Abstract Home Vol. 4 Issue 16 2013

Diwali is the biggest event on Trinidad and To-bago’s Hindu calendar.

The religious festival of light is enjoyed by various sects within the nation for a multitude of reasons. For those to which the festival is most dear, there is massive house cleaning and cooking. Plus, there wouldn’t be Diwali celebrations without the unmistakable décor. From diyas to lamps and more, people light up and transform their homes with decorations to celebrate. These are some of the decorat-ing trends and ideas you may come across.

Floral RangoliRangoli is integral to Diwali and anything auspicious in In-dian culture. Instead of the tra-ditional method, do it all with flowers. What a wonderful way to invite people into your home – with sweet-smelling flowers. Pick flowers which are in sea-son and are fresh. You can use a combination of flowers, petals and leaves. For instance, the use of marigold flowers with mango leaves works well. The contrast of the bright orange with the dark green of the leaves is a vis-ual treat. At dusk, add the diyas and you are all set to welcome your evening guests.

Recreate SpacesDo away with the curtain in your living room, especially if it opens to a garden. Line it up with a string of flowers instead. You could add a string of glass beads in between for a different

look. You could also try small bells that tinkle and draw atten-tion.

Diwali DraperyThere's no home decor issue that a good pair of curtains won't solve. No matter what the theme and colour scheme of your home, you can't go wrong with ethnic, earthy colours, es-pecially in the festive season. A change in window and wall drapes can pep up the dullest of rooms. Stick to solid, sooth-ing colours or if you are feel-ing adventurous, you can go for curtains with interesting motifs too that can prettify your living space in an instant.

Pretty Your Puja RoomDuring Diwali, the puja room will be one of the most highly visited rooms in the house. For making the festival charis-matic, puja room decoration is another great idea. By decorat-ing the puja room, you create

the mood and ambiance of fes-tive celebrations. So, decorate the puja room this Diwali to add spark to the colourful and bright celebration. Use flowers, lamps, colourful light bulbs and rangoli for puja room decora-tion this Diwali. Decorate the doors, windows and puja table with flowers and light bulbs.

Look Toward LayeringIndia is known for its fine silks and other textiles, which are incorporated everywhere from window treatments to throw pillows to wall hangings in Indi-an homes. A good way to bring that true Motherland feel to your home is with an injection of plenty of color and texture into the room. Try exotic pieces like knotted rugs, upholstered sofas and/or throw pillows in assorted patterns.

Mendhi MuralsA great idea to enhance your dé-cor this Diwali is to drew from

the ancient Indian art of men-dhi. Pull from the decoration of the skin with henna and use the concept in your bedroom design. After using chalk to outline an elaborate design of hearts, flow-ers and flourishes on your walls, paint it by hand throughout the room. Bedding in vivid colors and bold patterns completes the India-inspired look.

Don’t Overlook the OutdoorsTo celebrate Diwali, people burst crackers on the terrace or verandah or terrace. As it is the free space in the house, it can be decorated with light bulbs to the fullest. Cover the boundaries with colourful elec-tric light bulbs. You can also use candles to get the traditional look. Scented candles in the porch not only spread their aro-ma around, but also help light crackers easily! You can also use flower rangoli near the entrance to add the ethnic look. Finish with diyas.

LIVING QUARTERS

Diwali Decorating Ideas

Disclaimer: The views or opinions presented in this publication are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Employees of ABSTRACT MEDIA GROUP COM-PANY LIMITED are expressly required not to make defamatory statements and not to infringe or authorize any infringement of copyright or any other legal right. Any such article is contrary to company policy and is outside the scope of the employment of the individual writer concerned. The company will not accept any liability in respect of such article, and the employee responsible will be personally liable for any damages or other liability arising.

www.abstracthome.com OCTOBER 2013 ABSTRACT HOME 1

LIVING QUARTERS

The title of this article may be a bit misleading be-cause once there is a prob-

lem to be fixed, you have to fix it and there is little to avoid at that point. However, proper mainte-nance and being thorough from the onset is vital if you wish to save your money and your house from some issues.

These are some of the things that can cost you a lot more than you can afford if you are not vigi-lant.

Foundation FixesThe very foundation of the house can be damaged, and this is a very important issue to take care of. You can see that the founda-tion is damaged if the walls in the basement are uneven, or if you can see cracks on walls. The early signs of a damaged founda-tion are the inability to open and

close the windows or doors with ease. Make sure that you check this out because the consequenc-es can lead to the whole house

becoming totally demolished.

Roof RepairNow, as you are most probably

aware, it can cost a whole lot to repair the roof. The damages that can be expected are usually related to some leakage and vari-ous electrical installations. After this is fixed, the roofs have to be repainted, as do all the walls, for that matter.

Sewage SolutionsThe final problem on this list is the one related to the sewer line. Although you might think that the sewer, and everything re-lated to it, is government prop-erty and they should tended by government employees, but, ac-tually, what connects your home to the sewer is your property and you should tend to it. Sev-eral problems can occur due to several factors, so, as with eve-rything mentioned above, make sure that you tend to this matter with great care.

Compost is one of nature’s best mulches and soil amendments. You can

use it instead of commercial fer-tilizers and best of all compost is cheap. You can make it without spending a cent. Using compost

improves soil structure, texture, and aeration and increases the soil’s water-holding capacity.

Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. Adding compost im-proves soil fertility and stimu-lates healthy root development in plants. The organic matter provided in compost provides food for microorganisms, which keeps the soil in a healthy, bal-anced condition. Nitrogen, po-tassium, and phosphorus will be produced naturally by the feed-ing of microorganisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added.

Get the Optimal Balance of Compost MaterialsIt's important to get the right mixture of ingredients in your compost to ensure that it heats up nicely and breaks down effec-tively. Getting the right mixture of brown (carbon) materials, to green (nitrogeneous) materi-

als will make a huge difference. Adding too much brown mate-rial will result in a compost pile that takes a long time to break down. Adding too much green material will result in a compost pile that is slimy and smelly and doesn't break down well.

Turn the CompostMore OftenAdding fresh oxygen into your compost pile by turning it more frequently will help your com-post break down faster.

Check the Moisture Level of your CompostAchieving the correct moisture content is an important factor in keeping a compost pile work-ing efficiently.

Shred Some of the Ingredi-ents - Especially the Brown MaterialIf there is one secret to making compost faster, it is finely shred-ding the carbon rich ingredients such as leaves, hay, straw, paper and cardboard.

Three Expensive Fixes To Avoid

Tips For Making Better Compost

ABSTRACT HOME OCTOBER 2013 www.abstracthome.com2

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Ever go to a museum, hotel or even supermarket and marvel at how incredibly

the floors shine? That didn’t

happen by chance. Hard work goes into getting floors to look that way. It is more than likely those shiny floors are the result of a good wax job. Here is how to do it at home.

1First up, make sure that your floor is clean. Re-member that you can

only wax a floor effectively if the dust and dirt on it are removed entirely. Use a broom to sweep the floor or for quicker cleaning, use a vacuum cleaner.

2Before putting on new wax, make sure that you have stripped off

the old wax completely. For a more effective and comprehen-sive treatment, remove the old wax coating which has already trapped dirt and dust particles over the last weeks. To do this,

you can either buy a wax stripper or prepare a mixture of bleach and detergent. Continuously mop the floor until the old coat leaves the surface of the floor.

3When the floor has dried up, it’s now time to apply the new wax. There are

many types of wax available in your local hardware store, and each can be applied only to a particular type of flooring. Be-fore you buy a wax, make sure to check the label to ensure that the wax is good for your type of flooring.

4Apply a thin coating of wax to a clean rug and begin from the far corner

to the centre of the room. Do this two to three times, with 30 minutes to an hour interval in between applications.

5When your wax has dried up, carefully move the furniture back to their

position in the room.

6Find time to wax your floor every week or two to keep it clean, shiny,

and attractive at all times.

When you have a waxed and shiny floor, you’ll realize just how fun it is to stay indoors and enjoy the comfort of your clean home.

Whether your apart-ment or home is big or small, an area of

the house should be designated as a play area for your child. As a parent, you may not be able to entertain your child all day while you try to complete your tasks or chores. Choose an area of the house where there is less activity so that children can play in a safe and quiet environment; maybe an unused room an area that can be cordoned off with the use of folding screens and area rugs. Setting aside a play area can be made simple by following these tasks.

Choose a theme. Since your child would spend most of his/her free time here, model the theme after the child’s likes. If he/she likes to read, or likes a particular fairy-tale, you can paint the room to mimic that of the fairy-tale or choose wall

papers that echo that particular theme. If an area was set-aside for play time instead, use rugs or posters that give the desired look.

Ask for your child’s opinions. You may think you know what they like, but ask just to be sure. Ask them what toys they want in their play area or if they like books, which ones they prefer to read. Ask them the different colours that they want to see in the room and the different chairs, rugs and/or other acces-sories that they want to see fill their play area.

Start filling the area. You do not necessarily have to go shop-ping for new toys to fill your child’s play area. Place small toys or small toy pieces in a shal-low container so that he/she they can be easy to access when needed Position rugs or cush-

ions on the floor so that they make themselves comfortable while playing.

Encourage independence. Al-low your child to go for toys on their own so that they can learn that level of independence. En-sure that toys are neatly organ-ized but not too organized where they would not be able to find a toy that they want. Also, allow them to clean up after they have finished playing so that they can learn the importance of keeping an area organized which would be beneficial to you and them when they get their own rooms.

Creating an area of fun for your kids can be a rewarding experi-ence for both parties. Be sure to set guidelines and boundaries such as noise level so that your child can also learn the impo-tence of personal space and dis-cipline.

LIVING QUARTERS

Floor Waxing 101

Creating A Kiddie Play Area


One of the toughest items in the home to remove stains from is the car-

pet. Constant wear and tear on the carpet means that, if a stain is removed from one part of the carpet, the rest of it looks dirty. Additionally, removing a carpet to be cleaned can take a lot of work and having carpet cleaners come to clean your carpet can take up a lot of time and money. So, we’ve found some simple ‘do it yourself ’ tricks that can be used to clean your carpets, using home-made materials.

1Make a solution of vinegar and water and put it in a spray bottle.

Spray the solution on the area and allow it to sit for 10-15 min-utes before using a sponge or cloth to remove the stain. Brush

the cleaned area into the natural direction it was before and place a paper towel or tissue on top of the area securing it with a book. Leave the paper towel in the spot until it has dried.

2Lemon juice- lemon juice works well with loose stains especially the

ones that have not been devel-oped over time. Sprinkle lemon juice on the area but do not soak. Leave for about 5 minutes then use a paper towel to blot out the stains.

3Soap and water solu-tion- depending on the stain, simple liquid soap

and water can take out a stain from your carpet. Try removing as much of the stain as possible before applying the solution.

Then spray the solution onto this stain and let sit for 15 min-utes. Rub the area thoroughly until the stain is removed then brush the cleaned area into the natural direction it was before and place a paper towel or tis-sue on top of the area securing it with a book. Leave the paper towel in the spot until it has dried.

4Rubbing alcohol- This can be used to take out tough stains as the al-

cohol removes the dirt that has been trapped in the fabric of the carpet. Apply the rubbing alcohol to a white piece of cloth and blot out the stain as much as possible. Make sure to keep blot-ting the spot in one direction so as not to spread the stain on the carpet. No need to rinse.

LIVING QUARTERS

Very few of us in our modern day homes keep the dining room as, well

a place of meals. For starters we often eat out or are currently on a no-dinner diet and now there’s cable TV and no ‘grandma’ to tell us we can’t eat in front the tele. Most dining rooms now function as the homework

room, the bill-paying room, the game room, or the social room. So, how do you make sure your dining room is going to be able to serve all the roles you ask of it?

When creating your dining room, consider the size of the dining room table compared to the space in the rest of the room. A good fit makes for a good so-cial atmosphere. If the table is too big for the room, people may feel uncomfortable in the space. The same is true about a dining table that is too small for the dining room it's in.

Comfort is very important to us in Trinidad. If we invite a bunch of friends over for dinner, it will likely linger into dessert, drinks and lengthy cricket and politics conversations. For the long talks, consider chairs with adequate padding and for the vigorous hand gestures, there should be at least two feet be-

tween settings, taking the width of the chair into account. Also allow three feet or so from the back of the chair to the wall to allow people to move around the table comfortably.

A round table is popular for more intimate settings and al-lows for easy conversation and it can also soften a boxy room. Whereas a small square table will do well in tight quarters, long rectangular tables work best in bigger rooms. Of course there’s the option of a smaller table that comes with one or two extension leaves, who doesn’t love flexibility?

The tabletop surface needs to be strong. You will be ask-ing this space to put up with everything from game pieces to sliding dinner plates and kids scribbling on a homework page. If you choose a tabletop that has a softer wood, invest in a pro-tective dining table pad to keep

your table surface from being damaged.

Use mirrors to brighten and open up the room. A large mirror is a nice addition to any wall, but can really help to make a small space seem larger and the light it reflects from your candles or other lighting will enhance the mood of the room even further.

Here are some pointers:- The backgrounds of the

room need to be interesting but not distracting. It's best if windows are non-glaring, offer privacy and have good looks.

- Both the table and chairs must function well and be comfortable.

- Soften the mood with color - Accessorize, mix up textures

and tones, size and shapes- Do not give up the hunt for

the perfect centerpiece.

DIY: Home-Made Solutions To Clean Your Carpet

Delightful Dining Room Ideas


Delightful Dining Room Ideas

There has been much de-bate over the years about whether or not life in-

surance is actually beneficial and worth getting. Several mis-conceptions have contributed to the doubt and cloudiness surrounding this issue. We will attempt to clarify these things by exposing some life insurance myths.

Life Insurance Is Only For Families with ChildrenSince many people only know about the death benefits of permanent life insurance, com-mon belief is that it doesn’t make sense to own it without a spouse, children or other de-pendents to provide for. But the truth is the living benefits of permanent life insurance can be used to meet your lifetime financial goals regardless of your life stage. Buying a perma-nent policy when younger and healthier helps lock in better rates while providing more time to build cash value for whatever the future may hold.

Life insurance is a Must It is certainly true that most people need life insurance.

However, people with sizable assets and no debt or depend-ents may be better off self-in-suring. If you have medical and funeral costs covered, then life insurance coverage may be op-tional.

People with Health Issues Can't Get Life InsuranceMany life insurance compa-nies are willing to sell policies to people with a range of com-mon medical problems. In fact, some carriers even specialize in high-risk classes. Indeed, the coverage will probably be more costly than it would be for someone in perfect health, but companies will work with you in order to accommodate your needs. However, it is important to be truthful about your health upfront.

My Company’s Term Life Insurance Coverage is suf-ficientThis may or may not be so. For a single person of modest means, employer-paid or -pro-vided term coverage may actu-ally be enough. But if you have a spouse or dependents, or know that you will need coverage

upon your death to pay estate taxes, then additional coverage may be necessary.

Once You Buy Life Insurance You Are SetLife insurance isn't a set-it-and-forget-it proposition. Every significant life event — marriage, a new baby, divorce, buying a house, retiring — should prompt you to double-check your coverage. Even if you've had no big changes, it's also smart to review the policy every few years to ensure that you're keeping pace with infla-tion and still getting the best value for your premium dollars.

Life Insurance Is CostlyActually, the cost of becoming life assured is probably much less than you think. For exam-ple, a healthy 30-year-old male

can get a half-million dollars’ worth of 20-year term life in-surance coverage for only a cou-ple hundred dollars a month.

My Lifestyle Has No Bearing On My PremiumsLifestyle has a direct impact on life insurance premiums. Typi-cally the healthiest individuals see the lowest premiums, but other factors that affect cost include lifestyle choices like smoking, as well as your occu-pation and hobbies.

Buying when Young IsAlways BestIt is true that your month-ly premiums will be cheaper when you are young. However, the overall cost of insurance is higher the longer you’re in-sured. “Buying life insurance when you are young can often be the most expensive way to pay for permanent life insur-ance. Many policies are based on age defined mortality tables and fees. The monthly premi-ums will be the lowest but the long term expense will be the largest. Also, don’t forget that inflation will eat away at the policy dollar value.

HOME OFFICE

Insurance Myths YouShould Not Ignore


The modern designer is not

afraid to be bold with colours and

shapes in the bedroom

ELEGANT IDEAS

Beautiful Bedrooms

11www.abstracthome.com OCTOBER 2013 ABSTRACT HOME

Enjoy your escape into dreamland in an airy bedroom with large outdoor view

ELEGANT IDEAS


An abundance

of colour provides

this room’s funky finish

ELEGANT IDEAS


Painted walls and veiled Victorian bedposts give this room an epic Medieval feel

ELEGANT IDEAS

14 ABSTRACT HOME OCTOBER 2013 www.abstracthome.com

A double bed is part of what makes this earthy and rich room stand out

ELEGANT IDEAS

15www.abstracthome.com OCTOBER 2013 ABSTRACT HOME

From cardiovascular issues to cancer there are several reasons why more people

have decided to switch to a veg-etarian diet as opposed to the carnivorous cuisine choices the world has become accustomed to. Starting the diet program is one thing, but the upkeep is another. Concerned about fall-ing off the vegetarian wagon? Here are some tips to keep you grounded.

First, create a meal sched-ule for yourself at the begin-ning of each week and stick to it. Buy all of the food you will need for this schedule early so that you won't be tempted to “pick something up for din-ner” at the last minute. Temp-tation is not easy to overcome if you give it room to breed.

Try to find other vegetar-ians with whom to interact. Surround yourself with sup-port and encouragement. Not everyone in your life will

understand your new diet choice, but don't let them discourage you. All that read-ing you've done will come in handy in explaining to others why you've made the switch to vegetarianism.

Also, find a local vegetar-ian restaurant in your area.

This can be your getaway when you are craving meat. These restaurants serve all vegetarian meals and are even beloved by carnivores. Every-thing from vegetarian burg-ers to sweet and sour tofu can be found at these restaurants and they can serve as a good

substitute for a meat-based menu.

Lastly, find replacements for the tastes and textures of meat to which you're ac-customed. Here are some al-ternatives. Mushrooms eas-ily replace beef in spaghetti sauces. Rice (when prepared with Taco seasonings) works well in tacos and TVP (tex-tured vegetable protein) is perfect for chili, burgers, tacos, "meat"balls, etc. It makes great "chicken" noodle soup, too! It looks a little like granola, but reconstitute it with water and it's a close match for ground beef.

Staying with any diet can be hard, but the reasons you chose the diet alone should be good enough to make you consider the necessary steps to staying on the chosen path. Meat lovers can eat their hearts out. Vegetarians can stay healthy with these tips.

KITCHEN

Maintaining A Vegetarian Diet


More people are be-coming health con-scious these days and

rightly so. However, many peo-ple still shy away from eating low fat foods because they think there are not enough options or it plain out tastes bad. These recipes prove otherwise.

GRILLED TUNATERIYAKI

Ingredients2 tablespoons light soy sauce1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine1 large clove garlic, minced1 tablespoon minced fresh gin-ger root4 (6 ounce) tuna steaks (about 3/4 inch thick)

DirectionsIn a shallow dish, stir together soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, and ginger. Place tuna in the mari-nade, and turn to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.Preheat grill for medium-high heat.Remove tuna from marinade, and discard remaining liquid. Brush both sides of steaks with oil.Cook tuna for approximately for 3 to 6 minutes per side, or to de-sired doneness.

BLACKENED HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN

Ingredients6 skinless, boneless chicken

breast halvesSalt and pepper to taste1/2 cup honey1/2 cup prepared mustard1 teaspoon dried basil1 teaspoon paprika1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste, and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the honey, mus-tard, basil, paprika, and parsley. Mix well. Pour 1/2 of this mix-ture over the chicken, and brush to cover.Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and brush with the remain-ing 1/2 of the honey mustard mixture. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until chick-en is no longer pink and juices run clear. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

FUN FRUIT SKEWERSIngredients5 large strawberries, halved1/4 cantaloupe, cut into balls or cubes2 bananas, peeled and cut into chunks1 apple, cut into chunks20 skewers

DirectionsThread the strawberries, canta-loupe, banana and apple pieces alternately onto skewers, plac-ing at least 2 pieces of fruit on each skewer. Arrange the fruit skewers decoratively on a serv-ing platter.

HONEY ROASTEDPOTATO WEDGES

Ingredients5 large potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges1/4 cup vegetable oil1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon black pepper

DirectionsPreheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).In a large bowl, toss potato wedges with oil. Arrange in a single layer in a roasting pan.Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

MExICAN BEAN AND RICE SALAD

Ingredients2 cups cooked brown rice1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained1 small onion, diced1 green bell pepper, diced2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced1 lime, zested and juiced1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves1 teaspoon minced garlic1 1/2 teaspoons ground cuminSalt to taste

DirectionsIn a large salad bowl, combine the brown rice, kidney beans, black beans, corn, onion, green pepper, jalapeno peppers, lime zest and juice, cilantro, garlic, and cumin. Lightly toss all in-gredients to mix well, and sprin-kle with salt to taste.Refrigerate salad for 1 hour, toss again, and serve.

Luscious Low Fat Dishes

RECIPES


Hosting The Perfect Bridal Shower

Your best friend is about to take the plunge and you were put in charge of

organizing and hosting a bridal shower. It seems like a big task and it is, with all the prepara-tion and pressure that comes along as you focus on ensur-ing that everyone is happy: the bride’s friends, family and more importantly, the bride-to-be. But once proper planning and great execution takes place, this could be one of the most memorable days of your friend’s life. If you’re still unsure, follow these tips that could help the planning and hosting of a bridal shower seem simple and effort-less.

Perfect planning- I stress ‘per-fect’ because everything from the theme to the location, even the games need to be perfect. Time and date is a major factor as a bride-to-be never seems to have enough time, so you need to organize an afternoon when she is free. If it’s a surprise (and it should be) pick a day where she may not have much to do or may be doing something trivial that can be easily postponed. Select the persons to invite and go shopping.

Select a theme- When choos-ing a theme; keep in mind the personality of the bride. It’s easy to get caught up with what you like but keeping asking yourself: “what will she like” and let that answer make the decisions for you. Try any one of these below:

1) Traditional theme. Similar to a mini reception, these are decorated with traditional bridal-shower items, such as balloons and streamers or risqué decorations that would make the reserved guests blush. These feature games, the exchanging of gifts, music and food and the really kinky ones invite strip-pers, with the ultimate goal being to send the bride-to-be home totally intoxicated.

2) Tropical theme. The area would be adorned with tropical items such as pine-apples, coconut husks or palm trees and a lot of tropi-cal drinks and fruits would be served as cocktails or ap-petizers.

3) Dinner show. You host a dinner in the bride-to-be’s honour and tell jokes, even reminisce about the past or get actors and actresses to

act out funny skits of what to expect from a typical mar-ried couple.

4) Cooking theme. Not many people try this option but it’s different from tradi-tional showers. Have guests buy new utensils and bring the ingredients to their fa-vourite dish and have each person make that dish. After the meal has been cooked, all the guests can eat, share sto-ries and swap ideas, leaving the utensils and the recipes of each dish for the bride-to-be.

Decorations- These are pur-chased according to the theme of the shower, but basically in-clude balloons, flowers, light-ing and music. A photo collage of the bride and groom, from birth to present can also be showcased.

Games- These are what really make a bridal shower interest-ing apart from the free food and the quality time spent with the bride. For extra pizzazz, choose games that the bride can actu-ally learn from and games in which she can participate. The internet is flooded with games

and new options, about ways to have fun during a bridal shower.

Refreshment- These are even more important than the games as you need something to keep the guests refreshed and full of energy. Be sure to inquire of the guests’ preferences when invit-ing them. Things like allergies and vegetarians choices need to be considered in order to en-sure that everyone has a great time. Keep it light though. Ap-petizers are a favourite as well as cocktails, juice and carbonat-ed beverages. The cake should be the centerpiece of the table with mints, candies and nuts kept close, to keep everyone lively if the mood drops.

Gifts- These can range from lingerie to money, but remem-ber the couple when choosing a gift. The main gift ideas are usually toys and sultry items that the couple could use on their wedding night. But, if you want to give to make it fun, sug-gest to the guests that they give items ‘out of the box’. Think about a VISA gift card, or an account that gives the couple a kick-start towards the purchase of their new home.

BRIDAL


Planning a funeral is no easy task and should nev-er be undertaken by one

person. The emotional strain and financial burdens that arise are never easy to bear, especially when a family member or close friend is lost. Death is inevitable but when one occurs in a fam-ily, relatives should be aware of the various tasks involved that can make planning a funeral a smooth process that all parties can be satisfied with in the end. If you have to plan a funeral in the future, keep these simple tips in mind.

1Notify the authorities. If the deceased died at home with no medi-

cal staff present to confirm the death, call your local hospital or the coroner’s office. This is particularly important if the de-ceased had insurance policies.

2Notify close relatives and friends. This is go-ing to be one of the most

painful experiences that anyone can endure, as the truth becomes real when you keep repeating

your loved one’s death to others. At a later date, relatives would need to meet to discuss billing purposes and to delegate tasks leading up to and on the day of the funeral. These include purchasing the casket, printing memorials and organizing the funeral service.

3Call the funeral home. Identify which funeral home will give your loved

one a satisfactory burial. Often time, costs determine the final choice of a funeral home but relatives should come together to carefully choose the one that offers the best package, which can include proper embalming facilities or crematoriums.

4Gather and complete the necessary paper-work such as the death

certificate.

5Set aside a budget. Fu-nerals can cost in excess of $25,000 so be sure to

make a budget with other rela-tives and stick to it. This should be done carefully to ensure

that all costs are considered, from purchasing the casket and wreaths to the costs of printing memorials.

6Choosing clothes and jewelry. If the body is being cremated then this

can be ignored. If not, family

members can come together to decide the outfit that the de-ceased should wear on the day of the funeral.

7Consider the type of burial. This is also de-termined by cost but the

choice should be made based on the deceased preference or any family traditions.

8Choose pallbearers. These persons should be advised of their duty so

that there will be no confusion on the day.

9Decide on a wake or special gathering. Some families ask that

loved-ones and friends convene at one person’s house to have a wake or ceremony in the after-math of the burial.

10Legal matters. Depending on the deceased wish, the

reading of the will can be done before or after the funeral. Be guided by the requests of the deceased lawyers.

Funeral Planning Checklist And Guide

FAMILY


The end of 2013 is fast ap-proaching and the fash-ion industry has already

released its top 10 trends for the upcoming year. High up on the list are the animal print patterns and striped clothing that was a sensation for 2011. Although the list is extensive we’ve been able to put together a select few that fashion gu-rus have put forth as the New Year’s trends. Take a look at the list below.

Animal prints- Birds have been chosen as 2014’s favoured animal; bird prints are making a statement for the New Year and they will be seen on many dresses and blouses.

Pastel colours- Pastels are making its way into the New Year but we’re not sure if it will be replacing the bold prints that have been worn throughout the summer of 2013. Luscious pinks, yellows and greens would be the trend for 2014.

The drop-waist dress- This 20’s inspired style will be revamped but will have every bit of the original style with the waistline drawing just around the hips. They will be available in skirts and dresses, flapper-style.

Bare midsection ensem-ble- Whether shown through a piece of fabric or under a barely there dress, the midsection will be ‘out and about’ for 2014. Dresses or a two piece outfit with the midriff exposed is the hot new style for 2013.

Baroque designs- The orna-mental designs would be trend-ing for 2014 whether found in the fabric or fine embroidery. 2014 seems to be a year of class and Baroque always adds that regal touch to any outfit.

Stripes- Always a favourite for any season, stripes is making its way back into 2014 and is a definite must-have. They can be worn vertically or diagonally from head to toe, or creative fashionistas can mix and match with plain designs.

Patterns- More so abstract patterns; you know the one where you need to take some time for your eyes to adjust? These will be available in bold, often clashing colours and will be available in different types of clothing from dresses and blouses to skirts and pants. Digital imaging and deep sea themed patterns will also find its way into 2014.

It might be easy to run to the bathroom for a quick touch up, but I believe once

makeup is applied, that should be enough. It is important to have your makeup last (especially for long business meetings or wed-dings). This article shows you how to achieve this.

By taking care of your face, staying out of the sun and re-maining properly hydrated you have won half the battle. Cleansing your face is the first step toward the other half of the fight. Don't use harsh treat-ments on oily skin -- you could actually increase the oil in your skin. Instead, create a skincare routine using cleansers and bal-ancers that have been custom-ized for your skin type. Find the right shades to match your colour and get accustomed to using lip balm or moisturizer. Color fades unevenly on dry, chapped lips.

The next step in the quest for long-lasting makeup is lay-ing a proper base. In order to make sure there the make-up stays on and to minimize slide, apply moisturizer twenty minutes before starting your makeup. Use concealer under your eyes. Oil-based conceal-ers are the best choice for emo-tional outings like weddings. A strange, but battle-tested formula for conquering foun-dation that wears away easily is trying a formula with a little oil. Complete your foundation with face powder.

After the perfect base is ap-plied the rest becomes easier.

After all, a good foundation is the start of all good things. Now you can approach other areas such as the cheeks. Make-up applied to the cheeks give structure to the face and has the power to define a look all by itself. When applying cheek makeup two techniques work best. The first technique re-fers to using a powder-based blush -- it will last longer than a cream blush. Secondly, as an al-ternative to the first technique, try a cheek stain -- just be sure to blend fast. Once the stain sets, it stays put.

When you kiss someone it should not look like there was a lip transplant between the both of you. Your lip-makeup should stay on you and you only. Prep lips with a little foundation. Try to refrain from using moistur-izer within one hour of appli-cation of makeup. Before fill-ing out lips with colour outline them with lip liner. Lipstick should be applied with a lip brush. It is important to blot between layers when applying lipstick. Lip stains are also a good choice especially for those who choose to go with bright lip colours. However, make sure your lips go through a thorough moisturizing regimen leading up to the wedding day as stains dry out your lips.

These tips go a long way toward ensuring your makeup stays on you for extended pe-riods. There are a thousand things that can ruin your look. Don’t let your makeup be an-other.

Making Makeup Last

POWDER ROOM WARDROBE

Fashion Trends For 2014


In case you haven’t noticed, a serious wave of the flu is permeating Trinidad and

even Tobago. It is taking a toll on families and hospitals and lots of pharmacies are cashing in on people’s peril. If you want to save your money and your health status. Try these five flu preven-tion tips.

1Wash your hands. Wash your hands frequently with

warm, soapy water, for at least 20 seconds. A good rule of thumb is to sing two rounds of the “Happy Birthday” song to yourself. In addition to vora-cious hand washing, use a non-alcohol based hand sanitizer regularly, especially when you have limited access to a sink. This is very important when you are in public places like grocery stores or public transportation.

2Get more sleep. We often overlook this one important

factor for bolstering the body’s immunity. If getting the recom-mended eight hours of sleep is out of the question for you, do what you can to make the sleep you do get more restful: Avoid-ing afternoon caffeine will pro-mote better sleep. Studies reveal consistent rest not only helps fight off cold and flu viruses, but also speeds up recovery time.

3Eat more fruits and vege-tables. Fresh fruit and veg-

etable intake can be challenging in the winter when the body craves starchy comfort foods,

but the healthy immune benefits of these foods cannot be over-stated. Vegetables and fruit are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants you need to maintain a healthy system. Fresh fruit makes wonderful snacks during the day and spruces up your morning breakfast. On the go? Blend the fruit for a whole-some smoothie. Make an effort to include vegetables in at least one meal a day: slow cook a veggie-based soup, steam some broccoli or green beans, or make a fresh salad with spinach and romaine.

4Take a walk. Moderate exercise, like walking in as

little as 30-minute increments, increases the body’s immune response. Studies show people who engage in such activity have significantly lower occurrences of upper respiratory tract in-fections. Further, the activity stimulates critical immune com-ponents like natural killer cells which help you fight seasonal illness.

5Stay home. Despite your best efforts, you still may

wake up feeling under the weather. One of the easiest things you can do when you feel symptoms of a sickness coming on is to stay home and rest. Not only does this help prevent you from spreading germs, it allows you to replenish your body with necessary rest to speed up re-covery. If your kids are sick, keep them home as well.

Some people love the sound of bulky bits of iron clanking together

at the gym while others pre-fer alternate means. One form of strength training that has stood the test of time is resist-ance band workouts. These can help you to sculpt your body like most machines at the gym or better. However, it may take some getting used to. Here are some of the problems people of-ten have with resistance bands:

• The resistance feels dif-ferent. When you use free weights, gravity decides where the weight comes from, so you get more resist-ance during one part of the movement (such as the up-swing of a bicep curl) than the other (the downswing). With bands, the tension is constant, which makes it feel harder. Bands work much like a cable machine, allowing you to keep constant tension on the muscle. You'll also incorporate more stabilizer muscles to keep the band in alignment throughout each exercise, adding a differ-ent dynamic to the same old moves.

• Resistance bands aren'tas challenging as ma-chines or dumbbells.

With weights, you know exactly how much you're lifting. With bands, you can only go by how it feels and the tension on the band. That doesn't mean you're not getting a good work-out, though. If you use good form and the right level of tension, your muscle fibers won't know the difference between weights or bands. Plus, bands offer more va-riety because you can create the resistance from all di-rections--the side, overhead, below, etc.

• You don't know how touse them. It can be confus-ing trying to figure out how to use a band. Keep in mind that you can perform the same exercises as you do with free weights--the differ-ence lies in positioning the band. For example, you can stand on the band and grip the handles for bicep curls or overhead presses. You can attach it to a door and do lat pulldowns or tricep pushdowns. You can wrap the band around a pole for chest exercises or shoulder rotations. The possibilities are endless and you'll find there are a number of exer-cises and workouts available to you.

Five FluPrevention Tips

HOME GYMMEDICINE CABINET

Getting Used To Resistance Bands


Some birds have the abil-ity to mimic human voice and speech pat-

terns and parrots are one such type of bird. If your pet can talk, wouldn’t you want it to? Of course you would, so here is how you do it.

Start SimpleThe best way to encourage birds to speak is to choose a few short words for them to start off with. Examples of good starter words include "hello", "bye-bye", "nite nite", or even your bird's own name. Simple words, when said with enthusiasm, seem to become more interesting to most par-rots. Make sure that when you speak to your bird, you do so in a happy, positive tone. Watch your bird as you repeat the words you've chosen. If you pay close attention, you will prob-ably see that some words catch his attention more than others. Use the word that your bird re-sponds to the most for your first "training word".

Repeat Words OftenOnce you have locked onto a word that your feathered friend is interested in, repeat the word to him as often as you possi-

bly can. Parrots learn to mimic through repetition -- so saying the word over and over again is the only way to encourage your bird to say it back. While it's always best for owners to teach their pets directly, some owners opt to use extra learning tools such as tape recorders and CD's to help teach their birds to talk. Using these tools can be effec-tive, and certainly won't hinder the training process, but owners should know that they are no substitute for one on one inter-action, and should be used only as supplemental training aids.

Align ActionsWith Your WordsRepeat certain words or phras-es every time you do something, such as 'Up' when you lift your bird up, to teach her to associ-ate a certain movement with certain words.

Garages tend to become dumps for just about everything. Because

they are big open spaces, they're easy targets for that suitcase that won't fit in the closet, the roll-erblades your daughter doesn't want to throw away yet, the sewing machine you need to give back to your neighbour and anything else that doesn't have a set place.

Use as much vertical and ceiling space as possible. This rule is particularly important if you're planning to actually park your car here. Make sure that you'll have room for your car without running into or onto anything.

Decide what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw away. When you find yourself ques-tioning a particular item, ask yourself :

• DoIloveit?• DoIneedit?• WhenwasthelasttimeIusedthis?

• If I donated it, could it be safelyusedbyanotherperson?

Clearing out clutter is incred-ibly satisfying, and odds are you won't really miss that fifth spare tennis racket. When in doubt, donate or toss it. Recycle as much as possible, and be sure to dispose of paint and other haz-ardous waste safely.

PETS

Teaching Your Parrot To Talk

GARAGE

Getting Your Garage In Gear


Traveling abroad or even visiting new places with-in your own country

can be unforgettable and awe-inspiring. Each travel location brings with it new and exciting adventures and opportunities. However, the wrong accommo-dation can leave quite a damper on your trip. There are some im-portant things to consider when choosing a hotel. Here are some of them.

Your BudgetDraw up a budget table with possible projections on how high you would want to spend for you accommodation. Think of the services you want to avail and extra transportation costs if necessary.

Location Location LocationWhere is the hotel located? Close to restaurants, or a bus-tling area of the city or town? If you want to have a truly pleas-urable experience you will like not be spending your entire day holed up in your hotel. You need to be within walking distance, or at least, driving distance, of a district where you can grab a bite to eat, watch a movie or go shopping. In this day and age most hotels are within reason-able distance of a shopping dis-

trict, so finding restaurants or movie theaters is not much of an issue.

Type of HolidayThe type of holiday you are looking for also determines the kind of hotel you should stay in. If you are on an adventure trip then you would do not spend too much on the hotel, as you will not be spending too much time there. For family vacation, choosing a comfortable and good hotel is mandatory.Hotel Chains and FacilitiesAre they part of an interna-tional hotel chain? Most inter-national chains have stringent standards that are adhered to as well as a standard theme across all chains. They may have simi-lar facilities (health clubs, spas, business centers, etc) which

are important to maintain the hotel’s high standards. Other things you can look out for in-clude concierge, shuttle services to the city, airport transfers as well as good laundry services.

User ReviewsNo matter how much research you do, nothing replaces feed-back from past guests of a ho-tel. Make sure you go through the reviews and feedback of the hotel from the people who have stayed at the place. In-stead of going blindly by the review posted on the website of the hotel, go to websites like tripadvisor.com for valuable in-formation on the hotels from the other travelers. However, the internet is full of fake re-views - use your judgment and past experience in trusting user

reviews. A rule of thumb is to trust reviews for hotels which are larger in number and then plan your holiday.

Rates and DiscountsHotel rates are a huge factor when it comes to choosing a hotel. However, paying more does not necessarily mean that you will receive an equivalent level of service and standards. One of the ways to maximize on prices would be check if they are part of an alliance with flights or car rental com-panies, which offer discounts to customers of their allies. Sometimes, credit card com-panies offer their cardholders exclusive rates to special hotels which can be pretty attractive. Additionally, if it’s possible to use your frequent flyer points to redeem hotel discounts, this could help reduce hotel costs as well.

Cancellation / Refund PolicyEmergencies might happen an-ytime, which might lead you to cancel or postpone your trip. Be sure to check the cancellation policy of the hotel which varies from one hotel to another. So it is recommended that you go through it before booking the rooms.

TRAVEL

Choosing The Right Hotel


Abstract Home Is Published By Abstract Media Group, Premium Commercial Complex, San Juan, Trinidad, W.I. • Tel: (868) 638 1156/9 • Fax: (868) 638 1160. Printed By The Office Authority - Printing Division And Distributed By AMG

Abstract Home Vol. 4 Issue 16 2013

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Transcript of Abstract Home Vol. 4 Issue 16 2013