prudential artisan market

Archive for August, 2009

World Primate Safaris is a very successful specialist tour operator that sends people out ot Africa and Asia to track some of the most endangered primates in the world, and at the end of 2008 their sister company World Big Cat Safaris was launched.

Again, World Big Cat Safaris relies on their expert knowledge of the areas they specialise in to make themselves different to everyone else. The 3 tour consultants in the office are ex tour leaders and guides from the various regions of Africa and so their first hand knowledge is second to none.

World Big Cat Safaris are specialists safaris to track the Big Cats of the world. They tailor adventure or luxury safaris with a selection of mobile camps and luxury lodges in some of the best wildlife areas in the world…Safari Holidays are our speciality whether it be a tiger safari in India or an African Safari to Botswana.

World Big Cat Safaris donates a percentage of each safari sold towards the conservation of endangered Big Cats throughout the world. Holidays can be tailored to meet each specific clients requirements including luxury honeymoon safaris, family African Safaris, walking safaris and much, much, more.

World Big Cat Safaris offers a selection of traditional Kenya Safari Holidays to see the savannah game of the Masai Mara. Kenya is at the forefront of wildlife conservation and community led initiatives and is perfect for a honeymoon safari or family safari and beach relaxation.

Tanzania is a prime wildlife safari destination. Your Tanzania Safari can combine the wonderful Serengeti National Park, the stunning Ngorongoro Crater and the pristine tropical islands of Zanzibar or Pemba. Your Tanzania Safari should make the most of the fantatsic selection of luxury lodges and camps that are now available throughout Tanzania.

Wildlife in Botswana is the highlight. The Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park provide the ultimate locations for your Botswana Safari. An expensive safari destination, Botswana provides luxury safari accommodation with unique access to private concessions providing the ultimate in wildlife safari viewing.

Your South African Safari can consist of a multitude of interesting activities including a wildlife safari in the Kruger National Park or its surrounding private concessions, the winelands of the Cape and some of the most scenic coastal drives in the world. A luxury South African safari is actually very good value for money in comparison to other African Safari destinations.

Zambia Safaris are up and coming as Zambia is new as an African Safari destination. Your Zambia Safari will concentrate primarily on a few areas, including South Luangwa Valley, Lower Zambezi, Kafue National Park and the renowned Victoria Falls. Walking Safaris are also a highlight with some of the best African Safari guides available on the continent.

A Tiger Safari in India is the highlight of any wildlife enthusiast’s career. A typical India safari may consist of the one horned rhinos of Kaziranga, the Asiatic Lions of Sasan Gir National Park and of course the endangered but majestic Bengal Tigers. The best places to visit for your India Tiger Safari include the historic Corbett National Park, Ranthambhore, Bandhavgarh and the tiger park of Kanha.

The large predators are what people want to see when they go on a safari and with World Big Cat Safaris they will put you in the best place to maximize your chances of seeing them………….

 

 

ve the look of quilts, but know you don’t have the time or patience to create one yourself? You could still start and operate your own profitable quilting business by selling quilted Christmas stockings.

The benefit of the quilted Christmas stocking is that stockings are a much smaller project than a full size quilt. You would get the satisfaction of quilting, without investing the time needed for a full quilt.

Many traditional quilt patterns would make beautiful Christmas stockings. Try a log cabin quilt design made from Christmas reds and greens. Use a double wedding ring quilt pattern in Victorian colors. A beaded trim for adds a funky yet vintage look.

Yo yo quilt patterns also make gorgeous Christmas stockings. Soft pastels will make an adorable baby’s first Christmas stocking. It will be a family heirloom, for certain! Choose popular colors that will coordinate with current interior design trends to sell as home d?r.

Quilt patterns for these designs are available in many books and are often found for free online. Take a look around to see what patterns you like.

Technically, you do not even have to quilt to make quilted Christmas stockings. Use existing quilts; cut them to make the stockings.

Start off by using one of your own old quilts to see how it works. Or, buy lots of old quilts at your local thrift stores and yard sales.

If you would like to personalize your quilted Christmas stockings, you will need a method of putting a name on them. Iron-on letters are available at most craft and hobby stores, but might compromise the entire look of the stocking depending on the style of both. Embroidery is probably your best bet.

You may choose to hand embroider names to your quilted Christmas stockings. If you know how to do a simple chain stitch and a French knot to dot your “i’s,” you should be set.

Machine embroidery offers a nice look to personalize your quilted Christmas stockings. If you do not already have an embroidery machine, the cost may be more than you want to spend. Check your local sewing centers and dealers to see what the prices are. If you just want to be able to embroider names on your quilted Christmas stockings, you might run across a less expensive machine.

Adding the name will allow you to add about $10 to $15 more to the cost of your stockings. To gauge whether the expense is worth it or not, divide the price of the machine by $10 or $15, whichever you choose to charge as the personalization fee. A $1500 embroidery machine with a $15 personalization fee, means you have to sew 100 names on stockings to break even. In the right location, you might be able to do that in one season!

More expensive embroidery machines also exist. You can expect to pay $4000 to $8000 for a new semi-commercial embroidery machine.

If you do consider buying an embroidery machine to personalize your quilted Christmas stockings, look to see how they sew. If the sewing surface is flat, you would have to embroider the name onto the stocking before it’s sewn to the back side. A cylindrical arm will allow you to sew on stockings already made.

Another option for personalizing your quilted Christmas stockings is to use appliqu?Cut the letters from fabric and stitch them onto the stocking by hand or using a zigzag or satin machine stitch.

If you do sell quilted Christmas stockings as your quilt business, remember the importance of personalizing your creations. Your product will be worth more since it will be a truly customized stocking!

Increase Your Financial IQ Book Review – Part 1: Making More Money

The book starts by asking the fundamental question:

“Does money make you rich?”

Take a moment to answer that question.

Do you think money will make you rich?  Do you think winning millions of dollars from lottery will make you rich?  How about having a high-paying job from a lucrative profession like doctors, or lawyers, or IT professionals?  Does having a lot of money make you rich?

Many people have heard stories how instant millionaires lost their millions after a few years. Or how someone who was once rich and famous had his house foreclosed.  Or how a high-paying manager begged for his job back because he can no longer afford the lifestyle that he once had.

If not money, what then makes you rich?  According to Robert Kiyosaki,

“…it is not real-estate, stocks, mutual funds, businesses, or money that make you rich.  It is information, knowledge, wisdom, and know-how, a.k.a. financial intelligence, that makes one wealthy.”



What is Financial Intelligence?

Robert Kiyosaki describes Financial intelligence as that part of our mental intelligence we use to solve our financial problems. Financial IQ, on the other hand, is the measure of that intelligence.

What money problems do you have?  Are you having the problem of “not having enough money”? Are you

using your credit card whenever you’re short on money? constantly worrying about the rising cost of living? paying more in taxes after an increase in income? afraid of emergencies? receiving bad financial advice? waiting for the next paycheck to pay for last month’s rent?

While the rich do not have these problems, they too have their own money problems – “too much money”.  Some of these are

needing to keep their money safe and invested not knowing whether people like them or their money looking for smarter financial advisors raising spoiled kids worrying about estate and inheritance planning looking for ways to “legally” avoid paying excessive government taxes

Which problems would you rather have?



The 5 basic Financial IQs

According to Robert Kiyosaki, you need to learn the 5 basic Financial IQs to solve your money problems.  These are:

Financial IQ #1: Making more money Financial IQ #2: Protecting your money Financial IQ #3: Budgeting your money Financial IQ #4: Leveraging your money Financial IQ #5: Improving your financial information



Financial IQ #1: Making more money

How do you make more money?  The key according to Robert Kiyosaki is to “solve problems”.  People will gladly pay you money if you solve their problems.  I know I’ll be more than happy to pay you money if you can fix my broken LCD TV at a reasonable price. Would you gladly pay your doctor if they solve your ailing stomach? Would you pay your financial advisor if they can make you more money than what you pay them?  Or how about paying your “star” employees “millions” whenever they bring you “billions” in income?

Solve people’s problems and make more money.  As the famous quote from Zig Ziglar says

You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.



Which problems do you want to solve?

Which problems do you want to solve?

Do you want to solve the problem of “hunger” by providing quality meals at an affordable price.  That’s what a lot of food businesses are doing.  Or do you want to solve the problem of “not having enough time to eat”.  That’s what the fast and “instant” food delivery businesses are trying to solve.

What are you naturally good at? Perhaps you can use any of your skills to solve other people’s problems.

Are you good in math?  Be a great financial analyst or an accountant and help people and businesses solve their financial or tax problems.

Do you like speaking to people?  Become a powerful speaker.  Share your message by leveraging your highly sought after skill of public speaking.  Inspire people to take action and solve their problem of a dull and boring life.

Do you love making great movies?  Learn to be a great director or a movie producer.  People will pay you to entertain them because you are solving their problem of “not having fun”.”

Solving problems is a process

The key according to Robert Kiyosaki is realizing the fact that problems will never go away.  After you solve a problem, another problem will come up.  Only in this process of solving problems one after the other will you gain financial intelligence.

You have to go through the process of solving whatever money problems you are facing right now.  Don’t run from it.  Face it head on.  Use your mind to think of ways on how to solve your money problem.  As Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad says,

“You can quit when you win, but never quite because you’re losing.“

The reason instant millionaires end up poor after winning the lottery is because they want only the money but not the process of learning how to build their wealth.  This is the same thing as people wanting to get paid more than the value they are providing.  Their greed is making decisions for them.  Some people even claim that “greed” has caused the current financial crisis that we are in right now.

The other side of the coin is also dangerous – fear.  Don’t let fear hold you back.  Enjoy the process of learning.  Feel the fear and face it head on. This is the same reason why employees would rather gladly receive the small steady paycheck than take a chance at building their own fortune.  Take a leap.  Live out your dreams.  As Hellen Keller says,

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”

Rich Money Habits Review Notes:

What I liked about the book is that it offers other (unconventional) ways to think about money. The book is not about financial advise, so it does not discuss any “how to” details on investing in real-estate or businesses. There are a lot of strong comments about the book so it is NOT for everyone.  My hope is that after reading the rest of the book review in the coming weeks, you’ll pick up a thing or two to help you with your money problems.