Networking and First Impressions

The internet is a very social networking environment. People build web pages to communicate with others online. The most successful internet marketing campaigns involve a lot of time networking with others through blogs, forums and email. However, just because you are networking online, doesn’t mean introductions and first impressions are not important, they are even more important.

For any event, be it a party, a business meeting, a neighborhood gathering or online networking; a first impression of someone or of you, can be all important. Networking can be for a new job, new clients, new social group or just making friends. You seldom know just how important this first introduction or impression can be until later, may be much later. So make sure you cover all your bases, make the most out of any introduction and don’t burn any bridges.

I have seen many times, especially in business, where someone ends up needing help from someone a few months after they first met. Since this is a global economy, your next business or social contact may be thousands of miles away. However, they also may be just as important to your success as if they were your business partner.

With any potential working relationship or friendship, it is important that each party bring something to the table. Don’t expect something for nothing. It is usually best to give first without any real expectations of something in return. Most people enjoy discussing things important to them. If you help them meet their needs, at some point in the future they will usually return the favor.

Aways listen and focus on what the other person has to say. It may only be important for you to get better acquainted or it could be information that will help you in the future.

 

Party Fruit Decorations

One way to exhibit your artful talent and entertaining style at the same time is create a few fruit displays.  This adds a little more fun to your party with an editable centerpiece. There are so many things you can carve fruit into, from a baby carriage to a bouquet of flowers. You don’t need any special tools or great talent, just a little imagination.

You should be able to find most of the tools you’ll need already in your kitchen. Some helpful tools would be:

• Cookie Cutters – If you want to add some fun shapes to your design.
• Writing Utensil – It is often easier if you make some outlines of where you would like to cut.
• Knifes – Having a few different sizes of knifes will help.
• Melon Baler – This will help you clean out your fruit and get a more enjoyable look to your masterpiece.
• Toothpicks – Toothpicks will come in handy if you are looking to help hold different things together.
• Kebab Sticks – They are used most when creating flowers.
• Vegetable peeler – This will help shape and smooth out different areas.

Additional Ideas and Tips

• Use a towel underneath your fruit when cutting; this will be helpful to soak up the juice.
• Use more than one kind of fruit to add color.
• Use a large metal spoon to help smooth out all the bumps when you’re done scooping out all your fruit.
• Drizzling chocolate over strawberries or other fruit can help enhance the taste and look to your creation
• You do not need to just stick with fruit; vegetables also make great for carving.

 

From Grapes to Wine

The four basic steps in wine making are; harvest, crush, ferment, and bottle. Like many crops, once the grapes are just right, they must be harvested quickly. Just right depends upon the sugar-acid balance in the grape. Wine acidity is a very important structural component of wine. If a wine is too low in acid, it tastes flat and dull. If a wine is too high in acid, it tastes too tart and sour.

Grapes can be harvested by hand picking or machines. Hand picking is more labor intensive but also results in less damage to the grape and provides the grapes that are not quite ready to be left on the vine a few more days.

Crushing is done by a crusher machine and gets rid of the stems that can cause a bitter taste. Now is the time to note that there are white (pale yellow, gold, green or pink) grapes and red (dark-skinned, purple) grapes. All grape juice is white. The red in red wine comes from the pigment within the grape skin. Also note that white wine can be made from either white or red grapes, so the white wine from red grapes must have the skins removed quickly after crushing to keep the white color. And red wine will come from red grapes where the juice and skins will remain together after crushing.

For the complete article: From Grapes to Wine

 

Local Handcrafted Toys are still available!

D and Me Handmade Wood Toys, now here is a business we can support. If you want toys make locally by a small business, then look no more! D and Me Handmade Wood Toys is a small business located in Montana. Each toy is handcrafted, NOT mass manufactured. There is no lead or other harmful chemicals to worry about.

All toys are sold wholesale through their online store and then dropped shipped to your business. What could be easier? So if you are in the toy business, try this one. Don, the crafter, “uses mixed hardwoods with a natural (child safe) oiled finish in the construction of these classic wood toys. The colored pieces on the wood toys are done with a non-toxic toy enamel, which is also child safe. Each piece is hand sanded, finished, and detailed. The handcrafted wood toys, which have a classic look are meant to be used and played with.”

Just some of the toys are; Logging Truck, Lumber Truck, Helicopter, Bulldozer, Dump Trucks, Fire Engine, Tractor and of course the Train. These are great examples of good craftsmanship.

To see more visit D and Me toys.