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The swings and circles follow the same format as those using the other apparatus. A clear distinction between the planes is important, and in order to show the movement and the pattern in its entirety, full extension of the body movement is vital.

The arm should be stretched and the circling action large so that the ribbon describes a complete pattern away from the body. A bent arm or incomplete movement very often results in a tangle around the body or a knot in the ribbon.

Equally, the movements should be unhurried to prevent an overtaking of one part of the ribbon by another. Swings can be practiced and developed in each of the planes as follows:

1. Door plane. Swing from side to side, the arm moving down from your right side and up to the left side, then down and back up to right side. Take the swing into a full circle with a change of hand overhead. Transfer the weight from one foot to the other whilst performing the side wings, then perform the step close step action with the feet during the full circle.

2. Table plane. With the same weight transfer from side to side as before; swing the arm across the body at shoulder height, keeping the arm swing horizontal, as if brushing the top of a high table. After two preparation swings go into a full turn, allowing the ribbon to float horizontally around the body.

3. Wheel plane. Travel forwards with walking or running steps whilst circling the arm backwards, first on the right, then on the left side, so forming a large vertical figure of eight shape with the ribbon.

With each of these swings, a hand change may be added, wither in front of or behind the body, overhead, or under the leg. Try to avoid the cracking sound of the ribbon, which will be apparent if the swing is either too vigorous or snatched.

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The History Channel cried when ‘wolf’ when it aired its show, NOSTRADAMUS: 2012, on January 4, 2009. The show began on a very dire note with implications that Nostradamus and ancient messages predicted the ‘end of the world’ in 2012. Images of devastation, floods, disease, wars, environmental disasters and social chaos inundated the screen. If you only watched the first 90 minutes, my guess is you may have been convinced that the “End Times” are upon us and that there is little hope for the survival of the species.

The basic problem with the presentation is that much was taken out of context and most interpretations were ‘exoteric’ in scope. The pieces on Nostradamus dealt with only a few of the images in the “LOST BOOK” and thereby lost context. It is like the religious practice of quoting several chapters and verse in order to support dogma and ignoring any text to the contrary. But, even more fundamental, is the fact the interpretations of the images were too superficial. They focused on the obvious (exoteric) and not the hidden (esoteric) aspects of the pictographs.

One such example is the plate that shows an arm holding a sword; a primitive club on a tree; a scorpion; an eight spoke wheel; a lamb; various twisted pieces of ribbon; and, a golden rectangle. Regarding this image it was said that it was representative of the signs of the zodiac and the destruction of the tree of life by the club. The twisted ribbons were said to represent the spiral nature of the galaxy. This is very superficial. Without going into excessive detail, let’s take another quick look at this image. The central piece is the arm (man) holding the sword (fire, life force) and wrapped with a spiral ribbon (Kundalini energy and DNA). The club (dogma) is not hitting the ‘tree of life,’ but is rather contrasted with the tree (dogma vs. wisdom).

The other twisted ribbons are like waves or vibrations which is the true nature of the Universe; a sea of vibrating energy. The scorpion is all that is hidden as revealed by the lamb (inner Christ). The golden rectangle, the golden mean and the golden ratio (1:1.618) are indicative that a fundamental change and awakening is possible in the changing sea of vibration in which we live and breathe and have our being. The wheel (Wheel of Ezekiel) deals with the quadrature of the circle, the tetragram, the four basic elements, the single source from which all things radiate and the perpetual motion and vibration of the Universe. It is in this light that we begin to reach the esoteric meaning of symbols. Those like Nostradamus, DaVinci and Newton were all mystics with affiliations to ‘secret societies.’ And, it is through the use of symbols that their knowledge has been transmitted to future generations through tools like the Tarot Code.

One more example should suffice. A great deal of attention was paid to the glyph that contained a man with an empty book of life; a wheel without spokes; two females, a stag and more twisted ribbon. Just for context, if one examines all of the plates of Nostradamus it should be quite evident that almost every picture has some form of spiral, twisted ribbon, coiling snakes or other image that speaks to vibrating energy which is often moving upward. These are often accompanied by images of the sun and moon representing male and female energies, fire and water, conscious and unconscious thought and not just zodiacal signs. There was great concern in the show that the book was empty and the wheel had no spokes. This, according to some commentary, was a sign that the world was coming to a point of major disaster. Rather, the focus should be upon the idea that the spokeless wheel is a symbol of the unity of all matter, energy and thought which is contained in the Sacred Rota, the wheel and the ending of a great cycle. The empty book of wisdom indicates that the knowledge from that book has been absorbed into the human consciousness.

The stag symbolizes the sacred God/Goddess, the creative powers (male/female) in the universe and spiritual power. Its change in color as seen in other plates to white indicate the emergence of the Christ consciousness. The two females in red dress and white head garments represent duality; the old crone and the new maiden; the passing on of wisdom (Sophia); the Chakras that go from red to white and then gold; and the union of the male and female energies. Taken together, we see the Law of the Triangle, the law of manifestation. At the top of the plate is a semi-circle bisected by the vibrating ribbon and the empty wheel contains a star. There are several levels here. One is that even the divinity that is achievable by humanity is still dwarfed for the infinite wisdom and magnitude of the universe. The other is that within the human DNA lies a seed that will transform as the earth energies change. This is actually happening as scientist tell us that the earth’s ‘hum’ has risen from 7hz to close to 11hz. It is quite possible that mitochondrial DNA in each cell may undergo a rapid evolution that will alter forever the physical nature of man.

The last 30 minutes of the show was different but, the question is; was anyone listening? It was only here that a more accurate depiction of the Mayan, Nostradamus, Hopi and Egyptian prophecies attained a greater degree of accuracy. Keep in mind that all of the ancient cultures, mystics, seers, avatars, secret societies and codes ‘did not’ revolve around a hidden prophesy that the world would end on December 21, 2012. As indicated in the show, what is more accurate is that humanity is approaching a moment in time where he can consciously choose his next evolutionary step. We are warned that a great vibratory train is headed straight for us and that we must choose to either stay in its way or to get off of the track. If there is disaster, it will be because we stayed on the track. As with Nostradamus, the Book of Revelations and other prophecies, we are given the tools, in the form of a largely pictorial code, to raise our awareness, our vibration and our very nature above the ‘slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.’ It is time to look deeply into the tools and images that been offered as a gift to our time and learn the true revelation of their inner meanings.

The History Channel has cried wolf, but is the public to jaded to listen? From doomsday, UFO, religious and fundamentalists cults to the cries of Y2K, many dismiss such programs as scary entertainment that raises a chill but which lacks and truth. Notions of a ‘second coming’ and Armageddon has simple been shouted too often. However, it must be clear to all that fundamental change is occurring on the planet. Every aspect of our lives is being shaken to their very core. So in the immortal words of Pink Floyd; “just nod if you can hear me.”

Mr. Harris was born in Massachusetts. He attended The American University in Washington, D.C. and received his degree in Political Science. His graduate work was done at the University of Northern Colorado and Howard University. He spent several years working for local and regional and state government agencies. He worked on a White House Task Force and served as Rural Policy Coordinator at the FRCouncil of New England.

Mr. Harris is co-author of the novel WAKING GOD and is a nationally syndicated / featured writer for The American Chronicle. His second novel, A MAINE CHRISTMAS CAROL was released by Cambridge Books, his third book, JESUS TAUGHT IT, TOO: THE EARLY ROOTS OF THE LAW OF ATTRACTION (Avatar Publication). He is author of the book, RAPING LOUISIANA: A DIARY OF DECEIT and his two most recent self-growth titles, the “MESSAGES” series were just released by Avatar. See his book titles at http://dickens111.tripod.com/theliteraryworksofphilipharris

Microsoft Excel 2007 is very much different from any Microsoft Excel in the previous version. Basically most of the menus being replaced with a new interface called Ribbon. The ribbon is a powerful interface that helps you to find and apply function/tools more easily, this is particularly useful for new users (who never use Microsoft Excel before). This is a major breakthrough since the introduction of Microsoft Excel spreadsheet interface.

If you used Excel before, you may not get used to this version of Excel, give yourself some time, you will adapt to it eventually. There are a lot more buttons than the previous version of Microsoft Excel, they are grouped in tabs. Tabs consist of ribbons.

Please bear in mind that the ribbons are designed to facilitate easier usage for the users, new users will definitely find it extremely user friendly. You will find the most often used functions are resided at the left side of the tab, which decreasing importance in terms of usage tendency to the right hand side of the tabs.

Some basic features:

Office buttons- on the top left side of the ribbon, consists of save, save as, new, opening and closing files. When you put your cursor on the Office buttons, you will see a list of most recently used file at the right side of the bar.

Quick Access Toolbar – can be customized with buttons that you use most frequently. I will show you how to use it in the video attached below.

Tabs – contains ribbons where you could find most of the functions at. You may click on it once to activate the tab. Or you may use arrow button (to the right) on the keyboard to move from one tab to another.

It is important for you to understand the basic of the Excel 2007, to help you navigate and identify the difference from it’s predecessors (such as Excel 2000/2003).

Luis T is the owner of http://www.excelexpertuser.com. Find out more on how you could be a master of Microsoft Excel on the website.

When planning your wedding, deciding what invitations to send is one of the first big decisions you will have to make. The proper wedding invitation will set the tone for the entire wedding. Are you planning a formal or informal wedding? A lavish affair, or a casual get together? Often there is no need to explicitly state such a thing on your invitations; you can relay the message simply by choosing wedding invitations which reflect the style, theme, and tone of your wedding. There are a variety of ways to add personality to your wedding invitations. Adding ribbon, trinkets and photographs to your invitations are all ways to express your personality and the type of ceremony you are planning.

Another way to add sparkle to your wedding invitation is by the use of color. Adding color to wedding invitations allows an element of personality to shine through, as well as add some unexpected spark and levity to what is normally a formal and traditional announcement. Color can add an air of festivity to traditional invitations, introduce your wedding colors to your guests or add a touch of personalization to a stock wedding invitation.

How can color be added to invitations?

When deciding on where to place color in your wedding invitations, there are a variety of choices. You can opt for the traditional cream or white card stock and add a personalized color for the writing on the card. If this does not fit your style, the invitation itself can be your main color, and the script can be white. Many couples opt to include their color choice in the lining of the envelope. Thus, the invitation can remain the traditional black and white, but a touch of color can be found inside the envelope as the invitees open it up. Another way to introduce color to your invitations is through a ribbon adornment.

Do you have to use light colored card stock?

The selection of colors in card stock has never been wider. Cards are available in many shades of greens, blues, pinks and browns. Depending on the look that you are going for, you may choose a subtle pastel or a vibrant bold color for your card stock. Generally, couples who are looking for a more traditional wedding invitation will choose a lighter color, as will those planning a casual ceremony. For those planning a contemporary ceremony or a more formal affair, bolder colors are a more common choice.

Traditional Wedding: Can you still add color to your invitations?

There are no rules for what is right and what is wrong when deciding how your wedding invitations should look. While a traditional wedding invitation is typically understated, adding a hint of color through ink, envelope linings or ribbon adornments are all acceptable and attractive options. If you are certain that you would like a traditional wedding, you may want to choose an understated color for these accents.

Can you choose any color you want?

The color choices for your wedding invitations are vast. While it would be an overstatement to say that you can choose any color you want for your wedding invitations, it would be accurate to say that the selection of colors available for wedding invitations has never been greater. Between the different color selections of card stock, ink, ribbons and envelope linings, it is possible to make your wedding invitations 100% unique even if you are choosing only stock options.

What rules should I follow when adding color to my wedding invitations?

There are no “written in stone” rules when planning your wedding. It is your wedding and your invitations, and you want to choose an invitation that expresses both you and your fiancé’s personality and the atmosphere you plan for the wedding. Whether you choose bold or subtle color, vibrant ribbon adornments or delicate lace edged ribbon, the invitation is uniquely yours. While there are suggestions on how to choose color for your wedding invitations, do not allow yourself to get stuck into a rigid template for how your wedding invitations should look.

Do I have to add color to my wedding invitations?

Just because technology has made it easier than ever to add color to your wedding invitations there is no reason to force yourself to add color if you do not want to. White or cream colored card stock with black or dark gray ink is still a popular as well as a correct option.

No matter how you choose to personalize your wedding invitations, the addition of color makes it easier to do. The addition of color to ink, ribbons or envelopes create a special and personalized invitation that will serve as a keepsake of your special day for years to come.

Rachel Jackson is a freelance writer who writes about weddings and other family events. Ms. Jackson often writes about specific aspects of a weeding such as the wedding invitations.

‘Tis the season to decorate your home in all the splendor of Christmas. I personally love decorating for the holidays… pulling out all of those bins of forgotten decorations… discovering new items I purchased throughout the year… and falling into deep nostalgia. Decorating for Christmas is almost as fun as the actual day of Christmas. It truly is a special time of the year and making your home special will bring warmth to your family and friend’s hearts… and create wonderful memories.

I love decorating for Christmas so much, it looks like Christmas blew up in my house… but in a good way!

So… I’ve listed 17 ideas for decorating home your home for the holidays. I hope that you find at least one new idea for you… and maybe a few will inspire you with a whole list of original ideas!

1. Brighten your christmas tree

It’s easy to string lights on your Christmas tree… but take tree lights very seriously at my house. My husband wraps each individual branch and twig with lights. Yes, it’s a bit tedious… but the result is breathtaking. Hey, you’re going to be looking at that tree all month… take the extra time and really make your tree glow… literally.

2. Decorate your stair rail

This is a given, but it amazes me how few actually do it. Whenever you see beautifully decorated homes in magazines you see this grand staircase wrapped in garland and lights. It’s stunning. And you can have the same exact effect in your home. It’s easy! Wrap your banisters with garland. You can go cheap and use the standard green garland in a box… or you can go all out and get some more realistic garland. Whatever your budget can handle… do what’s best for you. Now, wrap the garland in white lights. It doesn’t matter what kind of garland you use… because once those lights are on… wow! But don’t stop there! Tie a pretty christmas ribbon bow at the bottom and top of the hand rails. And if you have enough ribbon, wind the ribbon loosely around the rail. Don’t wrap the ribbon exactly like you wrapped the garland… offset it a bit. Now, you’re really decorating!

And if you’re inspired… grab some shiny christmas ball ornaments and hang those on your garland all the way up the stairs. I bet you didn’t know your house could look so luxurious!

3. Add christmas bows

I add bows made of all kinds of christmas ribbon all over my house. On the stair rail, on my wreaths… on the ends of my draped garland. On door knobs. I attach them to my outdoor house lights. I add a big swag christmas bow just below my angel on my christmas tree. And for my second tree (yes, my second tree) I have a big 2-ribbon tree topper bow.

4. Hang wreaths in windows

It’s common to hang wreaths on your front door. But I love hanging wreaths on my windows. I’m not talking about just on the outside of your house. I also mean on the inside. I don’t hang wreaths in all my windows… my I select a room that needs a little extra Christmas spirit and hang one in each window. I also hang a wreath above the fire place. And another on my book shelves. And guess what… I add bows to all of them.

5. Greet visitors with some fun

All the formal decorating stuff is nice… but don’t forget to add some personality and fun to your rooms. Especially in your foyer. Find something that makes you smile and put it where people will see it as soon as they come into your house. I found this Christmas center piece that is made of holly leaves, berries and 3 stacked gingermen. It is adorable! It makes me smile and I put it on a table in my foyer. Now, I enjoy it when I come home… and others can enjoy it when the visit. It’s silly and I love it!

6. Create memories with small decorations

Growing up, I always remembered my Mother’s little Christmas knick-knacks. Like snow globes and funny little snow men. I really didn’t follow in tradition when I first had kids. But my Mother gifted me little silly items every year. And as the years have gone on, my children ask about some of these items when we decorate the house. I have a little igloo with snowmen that has a little light that acts like a fire. My daughter remembered this from last year and was so excited when she saw it out. It’s the little things… literally… that can be the most special.

7. Decorate your fireplace mantel

My fireplace mantel varies from year to year. I’ve draped garland and lights and hungs stockings. I’ve displayed a variety of different sized candles dressed in pine cones and garland. I’ve displayed framed photos of the family. Whatever you decide… just have fun with it. Experiment. Try varying heights of a few different items. Try simple… try cluttered. Find your style.

8. Add garland

Like wreaths, add garland everywhere! I wrap garland on the banisters… I frame the door ways. I drape garland with fruit over my french doors. I lay garland along the top back of my couches. I even wrap my columns in garland.

10. Add a little character to your front yard

I used to do the “nice” decorating in my front yard. White lights on the shrubs. Garland and white lights around my door. And it IS nice. But now, I try to add a little fun. Not too much… I still don’t want my yard looking like I’m having a yard sale! This year I lined my front walk in light up candy canes. So cute! I still have my white lights on everything else… but its the candy canes that make me smile. And my kids love them!

11. Place wrapped gifts

Wrap boxes in shiny paper… tie a ribbon on them… and place them around your house. What fun! I place wrapped gift boxes on my book shelves, a few in a blank corner… some under the tree… anywhere that you need to add a little Christmas cheer. What an easy way to decorate!

12. Candles

Ah, the soft flicker of candle light can really add to the mood of a cozy home. I love the look of candles in windows. Obviously, don’t use real candles for this. I also like to light a few candles around my home. The smell of cinnamon and holly is delicious.

13. Fill glass vases with cranberries and sparkle

Pull out those glass vases that just sit in your cupboard. Fill them with fake cranberries, clear glass stones, salt, pine cones, and/or christmas balls. Layer and be creative. And then leave these filled vases out. This a professional decorator trick. It’s quick and it looks amazing!

14. Bowl of ornaments

Take a large bowl and fill it with some of your extra christmas balls. Or, collect some unique ones that you personally love… and place those in your bowl. Place this bowl in the center of your coffee table or dining table.

15. Photos of Christmas memories

Pull out some of those precious memories of Christmases past and put them in some decorative frames. Shiny silver frames… red painted frames. Whatever you like. And place these around your house. You’ll find that you’ll start remembering stories and sharing these moments with your friends and family.

16. Christmas hand towels and bathroom mats

Don’t forget the bathrooms! Add a cute hand towel and a christmasy floor mat. I have a chimney tissue box that I place on the back of the hall bathroom toilet. Just add a little somethin’.

17. Set your dining table

You may not be expecting dinner guests, but it’s always nice to have a decorated and set table. Pull out your favorite holiday dishes. I have these fun white dishes that have reindeer, christmas trees and santas painted on them. I love them! Dress up your table with colorful place mats…. place random christmas balls over the table… place a dramatic center piece… and light some votive candles.

As I write this article, I can already think of a few more christmas decorating ideas. But I have to end this list at some point. Decorating your home for the holidays can create a lot of wonderful memories that you’ll relive each year you pull out those bins. So, get to it! And happy holidays!

Oh… and don’t forget to hang jingle bells on the doors… and mistletoe above the doorways… ok, ok, I’ll stop!

For more exciting christmas decorating ideas, visit www.HomeDecoratingIdeas4u.com, where you’ll discover hundreds of free decorating ideas for your home.

Festive arrangements with dried and preserved materials always look especially lovely at Christmas and other holiday times. We all make more effort for special occasions and want our houses to look particularly warm and welcoming. As there are many presents given and parties to go to during this festive season, this is a good opportunity to give something just a little out of the ordinary.

Dried herbs blend in very well with more traditional Christmas decorations such as pine cones, nuts and cinnamon sticks. Gilded poppy heads mixed with bunches of roses, purple marjoram, gilded cones and dark burgundy tartan ribbons look amazing. In many cases, reasonably-sized clusters of an herb look much more powerful than individual sprays, which give a much weaker effect.

Ivory or natural beeswax candles blend in with most color schemes and give an elegant, traditional feel to an arrangement. Welcoming flowers and scents are a sure way to make guests feel at home and comfortable. One note of caution, however: by their very nature, dried materials are a fire hazard and, if you are arranging them with candles that will be lit, they must not be left unattended. Make sure the candles are well above the arrangement and blow them out and replace them once they burn down too near the foliage. Dried flower arrangements must also not be placed too near open fires where sparks can set light to them. Apart from this problem with fire, the only other hazard seems to be cats, who love dried flowers and foliage at the best of times. Include plenty of dried herbs, especially catmint, in an arrangement and you can probably guarantee a good cabaret while the cat races around ripping the arrangement to pieces!

Herbs on the Christmas Tree

There are several spots on the Christmas tree where you could tuck an herbal arrangement or tiny wreaths of herbal flowers and foliage to add to the natural pine scent of the tree. Decorated pine cones with clusters of herbs and ribbons to hang on the tree, and miniature baskets of dried herbs tied with a festive gold cord add an unusual touch and fragrance. As there are so many family gatherings at this time of year, why not make some decorations for the tree as a family present?

Miniature Sacks

A miniature sack of herbs can be made from a piece of hessian or burlap 6×2 inches. Fold it in half along the longer edge and stitch together to two side seams. Turn it right sides out, fill with strong-smelling dried herbs and tie with an elastic band. Then decorate the sack with a red or green ribbon, miniature pine cones and some holly.

Stockings Filled with Herbs

Small socks or stockings can be cut from any cotton material with a festive color scheme or pattern. Cut out two identical pieces and sew round the edges, leaving the top open. If you sew with a contrasting thread, say holly green on red material, it doesn’t matter if the stitches show as they can be part of the design. Alternatively, you can place the two pieces of material with right sides together and sew with a matching cotton, then very carefully turn the stocking inside out. This is more difficult but looks neater. Then fill the stocking with scented dried herbs and stitch across the top. The stocking can then be decorated with festive bits and pieces, such as gold-sprayed miniature cones and holly berries.

Little Balls of Herbs

Small polystyrene spheres, 1 inch in diameter, can be made into herbal Christmas tree decorations. Cover them in a solution of latex adhesive, watered down slightly so it is easier to apply. Dip these balls in dried lavender or stick herbal flower heads, such as oregano or marjoram, all over the balls and trim with tiny ribbons. A set of balls in shades of misty lavender and greeny-grey, trimmed with narrow pale pink ribbons, looks very dainty and unusual.

Christmas Swags and Garlands

A swag of dried herbs and flowers hung across a mantelpiece or round a doorway is a lovely way of welcoming your guests. If you have the time and patience, you could make one for a friend and give it as a wonderful pre-Christmas surprise. Placing unusual herbal foliage or flowers in a festive garland provides extra points of interest. Cones and berries are a must for a traditional look, whether left in their natural shades or gilded. Small kumquats could be included because they are daintier than oranges. Tartan ribbons and bunches of lavender, bay, holly, rosemary and sage are complemented by sprays of brilliant red roses, cream peonies and pink carnations. Dried flowers can look just as lovely as fresh arrangements and last far longer.

However, another warning note must be sounded regarding mantelpiece arrangements. Do take care to fix the swag very firmly across the mantelpiece, as open fires and dried flowers do not mix and it only takes seconds for an arrangement to fall into the dying embers of a fire and go up in smoke.

Making a Swag or Garland

Although somewhat time-consuming, swags or garlands are not too difficult to make. Measure the length of decoration required and cut a piece of rope or colored cord to that measurement, plus 4 inches for loops at each end. Choose your combination of ingredients (you will need more than you think), including some ribbons, something bulky like pine cones and a selection of foliage such as spruce or holly to form the basis of the swag.

Wire all the ingredients into small bunches approximately 3 inches long using fine floristry wire. Make plenty of bunches of each type of ingredient. Pine cones are wired by inserting the end of a medium strength wire into the scales and then wrapping it around the cone, leaving a stem to wire on to the garland.

Taking the piece of cord, bend 2 inches over at each end and wire on to the main cord to make a strong loop. Start with a feathery piece of foliage and, using a fine to medium strength piece of wire, attach it to the cord. trim off the excess wire once the bunch is attached. Continue along the cord wiring with a new piece of wire for each bunch and trimming any unnecessary wire each time. When you reach the middle of the length of cord, turn the bunches so that they face the opposite direction. You may have to wire extra very short bunches into the middle to pad it out a little, or alternatively you can get out that glue gun again!

For more information on growing, cultivating and using herbs please visit my blog at http://www.plantingherbs.net/