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Matthew Schrimpf's

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Matthew Schrimpf 573-365-7333 路 573-434-6026 www.DemandDonna.com matt@demanddonna.com

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Shout it out to the world: Winter is over! Spring is finally here and the song of the birds can be heard on the breeze while the sunbeams wake the world from it's slumber. Throw open the windows, let the fresh breeze blow through and gather your cleaning supplies. It's time for spring cleaning!

This month in Welcome Home magazine discover the origin of the washing machine. Been dying to try a different kind of spring cleaning, but don't have a clue where to start? Have you been thinking wistfully about that gorgeous shine that your Grandmother used to have on her floors, only to remember that you don't have a clue how to get it? Fret no more! Dig into our pages and enjoy the squeaky clean content! Everyone can do their part to make spring a little cleaner, so come on and join in!

Have an marvelous March, and as always, Welcome Home!

If you have comments or suggestions please email us at welcomehome@activeezine.com, we love to hear from you! Also if there is a subject that you would like to see covered, let us know! We look forward to hearing from you!

compliments of

Matthew Schrimpf 573-365-7333 573-434-6026 Visit My Site Email Me

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Welcome Home!

Table of Contents Recipe And Design

4

A tasty recipe and a stylish home design how to.

Boost Your Home’s Value

5

Use curb appeal updates to boost your home’s appeal!

Essential Cleaning Supplies

6-7

What you need for a spotless home.

It Is Time For Spring Cleaning!

8-9

History of the Washing Machine Sand, streams and no fabric softener.

12 - 15

Advanced Spring Cleaning Get that whole self deep clean you’ve been craving!

16 - 17

Why Choose A Green Home?

5 Reasons to make the eco-friendly choice.

18 - 19

Products To Love!

Hot trends, technological wonders of tomorrow and so much more!

City Spotlight Phoenix, AZ. Fun under the desert sun!

21

All pictures courtesy of sxc.hu unless otherwise noted. Thanks to Wikipedia for Random Fact information and aid.

Editor in Chief - Phly Jambor

Discover the best way to clean your home.

10 - 11

20

Welcome Home is for entertainment purposes only. This magazine is not intended to solicit other brokersʼ listings. If you are currently working with another broker, please disregard this information.

Businesses That Make A Difference The GAP, fashionably making the world a better place.

The information provided in this publication of Welcome Home or on any website maintained

by U.S. Cybertek, Inc. or any of its subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates, agents, representatives, licensors, licensees or employees (collectively Publisher) is intended as a general guide illustrating common methods of common practices, and the publisher makes no warranty or guarantee whatsoever of the safety, effectiveness, or other characteristic of any methods or products described herein. Neither does the Publisher assume any liability for information published in any website or other publication to which reference may be made herein. Readers are cautioned to review and comply with all written instructions, safety bulletins, and other materials provided in connection with any of the products mentioned herein and all products used in connection with any of the methods described. Neither Published nor any of its subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates, agents, representatives, licensors, licensees or employees shall in any case be liable to you or anyone else for any loss or injury or any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special punitive or similar damages arising out of your use of or failure to use any of the methods and/ or products described in this publication or any other publication or websites to which reference may be made herein. Publisher disclaims all warranties, and any warranty or guarantee of safety, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose lies solely with the manufacture(s) of any product described or recommended or used used in connection with any methods described or recommended.

Recipe and Design Herbed Dip With Baby Vegetables

Frosty Vases

Ingredients 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet onion 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill 1 teaspoon Beau Monde seasoning 1 teaspoon hot sauce 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 pound thin fresh asparagus 1/2 pound haricots verts (tiny green beans), trimmed

Preparation: 11.

Stir together first 8 ingredients in a small bowl until well blended. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours.

2. Meanwhile, snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus.

Cut asparagus into 6-inch pieces, reserving any remaining end portions for another use. Cook asparagus in boiling water to cover in a large saucepan 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain. Repeat procedure with haricots verts. Place vegetables in zip-top plastic bags; seal and chill until ready to serve. Serve mayonnaise mixture with chilled vegetables.

What You Need: •

Clear Glass Vases

•

Painter’s Tape

•

Spray Paint

Instructions: 1. Wash and dry the vases.

2. Tape off desired areas with different widths of painter’s tape to create your pattern.

3. Spray lightly according to the directions.

4. The more coats of frosted-glass paint you apply, the more opaque and noticeable the stripes. We applied two coats to our vases.

Southern Living, February 2013 Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens.com

Boost Your Home’s Value With Curb Appeal Upgrades Have you ever driven up to your home and felt under whelmed by its appearance? Have you ever wondered why some homes look great while others lack zest? Do you have a favorite street you like to drive down because all the homes on it look sophisticated?

What is Curb Appeal? If you've answered "yes" to any of the above questions, then you're the type of person who is aware of curb appeal. Curb appeal is a phrase used to describe how a home looks from the curb, or while driving by.

Curb appeal can be either positive or negative. A bland-looking house might have zero curb appeal. A cluttered yard detracts from a home's beauty while a well-maintained and manicured yard boosts a home's appearance and raises its perceived value.

Why is Curb Appeal Important? Good curb appeal is essential when preparing a home for sale so that it attracts passersby. When a potential buyer drives up to your home, your curb appeal will be the first thing noticed. An opinion of your property is formed in the first few seconds of viewing it. Make those seconds count by doing some curb appeal homework. Each home on a street has the potential to add or detract from the over arching tone of the neighborhood. It only takes one or two dowdy-looking homes to bring down the real estate prices on your street. Even if you aren't about to sell your home, you can raise its prestige and contribute to the reputation of your neighborhood by boosting its curb appeal.

How Do You Improve Curb Appeal? Great curb appeal doesn't just happen. With a little artistic flair or professional guidance, you can make simple changes to your home to give it the pizzazz you're looking for. Do your neighbors a favor, or at least do yourself a favor, by looking into what changes you can make.

Here's a list of suggestions: 1. Tackle and Touch-Up: No matter if your home looks a little worn from the previous owner or the ravages of time, take an inventory of needed improvements and identify steps to take that are within your current budget. Perhaps changing the home's siding isn't in the budget just now, but painting the trim might be a start.

2. Mend and Maintain: Mend fences, gates or porches in need of repair. Fix sidewalk cracks. Replace loose shingles, rusty mailboxes or scratched and dented doors. Cut back overgrown shrubbery. Mend and maintain a lush green lawn.

3. Professionalize and Prettify: Check out the latest landscaping trends pictured in home and real estate magazines or online, or visit a neighborhood that has had professional landscaping done in order to get a new ideas. Wide sweeping walkways and entrance-enhancing flowerbeds are key to taking your home from so-so to sensational. If you aren't talented or don't have the time or equipment for major landscaping tasks, hire a local landscaper.

4. Conceal Clutter: Create a place for everything and put everything in its place. Put away sports equipment, bicycles and other clutter after using it. If there's no room in your driveway or garage for your trailer or canoe, rent offsite storage space.

5. Accessorize and Accentuate: Add attractive items that are consistent with the style and colors of your home for that extra touch. Patio furniture, a garden bench, an attractive arbor, water fountain and in-season plantings add warmth and glamour.

6. Liven with Lighting: Light up your house address numbers and walkway. Add landscape lighting to accent your home's architecture and flowerbeds. If you're about to sell your home, done well, your improvements can be the deciding factor in your home selling quicker and for a higher price than a similar home on the market. Don't settle for the same old look you're used to seeing every time you drive up to your home. Increase its value by starting with some basic maintenance and upgrades and enjoy your home even more than you already do while boosting its curb appeal.

Written by Tina Fountain. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com

Essential Cleaning Supplies Using the correct cleaning supplies is important when the task of household cleaning rears its ugly head. This is vitally important so the surfaces you are cleaning do not get damaged. It also will elevate the overall time it takes to clean and the cleaning is usually finished with less effort on the part of the cleaner. Before you even buy the product from the store, it is important to read the label on the bottle. The labels will list its common uses, any precautions, and solutions. Even though a product might be labeled as an “all-purpose” cleaner, it may not be good for every surface. Products that contain strong chemical like ammonia may permanently damage laminates or other plastic surfaces. Sometimes strong cleaners are not necessary to get the job done. The only thing you might need is mild soap and warm water.

When trying to clean the house for a large annual cleaning or a light everyday cleaning, it is a good idea to get your essential cleaning supplies together before you start your cleaning. But, what are the essential supplies that will be needed most often? Think about the things that you will need to clean.

Start from the ceiling and work your way down to the floor. An essential cleaning supply would be rags to dust cobwebs in the corners, ceiling fan blades, and the tops of shelves and ledges. There are a lot of products out recently that advertise “a better way to dust”. The truth is that an old rag will work just as well as these new products. Plus, they are more cost effective because the rag is probably an old shirt or sock that has lost it’s mate and can therefore be washed and used again rather then thrown out adding to the planet’s waste. Rags work well with cobwebs on their own

but, to dust shelves and some ledges, use a little bit of furniture polish. So in addition to rags in your cleaning kit, make sure to tow along furniture polish. Another essential cleaning supply to add to your cleaning kit would be window washing liquid. Most brand name products advertise a streak free shine with their product but, there is a trick to get streak free windows without coughing up the extra dough on products that work just as well as the bargain brands; use newspaper to wipe down the window glass instead of paper towels. Include a brown paper bag in your cleaning kit to toss used newspapers in. When you’re done with your cleaning, the whole bag can be thrown into the recycling bin.

Other essential cleaning supplies include anti-bacterial spray. There are a lot of products out there that work well and are specifically made for cleaning different parts of the house. Most are okay to use on an array of surfaces. So, include in your cleaning kit, a spray that is specifically designed hard to clean soap scum and mildew for the bathroom and then a spray that can be used on their kitchen or bathroom surfaces.

The last thing to clean in a room is the floor. Besides the vacuuming and the mopping, what are some other essential supplies that you will need to include in your kit to tackle the floor? Mop, bucket, and floor cleaner are essential for cleaning a non-carpeted area but it is hardly practical to carry these things from room to room as you accomplish your cleaning. Keep these things together and pull them out when you are ready to use them. Instead, keep a rug freshener like a powder or spray in your cleaning kit. When your cleaning supplies are organized and easily accessible, the job of household cleaning can be fast, easy and efficient on a regular basis.

Written by Borge Nielsen. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com

It Is Time For Spring Cleaning!

I don始t know how spring cleaning became a tradition, and I know that phrase means different things to different people. And while some of that cleaning could take place at any time of the year (and often does), there始s just something about the spring to help you think about airing things out and fluffing things up for the coming months of growth.

While this makes sense for homes, it makes at least as much sense for lives. Your year is starting to heat up and there are many opportunities, you also may feel like you`re coming out of a long winter mentally . . . so it始s time.

It`s time for some personal spring cleaning.

Here are five things you can do to prepare yourself for better results the rest of the year!

Straighten up your working area. For the same reason you clean your garage and scrub up the areas in your home that you haven`t done in awhile, itʼs important to do the same for you work area. Does your desk currently help or hinder your efforts to do your best work and have your best focus? Do you have books or other items that aren`t where they could or should be? Are you behind on your filing, or is it time to go through your filing system? This is purposefully the least metaphorical on the list - since it really is cleaning!

I challenge you (and myself) to take the time to do it - if not today, at least this week - not because it`s the right thing to do or even for aesthetic reasons, but because it will dramatically improve your creativity and productivity.

Fertilize your relationships. You fertilize your lawn in the spring to encourage growth and nurture the development of strong grass plants. Now is the time to reinvigorate your relationships in the same way. Take a look at the important relationships in your life. Determine what you can do to nurture and help them grow in the coming weeks. And remember it isnʼt enough just to buy the fertilizer it wonʼt help your grass sitting in the bag! In the same way, you must make the call, schedule the meal, invite people over or do whatever you need to to nurture your relationships.

Dust off your reading list. Spring cleaning almost always includes some sort of attention to those corners and nooks that havenʼt seen much activity - and frankly need some dusting! Howʼs your bookshelf looking these days? If you have the books you want to read, dust off your stack, pick one up and get started! If you donʼt, dust off your Amazon account, find your library card or get yourself to your favorite book seller and get at it!

Freshen up your goals and objectives. In the spring you probably open the windows and let the air blow through the house to freshen up the curtains, sheets and clear the air. You need to do the same thing with your goals. Open your eyes and look at your goals in a new way! This is more than just reviewing your goals (youʼre already doing that regularly, right?); this is looking at them with the perspective of the year so far. How are you doing? Do you want/need to adjust things based on your current reality? Have new priorities popped up that you didnʼt predict at the beginning of the year? These are the types of questions that

will help you refresh and reinvigorate your goals and your outcomes for the year.

Clean up your habits. Most spring cleaning includes closets. At some point you look at your clothes, decide which ones to keep, which ones to get rid of. You pull out your summer clothes and make sure everything fits and you have everything you want in your closet for the coming months. If youʼre like me, the rest of the year you don`t really think too much about your closet. You look in and pull out clothes, without thinking much about the closet. It`s the same with your habits. Since they are subconscious, it makes sense to purposefully look at your habits occasionally to decide which ones are working for you, which are serving your needs, and which ones you may have outgrown.

You wonʼt find new habits at the mall, but you can change your habit “wardrobe” in a conscious way too.

Of course these suggestions can be done at any time of the year - in fact you may want to do them more than once a year. After all, you likely survey your closet more than once a year - and isnʼt your personal productivity and happiness at least as important as a clean closet?

I know all of these things have been and will be a part of my spring cleaning regimen, and I know when I do them it makes a difference.

Perhaps spring is a good time for this type of cleaning, but it doesnʼt matter if itʼs spring or not.

The best time is really right now - whenever you may be reading this. These steps will help you clean out the cobwebs in your mind and set your course for greater growth.

Potential Pointer: Most people make time to do spring cleaning in their homes, garages and lawns.

For the same reasons, you need to spruce up, polish up and clean up the rest of your life. The calendar doesn`t need to dictate when you do this cleaning, but when you do it, your results and enjoyment will improve!

Written by Kevin Eikenberry. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com

History of the Washing Machine Sand, Streams and No Fabric Softener

In 1797 the first washing machine – the washboard - was invented, changing laundry as we knew it. No longer did people have to rely on abrasive sands, rudimentary homemade soaps and natural streams.

1797 hailed the dawn of the “wash board era” which, while a huge innovation at the time, was still remarkably time consuming and incredibly hard work.

Throughout the Victorian times washing days were scarce, taking place on a monthly basis. In fact the longer your family could go between laundries, the more highly ranked you were perceived to be. This may sound like a controversial statement, but quite simply you had more clothes – a symbol of wealth and status.

In 1851, across the pond, American James King patented the first washing machine resembling todayʼs appliance. While still hand powered, Kingʼs machine used a drum but it was expensive and therefore not widely used at home. The idea didnʼt really catch on for another 20 years.

Of course Victorian Britain was not considered one of the cleanliest places. Hair teamed with lice, human waste was tossed into the streets and the River Thames was almost an open sewer breeding cholera epidemics and numerous other problems. One of these problems was The Great Stink of 1858, when during the summer months the smell of the Thames in the hot summer threatened to overwhelm London with its disease and putrid stench. Even parliament was affected by the smell of the Thames.

In 1874 William Blackstone presented his wife with a present heʼd built. The gift was a washing machine - who could ask for anything more?!?

Blackstone's washing machine took the handscrubbing out of washing day even though it was still manually powered. Inside the main tub, a small, flat, pegged piece of wood was moved by the use of an outer hand-crank. This removed the dirt from clothes. Blackstoneʼs machines were mass produced and very successful bringing with them developments to the machine such as wringers and replacing the wood with metal.

The industrial revolution – washing boards, dollies and mangles

Electricity and the modern day washing machine appliance

With the world such a dirty place, one can understand laundry was not quite as important as it is nowadays but with the industrial revolution looming, change was on its way. During this period the Washing Dolly was in great use throughout the country – especially as this took place before water was piped into homes. A washing dolly is a pole with one end shaped like a small three-legged stool. It was used to agitate the clothes in the boiling water much like the spinning drum in todayʼs machines.

It is unclear who invented the electric washing machine. Alva J. Fisher is often cited as its creator however other sources state Louis Goldenberg (a Ford employee) of New Brunswick, New Jersey invented the electric washing machine around the late 1800s to early 1900s.

In 1853 the tax on soap was abolished and so it became much more commonplace and starches and blues were used to keep white items white – although this was viewed as a specialist skill.

Towards the end of the 19th century mangles became popular in households for wringing and flattening clothes – reducing the need for a flat iron. The design became smaller and cheaper and so the technology was more easily incorporated into houses.

The electric washing machine has evolved in its many forms to become a staple of the modern household. Much like other kitchen appliances washing machines are vital in our daily life and have been cited as a factor in womenʼs liberation as they helped housewives escape the drudgery of household chores.

Washing machines integrated into the kitchen or utility room environment highlight just how necessary washing machines are to modern society.

Washing began early in the morning to cater for the hard work and drying, taking a whole day to complete - hence the phrase “washing day”.

The first washing machines

Written by Kate Owen. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com

Advanced Spring Cleaning

There are a million articles, books and courses that you can find about spring cleaning, clearing the clutter, organizing, and the art of Feng Shui. You can even hire a consultant to come into your home and do these things for you. This article is going to go a step beyond that. You will be able to rejuvenate your home in areas where Lysol, a carpet cleaner, and organizational systems fail to go!

I’m going to assume that you all ready know the basics of cleaning, removing whatever you don’t need or aren’t emotionally attached to, and how to keep your belongings organized. I’m also going to assume that you understand that a clean and healthy environment improves your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. I believe you’re reading this article because you all ready work hard to create a clean and healthy environment for yourself and your family.

What we really want to focus on with this article is that not so fresh feeling that occasionally lingers even after you’ve cleaned, organized, and simplified down to the bare bones.

There are a variety of reasons why this might happen. Maybe the room doesn’t have enough windows, or other natural resources to refresh itself in a natural way.

Or, it could have lingering energy from bad memories. Those energies need a little more work to get rid of so you can fill the room with the warmth and comfort you want to feel in there instead. The following tools will help you with your efforts.

If the room you are struggling with doesn’t have enough windows to provide plenty of natural lighting, it may have a lingering stale feeling to it. There are a couple of things you can do to correct this. One is to buy light bulbs that have a natural light to them. They are available at most places you buy regular bulbs at. This will give the room the feeling that sunshine is pouring in. Another good idea is to burn candles. Even unscented ones are perfect in giving

the room a feeling of warmth and comfort that the sun would normally offer.

Speaking of candles, scented candles are a wonderful source of aromatherapy and can help freshen a room while your offering the additional light. Try to stick with one scent at a time though so the room doesn’t become overwhelming. The best scents for a room lacking in sunlight are light or citrusy scents that will help lighten the room’s atmosphere.

Mother Nature offers many types of naturally cleaning items.

Bringing these items of nature indoors is the best way to keep your space refreshed. Plants are perfect for any room and continuously clean the air for you.

Philodendrons, Spider plants, and Pothos were found to be the most efficient in the removal of formaldehyde. Gerbera Daisies and Chrysanthemums were found to be effective in the removal of benzene, a known carcinogen. You can check with your local greenhouse for more information about the types of plants that will work the best for you.

Gemstones and crystals have energetic vibrations that interact with the atmosphere in a room and are perfect for helping to create more positive energies. You can find decorative gemstones in any shape and size to fit the scheme of your room’s décor. You can also use smaller gemstones and put them in a decorative dish, or in planters with your plants.

Clear Quartz is a favorite general

stone that works well to balance energies.

You might want to check with your local New Age store to see what other recommendations they may have that are more specific for your situation.

Water fountains have multiple benefits in helping to keep a room fresh. The water helps hydrate the air, while the sound of a fountain running offers soothing water sounds for stress relief benefits. Water Fountains come is a broad variety of styles and sizes. You will be sure to find one that will match the dĂŠcor of the room perfectly.

Stubborn, negative energies call for more extensive measures to remove them. The easiest thing to do to completely refresh the energy in a room is to burn some Sage; it has cleansing properties in it that will replace negative energies with fresh energetic elements.

There are Sage candles, or even dried Sage in a fireproof container will work beautifully.

While you are doing this, meditate about positive feelings and imagine them filling out into the room. Nothing is more powerful than your own intentions.

One other idea I’ll leave you with is to consider getting a House Blessing. Blessing ceremonies abound in every religion and spiritual discipline. You can have someone come into your home for a House Blessing when no one is there, or you can be involved and make it a very special event for your family to be involved with.

I hope these ideas help you in your efforts of creating a heaven on earth for you and your family. If you would like more suggestions, or would like specific ideas for your particular circumstances, I would be more than happy to help you further.

Remember, There’s no place like home!

Written by John Conti. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com

Why Choose A Green Home?

5 Reasons Why To Make The Eco-Friendly Choice

As the world continues to realize the horrendous effects of global warming and pollution, many people are changing the way they live today so that it can have a positive impact tomorrow.

Green homes are slowly gaining much needed attention and popularity over the years. More and more people are getting concerned about proper living conditions and the potential health and financial benefits of green homes. Here we will go over just a few of those benefits in order to better inform people who are not completely familiar with this concept with the intention of encouraging them to move into one in the future.

1. Lowered Utility Bills in a Green Home One of the most noticeable differences of living in Green home is the significant reduction in utility bills such as water and electricity. These homes are also known as sustainable structures. This means that they have been constructed through a specific process comprising of resource efficient material that enhances a home's entire foundation.

2. Better Temperature Control Every room is properly insulated in order to keep the temperatures at normal levels.

These insulations prevent the air conditioning from working harder and longer in order to keep the house cool. In the same respect the insulations trap the heat during winters and help the gas or electric heaters to run optimally. This directly impacts utility bills and saves the occupants thousands of dollars over the year.

3. Cost Effective Use of Solar Power Another thing to note is that these homes also rely on readily available free solar energy to power up. They also store excess energy to be used at night. This makes them extremely cost efficient.

plants, these homes use waste water from dishwaters or washing machines for irrigation purposes for the garden or washing cars and toilets. Many homes come equipped with rainwater collectors which are used for similar purpose.

5. Improved Quality of Air Green homes are built to counter and block air impurities that can easily get inside homes. Modern HVAC designs come fully equipped with adequate ventilation and air filtration for all rooms of a home especially the isolated ones such as the kitchen. The materials and products used for constructing such homes have extremely low emission ratings. This translates to improve indoor air quality. Many traditional building materials emit toxic gases. Environment friendly homes avoid them completely because these gases are hazardous to health and can severely harm infants and little children.

No one can argue with a healthy home that saves its occupants money every month. A green home is essentially developing into a trend as more and more people make them their choice of residence. The sooner you move into one, the quicker you and your family can start utilizing its health and financial benefits.

4. Aids in Waste Reduction A Green home actively seeks to reduce waste of water, and other materials used during construction. Water is a basic need for every human being for consumption and other purposes around the household such as cleaning and gardening. In order to reduce the dependency on water treatment Written by Jason Maxwell. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com.

Products To Love In March I don’t know about you, but I’m getting to the age where I like my denim to be a certain way. I want it to fit without cutting off my circulation, and I want to look like a real grown up woman, not like I stole my 13 year old niece's jeans. Is that too much to ask? The GAP does not think so! I love their Long and Lean Jeans. They have the perfect fit and the come at a very reasonable price too! So do your self a favor ladies, put down the hip huggers with the one inch zipper (can we say muffin top?) and pick yourself up a pair that are fashion forward, comfortable and affordable to boot! Please click here for more information.

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Reviewed by Rural Jungle Testing

Get ready for some smooching! With St. Patricks Day right around the corner it’s time to show some green.

This Kiss Me I'm Irish t-shirt is 100% Fine Jersey Cotton. It come sin a vibrant Kelly Green and is a Juniors/Girly sized t-shirt. It has an adorable distressed image of lips and the text, "Kiss Me I'm Irish" printed on front. Please click here for more information.

Show your support of The American Red Cross this month with this Red Cross Vintage Medic Shoulder Bag. Made of stonewashed canvas material, this new & extremely stylish vintage style messenger bag will make an awesome fashion statement while showing your support of a valuable institution. Large main compartment with flaps and brown colored leather closing straps with metal buckle closure. Adjustable shoulder strap make this a very convenient handbag that can be worn messenger style over one shoulder. Please

click here for more information.

Products To Love In March As in The Irish Heritage Cookbook, Margret Johnson continues on her mission to inform Americans that contemporary Irish cooking means not just a rustic, stick-to-your-ribs Irish Stew with Brown Soda Bread, but also Green Tomato Tarte Tatin, as original and sophisticated as one found anywhere in Europe. The book reads like a tourist itinerary for hungry pub crawlers and shares history on favorite pubs and their famous and infamous patrons and proprietors.

Leigh Beish's full-page photos deliver elegant interpretations of humble pub grub like Bacon and Cabbage, and Ploughman's Lunch. So grab this book, your apron and get to whipping up an awesome culinary irish feast to impress everyone this St. Paddy’s Day! Please click here for more information.

Guys have we got something for you this St. Patricks day: The Kiss Me, I'm Irish Belt Buckle. Emblazoned with the lucky shamrock clover this awesome twist on traditional green clothing is perfect for St. Patrick's Day, March 17th. Made of detailed fine pewter and enamel color this is sure to catch the eye of that one lucky lady you want to steal a St. Pat’s kiss from. Made in the USA. Please click here for more information.

Go green with the new Brita Grand Green Filter Pitcher! The Brita Grand Green boasts the same features as the regular Brita Grand pitcher, but with a stylish green lid. Green in more ways than one, this Brita pitcher eliminates the need to buy costly bottled water that is often nothing more than filtered tap water. The Brita Grand Green filter pitcher allows you to have cold, filtered water on hand at all times. This Brita pitcher features a flip-top lid, soft grip handle, electronic filter change indicator, and will hold 10 8 oz. glasses of filtered water.

Please click here for more information.

City Spotlight

Phoenix, AZ Spending vacation time in Phoenix will give you access to a range of activities and interests you never knew existed; the area is full of great shops, restaurants, hotels and all the traditional things you'd expect to see in a tourist destination. You will also find a great deal more and to give you some ideas we've compiled the top five tourist day trip ideas for you and your family to enjoy.

The Desert Botanical Garden will introduce you to the desert flora and fauna in ways you have never imagined.

How many cacti are there do you think? A lot more than you know that's for sure and they grow into the most other worldly shapes and sizes too. The garden is located in the Papago Park and is open all year round and is itself a sought after venue for exhibitions and events of all shapes and sizes with music evenings, glass art, and dancing, drinking and dining forming just a small part of the annual event calendar.

Deer Valley Rock Art Center. Long before white settlers and Mexicans occupied the Valley of the Sun, ancient Native Americans farmed and worked the land and lived in the area going back thousands of years. The Deer Valley Rock Art Center provides access to the petroglyphs at Hedpeth Hills and will provide you with an insight into the lives of the original settlers through more than 1,500 works of rock art. The venue also hosts a variety of exhibitions and events so check the schedule for when you are planning to visit.

The Heard Museum is renowned as the home of the art and culture of the Indians of the Southwest with a huge collection of Kachina dolls, pottery, basketwork, textiles and jewelry exhibits. The museum is home to ten permanent exhibitions and includes outdoor displays to delight visitors of all ages with guided tours included in the admission prices and children under 12 are free.

Heritage Square Foundation. Take a trip back to the start of Phoenix's modern origins with eight lovingly restored houses centered on the showpiece of Rosson House. All of the restored buildings date back from the late 1800's when Phoenix was growing fast from a frontier town frequented by cowboys and mountain men. There are also a large number of museums, shops and restaurants to visit and enjoy a great day out living the life of one of the original settlers who founded this great city.

The Medical Museum. Dr Robert Kravetz put together the initial Medical Museum together and today it has grown to house hundreds of exhibits of medical mystery which is now housed in the lobby of the Phoenix Baptist Hospital. Medical instruments from the very early days of medicine are on show so visitors can see how a tooth was pulled over a hundred years ago or what the treatment for shingles was in the days when there were no drugs or modern day conveniences. The exhibition is open seven days a week and there is no charge for trying to convince your kids that medicine is the career option they should be choosing.

Written by Lawrence Reaves, courtesy of Articlesbase.com

Businesses That Make A Difference

At Gap Inc., social responsibility is fundamental to how we do business.

There, you'll find up-do-date information about our programs and activities in four key areas (supply

It means everything from ensuring that workers are treated fairly to addressing our environmental impact.

And it's now covered in depth on our new social responsibility website at www.gapinc.com/socialresponsibility.

What are we doing to be a responsible company?

We're working around the world to improve factory conditions and help women advance. We're designing more sustainable stores and products, and getting creative about protecting natural resources. We're continuing to

make Gap Inc. a company where people are proud to work and able to reach their career goals. We're investing in communities by applying business innovation to social challenges.

We've created a new social responsibility site.

We've shifted from a printed report to a website – it's more informative, timely, interactive and environmentally friendly.Â

chain, environment, employees and community investment), including videos, stories, detailed data, and a world map highlighting our work; there's even a section on the social and environmental initiatives of our individual brands: Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Piperlime and Athleta.

Check out www.gap.com to find out more.

Random Facts

This month's random fact covers that which covers our bodies: Laundry!

Laundry was first done in watercourses, letting the water carry away the materials which could cause stains and smells. Laundry is still done this way in some less industrialized areas and rural regions. Agitation helps remove the dirt, so the laundry is often rubbed, twisted, or slapped against flat rocks. Wooden bats or clubs could be used to help with beating the dirt out. These were often called washing beetles or bats and could be used by the waterside on a rock (a beetling-stone), on a block (battling-block), or on a board. They were once common across Europe and were also used by settlers in North America. Similar techniques have also been identified in Japan.

When no watercourses were available, laundry was done in water-tight vats or vessels. Sometimes large metal cauldrons were filled with fresh water and heated over a fire; boiling water was even more effective than cold in removing dirt. Wooden or stone scrubbing surfaces set up near a water supply or portable washboards, including factory-made corrugated metal ones, gradually replaced rocks as a surface for loosening soil.

Once clean, the clothes were wrung out - twisted to remove most of the water. Then they were hung up on poles or clotheslines to air dry, or sometimes just spread out on clean grass.

So the next time you start to complain about laundry day and the fact that you have to carry your clothes to the washed and dump them in, just remember it's worlds away from where it used to be! :)

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