Halloween is almost here!

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If you are a creative person and like etched glassware there are certain important tips that will help you to accomplish the same in this regard. There are a lot of things and designs available on the internet that you can use for in order to get that perfect creative mind of yours working.

​There are different chemicals which are available in the market, but for etching glassware you need to use glass-friendly chemicals and etching tools which can make your glassware look memorable. 

The Things That You Will Need to Get Customized Etched Glassware:

• One of your old shirts that has long sleeves and a pair of plastic gloves
• Etching cream that can be easily availed from any craft store
• Masking tape is an essential tool that you will need in your whole project
• The glassware that you choose to etch on
• Paper towels to keep the area clean and care for other such matters
• A paintbrush that is disposable
• Access to water nearby in your home or office wherever you plan on etching the glassware

Mentioned Below Are Some of the Tips That Will Help You:

• Make sure that you are working in a well ventilated area and that your hands and sleeves are completely covered and provide you the needed protection.
• First of all, make sure that you have thoroughly cleaned your glassware. The glassware that you choose for your first project need not be expensive, because it will be a trial and error project for you as you will be learning this skill as you go.
• Start from the top of the glassware and apply the masking tape strips from the top. Then once you apply the masking tape you need to rub the tape harder so that there's no etching cream seeping under it. There are tumbler glasses, glasses with long stems and short pint glasses. The quality of the brush and the etching cream should be such that the strokes can be etched fully on the stem or on the body of the glass. 

The Quality of the Etching Cream Should Be Good and It Should Not Spill On the Glassware:

• You need to remember that the etching cream will etch the glass where you apply it and so make sure that there is no seeping because then it can spoil your whole project.
• However, if there is any cream spilled on the glassware then you need it immediately make use of the paper towel and clean it. Once you complete the application of the etching cream carefully then follow the directions given and allow the cream to set for the given time.
• Make sure to use soap and water to wash it and even if you feel that your design looks like it is disappeared you need not panic. The glassware needs to be dry for you to clearly see the design.

These are some of the simplest tips by which you can accomplish your goal of gifting to your loved ones. If you are sure about the design and name you want to have then you can start the project immediately.

However, if you are thinking to gift the etched glassware to your special someone then think for a while and consider the various things that you can do with this and only then start the work. Etched glassware is the best item that you can gift to someone, for the birthdays, anniversaries and for the wedding ceremonies. This glassware is also ideal for corporate branding and gifting, especially if you have the business perspective in mind.

About the Author:
Joseph Webb is an excellent blogger and philosopher. His keen observation and passion for writing helps him produce informative blogs, which readers find interesting.
Follow him on Twitter, Google+ and Facebook.

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I've lived in Oklahoma almost 10 years now. If you plan to travel to Oklahoma, but don’t want to do the usual touristy stuff, there are a lot of things that are unique to this state. Here are five of them:

Storm Chasing
Oklahoma is in an area known as “Tornado Alley” and ranks second for total number of tornadoes per year. People are curious about tornadoes and the adventurous have sought them out. So storm chasing tours have become popular, so popular that they are sold out and only taking bookings for the following year.

What happens on a storm chasing tour is that the hosts will analyze the weather patterns and determine the best place of a tornado happening. The guests depart in the tour vans and ride to the designated area. They’ll experience lightning shows, storm fronts, and possible tornado sightings. Tornado sightings are not always guaranteed, but they ensure that you’ll have a great experience.

Noodling
Noodling, or Hillbilly handfishing as it’s known, is “fishing” for catfish using only your bare hands. It’s so popular that there’s even an annual Noodling Festival in Paul’s Valley.

Basically a noodler goes underwater and places his hand inside a discovered catfish hole. The catfish will latch onto the fisherman's hand as it tries to escape the hole. If the fish is particularly large, the noodler can hook the hand around its gills. There’s a spotter that will help bring the fish up to the boat or to shore.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
In Oklahoma City is the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. A large unique museum dedicated to preserving the history and cultures of the American West.

They have a large collection of art, artifacts and archival materials ranging from cowboy life, native American life, paintings, sculptures, a firearm collection, a rodeo display, a frontier town, children’s corral and interactive play area, and a display of western performers from television and movies.

Museum of Osteology & Skulls Unlimited
While still in Oklahoma City, you should check out the Museum of Osteology and its large display of over 300 skeletons. Skeletons ranging from tiny mice and shrews to a 40-foot humpback whale.

​From comparative anatomy to classification to adaptation and locomotion visitors can compare and contrast many rare species such as primates, reptiles, marsupials, and Oklahoma wildlife. But, there are no dinosaur skeletons, leave that to the regular museums.

Mount Olivet Cemetery
Travel to Hugo in Southeast Oklahoma and visit the special Mount Olivet Cemetery. This cemetery is home to “Showman’s Rest” and “Bull Rider’s Reprieve”.

​Here you’ll find the final resting place for a variety of circus performers. This section is bordered by sculpted tusked elephants on granite pedestals and each grave colorfully designed to show the personality and trade the performer.

​There’s also a section dedicated to late Bull riders such as Todd “Daddy" Whatley, 3-time World Champion and the first “all around” champion; "Freckles" Brown who was the only cowboy to successfully ride the “unbeatable” bull named Tornado; and Lane Frost, a bull rider featured in the movie “8 seconds”.


Oklahoma has so much to see and do for all ages but be sure to add these exciting stops to your itinerary.

​A vacation is perfect way to escape the routine, recharge your battery and have some fun. Planning time away from your home and pets can be time-consuming, stressful and expensive if not done right. Because vacations happen on a timeline, and are often costly, saving money and time in your pre-travel planning will ensure you can still get on the plane with peace of mind, and cash in your wallet. Follow these helpful tips, to make sure your home and pets are cared for and secure, during your vacation.

Have a Plan

It’s important to know what to do, and when, ahead of time to avoid any last minute delays or missed steps before you go. Make a checklist that you regularly consult to avoid forgetting any necessary steps when you’re planning your getaway.​

​•    Communicate and Delegate. Save on costly hired help, by having a family member or close friend as the go-to person to be in charge of your home, should something come up, or need attending. Give them a printed list of your travel plans, a key, and any instructions for taking over safety issues, deliveries, or mail, when you’re gone. 

•    Secure Your Pets. Rather than spend money on a pet boarding, or houseplant care service, explore other more cost effective options. Check in with friends to care for your them in their home, or yours. Don’t forget to offer them a small token of gratitude for their time and effort, like a gift card to their favorite restaurant, or a souvenir from your vacation.

•    Zip the Lip. Although publicly blabbing on Facebook or to your neighbors about your tropical vacation may be tempting, it’s just not safe. It opens the door for potential intruders to invade your space during your absence. Keep your home and pets protected, and save the posts and pics for when you get home.

Tip from the Expert: Make sure you use all available resources when planning your trip. Sometimes ever a double check on flight prices can save you a ton of money!

Home Care

It’s important to stay safe if you’re having a friend watch your home, hiring help, renting it out, or leaving it empty, make sure to consider these tips to save money: 

•    Conserve Utilities. Save on utilities by addressing your lighting, windows and doors. Think about installing a timer, or remote lighting control or temperature devices to turn your lights on and off and adjust heating and cooling.

•    Protect Access. Remove all keys you’ve hidden outside, and lock upper and lower windows. Place shortened dowel rods in the tracts of an upper window you leave open for circulation, for plants or pets, to avoid its being opened further. Lock sheds, garage entry doors, sliding glass doors and enclosed porch screen doors. 

•    Pull the Plugs. Unplug everything you can. Plugged-in items can drain power from outlets even when they’re not in use, especially electronics with power adapters or box transformers in the plugs.

•    Rent Your Space. AirBnB and HomeAway are excellent services for property owners to rent out their homes or vacation houses when they’re unoccupied. It’s a great way to earn money on your space, and keep it maintained during your travels. Research your options and check out this resource to do all you can to get the most out of your home year-round.

Tip from the Expert: Renting your empty space is my absolute favorite way to keep the home secure on vacation. However, make sure you vet your tenants, especially is using Craigslist. There are resources that don’t require the exchange of private information, such as this one, but Google, in all its glory, has several additional options. 

Property & Lawn Care

Even if you have to hire someone to take care of your property while you’re gone, you can still save money if you plan properly, to keep the costs under control. 

•    Check Home Systems. Inspect all running systems like the sprinkler, home alarm, water heaters and climate control systems to avoid any unnecessary and costly home service visits when you’re traveling.

•    Mow with a Plan. Avoid cutting your lawn before traveling in the summer. Shorter grass requires more water, and is prone to scorching if the coming weather may be hot or dry. If you’ll be gone for longer than a week and don’t have a landscaper, cut it extra short the day before you go, and give it more water than usual. If you have sprinklers, look into installing a timer before you go to keep your lawn healthy. 

•    Trust Your Property Care. Hiring a renter for the home? Get them to property landscape for you. Cut a few bucks off rent and have them be in charge of your garden maintenance.  If you need to, write up a quick ‘how to’ for any person, renter or local friend. Need help with writing? Check out this guide. 

•    Stock Up. Purchase ample fertilizers, pool and tub shock, and run through all the details with your service provider, so they can find supplies if they need them. 

•    Garden with Forethought. Use wet leaves and grass clippings over landscaped areas to keep down weeds when you’re away. Harvest anything you can from your garden, and trim everything as much as possible to keep growth and weeds from overtaking your yard. 

•    Deter Unwanted Visitors. Be proactive about warding off opportunistic animals and pests from your garden. Make a simple temporary fence from chicken wire and small wooden posts, or purchase wire bell-shaped covers, called cloches, at your hardware store to cover plants individually. Remove brush piles to discourage nesting, and place garlic clippings as a scent deterrent. 

Tip from the Expert: Keep Native plants in your garden and garden maintenance will not be an issue even while you are home. Check out this great resource for more information. 

Vacationing is a much-needed and well-deserved time to recharge. With a little forethought and planning, the extra work will pay off when you return from your exciting adventures to a happy home and extra money to spare. 


Guest Blogger Bio: ‘Hanky Panky’, as Hank likes to call it, is when you engage in and complete the best DIY projects around. From gardening to window installation, Hank loves to work on it. Check him out on Twitter @homebyhank 

Mother's Day is on Sunday, May 8th. Here are some gift ideas:

Send her a Personalized Gift
Send her a PersonalizedKit from Wantable
Give her a Wine Membership from Club W

Make the gift as unique as your Mother!


* Note: These are Affiliate Links
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I came across this website while researching prizes for a future contest I'll be hosting.

I think it's a great site! Whether you're getting something for family on the holidays, or need a promotional item for your company, Giftcards.com has a huge variety to choose from.

Visa and MasterCard gift cards can be personalized with a personal photo or image. They have plastic or electronic ones that can come with a personalized or pre-designed greeting card.

So if you're short on gift ideas or need a quick reward to send someone, this is a great go-to site for anyone.