50 Creative Ways to Repurpose, Reuse and Upcycle Old Things «TwistedSifter

50 Creative Ways to Repurpose, Reuse and Upcycle Old Things «TwistedSifter:

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Weddings In Las Vegas

Our guest blogger today is Claire, who plans weddings in Las Vegas (www.lasvegasbridesmaid.com).  She often hears from couples who know they want the glamour and glitz of a Vegas wedding, not to mention the guaranteed sunshine, but they find that they are overwhelmed with the choices of wedding location in the city.

Las Vegas is the wedding capital of the USA, if not the world.  The state of Nevada issues an average of 120,000 marriage licenses each year, so it is not surprising that there are so many wedding options to choose from!

Almost every hotel and casino on the Strip in Las Vegas has a wedding chapel inside it, quite a lot of them have pretty pagoda-style areas in their gardens for weddings, too.  If you have guests accompanying you for your wedding, often the hotels will offer a wedding package that includes all the rooms that you need, often with a suite for the bride and groom.  Having everyone stay in the same hotel will be handy if the groom needs to sleep in a different room from the bride the night before the wedding.

Many people come to Las Vegas with the idea of a classic old-school Downtown wedding chapel in mind.  There are lots to choose from, and some are nicer than others.  These chapels are where couples can explore the true diversity of Las Vegas weddings.  You can have as much romance, as much glitz and as much fun as you like, and many of these smaller chapels can give you a completely personalised ceremony if you are creative enough.  Everyone knows about the possibility of having as Elvis impersonator perform the ceremony, but there are lots of other impersonators in Las Vegas, and many of them are licensed to perform wedding ceremonies, and they can serenade you with your favourite singer's songs during the ceremony.  The smaller chapels can be set up to your taste and in some cases, decorated just as you wish, although it is likely that there will be a charge for this.  Of course, if you are in a rush, there is always the option of the drive-through wedding!

Las Vegas is in the heart of the Nevada desert, and less than an hour's drive away is some of the most breathtaking scenery you will see this close to such a metropolis.  Weddings can be performed in Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire, two outstanding areas of beauty near to Las Vegas.  If you like the idea of getting married outdoors in the desert, choose the time of year carefully.  July and August will be uncomfortably hot in the middle of the day, but almost any other time of year a wedding in these areas would be spectacular. 

There are some lovely parks and preserve areas in and around Las Vegas where couples can get married.  There are some parks close to natural springs and lakes, so are the sort of green and lush areas that you would never expect to see in the middle of the desert!  Many of these places were ranches many years ago, so are set up to take groups of people – ideal for a wedding.  Afterwards, couples can return from making their union with nature as a beautiful backdrop, to party in the fabulous city of Las Vegas.

Contact Claire for more information on Las Vegas wedding location suggestions at claire@lasvegasbridesmaid.com or visit her website for more Las Vegas wedding (http:www.lasvegasbridesmaid.com) tips.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas !

Christmas is coming and personally it's one of my most favourite times of the year.  I love the magic that comes with it and the build up towards the day itself.    I'm not talking about the commercial side of things with the Christmas shopping and bustling crowds, I'm talking about walking through the city seeing all the lights twinkling, going ice skating and drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows.    I love seeing the little kids with wide eyes and big smiles at the thought of Santa coming and the excitement that it generates.

Many of us will be putting up the tree and decorating it over the next few weeks, that can lead to its own challenges.   In our house my kids are in early adulthood now but there is a certain tradition that we stick to..no laughing please!    I have always tried to create a tradition where we do the tree together and  have that little bit of family time that is so precious as the kids grow.  However, this reality is this:

1.  I get the tree and decorations out of the garage
2.  My daughter joins me to get everything ready (I have one of those trees that you have to build branch by branch! ) 
3.  The cats jump in the bag that the tree is in and into the box with the baubles.
4.  I start to build the tree, I turn round ...my daughter is gone... I continue to build the tree
5.  I string the lights (600 lights go on my tree so it takes a while)
6.  I start to put the baubles on...my daughter reappears and hangs a few..then disappears again! 
7.  I get to putting the tree topper on...daughter reappears and insists it's her job to put the star on the tree.
8.  The tree is done and my son appears!!   Says "yeah that's nice" and disappears
9.  Cats take an interest and start knocking the baubles off the bottom branches and proceed to play "football" with them.

And this is how it is every year!   but they do still take great pleasure in "sorting" out the presents, trying not so successfully pretending that they are not counting how many each have and are sorted into their respective  piles, even at 16 and 18 they still do it! 

Christmas can be a time of stress especially if you are having loads of family round and having to cook, shop, clean etc, tempers can get frayed, arguments follow  and sometimes you can wonder why you do this to yourself every year.   My tip is don't stress over it, it depends just how traditional you want the day to be and what you want to get out of it.  

It is a fairly laid back affair in our house and certainly not stressful, I'm not saying that it was always like that, it wasn't until about 5 years ago, when I had a really bad dose of the flu and it came to Christmas Eve and I was still feeling like I had been hit by a bus, but had nothing in for dinner (luckily the gift shopping had been done a while before)   So on Christmas Eve around 2pm I dragged myself out with my husband, went to 3 local supermarkets and realised there was nothing left!  We ended up in Aldi's and they still had plenty of everything, we got the food we needed for the next day and all was well, but it did make me realise that there really is no need to go all out with mountains of food and a really expensive food bill.

Click to get this recipe

We might be in the minority but we don't actually like turkey that much so we always have chicken instead.   This year I have bought lovely big chicken breasts which we are going to wrap in bacon, we will do the rest of the trimmings as usual,but there will be no waste and we won't be eating turkey sandwiches, currys etc for the following week, we will save a fortune as the price of turkey is ridiculous at this time of year and I refuse to bow down to the retailers, just because it's Christmas.    I have bought some gorgeous diced steak and will make my own Steak Pie on Boxing Day.  Tradition is whatever you and your family make it not what the media tells you it should be.

So my tips for this Christmas are: 

• Make your lists NOW of what you need to do
• Don't stress, make sure you take a bit of time out to have a bit of fun
• Have the dinner you want to have, minimise waste, it will have a positive effect on your pocket too! 
• Enjoy what time off you do have, snuggle up in front of a Christmas movie, wrap up warm and go for a walk in the park and crunch on the leaves, people watch...go for a coffee in town, sit at the window and watch the world go by.
• SMILE!  no matter what trials and tribulations you have been through in 2012, you have done exactly that you have come through it and  its time to just relax a little.

So, I'm now off to get the tree out the garage and start our Christmas traditions........

Happy Holidays Everyone have a good one! xxx

Crystal Nails and Tanning - Highly Recommended

When I recommend my suppliers, it's not just because I have made contact with them, I have actually tried out their services myself and for my brides who are having a spray tan and nails done, it can be quite daunting trying to find the right one to look her best on the day.

Well I have one fantastic supplier that I can't recommend highly enough and is in the Falkirk area.   I travel from Glasgow to Falkirk to get my treatments done so that speaks volumes in itself.

Crystal Nails and Tanning are a new business established only this year, and Sara Dwight is the owner.

Sara is constantly updating her packages and offering new services to her clients.  She has a gorgeous treatment room at her home address so you can be assured of privacy and a high level of service.

I have personally sampled some of her services including the amazing Shellac Nails and Brown Blitz Spray Tanning.

I will start by praising the tan... I have had several spray tans over the last few years, and I have to say by far this is the best one yet, not only did it look great straight away, but it didn't streak or go blotchy, it was even from the start, it faded beautifully and I was able to wash it off after just a few hours, and it continued to develop overnight which was great, no tan stained sheets!  Not only that it smelled gorgeous.   It lasted over a week and have to say can't wait to get another soon.

The Shellac Nails are fantastic, I confess to being a nail biter for most of my life, but thanks to my dentist who fitted new crowns, it means that I can no longer nibble!   The result is for the first time I have lovely long nails that I am incredibly proud of.   The Shellac is gorgeous, long lasting and non chipping, making my hands look great all day everyday.  I opted for the French Manicure because for me it was the most versatile and am still not into painting my nails every few days, perfect solution.

Sara herself is great, she has a fantastic bubbly personality and immediately puts you at ease.

She has some really fantastic offers on at the moment including:

Bridal Nail package includes for: Bride, Mother of the Bride and up to 3 Bridesmaids: Shellac £100

Spray Tans - Book and pay for 4 spray tans in advance and get your 5th tan free.   Cost £40.00

Get yourself a fabulous Brown Blitz Spray Tan and gorgeous Shellac Nails for £25.00

Check out her website for more offers especially coming up to Christmas! 

To contact Sara at Crystal Nails and Tanning you can 

Visit her Website: Crystal Nails and Tanning

By Phone: 07514 209376

To book online: Online Booking 

Crystal Nails and Tanning 

House of Elliot Clearance Sale

I had to share with you today the amazing clearance sale from House of Elliot.     These are all going fast so if you fancy something extra special and a special price then get in quick.

These shoes are reduced from £175.00 to £60.00 and are available in a Size 5

Also available in black if you wanted something different or if you are planning to change in the evening.

Also available are these rather gorgeous Keepsake Boxes, they come fully assembled and are covered in highest quality interior design paper.  Perfect for you precious memories no matter what the occasion.

Check out their website for more gorgeous goodies including garters, boots and much much more.

http://www.houseofelliotcollection.com/

Tefal Kitchen Machine and Jamie Oliver Bakeware Product Review

How excited was I to be able to try out the Tefal Kitchen Machine and Jamie Oliver Bakeware for Cupcakes,  here is the press release and our review is at the foot of the page

The trend for cupcakes is ever-present at weddings up and down the country, with brides opting for this individual, quirky approach over a more traditional three tier confection.

There are a lot of advantages to a cupcake wedding, these smaller cakes can be individually coloured to the theme of the wedding, are easier to distribute without the venue having to cut them up and, crucially, they can be made at home for a valuable saving on your wedding costs.

There’s been an increase in cupcake bars at receptions, so all the blushing bride needs to do is provide un-iced cupcakes, and a variety of frostings and toppings so guests can create their own delicious memento of the happy occasion

 

There’s no question it’s easier to bake a lovely batch of cupcakes than a three-tier royal icing creation but it can be tricky to produce a moist, spongy, deliciously-light cupcake. It's quite simple really - the secret to baking the perfect batch is getting enough air into the mixture to begin with

The Tefal Kitchen Machine (£199, www.tefalfreshexpress.co.uk) uses a planetary movement system to reach the whole mixture, gathering all the ingredients and adding air into your mixture, creating cupcakes that rise beautifully and are so mouth-wateringly light, you'll be able to eat two! 
        

There's no point whipping up the perfect mixture if it's not going to cook evenly. We've all made a dozen cupcakes before where 6 happily rise and the rest seem utterly reluctant. Achieving that elusive even finish is heavily dependent on even heat distribution. Hot spots can cause some parts of a cupcake to rise faster than others, not to mention leave the bottoms burnt in some places and undercooked in others. The 12 muffin tray from the Jamie Oliver range of bakeware from Tefal (£13, www.tefal.co.uk) is made from tough carbon steel which eliminates hotspots and ensures you turn out perfect cupcakes every time.

     

Try some of these great suggestions for jazzing up you cupcakes:

Classic Vanilla
For just the right amount of creamy sweetness add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, or fresh vanilla straight from the pod to your cupcake mix, and top with fresh buttercream

Mocha Cupcakes
The grown up’s cupcake – mix in half a cup of coffee and a generous helping of cocoa powder for a delicious mocha flavour. For the real coffee lover try whipping up a decadant espresso icing to go on top

Earl Grey cupcakes with a hint of lemon
Just two tablespoons of earl grey tea with add a delicate flavour to your cupcakes, for an authentic earl grey taste top with buttercream infused with a hint of lemon juice

Double chocolate
The addition of melted dark chocolate and cocoa powder to the initial cake mix, and melted chocolate to a buttercream topping, makes for the ultimate indulgent treat


Beauty Weddings Review

Firstly I am going to review the Tefal Kitchen Machine.     I am the first to admit that I am not the keenest baker in the world, in the past when I tried to bake a cake it would sink in the middle, was unevenly cooked or was just like a brick!  I'm sure that many of you have been in the same boat at one time or another.   This machine is brilliant, not only does it look good and would take pride of place in your kitchen, but it also makes baking fun and more importantly in my case ..easy!    So I decided to make some cupcakes. Assembling the mixer was straightforward and the instructions clear.   Mixing the ingredients was easy to do and the splash guard stops the splatter mess.   The mixture came out exactly as promised.   Taking it apart to clean was also easy to do and I was cleaned up in no time at all.   I couldn't actually find fault with this machine, so if you are looking for a new kitchen machine, this Tefal model for me is definitely the way to go.  

Our Rating

Jamie Oliver Bakeware  As I said before baking isn't really my "thing", however, my faith in my ability has been restored.   I have cooked several batches of cupcakes with this tray and it really does work fantastically, that I have went out and bought one for myself.   I must have made about 10 batches of cupcakes over the past few weeks and each time they turned out perfectly, the tray is so easy to clean and it still looks brand new.  So if you are planning on making your own cupcakes for your wedding cake, this is a must buy.  Great value for money and perfect cupcakes every time, what more could you ask for!

Superdry Product Review

TRAVEL IN STYLE WITH NEW SUPERDRY STEEL AND BLACK

HANDY SIZE 40ML

Whether you’re off on holiday or simply heading to the gym, Superdry’s new Steel and Black travel size is the ideal companion when you need to be space and weight conscious. 

Developed for day-to-night appeal with sleek, bold lines and embossed glass, the touch-soft packaging makes these fragrances the perfect travel companion.  

Superdry Steel

A refreshing, effervescent statement fragrance, with top notes of lime and bergamot, a heart of cardamom and violet leaves and rich base notes of cedarwood and moss.   The sleek silver steel and embossed blue glass bottle creates an indispensable new scent for the modern man. 

40ml £29.50RRP

    

Superdry Black

An aromatic heart of lavender, jasmine, thyme, coriander and nutmeg, sweetened by a juicy lime note and rich ripe fruits completed by a deep base rich of sandalwood, balsam, incense, leather and moss for a fresh take on fragrance.     40ml £29.50RRP

Superdry Steel and Black are available now from Harrods, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser, larger Debenhams stores, larger Boots stores, selected independent department stores, Superdry stores and online at www.superdry.com.

Beauty Weddings Review

We tried the Superdry Black for our review.   I had always associated Superdry with clothing so was a little sceptical as to whether or not they could pull it off with a fragrance.    I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.  The packaging was pretty funky and looked great on the bathroom shelf.   This is a gorgeous men's scent that has fantastic staying power and lasts all day.  Our tester was delighted with this and has now said that it is his scent of choice.   The price point is great value for money.   A good all rounder and is excellent for both everyday wear and special occasions.

Our Rating