One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to pack a basket with delicious types of food, grab a blanket and head out for a relaxed summer picnic. Picnics are perfect for bonding with friends and family over foods that shout “summer is here!” There is something about the simplicity of a picnic that makes it very appealing.

Unfortunately, there are several ways for an enjoyable picnic to be ruined, and not all of these can be blamed on the weather. If you are careless in your planning, you may end up dropping or smashing your food, spending excessive amounts of time assembling the food onsite, or worst of all, ending up with spoiled food that smells terrible and tastes worse. These tips will help you plan for a perfect picnic so that you avoid the aforementioned tragedies.

Packing

There are several essential items that you will not want to be without when you have your picnic. These include the following:

-Picnic basket (or better yet, a cooler to keep everything fresh)
-Frozen bottles of water. Put them in the freezer the night before the picnic. When they melt, you’ll have icy cold water!
-Tablecloth or picnic blanket
-Outdoor dinnerware or paper plates
-Plastic utensils
-Hand Sanitizer
-Napkins
-Trash bags

Keep It Simple

This doesn’t mean that you need to eat bread and water, but if you plan foods that are easy to prepare and serve, you’ll be doing yourself a huge favor. The last thing you need when you arrive at your picnic spot is the hassle of preparing a complicated meal. Also, if you are packing a picnic basket instead of a cooler, you will want more perishable foods that last longer without refrigeration. Stick with easy foods like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit, veggies, cookies, crackers, and so on.

Use Unique Picnic Recipes for Variety

If you want to pack a simple picnic lunch but are tired of the peanut butter sandwich routine, consider trying out a new recipe for a meal or dessert that can be made ahead of time and is easy to prepare once you arrive at your picnic location. Remember that whatever you make needs to be perishable. One great option that is quick, easy and tasty is to use a cake mix product to make your dessert before your picnic. This will give even the most inexperienced cook a variety of dessert options!

Source by chelsi woolz

Fruit basket gifts of oranges to those who suffer with shingles can reduce the impact of blister and scars over your body. Shingles, a virus, also called the Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV), causes chicken pox. This virus can lie dormant in your system for years without causing any problems. But, in situations when you are heavily stressed and exhausted it may attack your system cells. When you are under attack you will feel pain on your body and that can last for the day before blister start to appear. However, after the blisters have gone the pain can still persist. The chicken pox virus causes an itchy red rash starting over the face and torso and can spread to other parts of your body.

When I was a child, the rest of my family had chicken pox. I was spared because I was away from home the vast majority of time attending school. I only came home to sleep at nights and my room was away from the others and I had little contact with my siblings.

Years later, after I was married, my son had an attack of the chicken pox when he was 5 years old. I eventually had an attack of chicken pox also as I was home with him performing fatherly duties. I developed burning itching pains throughout my body with a strong fever that had me bed ridden for a few days. Within about a it had been over but my body started to experience strange tingling sensations in localized areas on my body.

This tingling effect wouldn’t go away until my Financial Director colleague asked why I was absent from work. I relayed my problems and he told me that I had shingles. He advised me to depart work immediately and buy a gallon of 100% Pure Florida oranges Juice immediately and drink two glasses at once. He advised that I should drink 2 glasses every two hours thereafter until the juice was finished. Later, the fruit basket gifts of oranges by my brother served me well also.

I knew that I had chicken pox but the strange sensation on my chest area muscles puzzled me. My colleague told me I had shingles and that chicken pox can kill if contract it as an adult and not when you were a child. I followed his instructions and by the following morning the many tingling sensations were gone. I finished the gallon of orange juice by the following day.

Later, I discovered that I had blisters on some areas of my body but these could hardly be noticed. When I told my friend and colleague he said that I was lucky because it could have been worse had I delayed the drinking of this orange juice. Based on the feedback he gave me I understand that I could have had many more blisters and scars so I got off practically unscathed.

My research later led me to determine that many of us not acting in a very timely manner when attacked by chicken pox might have hundreds or even many hundreds of ugly scars because of the  shingles throughout their body. These scars do not go away. They continue to be with you for life. I have seen good facial features of many people who were attacked by chicken pox blotted out by these ugly scars.

So, if you are attacked by chicken pox get yourself some orange juice and drink plenty of it. I learned that the high content of Vitamin C, in addition to other vitally necessary nutrients in oranges were the reason for eliminating the shingles.

There are other recommended accepted treatments for shingles. Eat a diet full of fresh vegetables and fruit on a regular basis to build a healthy immune system. You should also include vitamin-B12in your diet. An alternative would be to take vitamin supplements as a secondary source. Now is the time to get your fruit basket gifts to your favorite person for healthy living.

Source by trevor

Thanksgiving flowers are a wonderful way to brighten up your dining room during your Thanksgiving holiday dinner.  Each year, we celebrate the glorious bounty of the autumn harvest with our family and friends.  In the United States, Thanksgiving day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November.  In Canada, Thanksgiving is commemorated on the second Monday in October.  

In both cases, Thanksgiving is a celebratory time of turkeys, stuffing, and pumpkin pie.  A proper Thanksgiving Day feast would be incomplete without a beautiful, fresh bouquet of flowers or a floral Thanksgiving table centerpiece; a cornucopia of autumn colors in red, yellow and orange.  The combination of deep autumn reds, oranges and yellows can be found in traditional Thanksgiving flowers, like chrysanthemums, sunflowers and gerberas. Other Thanksgiving flowers include carnations, solidago, monte casino and marigolds.

Thanksgiving Day flowers need not be limited to the dinner table, however.  Autumn flowers such as Daisies, Lilacs, Daffodils, and Dahlias are a wonderful way to show friends and family that you are thinking of them during the Thanksgiving holiday season.  When you send Thanksgiving flowers, you can be sure that the recipient will understand and appreciate your well-wishes.

Thanksgiving Day flowers that reflect the colors of Fall are generally thought to make the best flowers for Thanksgiving floral centerpieces.  Some of our favorite autumn flowers include carnations, lilies, cattails, solidago, and poms.  Thanksgiving flower baskets, with rich autmumn colors of yellow, rust, purple and orange really capture the essence of this colorful season.  The following are three of our favorite bouquets of fresh flowers or beautiful flowering plants to celebrate Thanksgiving Day:

Burst of Autumn is a soothing blend of yellow and orange blooms, arranged beautifully with oak and maple leaves.  Autumn Lights is a glorious autumn centerpiece, bursting with fragrant carnations and daisies; a welcome addition to a Thanksgiving celebration.  Fall Sunshine is a refreshing collection of purple and orange flowers, delivered in a delightful wicker basket.

Source by Christina Nielson

Gift baskets are great gift choices to express your feelings for one another. Because a gift basket can contain virtually anything, it is a very easy gift to decide on and shop for. Of course, the easiest way to give a romantic gift basket is to choose one from one of the hundreds of websites that specialize in all types of gift baskets for any occasion.

Maybe because gift baskets have the word, “basket” in it, many people may think that it is a gift choice mainly for women. That is just not true. What man who enjoys golf or any sport for that matter would turn down a tin box of chocolates, assorted snacks, and different golf or sports paraphernalia? Or a gift of their favorite colognes and aftershave with other daily grooming gadgets? How about a wicker hamper full of bottles of wine, different types of meats and cheeses and crackers? The possibilities are endless and it isn’t a gift that is only for women.

Rather than getting each other separate gifts, you could splurge on one large gift basket of decadent chocolates, champagne, along with countless other treats. Next, take your large basket or hamper and check into a luxurious downtown hotel for the night and enjoy romantic picnic for two on the large king sized bed as you gaze out at the city lights.

Another idea is to get his and hers spa treatment gift baskets and take time to relax with each other and treat yourselves to a day of pampering. Choose a day when there are no children in the house and postpone any household chores to another day. Start the day out by cooking a beautiful breakfast together and taking that breakfast back to bed with each of you. Soak in a bathtub together. Feed each other strawberries and champagne. View a movie that has special meaning to both of you and thoroughly enjoy the day and each other’s company.

Pack a gift backpack of nutritious treats and a nice lunch and take a hike in a nearby state park or nature trails. Find a secluded spot to have your lunch and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature all around you.

Some romantic gift baskets are geared for very specific romantic times. Many gift basket retailers offer a gift basket called Wedding Supper. This basket includes a quick and easy pasta meal to prepare, some wine and bread and a romantic scented candle and decadent chocolate truffles. This would be a wonderful gift basket that one of the couple could get the other or that the parents could chip in together. This would be a perfect choice for the happy couple’s first night in their home or apartment.

Another romantic gift basket idea for either him or her is to include an “I love you” jar. This is a jar that has 365 personal messages of love. Everyday the couple can pull one message from the jar and relive their romance daily. This is a good gift to give each other an empty jar first and for the first year of marriage write a reason why you love the other person, read it aloud and put in the jar. The day after your first anniversary begin taking one from your spouse’s jar every day and read one of the reasons why they love you and reminisce about the memories that these words evoke.

One romantic idea is to give your love the world. You can do this by visiting sites that sell items such as an acre of the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean, or an acre of the moon or your own star. Another clever enterprise sells 1 square inch of land in every state and bundles it up in a package deal, which includes a deed to the United States. Show him or her that you not only would give them the world, but that you have!

There are many gift baskets that revolve around adult beverages. Of course, there are wine packages, but that is not all. You could give a romantic gift basket that includes everything needed to make your own sangrias or margaritas. Both of these gift baskets include a hand painted pitcher and 2 glasses along with some snacks. This is a truly romantic and fun gift.

Another option for newly married couples is a gift basket that includes items for the novice cook including simple cookbooks and 2 enrollments to a basic culinary art cooking school. These are classes that the couple can take together and learn some basic techniques, which will allow them to create and learn elementary skills and find a new hobby that they can do together.

For the couple that loves the outdoors and loves to play games, there are gift baskets that include games like croquet and bocce ball or volleyball. This gift basket has the romantic couple out in the sunshine spending time with one another as they enjoy a competitive sport or two. This is a very appropriate gift for a fun couple.

Sticking with the outdoors, give a hammock filled with wind chimes, birdhouses and hummingbird feeders, along with some snacks and treats. It may not sound very romantic, but just you wait until you are both snuggling on the hammock in the shade with a cool breeze as you watch the birds feeding and the hummingbirds flitting nearby. So, so romantic.

Still another decadent and romantic gift basket is to place two spoons, some water and as many different pints of deluxe, “designer” ice cream you can fit in a soft-sided cooler pack. Meet at a local park or nature view and share tastes.

There are so many romantic gift basket ideas. You can purchase one ready made or create one of your own. Either way, the gift baskets are a simple way to keep the romance spark kindled and keep you as loving as newlyweds. So, at the next opportunity or “just because”, use one of these ideas or come up with even better ones and give a romantic gift basket.

Source by Jacoba Fenny

Imagine the countryside canvass of red, yellow and brown that entertains our senses during the Fall season. This cool breeze and changing leaves time of year is precious for many of us and will soon be in full glory. Know someone who revels in this type of setting? There are gift baskets that will speak in their language now available for you to send out today!

Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of the hot and sticky Summer weather. It has always drained me of energy and forced me outdoors to do work around the yard as needed. The air-conditioning bills also drained the checking account as well. But right around the corner I knew that there was a more peaceful time that would spark a renewal of sorts within me. That’s why Fall Gift Baskets might be the perfect way to spread the joy of the season to someone that you know who shares this sentiment.

There are seven new Fall Gift Baskets that you may wish to consider. The first option is “Fall Festival” that arrives in a 9 inch Harvest tin filled to overflowing with bread, coffee, dip, pretzels, cookies, salami and more! All your favorite Fall treats abound in this celebration of Autumn! Send that special someone a gift of great taste this season with the Fall Festival Gift Basket!

The next gift basket choice is “Fall Snacks”. There’s everything here to chase away the chill of Autumn and will warm the heart of the receiver when this lovely Autumn pattern gift box arrives overflowing with sweet and savory snacks. Your good wishes will arrive in beautiful style with this special gift basket.

Get ready for the “Grateful Harvest” Gift Basket. It’s a 12 inch hand painted Harvest bowl that carries a harvest of snacks including mixed fruit, cheeses, Focaccia crisps, caramel corn and fudge topped off with Alaska Smoked Salmon fillets to make a feast of Fall treats! Give the “Grateful Harvest” Gift Basket to friends and family this harvest season. They won’t forget it!

The “Thanksgiving Gourmet” option is next. This honey willow basket brings sparkling apple cider, cheese, summer sausage, rye bread and sweets treats to satisfy the most discriminating palate. This gift will please your friends and family this Thanksgiving season without a doubt.

There’s also a precious choice known as “Fall Harvest” that’s filled to overflowing with all the delicious tastes of Autumn season. This whimsical Fall basket will spread joy and fun wherever it is delivered. The festive Fall Scarecrow included is happy to send your heartfelt sentiments along with a delicious assortment of tasty treats.

Want another idea? “Fall Splendor” is created with an upscale Fall presentation. This delicious gift will leave them remembering how thoughtful you were. All the splendor of the season along with a scrumptious assortment of delectable treats are encompassed by a hunter green basket.

Finally, there’s “Harvest Blessings” to show them how much you care with this exclusive gourmet Fall Gift Basket. The unique “Thankful” Fall candy corn mix says it all with its festive little pilgrims and decorative “Thankful” message. Encompassed in a Fall market basket the delicious treats will delight and please all whom receive it.

Give your best to someone today in the style that makes them whole after the hot and muggy Summer months are finally over. Have aGiftBasketParadise.com deliver it to their doorstep and save yourself a lot of aggravation at the same time!

by Brian Connors

When it comes to special occasions, there is nothing as special as something you handmade yourself. Regardless of the age or gender of the recipient, a well thought out present is sure to be a huge hit. Mexican gift baskets are gaining in popularity for many a reasons, but knowing what to add into the package is not always easy.

Take a look at how you too can make great Mexican gift baskets appreciated by anyone!

Gather all of your ingredients…

Cellophane, a basket, a bow, scissors, an authentic cloth napkin of an appropriate color, a tall item, 3 shorter items, a 5-8 short items, a gift tag, and string are all going to be a good example of the ingredients you will want for your Mexican gift baskets.

For tall items, you can use salsa, picante sauce, or even a margarita glass. For shorter items, you can use chocolate fiesta bars or mixes. For short items, try using tequila glasses, kitchen gadgets, jalapeno magnets for the refrigerator, or candies.

Arrange your Mexican gift baskets…

Cut out the appropriate sized cellophane. The right size will be large enough to cover the basket when complete and even have an extra few inches for decoration. Remember, you can remove extra easier than you can add more.

Place the basket you chose into the middle of the cellophane.

Start with your tall item. Place the tall item into the center of the basket. Arrange the shorter items around the tall item, and then place the shortest or smallest items at the edge.

Tie the basket off…

Start with the middle the flat side of the cellophane- not the corners – and lift the sides up meeting in the middle. Then, you will want to pull the corner up over the edges. If you are unsure of the stability, try using clear tape to tape the flat edges together. You can use the corners for the decorations.

Either making your own bow or using a store bought bow, tie the bow around the lowest possible point where the items end and the cellophane begins.

Add a gift tag, and you are done!

Tips to get the most out of your Mexican gift baskets.

If you use fragile ingredients, add something soft and protective on the inside of the item. This will lend support to your present.

Cellophane comes in many colors and designs. You will find this at a local store, and you will generally have a lot of choices to choose from. Choose one that is strong and accents your color scheme.

Try arranging the order of the items with the tallest in the back and the shortest in the front for another great look.

There it is! Now you have a simple, yet elegant and fun, way to make your very own Mexican gift baskets. These are extremely popular and fun. You can theme your basket to margaritas or tortilla makers. You can even do a Mexican coffee theme. Of course, if you find that you do not have the time, you can find premade gifts filled with fresh tortilla, homemade salsas, or more!

Source by Annie Dubois

A gift is a great way to thank a wonderful hostess for going through the trouble of feeding and entertaining a troupe of guests, but the average hostess gifts can get a little dull year after year, so here’s some updated hostess gift ideas!

Instead of wine, wrap up a different bottle!

Try a bottle of excellent olive oil in a decorative wine bag to put a twist on things! It’s definitely not what you’re host will be expecting, but it’s sure to be appreciated. Another alternative to a wine gift would be to give a nice wine decanter instead! Not only is it something that can be used through out the year, it’s sure to make those other dull wine gifts taste that much better! Or you can try some fancy sparkling lemonade in your favorite flavor as a wine alternative as well!

Instead of sweets, try spices!

Prepacked spice sets with various spices are a great twist on a traditional gift. Normally packaged in it’s own chic container, all you’ll need to add is the bow! Sets come in all sorts of themes from Moroccan spices to those that come with their own pinch bowls, or you can pick our your favorites that coordinate with Christmas colors! And as a general rule, the more exotic the spice, the better the gift!

Don’t give her kitchen appliances!!

Give her something for HER! From jewelry cases to relaxation kits, giving her the gift of pampering is a far better gift than anything she would use in the kitchen or in the home. Things like jewelry and beauty products are gifts that treat her like a queen, instead of a housekeeper.

Cheese instead of chocolate!

Everyone has already had their fill of Christmas cookies and candies, so go the savory route instead.Add some gourmet crackers for a homemade Christmas Gift Basket.

Instead of Flowers…Bring Herbs

Flowers are always a welcome gift on any occasion, but for this Christmas try giving the gift of herbs! Herbs are just as fragrant and beautiful as flowers, but they’re also useful too! Try gifting something like a Bay Leaf Wreath. It will look great as decoration and as it dries naturally throughout the year, your hostess can add it to soups and stews and a variety of other dishes – it’s truly a gift that keeps on giving! Rosemary is a great idea for gifting too. In a nice terra cotta pot, the muted green and neutral color of the pot will fit right in with any Christmas decor! For an added bonus, give your hostess a gift that will keep their herbs fresher longer, like the Prepara Herb Savor – it helps keep herbs fresh and fits conveniently in your refrigerator door. It also has a refillable water base that keeps herbs fresh. Oprah actually included it in her favorite things this year, so you know it’s good!

Do better than notecards this year, help your hostess keep track of her Christmas tasks and items by gifting her a beautiful leather bound notebook or some fun and pretty sticky notes and to-do lists! Natural-fiber journals are a big hit as well, the covers and pages are made by hand with mulberry paper and they’re bound together with mulberry paper rope, a truly unique gift for a truly unique host!

Whatever hostess gifts you’re looking at giving this year, remember that truly unique hostess gift ideas originate with truly unique hostesses, so make it special!

Source by Betty Jo

Farouk Systems Group, the maker of the infamous CHI flat iron straightener, proudly announced that it is bringing back the styling tool manufacturing plant to the US. Farouk is taking the lead in bringing business back to the US whereas others are exporting manufacturing work to other countries. After 8 years of manufacturing in Korea and China, Farouk Systems announced in a company press release “effective immediately, all overseas manufacturing of company products has ceased” (August 2008).

The decision to open a manufacturing plant adjacent to the Farouk Systems headquarter office in Houston, TX comes after toys made in China were found to contain lead in the paint. With the world’s eye questioning the quality of products made in China, companies are reevaluating their product’s integrity in the hands of overseas manufacturing.

Customers can now breathe a sigh of relief that their favorite Farouk products are now “Made in the USA”. Whereas manufacturing overseas in China would have required an increase of nearly doubled the retail cost for the Farouk styling tools because of the increased costs of shipping due to hiking gas and air shipping prices. Not to mention, manufacturing in the US will save time and money compared to the Korean manufacturing plant that would 70 people and take up to 20 minutes to build a Farouk curling iron, whereas the US assembly of the same item will only require 5 people 5 minutes.

Now that the Farouk styling tools will be manufactured in the US, founder Farouk Shami said in an interview with channel 39 news team, he will be able to closely monitor product quality (August 2008). Additionally, Made in the USA products will prevent Asian companies from counterfeiting Farouk products. Customers wanting a true Farouk CHI product can now look for the “Made in the USA” label.

Source by Happy7