Hit me with a limp lettuce

Kids Clothes - Wholesale Supply

2012-01-26T15:04:00.000-08:00

It's typical - just the other day someone asked me about supplying some kids clothes and I didn't have a wholesale supply contact for the type of clothes they wanted. Now I've just stumbled on the very site which would have solved their problem - KidsKornerOnline.co.uk This company offers a range of childrens' clothes from cardigans to party dresses and from boys' suits to pyjamas.

While the images don't really do the stock justice, this is an online shop which should go from strength to strength.

Oak Dining Tables - a contemporary look

2012-01-26T14:37:00.000-08:00

I grew up in a farmhouse which was furnished by my mother from great finds at local auctions. We used to joke that she would come back with yet another dining room table, a great wardrobe or chest of drawers. In those days, solid wood furniture was cheap to buy and, because her father had been a joiner, she loved and appreciated the quality of the furniture on offer.

It's really lovely to see nice pieces of oak being made into dining tables, chairs and sideboards - Top Furniture Ltd offer one of the largest selection of oak dining tables in the UK. Small dining tables to seat 2 or 4 people up to very large dining tables seating 8, 10, 12 or 14 people. Well-made pieces like these might be appearing on the Antiques Road Show 200 years from now - I'd love to be around to see them! The prices seem very reasonable as well - Mum would be proud.

Jolomo Calendar 2012

2011-12-08T15:30:00.001-08:00

Just a quick note to say that I added a new listing on our eBay store - the Jolomo 2012 Wall Calendar - the prints of John Lowrie Morrison's painting for each month are so good that they would frame beautifully. Ideal as a corporate gift, we would be happy to discuss your order.

Jolomo Calendar

Scenes depicted -

Old Tree at Loch Buie Mull,
Butt of Lewis Lighthouse,
Early morning light Salen pier Mull,
Moonlight Crail,
Evening reflections Dunardy,
Summer evening light Isle of Gigha,
Prince Charlie's Bay Isle of Eriskay,
Iona Sunset,
Kilbrannan Sound Arran from Kintyre,
The Spark the Duke and the Vic [Puffers],
Footprints in the sand Etrick Bay,
Early morning rain Craighouse Isle of Jura.

15" X 12" Published by Island Blue Tobermory Isle of Mull Scotland

Someone interrupted me!

2011-11-30T02:27:00.001-08:00

Robert Kiyosaki

It's such a frustration when you get a phone call in the middle of watching a television programme (especially when hubby answers it when you would have ignored it!). I was watching a programme on BBC about money called "Who wants to be a millionaire". It's currently available on the BBC iPlayer for those who can access it. (That's how I caught up with the full programme.)

Among the folks featured was American Robert Kiyosaki who has made a lot of money (after starting with nothing) by following some basic principles which he says are taught by the wealthy to their families. He explained on the programme that owning something which produces income is an asset and something which costs money or earns nothing is a liability (he and his wife mentioned that their home is actually a liability because it doesn't generate an income.) Kiyosaki loves "toys" - he has a stable of some very expensive cars and obviously likes other gadgets and gizmos. However, before he buys a new toy he makes sure that there is an asset somewhere producing enough income to cover his expensive choices. Wise move!

The other thing which obviously makes him a lot of money is his coaching and mentoring programme - and his board game, Cashflow, which aims to teach people how to manage assets and liabilities.

Disrupted sleep

2011-10-31T01:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't know about you, but I have a really hard time on the weekend when daylight savings takes effect; in the UK, we changed our clocks this weekend and I don't know whether or not I'm coming or going. It's turned me into a zombie - probably not too difficult, but I'm definitely not as sharp as usual.

I came across a website about sleep and the effects of disrupted sleep patterns - and, although I normally sleep well, this weekend gave me a bit of a taste of what other people go through most nights when their waking hours overtake the number of hours asleep. I promise you, it's scary. I'm going to keep an eye on this blog so that I know where to find the information if my normally good sleep patterns are upset again.

Children's Entertainers in the UK

2011-09-29T01:15:00.000-07:00

It's only a few weeks since I became a Great Auntie (again!) and we enjoyed meeting our great-niece recently. Isn't it amazing how such a small bundle of fun can have a huge impact on your life!

Anyway, more to the point, because her folks are in the entertainment industry, we started chatting about kiddies' parties; how much people would spend on them, what types of things the children wanted to do and, ok, some of the disasters as well. Then they got a bit more technical.

For instance, one of the things they said was that, in the UK, if you're booking an entertainer for a party, then you could and should ask if they have a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check done and also if they carry public liability insurance. There are loads of other questions you should ask a children's entertainer before hiring him/her to perform at your children's party. I came across the Children's Entertainer Directory and found a very useful set of articles there which should help you avoid trouble when booking a performer - and where you can also find performers for hire.

Don't for get to ask the questions, though - your children and their friends are so precious - and it's worth taking extra trouble to make sure you get it right!

Check out the articles on http://www.childrenentertainers.net/articles/

Warm as toast

2011-09-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the Scottish weather can be really challenging - and that's how it was when we went to visit friends the other day. It was wild, wet, windy - and cold, especially considering we were only half way through September.

Our friend's a builder - so he always keeps a weather eye out for a bargain - and quite often these bargains end up in his house. He had just installed a wood-burning stove and it was quite unlike any I've seen before. Sleek and modern, it was the most efficient wood burner I think I've seen. He said it would work with just a few logs each day - and, because it burned the wood so efficiently, there was hardly any ash to clear out.

Additionally, our friend said he'd installed a wall-mounted "insert" wood burner into a fireplace for a client. The client wanted him to install the stove at a height which would allow him to load in the wood without having to bend down ... that sounds like my kind of arrangement :-)

I have to tell you that I came home feeling inspired to make over our sitting room completely because the comfort coming from that Jotul stove had me dreaming of .... ok, I'm not going to tell you where my dreams took me !!

There, their - is there a better way to do it?

2011-09-26T00:50:00.000-07:00

I came up the old-fashioned way. Our writing had to follow the rules of grammar, be spelled correctly and it was even allowed to be interesting. Now, far be it from me to say that I knew then and can remember now all the intricacies of English grammer as it was taught back in the late 1950s. I find myself slipping into the modern day slang and, when I'm typing out an article, my spelling can go completely adrift. I don't always catch these mistakes and then, months later, re-reading can give me some quite serious heartburn.

Is it really my imagination or have people lost the notion that grammatical writing can be good? It certainly seems that efforts to spell correctly have gone by the wayside. One of my pet hates is when folks can't figure their way out of the "there/their/they're" debate. I can remember one of my teachers going through the rules, the descriptions and the examples over and over again until our class really got it.

They're going to put their school books over there.

There remains the question, "So, what was so difficult about that?"

Fiverr for Business

2011-09-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

Fiverr for business
It's some time now since I came across the smart service which is run by Fiverr; you can buy and sell "gigs" for $5, allowing you to earn some income and to do some business online.

What do you get for your $5? Well, it has to be said that this can vary from the exceptionally good to the truly awful. You have to look, learn and listen. There are some sites which just ooze useful information which will help you avoid the many pitfalls on Fiverr and which will also allow you to use Fiverr for business and, yes, you guessed it, one of the best is Fiverr for business.

I'm constantly amazed by the innovative ways people are using Fiverr gigs and I don't doubt it will stretch your mind to find out how Charleen is making the best of Fiverr for business.

Margaret

ps - I've just spent an extra hour or two surfing round her site picking up more cool ideas! A great way to spend an afternoon :)

Mother Nature's Natural Remedies

2011-08-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

Mother Nature's Natural Remedies is a small natural/alternative health shop and complimentary therapy practice.

They take pride in giving an amazing, fast and value for money service providing customers with personalised Flower Remedies, in addition to Aromatherapy and herbal based health boosting products. The aim of the team at Mother Nature's Natural Remedies is to promote a positive path to emotional and physical wellbeing for their customers.

The Natural Health Retail Store is located in London’s trendy Camden Lock.

Services include -

One to One Reiki,
Flower Essence Therapy,
Allergy Testing & Counselling.

Consultations take place with qualified practitioners in well-known Central and North London locations, including the beautiful Kingyo Therapy Centre in Paddington and Crouch End in North London.

'Manage your health fullfil your potential' is their motto!

Chemo Fog and Brain Health

2011-08-17T00:14:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know (and love?) me, know that this year has been a challenge. Starting with a hysterectomy at the beginning of the year, I have also undergone a short course of chemotherapy followed by a short course of radiotherapy (mostly as a precautionary measure to mop up any rogue cancer cells). For the most part, I have coped extremely well with the treatment - apart from losing my hair, there have been very few side effects. However, one thing which is obvious from within (and I don't know if I'm concealing it as well as I hoped) is the chemo fog in which I live.

My life hasn't changed significantly as a result of the treatment - but I do find my ability to recall names and events has been changed. Suddenly I have this "doddery" approach to things which a few months ago wouldn't have phased me at all. I have been looking around to see if other people are in the same boat; well, of course they are, because this is a well recognised after-effect of the chemo. I also came across a website which offers information and help on improving the health of my brain function. The sign-up is free and there is an online assessment of your cognitive abilities. I am about to sign up and check my brain health and then see what recommended exercises are to keep my brain strong and healthy for as long as possible.

The Cognifit website doesn't only deal with people with "Chemo Brain" - but all kinds of memory impairment. I'd be interested to hear how you get on :)

Great web design

2011-08-14T04:13:00.000-07:00

Let the shoes do the walking!
I just saw an article in this morning's Sunday Times about the way women are shopping during this recession. Apparently, despite being hard up, the sales of sexy, funky shoes are going through the roof. That made me surf around the net and I came across this site selling some beautiful shoes. I hope they have an affiliate program!

With a little bit of investigation, I came across the web designer of the HeelsandHers website - and they are doing some very clever web design, especially with wordpress installations. I finally twigged that they have a web design site where you can select your own theme, choose your own hosting package and set up your site so easily - now why didn't I think of that! They also have an affiliate program :) You'd better be fast and sign up before I get my own application completed, LOL.

I'm looking forward to seeing Christopher Kendrick's own site - I'm sure it's going to be amazing.

I wrecked my nails catching up with housework

2011-08-07T01:41:00.000-07:00

I have visitors coming - I'm really looking forward to seeing them because they're bringing my newest great-niece (I really can't believe I'm that old!). So, with a new baby coming to visit, I thought it only right to scrub the house from top to bottom. I don't want to send her home with some dreadful infection or other!
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
My nails have seen better days - they've been abused by washing dishes, washing windows and all sorts of stuff in between. They need rescued - and I really love having pretty nails. I surfed around and found this lovely site where I can buy the acrylic nails and the nail polish to do my own manicure (ok, I might need a little help but I know a great young lass who will do the necessary!) My friend does this amazing nail art stuff - and her nails look really pretty. She sticks on rhinestones and paints all kinds of designs onto her acrylic nails - really talented! I'll try that after the baby's been and gone - I'm going to stick to a lovely clear nail varnish for the visit but then I'm going to let my hair down and really go for it! This is a year for doing once things I have never done before and making my nails beautiful and glamorous is one of them!

Well done, TKMaxxy.com - you've opened my eyes up to some great nail art!

Turtle paints picture

2011-07-31T15:33:00.000-07:00

Some weird and wonderful things happen when you surf the internet - and tonight I came across a picture "painted" by a turtle belonging to artist Kira Ayn Varszegi.

Koopa is a box turtle with whom I formed a special bond immediately. He came from an environment of neglect and abandon, so I nurtured him and gained his trust. Koopa follows me around, does tricks, is housebroken, comes when called (selectively) and behaves like a kitten or puppy. I always let him lead a tank-free life, which I know he needs and appreciates. In 2003, Koopa walked onto my unattended paint palette, which changed my life forever.

I reconfirmed (via MSDS) that the ingredients of the paints I'd been using for the "Hope" series were safe, non-toxic, and washable. I also consulted Koopa's vet. I tested individual colors on his skin in tiny amounts, then over the next 4-5 months we simulated the painting experience without paint - I made sure Koopa wouldn't freak out from my camera's flash or from being rinsed off in the shower. I sold his artwork on eBay, and it was an instant success. My career as a solo artist was put on hold while Koopa's career flourished for 5 years. I still created, just not as much, due to time constraints.

Kira's Painting by Breast series of pictures regularly sell online - and I could scarcely take my eyes off the photos of the turtle "creating" a picture.

I must have less caffeine, I think!

My Social Network - the latest social get-together

2011-07-31T09:41:00.000-07:00

Because I'm a silver surfer, I am usually a little slow getting to the party - and yes, there's a new party in town. :)

It seems that the newest place in town is My Social Network People - and, no, I didn't "get" it at first; however, now that I've registered, I can see that it's a very vibrant community. According to the blurb -

We will never sell your details to anyone. Ever! We only want people who like their music LOUD. Any type of music, so long as it pleases everyone. ♫ Feel free to Listen and Enjoy. ♫ -- Add more music you love most, share it to others ^^

Using this site you can Share Music, Share Videos, Blogs, Photos, Polls, Free chat, Games and Events. There's an active forum as well - and they also have a community on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=212450085450277&sk=info

I'm looking forward to the fun :)

That's my kind of place - I'm looking forward to playing the William Tell Overture at full volume ... any takers?

Cool Stuff

2011-07-31T01:18:00.001-07:00

I love quirky and unusual things and while surfing around the Cool site at Infmetry.com, I came across these funky USB flash drives. Being in a girly mood, I thought the handbag flash drives were really cool - I have a couple of nieces who would adore these as a gift.

If you're looking for a whole range of Cool Stuff, then this site is the place to look. A Hong-Kong based company means that there will be a slight delay in getting your order - but I reckon that it will only be a couple of days more than most internet orders!

Fiat Dealer in London - George Clooney not included

2011-07-26T01:08:00.000-07:00

In recent years, Fiat has become an increasingly popular choice for fans of technology and quirky, modern design. This has been particularly true of Fiat in London where the brand has found a fan base made up of cool city executives, families, environmentally conscious and even budget-savvy Londoners.

The new Fiat London range includes cars like the economical Fiat Panda, the spacious Fiat Doblo and the modern Fiat 500. The many small cars in the range are easy to park and some are particularly environmentally friendly too so may be excluded from the London congestion charge.

For anyone looking for a fantastic deal on a new or used Fiat in London, check out Fiat Marylebone. A leading Fiat dealer in London, they offer the entire range of new Fiat cars as well as a choice of used cars. Special Fiat deals include a new Fiat in London from only £99 per month, making it affordable to drive a car in the capital city.

To find out more about owning a driving a new or used Fiat in London, contact Fiat Marylebone. You’ll find just the right car to suit your needs with expert advice available too at this Fiat London dealer.

I know what I want for Christmas - Warm Slippers and a Warm Cuddly toy

2011-07-26T00:39:00.000-07:00

I know, it's the middle of the summer here in the UK, and I can't believe I'm actually talking about winter. Well, someone the other day started talking about Christmas and said they had started seeing Christmas gifts in the shops. Wow!

Anyway, I was surfing around and came across a site which has some cute microwavable toys and some amazing slippers which can also be popped in the microwave to heat them up. How cool is that. Make mine pink!

My niece is about to have her first baby and I'm no longer worried about finding her some gifts for her. She's going to be pacing the floor quite a bit in this first year and I'm sure she'll love these cosy slippers. There's also a great selection of microwavable toys which will keep me in good ideas for the baby as he/she grows up and needs encouragement to head for bed!

A brilliant site! Find your own Microwavable Toys here.

ps - I just spotted some cushions which can also be heated .... brilliant! Mu husband gets a really sore back and that's just the way to give him some heated support. Come to think of it, we've got a friend who fell and hurt herself and a heated cushion would be just the thing.

Save cash with codes and coupons

2011-04-21T00:32:00.000-07:00

Have you been caught up with Royal Wedding fever? Are you an avid collector of Royal Memorabilia? If so, you're probably like me, looking out for as many discount codes as possible so that you can snap up those Royal souvenirs at bargain prices. Here in the UK, I just discovered a lovely site which offers codes and coupons from many of the leading high street stores on top quality brand names - and I thought I'd share that site with you so that you can get your own discount codes when you're shopping!

I'm really looking forward to seeing the wedding - only a few more days to go!

M

How to advertise your website

2011-03-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

I've been nagging and preaching about article writing to some of my friends; they have great websites and good products and have put a lot of work into building up their businesses. But they have completely underestimated the competitive nature of the internet - and the need to work consistently and ethically to build up back links to their web sites to give the search-engines the required fodder.

A case in point is a web site which was designed for a friend who runs a self-catering business on the south side of Loch Tay, Scotland. (Loch Tay Holiday) This is the perfect accommodation for someone who likes activity holidays but also likes a secluded villa. A good way of building back links would be to write articles about the various activities available within two miles of the villa and publish them on article directories and blog about them. That would give my friend a whole lot of appropriate keywords and articles - and that would help her marketing efforts.

I am going to tell everyone about this site - "How to advertise your website" because this has obviously been constructed with a view to being really helpful to readers as well as offering a service to write and publish articles for people who don't have the time and expertise to write their own content. Great service! I wish them luck.

Bingo!

2011-02-14T08:17:00.000-08:00

Well, I've had quite a week; some good news and some bad. However, after all's said and done, I'm happy with my progress.

Back to the beginning - I've had a bit of a health scare and the news wasn't as good as I hoped. However, it certainly isn't the worst it could be either, so I feel truly lucky. I'm not a gambling type normally, but I decided that now would be a good time to try my hand at a bit of online bingo - wow, imagine my surprise when I won back more than my stake money.

After a phone call from some friends, I find that they also play online bingo at a site called Paddy Power Bingo. Maybe next time I'll try my luck at Paddy Power bingo, my friends said they recently won a few hundred pounds on it one night!

The luck of the ..... Irish?? - well, I'm Scottish but that's close enough LOL!

Funny, Geeky Tshirts

2011-02-11T08:26:00.000-08:00

I finally found a great tshirt for my nephew; he's the one studying at Heriott Watt University; he loves his computer and the games available on them; not quite sure how he gets time to study. Anyway, looking for a gift for him, I came across Supergoodtees where there are some really cool, geeky teeshirts available. Problem solvered :) - thanks, Supergoodtees!

I had few chuckles as I surfed the catalog on their site - there's a large selection there ....!

Knitting and Crochet

2010-12-30T02:38:00.000-08:00

I've been looking around for some knitting and crochet patterns - and came across a cool site which offers a whole lot of free patterns; I love the baby knits and am going to work on one for my great-nephew.

As a fairly competent knitter, I know that the patterns are going to work out ok; it's ages since I did any knitting but, just like riding a bicycle, some skills just don't go away! Not so sure about my crochet technique, tho!

Oooh, I just noticed, the site also has a free newsletter where you can subscribe to get free patterns by email. I guess I'll subscribe to that as soon as I finish this article!

Happy New Year - enjoy the knitting and crochet from Purple Kitty Yarns.

Marry Christmas

2009-12-25T04:14:00.000-08:00

Hey, everyone - I hope you have a wonderful Christmas - and that you got all your Christmas shopping done in time! Mind you, there are times when a cash gift is the best thing you can get because you can then buy that wonderful bit of art which you always wanted. I've got a wee wishlist for some of the art of Kira Ayn Varszegi - I noticed just now that, as well as the Painting by Breast series of work, she also has some stunning photography for sale. Well done Kira!

More photos from our holiday in Tain

2009-10-20T02:08:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely holiday - the weather ranged from grey to glorious - and here's the photo to prove it. This is the main shopping street in Tain which was bathed in sunshine on Saturday morning as we got ready to leave for home.

Holiday in the north of Scotland

2009-10-18T09:25:00.000-07:00

We had a quick escape to a self-catering cottage in Tain. A lovely, golden October week in the north of Scotland. OK, the weather wasn't terrific every day but even on the grey days we could get out and explore. It was marvellous.

This image shows Keiss harbour - we called in here late one evening and spent a few minutes having a look around.

I'll publish more photos shortly - but I should really get down to some work!

Cheers for now
M

Two-piece Toddler Pajamas - Thor Motocross fans

2009-09-29T01:43:00.000-07:00

Toddler Two-Piece Pajamas

Cool - it's great what you can find for the little petrolheads in your life! What's more, there are other styles available.

I love this one!

Smell My Exhaust MX Romper

Definitely not for the faint-hearted!

Enjoy

Antique Stained Glass Windows by Tiffany

2009-09-28T16:04:00.000-07:00

Tiffany lamps I had heard of - but I didn't know that there is an active market in tiffany stained glass windows.

When I did a little reading on this, I realised that Louis Comfort Tiffany designed stained glass windows and then, noticing that the glass offcuts were still usable, found a way of setting the glass in channel settings which could be formed into shapes such as lampshades. This thrifty approach to business led to the evolution of stunning interior decorative pieces which are also collected today.

Billy Elliot

2009-09-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

My sister keeps nagging me to book a holiday to New York. She found a rental apartment somewhere and thinks it would make an ideal Easter break - and you don't know just how tempting this is. What would make it even more tempting is if we could book the Billy Elliot Tickets
right now! Then I'd have to make the travel arrangements. This is one show I'd love to see.

We haven't been to the theatre for ages - the last production which we saw was a local school concert in Helensburgh - and the last outing to a theatre proper was to the Glasgow Concert hall. That was a lovely Viennese night at New Year. .... Hmm - that just gets me thinking!

M

Pam Carter original for sale on eBay

2009-09-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

I just love Pam Carter's Scottish paintings - her work is colorful, fresh and captures the essence of Scottish scenery. This picture is for sale on eBay and seems like a bargain to me. Pam Carter's paintings have become very collectible.

This auction ends on 16 September so don't delay - and please note the time which is GMT (ie it's a UK auction!)

Murder Wrote She

2009-09-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

Just imagine this; you buy a new house and move in to it. One day, you decide to check out the contents of one of the upstairs rooms and you find a cardboard box which holds exercise books. When you check through the notebooks, you find that these books contain Agatha Christie's notes, plot outlines and drafts of many of Christie's novels. That's what happened to John Curran when he bought Greenway, which had been Christie's holiday home in Devon. Even more exciting was the realisation that there was a completely unknown Poirot story in these books (it had been rejected by Christie's publishers because it was about a Hitler figure) John Curran has published Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks which should be a great read for students of Christie's work.

If you're looking for some great reading, check out some of Christie's books here.

Murder Wrote She

Who moved my cheese

2009-08-27T08:50:00.000-07:00

Someone recently recommended a book called "Who Moved My Cheese?" after I had been talking about managing change in our retail store. Because of the effects of the recession, the retail scene in our town has changed and I guess like many others we have been struggling to find our feet again. Anyway, the recommendation for this book has been quite a revelation - and if, like me, you're struggling with the concept of whether or not to change your business, then this book might just save you some heartache.

Blessings,
Margaret

Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

I was sorry to hear of the untimely death of Michael Jackson - although I always felt that he was frail. I hope he didn't suffer too much in his final hours and hope he rests in peace.

Mar

ps - here's a list of books and other Michael Jackson stuff which you might like -

What's hot on eBay right now?

2009-05-19T05:22:00.000-07:00

In these tough times, a fast way of getting cash for your items is to sell them on eBay. It could be a great money maker, especially if you know what items are hot

Here's a quick link to find all the hot items on

eBay.com.

ebay.co.uk

It's a great way of researching niche markets where people are spending money - and might also reveal some hidden gems which you might not have considered would sell.

I found this item on ebay.co.uk

It's a cute playhouse for young kids -

Play House for Children

and it would be a great way to keep youngsters occupied during the summer holidays.

Mar

Toll Positions - Harvey Brody's Patents Live On

2009-05-03T02:46:00.000-07:00

I love it when someone provides elegant solutions to problems. You know the type of thing - the wooden drawer in your wardrobe stops running smoothly and jams every time you open and close it - and then someone tells you to rub candle grease on the runners to make it run smoothly again. That's a fast, cheap solution to a daily problem - and although you might choose to have the drawer repaired by a carpenter, the candle grease works well in the meantime.

Now imagine it was you who provided the candle grease solution; further, if you had patented the solution and sold the candle grease in a dispenser just for this purpose, and had arranged the manufacture of this dispenser, selling it to distributors, then you control the whole process. You also earn money on each and every sale of your invention.

That's effectively what Harvey Brody did many years ago now as a young man when he invented the Zoom-Spout® Oiler. It is still being sold today - see the Zoom Spout Oiler being sold right now on eBay.

How do I ask my girlfriend to marry me?

2009-05-01T03:10:00.000-07:00

“The Wedding Proposal Of Her Dreams”

Popping the question…it’s not so easy is it? And the last thing you want to do is ask the question in such a way that it’s about as memorable as last weeks left over stew. You want the day you asked your sweetheart to marry you to be as memorable for her as her wedding day itself. Yes, it IS possible. All you have to do is use a little imagination. This article will give you some tips to get you started.

Hopefully, if you’re actually serious about marrying this girl, you know quite a bit about her. Of course these days, that’s not always a given. But for our purposes, we’ll assume you do. Great, so what does she like? What places has she told you about that she’d love to visit? What’s her favorite food? What’s her favorite night out? What does she long for almost as much as your company? If you’ve made a mental note of these things, coming up with a wedding proposal idea shouldn’t be hard.

For example, let’s say that your gal has always wanted to go to a Broadway play. Let’s say that her favorite ones are the love stories. You know, where the guy gets the gal at the end. This is perfect. At the end of the play, when she’s crying with tears of joy, pull out the ring from your pocket, open up the box, take it out, take her hand and say, “Darling…will you marry me?” Think she’s crying now? You ain’t seen nothing yet. This will be a memory she will not soon forget.

Another thing you might want to do is find out from some of her friends if this is something that she’d like to share with them. Some friends know things like this. If so, arrange to have some kind of public gathering. Maybe a party for her and her friends. And then, at the end of the evening, you ask for everybody’s attention and then, with the room dead quiet, you go through the ritual. Your gal will be absolutely speechless.

These are just a couple of the many things you could do to put some zing into your wedding proposal. However, if you want some really killer ideas, check out the link in my signature. It is a review of a great resource with more wedding proposal ideas than you can shake a stick at.

This is one day you want your gal to remember.

Lingerie Wholesale

2009-04-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

Lingerie Mart ™ - the largest worldwide distributor of wholesale lingerie, sexy intimate apparel, bras, thongs, panties, sleepwear, sexy costumes, plus sizes, swimwear and more!

Our average sale is over $500.00 and up! Big sales mean high commissions! 7% commission on all orders we receive from our affiliates.

Since 1997, we have served 1,000's of customers on-line. We are the original wholesale lingerie internet company with over 12 years experience on-line, and over 25 years in the lingerie industry. Based in Atlanta, Georgia Lingerie Mart has grown into the largest supplier of name brand lingerie and intimate apparel at low wholesale prices. We cater to all businesses, big and small, including internet sites, chains, discount outlets, exporters, flea marketers, boutiques, EBayers and more!

Our massive selection, low prices and superb customer service have made Lingerie Mart famous around the world. With over 15,000 square-feet of inventory in our Atlanta warehouse, we ship products daily to every state in the USA. We also specialize in the export of lingerie to all parts of the world including all parts of Europe, all of Asia, New Zealand /Australia, Japan and the entire Pacific Rim, and all parts of the UK and Canada. We also ship daily to the Middle East Gulf States, Africa, Central and South America, and all of the Caribbean Islands.

Whether your product needs include bras, thongs, lingerie, sexy intimate apparel, plus sizes or swimwear, our incredible selection and #A-1 professional customer service are your guarantee for continued profit and success!

Can’t End Your Affair? Read This!

2009-04-29T03:51:00.000-07:00

There is probably nothing harder in this world than ending a bad love affair. Well, maybe doing advanced Calculus might be a little harder, but not much. Truth is, there are just no words that you can say that will make ending an affair with somebody go down easier. So looking for some magic solution is going to bring you down a long road filled with disappointment. However, in this article, I’m going to share some tips that might ease the pain just a little.

For one thing, you need to be direct but sympathetic. Nobody likes a jerk and ending an affair with something like, “Hey, go take a hike!” is not going to win you many brownie points. You need to have just a little bit of compassion for the person on the other side. Of course this compassion should also be in proportion to how much of it you were on the receiving end of. Some people are just flat out mean and don’t deserve more than a kick out the door. But we’re talking about letting people go who are essentially good people.

When you sit down with the person, talk about the good times you’ve had. Tell the person what you like about them. Not all breakups have to be all bad. Truth is, no relationship is black and white. There is always some good and bad, even in the ones that stay intact. By pointing out the good times, you help ease the blow a little bit. Then, explain why you feel it’s best to end things. Make the explanation as clear as possible so that there is no mistake. Nobody likes a vague reason for ending things. Answers like, “It’s just not working” do not go over well. Explain WHY it’s not working. The person on the other end deserves that much.

Finally, and this is the most important thing, take responsibility for your part of the breakup. It’s never just one person’s fault. Explain what you did wrong and how that only made the situation worse. Total honesty will go down a long way. It won’t make your partner any happier but it will make it all go down just a little easier.

If you want more info on this sensitive subject, check this out It is a review of a great resource that should help.

Breaking up shouldn’t be like performing major surgery.

Stunning eBay Auction Success

2009-04-25T15:59:00.000-07:00

Wow - Jim Cockrum has been running an auction on eBay to create a web site for someone and let them keep the profits - the details read

Description (revised)
Hi I'm Jim Cockrum and I want to work with you one on one to make a VERY successful website.

There will be only ONE WINNING BIDDER on this auction.

If you have ANY questions you can email me at Jim@SilentJim.com

Here's the deal:

I'll do 95% of the work (all the stuff you don't want to do) and in the end it will be YOUR website. I'll even promote it and make sales.

I am GUARANTEEING GREAT SALES when we launch...read on for details...

Am I qualified for this project?

* I've personally written and sold one of the all time best selling ebooks ever written. It is without a doubt the all time best selling eBay related ebook (that's a very crowded market) on the top ebook website online. My best guess is that it's sold nearly 80,000 copies in the last 7 years or so....possibly far more (I didn't start tracking it until recently).
* I've recently auctioned off a few hours of my coaching time on eBay for just under $10K. The bidding was furious and all of the winners ( I took on more than one student in that one) walked away happy and are still working with me. I'm a lifelong coach - not a one shot "take the money and run" type of guy.
* I run two very popular membership websites with over 7,000 combined fiercely loyal members.
* I have nearly 100,000 subscribers on mailing list and am considered by thousands to be a top expert on eBay, ebooks, and online entrepreneurship.
* I'm running this auction to once again prove what my time is worth on the open market

There's only a couple of hours left on this auction, so, if you're interested, you'd better hop on over to the eBay auction

Caravan holidays

2009-04-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

I haven't done many caravan holidays - but I have very fond memories of two.

The first time that I clearly remember is visiting Dunbar where my in-laws had rented a caravan just off the links golf course. If my memory isn't playing tricks on me, we stayed for a few days - and it was a quick walk from the caravan to the beach. The weather was glorious and the atmosphere lovely and friendly.

The second time I stayed in a caravan was when I met my second husband. A friend and I visited her parents' caravan near Strachur in Argyll. (OK, it was a static van rather than a mobile caravan) and it was very comfortable. We had a great holiday - and when, on the first evening, we went to the Glendale hotel, I met Sandy and that sealed my fate. The small, exlusive park is still there - but, strangely, I haven't been back in over 20 years. I still think fondly of the experience though.

Caravan holidays can be as straightforward or as complicated as you like. I prefer the freedom of choosing when to have breakfast, when to face the world - and love being able to cook simple meals (although I do love to go out for meals as well). Also, dress code can be slightly more relaxed than staying in hotels. The nice thing about owning or hiring a caravan is that there is usually a fairly sociable group of people who will welcome you and help with any problems - or who will leave you to your own devices, if that's what you prefer.

I'm checking out second-hand caravans right now - I'm told that the bargains are being picked up fast as more people choose to tow their holiday home behind them as they cut down on the expenses of vacations.

Bizarre eBay Auctions

2009-04-09T03:05:00.000-07:00

Oh, I don't know, there are times when you just gotta do it. I found some links to some of the more unusual eBay auction items.

The first one - MicroDermabrasion Face Cloths - has such a sweet music track playing through it that I can't switch the danged thing off!

THE Original MicroDermabrasion CLOTH IS 12" x 12"

It is made of my trademarked DERMAL GRADE Miracle Fabric - The ONLY Time-Tested and Doctor-Approved Grade Of MicroFiber You Should Use On Your Skin.

The second one - the Remote Control Fart Machine apparently has a repertoire of 15 different sounds. We're all kids together here!

Finally, Kira is now a powerseller - her Painting by Breast series of paintings has put her into the powerseller league - well done Kira!

Internet Marketing - how to succeed in online business

2009-03-16T23:57:00.000-07:00

===================================================

Within 2 Weeks, You Could Have

Your Very Own Money-Making Online Business!

(Or We'll Give You Back Double Your Investment!)

===================================================

** WARNING: "Magic Bullet" seekers need not apply!**

If you're willing to roll up your sleeves and give

us at least 5-10 hours a week of your time, WE will

help you build a REAL money-making Internet business!

It doesn't matter if you have no business idea...

... No clue about building websites...

... And almost NO budget...

... Because we will walk you step by step through

each action until your website is generating $1,000s

in sales every single month!

And right now you can test-drive this complete online business
before you buy it!

To get started today, visit:

www.marketingtips.com

Whatever happened to snuggie blankets?

2009-03-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

Have you even heard of snuggie blankets??

I must confess that I only found out about snuggies today - and they seem like quite a cool idea. ... er, make that warm idea. The basic design is a fleece blanket which has sleeves sewn into it - so that you can cover up on the couch and yet have your arms free (and cosy) to read a book, have a drink of beer.

They look like back-to-front dressing gowns :) - and certainly will keep you snug and warm without having to turn up the central heating on a cool day.

On the topic of blankets - I can't quite believe the variety available - for instance, there are John Deere themed fleece blankets for the tractor enthusiasts among you.

A step back to childhood

2009-03-11T07:19:00.000-07:00

I had a couple of hours to spare recently and I took a quick walk down memory lane.

My father was a farmer - we had dairy cattle for a long time and it's a hard, demanding lifestyle. As kids, we weren't exactly encouraged to help out - but we did manage to sneak in and bring a gallon of milk to Mom for dinner or breakfast. I can remember clearly the hard work washing out all the dairy dishes and implements, the milking machines, the milk cans which were uplifted daily by the milk lorry. Even more spectacular was the day when dad got his first bulk milk cooler - second-hand from a cousin. He was as newfangled with it as it was possible to be.

I can remember the smell of the cleaning chemicals in the dairy as if it was yesterday. I can smell the cattle feed we gave in the winter, see the cattle licking the salt lick, drinking water, eating the sweet smelling hay and silage. Once you've heard the sound of the milking machines, you would recognise it anywhere.

I can remember Dad crouching alongside the cows, testing each quarter to make sure the cow didn't have mastitis - because that's one of the potential side-effects of using mechanical milking machines. If there was any trace of infection, the infected quarter wasn't milked - and I don't think the rest of the milk from that animal was included in the milk collection. The vet was called out and antibiotics administered to treat the cow - I vaguely remember a small tube of ointment which was applied locally to the infected teat.

Among the other sounds - the barking of the collie dogs as they helped bring in the herd at milking time; the sound of the chains rattling as Dad tied up each cow in her stall before milking started. I remember being quite frightened when the bull was among the cattle - I never felt quite so easy about tying him up - although generally there were no problems. I can still "hear" the milk lorry arriving to pick up the day's milk. Our milking machines were driven by a vacuum arrangement attached to a tractor drive - and the sound of Dad starting that up is still with me.

The cow shed is a noisy place. The cattle low, they seem to gossip to one another. Their feet made a distinctive noise on the concrete floor; you could hear them eating the hay and the cattle nuts; if they were wintered inside, you could hear the sound of them breathing. Cleaning out the byre was also a noisy affair with the dung being scraped into a collecting trough and then barrowed out to the dung heap. The hay was brought from the hayshed - and that had its own noise, too - rustling of the wind through the shed made its own light, whispering sound.

I didn't realise how very much I miss all of this - farming is a labour of love and I cherish the memory of those far off days.

Derek Gehl Announces his retirement from the Internet Marketing Center

2009-03-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

Wow - I just got an email which said that Derek Gehl is retiring from the Internet Marketing Center - wow, that's stunning.

Yes you read it right... I, Derek Gehl, am retiring!

This is NOT a publicity stunt and in two months from now I promise I will NOT be announcing my un-retirement :-)

As of March 13th I will have stepped down as CEO of the Internet Marketing Center and handed over the reins to a team of incredible people!

.... Wow!

M

Rick Segel

2009-02-27T02:04:00.000-08:00

I've been a fan of Rick Segel now for several years. For those of you who don't know him, he was a specialty retailer in Florida and then he started writing books and consulting for other retailers, some small, some large. He has a great following at trade show events where his retailing expertise provides the basis for his tutorials and discussions. I'd strongly recommend that retailers, shopkeepers, heck, anyone in business, take the time to visit his site and check out what's happening in the world of retail through his eyes.

Rick Segel runs a membership site called The Retailers Advantage where you get access to much information and discussion on the art of being profitable and successful in a very competitive marketplace.

Today has been quite surreal

2009-02-17T10:21:00.000-08:00

Today has been a day of extreme contrasts. It started well enough with the news that I have another contract for a web site, as well as a good online sale in my Scottish Gifts web site. There are a couple more web enquiries outstanding, so hopefully they will also come to fruition.

However, in some respects, the day went downhill from there. One of our friends came in to the shop for lunch and told us that her best friend had had an accident while entering the local bus. So our friend ended up arranging medical care, transport, etc instead of travelling to Glasgow for a nice day out. When she arrived at the coffee shop, she was white and drawn; it took a wee while for her to recover her composure.

Then later on, a group of four people arrived for coffees - and gave us the news that a regular customer had died in her sleep last weekend - and that the funeral had already taken place. We were numb, because the lady had lunched with us just a couple of days before her death.

The day was "topped off" by being told that another customer had died of mesothelioma almost a year ago. His widow said that there had been no indication of it until he had an accident and at that stage, there was no possibility of effective treatment.

We're going home shortly and are going to say silent prayers for the friends we have lost, the friends we still have - and for all the relatives and friends left behind.

M

Frank Kern reminds me of .....

2009-02-15T06:38:00.000-08:00

erm,... "Hey, Dude" - I finally figured it out. It's been bugging me for days. I knew I would get it eventually, but today I finally worked out who it is that Internet Marketing Guru Frank Kern reminds me of - and that is ....
Donald Sutherland
... particularly in Kelly's Heroes
whew - now that I have made the connection, I can go and get on with something else, LOL

Margaret

Fresh Air - Spring Cleaning

After a cold, frosty spell of weather, today is the first day when I can say that it feels spring-like. I opened our bedroom windows wide and felt the lovely fresh air flooding into the room. It's great - just getting the room aired out - and it made me feel like doing more than whisk a duster around the furniture. There isn't quite enough "drouth" - or drying wind - to get the curtains down and wash them, but there are corners which need refreshing and I'm just off to do that.

Vinegar for windows
A quick tip for cleaning windows - use

2 cups of water,
1/4 cup of white
distilled vinegar,
1/2 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent in a spray bottle.

(The liquid soap is added to take away any residue from using a commercial window cleaning product - sometimes they linger on windows, leaving them streaky.)

That's all there is to it. (Make sure to label the
bottle and keep it out of the reach of children.)

Map of 52 States in the USA

2009-02-07T16:26:00.000-08:00

View Larger Map

I need somewhere quick and easy to find a map of all 52 states in the USA - and this google map is great, because you can expand it to see much more.

Enjoy!

Admin

Presidential Autographs - for the Collector

2009-02-02T00:50:00.000-08:00

List of Presidents

in Numerical Order

George Washington (1789-1797)

John Adams (1797-1801)

Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)

James Madison (1809-1817

James Monroe (1817-1825)

John Quincy Adams (1825-1829)

Andrew Jackson (1829-1837

Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)

William Henry Harrison (1841-1841)

John Tyler (1841-1845)

James K Polk (1845-1849)

Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)

Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)

Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)

James Buchanan (1857 - 1861)

Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)

Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)

Ulysses S Grant (1869-1877)

Rutherford B Hayes (1877-1881)

James A Garfield (1881-1881)

Chester A Arthur (1881-1885)

Grover Cleveland (1885-1889)

Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)

Grover Cleveland (1893-1897)

William McKinley (1897-1901)

Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)

William Howard taft (1909-1913)

Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)

Warren G Hardin (1921-1923)

Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)

Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)

Franklin D Roosevelt (1933-1945)

Harry S Truman (1945-1953)

Dwight D Eisenhower (1953-1961)

John F Kennedy (1961-1963)

Lyndon B Johnson (1963-1969)

Richard Nixon (1969-1974)

Gerald Ford (1974-1977)

Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

George H W Bush (1989-1993)

William Clinton (1993-2001)

George W Bush (2001-2009)

Barack Obama (2009-present )

I've found some interesting presidential autographs for sale. I wonder if this could be the start of a new collection??

Bill and Hillary Clinton

Kennedy Speeches

Barack Obama

Ulysses S Grant Presidential Pardon

Very Rare President John Adams Signed & Owned Book

White House autograph of President Theodore Roosevelt

Wild, windy day in Helensburgh

2009-01-30T01:23:00.000-08:00

... ok, I guess this is only to be expected at this time of year, and stormy days certainly make for more dramatic photos, but it's possible to have too much of a good thing. I amn't sure just how the holiday season is going to develop this year - we know of several people who are going on a cruise shortly, but these have been booked for several months. I am sure that there will be people taking advantage of special offers and vacation deals - but I am also hoping that a lot of people visit Scotland to take part in the Homecoming 2009 events. At present it's impossible to gauge.

Despite the uncertainty, we've had a reasonably good start to the year at MacGillivray's Scottish Gifts - and part of that is down to the efforts we made to market our business over the last twenty years. Every now and again someone turns up from a far-flung corner of the world and says "Hey, it's great to see your still here and we made a special trip just to see you!" ... It's the greatest compliment we could get.

... we'll maybe see you sometime in Helensburgh?? I hope so.

Best
Margaret

Moorcroft pottery - it's just delicious

2009-01-27T10:51:00.000-08:00

The quality of the Moorcroft pottery shines through in this lovely example of a vase designed by Emma Bossons. It looks good enough to eat. I love the fact that it comes with its original box as well.

The reason it caught my eye in amongst the other Moorcroft auctions was the box - I would have recommended separating the vase and the box in the picture so that the box was evident in the background but didn't overwhelm the shape of the vase. Anyway, when I finally figured out what was going on, I had to show hubby how lovely the vase is :) - he can start saving for my birthday gift right now :)

M

Elsie - animatronic - a talking, singing robotic cow

2009-01-27T03:19:00.000-08:00

Elsie - this is a fabulous, must-have item. I love it. After a grey start to the morning, I'm wide awake and smiling now!

Margaret

Do you like weird auctions? It must be time for some more.

2009-01-27T01:56:00.000-08:00

I haven't had time to have a quick look at the bizarre stuff which sells on eBay - but I needed a little chuckle this morning and, wow, there is some really amazing stuff! For instance, there's an auction for a Janet Jackson Bra Superbowl 2004 - plus some authentication and newsreel footage to go with it.

Then, as a shopkeeper, I was entertained to see a Black Gorilla Robot Animated Advertising Sign - I'm not sure it would survive the weather on west coast Scotland facing the prevailing south westerly winter storms, but it would certainly be unique!

Then, with an eye to the inauguration of President Obama, there's an auction for a historic newspaper of the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln in 1861. According to the description:

Here is a complete, genuine historic newspaper with the following title, date and description:
THE NEW YORK TIMES, March 5, 1861

* Abraham Lincoln's 1st Inauguration
* Barack Obama follows his footsteps

A very desirable and historic issue particularly given the inauguration of Barack Obama who has many comparative references to the administration of Abraham Lincoln.

Hmm, I'm not sure this one would be for me - STANDING PUSSY CAT / KITTEN STATUE
HOLDING SEA SHELL DISH, but I could see it appealing to cat lovers - or someone wanting to redecorate their bathroom.

My favorite for today, though, is this optimist who's selling An actual Leaf from the 20th Century! How weird is that!

Now, I'd better go and do some work :) Hope you have a good day. Mine has improved already!

My dream handbag

2009-01-11T03:15:00.000-08:00

Every now and again, I stray into territory where my cheque book and credit card are poised on the brink of break out, LOL, no more so than with this lovely handbag by Chanel which is being sold currently. I love quality handbags and watching the bids on this beautifull classic is almost too much to bear. In addition to that, I do actually need a new bag ..... it's so tempting!

Alcoholics Anonymous Collectors' Items

2009-01-10T00:49:00.000-08:00

Since I've started surfing around eBay in earnest, I am quite amazed at the range of items which are collectible - for instance, early editions of books from Alcoholics Anonymous fetch some quite high prices when they're in great condition. This could be a great niche market to explore to earn extra income - I suspect there are a lot of people who, like me, have never given a thought to this niche market.

Oil Paintings still show sales on eBay

2009-01-08T09:42:00.000-08:00

I wonder how many people are still using eBay to buy paintings and collectibles to add to their collections. Quite a few, judging by the number of items listed with bids. Which artists do you collect?

Deals on eBay - Buy in quantity at bargain prices

2009-01-08T08:16:00.000-08:00

When did it happen? I just realised that there's a new tab in the eBay site for special deals. You're probably going to tell me that it's been there for a while - but I only saw it today. I am off to look around and see what kind of bargains are on offer.

Rare illuminated manuscripts - Legenda Aurea

2009-01-06T13:43:00.000-08:00

I love watching auctions - and there are some amazing things being sold online when you care to surf around. For instance, I came across this auction for a Legenda aurea rare manuscript with 224 initials - and decided to take a further look.

The manuscript at hand is an edition of Jacobus de Voragine's Legenda Aurea. This collection of legends about the life of numerous saints, written between 1263 and 1273, is seen today as the most famous and most popular chapbook of the Middle Ages. The saints vita's were collocated along the ecclesiastical year. They were provided with substantial explanations of the great holidays Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension Day, Pentecost and of the liturgical customs. This way, the book does not only serve as a daily edification, but also as a “manual for reflection and contemplation” during the feast days.

Local legends were often extended to the saints' legends written by Jacobus de Voragine too. Between the leaves 256-289 verso, you will find some early enlargements, for example first Saint Lazarus' legend (lvs. 256-258), and beginning with leaf 274, you find a study about Thomas the Apostle.

The text is written in two constant columns, each of them with 40 lines. The text area is very constant too with 8,4 x 5,7 inches. The smooth preparatory drawings of four vertical and 41 horizontal lines are sometimes readily identifiable. The script was written roundly in gothic letters with dark brown ink.

Further, the seller states -

The gorgeously large Fleuronée-initials are especially striking. They are often stretched out over three lines, but some of them even over fourteen lines. A gorgeous initial is as large as a whole page. The initials are alternative red and blue. Red initials are decorated with blue patterns, the blue ones are decorated with copious red patterns. The letters are filled with embellishments, leafages and ornaments. At the same time several slightly curved embellishments are stretched out right over the space and accompany the columns and the edges. These embellishments often capture the edge of a whole page. The stylishly in red and blue coloured letters stand in a beautiful contrast to the nice, framing patterns. Together, they build a nice unity. Each of the sophisticated jewel initials is an outstanding example for the art of book painting in the Middle Ages. In addition, the text is continuously rubricated and structured with numerous red and blue coloured break tags and with several chapers's indication.

Jacobus de Voragine (around 1230 – 1298) was born in the region of Genua. He became a member of the Dominican order in early life. After his education within the fraternity and his studies at the university of Bologna, he became a professor of theology in 1260. Beside teaching in his order's schools, where he was well known due to his rhetoric talents, he was also an itinerant preacher on the whole Italian peninsula. Between 1267 and 1278 and 1281 and 1286 he was provincial superior of the Lombardy. In 1288, finally, he was elected as Genua's archbishop. The Legenda Aurea is Jacobus Voragine's most famous and most important work: it became an important source for veneration of saintin the Middle Ages and later on .

All in all, this is a very rare manuscript from the 14th century. It's presumably the most famous and most influential work of the Middle Ages'. Especially, the manuscript's exceedingly gorgeous illustrations with more than 220 Fleuronnée-initials give this manuscript a unique character and make it worthy to collect!!

I can't begin to imagine owning something this old and this stunning - but now that my interest has been piqued, I am going to watch further auctions for rare illuminated manuscripts.

Special Deals on Rugs this Christmas

2008-11-29T01:47:00.000-08:00

Free underpad when you buy a Persian or Oriental rug
This offer ends on 7th Dec 2008
Christmas Sale

Save $100
Minimum purchase price $1250 - Discount $100
"Not Valid on Consignment, Custom Items, Sale, or ebay merchandise.
This offer ends 10/01/09."
Use Coupon Code - ASAS10a

Coupon Codes and Deals

2008-11-29T01:41:00.000-08:00

$15 off discounted magazine subscriptions at SurplusMags.com

$15 off minimum order of $100
Coupon Code - Surplus100

$8 off discounted magazine subscriptions at SurplusMags.com

$8 off - Minimum order of $75 at SurplusMags.com
Coupon Code - Surplus75

Escape to the country in Scotland

2008-11-09T04:33:00.000-08:00

I've just spotted a lovely house for sale near Forfar - it's brand new, has four bedrooms and seems to have a fantastic view over the Angus countryside. Unfortunately, I can't move there - but maybe you know someone who's looking to return to Scotland to live - or who needs to find a lovely family home near Dundee or Aberdeen??

Full details of the house - it's vacant - ready for you to move in!

Insider Secrets to Marketing your Business on the Internet

2008-11-06T00:44:00.000-08:00

Derek Gehl's Insider Secrets to Marketing your Business on the Internet course has long been on my wish list; it has received rave reviews from many people whose opinion I respect very much indeed.

Here’s the 2008 Course Outline:

Step #1. Find Your Niche Market
Step #2. Set Up Your Business To Sell The Right Solution
Step #3. Write Compelling Salescopy That Turns Visitors Into Buyers
Step #4. Design A Website That Compels Visitors To Take Action
Step #5. Use An Opt-In Form To Collect Leads And Build Customer Relationships
Step #6. Drive Visitors To Your Website And Start Making Sales
Step #7. Use Pay-Per-Click Advertising To Get Traffic Fast
Step #8. Attract Free Traffic By Optimizing For The Major Search Engines
Step #9. Use Email Marketing To Build Customer Relationships And Make More Sales
Step #10. Harness The Power Of Affiliate Programs For More Traffic And Sales
Step #11. Test, Track, And Optimize Your Marketing For Maximum Results
Step #12. Add New Revenue Streams To Grow Your Profits
Bonus Book - Use New Media And "Web 2.0" To Make Your Online Business Social
DISC 1: Video - Find a Profitable Niche Market
DISC 2: Video - Write Salescopy that Compels Visitors to Take Action
DISC 3: Create a Winning Pay-Per-Click Ad Campaign
DISC 4: Video - Optimize Your Website for Top Search Engine Results
DISC 5: Rolodex and Swipe Files
DISC 6: 7 Case Studies and 3 Website Reviews/Makeovers

Derek has some special offers online now - and I'm probably going to dip my toes in the water later on today. HOWEVER, I must confess that I didn't expect to find second-hand copies of the Internet Marketing Center course material and handbooks on the eBay auction site. There aren't a whole lot of them available, but as they are "Buy it now" items, they still look like great value for money. Either way, if you are keen to learn about Internet Marketing for your Business, these options sound like great value for money.

It would be great for you to explore these options to start earning your way out of the country's current financial meltdown. Here they are again, just so that you can take your time to check them out.

1. Derek Gehl's Insider Secrets to Marketing your Business on the Internet

2. Derek Gehl's 2008 Course Outline

Link Directories - Bidding for Links

2008-10-15T03:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of some very search-engine friendly linkbid directories. I'll update this list shortly.

http://directory.phplinkbid.com/

http://www.ptcreations.com/

http://www.directorygrow.com/

http://www.bidverve.com

http://www.xirby.com/

http://www.nervedirectories.com/

http://www.0go.net/

http://www.kytoo.com/

http://www.linkjuicedirectory.com/

http://directory.intavant.com/

http://www.linkbidguide.com

http://www.bidfu.com

http://www.linkbidnow.com/

http://www.epicbids.com

http://www.affiliatefrog.com

http://www.nervedirectory.com

http://www.teknowledgery.com

http://www.w3point.com

http://www.1buckbid.com

http://www.1buckonly.com

http://linkdigg.com

http://www.linkbid.tv/

http://www.musicvideos411.com

http://meatylink.com

http://coolfinancial.com/dir

http://www.LinkFrequency.com

http://fightingtopsites.com

http://www.euro-lister.com/

http://zdravzivotzr.com

http://directoriesbidding.com

http://db9.biz/

http://bidforposition.co.uk

http://www.premointer.com

http://www.computingandinternet.net

http://www.societyandculture.org

http://www.shoppinglinks.nu

http://linkbidblog.com

http://healthdirectory.nu

http://eshopindex.com

http://www.linkbid.name

http://meanlinks.com

http://addyourlink.name

http://www.TopBidLink.com

http://www.bid-directory-uk.co.uk

http://jie.cc

http://www.mastertop.net/

http://www.dealsinvestment.com/

http://www.bountyworld.com

http://linkstarz.com

http://emarketinglinks.com

http://linksalad.com

http://bidforpr.com

http://www.worldlinksbid.com

http://www.webydirectory.com/

http://www.biduplinks.co.uk

http://www.smarturl.co.uk

http://www.topwebsiteslist.com

http://www.fruitydirectory.com/phplinkbid

http://www.link4rank.com

http://www.eurolistings.net

http://www.uppername.com

http://www.candomultimedia.com/

http://www.bidlink.eu

http://www.primalima.com

http://www.webpix.eu

http://www.portachi.net/

http://biddirectory1.com

http://www.mySEOlink.com

http://www.bidforposition.us

http://linkscan.us

http://www.sublimedirectory1.com

http://doughmainz.com/domainlinkbids/index.php

http://www.linkbid24.de/

http://bid-for-links.com

http://www.everbestlinks.com

http://www.patentsonline.com.au/bidforlink/

http://www.linkdirectory.cc

http://www.scriptcopy.com

http://www.topbidwebdirectory.com

http://www.englishfair.com

http://www.tookle.com

http://www.blacpac.com

http://www.npx01.com

http://www.directorydub.com

http://www.bidpreneur.com

http://www.licytacjalinkow.pl

http://www.najlepszapozycja.net

http://www.multi-directory.com/

http://www.prowebdir.com/

http://www.smartlinklp.com/

http://www.textlinkindex.com/

http://www.textlinkbid.com/

http://www.webshopdirectory.com/

http://photographersbank.com

http://xoccy.com

http://www.bidrankdirectory.com/

http://www.empowerlink.com/

http://www.ses-its.com/

http://www.spmdb.com/

http://www.ibaud.org/

http://www.bidmylink.com/

http://www.linkprague.com/

http://www.linkanchor.com/

http://www.nvrenshow.net/

http://www.powernetworkingseries.com/

http://www.propylaean.org/

http://www.bigbangworkshops.com/

http://www.brigandu.com/

http://www.westgei.com/

http://www.asaconcordia.com/

http://www.positionstrength.com/

http://www.bid-link.org/

http://www.bidding-directory.org/

http://www.coinaf.org/

http://www.tomscreekint.com/

http://www.woodkerne.com/

http://www.podsim.org/

Knock, Knock

2008-10-13T02:00:00.000-07:00

I love old houses; so, when my sister decided to purchase a Victorian terrace house near Derby, my interest was piqued.

Last week, I took the time to visit her - and she showed me her purchase. The house is in a distressed state as she's renovating; but the quality of the build is shining through.

One of the items which took me straight back to my childhood is the amazing Victorian door knocker - featuring a lion's mask. It is just like the one which was on the back door at our aunt's house. My sister has re-painted it into a crisp black - and it is looking beautiful.

M

Bankaholic.com - $15m Price Tag

2008-10-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

What happens when you create a web site which provides useful, fresh and up-to-date information for a hungry market?? Well, if you're like Johns Wu at Bankaholic.com, you get an offer for your web site which is impossible to refuse.

.... so, get your creative juices running and find a hot market which you can be passionate about - and you, too, could end up with $15m in your bank balance.

M

Social Bookmarking?

2008-10-08T03:46:00.000-07:00

I've just started a new experiment with social bookmarking sites - these ones apparently don't assign thd "no-follow" tag to your bookmarks - in other words, they can be spidered.

Backflip
Bibsonomy
Blinklist
Bookmarktracker
Connectedy
Folked
Furl
Jumptags
Linkagogo
MyLinkVault
MyVMarks
Spotback
Spurl

I am hoping that by adding my sites into the bookmarks here, we will get better search engine results for our key phrases.

.... I'll let you know how this goes.

M

Maybe the stockbrokers need some spice in their lives?

2008-10-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

Weird and wacky magnets - in the form of a nipples must be among the most wacky items we've seen on eBay - I would have thought that eBay would have pulled this auction - but obviously not.

Meantime, even in these troubled times, Breast Painting Artist Kira Ayn Varszegi is still selling lots of original art work - good on her!

The same mistakes over and over again. PHPLinkBid Directory Owners Beware!

2008-08-20T03:00:00.000-07:00

I own and run a PHPLinkBid Directory site - fortunately, I know enough about scripts to install it myself and get it configured to run properly. (OK, I've made a note to myself to buy some add-ons and find a prettier template - but these things are cosmetic.)

These link bid sites are a good way of getting backlinks for your web site - especially the ones such as PHPLinkBid which have RSS feeds for categories. There are many other directory scripts published which offer similar RSS feeds.

Link Directory scripts generally cost money - some a few dollars, others many hundreds of dollars. So you would think that someone spending money with a view to making a return on their investment would take the time to make sure that the directory is working correctly. As I surf the net looking for other places to buy links, it amazes me completely that the configuration of the directory has been ignored.

For instance, I have come across several directories where the owners obviously have forgotten to find the section where they put in their paypal address - so someone wanting to buy a link ends up sending money to a duff paypal address. This is hopeless - and very frustrating.

PLEASE - if you run a PHPLinkBid site, check to see that your PayPal address details are correct.

... my other beef with directories is that people are unrealistic about the prices they can get when they are starting up their directories. My recommendation, especially for the first few months, is to start cheap - $1 per listing to start with is great - that way, your directory gets populated with links. The whole purpose of a link bid directory is to encourage people to pay more to be on the front page of your site - so you need at least ten purchased links to encourage the competition to pay to be top of your link directory.

Oh, and don't forget to promote your own directory - because the more popular and visible it is, the better your results are going to be.

With that in mind, please don't forget to check out my own directory and place a bid - I am actively promoting it too - and as I do so, you will get the benefit of my efforts in bringing traffic to the site. :)

Cubist Vase of Flowers on Table by Francoise Gilot - for sale on eBay

2008-08-07T00:43:00.000-07:00

Cubist Vase of Flowers on Table

Original Artist's Crayon Drawing bby Francoise Gilot

"Picasso's Beloved Muse"

Dimensions: 5 inches by 6.5 inches

Signed and Dated 1946. The Original label and sales information is on the back of the picture.

This artwork is still in its original picture frame.

This artwork is registered in the Francoise Gilot Archives.

The artwork was purchased from Francoise Gilot at a show by Riggs Gallery in San Diego, California in 1988. Ms. Gilot attended the show with her husband, Dr. Jonas Salk. During the sale, Ms. Gilot stated how hard it had been to get paper after the war. Ms. Gilot did this drawing while she was living with Pablo Picasso.

This artwork is very vibrant and colorful with strong strokes and good definition.

About the Gallery where the drawing was purchased - Riggs Gallery was a prominent gallery in San Diego and Mary Riggs, the owner, was Francoise Gilot's representative on the West Coast. Dorothea Elkon was her East Coast representative. Since Ms. Gilot and Dr. Salk lived in San Diego.

Francoise Gilot is a French Painter, born in 1921. From 1946 to 1953 she worked with Pablo Picasso, learning, teaching and sharing the wealth of his tremendous talent. During this time she also worked with Henri Matisse, developing a strong friendship with the elderly painter. She lived with Picasso and had two children with him.

Ms. Gilot has acted as a visiting professor of the Department of Painting, Drawing and Etching at the University of California at Idyllwild. She also maintains a studio in New York City.

Cubist Vase of Flowers on Table

Jane Austen would love the internet - or maybe not??

2008-07-30T01:04:00.000-07:00

Over the years, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice was one of my favorite books - this gentle, romantic social comedy is perhaps not quite so gentle as it seemed to me on my first reading it as a young teenager. In fact, the book pulls no punches as it explores the customs and foibles of the top echelons of society - so it worked well then as a critique of the society of the day. How much - or how little - has changed today?? Perhaps less than we like to admit. I am sure Jane Austen would be amazed at the quick, effective global reach of the internet. I like to imagine that she would have belonged to Facebook and Blogger - maybe also selling her works as eBooks on Clickbank .

I love the BBC's adaptations of Jane Austen's works. Because these adaptations are mostly faithful to the original writings, they make a great way to study the sharpness of Austen's social commentary and to compare it to society today.

Movie trailer - collectible

2008-07-28T02:02:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say that movie trailers are also quite collectible - you could easily set up a BANS store using this as a niche - maybe even make smaller niche stores out of it. For example, here's one auction for a Marilyn Monroe movie trailer .... one way to own a little bit of movie history without shelling out a whole lot of money for a complete movie.

Save fuel - convert your car to run on water???

2008-07-28T01:14:00.000-07:00

Can you believe that your car might run on water instead of gas?

Whether you're trying to save money on gas or just help the environment by cleaning your vehicle's emissions, converting your car to run on hydrogen (as a supplement to gasoline) provides the lowest-cost, safest, and most rewarding solution. The technology to run cars on HHO (derived from water) is proven, but the information to do so is usually expensive and hard to find. Plus, it's difficult to know which information to trust!

Well you have just found the best guide on the net! That's right we are really Water Hybrid Drivers & Owners so we know our product inside and out!

Get the MOST COMPLETE Guide Here

It's a Wonderful Life - Movie with James Stewart

2008-07-28T01:04:00.000-07:00

I keep being stunned at the stuff I find on eBay

I was just checking on the progress of the auction for a copy of the film "The Wizard of Oz" - it sold for $1,000 - when I came across a copy of the famous "It's a Wonderful Life" which starred

James Stewart,
Donna Reed,
Lionel Barrymore,
Thomas Mitchell,
Henry Travers,
Beulah Bondi,
Frank Faylen,
Ward Bond,
Gloria Grahame, and
Todd Karns

It's A Wonderful Life

1946

B&W Film

16mm

So far, this auction has reached $260 - I wonder where it will end up??

Wizard of Oz

2008-07-18T03:22:00.000-07:00

Aargh - I guess I'm a collector at heart - here, up for sale, is an original film version of the Wizard of Oz

We're off to see the Wizard!!! Yes, it is true. Up for auction here is a beautiful print of the original, 1939 timeless MGM classic: THE WIZARD OF OZ. This print seems to be straight from the studio, with all original leaders, heads, and tails intact. The color is almost perfect, as is the black and white, except for the color part of Reel 3 which has begun to fade. There are few scratches, and nothing is missing from this film.

.... I'd just love to own this. I'm a real Judy Garland fan - I love her voice. ......

Stained glass - bargain??

2008-07-18T03:01:00.000-07:00

This piece of stained glass is apparently Victorian - it was recovered from a mausoleum - and has an inscription on it "In Memory of Donald Ferguson" - which may restrict its resale value. However, what I like about it is the richness of the colors in the glass used - and, having lived in a house which had stained glass panels beside the front door, I can just imagine this piece (or some of the others for sale) embellishing a home. It seems like great value for money, considering the cost of having something similar commissioned today.

I love homes with personality - and stained glass certainly adds that.

I live about 6 miles from the Loch Lomond Golf Championship Course

2008-07-10T03:34:00.001-07:00

This Fordson Tractor (being auctioned just now on eBay.co.uk) is just what will be needed today for anyone parking to see the Loch Lomond Scottish Open Golf Championship. The weather is truly testing - wild winds, overnight torrential downpour - and, although slightly better at the moment, it looks as if there's more rain due anytime. The car parking for the match is going to be ... er, soft!

Mind you, the tractor featured needs a little more work before it's going to be fit to pull anything out of a bog.

I'm a farmer's daughter - and, although it's 30 years since our farm was sold, I get really nostalgic for the sight, sound and smell of a tractor at work. This shot of an old Fergusson in a farm yard is reminiscent of work at home when Dad would come in weary after a day's ploughing.

The auction itself shows how not to sell on eBay - the seller has put a poor title on the auction, which will probably not be found if searching for Fergusson tractors, the description could be much better as well - so, at present, the tractor looks like a bargain to me. I hope he does well.

I could live with this one

2008-07-09T04:57:00.000-07:00

I amn't sure I could live with the picture of Abraham Lincoln which I featured in my previous post. However, I could happily live with this one - a landscape signed by Birger Sandzen. I love the earthy tones.

My quirky nature, though, means that I just love this pen and ink drawing by Ervine Metz l

It needs no words to make me smile - and I could look at this for a long time without becoming weary.

Happy 4th July, folks

2008-07-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

This picture of Abraham Lincoln is being sold, right now, on eBay - it's not overly expensive either.

Anyway, I thought it was worth a mention, especially as today's July 4th. Most appropriate.

Hope you folks have a great day.

P.S. On a completely different topic, I came across a handbook for an Avro Lancaster Bomber on eBay UK - wow, that is slightly surreal - imagine having enough of them left around to make it worth while publishing a repair manual.

Jack Vettriano Original - The White Basque

2008-07-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

I just love it - I can't afford to own it, but this auction for a Jack Vettriano original -

JACK VETTRIANO- 'THE WHITE BASQUE'- 1994, OIL on CANVAS

Stunning, sexy, and utterly classic - early mature-period Jack Vettriano from 1994.

Jack's evocative style at its best.... the cinematic narrative...the

eternal sexual tension between men and women.

has me drooling! The current owner bought the Vettriano from an art gallery in Dunkeld, Perthshire when Vettriano was beginning to come to public notice. I am already jealous of the new owner of this amazing pic - the auction has several days yet to run, but the picture could be yours for £32,000 - and could be an amazing investment.

Jack Vettriano

Vettriano's Biography states:

Born in Fife, Scotland in 1951, Jack Vettriano left school at sixteen to become a mining engineer. For his twenty-first birthday, a girlfriend gave him a set of watercolour paints and, from then on, he spent much of his spare time teaching himself to paint.

In 1989, he submitted two paintings to the Royal Scottish Academy's annual exhibition; both were accepted and sold on the first day. The following year, an equally enthusiastic reaction greeted the three paintings, which he entered for the prestigious Summer Exhibition at London's Royal Academy and his new life as an artist began from that point on.

Over the last twenty years, interest in Vettriano's work has grown consistently. There have been sell-out solo exhibitions in Edinburgh, London, Hong Kong and New York.

Although he is a controversial figure, Vettriano is still favoured by the establishment - his portrait of Zara Phillips, daughter of HRH The Princess Royal, was commissioned for a charity auction in aid of Sport Relief.

..

Golf with Morgan Freeman

2008-06-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

Here's an auction which is raising money for a good cause - the winner gets to play golf with the actor Morgan Freeman. The mission of PLAN!T NOW (the organization formerly known as the Grenada Relief Fund) is to be an advocate for the power of preparedness, focused on empowering people to develop their own solutions. But, the challenge is not only to create tools and resources for public preparedness, it's creating a sense of urgency for preparedness itself. Simply put, our mission is to give people the power to save their own lives. 100% of the money raised in this auction is going to the Grenada Relief Fund.

The auction winner will also receive -

You will also receive a set of clubs, courtesy of Callaway Golf! This set of clubs includes the latest in golf technology from top-selling Big Bertha brand. The Big Bertha 460 Driver boasts a 460cc head design with a shallower face, flatter crown and the highest Moment of Inertia ever in a Callaway Golf all-titanium head – resulting in longer and straighter off-center shots. The set also includes a 52 degree X-Forged Wedge is constructed from soft 1020 carbon steel for incredible feel with a tighter heel-toe radius that provides increased versatility from anywhere around the green. The Odyssey White Hot XG #3 putter is a rounded heel-toe weighted blade with a half-shaft offset. All of these clubs come ready to play with the industry’s #1 selling model Warbird Hot Stand Bag.

Don't forget your fantastic golf rain suit! The Dunhill rain outfit consists of an XL vinyl waterproof jacket and cream color sweater.

Don't forget to bookmark the auction. Morgan Freeman is waiting!

The Presidential Bus

2008-06-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

I just love it when a piece of history comes up for sale. Of course, some pieces are more interesting and valuable than others - but the point of collecting historical artefacts is that they chart some moment of change in the way things are done. Take this Presidential Bus for instance.

According to the owners,

This coach has quite the history. It was originally constructed in 1995 for my wife and me; we intended to use it to go live in Alaska for a while. Well, this did not happen, and one day a good friend suggested that if I was not going to go to Alaska right away, why not use the bus to help Congressman Bill Zeliff campaign for New Hampshire Governor? So I did, and we spent the summer of 1995 driving around New Hampshire, doing parades and other events. Bill lost, but the bus was well received, so I decided to help with Phil Gramm's 1996 run for President.

The bus has been in politics ever since. Governor Bush used the bus as his campaign headquarters from July 1999 through the New Hampshire primary. Throughout this time, George Bush, Sr, Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, Jeb Bush, George P. Bush, and other members of the Bush family all rode on the bus. Many others rode on the bus, too: Elizabeth Dole, Judd Gregg, Jack Kemp, and Congressman Charles Bass. After the primary the bus supported the campaigning efforts of various Federal and state candidates, taking them throughout the state of New Hampshire in their bid for elected office. The last political event of the 2000 election the bus attended was President Bush's inaugural parade, and the presidential bus was born.

After the 2000 election the bus rested snuggly in its climate controlled garage until the start of the 2002 political season. Every candidate supported in 2002 won political office: Senator John Sununu, Representative Charles Bass, Representative Jeb Bradley, and Governor Craig Benson.

In 2004 the bus again campaigned for President Bush, and in 2006 it also campaigned throughout New Hampshire. Many well-known politicians, including Senator John McCain, campaign on the bus during this time.

Rudy Giuliani used the bus in 2007 and 2008 as his New Hampshire mobile campaign headquarters.

Throughout all of this the bus has been meticulously maintained. All the maintenance was done in house by me or under my immediate supervision. I just recently retired and sold my trucking business, so now its time to sell this great bus.

What an amazing opportunity to own a well documented piece of presidential and electoral history - it could be used as a miniature tourist attraction in its own right.

Painting by Breast??

2008-06-24T07:52:00.000-07:00

I sometimes surf through eBay's Weird and Wonderful section - and today, I came across this amazing painting which you could actually hang in your lounge. The artist, Kira Ayn Varszegi, said

The paint is applied directly to my breasts, which are then pressed onto the canvas. This process is repeated several times, using different color combinations, until I like the final composition. This series is intended to be intimate, whimsical, and fun (and an interesting conversation piece). This is a 100% original creation that was painted entirely with my (real) breasts.

More art by Kira Ayn Varszegi is available for sale.

More aeroplanes, anyone?

2008-06-17T14:27:00.000-07:00

I am absolutely amazed. After I found the Harrier Jump Jet earlier on today, I took some time out this evening to look through other plane auctions - here there are

3 BAC 1-11 Airliners on sale for a cool US $4,995,000.00
A lovely Cessna - described as "A Classic 1959 Cessna 310C Full IFR, Ready-To-Fly"
A 1968 Cessna 421 - the description reads "Stryair Inc. has owned this aircraft N1421U s/n 0046 for over 4 years (I have the paperwork to prove this). The retail N.A.A.A. value is 174,400 U.S dollars, with the wholesale value at 140,000 U.S. dollars. Stryair would love to keep this bird, but it is necessary to let her go."

Wow. I am astonished that transactions like this occur on eBay.

Harrier Jump Jet, anyone?

2008-06-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love the concept of a bargain - especially when the current price for this Harrier Jump Jet on eBay is just £4,100 (price correct at the time of going to press).

The auction details say that

This is a decommissioned ex Royal Navy Sea Harrier FA2 Fighter/Attack aircraft which has served between 1987 and 1997 with all 3 of the Fleet Air Arm Harrier squadrons (800, 801 and 899 NAS).

The aircraft is externally complete to Static display/museum standards and would make a truly stunning garden feature or museum exhibit.

Complete with wing pylons and belly AMRAAM pylons. Replica engine nozzles (cast from the real thing) are fitted to give the impression an engine is installed.

Complete with photos of the aircraft in service and its full history.

This is the aircraft featured by Airfix as the 1:48 scale model of the FRS1 Sea Harrier in the 899NAS 50th Anniversary colour scheme. This colour scheme was applied to this aircraft in February 1993 prior to it's conversion to FA2 spec.

This is a Rare opportunity. You will not find a Static display Harrier this complete for sale anywhere else in the world!

More items from this seller can be seen below:

A quick update

2008-06-14T09:08:00.001-07:00

I've been really busy - getting a couple more web sites online - Vera Bradley Handbags and Get me the Tickets

For the Coldplay enthusiasts amongst you, there are some tickets on there for some of the Coldplay events in the US and Canada

Right - I'm off to do some more work to build this great empire ..... er, revenue stream - so that I can announce my new project in September.

M

ps, just remembered, I added to the Compost Heap

£150,000 Challenge

2008-06-07T12:23:00.000-07:00

Plodding onwards :) .... what have I done today??

Well, after publishing an article (it has yet to be reviewed and accepted), I updated another blog and then decided it was time to get aggressive with some PPC advertising.

I don't often spend money on online advertising, but I do find that there are some benefits in taking the time on a couple of the advertising networks to get some well targeted keyword phrases. For instance, I use 7Search.com because they have a fantastic keyword tool. Also, it is much easier when using their interface to see what bids are on specific keywords and to decide for myself what amount I am prepared to pay per click.

I mini-challenge myself - £150,000

2008-06-07T03:53:00.000-07:00

Well, there you go - I have said it.

I have a project in mind and, putting a little planning in place, I realise that I need to raise a huge amount of money before the beginning of October this year.

£150,000.

It seems an insurmountable amount.

Of course, if you listen to the gurus, this is easily achievable. However, I find it difficult doing the full internet marketing bit and selling ebooks and motivational codswallop. Not that there isn't a whole lot of useful information around - it's just that I can't do it! .... or at least, not that well.

So, what can I do? Or better yet, what have I been doing??

Well, I have been building affiliate web sites which sell products because that's something I really understand. For the last twenty years I have been running a small shop - and so I do know how to sell products and gifts. The web sites are bringing in income - but I have yet to strike gold and find one where the commission is £150,000 - LOL.

My latest web site is about Vera Bradley Handbags. This is still a work in progress - and I will be working on this later today.

So, how else am I whipping myself into a frenzy to earn this £150,000?

Well, because people talk about the power of visualization, I have made a custom screen theme for my pc - which just says £150,000 - I haven't tried doing this before, but this is going to greet me every time I switch the pc on and off.

I'll be posting more about my quest for £150,000 over the next few months!

Wish me luck
M

eBay's Troubled Affiliate Program

2008-05-07T02:28:00.001-07:00

Well, I hate the thought of provoking an ebay revolt - for my modest amount of traffic, I am getting a few sales (nothing like what I did with CJ.)

However, those who are actively promoting the ebay affiliate program by ppc, etc, who have contributed to ebay success in the past and who know their stats like the back of their hand - they are the core of eBay traffic now. eBay is saving itself an absolute fortune in google advertising. Just think - how many times when you made a search for a product a year ago did eBay advertising pop up - quite often in the top three google results. How often does that happen now?

.... I hope that eBay is paying attention to the problems that the affiliates are reporting. If it was just one rogue complaint and everyone else was happy, I could believe there isn't a problem. However, on the net, people make a living promoting products. If eBay affiliate program stops paying out well, then affiliates are going to replace this lost income by promoting something else. .....

M

ps... I also belong to other affiliate programs where the merchants (eg eBay) get absolutely slated if they put third-party advertising on their site. The argument is that the merchants are effectively stealing from their affiliates by earning money on traffic sent to them and not passing on any reward.

Gallows Humor

2008-05-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

The apocryphal story of the condemned man being led into the execution chamber. The condemned prisoner points to the electric chair and asks the prison warden:

"Are you quite sure this thing's safe?"

From William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 1:

Mercutio is stabbed in a swordfight by Tybalt, Juliet's cousin:

Romeo: "Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much."
Mercutio: "No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man."

As Sir Thomas More climbed a rickety scaffold where he would be executed, he said to his executioner:

I pray you, Mr. Lieutenant, see me safe up; and for my coming down, let me shift for myself.

Immediately after the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, but before the wars that secured independence, Benjamin Franklin is known to have said the following in danger of being accused of high treason to his fellow, often fractious delegates:

We must all hang together or, assuredly, we shall all hang separately.

After her career had declined and she had started aging, actress Tallulah Bankhead would answer the question "Are you Tallulah Bankhead?" with

No, darling, I'm what's left of her.

Author and playwright Oscar Wilde was destitute and living in a cheap boarding house when he found himself on his deathbed. There are variations on what the sentence exactly was, but his reputed last words were

My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death; one or the other of us has got to go.

Perhaps one of the best examples of gallows humour in recent times is the conclusion to Monty Python's Life of Brian, in which a group of crucified criminals joyfully sings "Always look on the bright side of life".

Spotted recently in Largs

2008-05-03T01:33:00.001-07:00

Horse pucky!

I love signposts!

Grand Theft Auto IV

2008-04-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

You know you're becoming a sedate, stuffy old fool when you can't understand the excitement about the latest release of Grand Theft Auto IV - and that probably describes me! But, thinking back to my youth and childhood (quite a feat, I can assure you, LOL), I know that I would have given my eye teeth to have the latest gadgets and gizmos. We grew up at a time when the consumer boom was just about to break loose and, although we were comfortable, our farming lifestyle meant that cash was needed to improve the business rather than to buy the latest "must have" - in those days, transistor radios and record players.

Mind you, there was always a point at which my folks gave in and bought into the new technology - and we always had wee Saturday jobs of one kind or another to earn the extra cash to buy things for ourselves. .... Where there's a will, there's a way!

For those of you buying the Grand Theft Auto game today - enjoy!

Medical Transcription, eBay and Life in General!

2008-04-24T05:58:00.000-07:00

What a day. I had it all planned out to perfection. Silly me!

My plan was to set up a small blog about training to be a medical transcription secretary - I used to work in a hospital and for the first few weeks was completely at sea when it came to the medical terminology. So, it makes great sense to me to take a dedicated training course to learn the ins and outs of the business. .... and that's just in the UK. Knowing that other countries have many layers of requirements for medical and insurance claims, I suspect that getting a good training in the business of medical secretarial work is absolutely essential.

Have I written this blog yet?? Well no - because I then got involved in my sister's problems with eBay. Not a problem, really, because she successfully bought a kitchen
- and needed to pay for it. That's when she ran into the PayPal obstacle course. It's just that the paypal monthly/annual payment limited were exceeded by the amount she paid for the kitchen - so she instantly had to learn about getting her paypal account verified. It's all done now, but boy did it take some effort. Why so - well, clever as she is, my sister gets excited and flustered when hitting a problem like this; her recourse is to phone me and get me to talk her through the process. Fine, not a problem, I'm keen to help. It just takes time!

Anyway, we're making progress and all I have to do now is get my life on track :) - bake some cookies (Empire Biscuits, if you really want to know!), write another blog post, take a picture of the beautiful cherry blossom in Helensburgh - oh, and I should really put on a washing, hang up a washing - and more!

ps, thanks to http://www.sxc.hu for the image .... great site with some amazing pics.

Exceeding expectations

2008-04-05T04:58:00.000-07:00

I just bought something from eBay - and decided to pay for regular delivery instead of opting for a more expensive solution. Imagine my delight when the parcel arrived within 24 hours of paying for the goods.

What a great example of fantastic customer service - my hats off to them.

From now on, I am redoubling my efforts to exceed expectations.

M

ps - I don't know what my expectations are from the new site Qassia - I was made aware of it recently on a forum and decided that good backlinks to my sites were well worth having. I have yet to update my profile page and I only have a little time to review articles. If you are more dedicated than me, you can probably get much more out of it than I have. Best wishes.
M

Old sewing patterns

2008-03-10T09:45:00.000-07:00

For entertainment, I sometimes surf around craigslist to see what’s on offer and, occasionally, to find out what people are searching for. I did the latter today, had a look to see what was wanted.

How shocked was I to spot that someone was looking for old sewing patterns from the 60s. (My era!) Now, all I gotta do is head into the old boxes and see if I have any left. Who would have thought that someone would be looking for miniskirts and split skirt patterns. Amazing. I did find some - and let the person know, but I’m still slightly bemused by it all.

Still, it goes to show that you can use all sorts of web sites to do research.

This is one of the most watched sewing machine auctions on eBay

Dreamweaver or bust!

2008-02-21T04:40:00.000-08:00

Creative Suite 3 Design Premium. Deliver innovative ideas in print, web, and mobile design! Order Now!

It's about time I got a grip. I've been putting off getting this for some time now - and today's the day. I enjoy being creative most of the time - and there are usually ways round different problems. However, I haven't found a quick way to modify dreamweaver templates without the dreamweaver suite. .... so, today's the day!

M

How to Make Year 2008 a GREAT Year for You and Your Internet Business

2007-12-29T15:23:00.000-08:00

Here's a Comic to Spice up Your Christmas – and Jumpstart Your 2008!

Hope you’re doing great and enjoying the Christmas holidays! :-)

My friends Edmund Loh & Vince Tan have a hilarious comic to share with you. It certainly did lighten up my mood and I think you should take a look at it too!

It doesn’t just stop at the laughs though; there’s a strong, inspiring message behind it and it has to do with how you can make Year 2008 YOUR YEAR.

Whether you’re young or old.

Whether you juggle a full-time job or you’re unemployed.

Whether you have superior technical skills or just basic computer literacy.

And number of years of experience under your belt is NO longer a requirement to succeed online.

These boys have proven.

Go read this comic for a couple of laughs and be sure to see Part 2 after this!

Click here to see the rest of the comic in full.

Talk real soon and a Happy New Year

IMC Course on Special Offer from Derek Gehl

2007-12-06T22:45:00.000-08:00

I received this email this morning -

I just got an email from Derek Gehl I had to tell you about.

Get this...

Apparently, a whole stack of boxes containing his "Insider Secrets to Marketing Your Business on the Internet" courses fell over, and almost landed on one of his employees!

(I can see the headlines now: "Internet marketing guru turns warehouse employee into human pancake.")

Keep in mind that just one of Derek's courses contains
850+ pages, plus DVDs, CDs, booklets, and tons more...
So having one of them landing on your head would NOT be pleasant!

Anyway, Derek told me his employee was ok... but his courses weren't so lucky. Apparently most of them were slightly
*damaged* from the tumble.

A few scratches here and there, the odd dent, maybe a bent page. Bummer!

But Derek is famous for being a perfectionist, and he thinks those copies of his step-by-step "Insider Secrets"
course are not quite pristine enough to sell at the regular price.

... So he's going to give them away at a HUGE discount!

Dented copies of Insider Secrets

Just in case you haven't heard of "Insider Secrets"
before, here's what you need to know:

This Internet marketing "bible" has been the best-selling guide to how to grow your own money-making Internet business from scratch for more than 10 years running for one reason -- the strategies inside WORK! -- and it's been updated with brand new strategies for 2007.

So if you're willing to overlook the odd scratch on the cover or the occasional dog-eared page, this is your chance to get your hands on the exact same information that 1,000s of regular folks have already used to generate full-time incomes of $50,000... $100,000... even $250,000 (and more!) per year on the Internet from the comfort of their own homes...

... And you can get the blueprint they followed for a small fraction on the regular price they paid!

There's just one catch: Derek only has 267 'damaged'
copies up for grabs, so don't delay. *This offer is strictly first come, first served basis.*

http://www.clickcommerce.co.uk/recommends/dingsanddents

To your success,

Derek Gehl
The Internet Marketing Center

P.S. If you've been dreaming about starting your own successful Internet business, but lack of cash has been holding you back, this is your perfect opportunity to get your hands on ALL the tools you need to start your own highly profitable Internet business and earn a life-changing income...

... WITHOUT a big upfront investment!

So hurry, before those 267 copies are gone! Go to:

http://www.clickcommerce.co.uk/recommends/dingsanddents

PS - if you're wondering about the jewelry, check out Hebridean Jewellery for further information! Highly recommended as well.

Coupon codes for Hats - and Pyjamas

2007-11-26T14:51:00.000-08:00

Have a great Christmas - and enjoy our Christmas Shopping Suggestions.

My mini challenge - 100 members before the end of December

2007-11-12T06:41:00.000-08:00

When is a web ring not just a web ring ???

.... well, when it's called Blogrush, it's a web ring on STEROIDS!

When you look at Blogrush model, you'll see that, although there are a variety of sophisticated tweaks to this, actually what John Reese created was a web ring. It's not pulling in the titles of sites, just the RSS feeds from new posts; they are shown on related web sites using a small code widget that you place into a web template; where it gets a little trickier is that it's a bit of a pyramid in that early adopters recruiting new members get the benefit of huge downlines. It also suggests that the last folks may have a much harder time getting traffic as all they're doing is adding fodder to the early recruits.

So, What does that tell you?

Well, firstly that the model of web rings hasn't died and gone to Net Heaven! It looks like they may well be valid methods of creating back links, spider fodder and web traffic.

So, you're invited to join my new web ring at The Marketing Web Ring - and we'll give this a good test! You're welcome to add sites, old and new - heck this code even goes into a Squidoo lens quite happily. No porn, racist, illegal, dubious sites will be accepted.

So what's my challenge, you might ask?

Well, I'd like to get 100 sites into this web ring by 1 January 2008. That doesn't seem like too big a mountain to climb!

If you'd like to help me get there and test out this theory, please join.

You have to register for an account, then, once you activate it from the email sent to you, you get the opportunity to add a site to the ring. I approve the site - and that's it, really.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Hit me with a limp lettuce

Kids Clothes - Wholesale Supply

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Oak Dining Tables - a contemporary look

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Jolomo Calendar 2012

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Someone interrupted me!

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Disrupted sleep

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Children's Entertainers in the UK

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Warm as toast

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There, their - is there a better way to do it?

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Fiverr for Business

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Mother Nature's Natural Remedies

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Chemo Fog and Brain Health

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Great web design

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I wrecked my nails catching up with housework

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Turtle paints picture

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My Social Network - the latest social get-together

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Cool Stuff

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Fiat Dealer in London - George Clooney not included

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I know what I want for Christmas - Warm Slippers and a Warm Cuddly toy

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Save cash with codes and coupons

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How to advertise your website

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Bingo!

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Funny, Geeky Tshirts

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Knitting and Crochet

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Marry Christmas

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More photos from our holiday in Tain

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Holiday in the north of Scotland

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Two-piece Toddler Pajamas - Thor Motocross fans

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Antique Stained Glass Windows by Tiffany

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Billy Elliot

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Pam Carter original for sale on eBay

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Murder Wrote She

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Who moved my cheese

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Michael Jackson

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What's hot on eBay right now?

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Toll Positions - Harvey Brody's Patents Live On

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How do I ask my girlfriend to marry me?

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Lingerie Wholesale

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Can’t End Your Affair? Read This!

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Stunning eBay Auction Success

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Caravan holidays

List of Presidents

in Numerical Order