History of Educational Technology

By Sanjoy Deka

There is no written evidence which can tell us exactly who has coined the phrase educational technology. Different educationists, scientists and philosophers at different time intervals have put forwarded different definitions of Educational Technology. Educational technology is a multifaceted and integrated process involving people, procedure, ideas, devices, and organization, where technology from different fields of science is borrowed as per the need and requirement of education for implementing, evaluating, and managing solutions to those problems involved in all aspects of human learning.

Educational technology, broadly speaking, has passed through five stages.

The first stage of educational technology is coupled with the use of aids like charts, maps, symbols, models, specimens and concrete materials. The term educational technology was used as synonyms to audio-visual aids.

The second stage of educational technology is associated with the 'electronic revolution' with the introduction and establishment of sophisticated hardware and software. Use of various audio-visual aids like projector, magic lanterns, tape-recorder, radio and television brought a revolutionary change in the educational scenario. Accordingly, educational technology concept was taken in terms of these sophisticated instruments and equipments for effective presentation of instructional materials.

The third stage of educational technology is linked with the development of mass media which in turn led to 'communication revolution' for instructional purposes. Computer-assisted Instruction (CAI) used for education since 1950s also became popular during this era.

The fourth stage of educational technology is discernible by the individualized process of instruction. The invention of programmed learning and programmed instruction provided a new dimension to educational technology. A system of self-learning based on self-instructional materials and teaching machines emerged.

The latest concept of educational technology is influenced by the concept of system engineering or system approach which focuses on language laboratories, teaching machines, programmed instruction, multimedia technologies and the use of the computer in instruction. According to it, educational technology is a systematic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating the total process of teaching and learning in terms of specific objectives based on research.

Educational technology during the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age
Educational technology, despite the uncertainty of the origin of the term, can be traced back to the time of the three-age system periodization of human prehistory; namely the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age.

Duringthe Stone Age, ignition of fire by rubbing stones, manufacture of various handmade weapon and utensils from stones and clothing practice were some of the simple technological developments of utmost importance. A fraction of Stone Age people developed ocean-worthy outrigger canoe ship technology to migrate from one place to another across the Ocean, by which they developed their first informal education of knowledge of the ocean currents, weather conditions, sailing practice, astronavigation, and star maps. During the later Stone Age period (Neolithic period),for agricultural practice, polished stone tools were made from a variety of hard rocks largely by digging underground tunnels, which can be considered as the first steps in mining technology. The polished axes were so effective that even after appearance of bronze and iron; people used it for clearing forest and the establishment of crop farming.

Although Stone Age cultures left no written records, but archaeological evidences proved their shift from nomadic life to agricultural settlement. Ancient tools conserved in different museums, cave paintings like Altamira Cave in Spain, and other prehistoric art, such as the Venus of Willendorf, Mother Goddess from Laussel, France etc. are some of the evidences in favour of their cultures.

Neolithic Revolution of Stone Age resulted into the appearance of Bronze Age with development of agriculture, animal domestication, and the adoption of permanent settlements. For these practices Bronze Age people further developed metal smelting, with copper and later bronze, an alloy of tin and copper, being the materials of their choice.

The Iron Age people replaced bronze and developed the knowledge of iron smelting technology to lower the cost of living since iron utensils were stronger and cheaper than bronze equivalents. In many Eurasian cultures, the Iron Age was the last period before the development of written scripts.

Educational technology during the period of Ancient civilizations
According to Paul Saettler, 2004, Educational technology can be traced back to the time when tribal priests systematized bodies of knowledge and ancient cultures invented pictographs or sign writing to record and transmit information. In every stage of human civilization, one can find an instructional technique or set of procedures intended to implement a particular culture which were also supported by number of investigations and evidences. The more advanced the culture, the more complex became the technology of instruction designed to reflect particular ways of individual and social behaviour intended to run an educated society. Over centuries, each significant shift in educational values, goals or objectives led to diverse technologies of instruction.

The greatest advances in technology and engineering came with the rise of the ancient civilizations. These advances stimulated and educated other societies in the world to adopt new ways of living and governance.

The Indus Valley Civilization was an early Bronze Age civilization which was located in the northwestern region of the Indian Subcontinent. The civilization was primarily flourished around the Indus River basin of the Indus and the Punjab region, extending upto the Ghaggar-Hakra River valley and the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, (most of the part is under today's Pakistan and the western states of modern-day India as well as some part of the civilization extending upto southeastern Afghanistan, and the easternmost part of Balochistan, Iran).

There is a long term controversy to be sure about the language that the Harappan people spoke. It is assumed that their writing was at least seems to be or a pictographic script. The script appears to have had about 400 basic signs, with lots of variations. People write their script with the direction generally from right to left. Most of the writing was found on seals and sealings which were probably used in trade and official & administrative work.

Harappan people had the knowledge of the measuring tools of length, mass, and time. They were the first in the world to develop a system of uniform weights and measures.

In a study carried out by P. N. Rao et al. in 2009, published in Science, computer scientists found that the Indus script's pattern is closer to that of spoken words, which supported the proposed hypothesis that it codes for an as-yet-unknown language.

According to the Chinese Civilization, some of the major techno-offerings from China include paper, early seismological detectors, toilet paper, matches, iron plough, the multi-tube seed drill, the suspension bridge, the wheelbarrow, the parachute, natural gas as fuel, the magnetic compass, the raised-relief map, the blast furnace, the propeller, the crossbow, the South Pointing Chariot, and gun powder. With the invent of paper they have given their first step towards developments of educational technology by further culturing different handmade products of paper as means of visual aids.

Ancient Egyptian language was at one point one of the longest surviving and used languages in the world. Their script was made up of pictures of the real things like birds, animals, different tools, etc. These pictures are popularly called hieroglyph. Their language was made up of above 500 hieroglyphs which are known as hieroglyphics. On the stone monuments or tombs which were discovered and rescued latter on provides the evidence of existence of many forms of artistic hieroglyphics in ancient Egypt.

Educational technology during Medieval and Modern Period
Paper and the pulp papermaking process which was developed in China during the early 2nd century AD, was carried to the Middle East and was spread to Mediterranean by the Muslim conquests. Evidences support that a paper mill was also established in Sicily in the 12th century. The discovery of spinning wheel increased the productivity of thread making process to a great extent and when Lynn White added the spinning wheel with increasing supply of rags, this led to the production of cheap paper, which was a prime factor in the development of printing technology.

The invention of the printing press was taken place in approximately 1450 AD, by Johannes Gutenburg, a German inventor. The invention of printing press was a prime developmental factor in the history of educational technology to convey the instruction as per the need of the complex and advanced-technology cultured society.

In the pre-industrial phases, while industry was simply the handwork at artisan level, the instructional processes were relied heavily upon simple things like the slate, the horn book, the blackboard, and chalk. It was limited to a single text book with a few illustrations. Educational technology was considered synonymous to simple aids like charts and pictures.

The year 1873 may be considered a landmark in the early history of technology of education or audio-visual education. An exhibition was held in Vienna at international level in which an American school won the admiration of the educators for the exhibition of maps, charts, textbooks and other equipments.

Maria Montessori (1870-1952), internationally renowned child educator and the originator of Montessori Method exerted a dynamic impact on educational technology through her development of graded materials designed to provide for the proper sequencing of subject matter for each individual learner. Modern educational technology suggests many extension of Montessori's idea of prepared child centered environment.

In1833, Charles Babbage's design of a general purpose computing device laid the foundation of the modern computer and in 1943, the first computing machine as per hi design was constructed by International Business Machines Corporation in USA. The Computer Assisted instruction (CAI) in which the computer functions essentially as a tutor as well as the Talking Type writer was developed by O.K. Moore in 1966. Since 1974, computers are interestingly used in education in schools, colleges and universities.

In the beginning of the 19th century, there were noteworthy changes in the field of education. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), right from its start of school broadcasts in 1920 had maintained rapid pace in making sound contribution to formal education. In the USA, by 1952, 20 states had the provision for educational broadcasting. Parallel to this time about 98% of the schools in United Kingdom were equipped with radios and there were regular daily programmes.

Sidney L. Pressey, a psychologist of Ohio state university developed a self-teaching machine called 'Drum Tutor' in 1920. Professor Skinner, however, in his famous article 'Science of Learning and art of Teaching' published in 1945 pleaded for the application of the knowledge derived from behavioral psychology to classroom procedures and suggested automated teaching devices as means of doing so.

Although the first practical use of Regular television broadcasts was in Germany in 1929 and in 1936 the Olympic Games in Berlin were broadcasted through television stations in Berlin, Open circuit television began to be used primarily for broadcasting programmes for entertainment in 1950. Since 1960, television is used for educational purposes.

In 1950, Brynmor, in England, used educational technological steps for the first time. It is to be cared that in 1960, as a result of industrial revolution in America and Russia, other countries also started progressing in the filed of educational technology. In this way, the beginning of educational technology took place in 1960 from America and Russia and now it has reached England, Europe and India.

During the time of around 1950s, new technocracy was turning it attraction to educations when there was a steep shortage of teachers in America and therefore an urgent need of educational technology was felt. Dr. Alvin C. Eurich and a little later his associate, Dr. Alexander J. Stoddard introduced mass production technology in America.

Team teaching had its origin in America in the mid of 1950's and was first started in the year 1955 at Harvard University as a part of internship plan.

In the year 1956, Benjamin Bloom from USA introduced the taxonomy of educational objectives through his publication, "The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, The Classification of Educational Goals, Handbook I: Cognitive Domain".

In 1961, Micro teaching technique was first adopted by Dwight W. Allen and his co-workers at Stanford University in USA.

Electronics is the main technology being developed in the beginning of 21st century. Broadband Internet access became popular and occupied almost all the important offices and educational places and even in common places in developed countries with the advantage of connecting home computers with music libraries and mobile phones.

Today's classroom is more likely to be a technology lab, a room with rows of students using internet connected or Wi-Fi enabled laptops, palmtops, notepad, or perhaps students are attending a video conferencing or virtual classroom or may have been listening to a podcast or taking in a video lecture. Rapid technological changes in the field of educational have created new ways to teach and to learn. Technological changes also motivated the teachers to access a variety of information on a global scale via the Internet, to enhance their lessons as well as to make them competent professional in their area of concern. At the same time, students can utilize vast resources of the Internet to enrich their learning experience to cope up with changing trend of the society. Now a days students as well teachers are attending seminars, conferences, workshops at national and international level by using the multimedia techno-resources like PowerPoint and even they pursue a variety of important courses of their choice in distance mode via online learning ways. Online learning facility has opened infinite number of doors of opportunities for today's learner to make their life happier than ever before.

Presently Research Associate in the ICFAI University and have been pursuing PhD from Gauhati University, Assam.

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Art Techniques - The Types and Their Philosophy

By Annette Labedzki

Art encompasses a wide range of human activities, creations, and expressions that are a direct reflection of human emotions and experiences. Traditionally, Art Techniques include Music, Painting, Sculptures, and Literature to name some. In addition, if anything is done technically well, owing to innate skills, or learnt by study and practice, it is said to be an Art such as, Cooking, , driving, or even Grooming. In effect, we can say that Artistry is a sum of Art Techniques employed to bring out the Beauty, Taste, and the Symbolism of an artwork. Art also illustrates abstract thoughts and expressions. Aptly put by Leo Tolstoy, "Art is not a handicraft. It is the transmission of feelings the artist has experienced."

As mentioned above, you need to employ the right Techniques of Art to bring out the complete objective if an artwork. The ensuing discussion explores Arts Techniques in Chronological Order.

Paleolithic Era Arts Techniques were being used since the Paleolithic Era (Stone Age - 40,000 years ago). Several Sculptures, Cave Paintings, Drilled Snail Shells (from S. Africa) were found in excavations. The Technique of Art used during that period were, Carving (mainly on bones & stones) and Paintings (on the walls of caves). The colors used in those days included Blood, Charcoal, Soil, Juices of Flower Petals, and Leaves.

Mesolithic Era In the Mesolithic Period (Middle Stone Age), art forms changed owing to environmental developments and people's adaptations to these changes. Poetry was seen, but it was severely practical than artistic. As Arrowhead was invented, most of the art works were in Carving. Pointed Tools made from Flint, Obsidian, and other Minerals were used. Cave Paintings moved out of Caves to the surfaces of natural Rocks.

Neolithic Era New Art Techniques emerged in this era. These include Weaving, Architecture, and the construction of Megaliths to mention a few.

Middle Age In the Middle Age (480 to 751 A.D.), Art evolved drastically. These art forms are now gracing various museums such as, Kimbell Art Museum, Russia's Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and Berlin's Museum for Pre and Early History. In the purview of this age, Art can be categorized as Early Christian Art, Migration Period Art, Celtic Art, Byzantine Art, Islamic Art, Pre-Romanesque & Romanesque Art, and Gothic Art. Many of these Art Techniques are lasting until date. The Art Techniques used in this period were:

o Ceramic (use of traditional Clay for Pottery, Bricks, & Tiles)
o Mosaic (creation of Small Images using the small pieces of Colored Glass)
o Pottery (Clay Objects of required shape, heated to give strength. Materials used - Earthenware, Stoneware, & Porcelain)
o Lusterware (a type of Pottery with Metallic Glaze that gives iridescent effect)

o Manuscript (a Handwritten Document, not allowed to reprint)
o Book Binding (a process of assembling the sheets of Paper to form a Book)
o Calligraphy (the art of Writing, described as Scripts & Alphabets)
o Illuminated Manuscripts (Manuscripts, which include text along with decoration)

o Prints
o Engraving (incising hard flat surface by cutting grooves into it. Silver, Gold, Glass, Steel & Lacquer surfaces were engraved)
o Metal cut (an Art Technique in Print Making in which an image is embossed on a Metallic Surface)
o Woodcut (an Art Technique in Print Making in which an image is carved on a Wooden Surface)

o Metalwork

o Sculpture
o Niello (Black Metallic Alloy of Sulfur, Copper, Silver, & Lead, used as an Inlay on Engraved Metal)
§ Jewelry (Personal Ornaments made of precious Metals and Stones)

o Painting

o Fresco (Painting done on the Plaster of Walls or Ceilings)

o Textiles
o Carpet
o Medieval clothing
o Chaperon (a kind of Hat worn in Western Europe in the Middle Age)
o Silk
o Weaving

Modern Age Modern Age (751 A.D. to Present) offers enormous Art Techniques, which include some of the continuing art forms of previous era. The best part is that the present times offer many display options to show up the artworks. Televisions, Magazines, Computers, Radio, Music Players, and many such technology forums have provided a huge platform for the present day artists to show their talent. The Modern Art is a combination of New Age Art and most of the Middle Age Art. The exploration of newer Art Techniques continue to be invented every now and then. Some of the most popular Art Techniques of Modern Age include but are not limited to Animation, Printing Techniques, New Age Architectures, Performance Art, Video Art, Multi-Media Art, Photography, and Abstract Art, to name just some.

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art . Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.labedzki-art.com

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Choosing an Art Institute That's Right For You

By Kathy Hildebrand

If you're an aspiring art major, there's little doubt that you're considering attending one of the many art institutes that are out there. But there are so very many, how can you be sure you choose the right art institute to suit your needs, and meet your goals? There is probably at least one well known art institute in every one of the continental United States, and that's a lot of art schools to choose from!

Pick a State, Any State!

Just for starters, here is a short list of well known and highly desired art institutes:

Art Institute Of Atlanta

Art Institute Of Boston

Art Institute Of California Los Angeles

Art Institute Of California Orange County

Art Institute Of California San Diego

Art Institute Of California San Francisco

Art Institute Of Charlotte

Art Institute Of Chicago

Art Institute Of Cincinnati

Art Institute Of Colorado

Art Institute Of Dallas

Art Institute Of Denver

Art Institute Of Fort Lauderdale

Art Institute Of Houston

Art Institute Of Las Vegas

Art Institute Of Los Angeles

Art Institute Of Miami

Art Institute Of New York

Art Institute Of Philadelphia

And the list hardly stops there. With so many art institutes and universities to choose from, how does the aspiring art student choose? Well here are a few things to keep in mind that you may not consider, because they are not usually discussed when talking about what art school to attend:

Homesick Sweet Homesick

If you're going to be selecting an art school that is far from your familiar home surroundings, consider if that is something that will sit well with you or not. You won't be able to function at peak productivity if you're constantly pining for familiarity. Attending any university out of town (whether or not it's an art school) is going to require the student to be willing to explore, make new friends, and otherwise potentially stray outside their comfort zone. Simply running home any time you miss your favorite meal may not be an option if you're 2000 miles away, for example.

Never Underestimate The Power Of Activism.

Art schools in particular seem to attract more than their fair share of "bleeders", and by that I mean "bleeding liberals" or "bleeding hearts" or "bleeding radicals" and other such "activists." These people can get very draining, and have a tendency to stifle the creativity that you expect from an art university. After paying so much money to attend an acclaimed art institute, why would you want someone like that to waste your time? Beware of these people and the reputation you can inherit by association.

Those Who Can, Do. Those Who Can't, Teach.

The above is perhaps an overly harsh statement in many cases, but when it comes to teachers in an art school environment, I've found it to be very true. So many University professors are bitter, washed-up has-beens (or more likely, "never-weres). If they were any good, they'd have been successful artists rather than teachers barely making a living. They can be very bitter if they have a budding protege on their hands in their art classes, and often attempt to crush the creative spirit of the new students. Much like with the bleeders, you must not allow these curmudgeons to get you down. You paid a lot of money (or worked hard for that scholarship) to attend an art institute, and you deserve to get all you can out of it and express your truest, deepest creative spirit!

Bottom Line - It's Your Art School. Make The Most Of It!

This is your time. Your art. Your school. Your expression. Your future! Make sure your years at art school [http://lasertargeted.com/artinstitute/top-10-art-schools.html] are not wasted. Paint, draw, sculpt, model, program. Whatever your particular form of artistic expression is, the art school is there to nurture and further it. Make sure you get out what you deserve, and light up the world with the art only you can bring to it!

Kathy Hildebrand is a professional writer [http://topics.youredirect.com] who is easily bored with her "day job" assignments. So, she researches anything and everything of interest and starts writing. Writing about an extremely wide variety of subjects keeps her skills sharp, and gives her food for thought on future paid writing assignments.

More of her research and articles can be found at www.lasertargeted.com/artinstitute [http://www.lasertargeted.com/artinstitute] and other sites around the internet.

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Wedding Plan

By Gary S Hendin

Make a Wedding Plan

Immediately Upon Engagement Decide on a Wedding Date

There are people you really want at your wedding. Give them as much notice as possible that they should set aside the date for you. If the wedding will involve travel and an over-night stay for guests, it's important to let them know that as soon as possible. It will be helpful for you to get early feedback on who may not be able to attend the wedding.

Set your budget

Your budget is the single biggest wedding decision to make after the decision to get married itself. Consider the range of projects you need or want to take on during your first year of marriage: honeymoon, buy a house, start a family, start or continue post-secondary education, buy a car, travel. Calculate the cost of these projects. The wedding costs will compete with these other projects. Calculate the money you will have from all sources for the wedding and your other projects. This will help establish the maximum amount of money you can spend on the wedding. From this calculation, all other spending decisions about the wedding will follow. It's a terrible idea to borrow any money from any source for your wedding.

Select your bridal party.

There are hundreds of details involved in planning the wedding and in getting through the wedding day.Your bridal party can be a huge help in handling these. Everything from RSVP tracking to picking up the flowers can and should be delegated. Can every member of the bridal party afford a bridesmaid's dress or a tuxedo? Is every member of the bridal party physically fit and mature enough to shoulder the responsibilities involved? Be objective.

Choose your theme. [modern, vintage, classic, rural, contemporary, etc.]

It's your wedding. Within reason and the bounds of good taste you should have what you want regardless of who will pay some of the expenses. Have faith in your own judgment and taste.

First Review & Planning  Session

All the above should happen almost immediately. Once you square away these 4 foundations of your wedding, what follows are estimated time frames for everything to follow. Buy a binder, a hole punch and index tabs to collect & organize these details. Start a spread sheet to track all expenses. This is your wedding plan. Check it & update it often.

12-18 Months Out - Ceremony Location

Your caterer may have suggestions about where to hold your ceremony. You may have seen a pretty location yourself. Since many couples no longer get married in a church many reception locations have a "chapel" or an additional area for a wedding ceremony, . A wedding arch decorated with flowers can make a ceremony setting take shape almost anywhere you want. Will a botanical garden or public park permit wedding photographs? At what charge? What is Plan B in the event of rain?

Reception Location/Caterer

This choice will be a function of a number of things: how many guests you are having, how far they have to travel, what kind of wedding (cocktail, plated service, etc.), your budget and what you both like.

The number of weddings in almost any part of the country is greater than the number of available beautiful reception venues. That means competition for venues and rising prices in a seller's market. (It's called supply and demand). Will a venue permit an outside caterer? Is the outside caterer charged for permission to serve food there? Is there a kitchen that the caterer may use or will food be brought to the venue already prepared hours before dinner? Will a kitchen have to be set up on site? Is the venue air conditioned? Does it have sufficient washrooms, coat check & racks with hangers, parking?

For outdoor weddings, caterers should have a list of beautiful and functional venues. Consider having your wedding on the property of a friend or relative. As farm weddings & country weddings become ever more popular consider rural venues that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture or a local 4H club can suggest.

Cottage weddings on a distant lake are more remote. Consider the expertise of your caterer in providing service well off the beaten path. How well equipped are they for off-site catering? How will the location impact the need for overnight accommodation? Will you need late night transport between the cottage and hotels? Are there Bed & Breakfast Inns in the area where guests can stay close to the wedding? Could the wedding be held at such an Inn instead of at the cottage? Parking and washrooms are critical for a cottage wedding, as is the potential for tense neighbour relations due to traffic congestion, trespass and late night noise.

DJ &/or Band

Your music choice will be a big part of how your celebration turns out. If the music is  too loud older guests will leave early. If you choose the wrong genre of music for your demographic it's no fun. Before you pick a DJ ask if you can drop in on an event he is spinning the tunes for. You'll get a pretty good idea if that D.J. is  for you. The same selection process applies to a band. Attend an event where they will play.. Ask for references and establish firm ground rules about arrival/set-up time, alcohol or drug use before and during the event, dress code, flirting, electrical & space needs, frequency & length of breaks. Plan your play list. You will need to feed the D.J. or band members, (& any other support staff you hire for the wedding). Make sure the caterer provides for this at an agreed upon price.

Photographer

Most photographers have a portfolio you can see to get an idea of their style. Packages with a set price are a good idea even if you are not budget conscious. Give your photographer a copy of the wedding day schedule and make sure he/she can stick with it. Most delays at weddings are the result of a photographer who falls behind & can't stop taking one more shot. You will delay the rest of the wedding if you let the photographer take charge of the schedule. Your guests will be waiting.

Videographer

A nice addition to your wedding memories.

9-12 Months Out

Wedding Dress

Sometimes, brides pick a wedding dress FIRST. But, more often, other  factors such as theme, location, time of year and entertainment sway the dress decision. It may not be your dream to buy a wedding dress that someone else wore before but the potential savings are considerable. After all, you will wear this dress but once. On the other hand you will see it in pictures of the wedding for the rest of your life. You have a right be beautiful on your wedding day.

8-10 Months Out

Bridesmaids Dresses

If you can, get all the girls together for a full day of dress scouting. Keep budgets in mind and go for a style that will flatter a variety of body types. There is no excuse for any member of the wedding party to dress like a tart.

6-9 Months Out

Groomsmen Attire

Quite often the groom will get his rented tuxedo for FREE, since you ordered so many outfits.

Wedding Flowers

Make sure you have a budget in mind before you see your florist. Packages are always available and there is a big range in price, depending on the type of flowers you select and the complexity of the arrangement. Make a list of everyone who will need flowers that day so that you don't forget anyone. Are flowers to go on each guest table, the head table, buffet or other tables? If the wedding will be on a property that your family owns, can the garden be planned a year before the wedding to coincide plant flowers that bloom in time for the wedding?

Centerpieces

You will need a rough idea of how many guests are attending. This tells you how many tables will need centerpieces. Although tall centerpieces are striking, they might make it difficult for guests to see each other over the arrangement. Try for a low, simple arrangement that adds colour but doesn't take up too much space on the table. This is critical for platter or family style service.

For rural or cottage weddings, centre pieces made from birch bark, wood, or natural fibers can be charming. Remember to consider the colours of linens, flowers, dresses. The centre pieces should complement these items. Can you make the centre pieces yourself with help from your friends?

Decorations

If you plan an elaborate themed wedding, you may want the help of a professional wedding decorator. These professionals have access to props and materials that you may have trouble finding. For simple decorations, like tulle and ribbon, you probably have at least one artistic friend that would love to help. Consider lighting as part of the decorations.

Order Invitations and Send invitations.

You need to spend real time considering who to invite without offending any friend or relative. Before inviting anyone you haven't seen or spoken to in years remember that your wedding should be spent with people you care about and who care about you. Be diplomatic when Mom wants to invite her 200 year old great aunt that you've never met. But, be realistic as well.

Proofread the invitations several times. It's hard to correct a printing error on something already in the mail. If the wedding will take place at a cottage or other hard to find location, include a map. Make sure that GPS or Google maps actually help find the location. If they don't, your map & directions should tell people not to use them or else they will get lost. The map should include a "Help" phone number to call on the wedding day. If you create a web site or Facebook page for the wedding, refer to it in the invitation.

Dress Fitting Check

Make sure to weigh yourself before each fitting, so you can keep track close to the wedding day.

Your Wedding Plan

Schedule an evening with your fiancee to track how closely you have kept to your original budget and schedule. If you are way off course, now is the time to correct it.

4-6 Months Out

Book Bridal Shower

Although it's usually a friend or family member who holds this event for you, you should be consulted on the date and location to make sure you will be available that day. You need to balance your role as a guest with your role as the bride at your own shower.

Book Bachelorette Party

This event is also hosted and arranged by a close friend or relative. Don't schedule it too close to the wedding day. Hangovers are not the best way to start your wedding day!

Book Bachelor Party

This party has a reputation for getting out of control. Plan such entertainment as poker, for example, that will keep guests cool and calm.

Master or Mistress of Ceremonies

The seamless flow of the wedding day, both ceremony and reception, will depend on your M.C. He or she has real responsibilities. These include making sure: that the schedule is followed, that guests and suppliers arrive in the right place at the right time, that photos don't run over time, that dinner service is explained, that guests are invited to the buffet table by table, that guest speakers, (including whoever will say Grace before dinner), are introduced and don't run over time and that toasts are presented according to a planned sequence. This is a critical job and cannot be assigned to anyone immature or inarticulate.

3 Months Out

Taste Tests with your Caterer/Venue and your Baker.

A great chance to get a peek at your wedding dinner. Chances are you won't notice food at your own wedding.

Hold Bridal Shower

You need to balance your role as a guest with your role as the bride at your own shower. Be diplomatic in giving an opinion on shower food and décor. Showers are generally held with little or no alcohol. It's unforgivable for anyone to be drunk at a shower.

Hold Bachelorette Party

This will be your last wild ride for the foreseeable future. Have fun and remember the good times.

Hold Bachelor Party

More fun with the guys - enjoy this blast from the past.

Dress Fitting Check

Oops! Time to get back on the stationary bike and eat more salads.

4 Weeks Out

Begin to Finalize Details with Your Vendors.

All your guest responses should be in by now. Finalize guest numbers with your caterer or venue.

Final Dress Fitting Check

Yahoo! It fits!

Make sure you fill out your data sheets with all formalities for your DJ/Band: Music choices, bridal party names, dos and don'ts, etc.

Make salon appointments for manny, peddy, makeup, tanning, hair, etc.

1 Week Out

If you haven't done so already finalize your timeline with your DJ, venue, caterer, photographer, florist and planner (if you hired one). The final timeline should be e-mailed to all of these suppliers. There are no excuses for being late or falling behind schedule.

3-5 Days Out

Pick Up Tuxes

Make sure you pay all your vendors, or prepare the cash/cheques for all your wedding day vendors.

Give the list and chequess to your Best Man or Maid of Honor, so that you don't have to worry about these on your wedding day.

Wedding Day

YOU MADE IT! Be thrilled by the centuries of tradition & the love that you have just shared. Enjoy the day of your dreams.

Next Day

Leave for your honeymoon.

Take some time off from all the rush and just enjoy each other!

Two Weeks after the Wedding

Thank you cards for wedding presents

Check your gift cards to make sure you don't leave anyone out. Get a friend to help double check.

Reference letters & on-line posts for outstanding suppliers.

A great way to reward those people who helped make your day such a success. Don't put this off - these people worked hard for you.

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Escaping Life Through Art

By Roy S Wilkins

There are many instances in life when you feel distressed. In such instances, healthy habits help to vent out frustration. Exercise, sports, and gardening are a few examples of habits that help you unwind in your daily life.

Through art, you can put your heart on paper or canvas, and vent out what you feel but cannot say. To o so, all you need is an idea, time, and art supplies. It also helps to explore your creative side and can become a skill to explore and develop overtime. If you are successful in discovering the form of art closest to your nature, it can become a lifesaver in your dark moments.

Art gives a variety of escaping options to those who would love to explore it on their own, or those who may be looking to escape the everyday harshness of life. Many people find their escape through writing, while others may explore that their escape lies in music, painting, or paper craft. Art gives you unlimited choices to keep exploring and digging further, and to escape everyday stress, at least for the time in which you are being artistic.

Everyone has a creative side, all you need to do is explore it. Once you discover it, it will swallow you whole and you are sure to fall in love with it. To that end, it is important that you keep a stock of art supplies handy and organized at home. If possible, create a nook in your home to where you can escape in those moments and where you can draw, paint, or write peacefully.

You can also buy a sketchbook for yourself to practice in. Try to draw by looking at objects, and as you draw more you will get better. The same goes for painting. You do not need to invest heavily in your art supplies initially. You can evolve as you grow, develop your skills, and learn to use acrylic paint and different techniques of painting and drawing on the canvas.

No matter what anyone says, art will provide you with a very creative way to deal with everyday stress of life. Art can be your sweet escape, and your opportunity to discover more about yourself and the world around you. By practicing any form of art, you will be channelling your anger, depression, and all the negative feelings creatively through a positive medium. Start exploring the arts, and soon you will notice that your life is better because of it.

For more info regarding art supplies, visit website http://artworxgeelong.com.au

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Can Art Take You Places?

By Mike Hussy Andy

Our mind is a blank canvas until art makes us put our mind to work. We have all heard the notion that making a career as an artist is extremely difficult and you cannot do it if you are broke. However, arts is a field which branches out into many sub categories and that precisely allows you to identify your niche. There are illustrators, graphic designers, copywriters and all sorts of artistic people out there who are doing justice to their arts degree. Here are some tips for art graduates to make it big out there as an artist:

Multitask: it is important as an artist to be able to multitask. Build your network, apply for awards and residencies, and do freelance work. All these will help you in establishing your profile and broaden your network.

Be active on social media: to find work as an artist, be active on social media. Show your work to the world and who knows where you may start getting projects from. Some social platforms provide an amazing way to market yourself online, and friends may recommend you.

Blog: one essential job of every artist should be to blog. Use that creativity to display your talents and your thoughts to the world. It will also help to generate ideas and become better with the feedback that you will generate.

Keep promoting yourself: you may be present online but there will be no point if you are unable to generate leads and no one knows about you. You must link all the content you post on various platforms back to your webpage or your website in order to have that effect. Be consistent and regular in your efforts.

Keep in touch with your peers: it is hard even for ambitious artists to make it out there by themselves. Keep in touch with your college mates and try to establish a critique group to analyze each other's work. You can also inform one another of the opportunities.

Be prepared for struggle: although it is not impossible, but you must prepare yourself for the struggle. Do not give up on becoming an artist if that is your passion and that is what you would like to do. You can practice it as freelance until you get a more stable job as an artist. You can work to make your name in the market but remember that it will take time and the process is slow.

For more info regarding painting classes visit website http://artworxgeelong.com.au/store/adult-art-classes

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Selling Your Art and Photographs Online

By Margaret Cranford

While many amateur artists work primarily for pleasure, or to create cards and gifts for family and friends, there can be no doubt that selling your art is an appealing prospect.

With my husband I have explored several methods of online selling and below will share some hints and tips to help you navigate your way through the options to see what might suit you.

First of all, to sell online you'll need some equipment. I can assume that you have access to a computer, but you'll also need some equipment to share images. An attractive clear image of the picture you are selling is essential. After all, would you buy something if the only thing you have to judge quality is a murky thumb-nail on the screen? A camera and photo-editing software are essential and there are some good free products available. You will also need a scanner if you are selling prints of original paintings rather than photographs to be able to upload them. When we sell framed items, we take photographs of the framed products to upload. It is essential to spend some time experimenting with different lighting and effects to make sure that your image is as true a representation of your art as possible.

Like many, we started selling through an online auction site, listing our framed pictures for sale. Pictures are not an essential commodity, as no one has to have a picture right now and so you cannot expect instant high turn-over. Consider your pricing, to make sure you haven't overlooked any over-heads. While as an amateur you may not need to make a huge profit, you certainly shouldn't be selling your art at a loss.

It is also important to think about the category you put your work into. There are many thousands, or millions, of other sellers, so your art needs to be in the right place. Spend some time checking trough the categories, thinking about the key words you would search for, until you are happy.

We use the auctions to test new products and to raise awareness of our art. We sell little in the auctions, however, as we are careful not to make our starting price too low. However, this is a matter for you to decide for yourself.

Our next step was to use online store-sites. There are some sites where you create your own online store, posting images of your product. The site handles payments, but you manage the shipping yourself. Registering and uploading images is usually easy, and there is a small charge for each product you post together with commission when you sell. Read the small print!

Other sites do more for you, taking care of all the printing and shipping of orders, so you make less per item but have no administration yourself, so you don't have to keep checking to see if you have a product to package and post. It's usually easy to get started, and you usually have a choice of products to have your image printed on, to include smart phone and tablet cases and clothes as well as posters and prints, framed or unframed. These sites can be an economic way to buy your own prints to sell yourself. In my experience the quality is great, but check where your company does it's printing, as if it is overseas you need to allow time for shipping.

We have also started using a company that provides buttons for you to include in your own website or blog. Such companies handle the printing and shipping for you. The difference here is that you get code to create a 'Buy this print' button. You can also share the button on social media. Customers clicking on the button go through to the printer's site, where the order and payment are finalised.

For many a natural step is to create your own website. There are many build your own sites and it's worth taking some time reading reviews as well as the information provided to see if it suits you. We found our site easy and enjoyable to create. It's a great way to keep all the information about our work in one place in one place, and we promote the URL on receipts, letter-heads and social media.

A final piece of advice is to use social media as much as you can. No-one will know you are out there with beautiful products to sell unless you tell them.

Now off you go - get started!

To see the work I produce following the principles I have outlined above, visit my websites. http://www.alecarte.com and http://www.redbubble.com/people/magsart.

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The Walking Dead: Season Two - Episode 2: A House Divided Review

By Omkar Mordi

Clementine kicks ass. Episode two of the second season of Telltale Games' The Walking Dead adventure series may be about more than just this pint-size survivor of the zombie apocalypse impaling undead skulls and blasting away with a handgun. But the lasting image that I'm taking away from A House Divided is of the lovable moppet whirling around like a ballcap-wearing ninja who can clearly take care of herself better than any of the adults she encounters.

This isn't a problem for me. As much as Clem's action-hero moments strain believability a bit, her zombie-slaying skills are offset by how much this lonely little girl depends on the kindness of strangers, and by a reminder at the conclusion of just how vulnerable she still is. The result is a superb episode that balances action with a story that picks up the pace from the snoozy episode one and serves as both an intriguing foundation for the season to build upon and a satisfying one-off story in its own right.

Nevertheless, storytelling is still settling in for the long haul. Just like Clementine, we are still getting to know this new group of survivors that she hooked up with in episode one. There isn't any easy empathy for the plight of this group. Still, personalities are developed much more thoroughly here. Pregnant Rebecca is no longer a one-note misanthrope. Nick isn't just a teen rebelling against whatever you've got. Luke seems like he could become a reliable friend, or even something of a younger Lee substitute. Alvin and Carlos are no longer wallflowers. Only Sarah remains the same, and even her childlike attitude is expanded upon in a couple of scenes that make it clear she had problems long before the "hell is full, dead will walk the earth" stuff went down.

Even better, the situation is taking on a personality of its own, and a cloud of mystery and dread hovers in the background of everything. Fear of other people and always taking account of where you are and how much you can safely let your guard down with strangers have been major themes in the Walking Dead game series, but here, everything goes into overdrive. Clem is completely on her own, cut off from all of the support she had during the first season and even during the start of the last episode when she was still traveling with Christa. Her isolation is underlined even further when she meets what should be an old friend, only to find out that this former pal is no longer the same person that she knew. (Also, keep an eye out for the appearance of some other old acquaintances from the 400 Days episode released as a stand-alone installment last summer.)

Clem is forced to constantly ask herself whom she can trust, if she can actually ever trust anyone in a world where a can of peaches is the difference between life and death. Fighting zombies is easy, even in the white-knuckle brawls highlighted here, such as the railroad bridge showdown and the climactic shootout at the ski lodge where Clem whips under a picnic table and spears a zombie like a fish. What's tough is dealing with other human beings. Dialogue choices get tougher and more pragmatic as the episode goes along. Most of the time it seems like the only sensible option involves telling someone an unflinching truth or taking a hard line that everyone is better off thinking of themselves first. Clem seems to be applying the harsh lesson that she learned from Sam in the first episode to everyone she encounters now, which turns the entire game into one long, absorbing existential crisis. I was almost expecting True Detective nihilist Rust Cohle to be waiting for Clem in the ski lodge, sitting at a picnic table with the world's last six-pack of Lone Star, ready to deliver a lecture about the pointlessness of it all.

You can't say that Clem's pessimistic approach is wrong, either. Something is wrong with this entire group. Bad things happen to everyone they encounter. And they are hiding something, especially when it comes to the mysterious Carver, who makes his first appearance here after being the subject of ominous discussions in the last episode. Thankfully, Carver debuts as a multifaceted villain. He seems motivated by a desire to bring the group to a safe settlement, yet bodies still mount by the end of the episode. Carver has no problem threatening to kill Clem to get what he wants. So he's still a bad guy, albeit a potentially sympathetic bad guy with tinges of a messiah complex reminiscent of a cross between Rev. Jim Jones and Negan, the megalomaniacal monster in the current Walking Dead comics.

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The Do's and Don'ts of Wearing Perfume

By Jinghong Chiu

How to wear perfume?

Most people wear perfume to draw attention to themselves in a positive way, but it can oftentimes have the opposite effect. The perfect perfume should make the space around you pleasant. Going with a fragrance that is powerful and strong can lead to people steering clear. Here are a few simple tips that will help you choose a perfume that won't offend.

Choosing a Perfume Fragrance

Your body has its own natural aroma, so try finding a fragrance that complements that. You should be looking for a perfume that will be somewhat subtle so as not to overpower a space, yet fragrant enough to make people want to be close to you. Perfume should enhance all of your positive attributes.

One great way to see how certain perfumes smell on your skin is to visit the fragrance counter at your local department store. When sampling different perfumes, be sure to spray each on a separate part of your body, far away from one another. Try to limit yourself to a pair of fragrances on each visit, making sure to move away from the perfume section for a few moments so that you don't confuse other fragrances with those on your skin.

Make sure to apply the perfume directly to your skin rather than clothing. This will allow you to see how well the fragrance blends with your natural aroma, as well as with soaps and makeup that you regularly use.

Don't rush into a purchase, even if you believe you have found the perfect perfume. Spray on a sample of the fragrance you like and try wearing it for an entire day. This will allow you to see if the scent quickly wears off or caused you to have headaches or some sort of other allergic reaction. One full day is usually enough to make sure that none of those things happen.

Do's of wearing perfume

Simple steps to follow when applying perfume:

• The best time to apply your perfume is after you have bathed or showered. This is when your skin is cleanest and more likely to absorb the fragrance fully.


• Make sure not to overdo it. Keep in mind that your fragrance should attract people, not send them running the other way. A little can go a long way, so if you are using perfume splash, place a little on your fingertips and gently apply it to your pulse areas. Those can be found on your wrists, neckline, chest, behind the earlobes, elbow area, and behind your inner thighs and knees. Those areas are all perfect since it's where your blood runs close to the surface of the skin, allowing the scent to be diffused quickly.


• If your perfume is in a spray bottle, you should still apply it to the same pulse areas, but be sure to spray the perfume from a foot or so away so as to get a fairly even distribution. Another tactic is to spray the perfume in the air a couple of times before "walking" through the fragrant cloud it creates.


• Given that heat rises, the best way to apply your favorite perfume is from the bottom up. You'll find that the scent will last for a much longer period during the day.


• It's common knowledge that people with dry skin aren't able to retain scents for as long as those with oily skin. This is because the perfume oils join with the natural oils in the skin and slow down the evaporation process. If you have dry skin, then consider applying your perfume a couple of times per day or perhaps invest in a good moisturizer that you can apply before the perfume.


• Give your perfume time to dry before putting on clothes. Dressing too quickly will mean that some of the perfume will end up on the fabric rather than absorbing into the skin. Keep in mind that it can take up to an hour for your perfume to really blend with your natural scent.


• It's important to pay attention to all of the other scented body products that you use (deodorant, shampoo, body wash, after shave balm etc.) as these can create a whole mess of smells. This creates a fragrance barrier that is almost impossible for your perfume to penetrate. The best way to make your perfume really stand out is to layer all of it, which basically means making sure that all of your other products have a similar scent or come from the same brand. For example, bathe with a shower gel, then seal that off with a body lotion or balm, and end your routine by applying your favorite perfume.


• As strange as it may sound, pay attention to the weather when applying perfume. Scents tend to last for longer periods when it is hot outside, whereas colder weather has the opposite effect.

Don'ts for wearing perfume

If you follow the do's as listed above then you should always smell great, but here are some DON'T's that you need to look out for:

• Apply your perfume before putting on clothes or jewelry. There are some fragrances that will stain and damage clothing, pearls, and precious metals. The idea is to perfume your body, not the garments you are wearing over it.


• A common mistake made when applying perfume is rubbing the wrists together. Doing so can actually dramatically change the fragrance of the perfume.


• We mentioned the pulse points earlier, but that doesn't mean you have to perfume them all in one sitting. Madame Coco's rule of thumb is that you should only apply perfume where you wish to be kissed. That is sound expert advice, as is making sure to adhere to the rule of 3 sprays of Eau de Parfum or 5 sprays of Eau de Toilette.


• Try to avoid spraying perfume into your hair as it can react badly to certain hair products and create overpowering odors.


• Don't make the mistake of reapplying your fragrance if you can't smell it. The most common reason for it is because you have become accustomed to the scent. One way to get around that is to use different fragrances from time to time rather than settling on just one.

Should You Wear Perfume To Work?

The question of whether or not to wear perfume to work is one that is not easily answered. It falls right in the category of other office style issues such as whether it's acceptable to not wear pantyhose or if it's fine to wear open-toed shoes in warmer weather. Funnily enough, the perfume issue is one that applies to people on both sides of the gender fence.

While there is no obvious solution to the answer, you should definitely avoid wearing perfume when heading in for a job interview. You may find that the company you work for actually has policies in place regarding the wearing of perfume. If they don't, try to wear a fragrance that is light and unobtrusive, leaving your more dramatic scents for free time outside of the workplace.

The reason why fragrances seem to not fit so well at work is because of the personal nature of the scent. There is a definite familiarity factor to the scent that a person wears, oftentimes making them instantly recognizable when you get into close contact with them.

If you take the time to adhere to the do's and don'ts outlined above then you are unlikely to ever encounter a situation where someone is offended by your scent, so spray on and enjoy.

http://perfumesingapore.sg - Check out over 90 brands of international authentic fragrances on our website by clicking on the link above.

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How To Buy Perfume

By Katie Nguyen

Buying Perfume can be a very hard decision, especially when you buying that perfume for your friend or lover. Different people will have different choice of perfume. Also each fragrance will produce a different scent on various types of skin. Therefore, when buying perfume we need to do some good research and try it out before you make the final decision.

There are hundreds brands of perfume and thousands of scents available in the market nowadays. If you never bought any perfume before and not sure which perfume will be right for you or your friend, you should check out the Perfume Review website online like http://boisdejasmin.typepad.com or ask your friend to see which perfume is popular that most people use it. After that, you can go out to department store to try it on your skin.

Trial and testing Perfume

There are 2 ways that you can try perfume either direct on your skin or spray on the fragrance blotters. Now there is both advantage and disadvantage about these two methods of testing if you only using one method.

By testing on your skin, you will be able to know exactly how does it smell on your skin, but you can't try out too many different types of perfume simply because all the perfume that you try after the first one will mix with the first one and you won't get the correct smell of those fragrance.

By testing on the fragrance blotters, you can spray on different cards and write the name of that fragrance at the back of those cards. But this method of testing won't give you exactly how it smells on your skin either.

The best way is to try on the fragrance blotters first, then choose the smell that you like and try it on your skin, that way you can get the fragrance you like and the right perfume for your skin.

Types of Perfume

There are 4 main different types of perfume. Eau De Cologne, Eau De Toilette, Eau De Parfum and Parfum. They are ranging from the least concentrate to the most concentrate and therefore the different in price.

Eau de Cologne (EDC) is the term used today to refer to a perfume solution with around a 3% compound in an oil and water base. It's the lightest of perfumes and, therefore the least expensive.

Eau de Toilette (EDT) - is a perfume solution with a 3-8% compound in an oil and water base. It is a bit more expensive.

Eau de Parfum (EDP) is a perfume solution with a 10-15% compound.

Parfum is the highest concentration of oils, with 20-50% compound, which makes it last longer than others and the most expensive.

Size of Perfume

Perfume is packed in different sizes. In Europe and USA, perfume usually measures by Oz, in Australia or other countries we measure by ml. 1Oz is equivalent to 30ml (1Oz ~30ml). The most common size usually is 50ml, 75ml or 100ml. If you are buying the fragrance for the first time, you should buy the small bottle to try it out first. If you already wear that fragrance before and you really like it, then go ahead and purchase the big bottle because they are usually best value for money.

There is some small sample called vial on card or vial mini as well, those bottles are usually for trial. It is a good idea for you to buy those trial first to test it out before go ahead to buy a big bottle.

Where to buy Discount Perfume

Now you already know which brand, type and size of the perfume you like and best fit for you. It is time to shop around for the best price available. Nowadays, Perfume Online Stores usually sell perfume at a better price than most of department stores or retail outlet, as they don't have to employ a lot of staff and pay the big rent in the shopping center. Perfume Online Stores also can carry a lot more varieties of brands as well as keep some hard to find perfume. You can compare the price from different Discount Perfume Stores athttp://www.myshopping.com.au or buy direct at http://www.discountperfume.net.au

Buying a right Perfume can be a very hard decision but if you do enough homework I am sure that you will find the best perfume for yourself. Next article, we will share with you on how to wear and store perfume.

Katie Nguyen is a writer for http://www.discountperfume.net.au, an Online Discount Perfume Store for Wholesale Perfume Australia. We sell Discount Perfume at Wholesale Price and delivers Perfume Australia Wide.

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Read This Before You Buy Your Next Perfume

By Sonny Ahuja

Do you love perfumes? Do you love to play with your perfume choices from time to time? Do you have a perfume range to fit your mood and the occasion you are attending? Choosing the right perfume for each and every occasion can be very expensive. However, because you will need to exude a different personality when the occasion warrants, it is necessary that you have at least four types of perfume in your perfume wardrobe.

Yes, perfume wardrobe. Buying and using perfume is just like buying and using clothes that fit your mood and the occasion you are using it for.

Some people use perfume as a uniform, they use the same perfume in the office, in events and even during parties. Your friends will therefore know it is you by your smell. If this is what you want, it is not what experts recommend, though.

Experts believe that perfumes are affected by many factors, such as:

o Personal factors - Health, mood and medication - Health including your pH balance, hormonal changes, medication affects your skin chemistry. Even, mood swings, which are intrinsic in a woman, affect her skin chemistry and thus the choice of perfume may vary depending on these factors.

o The weather - cold weather or hot weather - Cold weather intensifies the fragrance of your perfume. During cold weather, it is advisable that you choose lighter scent but apply it more often, just to keep you smelling good during the entire day or event, as the case may be. During hot weather, your perfume will easily evaporate and thus you may need a little stronger one. You may also need to re-apply.

o Occasions - There are occasions that you want to be as dressy as you can and thus your perfume needs to follow. For occasions that you may want to feel light and warm, you may choose lighter fragrance. This may however be dependent on your mood and the people that will be around you in these occasions. If you are in a party where your office colleagues and close friends are around, you may choose a different scent from your day-to-day perfume.

If you will need to follow the advice of experts to have a variety of perfumes or a perfume wardrobe, it may be painful on your pocket. To remedy your problem, I will recommend that you buy perfumes at a discount price. No, we are not suggesting you buy perfume in quantity during sale season. It will still cost you too much.

What I recommend is for you to hunt for discount perfumes online. Why online? Because on internet, competition is stiff. Perfume vendors compete for your purchase offering different sets of discounts like free shipping and other benefits. Benefits or special offers may be varying and you may need to check out as many options as possible.

Many women enjoy a shopping spree in malls. However, even the fact that there are discount perfumes and colognes you may find at the mall, there is no way they can beat the dead low discount perfumes online.

I suggest though that you hunt for these discount and perfumes. If you are able to find a good deal, good promotion, and the fact that you do not need to pay for shipping, would you not purchase online?

Discount or no discount for perfumes and colognes, let us give you an advice on how to properly choose the types of perfume and colognes you will buy online.

Tips on how to buy discount perfumes online

Whether you are buying for yourself or as a gift, there are benefits of buying online. However, you may need to visit perfume stores as well. Why? Let me answer that in a moment. Before that, let me give you the tips on how to buy discount perfumes and colognes.

1. Select the scents that you want. Scents include Floral, Fruity, Aquatic, Oriental, or Woody. Some men prefer the woody or aquatic scent for colognes. How do you select the scents? If you have no idea of what the difference are, I suggest you go to the shopping mall. Visit a few perfume stores; check out the different perfumes and colognes. Know how they smell and if it appeals to you, you already know what to buy. If you fell in love with the scent and you want to buy the perfume right there, then we will not stop you. Maybe you do not want the discounts online perfumes have to offer.

2. For those that will purchase their discount perfumes and colognes online, checkout the internet. You can do a search for cheap perfumes or free shipping on perfumes to get the best deals.

3. Ensure that you buy your perfume months before the occasion or if you are just buying for your perfume wardrobe, then there is no issue for you to rush the delivery. Choose free shipping option and try to get as much discount as possible. Let me reiterate, competition is stiff in industries like perfumeries, vendors will vie for your purchase.

If you can be wise enough in buying discount perfumes and colognes online, you can by your whole wardrobe without much issue.

As a final note, there is no tax in buying online, so take advantage of it (order from a state you don't live in).

Another important reason to buy perfumes at discount prices online is due to the fact internet offers the largest variety. Perfumes that you may not see in the stores are available online. Discount perfume supplies online are unlimited. You do not have the distance barrier in getting supply of perfumes and colognes online.

http://www.grandperfumes.com

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