you with it.

Just watch for diamonds rated "I", which have imperfections that may be visible with the naked eye. The other grades aren't important because when mounted in jewelry, the slight imperfections become invisible.

Carat

This is generally the only property people follow when purchasing diamonds.

The carat is the measurement unit for a diamond's weight. One carat weighs 200 miligrams, or 1/5 of a gram. Each carat is divided into 100 points.

The bigger the crystal, the more carats is has and the bigger the price.

Don't be tempted to say the bigger the better. Ultimately, you want a diamond that has a balance between the Four C's.

With this kind of knowledge, you are now ready to start searching for the greatest gift you could ever think of. So wait no longer. I guarantee that you'll be satisfied with the jewel you'll choose.

-Eugen Lisov

Also check out http://www.biigmag.com/style/06apr-rings-simong.php