Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi - A Match Made by God

Shy, introverted, and kind-hearted Surinder "Suri" Sahni (Shahrukh Khan) is an office worker for Punjab Power. He quietly falls in love with the daughter of his former professor (M.K. Raina), beautiful and vivacious Tania "Taani" Gupta (Anushka Sharma), whom he first sees during the preparations for her wedding. Upon their first meeting however, Taani jokingly berates and blames him for setting an impossible set of standards (reiterated by her father) that she was never able to meet as a child. A short while later, Taani's father suffers a heart attack when the entire wedding party learns that her fiancé and his family were killed in a traffic accident. Fearing that Taani will be alone in the world, the professor asks Suri to marry her. Suri concedes; Taani tearfully agrees only to please her father.

After a hasty wedding, Suri takes Taani to his ancestral home in Amritsar. While his good nature leads Suri to treat her with exceptional care and patience, he is too frightened to profess his love for her. However, Taani tells him that while she will try to be a good wife, she can never love him due to having no love left within her. Suri, though, continues to indulge her every desire. This includes frequent visits to the cinema to see song and dance films which appeal to Taani's fantasies about romance and her passion for dancing. She soon asks for Suri's permission, which he grants, to take an expensive dance class with the company Dancing Jodi to escape her mundane life at home.

Haule Haule


During one visit to the cinema, Suri feels inadequate in comparison to the strong, masculine images that Taani admires and later asks his childhood friend Balwinder "Bobby" Khosla (Vinay Pathak), a hair-saloon owner, for advice on how to win her love. Bobby is eager to help and suggests a complete makeover (removing his mustache, changing his hairstyle, and giving him a new set of clothing including a pair of sunglasses). Suri is thus transformed into the swaggering, loud, rude, and fun-loving "Raj Kapoor", named by Suri after the hero in the movie that Taani had admired. He joins the dance class and by chance — or, as he believes, by divine intervention — becomes Taani's partner in the competition. Despite Raj's initial crudeness — a result of Surinder's inexperience with women and his attempt to emulate the "cool" images from movies — he and Taani become friends as they work together on their dance routine. Suri feels encouraged when Taani does not tie a rakhi (holy thread) on "Raj's" wrist during the festival of Raksha Bandhan (for to do so would indicate that she thought of him only as a brother). Thus, after a period of time, Raj declares his love for her.

Dance Pe Chance


Suri's ruse poses a dilemma for both of them. Taani enters into a period of internal conflict, desperately wanting to escape from her despair-filled life through finding a new person to love. Despite wanting to escape her loveless marriage, Taani feels compelled to stay with Suri due to the promise that she made to her father. Suri also faces an extraordinary paradox: Taani's sheer misery as his wife in contrast to her delight with his fabricated alter ego, Raj. He thus attempts to win Taani's love as Suri, an act which only alienates her further. She eventually runs away to find Raj in order to tell him the predicament she is in, hoping he will help her. He offers to elope with her, which she agrees to tearfully. They set the date for their elopement to the next night, the night of the competition.

On the day of the competition, Suri takes Taani to the Golden Temple in order to garner God's blessings for her competition that night--and internally, also for her life with Raj. While there Taani has an epiphany in which she believes God has shown her a sign that tells that her marriage to Suri is divinely inspired. For the first time she reflects on her husband and becomes aware of the strength and integrity of Suri's character. Taani thus tells Raj that she cannot run away with him. She leaves him in what appears to be a state of shock with tears in his eyes. When the time comes for their performance Taani is stunned to see Suri, rather than Raj, join her on stage. It is at that moment that Taani grows to love Suri (rather than Raj) as she discovers his love for her.

Dancing Jodi


Thursday, March 12, 2009

Operating a Successful Candle Making Business

Cover of "Candle Making (Step-by-Step Cra...Cover via Amazon

Making candles can be great fun. Some people choose to take their love of this art and make money doing what they enjoy spending their time on. There are many areas of the candle making business you need to consider before embarking on such an adventure. Knowing how to make quality candles isn’t enough. You need to educate yourself on ways to promote your candles, ordering supplies, offering customer service, and determining a price for your candles.

We all know candles are a very popular item, so the market for such products is out there. However, that market can’t purchase your candles if they don’t know about it. You will need to establish a plan including where you plan to sell your candles, and then come up with a handle of ways to get attention to them. There are many places to sell candles. You can do so from your own home or rent space at craft shows. Often word of mouth will result in orders. You can also choose to advertise on the internet.

Advertising online can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Write about your business on a blog or purchase services from a web hosting company. They often offer excellent tools for setting up a web page and directing traffic to your site. In addition, they provide the shopping cart and even credit card processing for you. Most web hosting companies charge $20 per month, which isn’t a bad investment.

Placing your candles on Ebay or other online auction sites is a great way to generate sales. As you accumulate feedback for selling a quality product you will get more buyers. Before you can do any advertising, you will need to decide what types of candles to sell. You will generate more sells if you show pictures of your work with each type of candle you sell. People buying candles want to visualize the product they are purchasing. Once your business starts turning a profit, consider buying supplies in large quantities to get a discount.

The secret to being a successful candle making business is selling the product at a fair enough price that the consumer will buy it. Yet you also need to cover the cost of your time and supplies, while making a reasonable profit. Don’t be tempted to cut corners on the quality of your supplies as this can greatly alter the quality of your product. Once the word is out that your quality is poor, you will have a hard time maintaining sales.

To generate business, offer promotions. You can offer free shipping for your candle products at the online auction sites to have an advantage over the competition. Many auction surfers will buy a product with free shipping over one with low shipping. You can also offer a free candle with the purchase of three or even to send a personalized card if the buyer is going to use the candle as a gift.

Many successful candle making companies offer personalized service. This means customers can ask for a particular type of candle in a color and you will make it for them. This often costs the customer more, but they are likely willing to pay it. Make sure you communicate well with your customers and know exactly what they want before committing to such a project.

Every business experiences issues that come up. This is to be expected. Customers are likely to be more forgiving of such issues if they are provided with quality customer service. Make sure customers have a way to get into contact with you. Work out a resolution to any issues that you will both be happy with. It is best to outline return policies on your website as well so that there is a place customers can review such information.

Choosing to start your own business is a wonderful and exciting time. Selling your own candles gives you a business where you can be proud of the quality product you are making. Taking the time to learn the basics of the business before jumping in will help ensure this is a fun business venture for you and hopefully one that is going to be quite profitable.





Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Problems and Solutions for Candle Making

Making candles can be great fun. It is very exciting to decide what type of candle to make and getting your supplies. However, some individuals quickly become disappointed and frustrated with the process and give up. There are some common problems that beginners experience with candle making. Most of them have quick and easy solutions. It is recommended that all beginners start with the basic candle making process. This gives you the opportunity to learn the basics, then you can move on to making the types of candles you really want to.

One secret to making great candles is to use quality products. In general, candle making supplies are inexpensive. If the wax you purchase is of poor quality, then it is never going to make quality candles. Heating the wax to the proper temperature is very important. The temperature will change depending on the type of candle you are making with it. If the wax isn’t hot enough it won’t form correctly. Likewise, wax that is too hot will lose luster and won’t be as sturdy once it cools.

Have you every made a beautiful candle, but when you lit it the room filled with smoke rather than the fragrance of the candle? This problem has to do with your wick, it is too long. Simply cut them shorter for future candles. You can snip the tips of the candles you have already created and this should remedy the situation.

Some candles burn and smell great, but they look ugly after a few uses with a crater in the middle of the candle while the edges of the candle jar haven’t even been touched. This is the result of a wick that isn’t wide enough. There isn’t much you can do for candles you have already made except melt the wax in them and start over. You can purchase a wider wick or braid three together to get a good thickness. The wider the candle jar, the wider you need your wick to be for the candle to burn evenly.

Cooling candles is an area of trouble for many beginners. Don’t rush the cooling process or you will damage the hardness of the candle. Forcing the candle to cool will also result in bubbles forming in the top and middle of the candle. While it won’t be a physical defect, the melting wax will go into these bubbles when you have the candle lit resulting in the wick going out. Candles should be allowed to cool in an area where they won’t be moved until completely cool. The area needs to be flat and out of direct sunlight. You will also want to make sure there aren’t any heating or cooling vents in the cooling area.

If you notice that your cooled candle isn’t as appealing as you’d like because the wax pulled away from the glass jar in some areas, try heating your jars in the microwave for a minute or two right before you fill them. This will help the wax adhere to it correctly with a very smooth look all the way around the jar.

It is important to remember that candle making involves some basic concepts. It will take a few tries to complete the steps properly, but give it some time. You will have to experiment to find the methods that work best in your work environment to make the candles you want. It is suggested that you only make a few candles at a time to keep from wasting money on supplies while you are learning. Make sure the finished product doesn’t have any burning issues with the wick or bubbles. If it does, simply melt the wax again and try it once more. Once you have mastered the basics of candle making, you can experiment with different types of candles. The internet is a great place to find candle making tips as well as troubleshooting for your candle making problems.



Sunday, March 08, 2009

Candle Making Additives

There are eight distinct candle making additives used in the candle making process. Some makers choose not to use them at all while others take advantage of what each type of additive has to offer to their candle making process. Candle wax additives are inexpensive and work well if you are educated in how to use them and why to use each kind.

Kemamide is a fine powder. It has a hint of ivory in the color, but it is close to being transparent. This type of additive becomes clumped if it is exposed to humidity so keep it in a closed, dry environment. Use this type of additive as a release agent. Add one teaspoon for each pound of wax.

Poly-AC is a fine powder, white in color. It has a dry texture and should also be stored in a dry environment to prevent clumping. This additive is a hardener. To be effective, add one teaspoon for each pound of wax.

Chimasorb 81 is a powder with a yellowish tint. Of all the additives, this one is the most likely to clump, even in areas of low humidity. Chimasorb 81 is used to enhance color. You do not need much of it, 1/10 of a percent for each pound of wax.

Stearic Powder is flaky. The color is white. This additive doesn’t react to humidity at all so it is an agreeable product to use for hardening. They amount you will use depends on the type of candles you are making. This additive helps reduce the temperature needed to melt the wax. Add about three teaspoons for each pound of wax. Be careful not to over use Stearic Powder as doing so will cause damage to the wax.

103 Vybar generally is sold in the form of very small beads. The beads flow loosely and do not stick or clump together, even in areas of high humidity. 103 Vybar is a hardener as well. It will add a very creamy texture to your candle wax. This is a perfect hardener to use for scented candles. Add one teaspoon to for every pound of wax.

Paraflint is another hardener. It comes in beaded form similar to the 103 Vybar. However, the beads are much larger. You will want to use one teaspoon for every pound of wax.

Poly 400 comes in the form of beads that vary is size and shape. This is a UV inhibitor, which will keep your candles from fading in the sunlight. This additive is also to be used at the rate of one teaspoon for every pound of wax.

BHT Crystal is a yellowish powder. This is an antioxidant for wax that has been stored in liquid form for a length of time. Using this crystal will also add a very pretty luster to your wax.

Candle making additives can add a variety of features to your wax. The type of additives you choose to use will depend on the types of candles you are going to make as well as the climate in your region. Be careful to use candle making additives in the right amounts or you will cause damage to the wax, resulting in ill effects in the visual aspects of the candles as well as their ability to burn properly. There are many great candle making books out there to help you figure out which types of additives to use for the various types of candles you can make.






Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Stylish and Chic Country Clothing

When you think about the countryside, imaginations of fresh air, clear blue skies, beautiful cottages and fragrant smell of grass and flowers fills our mind. Nevertheless, there are also the effects of cold air, thorns and thistles that may prevent us from enjoying the countryside. This is where the country clothing will help and protect us greatly.

The country wear products are designed for the outdoors, for fishing and hunting and are equally suitable for the countryside or the city. You can go fishing in the countryside, and then go back into town and not feel out of place. No matter whether your weekends are spent shooting in the countryside, or standing on the touchlines, you know that your waxed jacket will keep you warm and dry. Take a look at barbour clothing latest range of comfortable, yet elegant country fashions and you will be able to choose from a wide variety of country clothing styles inspired by our leisure-loving country folk, a fantastic range of fashionable country clothes but also well suited for the urban landscape.

J. Barbour & Sons Ltd have evolved to meet the needs of a demanding public. For hundreds of years there have been countless developments and styles in what are now considered to be country fashions. One of the things driving this evolution of country clothing is the need of designers to produce new and exciting clothes and to push the boundaries each year, to bring the public the best products possible, made with the best materials available.

You definitely need material that are durable and of high quality to ensure your clothing would last long and serve your needs. One of the leading outdoor brands such as barbour has a reputation for legendary customer service. No task or request is seen to be too much. Whether you want an old jacket rewaxing, repairing, or altering to fit you better, or want to know about cleaning your jacket, this customer service department is as efficient today as it was when the company first started over 100 years ago.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Friday, March 06, 2009

Beautiful and Personalized Bill’s Candles

If you are looking to purchase beautiful looking homemade candles, but you aren’t interested in the candle making process yourself, turn to Bill’s Candles. They offer an array of quality candles that you will love. This company started in 1999 after beginning to reprocess candles bought on the market. The candles were reprocessed because the scent had already disappeared. By melting the leftover wax, adding a fragrance, and pouring into a container, new candles were had that held their scent for a very long time.

From there, experimenting with various types of candle waxes and molds lead to the invention of Bill’s Candles. The candles you purchase are the result of many labor intense hours. Some of the experiments worked well while others were complete disasters. Finally, recipes for the perfect candles were done and written down.

Customers are very happy with the candles they receive from Bill’s Candle. They love that the process is still one done by hand rather than in a factory. Bill also gives his personal guarantee that if you are not satisfied with any candle you can exchange it or get a full refund. The only requirement is that you return in before you have used 10% or more of the candle.

Bill’s Candles uses two types of wax. There is the vegetable candle blend and the soy wax. Please note soy wax is only available on the container candle line. Soy candles burn clean without producing smoke. They also burn for a great deal of time. The scent of a candle stays for an amazing length of time with soy candles. The vegetable candle blend is used for pillars and votives. It is American made and gives the candle a very lustrous color.

All of the candles offered from Bill’s Candles are hand poured. It is important that you allow at least two weeks for your order because there is no automated process here. What you get are top of the line candles that are 100% homemade. Customers can be assured there is no shortage of selection at Bill’s Candles.

This company offers container candles that come in an apothecary jar. Choose from a 10 ounce, 16 ounce, 22 ounce, or 26 ounce candle. You can also choose a classic mason jar container candle. The mason jars come in either a pint or half pint. The lids for the mason jars are gold with a flower design on top.

Pillar candles are a very popular type. Bill’s Candles offers a wide range of pillar candles to choose from. Traditional pillar candles can be purchased in most any size. They are available in round and square shapes. Dome top pillar candles add a bit of design to this classic candle. The arch motif has a ridge design in it as well as an arc shape at the top. The fluted spiral has ridges, giving this pillar a very unique design.

Round votives are available in the traditional size of 1 ½ x 1 ½. Once you have decided which types of candles you want to purchase, select the color and fragrance you want. There are 30 great colors and over 200 scents to choose from. You will find a full list of colors and scents posted online and in the Bill’s Candles catalog.

Bill’s candles offers a wonder variety of homemade candles for you to choose from. The quality is guaranteed. Bill takes great pride in his candle making techniques. Each candle is made with care and customer service in mind. If you are considering purchasing candles from Bill’s Candles as gifts, look at their online store. They offer unique gift baskets and gift sets to choose from. They will also work with the customer to make a customized gift set or basket to meet your needs. This is a small business that still enjoys the candle making process as opposed to manufacturing large quantities to make profits. The love Bill has for his candle making shows in his products and satisfaction guarantee.




Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

History of Ajello Candles

The motto of the Ajello Candle Company is “It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”. This candle making company has been in business since 1775. The business has been family owned for seven generations. The candles from Ajello’s are well known for their beauty and quality. While they make more candles now than in 1775, their dedication to quality and to customers has never changed.

The Ajello Candle Company was founded by Rafael Ajello, an Italian painter. He was also a beekeeper, so he tried his hand at using bees wax to create candles. He worked hard to create a formula that worked well. The formula, combined with his outstanding artistic ability, lead to the birth of the Ajello Candle Company. In 1785, the company earned the honor of creating all the candles for the Vatican. He and his wife ran the business, keeping their children involved in the processes from an early age. As time went on, their children and grandchildren kept the business running as well as passed the family business on to their children.

By 1862, the company had established itself as a leader among the candle making industry. They had also added perfumes and many colors to their line of outstanding candles. The decided to extend the business to Manhattan, New York. In both places, the business prospered. Kings and aristocrats in Italy wanted the services of the Ajello Candle Company. They designed candles for weddings, funerals, and ceremonies. They made the candles for the inauguration of the King of Spain in 1876, Pope Pius IX in 1878, and Pope Leo in 1902. Hollywood stars and rich people in Beverly Hills California wanted the candles from the Ajello Candle Company as well. Candles were also ordered by President Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh, and Rudolph Valentino.

In 1922, the Ajello Candle Company made a memorial candle for their deceased friend Enrico Caruso. This candle was 18 feet tall and weighed more than a ton. It is estimated this candle could burn 24 hours a day for 1,800 years before running out of wax. This enormous memorial candle remains the largest one ever made in the world. Each year it is lit twice to honor the day Enrico Caruso was born and the day he died.

The Ajello Candle Company continued to grow and sells were well beyond anticipated both in Italy and the United States. In 1953 the company was asked to create 2,200 candles for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. The company was honored to meet the request, and had all the candles ready in six months. The Ajello Candle Company was approached to be bought out, but refused. The family wanted their candle business to remain just that, not a major corporation.

Despite the creative efforts of the Ajello Candle Company, they were not able to meet the demand for their candles in 1965 during the blackout in New York City. The age of computers has found the Ajello Candle Company offering candles via the internet. Ironically, as Rafael Ajello worked around the clock to make candles for this need, his wife was giving birth to their child at a hospital scrambling to find candles for her room.

The Ajello Candle Company is still going strong today, offering quality candles that are beautiful as well as made of the best quality products. These candles can be purchased in many specialty stores throughout the world as well as on the internet in the comfort of our homes. This candle making business has spanned many generations, yet continues to hold the traditions and values of Rafael Ajello who started this business more than two centuries ago.

Anyone who has access to the internet should take a look at www.ajellocandles.com. Your breath will be taken away at the gorgeous candles there. I have never seen such beautiful wedding candles or unique decorating candles. I have seen a lot of candles, and I was very impressed. While Ajello Candle Company has made many custom candles for celebrities and royalty, they are very willing to do it for you as well. Simply select what you want and they will provide you with the best quality candles ever made.

Monday, March 02, 2009

Fancy Making Your Own Soy Candles?

Making your own candles is very popular. It has always been done with paraffin wax or beeswax. Soy candles are starting to emerge on the market as well. Soy candles are made out of 100% natural soy wax without any additives. Candles made of soy wax will have a wonderful aroma without having any type of fragrance added. Expert soy candle makers know how to mix the soy wax in several ways that give the natural scent a bit of a difference as well as make in fainter or more powerful.

Soy candles can be made with or without wicks. Those with wicks are used the same way as any regular candle out there. Soy candles without wicks work with electric candle warmers. The candle sits on the warmer plate and the warmer is plugged into the wall. There is no flame to cause a fire. Wickless soy candles are a great choice for dorm rooms, apartments, offices, and anywhere that there is a potential of a candle being left burning that can cause a fire. Many offices and dorm rooms have put a ban on burning candles for this reason, but they often do allow the wickless candles using the burners.

Most candle makers who have tried soy wax are very happy with the results. It has a wonder natural scent and the texture of the melted wax makes candles that are very glossy and smooth. It is not necessary to add additives to soy wax as you often have to with paraffin and beeswax. The additives for those types of wax are for hardness and gloss. Soy wax offers both on its own.

Soy wax is cheaper than other types of wax as well. If you want to make candles on a tight budget, this would be the way to go. You will save money on the wax and you won’t need to purchase additives or scents. If you are planning to make soy candles to sell, you can make a higher profit because your costs are lower. If you aren’t sure, you can purchase a soy wax candle making kit online for less than $20. It comes with all the supplies you need to make five candles, including the jars and lids.

Many people enjoy the scent of a burning candle, but find the smoke from them can be irritating. This is especially true of individuals who are on oxygen, have bronchitis, or even allergy sufferers. Since soy wax is all natural, there is no smoke or irritates in the air from it. This makes soy wax candles a great alternative for many who otherwise wouldn’t be able to enjoy using candles.

Candle making is an excellent craft that many individuals enjoy both as a hobby and as a home business. Soy wax is not used as commonly as paraffin or beeswax, yet it works just as well for candle making. Since soy wax is less expensive and very easy to work with, consider trying it. Soy wax melts faster as well, reducing your overall production time. Soy wax is not carried in all craft stores, but you can easily purchase it on line in amounts from three pounds to fifty pounds. The more you buy, the less you will pay per pound, giving you additional savings.