25 November 2009

Wrought Iron Work: Beauty and Strength

Wrought iron is a very strong form of iron that has been hammered out, which is very different from cast iron which is molten iron that is poured into a mold and allowed to cool. Wrought iron is a much stronger type of iron, which is why it is used for many different types of applications in the world today. Some of the main uses for wrought iron are for furniture and many different types of decorations.

Wrought iron is extensively used for different types of furniture. Many beds, benches, and other types of furniture are made out of wrought iron. Bar stools are usually made out of wrought iron as well. Wrought iron allows the legs of the stool to be made with a very strong type of metal, but it also allows the legs to have intricate designs worked into them. Wrought iron furniture gives a room a very rustic look, but it also provides a sturdy type of furniture that will last for a very long time. The most popular type of wrought iron furniture is usually a black or dark gray combined with dark wood. Wrought iron furniture can make a room very dark, but it can really pop out with a light paint color. The best thing to do if filling a room with wrought iron furniture is to paint the walls a light neutral color, so that the furniture will stand out.

Another very common use for wrought iron is for a variety of decorations. Wrought iron is a very common material to use to build an outside gate, because of its ability to stand up to the weather, and also the ability to make intricate designs to make the gate very fancy. Wrought iron is also used very much to make a lattice in a garden, because the wrought iron is a great medium for ivy to grow on. The ivy attaches to the wrought iron, and has the ability to climb and twist its way all throughout the lattice. Many sconces are also made of wrought iron, as well as curtain rods, because it gives a good contrast to the material that the curtains are made from.

Visit http://www.stonebank-ironcraft.co.uk/ for every kind of Wrought Iron craftwork you can imagine!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gabriel_J._Adams

Find More : timber door , wrought iron gate , iron gate , gate designs , fence iron

Choosing a Make-up Artist for Your Wedding Day

Planning a wedding can be exhausting. Everything from the church to the food at the reception needs to be accounted for. As the bride, you have quite a bit on your plate. You need to find a dress, pick out your wedding party and their dresses, and make hair, nail, and makeup appointments. With everything else on your list of "to dos," choosing a makeup artist often falls at the bottom. Unfortunately, many woman wait till the last min and just pick one out of convenience. If this doesn't sound like a big deal, think again. The makeup artist is in charge of perfecting your bridal beauty preparing you for your big day and all the pictures. Use these tips to help find the perfect makeup artist to fit your needs.

  • They Should Listen: Sure, they are the experts but the fact of the matter is that it's your wedding therefore, if you want to wear green mascara and purple lipstick thats your prerogative and their job to make sure it looks the best it possibly could. When you begin your search for a wedding day makeup artist tell them what your looking for and see how they respond. If they aren't thrilled with what you want and demand the upper hand, look for someone who understands your style.
  • Look at Previous Work: Previous work is one of the best ways to gage a makeup artist's talent. Most will have a portfolio with pictures of past clients. Ask for a portfolio and flip through it. If you're less than thrilled or don't like their style keep searching for someone who meets your standards.
  • Bring Pictures: It's highly likely you have been flipping through wedding magazine to help you find out what you want on your wedding day and that include what you want your makeup to look like. If you find a particular style, color, or look that you absolutely love, cut the picture out and bring it with you. Your makeup artist will thank you for the example and you'll find it much easier to get what you want when you come prepared with a visual.
  • Nothing but the Best: Your paying to have your makeup done professionally and therefore should expect professional makeup or at least that of good quality. You want to make sure your lipstick doesn't go become your husband's after the first kiss and that your mascara makes it through your tears of joy. Ask your makeup artist about the products they use on their clients.
  • Insist on a Dry Run Appointment: Weddings take a great deal of practice and planning and that includes your appearance. You probably looked at tons of dresses, flowers, and cakes before you made a decision. Likewise you will or at least should have your hair done before the wedding day; you will try your dress on; and you will rehearse the day before. Make sure the makeup artist you choose will set up prior appointment to figure out what will look best. The last thing you want to do is go in blindly the day of your wedding and come out with makeup you hate.
  • Let Them Know If You Don't Like It: Having your makeup done professionally is one way to be sure you look your best on your wedding day. Since you are paying to have it done you have every right to like the way you look. If you don't like the way your eyes came out or aren't a fan of that particular shade of lipstick, let the makeup artist know. This is your big day and you should be one hundred percent satisfied with the way you look after you leave their chair.

For more information on makeup like this, be sure to visit the experts at MakeUpTip at http://www.makeuptip.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Wasilewski

Find More : makeup artist , makeup wedding , eyes makeup , asian makeup , professional makeup

Tips on Hiring a Maid Service

Fast-paced lifestyles, hectic schedules and a lack of free time can lead one to consider hiring a maid service to handle critical house cleaning duties. But before picking up the phone to schedule an appointment, it is important to know whom you are letting into your home.

Bonding: Make sure the maid service is bonded for its house cleaning clientèle. Should a theft occur, you need to be protected. Some companies, if they are bonded at all, protect only themselves, not the consumer.

Insurance: Make sure the house cleaning company is insured. If a maid slips and falls while cleaning the shower, your homeowner's policy might not cover the incident. The maid service should have liability and employee accident coverage and should include your home, the housecleaner(s) and the company.

References: Make sure the maid service is reliable. How many years have they been in business? Ask for references and a work history. When calling references ask some key questions:

  • How long have you used the house cleaning service?
  • Have you ever needed to make a complaint? If so, how did the service handle resolving the issue?
  • Would you enthusiastically recommend the maid service provider?

Employee screening and hiring: Ask the house cleaning company if employees' references are checked, if criminal background checks are administered, and if residence status is confirmed. Also find out if the workforce is comprised of employees or subcontractors. A maid service using subcontractors does not provide staff training and may not provide liability insurance. In addition, there may not be a standard of quality and unclear procedures for complaint resolution.

Cleaning products: Some independent housekeepers as well as some services expect you to supply all cleaning products. If products are included by the house cleaning company, find out what type of products will be used and if they contain harsh chemicals like bleach or ammonia. Be sure the products are safe for pets and kids.

If the maid service touts using "green" products or environmentally friendly products for house cleaning, understand what you are getting. Ask if the products are effective in cleaning and disinfecting pathogens like Staphylococcus (Staph.), Salmonella and E.coli If the maid service is "Green Certified," find out which certifying body certified the cleaning products and their certification process.

Some products, although certified "green" actually use standard chemicals at a lower ratio, literally watering down a chemical until it passes standards. This can be at the expense of the performance of the product. Other environmentally safe products contain bio-based ingredients that contain natural bacteria and enzymes, which are non-pathogenetic environmental isolates that imitate the way nature naturally cleans itself. These natural substances can be used in hard surface cleaners and degreasers to create a safe, effective cleaning solution.

Equipment: Check out what is included with your house cleaning. Some independent housekeepers as well as some services expect you to supply all cleaning equipment. If the maid service is supplying the equipment, find out the efficiency of the vacuum and the filtration system.

Satisfaction: Ask if the maid service measures customer satisfaction and if so, what type of procedure is used to collect responses. Are you asked to fill out a survey online or on paper? Will a manager contact you following the house cleaning to be sure your expectations were fulfilled or exceeded? The steps a company takes to ensure a customer's satisfaction tells a lot about how much they value their customers.

Quality assurance: Find out the service's quality assurance procedures. How is the quality of service measured and verified to ensure quality of service is maintained? A maid service should have quality assurance procedures in place to be sure their house cleaning meets quality standards every clean. Ask if the maid service has managers who inspect every clean to be sure the quality of service is upheld.

Guarantee: Find out how the company handles complaints and make sure the service is backed by a written satisfaction guarantee. Know prior to the house cleaning the limitations of the guarantee and what steps consumers should take to execute the guarantee.

Taxes: Make sure you don't break any tax laws. If you pay a housekeeper or maid a certain amount per year, the federal law requires you to pay social security and other taxes on that person. However, some states may require you to withhold state taxes on payments smaller than $1,000. Most maid service companies withhold taxes for their employees, but check to make sure. If you pay a housekeeper or maid at least $1,200 per year, the federal law requires you to pay social security and other taxes on that person. For more information about household employee taxes, call the Internal Revenue Service.

Daniel J. Bishop is the president and CEO of The Maids International, Inc., a premier house cleaning service in the United States and Canada. Prior to founding The Maids in 1979, Bishop served as executive officer and president of the Building Services Contractors Association. Bishop is also a director of the World Federation of Building Service Contractors and is a Certified Building Service Executive. For more information about The Maids, please visit http://www.maids.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Bishop

Find More : maid agency , maid services , housemaid , filipino maid , hire maid