Ponds and water features in the garden are the horticultural equivalent of the TV in the living room. Many gardens use them as their visual focal point. Water provides sound, colour and movement (just like the telly) and, because ponds attract a wealth of wildlife, you get a never-ending flow of mini David Attenborough-style documentaries (again, just like the telly). No wonder ponds and water features are so popular with gardeners and garden designers.

To get the maximum value from your pond or water feature, you need to be able to enjoy it in the evening as well as during the day. Fountains, cascades and rills, with their constant motion, are certainly one of the most visually interesting candidates for illuminating at night, while lighting still ponds allows you to soak up their serenity in the stillness of summer dusk.

But before you reach for your garden lighting catalogue, there are one or two dos and don’ts to bear in mind when lighting your pond. First, if you will forgive a statement of the blindingly obvious, is to make sure the lights are fully waterproof. Look for the Ingress Protection number IP68. The first number (6) means the fitting is dust tight, and the second number (8) means it is protected against complete and continuous immersion in water.

Our second recommendation is to use a 12 volt lighting system. This is inherently safe, even if the cable or light fitting is compromised, whereas putting 240 volt mains electricity into water … Continue Reading ...

Google has finally added “Message Sneak Peek” feature to Gmail labs. But what exactly is sneak peek. It is like a teaser. The contents of the mail pop-up in a small window, when you right-click on mail headers in your inbox.

Previously, users had to click open their mail to view its content. It was time consuming and not very technology savvy. Gmail account holders missed this important and basic function in Google’s web based mail service.

Although its addition has come as a big relief, it still lacks the punch. The message preview system of Yahoo and some of the other Email Clients are technologically more advanced than Gmail.

What I dislike about Gmail’s preview feature:

1. Missing Scrollbars from the preview window.
2. The preview window shows little content, which makes it difficult to interpret the message.

On the plus side,it does offer some important functions,such as,links for archiving and deleting. To activate this feature follow the steps mentioned below.

1. Open the Gmail page ( account ).
2. Click on settings link ( at the top right ).
3. Click on the labs link.
4. Activate sneak peek widget.

Keyboard shortcut lovers will find Gmail’s shortcut keys a great way to shuffle through the mails. You can quickly take a peek at any email with the new ‘H’ shortcut. The keys can be activated via general settings.

The other shortcut keys are:

J – Move forward
K- Move back

Hope you liked this article on activating sneak … Continue Reading ...

Testimonials and endorsements must be an integral part of your book promotion program. These T’s and E’s should be shown and used everywhere and anywhere you have an opportunity to show them. Here are a few excellent suggestions to get you started:

1. Front Book Cover: Display one on your book’s front cover if it is very strong, or by a well-known celebrity, or by an industry guru. The name of the author of the book’s foreword, which is a type of testimonial, should be shown on the front cover – especially if written by a very important person.

2. Inside the Book: Place the best ones on the first pages of the book. With POD, it is very easy to add new and better testimonials and endorsements to your book.

3. Press Releases: Any press release that you send out should be flaunting your best testimonials and endorsements. Make sure that you include your press releases in your media kit.

4. Website: Put every testimonial and endorsement on your website where you promote yourself and your book. Here you can display all the T’s and E’s that you get – and keep adding to the list as you accumulate more. Highlight the ones that give you and your book the most praise. Also highlight the ones from the biggest and most well-known names.

5. Promotional Material: The best testimonials and endorsements must be used in any advertising and promotion for the book. These testimonials and endorsements are essential for … Continue Reading ...

Fashion trends constantly change and can be difficult and time-consuming to follow. Each season, a new color or style will become the must-have look. Luckily there are several ways to stay in touch with the latest fashion trends, including:

Read the fashion magazines on a regular basis

Lifestyle and fashion magazines offer a perfect opportunity to get the latest news on what is taking place in the fashion world. Magazines keep up-to-date with the latest seasonal hits to ensure you are always mindful of the most popular styles. Whether you are reading the fashion magazine or lifestyle magazine with a dedicated fashion section, you will have a simple, yet effective option to see the latest and upcoming fashion options. Also, these magazines often highlight the best fashion stores or brands to make sure you are able to get the best prices in the market.

Visit the local retail and department stores

A further great option for checking out the latest fashions is visiting the local retail and department stores to see what is on display. A favorite high street store is certain to highlight the latest and upcoming fashions for the current season. For instance, many of the large stores start to advertise the clothing lines for the spring and summer well before the season starts to arrive. This makes it possible to get prepared for the warmer weather and save up enough money to buy the seasonal clothes. Also, by visiting in store, it is possible to try on … Continue Reading ...

Poster printing has the matchless quality to advertise your business effectively so that the world knows your actions at a glance. It can very well portray the business with its products and services and bring them into focus for several people to have a quick look of it and thereby feel the urge to buy your products. It is advertising to get straight sales of your products effectively.

Posters are straight way to add prominence to your products or services for the attention of the people. Your customers are captivated by this simple manner of advertisement and turn into promising consumers. It is wise to spend in color poster printing activities to gain utmost mileage regarding improvement of your business.

There are special uses of posters printing which you can easily include in your advertising arrangement. Since the posters have neither rigid rules nor any space restrictions, you can put assorted images of your products or related photographs to make it eye-catching to customers. You are free to put words or slogans that go with your original advertising plan.

A competent poster does very well for your business which you can feel from the increasing sale figures and better earning. Catchy words make posters noticeable to many and if the design can correlate the words; you will be able to create a solid impact on many people through them.

The bright poster printing is able to draw patrons to the stores to acquire of your products. Competent posters are able … Continue Reading ...

Here are some great tips below on how to create curb appeal:

1. Landscape: Your landscape of your homes is what people in the neighborhood see first. Keeping a manicured lawn and the hedges trimmed is an easy way to tidy up the front of your home. Add some planters on the porch or next to the entry way with vibrant colored flowers and you can be sure to attract some attention. Define your planting areas with a stone boarder and some fresh mulch to create a nice look.

2. Lighting: The right lighting can add a dramatic look to your home. Entry lights next to your or a hanging light in your outdoor foyer is great way to brighten up your exterior. Strategically placed lights in the garden is a nice way to highlight your key plantings. Up lighting can highlight monumental trees or shrubs in the yard.

3. Driveway and Walkways: These are great ways to add personality to your home with many different options. On the high end side of things you have pavers or cobblestone installed and worth every dollar spent because this adds an excellent viewpoint from the street. If asphalt is your choice of driveway, then add a simple apron boarder at the beginning to add a decorative touch. A flagstone or brick walkway to replace your cement is also a good idea to add curb appeal.

4. Paint: clean up the exterior of your home with a fresh coat of paint. Now is … Continue Reading ...