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Your Quinceanera Mass

Despite changing times, many families continue to encourage their young woman to attend the mass as a central part of her coming of age. In fact, the Misa de Acción de Gracis is a time for the quince girl to reaffirm her values and beliefs, especially as they regard her family, her community, and not least importantly her faith.

The Mass is also a time for the parish to recognize the young woman as an adult in the eyes of her parish.

The Quinceanera Catholic Mass Traditions

The Quinceanera girl comes to her Misa de Accion de Gracis bearing her ultima muneca, or "Last Doll." This doll symbolizes the end of her childhood and the last toy she'll have as a girl. In some traditions, she exchanges this for a bouquet of flowers to carry down the aisle to her mass.

Quince girls are accompanied to the Mass by their parents and sometimes a special set of godparents chosen especially for the occasion. While they are sometimes the godparents chosen at birth by her parents, they can also ben individuals the girl wants to include in her growing maturity.

The ceremony has all the parts of a normal Catholic Mass and also special observances. Parents and friends are invited to read important passages from the Bible. The priest says a few words about virtue and faith and blesses a rosary, Bible, and other gifts to be given to the girl at her fiesta later that evening.
There is also a "coronation ceremony" where the Quince girl's mother or godmother places a tiara on her head. This is a tribute to an ancient custom where the Quince girl was established as an official princess within her family and a young woman in her community. At the end of the service the Quince girl may leave the bouquet of flowers on the church altar as an offering of faith.

Many parishes now hold one single Misa for all their Quince girls in a given time, usually once a month. You should check with your local rectory to see if special private masses are available.

Other Faiths, Other Traditions

Historically Latino families have been almost exclusively Catholic, though many in the United States have begun accepting other faiths and denominations. There are no long-standing traditions regarding the Quinceanera celebration in other countries, but an expression of faith and devotion is still possible.
Some Quinceanera girls have chosen to hold special prayer ceremonies that allow her the chance to give thanks and praise in the company of family and friends. Others choose to spend a few moments with their parents in quiet prayer before the fiesta.

My Quince Favors has tiaras, Bibles, a complete selection of last dolls, and dozens of Quinceanera supplies and accessories. Visit them online at http://www.myquincefavors.com

Mardi Gras Beads - The Meaning Behind Them

Mardi Gras Beads or throws are a fun part of the Carnival festivities in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Carnival season begins on Twelfth Night or January 6th. Carnival refers to the whole season from January 6 through Fat Tuesday, which is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday or the beginning of the Lent season. Mardi Gras generally refers to Fat Tuesday only, but many tourists describe the whole carnival season as Mardi Gras so locals began to refer to Fat Tuesday as Mardi Gras Day to alleviate any confusion. Festivities during the Carnival Season include parties or balls, parades, and king cake. Beginning two weeks before Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras Day, there is at least one parade daily. It is during these parades that the beads or throws are primarily used.

The New Orleans parades are organized by Krewes which are member sponsored communities. During the course of the parade, the krewe members toss out a number of different types of throws such as beads, doubloons, cups, and stuffed animals or small toys. Make sure you bring a large bag, pillow case, or any other sturdy container to bring your "catch" home in.

Prior to the 1960's, the beads were made from glass; however, they are currently being made from plastic. In the early 90's, people began to tire of the thin strands of plastic beads and would actually just leave them laying on the ground so some krewe members began to throw larger beads or novelty type beads with a theme. So why throw Mardi Gras beads? There is a school of thought that the beads or representative of the jewelry that was worn by royalty. People stand on the side of the road begging trinkets. "Throw me something, Mister" is a phrase you can hear over and over again. If you catch the eye of a krewe member, they will reward you by throwing a string of beads or more to you.

Mardi Gras colors chosen by Rex, king of carnival in 1892, are purple (for justice), green (for faith), and gold (for power). Generally, Mardi Gras beads are a thin strip of beads made from plastic in one color only, but the beads can come in every color under the sun. The most prized colors to receive are the Mardi Gras colors. Strands of bead also come in a wide variety of diameters and designs. The larger the beads and the more elaborate the design, the more desirable the strand of beads.

Carnival and specifically Mardi Gras Day is a fantastic way to spend time together as a family. You can pack a picnic lunch, play ball, watch the parades, and enjoy the festivities. Because Mardi Gras Day lasts the majority of the day, wear sunscreen, bring your lunch, and make sure you have enough bags to bring home a large catch. Mardi Gras Day parades are the biggest and utilize the largest number of throws. Have loads of fun and catch a lot of Mardi Gras beads.

Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get free information on numerous topics including beads at http://www.whereyoucanbuy.com

New Moon's St Marcus Day - Is It Real?

In the film The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Bella arrives in Volterra, Italy just in time to save Edward from revealing himself as a vampire to a throng of mortals at the St. Marcus Day festival on March 19th. Attendees of the festival, clad in red, hooded robes, march in procession bearing a statue of St. Marcus to the church in the center of town. In the Twilight world, "St. Marcus" is celebrated by mortals for having rid the town of vampires, when he was, in fact, a vampire himself. Volterra is the home of the Volturri, the lawgivers of the vampire world. Marcus is one of them. Some Twilight fans wear red on March 19th to mark this holiday.

New Moon author Stephanie Meyer borrowed the fictional St. Marcus Day from the real European celebration of St. Mark's Day. She changed the date: St. Mark's Day is April 25th. Because the date coincides with observances of Easter (a moveable feast; the date varies, but it generally occurs in March or April) and a number of other Eurasian spring festivals, it is thought that St. Mark's Day is a Christianized version of a much older, Pagan observance. In the book Ostara, Edain McCoy writes, "As was done with many Pagan festivals in Europe, the early church attempted to refocus the symbolism of Ostara [the spring festival for Germanic Pagans] onto the Feast Day of St. Mark. Instead of being a festival of rebirth, the St. Mark's imagery was concentrated on death and martyrdom, through which Christian rebirth is attained."

St. Mark is traditionally considered to be the author of the Gospel of Mark in the Christian Bible. He's believed to be the companion of St. Paul, the great early Christian evangelist, that the Book of Acts of the Apostles refers to as "John Mark." A disciple of Paul, Mark is thought to have used Paul's preaching as the basis for the Gospel. He is also remembered as the founder of the Coptic Church. Coptic tradition holds that Mark appears in the Gospels as the young man who carried water to the house where the Last Supper of Jesus and his Apostles took place, as the young man who ran away naked when Jesus was arrested, and to have poured the water Jesus turned into wine at the wedding at Cana.

Mark is said to have been martyred on April 25th in the year 68 in Alexandria, Egypt. A group of local people resented his trying to turn them away from their traditional gods. They placed a rope around his neck and dragged him through the streets until he was dead. His major shrines are in Egypt and Italy. His Italian shrine is the Basilica de San Marco in Venice, which is traditionally said to be the place where Mark's remains are buried. So, he really does have a connection to Italy, though not specifically to the town of Volterra.

Perhaps because of his martyrdom, many curious traditions grew up over the centuries about the celebration of St. Mark's feast day. In seventeenth through nineteenth century England, especially in the north and the west, folklore held that the wraiths of those who would die the following year made a procession, in the order they would die, through the churchyard and into church at midnight on St. Mark's Eve. Some said the procession would be of coffins, or of headless or rotting corpses. Others said the procession would be of identifiable, ghost-like wraiths, and that one could sit and watch the procession as it went by and thus know who was going to die.

To see these wraiths, folklore claimed, one had to be fasting. Another legend held that one had to be present at the churchyard on St. Mark's Eve for three years in a row, and only in third year would one see the wraiths. Sometimes, these living watchers saw their own wraiths, and died not long after. Another superstition regarding St. Mark's Eve is that on this night, witches who had sold their souls to the devil (or written their names in the devil's book) and wished to keep their unearthly powers had to walk three times around the church backwards, peek through the keyhole, and recite certain words, or their powers would be lost.

Another traditional St. Mark's Eve activity was stirring the ashes of the hearth. If the ashes formed the shape of a shoe, someone who lived in the household would die during the year.

St. Mark's Eve was one of three nights of the year associated with the dead. The others are St. John's Eve and All Hallow's Eve. According to some legends, on these three nights those who have died can return to the earth as spirits. This belief about All Hallow's Eve (Halloween) is a Christian appropriation of the Celtic harvest festival of Samhain, the point when the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, and also the halfway point between autumn and winter. Similarly, St. Mark's Eve marks the halfway point between spring and summer and is associated with the Pagan festival of Ostara. St. John's Eve, traditionally celebrated on June 23rd, is associated with the Pagan feast of Midsummer, or the summer solstice.

Not all of the legends associated with St. Mark's Eve are associated with death, though. The night was also one when young women would try to divine whom their future mates would be. There were a number of ways to accomplish this: by picking twelve leaves of sage at midnight, by walking nine times around a haystack while reciting, "Here's the sheath, now where's the knife?" or by baking a dumb-cake, eating a piece of the cake, then walking backwards to bed without saying a word (hence the word "dumb"). If a woman did any of these things, but especially if she prayed to St. Mark while doing them, she would see the shadow of, or catch a fleeting glimpse of, the man she would someday marry. However, if she went to bed without seeing such a shadow and dreamed of a newly-dug grave, that meant she would die unmarried.

These are largely English customs, though. In Italy, if St. Mark's Day is celebrated at all, it is with feasting, drinking, and/or offering bread to the less fortunate. The custom of wearing red and having a procession seems to be Stephanie Meyer's invention.

[http://erineschmidtsmith.com]

http://twilightnovelnovice.com/2009/03/19/st-marcus-day-fact-from-fiction/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_the_Evangelist

American Television and the Effects of Popular Culture on the Society

How American society perceives itself is largely affected by television these days. A large section of the population identifies themselves through popular culture as depicted on the television; their visions are colored by the ideas that the numerous tv shows present. And we cannot be judgmental and trash them all because we are the ones who enjoy watching these shows making them huge hits with the public and helping producers make money and introduce more shows like these. Sponsors use agenda setting to promote their products and influence people's buying decisions. Suddenly, we feel our lives are incomplete without junk food, alcohol, cigarettes or expensive gadgets. But sponsors have to make money which in turn will help producers get sponsorships from them and bring out more tv shows which we enjoy. Thus the vicious cycle continues.  

American tv shows has changed the ideas of people about matrimony, family, social behaviors etc. Gone are the days when there were shows like House on the Prairie, The Cosby Show, Father Knows Best, Leave it to Beaver etc where families were shown to be stable social units with the father being the sole breadwinner, the mother being the homemaker and both parents being very loving, caring and attentive towards children's needs. Divorces, child abuse, extra marital affairs were issues hardly aired on television. Nowadays, families are no longer perfect as they used to be depicted. Divorce rates have gone up; children are facing sexual abuse et all; the picture of perfect families is no longer there. Also women are no longer staying only at homes but have ventured out to pursue a career. Also friends are portrayed as people close to an individual more than families.  

Apart from that, there are tv shows glamorizing the world of 'sex, drugs and rock-n-roll', rampant violence, crime etc. Drugs are often being shown as propagators of music. All these easily influence people, especially children in a negative way. Also people are so content with whatever political views that television presents that they are comfortable with the status quo and becoming more inactive socially and politically. Their senses of styles, languages, vocabulary are changing.  

One cannot predict the future of the society undergoing these changes every now and then. Just as one cannot throw out the television from one's life just like that.  

For more information, visit tvrage.com. They have a wide variety of show recaps and previews, including True Blood and True Blood Episode recaps.

Native American Face Painting Ideas

The Native American tribes had many different designs for face painting. Every tribe had it's own particular design, but each person would also paint their face reflecting a personal message or a design having personal spiritual significance. Colors normally used in painting their faces were red, black, green, white and yellow. Each of these colors had a certain meaning, red was the color of war, black the color of the living, green was meant to increase the wearer's night vision, white meant peace - i.e. flying a white flag, and yellow signified death or an encounter with death. A few tribes would associate different meanings to each color, but most of them had the same meaning for each color.

Men would often paint lines on their cheeks, foreheads, and chin. And the women used mainly dots on their faces. Often the males would separate their into two parts and paint each section differently. Most of their paintings were not very elaborate, and because the colors had signified a happening or feeling they used the color to illustrate meanings.

To create your own little Indian use some of the ideas below

Half Face Design.

1st Face. Take your sponge and red paint and paint the top half of the face ending in a straight line across the nose to the middle part of each ear. Take a medium brush and paint a blue line across the face from ear to ear. Paint another line in white below the blue line. The red paint needs to come down to these two lines. For added flare paint vertical stripes on the cheek and chin in red or black.

2nd Face.

With white paint and a sponge paint the lower half of the face. The white paint should end just below the eyes. Next take black paint and a large flat brush and paint a black stripe from ear to ear across the eyes. The top of the strip should cover the eyebrows ending in line with the tip of the ears. The bottom should be straight below the eyes and then slant down and end three fourths of the way down the ear. Black paint can also be applied to the lips. With a large round brush paint two vertical red lines on each cheek. Then take a small brush and paint a small white line across the forehead, above the black paint and you're done!

For girls a small feather or two on the cheek bone looks very pretty. Start with white paint and paint the white of the feathers. The edges should be a bit rough or jagged and the end should come down to a point. The shape of the feather can also be slightly curved. Draw a thin black line in the middle of each feather and then paint the lower half of the feather black. For a more natural effect let some of the white paint show through the black. Take the white paint again and paint two short lines or ribbons attached to the end of each feather. Edge the ribbons with black paint.

Peru Holidays - When, Where and What They Are

There are approximately 3,000 Peru holidays and festivals celebrated each year. Peru celebrates the widely known holidays like Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, Christmas and New Year, but most of the celebrations are for a particular saint. Most of these saints are a combination of Catholic and Andean religious traditions.

The typical work-week in Peru lasts for six days, which is probably one of the reasons why there are so many holidays. Many Peruvians get the day off on holiday, called feriado, which is usually spent drinking one of Peru's top beers: cristal, cusqueña or pilsen.

Most Peruvians love to drink. They'll treat personal celebrations and events with as much fervor as national holidays. Drinks are passed around on birthdays, family and friend gatherings, baptisms, sporting events, weddings, baby showers and even at funerals! It is very common to find fiestas throughout Peru, accompanied by not only drinks, but traditional and modern dances.

When planning a vacation to Peru you may wish to include Peru holidays in your itinerary. There are Peru holidays and festivals throughout the year, with those in June and July in Cuzco being the most popular with tourists.

January

Of course New Year is celebrated in Peru, especially as it is one of the Peru holidays that provides an excellent opportunity to drink. The party starts on December 31st with rounds of beer and lots of food. At the stroke of midnight there is champagne and a toast, accompanied by hugs and goodwill. Twelve grapes are eaten by each person, one for each month of the year, with a secret wish. Then the fireworks start and the beer drinking begins anew for most of January 1st.

February

For eighteen days Puno celebrates the Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria. Hundreds of groups of musicians and dancers accompany huge amounts of food and fireworks on February 2nd when a procession carries the virgin image through the city. The dance of the demons has dancers wearing devil masks make offerings to Pachamama, the Earth Goddess. For the farewell the dancers are followed into the cemetery to pay homage to the dead.

Carnival is a National holiday celebrated for the entire month of February. This is when people get wet, really wet. People arm themselves with squirt guns, water balloons and buckets of water with the goal to get as many people wet as possible. In most places it is illegal to celebrate carnival on weekdays as people going to work would complain to the government about getting soaked. Cajamarca is especially enthusiastic about carnival, organizing several activities for Peru holidays during two weeks in February.

Lunahuana hosts the International Festival of Adventure Sports. People from all over the world come to see and participate in kayaking, rock wall climbing, paragliding and other adventure or outdoor sports. The festival's dates change, but it is always held in February.

March - April

In March or April Peru holidays center around Semana Santa, or Holy Week, which generally begins on the Thursday before Easter Sunday and continues through Easter. Traditionally, drinking is shunned during Semana Santa except for wine, and meat should not be eaten except for fish. Several stores will not sell alcohol on these four days, but many Peruvians still find a way to drink, especially on Saturday and Easter Sunday. There are Holy Week processions in most Peruvian cities starting from the Plaza de Armas or Main Square. Ayacucho hosts the most famous Semana Santa celebrations which start on the Friday before Palm Sunday. In Ayacucho it is traditionally believed that Christ is dead during the week until Easter Sunday, therefore sin does not exist during that time.

Cuzco celebrates the Lord of the Earthquakes on Easter Monday which blends Christian and Andean traditions. The Procession is to pay homage to Taitacha Temblores, as it is believed that an oil painting of Christ stopped an earthquake in the year 1650.

May

On the 1st of May el Dia de los Trabajadores (Labor Day) is celebrated Nationally by taking the day off from work and drinking. From the 2nd to the 4th Puno holds the Alarcitas Handicrafts Fair Dia de Santa Cruz. At this time hundreds of sellers gather together to sell thousands of handmade items like alpaca wool sweaters, jewelry, paintings, tapestries, wood crafts and scores of imaginative items from Peru and Bolivia.

June

This month is when Peru holidays really start to pick up. Corpus Christi is a national holiday which has basically been taken over by Cuzco. Hundreds of people crowd around the Plaza de Armas to see several Processions including the Processions of the Saints and of the Virgins accompanied by dancers in various traditional dress.

Inti Raymi celebrates the Inca Sun God on June 24th. Beginning early in the day at Koricancha (the Temple of the Sun) and the Plaza de Armas in Cuzco city, the celebration then moves to the Incan Sacsayhuaman structure at about noon. Thousands of people gather to see the recreation of an ancient Inca celebration of dances and worship to the Sun God in which two llamas are sacrificed.

July

In the town of Paucartambo, just a few hours from Cuzco, La Virgen del Carmen is celebrated for five days, with it's main day being July 16th. Traditional dances, costumes and homage to the dead are observed.

July 28th to the 29th marks Peru's Independence Day which calls for more drinking and fireworks across the country. The large water fountain at the Plaza de Armas in Lima is filled by the Municipality with 2,000 liters of the alcoholic drink Pisco for everyone to enjoy for free.

Cuzco is especially crowded during most of June and July to celebrate. There are several Peru holidays in Cuzco with processions, artisans lay out their handicrafts, street vendors sell a huge assortment of food and bands make live performances. During these times Cuzco gets so crowded that it can be difficult to walk just a couple of blocks.

August

In the seventeenth-century a Lima resident named Isabel Flores de Oliva earned fame for caring for the sick and shunning sin. Those searching for a miracle visit her shrine in downtown Lima. Her festival, El Dia de Santa Rosa de Lima, is celebrated on August 30th throughout the country, especially in Santa Rosa de Quives in the department of Lima.

September

From the 22nd to the 25th Juliaca celebrates Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes in honor of the town's Saint Patroness in which fairs, dances and folk acts are held.

Trujillo organizes the International Spring Festival in the 4th week of September. Once again, there are drinking, folk shows and dancing, but this time there are visits from American and European beauty queens. Bullfighting and the Peruvian Stepping Horses contests are also held.

October
On October 8, 1879 a naval battle was fought between Peru and Chili. This National holiday is remembered as the Combate Naval de Angamos.

From the 18th to the 28th is El Señor de los Milagros (The Lord of Miracles), the most important of all the Peru holidays in October. This is largely a procession in honor of a slave from Angola who drew the image of a black Christ in Pachacamilla near Lima. Although there had been several attempts to erase it, the image stubbornly stayed on the wall. Tens of thousands participate in the procession every year. Believers carry two tons of remains that bore the painting and walk for twenty-four hours starting from the church Las Nazarenas, through downtown Lima, and finally to the church La Marced in Barrios Altos. Bullfighting season also starts in October to commemorate The Lord of Miracles.

La Noche de Las Brujas, or Halloween, is loosely celebrated on October 31st. Some attention is paid to trick-or-treating for the children.

November

All Saints Day is celebrated on the first, with All Souls Day following on the second. Peruvians may attend mass and visit cemeteries in memory of the dead, especially loved ones.

Puno, the folkloric center of Peru, has many Peru holidays. It's founding is celebrated on the 4th and 5th called Puno Days. There are military parades, drinking and dancing. A procession of masked dancers celebrate the Inca legend of when Manco Capac, the first king of Cuzco, and his sister and wife Mama Occlo, rose out of Lake Titicaca.

December

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception on the 8th is celebrated by two of the things that Peruvians love most - great food and lots of beer. Christmas celebrations begin on the 24th when the drinking starts. At midnight the official party begins, sometimes gifts will be exchanged, but there will always be a round of champagne.

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Paper Plate Animal Crafts

Paper plate animals make the perfect kids craft idea. Most are very easy and inexpensive and kids can pick their favorite animal. You can make masks, wall hangings, animal mobiles and standing animal crafts.

The great thing about making animals from a simple paper plate is you can make anything - from aardvarks to zebras and everything in between. Here are just a couple ideas for your animal crafts your kids can make.

3-D Paper Plate Elephant

Using sturdy paper plates, you can give your animal a fun 3-D look. The supplies and instructions below are for making an elephant.

Supplies

8 Sturdy Dinner Size Plates 2 Flexible Dinner Sized Plates 4 Toilet Paper Cardboard Rolls Black and White Construction Paper Paint Black Marker Pipe Cleaner Scissors Glue

Directions

1. Paint the sturdy plates the color of your choice for the elephant's body. Let these dry completely.


2. Glue 2 plates together at the rim (front to front) to form one section of the body. Repeat this with the other plates until you have 4 body sections.


3. Glue each of these sections together, back to back, to form the elephant's body.


4. Using white paper cut out two large circles for the eyes. Cut out two smaller circles with the black paper for the pupils. Glue these to the front plate. Cut out some small strips with the black paper for eye lashes and glue these above the eyes.


5. With the flexible paper plates, paint these the same color as the body and let dry. Cut a large arc on one side of the plates to create the ears. Glue these to the side of the front plate (in between the first and second section of the body).


6. Use one of the cut out arcs for the elephant's trunk. Glue this under the eyes. Cut out a mouth using black paper and glue under the nose. You can give your elephant a fun look by cutting out a cute bow tie (for a boy elephant) or hair ribbons (for a girl elephant) and glue these one.


7. Next, paint or cover your cardboard rolls with paper to match the color scheme of you elephant. Glue these on at the bottom of the elephant's body in the front and back, placing them in between two of the sections. With the black marker, give his feet some toe nails.


8. Lastly, take the pipe cleaner and shape into a tail. Poke a small hole in the last plate (in the back) and stick the pipe cleaner in the slot. You may need a little bit of glue to help hold this in place.

This cute paper plate animal will stand on its own and will look great on any table. You can even make more zoo animals and dedicate a whole table for creating your zoo.

Paper Plate Rocking Horse

Every one of all ages love rocking horses. These were classic toys for many of us. So get some of this nostalgia back by making this cute animal craft.

Supplies

Two Flexible Dinner Sized Paper Plates Brown, Black and Tan Paint 2 Wiggle Eyes Yarn Scissors Glue Ruler

Directions

1. Paint the bottom of the paper plate with brown, black and tan spots. Leave some of the white show as well to create white spots for this horse. Let the plate dry.


2. Turn the plate over to the unpainted side and mark the center of the plate. Using the ruler, measure 1 1/2" to 2" from the center on either side. Draw 2 straight lines (one on each side of the middle). Fold the plate along these lines to create the "rocker".


3. Take the second paper plate and paint it for the horses head. We used the tan color but you can use any of the colors to match the body.


4. Once this plate is dry, cut out a horses head and neck from the center of the plate. Make the neck about 1 ½ to 2" wide.


5. Glue on wiggle eyes or use paper to create the eyes. Using a marker, draw in the details of the horses face (i.e. nose, mouth, ears).


6. Cut a 1 ½ to 2" wide slit in the rocking paper plate (horse's body). Make this slit the same size as the neck. Slip the neck into this slit and fold over to hold in place. You may need to add a bit of glue to help hold it in place.


7. Lastly, using the yarn, cut several strips and glue on the back end of the horse for the tail. Repeat this with smaller strips and glue to the horses head to create the mane.

If your paper plate horse is too heavy on one end of the other, causing it not to rock properly, just tape a paper clip on the inside to the side that is too light. This will help balance out the rocker.

The ideas are endless when it comes to fun and easy paper plate animal crafts. So get out the paper plates, craft supplies and your imagination and have fun.

Check out these other fun paper plate animal crafts.

Julie is the author and creator of Cool Kids Craft Ideas

The Mark of Cain - What Was It?

Cursed is the Ground for Your Sake, Cain

Man came from the ground, and from the ground would come the food that he would eat. It was the ground that Cain was so taken with and so proud of. He was insistent upon being recognized for his husbandry. The ground was already cursed for Adam's sake and because of Adam's sin. Now, because of Cain's sin against the human race, against God, and against the ground, the ground would no longer yield to him. He lost his beloved vocation and was cursed to become a wanderer. It was a situation where the race had not had time to harden and where there was no peer group for Cain to run to and find consolation. One might have thought that Cain would have come clean, but he did not. Cain was not repentant. He complained to God: "This is too much--I don't deserve this. It is unreasonable!" That is what Cain was saying. It was no humble admission that this judgment was indeed heavy but he had deserved it. Cain was being defiant. "This is greater than I can bear. I cannot stand this. What are you trying to do to me? First you reject me and now you are disowning me and taking away my means of a living." The truth is that God was very gracious here. He could have slain Cain, even as He did the sons of Judah, Achan, Agag, and others. Cain had killed his brother for no reason. Abel was one of God's dearest servants in the history of the world. Yet God did not require Cain's life on the spot. He drove him out and Cain complained. "I am a fugitive and a vagabond. Anyone who finds me will kill me."

God's judgment was very generous. He could have reacted: "So what if the people that find you kill you? What do you think you deserve?" But God deals in mercy and grace, even with men like Cain. He extended his life, gave him the opportunity to think it over, and to repent. There is no indication that Cain ever did that but one thing is certain--he could have. Solomon said that a live dog is better off than a dead lion because as long as a man is alive, there is hope.

Everyone, Finding Me, Will Kill Me

Cain was worried, now that he was a murderer and an alien from his family and from God, that he would be a marked and a hunted man. Who was Cain worried about? Well, remember that there were a whole lot of people in the world before Adam died at the age of 930 years and they were all closely related to Abel. They would despise Cain for what He did to Abel. Cain did well to be worried about being chased down and killed.

God again was gracious and put a mark on Cain. What was that mark? There is an old view that He turned him black. Is that right? No, of course it is not true! That is as ridiculous a claim as has ever come from those who call themselves Christians. What is supposed to have happened to Cain's black race when Noah, who was a descendent of Seth, was the only one that was left on the ark?

So, What Was It?

What was the mark? I do not know what it was and I aspire to say that no one knows. The Bible does not say and it does not give any hint. Preoccupation with the question is diversionary from the reason for the information about the mark. The point is that the mercy of God is protecting Cain against being the object of every vengeful brother and nephew who would come along in the next eight hundred years of the life of Adam and Eve, hear this infuriating story, and go looking for Cain to avenge Abel. Cain could be found in the land of Nod because he was found by the sister who would become his wife. It would certainly not be hard for God to devise a sign or an appearance that would keep away those who would kill him. It might have been nearly anything from cherubim with a flaming sword, to a fierce appearance, to a loathsome disease. But it would be impossible for me to guess, and so I leave it there.

©Daniel Earl Cripe, December 26, 2008

I have 29 books on most of the New Testament and all of Genesis published on amazon.com Kindle page. This text can be read on Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, blackberry, all Kindle devices, and a few others. Covers, Titles, and a short piece about the book can be viewed prior to purchase. All information and needed software is available at the amazon site. To access, go to amazon.com, pull down "Kindle page" with the drop down arrow in the left hand text box and put my name, Earl Cripe, in the right hand text box.

Earl Cripe, Ph.D
http://www.godspointofview.com

Sweet 16th Birthday Party Ideas

Is there any party more delightful than sweet 16? If you're stuck for 16th birthday party ideas, then you need to sit back and start counting! It's easy enough if you remember that a sweet 16 party is all about that magic number. How many sweet sixteen balloons do you buy? Sixteen, of course!

Turning 16 can be the perfect time for an all-girls party or for a co-ed gathering. No matter what you choose to do, talk with your sweet 16 birthday girl first for her ideas. She might be hoping for a good old fashioned slumber party or something a bit more elegant that announces she is approaching adulthood.

Sweet Party Ideas

Ideas for an informal 16th party can take advantage of the classic teen foods like pizza, ice cream sundaes, sub sandwiches, nachos, and lots of soda. When thinking about a more "sweet" party, consider sixteen delicate and tiny birthday cakes surrounding one floral arrangement. Another idea is to keep the guest list to sixteen friends.

Need more ideas?

How about a party where the guest of honor opens sixteen mystery boxes to find one final gift tucked inside? Or a cluster of small items like sixteen favorite candy bars, sixteen colors of nail polish, sixteen gift certificates to favorite fast food restaurants or sixteen movie tickets?

What about invitations for your sweet 16 party?

Invitations to your party could be presented on candy bar wrappers for the chocolate fiend. For mystery, you could send out a small key enclosed in each of the sixteen invitations. Once your guests arrive, let them try their luck at opening a small chest which contains sixteen special prizes. Keep in mind that often the most creative and appreciated items are the least expensive!

John Lenaghan writes about party planning and other tips for the Party Ideas 4u website, where he provides valuable tips and advice about Halloween party ideas, birthday party ideas and other party planning topics.

How To Make Paper Mache Bowls

I love to make decorative paper mache bowls from newspaper and use tissue paper as the top layers. I know that a lot of people turn this paper mache process into a big and involved project by making paper mache pulp in their blenders. My motto is keep it simple and my results have been very satisfying.

First, I choose a bowl with the form I love. I have a big pottery salad bowl that I'm especially fond of. O.K., the bowl is picked for the form.

Turn it upside down and 'grease' it with petroleum jelly or anything (even Crisco) to keep the paper from sticking to the bowl. It's a good idea to place it on a board or tray to catch drips and also to make it portable as the paper mache bowl needs to dry thoroughly. Tear newspaper into small pieces. You are going to need lots of paper pieces to complete this paper mache bowl. I have used wallpaper paste to adhere the paper to the form. The dry wallpaper paste is easy and cheap because a tablespoon of paste makes alot of glue after it is mixed with water.

ModgePodge thinned out with water works very well I have also used Elmers glue thinned with water. All we are doing here is bonding the wet paper together and smoothing it with the paint brush. Cover the greased form with the newspaper bits one at a time adhering them with the 'glue'. Use a small paint brush to apply the glue or paste.

After the first layer is complete, go on to the second layer and then the third, etc. After a few layers, let the paper mache bowl dry before adding more layers of paper to the paper mache bowl. The more layers you add, the more substantial the bowl will be. Let the bowl dry completely. I let it dry for several days. Take it off the form.

When the paper mache bowl is completed, you have a couple of options:

Paint it inside and out, to complement your decor or add a few layers of tissue paper. Acrylic paint is available in small bottles and works very well on paper. Let your imagination guide you to a masterpiece! I like to use three colors and white tissue, also torn into small pieces, and layered until the newspaper does not show through. The different colors randomly layered, form new colors and shades. Pay attention to the rim of the bowl so it is neat...fold the pieces of tissue over the rim to make a smooth edge.

Hint: save all that tissue paper you receive in gift bags. Use tissue scraps to cover boxes or anything else that catches your fancy.

As a final step, spray the paper mache bowl with a sealer. There are many spray sealers available in craft stores and even Walm art. Making paper mache bowls is a great way to recycle some of the some of the paper that accumulates in our homes. You can use paper mache bowls as the basket for a gift basket, a fruit bowl or to hold potpourri....

I found this gallery of paper mache projects you might enjoy..

http://pitterpaint.blogspot.com/

Body Painting Art - Nude Female and Male Body Painting

In fact we are fond of painting our bodies since prehistoric times. In past we were used to paint our bodies with materials like natural dyes, paints and pigments. In some cases we used ash, and clay, too.

The markings that the people make on their bodies are thought to have magical powers with which one could ward off evil spirits or the tribal enemies. Such was the thinking in past. The painting of bodies was also coined with celebrating of auspicious occasions like New Year or a dance party. Same practice can still observed in the indigenous populations of the countries like New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific Islands, and certain parts of Africa.

In India the women and men are fond of using Henna. It is a colour extracted from a plant of Henna; it is also known as Mehandi.  This type of body painting with Henna has been a fashion in India and the Middle East since many years. People paint their hands and legs and other parts of body with Henna during auspicious ceremonies like weddings. The use of henna or Mehandi has become popular in the Western countries, too, since last two decades.

The art of body painting is not a new phenomenon in the countries of South America, too. People here have been using indigenous materials to paint their body and body parts. They use wet charcoal and other materials available in the local surrounding. In some parts of America, a material known as Huito is used to paint the bodies and faces. Huito is a black dye, and it takes weeks to fade away.

For reading similar articles and seeing the images of the paintings of nude females, you can visit the following links.

FEMALE BATHERS

MODERN FEMALE PAINTINGS

The article sent is original one, and I am not connected with any person or company attached with publishing business. I write the articles using what I have read in various newspapers and websites freely available to the public. Apart from doing literary writing - I am a writer, a novelist - I try to see how a particular event would and could affect people living in its immediate surround.

Truth About Texas Chainsaw Massacre - What Really Happened

It is bizarre but many people from all over the world truly believe that the Texas chainsaw Massacre happened in real life. In actuality it is an urban legend. The truth about Texas Chainsaw Massacre is that is was inspired by not based on the real life story.

"The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" is an independent low-budget horror movie which was filmed in 1974. Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel wrote, directed, and produced the film which starred Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Teri McMinn, William Vail, Edwin Neal, and Paul A. Partain. The plot is very simple. A group of friends go on a back roads road trip in Texas and become detoured and become tragic victims to a family of sadistic cannibals which includes the infamous chainsaw-wielding maniac "Leatherface."

Tobe used the story of real-life murderer Ed Gein to create the "Leatherface" character. Ed Gein also inspired many other fictional stories and movies including Halloween, Psycho, Silence of the Lambs and the movie Ed Gein.

Ed Gein was from Wisconsin and is suspected of several murders which took place between 1954 and 1957. He never used a chainsaw in the killing of his victims. He murdered two women by shooting them. He later beheaded his victims and gutted them like a hunter would gut a deer and used some of their body parts as clothing and for furniture and created masks from the skin of his victims.

The truth about Texas chainsaw Massacre is that one of the similarities to the movie and the real Ed Gein is the house. As in real life the house in the film contained similar horrific content to that found in Ed Gein's home such as body parts, skulls, bodies hanging from a meat hook and a vest made from human skin. The police even found a human heart cooking on the stove in Gein's house which suggests he engaged in cannibalism much like the characters in the movie.

Like the character "Leatherface" Gein was suspected in many murders. Gein was only convicted of two murders despite a mountain of evidence gathered from his house. Eventually Ed Gein put in a mental institution where he died of heart failure in 1984. It was later discovered that Gein was severely damaged by a very strict and religious upbringing by his extremely domineering and controlling mother.

The truth about Texas Chain Saw Massacre can be found online at various websites, from DVD's, in books and from some of the actors in the movie and from writer/director Tobe Hopper himself who continues to tell people that his movie came from his imagination and is a work of fiction. Still there continues to be doubters who swear the movie is based on a true story.

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is often said to be one of the greatest horror films of all time and has been the influence for many horror films and it appears its truth and fiction will continue to be disputed by people from all over the world.

Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about truth about texas chainsaw massacre [http://chainsawsandsafety.info/truth-about-texas-chainsaw-massacre-what-really-happened], please visit Chainsaws and Safety [http://chainsawsandsafety.info] for current articles and discussions.

6 Game Of Thrones Halloween Costume Ideas

The Game of Thrones TV series has really taken off in the past year. It features a huge range of unique characters, which means that there are many, many costume options available to you if you choose this theme. Here are six of the most notable.

Eddard "Ned" Stark

Ned Stark is one of the most famous characters from the Game of Thrones TV series, and one of the most popular Halloween costume choices for men. His clothing is simple in color, but complex in its detail. He wears a brown leather tunic with a holder for his sword. Over the top he often wears a thick fur cloak to keep warm as winter draws ever closer.

Catelyn Stark

If your significant other is going as Ned Stark, why not choose the Catelyn Stark costume for yourself? Catelyn usually wears her hair half up, half down, and her outfit matches her husband's in many ways. She wears simple, natural-colored dresses underneath a thick fur coat.

Khal Drogo

If you've got the physique for it then why not be brave and go as the huge Khal Drogo this Halloween? Drogo dwarfs pretty much anyone standing near him, both in terms of height and muscle size! Khal has a distinctive long braid down his back, showing just how fierce a warrior he is. Aside from this he walks around with a bear chest (with a deep tan), a thick brown leather waist belt, a belt over his hips made up of horse medallions and brown pants.

Khaleesi

Daenerys Targaryen reluctantly married Khal to become Khaleesi of the Dothraki people. Her distinguishing feature is her long blond hair. Other than this she can be seen wearing typical Dothraki clothing - a brown, cropped woven shirt, a similarly colored long skirt, brown short gloves and a number of belts around the waist.

The Night's Watch

Another Game of Thrones Halloween costume idea is to go as a man of the Night's Watch. It's cold where they are, so they're known to wear thick black coats complete with black fur, black boots, a cloak and a sword.

Queen Cersei

If you'd rather go as an evil queen this Halloween then Cersei could be the character for you. Her hair is one of her most notable features - it's extremely long and is usually left down. If you want to get the real Game of Thrones look then tie your hair half up in some wonderfully detailed, medieval style complete with a crown! For the clothing, a long medieval gown will do, as long as it has a regal quality.

I am a dedicated mom to 3 fun-loving boys. To keep my sanity, I do part-time online writing on various topics for several websites. Check out my latest posts: Tron Legacy Costume, Captain America Costume

Number 13: The Legends, Myths, and Facts

Why does the number 13 evoke feelings of
uncertainty and uneasiness? Is it really an
unlucky number? What started this stigma
about 13?

Triskaidekaphobia means the fear of number 13.
Sometimes, this fear triggers panic attacks, affects
family and business relationships. Is this rooted
in superstition? Number 13 reflects man's fear
of the unknown.

Tradition traces this fear of 13 at the table to the
Last Supper- Jesus dined with his twelve apostles.
The inference was someone was going to die
within a short time. Judas betrayed Jesus,
overcome by his guilt, he hang himself.

Mythology has its own story. The Norse gods were
having a banquet for 12 at the Valhalla when Loki,
one of the evil gods gatecrashed the party. Balder
was the god of light, joy and reconciliation. He had
a blind brother whom Loki tricked into throwing a
sprig of mistletoe on Balder's chest which killed
him ( Balder). Mistletoe is the only earthly thing
that was fatal to Balder.

Into the Middle Ages, the stigma against Friday
the 13th grew stronger. On Friday, October 13, 1307,
King Phillip !V of France ordered the arrest of the
Grand Master of the Knights Templar and his senior
knights and other members.They were tortured to
compel them to admit to "wrongdoings."

And they were executed. Sympathizers of the Templars
condemned Friday the 13th as an evil day.

Later in the 18th century, this belief about Friday the 13th
was again reinforced. The British ship HMS Friday was
launched on a Friday , the 13th , the captain was a man
named Jim Friday. The ship was never seen nor heard
from again.

Do these events justify the stigma attached to
number 13? It is documented that this fear of Friday the
13th costs millions of dollars a year in business loss
due absenteeism and cancelled appointments .

Some "unlucky" events associated with 13 is
the famous Apollo 13 mission in 1970. It was
launched on 1313 hours, from pad 39 ( 13 x 3),
3 of the sleeping arrangements for the astronauts
were timed to start at 13 minutes past the hour
and so was one of the possible splashdown.

On April 13th, the first of the several setbacks to
Apollo 13 occurred and this added drama to the mission.

In many hotels and skyscrapers, there is no 13th
floor.Most airplanes have no seat No. 13. In Italy,
it is usual to leave out 13 in numbering the
lottery tickets.

Thirteen for dinner? Not in France. A party of
thirteen can hire a professional quatorzieme, a
fourteenth person, from an agency. In some big
hospitals, there is no Operating Room 13, to
spare the patient added anxiety being wheeled
into Room 13.

13 is the ideal number of people in a coven.
It is believed that to left-handed people, 13
is their lucky number.

But why is number 13 given such a negative
implication? This dates back to many centuries,
and still holds today in the 21st century.

Perhaps the anticipation of the negativity of
number 13 makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Why could it not be any number?

Ref: Number Power by Keith Ellis

Bonnie Moss writes to inspire and to motivate her readers to explore the depths of their heart and soul. She draws from personal experience and her interest in the New Age which offers a variety of tools to walk the path.

Visit her website =>http://goldencupcafe.tripod.com

How to Pick a Costume For a James Bond Themed Event

Picking a party costume can always be nerve-wracking but armed with the right information and a little bit of inspiration and thought you can put together the perfect James Bond party costume. Although this applies equally to both sexes, we'll start with the Bond girls as they often have the biggest questions relating to James Bond events.

The Bond girls

If you don't know Moneypenny from Pussy Galore and you've been invited to a James Bond themed event or party then choosing a costume can be a nightmare. In so many of the films the Bond girl seems to appear in little more than a bikini - or just a layer of gold paint - which makes finding a costume that is actually suitable or decent that much harder.

In fact if you take a look at a complete list of Bond girls you'll find many who wear costumes that are much more suitable for a costume party than a bikini and while you can simply wear a cocktail dress and look the part, there are many other options too.

If you're not familiar with the Bond movies then the best advice is to find a list of the Bond girls to get an overview of what it's all about. One option you have is to pick a Bond girl and dress like her, but there are options for generic Bond-girls too - for example the cocktail dress mentioned above looks good for the casino, and a black catsuit would also work. Or you could dress as Blofeld's cat, a white, fluffy Persian cat that appears in several films.

Dress as 007

The obvious choice here is to wear a tuxedo, but if everyone is going to dress the same you need to start thinking a bit. If you're intent on a tux then try and think what period Bond you want to be - try a ruffled dress shirt for George Lazenby or flares and wide lapels for Roger Moore.

Other options include a scuba mask and snorkel. Although you'd be too hot with a wet suit you could team this up with a white tux like in Goldfinger. And if you want something very different then think of the villains and henchmen. Get some steel teeth and you're suddenly Jaws, a dark suit and steel rimmed bowler hat and you're Odd Job. These are simple outfits, but will be instantly recognizable and make you stand out.

There we have a quick overview of choosing a costume for a James Bond party or other event. Remember that if you're the host that you should try and make it as easy as possible for your guests and to include some suggestions with the invitations.

You can find more information on choosing a costume for a James Bond event, including a list of the Bond girls and their style in the downloadable e-book James Bond Theme Party Secrets You can also find useful information on James Bond related websites such as The James Bond Dossier.

Christmas - Unique Celebrations & Traditions in Alaska, Africa & Australia!

Christmas is a celebrated event in many countries world-wide. Here are three countries, Alaska, Africa and Australia all located in vastly different regions of the world and each has their own unique traditions and celebrations. Here are some of their fascinating traditions and celebrations.

Alaska - "Carrying the Star" is a traditional Christmas procession. Young and old carry elaborately decorated tinsel trimmed wheels with eight points, usually as big as umbrellas. They are highlighted with a centre picture of either an angel or the nativity scene. They are carried for three nights from January 7th over icy snow topped roads. The stars represent the angels who announced the birth of Christ. Families lovingly maintain the stars. Some are more than a hundred years old!

Africa - There are approximately 350 million Christians in Africa who celebrate Christmas. Emphasis is more on the religious celebrations of Christ's birth rather than gift giving. Although the most common gift (if nothing else) is new clothes which will be worn to the church service. People in many countries of Africa such as Central African Republic (CAR), Uganda, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo believe it is an absolute must to attend church on Christmas day, even if they never attend the rest of the year. An annual Christmas pageant as well as groups of carolers singing Christmas carols within villages is now part of the festivities.

Churches in Africa start intense preparations for Christmas many months prior. Nobody escapes the yuletide feeling as it has been said that it feels like the whole country is preparing for the birth of the baby Jesus with so much joyful and active community preparation taking place! The streets are alive with music as well as on the radio, television and just about where ever you look! People joyously visit their friends and relatives in the spirit of community celebration regardless of religious persuasion. It is usual to see brightly colored and decorated trucks, cars and buses as well as homes, schools, churches and neighborhoods often boasting creative festive displays made with colored crepe papers. Colorful and alive with joyous celebration is Africa! Ancient and spectacular masquerades locally called "Agugu" now play a major part in Christmas celebrations. Usually held after the Christmas Eve service is a joyous procession of dance and music through the streets lead by local bands with dancing masqueraders (usually young boys dressed in fancy and colorful costumes) and Christmas revelers. People parade with large intricately made lanterns called "fanals" usually in the shape of houses or boats.

In Ghana Christmas dinner is not complete without fufu (a thick dough like food) and okra soup and in Liberia rice, beef and biscuits are the order of the day. Zimbabwean's make sure there's plenty of bread, jam and tea to eat with their prized goat meat which is their traditional Christmas roast. On the west coast of Africa most homes have an oil palm for a Christmas tree.

Austria - St Nicholas is widely honored and appears on his feast day December 6th. In Austria this is a holiday separate from Christmas. He appears in his traditional dress of flowing robe and tall Bishop's miter carrying a shepherd's staff and a thick book. It is believed the good and bad deeds of children are recorded in his book! It was once tradition to hold an elaborate Christmas Eve ceremony where St Nicholas and the feared Ruprecht (demonic creature, who wears a hide, has glowing eyes and a long red tongue) both appear on Christmas Eve. Children gather together and sing a hymn to welcome the Saint. Then one by one the children join the Saint at a family table where he checks their lesson books then asks them to repeat a prayer he says. This ends with the children kissing his Bishops ring while he tells them to go place their shoes outside then look at them when the clock strikes ten! Ruprecht stands over the door watching the childrens every move! Before St Nicholas leaves he blesses the children as he sprinkles them with holy water then quietly and swiftly departs. The children with great excitement then hurriedly run to place their shoes outside their homes. At the stroke of ten children run outside to find their shoes filled with treats of apples and nuts!

Austria is a predominantly Catholic country renowned as the land of the sound of music and home of Mozart, Strauss and Schubert. Included in Christmas celebrations is the "Advent Concert Series" in Innsbruck. It features groups of family singers and instrumentalists similar to the famous "Trapp Family" from "The Sound of Music". Another famous Christmas festivity is in Salzburg where the hottest ticket for the season is for the "Salburger Adventsingen". It is a program of advent music and folk lore which began more than half a century ago. They get more than a 100,000 requests each year for the prized 30,000 tickets available for admission. The fish carp is served for the traditional Christmas dinner.

Austria is famous for its miniature creche figures. Nearly all families have a creche with miniature figures of the holy family and often a few animals are included. Many creches are hundreds of years old, treasured heirlooms handed down from one generation to the next!

Austria's Epiphany celebrations - boys and Girls on the day of the Epiphany (which remembers the Three Wise Men from the east who were looking for the newly born Jesus) dress in oriental costumes and sing traditional songs. They move from house to house receiving small gifts including gifts of money. They carry a lantern referred to as the "lighted star of Bethlehem" to guide them on their way. It is popular to see people chalk the initials of the wise men "CMB" (Casper, Melchior, Balthasar) on the transoms of their doorways!

Austria's fun Krampus Day tradition - in Salzburg December 5th is known as Krampus Day. Krampus is believed to be an evil spirit. He is usually clad in frightening fur, wearing deer horns, a mask with a long red tongue and bulging red eyes and carries a birchwood rod. He storms down the street with a loud racket using huge cowbells and rattling chains as he shouts menacingly at the onlookers. Thousands, including many children crowd the streets to watch the medieval event. With much laughter and merry making, whenever children and adults see Krampus, they throw snow balls at this menacing figure. In the city each year a "Krampus Run" is held with fun and much teasing, poking and laughter. It is said that the purpose of Krampus is to remind children to be good!

In recent times in some communities the Krampus actors have to wear a number so they can be identified under their masks in case they loose control. It has been known for some to get carried away after downing a few too many schnapps or beers. A prominent Austrian child psychiatrist has been arguing for a ban on Krampus. He suggests he's "a jolly old fright" for children. However there have been few known cases of "Krampus trauma"!

Australia - Christmas falls in the middle of summer and the heat can be more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It is common for people to hold out-door barbecues for the main Christmas feast and often parks and beaches are alive with family feasting taking place. It is not uncommon to see thongs, shorts, a beer in hand and a Santa hat on the head chef (usually the father in a family) at the Christmas day BBQ which is almost always followed by Australia's best loved desert "Pavlova". It is as light and delicate as Anna Pavlova the famous Russian ballerina for which it is named after.

Australian Carols by Candlelight - an Australian Christmas Eve carol service started in 1937 by radio announcer Norman Banks. Famous performers gather to sing at "Carols by Candlelight" held in Melbourne each year. A hugely popular annual event televised throughout the nation. Carols are performed on a stage to a huge audience where thousands attend outdoors holding lit candles.

Beach visits Christmas Day in Australia - up to 40,000 people visit Bondi Beach in Sydney on Christmas day! It is the middle of summer in Australia and with soaring heat levels beach barbecue lunches and swimming is popular while waiting for Santa to arrive on a boat on Christmas day!

The author Bernadette Dimitrov (aka Mrs Claus) Christmas author, speaker & show host of 'Conversations with Mrs Claus' at http://www.TheFamilyYak.com invites you to her show with world-wide experts, coaches, best selling authors, celebrities, holiday experts, film makers, famous Santa Clauses and more plus prizes to be won! Also come visit http://www.HoHoHoChristmas.com and join her free weekly inspirational Christmas newsletter with great recipes, insights & gift ideas & receive inspirational free gifts and keep updated with the latest released inspirational uplifting podcasts for you to live a happier, joyous and more fulfilled life with guests sharing tips and tools and free give aways and special offers for you!

Easy, Low-Cost DIY Costume Ideas for Halloween

Let's face it, not everyone can afford to spend a lot of money on elaborate Halloween costumes, especially if you're living on a fixed income. Likewise, not everyone can afford to spend a lot of time making them either, especially those without sewing abilities. Wouldn't it be nice if you could create your own costumes with little time or money invested? Well you can. In fact, there are numerous costume ideas that can be created yourself for next to nothing. Better still, there's little or no sewing involved. All you need is a little imagination and some creativity, something most of us already have tucked away somewhere inside us. And if for some reason you don't have it, I'm sure the kids do.

An interesting way to come up with ideas for costumes is to keep a trunk or box somewhere handy and fill it with miscellaneous items. This can help spark the imagination. For instance, load it up with old clothing, fabric of varying lengths, pantyhose, fashion accessories, artificial flowers, pipe cleaners and other craft supplies, aluminum foil, yarn, old sheets or curtains, etc. Nearly anything can be used. Instead of traditional Halloween bags for candy, use other items related to your costume and store them in the 'imagination box.' For example, you can implement items such as old pocketbooks, pillowcases, garbage bags, baskets, doctor's bags, small backpacks, or even diaper bags.

Ever since my kids were old enough to participate in trick-or-treating activities, I have made their costumes. Once Halloween approaches, I begin asking them what they would like to be. Then I scour the house and our box of goodies to find whatever I might already have on hand, making a list of the items with which I need. Generally, these few items can be purchased at the local thrift shop or dollar store so there usually isn't too much money invested in the project.

For safety reasons, I prefer to use make-up or face paint as opposed to masks. You can easily make your own out of food coloring and corn starch. This is not only safer than using masks, but it's also cheaper, easier to apply, and comes off just as easily with mild soap and water. A simple cream can be made with one part corn starch and two parts food coloring to create the desired shade for your costume. Apply to the face with your fingers just like foundation. And with a few drops of red food coloring and a little corn syrup, you have home-made blood for those ghoulish costumes.

One year my daughter went as a witch. It isn't as difficult as you might think to come up with creative ways of putting this outfit together. In fact, they can be as easy or difficult as you can handle. For the witch ensemble, I simply used a tattered black dress and a witch's hat my daughter already had. I mixed up some green face paint and added a wart with an eyeliner pencil. For her hair, I used some fiery, red-orange yarn that I attached to the hat with Velcro. Add a small broom and there you go.

Another year, she was a butterfly. The butterfly was fashioned together by cutting a pair of wings out of some cardboard, which I decorated with multi-colored pieces of felt (you can also use aluminum foil and decorate with sequins, glitter, etc.). The body of the butterfly consisted of nothing more than a black sweat suit; however, a dark-colored leotard should work just as well. Wings can be attached in whatever way is easiest for you. They can be sewn onto the back of the sweatshirt or fastened with elastic bands fitted around the child's arms. You could also try using Velcro for felt-covered wings. This not only sticks to the felt but to the shirt as well. Add an antennae headband and, if desired, some face paint. The headband can either be purchased from the dollar store for a couple bucks or put together yourself using an ordinary black headband with black pipe cleaners attached.

I transformed my son into a lively jack-in-the-box one year. This idea came about through my own childhood memories. My mother also made a lot of our costumes growing up. Aluminum foil would incredibly become a tiara, a wand, or antennas. Lacy curtains would suddenly become flowing gowns. Her creativity was amazing, and one costume in particular stood out above all others--a kitchen table. She had taken a simple cardboard box, cut out a hole in the bottom, and slipped it right over my head. After draping a tablecloth over the box, my protruding head became the centerpiece with a carefully placed 'hat' made from a pair of pantyhose and artificial flowers.

And from this kitchen table costume, another one was born--the jack-in-the-box. It uses the same 'box' concept and originality. I simply took a box, decorated it, and attached it to my son with suspenders (can use elastic as well). On one side of the box I fashioned a handle. He wore dark sweatpants and a regular long-sleeved shirt that I attached ruffles to. I painted his face to mimic that of a joker.

A few years back, my kids decided that they wanted their costumes to match. We looked around the house and soon enough found ourselves with a cowboy and an Indian. For the cowboy, my son donned a cowboy hat and boots, a western shirt, blue jeans and a denim jacket. All of which we already had. To accessorize the look, I tied (loosely) a red bandana around his neck and fastened the holster (complete with toy guns) around his waist. Once again, these were items that we already had on hand.

My daughter, of course, was the Indian. Her costume was also something we had just lying around. I took an old brown pillowcase and cut a v-neck hole in the bottom that was large enough for my daughter's head to fit through. I then cut two more holes in either side for her arms. I hand-stitched designs around both the neck line and bottom of the 'dress' and with a pair of scissors, I carefully cut slits along the edges to give it a frilly look. If you don't sew, that's ok; you can easily use fabric paint to decorate the dress instead. To set off the dress, my daughter wore braided pigtails with a feathered headband around her forehead. The only item I purchased for this was a pair of moccasin slippers from the dollar store. To hold all their candy, my son carried a pillowcase 'loot bag' while my daughter used an old harvest basket lined with an orange towel.

Ever had the option of dressing up for work with the most original taking first prize? This one worked for me. Once again, I borrowed the idea from my mother, giving it my own twist--a tomato plant. For this costume, I wore a dark green leotard with green hose and slippers. I found a dark green table skirt and simply cut out holes to allow me to both slip it over my head and run my arms through. I pinned some green artificial leaves onto the leotard and table skirt along with little tomatoes made from Styrofoam balls that were painted red and topped off with green stems (you can also use tomato pin cushions found in craft stores). I finished it off with a green beret full of leaves. By the way, I took the prize.

I have found balloons to be quite useful for costumes; however, they should only be applied to those of older children or adults. Once again, safety is important and balloons tend to pop easily and small children can accidentally try to eat the balloon pieces. Balloons are inexpensive and come in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. You can create one-of-a-kind costumes with hardly any work involved. Imagine a bunch of grapes (like that from Fruit-of-the-Loom). Choose a purple sweat suit or leotard and attach purple balloons carefully with small safety pins. Add some ivy vines and top it off with a matching hat full of ivy leaves. This could also be used for other berries as well with appropriate colored sweats and balloons. For instance, you could try raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries.

Then again, why not go out as Mr. Bubble? Wear white and use some white balloons to instantaneously become soap suds. Accessorize with a scrub brush and a hat or bag made up of bath materials such as sponges and empty shampoo, bubble bath, or soap containers. When you apply balloons to any costume, however, try not to put any on the backside. This could make it difficult to sit down.

Other interesting costume ideas might include a scarecrow using denim bib overalls, a plaid or flannel shirt, rope or twine for belt, a straw hat, gloves and boots. Stuff all the pockets with straw. Turn an old sheet into a ghost. Create a hobo from some old clothes and add a hat. Paint the face with a five o'clock shadow and fashion an old hankie to a stick. What's autumn without leaves? Use a dark-colored sweat suit (with hood) and pin silk leaves all over it. Walk around carrying a rake and gather candy in a leaf bag.

Remember, a little imagination can go a long way; and best of all, it's free to use.

This article was written by Nikki Phipps and was sponsored by DareToScare.com and the Dare To Scare Halloween Costume Search Engine [http://www.daretoscare.com]. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a live link back to [http://www.daretoscare.com]

Small Office Decorating Ideas

If you have an office at home or a small office anywhere else, small office decorating ideas may be foremost on your mind. You office should be tastefully decorated, making it a great place to work. Here are some small office decorating ideas:

Walls: Don't choose dark colors for the walls because this will make your room look smaller than it really is. Go in for light shades like beige, pale blue, bluish grey, pale green etc. Decorate the walls with paintings, photographs or murals. Don't overdo it and make the wall appear crowded. Getting a wall mural painted is also a good idea. Use one section of the wall to hang up framed certificates, licenses and so on.

Furniture: Stay way from large desks and humongous book shelves that look better in an executive office. Choose desks with shelves and cubbies. This will give you a good deal of additional storage space. A moderate sized shelf in one side of the room can be used to stack reference books and even books you simply enjoy. Make sure the furniture you choose match each other and the decor of the room. Randomly selected furniture looks unprofessional. Keep furniture far way from the door. This will give an impression of space.

Lamps and lighting: Dim lighting is a no-no in small office spaces. Use fluorescent lights or simple chandeliers. Don't go in for floor lamps or lamp stands as it demands more space. Choose a room with a big window which permits plenty of sunlight to flood room. Choose seating positions such that glare from the windows does not reflect n the computer screen.

Other accessories: A small office gives you the liberty of displaying your family photos on the wall or on your desk. You can set a bulletin board and pin up pictures of your family or your own attempts at art and photography. Shop around for some inexpensive trinkets that you can display in your home office. A small potted plant or a vase of flowers add appeal to a small office space.

The small office decorating ideas should help you decorate your office in the best possible way. Remember, the environment you work in affects your concentration and the quality of your work.

First and foremost, in small office decorating ideas never plan for anything clumsy. It will only make your room look all the more small. Please visit Office Decorating Ideas for more office decorating resource.

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Popular Halloween Costumes For 2011

Halloween is one of the best times of the year for adults and children alike. As the weather gets cooler, here are some of the most popular costumes to look for this Halloween season.

Popular Costumes For Children

Harry Potter was a big hit yet again this year, so children will enjoy dressing up as Harry or the evil Lord Voldemort. There are plenty of long robes, wands, hats, and masks to complete the Harry Potter look.

Another big favorite with children, particularly the boys is Buzz Lightyear and Woody from the "Toy Story" movies. The light-up Buzz costume is bound to be a real hit again this year, as will the cowboy Woody costume. Even girls will like to dress up as the cowgirl Jessie.

Traditional Halloween costumes are also always a big hit with children. Some of the most popular traditional costumes include witches, vampires, ghosts, and ghouls.

Popular Looks for Adults

With the wide range of adult Halloween costumes available for sale, it isn't hard to find something for every adult looking to have a little fun and dress up.

Ladies Halloween costumes have always fallen into one of two categories. Classic costumes are always popular, as are those which are a little more sassy or risque. Alice from Alice and Wonderland is a good example of a more conventional costume, while a female Green Hornet superhero costume could be considered more on the sassy side.

The most popular Halloween costumes for men have always been either scary or superhero. This year will be no exception. Scary costumes include famous villains like Batman's Joker, while superhero costumes will include Captain America and the Green Hornet.

Places to Wear Your New Look

Once you have the perfect look, you need a place to show it off! Join in the fun with your kids as you take them trick-or-treating. They will love going with you as you are all dressed up.

If you don't want to go out trick-or-treating, you can also plan to dress up to hand out candy to everyone who comes to your door. You can further add to the mood by decorating your house and yard with a Halloween theme. This adds a fun and spooky element to trick-or-treating.

Another great place to wear a Halloween costume is at a party. Whether you go to own or host your own, costume parties are especially fun around Halloween.

Want to find out more about this year's popular Halloween costumes? Our Halloween costume site has all the details.

Halloween Costumes - Top 5 Most Sarcastic Ideas

No more store bought rubber masks that six other people are wearing to the party. Get your scissors out we are going to talk about 5 creative ideas that are perfect for the 2009 season:

Twitter Bird - Put on all blue clothing and paint the exposed skin areas with a blue skin paint. Then take the cardboard out of roll of toilet paper, cut it long ways, then paint it blue. This is your beak so tape to your nose. Run around the party speaking in short obnoxious sentences and then walk away.

Anti-Eco Man - Get some body paint some multi-colored clothing. Just make sure there is no green. Then print and glue to your body logos or pictures from oil companies, chemical giants and pictures of the Bush administration.

Facebook - Take an old hardback book and cut the center out so you can squeeze your face through the center without it falling off. Ask everyone to be your friend.

George Bush - Take an old dress shoe and cut in half. Then hot glue it to the side of a gray wig. Use some hairpins to make it stay on your head. Then put on a boring looking suite and walk around acting like you have no clue.

iPhone - Wear black clothes and a shiny black mask. Then tape some of your favorite apps made out of colored paper cut outs. When someone tries to talk to you act like your too busy and would rather be touching all the pretty little icons that cover your body.

Happy Halloween

Joe Falcon loves to write articles. Please visit his latest websites at:

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What to Wear to a Masquerade Party

A masquerade party is a chance to dress up in a beautiful costume and have a lot of fun. The planning of the costume can be as much fun as the party itself. There are so many different options for costumes that it will be hard to settle on just one. One of the most popular costume ideas is that of a character from the Renaissance. There are stores that offer King and Queen costumes from this time period.

There are also costumes for other members of the Royal Court. The costumes can range from something very simple such as jester, to something very elaborate the choice will be up to you. Some other costume ideas would be to dress as a fairy or an angel. There are also many costumes ideas available for the time period of the Civil War. Beautiful dresses like we saw in Gone With The Wind. Dashing uniforms and sabers. From the exotic to the outrageous A masquerade party is an opportunity to let your alter ego shine.

One of the most important things to think about will be your mask. These masks gained popularity in the 15 century when the Royals would give masquerade parties and they have been going strong ever since. there are many styles of masks to choose from. There are masks that will cover the entire face. Masks that cloak only some of the facial features that lend an air of mystery to the wearer. The mask can be very elaborate with scatterings of jewels and ones made of feathers. There are also just the simple black eye masks that are carried on a stick.

If you are on a tight budget one idea would be to buy a set of medical scrub uniforms along with a white coat a surgical mask and a stethoscope and go as a Doctor. Nursing uniforms would also be a good choice. You will want to start putting your costume together a week or more before the actual party. This will give you time to plan and time to make changes to the costume that you pick.

To learn more about hosting your own masquerade party, I recommend that you check out this article about Appropriate Masquerade Costumes.

Great Halloween Costume Ideas For Men

Are you tired of the same old Dracula, Elvis or grim reaper costumes? Perhaps you're looking to try something different this Halloween? Using your imagination and a few unique props you can put together, here are a few men's Halloween costume ideas that will make you stand out from the crowd this year.

Blackjack Dealer

Dress yourself in black dress pants, a black vest, white shirt, black bow tie, and of course a name tag. The blackjack table prop will take a bit of skill. Using heavy cardboard, cut out an angled U shape from cardboard. Paint the cardboard black and secure green felt along the top. Along the wider outer edge, draw rectangular shapes to indicate where the cards will be dealt. Closer to your body, add some information like "Vegas Casino", etc. in fancy script. Attach two long straps to the front and back of the table to slip over your shoulders. And there you have it... a portable blackjack table. Don't forget to carry a deck of cards with you!

Victorian Vampire

Instead of a typical Dracula cape, dress yourself in black pants and a long Victorian styled black coat. Line the collar in red velvet and stand it up. Attach a shoulder cape (some of these Victorian coats already come with the cape attached), add grey lace ruffles at the cuffs. Finish off with a grey lace cravat in place of a tie, and a black top hat.

Zombie Doctor

You'll need some doctor scrubs and a lab coat. Tear and rip the bottoms and cuffs of each clothing piece. Using fabric paints or dyes add blood stains to the garments. If you're feeling particularly gross, attach some fake "flesh" here and there. Cover your head with a surgical cap and zombie face mask. Wear "bloody" latex gloves to cover your hands. Don't forget your stethoscope doctor!

Chick Magnet

Cut out foam in the shape of a magnet and cover the magnet with a shiny gray material. Cover the last 6 inches of each end with black material. Glue or pin small toy baby chickens on the edges of the magnet. Place the magnet around your neck and shoulders.

(c) 2006. Rose Smith. Halloween Howl is your online Halloween party planner

We cover everything from spooktacular theme party ideas to how to decorate, what games to play, what food to prepare, unique costumes to wear, plus lots, lots more. It's Halloween fun for the whole family. Come visit us today.

Birthday Invitation Phrases and Wording

Birthday invitations, and the wording and phrases that go in them, can run the gamut from witty and fun to serious and straightforward. The best thing to keep in mind when deciding upon birthday invitation verses and wording is who the birthday party is for. Age, personality, interests, and even profession can play a part. The invitation wording should represent the celebrant well.

Children's Birthday Invitations are typically fun and lighthearted, and usually play a part in a larger theme. Sometimes inspiration for a theme can come just by browsing through some birthday invitations.

Once a theme is in place, you'll want to include birthday invitation wording to match. For a Circus themed party with Circus party invitations the invitation wording might read:

The giraffe stretches his neck to see;
the elephant waves his trunk with glee;
the seal twirls his ball with joy,
in honor of the birthday boy.
Come join Cody in celebrating his seventh birthday
Saturday, April 20th at 1:00 PM
RSVP (509) 123-4567

The older the child gets it may become easier to decide on a theme, or even forgo the theme as the child gets into its teen years. A sweet sixteen, for example, is a theme all its own. For this kind of party, you should pick out some Sweet Sixteen invitations that fit the personality of the celebrant. If it's a girl, something pink and frilly might be appropriate, such as Princess Tiara Birthday Party Invitation, with the following wording:

Steer clear! Brianna's got a license to drive!
Come celebrate her sweet sixteen.
Friday, March 14th
5:00 - 7:00 PM
at Big Daddy's Bowling
2850 S. Ray, Spokane
R.S.V.P. (509)-777-7777

If the birthday person is turning 18 years of age or younger, it is considered okay to include the exact age they are turning in the birthday invitation wording. When considering including jokes about age, do so with much consideration and sensitivity. Consider the formality of the party and who's being invited. If it's a formal dinner for a coworker, you may want to nix any thought of light-heartedness. If it's a backyard barbecue party for a close relative or friend, this may be the perfect time for a light-hearted jab. Generally, the rule is to only make an age-related joke if the person who's birthday you're celebrating would make the joke themselves.

When considering birthday invitation wording when the celebrant is an adult, it is common to point out the joys of growing older:

Some things are better the older they grow.
Antiques, wine and someone special we know!

You should still keep in mind who is having the birthday. You don't necessarily have to throw a themed party, but the wording for the birthday invitation cards should show a glimmer of who the celebrant is. Let's say the celebrant enjoys Gardening. You'll want to get Garden Party Invitations and include matching wording:

Friends are flowers in the garden of life . . .
and we've "picked" a great bunch to celebrate Jackie's Birthday.

Another avenue you might pursue is the surprise party. In your invitation wording, it should be expressed clearly that the celebrant doesn't and shouldn't know details of the party. Here are some examples:

Shh! It's a surprise party!
Please join us in celebrating
Holly Roberts 30th birthday
On September 2nd
At 7 o'clock pm
The Smith's House
1201 S. Wesley
Madison, WI

Our good friend Jerry is turning the big 5-0
We're throwing a party, and you're invited to show.
If you can make it, here's a word to the wise,
Keep it under your hat, 'cause it's a surprise!
July 10th at 6 PM
At the Rock Bottom Brewery
560 Main Street
Seattle, WA

Please join us in celebrating
Tina Clarks Birthday
on May 22nd
Cocktails - 6:00pm
Dinner - 7:30pm
Scratch Restaurant
345 W Ivy
It's a surprise!

Overall, your birthday invitation wording should not only convey the details of the party, but should also be a good reflection of who the celebrant is.

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Tom Bross is a co-owner of http://www.MyGoodGreetings.com. MyGoodGreetings sells photo birth announcements, greeting cards, and party invitations, printed on eco-friendly 100% recycled paper.

Easy Pumpkin Painting and Design

Halloween is almost here and around where I live there are piles of pumpkins sitting on the front laws of farmers houses with signs indicating to leave a few dollars for each pumpkin. This always seems to be the start of the Halloween season and with that means easy pumpkin painting.

Below are a few ways to help you create an exciting Halloween experience this year for yourselves and your families by learning how to do some fast and easy pumpkin painting.

First of all, you will want to find some pumpkins that have a somewhat flat surface on one side of the pumpkin. This just makes it easier for younger kids to paint the pumpkins, it's not actually necessary for pumpkin painting.

After that, go to your local craft store and look for an acrylic paint. This is the easiest to use for pumpkin painting and often you can find acrylic paints in larger bottles, which means enough to go around for everyone. In addition, these are usually easy paints for kids to use and come in a wide variety of colors in case you or your kids want to get crazy with their pumpkin painting.

Next, you will want to think about what it is that you want to create. Be sure to include the kids in the step of the easy pumpkin painting process. Do you want something scary?-possibly something funny? There are many pumpkin painting designs on the internet and you and your kids can get some great ideas by looking around the net for a few minutes.

Some personal favorites are creating pumpkins to look like celebrities. This isn't exactly pumpkin painting, but it goes over well each year as the pumpkins sit in all their celebrity glory on my front porch. For instance, I had a goofy looking George W, on one side of my porch, while on the other I had a Bill Clinton pumpkin. I put wigs on the pumpkins and painted some distinguishing features and added a tie to each for good measure. The kids didn't quite get who they were, but the parents thought it was great!

Easy pumpkin painting doesn't just have to be about painting the pumpkins either, as in the case above. Think about your pumpkins as Mr. Potato Heads and you are instantly drawn back to a younger time and may have some great ideas to use. For instance, take two pieces of corn and stick nails into them. Next drive them into the pumpkin on either side and when people ask you why you have corn stuck to the sides of your pumpkin, tell them that they are not corn- they are the pumpkins ears.

There are as many ways to paint your pumpkin and dress it up as you can come up with. Have fun this Halloween.

If you want free pumpkin painting designs, templates, Halloween recipes for you and the kids, and a many free pumpkin painting ideas, go to http://www.amazingsalestechniques.blogspot.com and click on the links to get a variety of free Halloween products.