 WRITE GRANDMA A WHAT?" Your Mom probably did, and her mother or father almost definitely wrote letters, but chances are that you don't. And when it comes to your kids, no way." - The New York Times, March 16, 2006. Email has changed all that, but fortunately it's hasn't changes our desires. Who amongst us isn't thrilled to see a hand addressed envelope on our daily trip to the mailbox. It's the first thing we open; and with a smile. A written note lasts forever. We keep them, we read them over and over, and each persons handwriting is unforgettable, a true thumbprint! Teach your children the importance and art of correspondence. It's one of those "life lessons" that both of you will come to value and appreciate. Click here to view our monogramed note cards.
 BE THE PERFECT HOUSEGUESTSummer is just around the corner and chances are you'll be visiting someone, family, friends or both. Here are the tried and true rules to assure your stay will be a happy one and that you might just be invited back! Length of Stay: Fish & guests go bad after 3 days. And that is as long as you're welcome, period... 3 days! Coming and Going: No surprises in this scenario. Everyone needs to know when you'll be arriving and leaving (within an hours time). Call, email or fax your arrival information (flights/train itineraries) as well as your cell phone number if things get off schedule. Call immediately if you're delayed. A Happy Stay: Take care of yourself. You're not staying at a hotel so don't expect to be catered after. Your host wants to visit with you, not be conjoined with you. Bring a book, a magazine, or take a walk so your host can have some alone time. Be a sport when it comes to activities your host has planned and if there are specific things you'd like to do, let your host know before you arrive to allow sufficient planning time. Neatness Counts: Repeat after me... neatness counts! Keep your room tidy and leave it cleaner than when you came. Never, never, never leave your stuff anywhere than in your designated room. Travel polite, which means bringing enough clothes so you won't have to wash things while you're there. Meal Time: Insist on taking your houseguests out for dinner at least one night during your stay or (and this absolutely needs to be prearranged with your hosts) bringing a prepared meal to have in-house. Always help out setting the table, clearing dishes and whatever you can do in the kitchen without being in the way. Animal Kingdom: Kids are one thing, animals are whole "nother thing". Animals are not house guests, put them in the kennel. They'll be happier and so will everyone else. Kids are kids. Keep in mind your hosts environment and what it may cost to replace sentimental, expensive objects and go from there. Bring toys, games, coloring books for your children to keep them occupied. Don't expect your hosts to entertain them- even if it is your parents or siblings. They've been there, done that. This is supposed to be a stress free visit, right? Come Prepared: Don't come empty-handed. Bring a small gift of appreciation- a box of notes, a CD, a new book, gourmet coffee or tea. When you get home, write a thank-you note... not an email!!! If you weren't able to get a gift before arriving, send one within the week after your return. Role Reversal: What's good for the goose... Extend an invitation to be a guest at your home within the next year. That's what friends are for! DECORATING EASTER EGGS RUSSIAN STYLE, CARL FABERGE, & THE TRADITIONAL EGG GAME  From time immemorial an egg has been the object of religious adoration. The symbolic significance of an egg illustrates transition from nonexistence to life; it's a symbol of joy, happiness and sun, which brings warmth, and revival of nature, spring!The use of colored eggs has deep roots. This tradition was known in China, Ancient Greece and Rome. In Egyptian hieroglyphs the sign of an egg displays a certain potential, a life-giving seed, a mystery of being. As for the Orthodox Easter traditions, the colored egg has always been one of the main symbols of Easter. There are two types of Easter eggs mostly used in Russia: "pisanki" – richly ornamented eggs of two, three or four colors, and "krashenki" – Easter eggs of one color, without any ornament. In compliance with ancient traditions Russians mark the celebration of Easter with presenting colored eggs to each other. Decorating Eggs Russian Style Krashenski Easter eggs in Russia are usually red. This is accomplished by dying the eggs with onion peels. Depending on the color of the peels, the eggs can vary from bright red to dark brown. To make the color more saturated, more peels are used and the eggs are boiled for about 30 minutes. To protect the eggs from cracking during boiling, salt is added to the water. Cold eggs must be allowed to come to room temperature before being placed into the boiling water. Speckled eggs are achieved by first wetting the egg and placing them in dry rice. The eggs are then wrapped in gauze and fastened closed by the thread to allow the rice to stick. Finally, the eggs are boiled in the dying solution. Painted eggs can be made shiny by first being wiped dry and then greased with sunflower oil. Experiment with other natural dyes: purple cabbage, carrots, berries, spinach. The Faberge Egg  One of the first persons to combine an Easter egg with a jewel was Carl Faberge. His name is most frequently associated precisely with the brilliant art of the decorative Easter egg – The Faberge Egg. The first Faberge Easter egg was made in 1885 by Mikhail Perikhin. In 1886, at the age of 26, this skilled craftsman from the Siberia became chief foreman of the Faberge firm. Until 1903, when he died, his initials were put on all surprise eggs of the firm made for Russian Tsars. The first egg made by Perikhin consisted of an ivory shell with stripes of dark blue enamel; in the shell there was a golden nest with enamel hen with ruby eyes. Inside the hen, there was a golden crown inlaid with pearl. And inside the crown there was a golden ring.The Egg Game A variety of games are played with Easter eggs. The simplest is an egg-breaking contest. Two players face off, each holding an Easter egg and hit each other's egg. The one whose egg remains intact is the winner. The egg is held in the fist so that only its tip protrudes. The other player hits it with the tip of his egg. If the egg breaks on the side, the impact was wrong and the owner of the broken egg is not considered the loser. The winner claims the broken egg. After the game the number of eggs won is tallied. It was of paramount importance to have a hard-shelled egg that withstands breaking. In selecting a strong egg, the contestant taps an unboiled egg against his teeth. If the sound is clear and sharp the shell is hard: if dull and muffled, the egg will break quickly, it's not even worth coloring. DID YOU ENJOY THESE "FRESH IDEAS"? We'd love to know. Email us with your comments and suggestions and email addresses of your friends who'd love to receive the monthly newsletter. Thank you for looking. info@janethutchens.com |
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