New Hope Soap Blog

By Linda Hilliard - Author of the Book
E-mail Your Weight Away - Diet Dialoges for Women

When you’ve been a life-long dieter (sigh – seven decades for me), you learn a lot of lessons about the slippery slopes of dieting. At least, you should learn lessons from every successful (or failed) diet you’ve been on.

Walking through the grocery store this morning, I spotted some diet foods that pretty much destroyed my past diets. Too much of anything – even diet foods – can undermine a diet

Here are some of my personal examples. I’m sure you have your own.

Power bars for lunch – what a great alternative. Depending on the nutrition label, they can be under 200 calories and they are certainly a healthy choice and much better than a meatball sub! But for me, one is not enough. If Power bars are healthy, why not have several?

Low calorie ice cream. Seems like a nice alternative, b

Finding the perfect wedding dress can be quite a task.Here are some tips that will help you in your search.

From your Friends at New Hope Soap.

Now that you have a date set for your wedding it is time to start looking for that perfect wedding dress. Here are some wedding tips to help find that beautiful wedding dress.

1. Shop Early

You should start shopping about eight to ten months before the wedding. It can take up to two months to find that perfect wedding dress and at least four months to have the gown custom-made to fit your body. The first fitting of your gown is usually six to eight weeks before the wedding. Give yourself plenty of time to shop so you will not feel rushed and make the mistake of settling for the wrong dress.

2. Set The Budget First

You need to set your budget first as it is best to look for gowns that fit that budget rather than a gown that is too expensive. It is essential to remember that your wedding budget includes the gown, alterations, shoes, veil, headpiece, lingerie, and jewelry.

3. Determine Dress Code

Take a hint from your locale and time of day for the wedding as to the formalness of the wedding. A ballroom gown will look out of place in an outdoor ceremony but fit flawlessly for a ballroom wedding. If the ceremony is being performed in a church you may want to check to see if there are any requirements as to dress code for the church.

4. Go in With a Clear Vision of Your Style

Decide whether you want your wedding to be sentimental, graceful, enchanting or classic as this will help in describing to the salesperson what you are looking for in a gown.

You are probably in the middle of planning the biggest day of your life. You probably have a checklist and are crossing things off of the list. Now, it is time for the music and you need some advice.  You have decided that you want a wedding DJ.  So, how do you choose the perfect one?

1. You want to choose a DJ who specializes in weddings, not nightclubs.

DJing at weddings is much different than nightclubs. You want someone who is comfortable at weddings and has all of the songs that are usually played at wedding receptions.

We are all familiar with monograms and monogramming. Most of us probably own items that have monograms whether it is a piece of jewelry or that cherished wedding gift that was personalized with our initials.  However, what most of us may not know is the history of the monogram.  We are going to take a trip back in time to discover the beginnings of the monogram.

The Greeks and Romans

The Greeks and Romans were the first groups of people who used monograms.  They placed their rulers' monograms on their gold and silver currency to tell between the regions.  The monogrammed coins were the beginning of the monetary system that we use today.  

The Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, the monogram was used for branding purposes. Artisans and craftsman would use their monogram to brand their work. It is because of this technique that art historians were able to date artwork created during this period. Monograms continued to be used by rulers’ to mark their territories. These monograms appeared on flags, crests, and other items relevant to a ruler’s kingdom.

Whether you are completely renovating the guest bathroom or simply giving it a cosmetic makeover, it's the little things that can ultimately make your guest bathroom renovation a success and make you guests feel at home. Pay attention to these home decor details and you are sure to have a guest bathroom that is warm and inviting.

• Lighting--Nothing screams utilitarian like brash florescent lighting. Stay away from inlaid florescent fixtures and instead, opt for decorative over-the-mirror fixtures or simple, yet elegant, wall sconces. Keep a portable makeup mirror tucked away for times when your guests need additional light.
• Storage--Your guest bath should be well stocked with essential bathroom items like towels, toilet paper, and extra toiletries. Be sure your bathroom has ample storage for these items. Under-the-sink cabinets are the obvious choice but if you have a pedestal sink, a closet or decorative storage cabinet will work just as well.
• Shower Head--Everyone has their own preference when it comes to the ideal shower head. With the comfort of your guests in mind, install a shower head with multiple settings. Better still, install a shower head that includes an optional handheld wand in addition to multiple stream settings.

Bridesmaid gifts are especially important because you have asked the bridesmaids to share your day, and this will be an acknowledgement of your friendship.

Each wedding has its own flavor, and you have already made decisions about what yours will be like. Your bridesmaid gifts will reflect that image, too, while retaining a glimpse of their individual personalities. 

Let's say you have a healthy budget, and a lot of bridesmaids. You might want to give everybody a similar gift, such as a beach bag, (perhaps filled with soaps and fragrances) and then add something more individualized that will reflect the intimacy and the separate levels of commitment that they have made to your wedding.

Fall is normally known for all of its beautiful colors.  If you are planning a fall wedding, the Wedding Color Trends for Fall 2014 will not be disappointment.  There are colors for every theme, style and taste.

A bold theme

A wedding with a bold theme, needs a bold color to complement it.  Cranberry is the bold color of the fall season.  Pair the cranberry with one of the hot neutral colors such as bronze  or camel for an unforgettable look. 

Blue Weddings

The blues are always in season and this season the top blues are teal and navy blue.   Pair teal with a cream or other neutral color for a lavish look.  Navy blue will work well for a nautical theme wedding. It is also one of those colors that everyone looks great in.  Navy blue can be sophisticated as well as preppy. 

General Monogram Etiquette for Personalized Gifts (Please be sure to identify if personalization is same size initials or classic monogram. Letters are always engraved in the order they are provided.

PLEASE ENTER THE LETTERS IN THE ORDER YOU WANT THEM ENGRAVED!

Monogram For HER SINGLE: Sarah Anne James

• Initials Same Size: {first, middle, last} SAJ
• Classic Monogram: {first, last, middle} SJA
• Single Initial: {last} J

Monogram For HIM: Chase Patrick Stevens

• Initials Same Size: {first, middle, last} CPS
• Classic Monogram: {first, last, middle} CSP
• Single Initial: {last} S

By Linda Hilliard - Author of the Book
E-mail Your Weight Away - Diet Dialoges for Women

Personalized gifts make the most Unique Wedding Presents and are also deeply appreciated by any bride and groom. There are several things that you can do to help your next wedding couple remember your gift above all the others.

Put together a basket. Figure out the bride's color scheme in the new home (usually brides love to talk about future decorating plans so this should not be hard!), and start creating a basket with that theme.