Is it REALLY Rosewood? Why buy branded goods?

The saying is that a Rose by any other name would smell as sweet... I don't disbelieve it. What I do feel is that a brand name is a 'Value Added' feature. Goods from the same manufacturer are not necessarily the same as they are when produced for a particular brand. They may be made of different materials, to different scale, specification, or simply not to the same standard of care. When you buy branded goods you are buying peace of mind with the customer care that goes with it - mind you, I'm only talking about GOOD brands here! Unfortunately there are sellers on eBay who are listing goods under a brand name, and selling manufacturer's own name items as being the branded items. It seems they don't understand the difference? Some even show "List price" for the item they "appear" to be selling, to show the discount! If the manufacturer's own name was really as good a selling point, then shouldn't they use their own? Rosewood goods have their own badge and individual number on them - if it doesn't say Rosewood, then it isn't! This isn't the only abuse of a brand name going on on eBay; Sony, amongst others, is ripped off left, right and centre. Don't encourage these sellers to carry on doing this! It is the buyers who lose!When you buy goods CHECK the listing carefully - then check information about the seller. Is there anything that would lead you to wonder about the items? There's no point calling the customer care line for the product you THOUGHT you were buying, and there may not be one for the product you have actually bought.Not all companies yet understand the eBay VeRO program, which is a shame. This allows brand owners to register with eBay, and have all listings that are showing their name removed when it doesn't relate to their products. Until the brand owners are more pro-active some less educated (or less scrupulous) sellers will continue to sell incorrectly.Don't be caught by them!

Some thoughts on buying a man's suit on ebay

I absolutely agree that used suits are a terrific bargain as pointed out by one of my fellow guide writers. That said, I feel I should contribute some additional thoughts for the unitiated because there's nothing worse then shelling out your hard-earned cash and receiving an unwearable rag. With that in mind, the following are some random thoughts on buying used/preowned suits.1) Brand is a strong indicator of quality. However, there is a danger. Keep in mind that most designer brands are stratified. It's kind of like Banana Republic, Gap, and Old Navy, which are owned by the same folks yet sell goods at different price ranges. In the same way, Armani Collezioni, Armani Exchange, and Emporio Armani are all Armani, but they're not all Armani in the sense of peerless Italian quality. This is because the bulk of the latter two ranges are produced outside of Italy as a cost cutting measure. So before you go to buy an Armani suit, make sure it's from the top range and actually made in Italy. The reason is that the Italian made garment is likely to be vastly superior and the price will only be marginally higher on ebay than the lesser-made items. For Italy, you can confirm origin of manufacture by looking at the large (about 2x2), white, standardized label in the breast pocket which gives you all the information you need. Ask to see a picture of that tag to verify authenticity, dont trust a random tag that says made in italy.The same applies to lots of other designer houses. They're only going to employ top materials and workmanship with their flagship labels so do your homework by checking out their websites before bidding. 2) Higher thread count is desirable. But maybe not. If you are lured by high thread counts like Super 120 or above, be wary of the age of the suit, or the miles on the odometer so to speak. High thread counts are indeed soft and beautiful, but they also wear much faster than lower thread counts, which are coarser and more durable. Ask to see pictures of the crotch area of the trousers in order to inspect for wear. 3) You can always have it tailored to fit properly as long as you buy the right general size. Well, yes and no. To really get a suit to fit properly, it will have to be drastically altered pretty much no matter what because absolutely nobody is an off the rack size. More than likely, you will have to have the trousers , sleeves, and sides altered at the very least, if you're lucky. More than likely, you will also have to have the chest adjusted so that the back doesn't bunch up around the collar. All these alterations cost money and nowadays, skilled tailors are few and far between (at least in the USA, less so in Europe) which means said alterations could be expensive and will likely double the cost of the suit. If you live outside a major city in the United States, it may be all but impossible to find a tailor skilled enough to carry out the required work. Furthermore, some alterations are so expensive that nobody bothers. Those would be along the lines of adjusting the length of the suit, relining, or altering the shoulders. 4) Here's some stuff to look for (in no particular order) that denote a top quality suit. You won't see this often but it's usually a good sign you're on to a sweet item. Sleeve buttons that actually unbutton. Indicates the suit was probably custom made and thus of superior quality. No belt loops is also a strong indicator that the piece was bespoke. The brand of the fabric as a separate label placed next to the actual brand of the suit. Indicates they outsourced the fabric from a reputable textile manufacturer. A lapel that is dotted and indented on regular intervals with matching thread. That means it was assembled by hand, or the manufacturer bothered to give the impression that it was assembled by hand.A new suit with white thread holding the pockets shut, white thread where the buttons should go, and white thread around the shoulders. This particular suit will often be missing buttons. These are measures taken by high end producers to prevent wear and damage on their product. Normally, the store will remove the thread and add buttons after the customers makes their purchase.5) Every country makes a different kind of suit employed towards different ends. Now if youre going to wear the suit for weddings and funerals, then I dont suppose it matters where the suit is from given that it will be subjected to light use. However, if youre going to wear the suit for work, I personally would not buy an Italian suit. Italian suits are beautiful, but that beauty comes at a price in terms of delicate fabrics and lack of structure. They wont hold up to the daily grind in my opinion (countless others would beg to differ, Im sure). English made suits are far tougher and designed to endure the abuse of daily wear. Keep in mind that the English invented the modern suit and have a pragmatic conception of its place in their wardrobe. Yes, German, Italian, and French companies abound with great looking suits, but Ive always felt that their pieces lack a tradition of hardiness. Moreover, each country employs a slightly different cut. In other words, the garment simply fits a certain body type better than others due to its inherent architecture. Zegna for instance, makes suits that best fit middle-aged men (of Europe). Brooks Brothers is for middle-aged men too (of the USA). Hugo Boss is for skinny folks. Take a field trip to your local department tore and try out different brands to get a feel for their house cut. It shouldnt take long to find a brand that fits comfortably on your frame. Admittedly, buying anything on ebay can be a roll of the dice. In my mind, great bargains are had alongside utter lemons, its just the nature of this world. Hopefully, the tips Ive given will steer you in the right direction and reduce the risk to a reasonable level.All right, best of luck on buying your ebay suit! May it fit perfectly straight out of the box!

Help Ebay combat the pirate dvd scammers !

First of all let me just say yes I have been subject to scammers who make out they are selling genuine dvds :o(

Pointers :

1.NEVERBUY if you are in doubt ! If we don't buy the seller is out of business !

2. Report the seller to ebay staff found on the help pages !

3. Ask advice from other sellers if you are unsure use the link saying ask seller a question.

4. If you are buying a disney etc check that the item carries a hologram.

These are just a few tips but remember ebay is full of non authentic items, Never accept it !!! It is illegal and you have the right to a full refund REPORT REPORT REPORT THEM !

They will be banned from ebay !

Sorry if this has been posted before but I have lost out for the last time !

Lets fight piracy !

Merry Xmas all !!!

Choosing a Reading that is Right for You

The Purpose of a Reading

Readings are often seen as just a bit of entertainment and Tarot parties are becoming more and more popular. There is certainly nothing wrong with enjoying a good reading however they are also an excellent tool for analysis, especially if we are too close to a situation ourselves.

More often than not, a reader will only tell us what we already know, whether consciously or unconsciously, and it is this confirmation what allows us to move on and deal with what life has dealt us! However, a reading will not always make sense at the time and may seem totally unrelated to us and our situation. From personal experience I have found that even after re-doing a reading two or three times in this case,the information from the cards is the same every time. This is a case of either the readee not being prepared to accept the truth of a situation orthat the message from the cards is 'lost in translation'.

Telling the future is not an exact science and time does not exist in linear fashion in other planes of existence as it does here on Earth. Besides, we live neither in the past or the future we exist only in the present. Our present actions create our future and a reading can identify patterns of behaviour and give us guidance as to what situations we are drawing to ourselves. If we dont like what we see we can change it. The future is not written in stone and sometimes a good reading is one that doesnt come true!

Tarot

Perhaps the best known form of divination they are perfect for looking at many situations at once and in detail. They pull no punches though they are not necessarily as direct as Runes.

Angel Cards

Angel cards are best used for looking at emotional issues and for healing. They are much gentler than Tarot cards and are always positive in the messages they give.

They are not especially good for looking into the future but are more concerned with the present condition. They give a good overview of a situation and can be used to identify an issue which can then be looked at in more detail using the Tarot.

Crystal Gazing

A very intuitive form of divination, crystal gazing allows for a lot of information to come through in a very fluid way so can need some sorting by the reader to put in a form which can then be understood.

Often the information that comes through is in symbolic form. Though clear quartz is the most common form of crystal used, different crystals can be used for different types of question.

Egyptian Runes

These always answer that which is in the heart of the questioner, even though it is often not the question asked. If you truly want to get to the heart of the matter, these are a very good tool to chose.

Pyromancy

This is perhaps one of the oldest forms of divination yet is rarely used these days. Like crystal gazing, Pyromancy is a very intuitive form of divination.

Choosing a Reader

It is important to use your intuition when choosing a reader. This is not necessarily because one reader is better or worse than the other but simply so that you choose someone who is able to connect to you.

Some readers do not ask for any personal information others do. They ask for this information so that they can connect with the person they are reading for. It is about sensing your energies, connecting with your angels or spirit guides so that they can gain information which is relevant to you at this time and for your highest good.

All readers have their own methods. Some read cards literally, others use them as a focusing tool to access higher information and others can tap into the information and do not need to use any form of tool at all (the traditional psychic medium). Some readers focus on telling the future while others try to interpret what they see. Some use pattern breaking techniques which look at the possible outcome and then advise who this can be achieved or changed.

None of these methods are better than the other, but it is important you consider these so you can use a reader who is right for you and the type of question you have at this time.

Exchanging Tesco Vouchers for Clubcard Deals

I have noticed that most of the listings for Tesco Vouchers are stating that the seller will convert them and forward them to the buyer.

THIS IS NOT ESSENTIAL.

ANYBODY can enter the tesco voucher number when applying for the Clubcard Deal. This will then allow the Deal tokens to be sent directly to the applicant and in their name (in some circumstances).

You should also be aware that the Tesco Vouchers have an expiry date on them. Make sure that you ask the seller what this date is.

My friends and I have been combining our vouchers together for a long time now and when we have a substantial amount I make the application for the Deal tokens.

Fake Ebay E Mails - How To Avoid ??

As a ebay member you should expect to be targetted by hackers. Most usual way is through bogus emails which looks like they are from ebay but in fact they are not. Some hackers can even programas good that the messages seems to be received from ebay's servers and return address is a genuion ebay email address but they are not from ebay.

Most commonly in these emails you'll be either get a threat like your account is suspended , some has opened a dispute against you and so on.

The very first thing you can find out if it is a fake email is it will not contain your name. Alloriginal ebay emails starts from[eBay sent this message to Your Name (your ebay id)]. Fake emails will start with same line but instead of your name it will only say[ebay sent this message to You]. They will not have you name in it. But still you have to be very conscious there. If your email address is part of a mailing list of hackers it will not have you name, but if some one is personally trying to break in to your ebay account you may find your name and ebay id in email.

The purpose of these emails is to make you surprise and force you to quickly act upon them. They will all have link for you to log in to your ebay account. But in fact when you click such a button in email it takes you to a site which looks same as ebay but it's not ebay's web site. Once you enter your ebay id and password the hackers will have these details open to them which they can use to log in to your account and do what ever they want.

How To Avoid?

Most of the time you'll know straight away that email is bogus because it doesn't contain your name and ebay id.

Make your habit not toact uponemails even if they are from ebay. Always open anew browser window and go to ebay website. Log In,you will find any task need your action.

Whensome body asks question about your item, if you are replyingusing your email software/website, it will contain originalemail in reply which has your name in it. Delete this part of message or better you open ebay website in new browser window and use ebay's message service to reply.

Set your email servers security bit higher for spam, butalways keep aneye on yourspam email folder as it will some timescatch some original and necessary emails.

Mamas

For all new mums and dads out there or expectant mums and dads - I would just like to let you know what happened to us when we bought a Mamas and Papas Primo Viaggio Car Seat for a newborn. We bought our seat five months before our baby was born, and when we started to use it we noticed that our baby was flopping forward a little bit, but as new borns don't move around that much, we thought maybe it was the way our baby was lieing. After a month or so it became clear that the seat really was suitable for our baby, he was flopping forward, and the car seat was potentially dangerous if we were in an accident as our babies neck would have been injured or even broken, if he was pushed forward. I contacted Mamas and Papas about this problem and advised them that I was very concerned about what could potentially happen to our baby should we be involved in an accident. They said my purchase was out of guarantee because I had at that point had the item more than six months, and that their car seats met the European Safety Standards, and didn't appear thatinterested in the fact that my baby had been put at risk of serious injury.

I bought a new car seat for my baby, and would notrecommend Mamas and Papas,they charge a lot of money for their goods, which gives the impression that you are purchasinga quality safe item, but I would not class the Primo Viaggio car seat as a quality safe item - in fact I would not advise any parent to put their child into one. I also foundother customers on review websites whoalso had the same problems with the Primo Viaggio car seat- they also ended up having to buy new car seats, with no help or feedback from Mamas and Papas.

Buying a skateboard.

You need the foolowing items for a skateboard:

Decks

Obviously you need one, but the question is, which one is right for you? Well, you have many options. Size should definitely be taken into consideration when making your selection. Before you make that decision, determine what type of riding you do, or plan on doing. This is important. If you skate streets or do more technical tricks, you're going to want to look for a board in the size range of a 7.5" to 7.87". If you mostly skate pools and parks with heavy transitions, then you may want to consider looking for a board in the size range of 7.87" to 8.25". You also have to take into consideration you own size. If you are 5 feet tall, and weigh 80 pounds, you are not going to want an 8" deck. The deck will be hard to do flip tricks on. This scenario can also be reversed. Don't purchase something too small for you. Many manufactures have a specific concave for their deck shapes. Concave is basically the mold or the press that shapes skateboard decks. Predetermined steeepness on the nose and tail, along with the body of the deck can be deep, mellow or anywhere in between. This again reflects personal preference and experience. The graphic also may be an influence in your deck decision. Be sure not to base it all on the graphic because you may become frustrated skating if you get a board that is not sized right for you.
Trucks

You need two to ride. Trucks are fairly easy to choose when it comes to size. There are numerous brands and that choice is yours. Generally the axle width on the truck should be within 1/4" of the deck width. The height of the truck is also a key when selecting what trucks are right for you. The reason you would want to choose a higher truck is based upon your style of riding and selection of wheels (see step 3). Once you start selecting wheels over 56mm, you should consider purchasing high trucks. High trucks allow more clearance from the bottom of your board to the surface of the wheel. "Wheelbite" is something you definitely want to avoid. This is when a wheel comes into contact with the board stopping you dead in your tracks, most likely resulting in a painful digger.
Wheels

Roll with four. Skate Warehouse sells wheels in sets so this is more or less predetermined for you. You now need to decide what brand, graphic, size and durometer is right for you. Your selection of size is the most important. Smaller wheels are generally for more technical and street skating, where as larger wheels will ride better when skating parks and bowls or terrain with heavier transitions. The durometer of the wheel is a numerical value allowing you to determine whether the wheel is softer or harder. Most wheels are in the range of 97a to 99a. Basically the smaller the number, the softer, the larger, the harder. Larger wheels are generally a bit softer. Dual durometer is just what it means. There are two durometers for the wheel. The core is harder, while the outside surface area is softer. There are a couple reasons why. First, the internal area is called the "bearing seat" and by making this area harder, it protects the bearing from crushing or losing its shield. Bearings don't usually crush, but it is an option that some wheel manufacturers pass along to skateboarders. It's also good to point out that softer urethane generally slower than harder urethane. Depending on the durometer, it may make a huge difference or it might not make any difference at all. Cored wheels can also be lighter than a standard urethane wheel depending on the core construction.
Bearings

Bearings are sold in sets of 8, 2 for each wheel. Bearings are what actually allow you to have some movement. Obviously you need all the parts, but without bearings you won't roll. Two Bearings sit inside each wheel, and then each wheel is placed on the truck axle. Tighten the axle nuts and you're ready to go.
Grip tape

One 9" x 33" sheet of self-adhesive grainy grit is all you need. You have choices, but essentially it's all the same. Griptape is applied to the surface of the deck that you will be placing your feet on.
Risers

Risers are sold in pairs, but they are optional. Skate Warehouse includes risers into the cost of your complete, but you have the option to apply them to assembly or not. Risers are anywhere from 1/8" to 1/2" thick and their function is to give you more clearance between the bottom of the board and surface of the wheel. This again helps to prevent "wheelbite".
Hardware

Hardware is sold in a set of 8 bolts and 8 nuts. Hardware allows you to connect your deck to your trucks. Skate Warehouse has a large selection of sizes and brands. The choice is yours.

WARNING - Space Moon Rocket Memorabilia

Don't even think about buying/bidding on supposed 'Space Artifacts/Memorabilia' - IT IS ALL FAKE!

NASA have never given away/sold moondust, spacesuits,heatshields, rocket debris etc and yet you will see numerous items on ebay purporting to be the 'genuine article'.

The unscrupulous Traders that sell these items certainlyproduce an impressive looking product...but in reality you're paying hundreds, even thousands of pounds for a scam.

That moondust that you're thinking of bidding 150 for comes from someones back garden, the heatshield is an emergency heat blanket...and that small patch of spacesuit is just an old rag.

If in any doubt, email NASA and they will confirm this to you...I have informed Ebay on numerous occasions of these scammers, but still there products are listed and no action has been taken.

Too Good To Be True?

How many times have we seen a designer or hard-to-come-by item listed at a ludicrously low price? Plenty. You check the image of the item and it looks great. Hmm - maybe too great.Many people selling fake designer goods use images stolen from the designer or store's official website to advertise their fakes. Victims regularly include Tiffany, Abercrombie

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Opening an eBay Shop

eBay has three levels of shop, Basic, Featured and Anchor. This post considers the benefits of an eBay shop and compares the different packages.Reasons to get an eBay ShopAn eBay shop is a very cost effective way of having an online store with an integrated payment solution (PayPal) and (semi) guaranteed traffic. It is your foothold on the internet and a place where your customers can see all the items you have for sale and make additional purchases. The benefits of a shop (all subscription levels) are as follows:One place (unique URL) where all your items can be viewed and searchedCustom pages where you can tell your customers more about your productsCustomised web address. e.g.http://stores.eBay.co.uk/auctioning4u Promotion boxes for advertising products and special offersShop categories - organise your products into up to 300 categoriesCustomisation - brand the store with your logo and look and feelAccess to eBay store inventory format - cheap, long duration listingsPicture hostingPromotion when eBayers search for items in the related shop's linkCross-promotion boxes on your listingsEmail marketingPromotional materials (leaflets, business cards etc)Search engine keyword specification - specify the keywords for your shop to enable your shop to be found by the search enginesListing feeds - the shop inventory items are automatically submitted to Froogle - Google's shopping comparison engineTraffic reports. Track where how your customers find your itemsBasic eBay Shop - 6 per monthThis level is sufficient for most sellers, I would recommend it for all serious eBay sellers as it give you a foothold on eBay and the internet in general and allows you to list in shop inventory format - a great way to upsell to customers. The basic shop has all the benefits discussed above, with the following salient features:5 Custom pagesFree email marketing (100/month)Basic Omniture traffic reports1MB picture hostingFeatured eBay Shop - 30 per monthIf you are a high volume eBay seller then the extras available at this level make it worth considering. Furthermore if you add up all the extras you get with the subscription, it does not cost that much more.Free Sales Manager ProFree Sales Reports PlusBetter Placement in the Shops DirectoryMore in Depth Omniture Statistics (Traffic Reports)1000 emails per month10 Custom Shop pagesOption of Minimal eBay Header StyleIf you make use of Seller manager Pro (4.99/mth) and Sales Reports plus (3.00/mth) along with the 6.00 youd pay anyway for a basic shop then a Featured shop will only cost you an additional 16.01/mth and that is after VAT.Anchor eBay Shop - 300 per monthIf you are top eBay seller, you could consider an eBay anchor shop. The additional benefits are:-15 Custom Shop PagesShowcase Placement of your logo in Shops Directory Pages (http://stores.ebay.co.uk )More Free eMail Marketing (4000/mth)50MB picture hostingPretty expensive for what you get in my opinion. I once talked to someone from eBay who could not give me a decent answer for why anyone would want one.Full details of the subscription levels can be found herehttp://pages.ebay.co.uk/storefronts/subscriptions.html Choosing Your levelWhich ever level of shop you choose budget it against your sales and the number of listings you have on the site.If you make 30 sales a month then a Basic shop will cost you 6.00/30 = 20p per saleIf you make 200 sales a month then a Featured shop will cost you 30.00/200 = 15p per saleIf you make 5000 sales a month then an Anchor shop will cost you 300.00/5000 = 6p per saleCheck your margins, work out the cost of your shop averaged across your sales, and decide whats an affordable cost for your business. Whilst the a featured shop is pretty cheap and therefore not really worth analysing in terms of sales, an anchor shop is a servious invesment by comparision. I would recommend trialing one for a month and seeing if it makes a difference to your eBay vital statistics.Do not make the mistake of thinking that paying for the most expensive shop will increase your sales significantly. If you have the money you can analyse you sales to see if changing to an anchor shop makes any difference, but the decision should be simply on performance and not based on an assumption that more expensive is better.If you found this guide useful please vote YES below to show your appreciation. Thanks!This Guide was written by Hello Baby - Please visit theHello Baby eBay Store

Boosting eBay sales through guides, reviews and Squidoo

eBay sellers want to drive traffic to their listings and make sales and everyone wants to be loved!Some new developments on the web and eBay may enable eBay sellers to combine these two aspirations. eBay has recently launched its reviews and guides section allowing its members to write articles about subjects of their choice. Another service, Squidoo, encourages people to create pages which show off their knowledge about a subject.Who are these services useful to?These services have the potential to be useful to all professional eBay sellers but I would suggest that they are most relevant to people selling collectible items, with an identifiable community for example collectable toy cars or records. Here are some suggestions as to how these services could be used:Collector. Squidoo Lenses on your specific subject and guides to purchasing itemsElectronics retailer. Buying guides and (profiles) reviews of specific itemsCD retailer. Reviews of titlesHow these services can help you increase salesDrive traffic to your salesQuite simply, any content you create which is external to your listings can act to drive traffic and has the potential to increase sales. This is true for both internal and external searches:Internal search within the subject area (the user searches within eBay reviews or Squidoo, reads your content and then clicks through to your sales)Search engine optimisation. Extra content on the web, especially on high pagerank sites will be picked up by the search engines, driving traffic to your salesIncrease trust, build your reputation (brand)eBay was built upon its community and these services act to strengthen that community. If people read something that has been written by you on a particular subject and find that article informative, they are more likely to view you as a reputable seller and purchase your items. You can use your guides to build your reputation (brand), complementing your feedback score. In the increasingly Long Tail of products, your reviews and guides act as filters, enabling customers to find the products right for them.The serviceseBay reviews and guideseBay guides allow sellers to contribute their wisdom to the eBay community. The articles can be linked to pages within eBay, allowing you to promote you products or shop.Writing a good guideI would recommend writing a guide which is relevant to your products, put not a blatant sales pitch. For example, if you sell digital cameras you could write a review on what to look for when buying in a digital camera.Consider a guide to be like a corporate white paper, it should contain useful information, with a reference to the individual who wrote it. Keep it short and sweet, no more than 5 pages of printed A4s worth and two is often enough. Remember that you can link guides together to improve the reading experience. Here is a suggested structure for a guide:Summary. A brief summary of the articleEstablish the problem which the article addressesEstablish the generic solution to the problemEstablish your specific approach to the problemGive suggestions for next stepsBrief profile of the writer with links to your eBay shop and about me pageIt is also important to include a sentence at the bottom of your eBay guide politely asking the reader to vote for your guide. This way the guide has a better chance of climbing up the rankings.SquidooSquidoo is a service which allows people to set up pages (called lenses) which act as a starting point for learning about a subject. Users can choose the content which they wish to appear on this page, for example link lists and amazon books. The idea is to provide a useful resource to browsers and persuade them to click through to your products.Writing a good Squidoo LenseI suggest including the following information in your squidoo lenseLinks useful to your customers - perhaps to eBay guides which you have written!Latest news regarding your productsAmazon books relevant to your productsLinks to your eBay productsItems from you blog if you have oneIf you found this guide useful please vote YES below to show your appreciation. Thanks!This Guide was written by Hello Baby - Please visit theHello Baby eBay Store

Herbs and their Magick properties - part 1

A Acacia : Protection, Psychic Powers, Money and Love SpellsAdam

Homemade Foam Modelling Putty

Foam Putty is the latest kids craze. It is a modelling material containing small foam lumps, for added texture. Foam putty can be used to cover many items, and once dried it sets in place.

The top brand of foam putty, which I'm sure you will have heard of, is rather expensive. Especially since it can be made cheaply at home.

So, here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:1-Tsp. Borax (available in laundry aisle at your grocery store)**-Cup Water (Tap water is fine)-Cup White Glue -Cup Water (Tap water is fine)1-Zip Lock Bag (1 qt. Bag is best)Food Coloring (Optional- but kids like colors) Styrofoam Beads (about 26 oz. for above)

DIRECTIONS 1. Dissolve 1-Tsp. Borax Completely in -cup (4 oz.) water. 2. In a separate bowl mix -cup (2 oz.) white glue and -cup (2 oz.) water. (1/2 cup each=1 cup of slime). Add a couple of drops of food coloring of your choice to this solution. 3. Pour the glue solution into a zip lock bag. Then add 1-Tbsp. of the Borax/water solution to the glue solution (Another recipe says add the whole borax/water mix, so see what's best!. At this point you will think that this stuff will never come out of this bag. 4. Add Styrofoam Beads to the mixture. These beads can usually be found at any craft store. 5. Seal bag and knead by hand until thoroughly mixed. Let stand about 15 minutes, and then knead by hand again. Take out of bag when the gel separates easily from the inside bag walls. It will have the consistency of dough.

barbie magic of pegasus collection

I would like to voice my opinions on this collection as i hate to see people being ripped off on EBAY. The magic wings from this collection i have seen on here for 15 in the shops i have seen them for only 5.99 and in Toys R Us they are only 7.49 and the dolls from this collection are only 6.99 for queen rayla and the guy Aiden i have seen for 2.99.

The shiver and brietta cuddly toys are in a shop near where i live in the north east for 2.99 just wanted to make ppl aware of this.

WHY Olive Oil Soaps

Olive OilOlive oil is known as one of the most benefitial oils for the human health. Eating olive oil has been found to reduce the incidence of cancer, reduce blood pressure, aid digestion, and delay the aging process of our organs and tissues. Olive oil plays an important role in the development of our brain with its abundance of Vitamin E. Diets rich in olive oils are common to the world's longest-living populations.Olive Oil contains both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are important in preventing cardiovascular disease and are particularly high in oily fish such as salmon and flax seed oil.Olive Oil SoapsOlive oil is also benefitial for the skin health. Skin and hair cleansed with olive oil soap retain moisture, resilience, suppleness and brightness. Dermatologists everywhere recommend olive oil soaps for dry and sensitive skin. Olive oil soaps are gentle for the skin and also have a moisturising effect.Olive oil soaps created with high quality olive oil (virgin or even better extra virgin olive oil) are the most benefitial for the skin health. Handmade extra virgin olive oil soaps enriched with essential oils are the best olive oil soaps. Try olive oil soaps and give your skin a treat!

SELLING VINTAGE SHOES on ebay

This guide if for those who are interested inselling second hand or vintage shoes and want some handytips. Some of the tips will apply to selling new shoes too.

The photograph you submit is your shop window. Some shoes and boots look better when modelled, others look great without, so experiment. Good lighting and a plain background really helps. You can get a good shot by putting on the shoes, lying down indoors and shooting your feet against a white ceiling!
Do make sure if you are having the shoes modelled that the feet are the right size for the shoes, CLEAN! and with a good pedicure. The sight of varicose veins and hard skin ain't gonna get buyers racing to buy your wares.
Make sure the shoes you are selling are clean and polished. A little silicone spray will give them an instant face lift. No one wants to see chewing gum or worse on the soles so take the trouble to clean them too.
Be honest in your description about the condition - used shoes for example often have marks on the heels which I like to call 'glitches'. 'Worn out' should mean 'have been worn outside' not ' completely knackered' so choose your terminology with care!
Re-heeling shoes can be very expensive so don't evenbother listing an average pair if they need this doing, as the new owner isn't likely to want the expense (except for a pair of Jimmy Choos perhaps!)
List the manufacturer in the title. The name may not mean a thing to you, but people will be searching by label and will be prepared topay several times more for a designer brand in good condition.
Don't forget to list the width measurement across the ball and the inside length too. Advise customers to measure a similar styled pair that fits them to determine the fit. Even so, you may wish to mention in your terms that you can't guarantee correct fit and think about your returns policy.
In photos, folkwant to see the front view, a side view showing the profile and a shot of the heels (front and side can be in a single frame to save money on the listing).
Sticky price labels inside or on solesshould be removed by peeling off slowly, or try putting a hairdryer on them to loosen the adhesive.
One way to brighten up shoes for the photo is to insert some coloured tissue paper into the toes - it makes them look well cared for too. Ifthe shoesare a bit shapeless, try putting shoe trees in overnight before photographing (remove before you take the shots).
Try and advertise the shoes as boxed. The shoe box need not be the original (state if it isn't though) and it will make the shoes look far better presented.
Wipe inside the shoes with an antisepticbaby wipe or similar if you are concerned about hygiene and odours.
Give UK, EU and US sizing where possible.
Be aware of suspicious correspondance from people posing as would-be buyers but who arefoot fetishist. They tend to ask for several shots of ladies high heels being modelled.
If the shoes have leather soles, do mention this in the ad - cheap shoes usually have synthetic soles so this can be a good indicator of quality.
Ladies court shoes look fabulous when modelled with seamed stockings. It's worth keeping a pair for the purpose.
Finally, when you have prepared your ad, take a look at the preview. Think 'would I buy these shoes, based on this ad?' If the answer is 'Yes, possibly' then you may be onto a winner!

Thanks for reading this. I do hope you will click on the yes box below to increase my overall rating. Likewise, if you read my other reviews.

from Dressing-2-Kill

HDTV Jargon Buster!

Need help with understanding HDTV's? Here is a little thing to help you.

HDMI:

High Definition Multimedia Interface: a digital connection that carries video and audio signals from HDMI-equipped DVD player to a TV/Projector. Better than DVI-D.

Component:

An analogue connection superior to RGB Scart, S-Video or composite. Consists of three coloured leads (red, green and blue).

Progressive Scan:

Delivers images in one hit, as opposed to interlanced, which staggers the information in alternate line. Results in the smooth, flicker-free picture.

Video Scaling:

Boosting a video signal to match the resolution of a display. Some budget DCD players can scale a standard DVD picture (576 lines of info) to 770p or 1080i. Some high-end models can manage 1080p.

HD DVD:

High Definition Digital Versatile Disc. Next gen, hi-def DVD format and rival to Blu-Ray. HD DVD's are made using a similar production process to standard DVD's and discs currently have 30GB max capacity.

Beware of different BMW pannier types

Panniers for 1150 Boxers come in two variations. Panniers for the RT, RS and S models are symmetricalwhilst those for the GS and R models have left sided panniers with a scooped out section for the exhaust. The right pannier is the same for all models.

4GB MP4/MP3 Ipod Style Players From Hong Kong/Far East

This is just a warning to anyone buying one of these players, if it claims to be any more than 2GB then the firmware has been altered to make the hard drive of the player look bigger than it is!I purchased 3 of these players from different sellers and all 3 show as 4GB, the trouble starts when you try to put more files on over the actual memory of the player. Of the three I purchased one is 2GB and the other two are only 1GB, you will get error messages on any files you try to put on the MP4 over the size even though it claims to have more memory.Dont get me wrong I think there great little gadgets, watching movies, listening to MP3 and most of them have at least 1 game and a built in radio...but dont pay for the extra memory as all your doing is paying for something thats not there!

IPOD MP3 MAINTENANCE, UPGRADES AND ACCESSORIES ADVICE

here is some advice on getting the most out of your ipod.

1) ditch the original headphones... the new headphones are terrible, and bring dwon the ipod's potential... invest in a pair of in-ear or wireless headphones. the sennheiser cx-3000's and etymotic er6s come highly recommended.

2) NEVER buy an ipod cassette adapter... they always make loads of noise in the player... you can't beat an itrip i'm afraid.

3) Return your ipod towards the end of its warranty to get a new battery. I find my battery life at the end of a year's heavy use is suffering, so apple will replace it without any quams.

4) Buy an ipod radio adapter... it makes all the difference in terms of functionability.

5) get a good arm/wrist carrier for sport, holding your ipod in your hand is a bit restrictive.

Barbie 12 Dancing Princesses Dressing Up Dress

Before bidding on EBAY for these dressing up outfits please be aware that you can purchase one in WOOLWORTHS for 20, Im not too sure if it is part of the deal buy one get one half price but i have looked at them and they are the same as the ones selling on here for around 30 they light up just the same and have all the accessories. I hope this helps some of you i hate to see ppl paying more than they need to.

DORA MAGIC CASTLE

Don't get me wrong I LOVE ebay but I do hate to see people pay too much for items that are readily available elsewhere. I have just bought my daughter a Dora magic castle WITH 2 sets of furniture included from Argos for 39.99. The castle itself is going for much more than this and the furniture sets which you can get from toy r us for 9.99 are going for up to 20. Christmas is expensive don't get ripped off. Rare collectors stuff I can understand paying over the odds, but sellers please don't treat us like dummies!!

How to use binoculars?

Our left eye and right eye can be different in their vision and focusing strength. Therefore, to use binoculars properly, we must compensate for such a difference, and centre-focusing binoculars have an adjustment mechanism to achieve this. You can find that all the binoculars listed in my eBay Shop (Longview UK) have one eyepiece (usually the one on the right-hand side) which is independently adjustable with a marked scale.

To adjust binoculars, first, use a lens cover or your hand to cover the right objective lens which is on the same side as the adjustable eyepiece (note: better to keep both eyes open to avoid distortion by squinting). Look through the binoculars and use the central focusing mechanism to focus on a distant object until it is sharp and clear.

Second, transfer the lens cover to the other lens on the left, again with both eyes open, but this time adjust the focus on the same object using the adjustable eyepiece only, until it is clear. Your binoculars are now properly focused for your use. Adjust the distance between the two eyepieces so that they in the centres of your eyes (i.e.,when thetwo cycles merge into one). You can now use the central focusing mechanism to focus on objects at different distances, but you should keep the adjustable eyepiece at the same focus setting unless it is accidentally moved or the binoculars have been used by someone else.

A wide selection of binoculars are now available at http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Longview-UK.

UKlongview