Fashion Clothes Trend

December 17, 2010

Fine Art Masterpiece Cross Stitch for the Advanced Stitcher

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Fine art masterpiece cross stitch is in a class of its own.  For those of you who grimace at cutesy patterns and have searched the world over for patterns that look more realistic in nature tiffany, meaning patterns that are so realistic that they look like and become replicas of fine art, there is a venue for your preference.  You will notice a marked difference in these patterns when you compare them to those that are far less detailed.  The less detailed pattern will look more cartoonish, have less color changes, and need extensive back stitching to enhance the design.  The more realistic cross stitch pattern is able to stand on its own paying strict attention to shading contrast nuances, and often has a tremendous variation of color with double the number of floss colors, and does not necessarily have to rely on back stitching to enhance the beauty of the pattern.

I have come across an indispensable guide for all stitchers to use whether you are considered a master stitcher or a beginner.  As an advanced stitcher, you will gain valuable inside information on the following seven topics not discussed anywhere else such as:

  1. How to choose the right threads every time (get this vital decision wrong and you’re unlikely to finish the project).
  2. Save time and money – don’t buy any equipment until you’ve checked the comprehensive cross stitch tools guide.
  3. Discover what you need to consider when selecting a good magnifying lamp (there’s a lot to choose from – ensure you make the right choice for yourself).
  4. How and when to choose and use hoops and frames (hint:  get this wrong and you could suffer from painful wrists, arms and shoulders.).
  5. Learn three amazingly simple methods used by the professionals for starting, joining Tiffany Rings, and finishing stitches.
  6. The single biggest mistake most cross stitchers make when buying needles (are you making this one right now?).
  7. Learn little known secrets for choosing different fabric types and colors (armed with this knowledge you’ll create sensational masterpieces every time!).

The book is very versatile and not only is it used for beginners Tiffany Ring on sale, but experts in cross stitch alike.  Even if you consider yourself an advanced stitcher, there are many amazing tips and helpful information you can take into consideration when approaching any project.  The author of this guide is Janis Applegate who wrote a book entitled, Cross Stitch Made Easy.  The book is very thorough, well-written, and there are sought-out secrets she imparts to all cross stitchers that were taken from the wisdom and careful instruction of her grandmother who was considered by many to be a master in the art of cross stitching.

To obtain answers to burning questions and many other priceless secrets Tiffany Key, go to Cross Stitch Made Easy.  For fine art masterpiece cross stitch, visit http://www.sunrayscreations.com

Tracey M. Kramer is a graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Office Administration.  She is the proud owner of a cross stitch pattern and accessories website called Sunrays Creations which has been in operation since 2006.  An avid cross stitcher for most of her life starting at age 12, Tracey considers herself a master cross stitcher, loves cross stitch, and is totally devoted to the craft.  Her mission in life is to show others the joys of cross stitch and the positive role it can play in one’s hectic life.

December 10, 2010

Dog Door Sliding Glass Door

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If you need a dog door sliding glass door Tiffany Rings

If you have a dog, of course Tiffany Key, you want to allow your dog to enter and exit as they wish. It can be irritating to constantly worry about letting your dog in or out, so the dog door can be a huge convenience. Type-dog door that you can consider your dog is a dog door sliding glass door.

Dog doors sliding glass door can be mounted next to your sliding door, and you can still use the sliding glass door as usual. Instead of installing a dog door sliding glass door, they come with a special panel, which corresponds perfectly to the track sliding doors.

How much does it cost?

Dog doors sliding glass doors are often very expensive will only cost you $ 30 to $ 80. Even so, prices may vary depending on the place you buy the doors. If you want to have a good deal for your dog door, then you should visit some sites Tiffany Note, compare their prices and quality before making a final decision. And do not forget Tiffany Watch, sometimes you have to pay more money if you want to get high quality dog doors.

Advantages

? You are more convenient to have easy access to your dog to move in and out of your home.
? Let your house without a horrible smell and the mess they can, so your dog can have or allow them to pee or poo on the outside, not even at home.
? Dog door sliding glass door is relatively cheaper than buying a dog door wall or wooden door.
? In addition, it is easier to use because you do not even need to cut any holes in the door or wall.

Disadvantages

Dog Door for sliding glass door is a lack of security. As we know, sliding glass door itself is not very satisfactorily. By adding a dog door can aggravate the problem. When you buy a dog door, make sure the doors have locks on it.

Double Glazed

Usually the dog door sliding glass door may be allowed to reference temperatures. But if you live in an area that is very extreme temperatures, purchase of double glass sliding glass door to some additional insulation.

The last thing and a very important measure it!
The problem that most people have a Dog Door is a sliding glass door they always get the wrong type or wrong size. It is important that you not only meet your door, but it also gives you all the necessary functions you need.

Measure the height and width of your gates will ensure you to get the right Dog doors sliding glass door. Also, make sure that your dog size is too big for the door. Some people cannot use the door because they are too small for their dog. I hope you’re not one of them!

November 26, 2010

Feng Shui Techniques For Bedroom And Office Under The Same Roof

Feng Shui colors and techniques for the home and office is a strategy of organizing these areas to achieve the highest level of comfort and success. By employing specialized Feng Shui colors and layouts in the home and in the office, one can master the art of creativity, success,Tiffany Rings, and grasping positive energy. Here, I will provide some essential strategies of implementing the use of Feng Shui colors for the bedroom and office under the same roof. Many individuals work from home today. I will provide specific tips to achieve a Feng Shui bedroom, and a Feng Shui office in your home. If you want to maximize the positive energy that flows while in these rooms, keep reading!

Feng Shui Bedroom – When creating a Feng Shui bedroom, it is important to understand that you are looking to establish an atmosphere in the room that is harmonious. By using the appropriate Feng Shui colors, one may increase sensual and exciting feelings in the bedroom. Whether you use the bedroom to relax, engage in intimate interactions, or get a good night’s sleep, employing the right Feng Shui can be very rewarding. The following steps can be used to maximize the proper energy in the bedroom:

1. You should make use of some warm and comforting feng shui colors in the bedroom. Colors are not only for the wall but also for flooring, decorations, curtains, blankets and any other related things in that area. Colors like natural tones of creams, whites and browns are very proper. An atmosphere of calm environment will be created.

2. Lighting is also essential along with the colors which are more suitable to all moods, in order to garb the positive energy that the bedroom can provide. Lighting is to be provided according to the atmosphere and desires so that it can be soften and tuned in the way we need. Colored lighting, bright light, or even soft lighting can be chosen. The most proper best lighting is that which suits your mood more.

3. Just as decorating and lighting is appropriate, it is equally

important to ensure that the air that flows in the room is clean and pure. You can achieve this by opening windows, or simply purchasing and integrating an air purification machine.

Feng Shui Office – If you want to build a Feng Shui office in the same area where you are leaving, then the important step is that it should be decorated with originality and innovation. The steps given below will help you a lot:

1. The important tip is that always you should make sure that the bedroom and office are partitioned. If both are not apart then a large amount of negative energy flows inside the room and it influences productivity and relaxation.

2. You make sure that you should place the desk in such a location that when you sit before the desk, you should be facing the main door of the Feng Shui office. You should be very careful not to face the wall when you work. Assume you tend to sit facing a wall, and then you should make sure to decorate the walls with colors, pictures and designs that will permit you to become more thrilled and innovative.

3. So while creating the ideal Feng Shui office in your home, it is important to ensure that your room is not cluttered. The proper flow of positive energy will be blocked if the room is messy and disorderly arranged. Due to this chaotic situation,Tiffany Nature Dragonfly disc pendant, negative energy results at home.

Put on heels to practice the feng shui colors and methods in your bedroom and in your life simultaneously to attain prosperity,Elsa Peretti Open Wave earrings, creativity, leisure and other types of positive energy. Get geared up to produce your own feng shui office also. To get more information on easy tips of feng shui just click this website http://www.artofplacement.com.

Candace Czarny, Award Winning Interior Designer,Return To Tiffany, the president of Wind and Water Inc. and a Feng Shui Expert. She is also the author of 20 Minute Feng Shui. Her website Feng Shui tips ranked in top 10 of Google and her passion is to create a new paradigm.

November 12, 2010

P&G’s ‘My Black Is Beautiful’ TV Series

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Procter & Gamble (P&G) (NYSE: PG) announced that its successful My Black is Beautiful television series will return to BET Networks for a third season Sunday,Tiffany Earring on sale, November 7,Tiffany Watch, 2010 at 12:30 P.M. EST. The show is an extension of P&G’s My Black is Beautiful campaign, which celebrates the diversity of African-American women and encourages black women to promote their own beauty standard.

Hosted by actress/comedienne Kim Coles and TV personality Alesha Renee,Tiffany Money Clip, the six-episode show is excited to welcome its newest cast member, actress Vanessa Williams. This dynamic trio will use their varying life experiences to deliver energetic, relevant and informative half-hour series that will present a national forum for black women to talk about their most important beauty, health and quality-of-life matters.

"BET is the #1 media and entertainment vehicle reaching African Americans," said Kisha Mitchell Williams, P&G Multicultural Brand Manager. "The network is the perfect media partner for the My Black is Beautiful TV series to continue helping women express their true and best self to the world."

The premiere episode will feature a guest appearance from songstress Ledisi and focuses on the diversity and maintenance of black hair. Throughout the season, the show will feature a host of experts giving tips and practical advice on how to embrace curves; how to remain fashionable on a budget; dating; money management; and landing the job of their dreams. Segments of the six shows will also feature content from the My Black is Beautiful LIVE! 2010 stops in Atlanta, Houston and New York City. During each LIVE! event, attendees were treated to makeovers, live entertainment and also provided the opportunity to participate in a national model search to be the new face of the My Black is Beautiful advertising campaign. The new faces will be revealed on the show this season.

"BET Networks has had a strong partnership with Procter and Gamble for many years, and we’re proud to utilize our unparalleled connection and engagement with African American women for the My Black is Beautiful television show," said Louis Carr, President BET Media Sales. "We look forward to partnering with the My Black is Beautiful movement on this kind of positive, uplifting programming for many years to come."

The My Black is Beautifulmovement is supported by Crest(R), Pantene Pro-V(R),Tiffany Rings, CoverGirl(R) Queen Collection, Olay(R), Always(R) and Secret(R).

For more information on the My Black is Beautiful series, please visit www.myblackisbeautiful.com and www.bet.com, join our Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/mbib or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MBIBMovement

November 11, 2010

Tiffany Necklace and Try Floater Frames For A New Look In Picture Frames

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Floater frames for canvas are the latest rage in fine art framing. A canvas float frame is used in conjunction with gallery wrap canvases,Tiffany Necklace, and they give the appearance that the artwork is "floating" within the picture frame, hence the name floater frames. Colors and sizes for floater picture frames vary widely, so that you can find exactly what you need, although if your artwork falls outside the usual parameters for size, there are custom-sized floater frames for canvas available as well.

Each canvas float frame comes with a specific rabbet, face width and height dimensions. To get the right size of floating canvas frame, you want to measure your stretcher bar frame to the corners for the proper size. This will then allow for one-half inch of float space when your canvas rests inside the floating canvas frame.

You will use stretcher bars to prepare the canvas for floater frames. By placing the canvas over the stretcher bar frame, and then attaching the canvas to the back of the stretcher bars, you will end up with a tautly stretched canvas over the frame. The canvas is then ready for framing in floater picture frames of your choosing. It bears mentioning that since there is space between the canvas and frame when you use floater frames, that means that a a bit of the canvas on the sides of the stretcher bar frame will be visible, so you will want to make sure that it is finished in your preferred colors.

There are a variety of attractive colors in floater frames. Deep and rich colors such as traditional black, warm silver, silver,Tiffany Keys, gold, espresso and bronze gold should be hand-finished on better frames, in order to bring you a quality frame with the perfect finish to complement your fine artwork.

Another of the benefits that you will derive from using the canvas frames is that your entire canvas will be on display. As you have seen, traditional picture frames will usually cover a bit of the edges of the picture, which can mar the final effect if that edge is not taken into consideration prior to frame selection.

You can learn more about floater frames for canvas when you visit a fine-art photography frame supplier online. Here you will see pictures of each frame,Tiffany Necklace on sale, and also get a more specific understanding of the appearance of the colors and profiles. Ordering information,Tiffany Rings, pricing and other accessories such as hanging kits will typically also be available for you to see as well.
 

November 5, 2010

tiffany rings and The World’s Greatest Indoor Flea Market Comes

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South Florida Shoppers Get Holiday Deal-Driven Event

For International Exhibitors

Zakarin Public Relations

Alejandra Serna or Lana Bernstein, 305-372-2502

Alejandra@zakarinpr.com

Lana@zakarinpr.com

Logo: http://www.wgifm.com

This holiday season brings cool temperatures and hot deals to South Florida with Mitch and Mikey’s World’s Greatest Indoor Flea Market,tiffany rings, December 16 – 19. This unparalleled shopping event rivals the greatest flea markets and fairs in major shopping capitals across the globe. International Exhibitors,christmas necklace, the show’s producers, will provide unheard of prices to value conscious holiday shoppers at one exclusive shopping destination. This Super Bowl of shopping experiences will also feature additional family-oriented activities.

"We understand that in this economy, holiday shoppers are looking for great value. The World’s Greatest Indoor Flea Market is the vehicle to great buys, ensuring a multitude of top-quality options. Excited shoppers will be able to return for multiple days," stated Michael Lustigman of International Exhibitors.

Taking place December 16 – 19, this exhibition spans two convention center halls, offering numerous product categories, all under one roof. A vast selection of new and collectible merchandise including apparel, jewelry, giftware, toys, home goods and accessories, electronics, specialty food items, travel accessories,christmas ring, pet items,Tiffany Earring, stocking stuffers and much more will be available. Promising only top quality wares at unheard of prices, World’s Greatest Indoor Flea Market will become a destination for the value conscious, holiday shopper.

Event Schedule:

Thursday, December 16 at 12-9pm

Friday, December 17 at 12-10pm

Saturday, December 18 at 10am – 10pm

Sunday, December 19 at 10am – 6pm

Location:

Miami Beach Convention Center 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach FL 33139 Halls B & C

Booths and advertising options are still available for vendors looking to reach the 100,000+ consumers expected to attend the four-day exhibition. For more information on The World’s Greatest Indoor Flea Market, please visit the website at www.wgifm.com.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITORS

International Exhibitors is a firm focused on producing and managing convention center retail exhibitions, the most recent being The World’s Greatest Indoor Flea Market – a new shopping experience that debuts at the Miami Beach Convention Center on December 16-19, 2010. Led by founding partners Michael Lustigman and Mitchell Rubinson, the company is based on the collaboration of leading professionals with years of business, retail and promotion experience in South Florida. Mitch and Mikey’s The World’s Greatest Indoor Flea Market is not affiliated with The World’s Largest Indoor Flea Market previously produced by IBS.

November 1, 2010

rings and Former assessor, wife accused of malfeasance

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A report released by the Washington state auditor’s office Wednesday alleges the former Asotin County assessor and the chief deputy treasurer abused their positions for personal financial gain while costing the county money.

According to the report, Anthony Rogers used his position as county assessor to purchase property from an owner who was more than four years’ delinquent on property taxes. Rogers resigned from his elected position Monday, citing health reasons.

Rather than foreclosing the property after 31/2 years, which the county is required to do by state law, the report states Rogers and his wife,rings, Tiffany Rogers, paid the delinquent $1,301.88 in taxes and the landowner transferred ownership to them through a quitclaim deed.

"I knew the person personally," Rogers said in a phone interview Wednesday. "His wife was sick and he called me and asked if I was interested in the property."

Rogers said he went through a title company to purchase the property — which he said was a legal acquisition.

"Evidently, the state auditors have a different view on the purchase that was done," he said. "I thought everything legally was done. I don’t know why, after all these years, they just found out."

Tiffany Rogers resigned her position as deputy treasurer,cheap Tiffany Ring, "in lieu of termination by Asotin County," on Feb. 22, according to her resignation letter. This was due to the county commissioners’ response to the state auditor’s findings, in which they would recommend to the county treasurer Tiffany Rogers be terminated,tiffany rings, according to the report.

"The file on this foreclosure was missing from the treasurer’s office," according to the state auditor’s report. "State law requires the county to retain this file for six years."

The property transferred to the Rogers in March 2004 and was sold at its assessed value in August of that year for a reported "personal gain of $10,700 and a loss to the county of $10,700."

The auditor’s report has been reviewed by Prosecutor Ben Nichols, who will decide if criminal charges should be filed against the Rogers, who are accused of using their positions in the county "to secure special privileges."

Nichols said there should be another report detailing whether the Rogers did anything to warrant filing criminal charges.

"I can’t even speculate about what I’ll do until I’ve seen that investigation," he said. "The county commissioners may or may not be sending it to me to consider criminal charges."

If charges are filed, a special prosecutor may be appointed to represent the county, because of the conflict of interest, he said.

Commissioner R.E. (Buck) Lane confirmed the commissioners made the recommendation to terminate Tiffany Rogers’ position after the state auditor’s office submitted a draft of its findings.

"We had no control over an elected official," Lane said of Anthony Rogers’ position, "But we supported the treasurer’s office in terminating (Tiffany Rogers)."

Tiffany Rogers could not be reached for comment, but issued a statement by e-mail Wednesday, stating she and her husband were within their legal rights to purchase the property and questioning the auditor’s office’s investigation.

"We believe a short audit was conducted and placed blame too soon before all the facts were presented,Tiffany Bangles," according to the e-mail.

The e-mail explains the property had been in foreclosure status at the time of the purchase, but "the foreclosure process had not been started yet by the Asotin County treasurer."

"Foreclosure laws were not circumvented since the property was not in the foreclosure process," Tiffany Rogers’ e-mail states, adding the foreclosure clerk, not her, would handle the files the auditor’s office claims were missing. Those files remain missing, said Asotin County Treasurer Margaret Crabb, who began working with Tiffany Rogers in 1989.

"I’ve had my staff looking and they haven’t been able to come up with them at all," she said. "There would have been information from the property in question. I think this (state auditor’s) report is very clear about what happened."

The vacant assessor seat will be filled by the commissioners, said Shannon Inzunza, human resource director. Since Rogers is a Democrat, a list of possible candidates will be submitted to commissioners for consideration from the Asotin County Democratic Party, she said.

"They would probably give us a list after some interviews," Lane said. "We would probably interview and make a decision at that time."

Lane added the search may have to wait until March 23, when Commissioner Doug Mattoon returns from vacation.

October 16, 2010

Consumers of charity bracelets

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Over the past ten to 15 years, the practice of ethical consumption has gained in popularity ([6] Crane and Matten, 2004; [27] Pelsmacker et al. , 2005; [28] Randall, 2005). Ethical consumption has been defined as "the conscious and deliberate decision to make certain consumption choices due to personal moral beliefs and values" ([6] Crane and Matten, 2004, p. 290). Ethical consumption includes either purposeful refusal to buy certain products by boycotting them or intentional decisions to purchase other products, such as cause-related products. Cause-related products result from "a general alliance between businesses and non-profit causes" ([8] Cui et al. , 2003,tiffany money clips, p. 310). With a cause-related product, a for-profit business agrees to make a monetary donation to a specific non-profit organization each time a consumer purchases their cause-related product ([35] Trimble and Rifon, 2006). The products raise money for a specific charity as well as awareness of the cause.

One of the most popular fashion accessories in the United States in 2005 was a cause-related product: the silicone rubber charity bracelet ([13] Dodes, 2005; [36] Webster, 2005). These inexpensive, colorful, rubber bracelets were sold by a variety of businesses (e.g. Nike, 7-Eleven, Hot Topic), and the proceeds or portion of the proceeds of these sales were donated to specific charities (e.g. Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research, USO to support American troops stationed abroad, Hot Topic Foundation to support programs and organizations that encourage youth in art and music). According to the Livestrong TM Lance Armstrong Foundation more than 55 million people across the globe wear a yellow silicone band in support of people living with cancer ([23] LiveSTRONG(TM), 2007).

With the overwhelming success of the rubber bracelet cause-related fashion product, both for-profit and non-profit organizations located in the United States and around the globe are trying to develop new cause-related products that will be similarly popular in the upcoming seasons ([4] Carnwath, 2006). Thus, a need exists among practitioners for information related to the consumers of rubber charity bracelets. While general information has been collected about the consumers of ethical products and cause-related products ([8] Cui et al. , 2003; [12] Dickson and Littrell, 1997) the unusually massive appeal of the rubber charity bracelet as a cause-related fashion product seems to warrant further investigation of the consumption of this particular cause-related product. If practitioners can understand the reasons why consumers purchased the rubber charity bracelets, perhaps they can use this information to create similarly successful cause-related fashion products in the future.

Thus, the purpose of this research is to survey rubber charity bracelet consumers by exploring their purchasing behavior. By comparing personal characteristics of buyers of rubber charity bracelets to those of non-buyers, a deeper understanding of the success of this cause-related fashion product may be attained.

Literature review

In many ways, American consumers seem ambivalent regarding ethically-driven purchases. Research suggests that American consumers tend to care more about paying fair prices than behaving ethically in the marketplace ([19] Ethical Consumer, 2003). Yet, this is not to say that American consumers do not care at all about ethical and social issues. According to research conducted by [5] Cone Inc. (2002), American consumers’ interest in companies’ commitment to social issues has risen since the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. While consumers do express an interest in purchasing ethically, American consumers do not want to be inconvenienced or sacrifice any product attributes to do so ([19] Ethical Consumers, 2003; [21] Joergens, 2006). This may have something to do with Americans’ view of the responsibilities of businesses. In the USA, consumers indicated that a businesses’ most important responsibility was to perform well economically within the letter of the law ([24] Maignan, 2001). Much less emphasis was placed on the importance of businesses’ social and ethical responsibilities by US consumers than by French and German consumers ([24] Maignan, 2001).

Because of American consumers’ view of the responsibilities of businesses and ethical purchases, the success of the rubber bracelets, a cause-related product, may seem initially surprising. Furthermore, the success of the rubber charity bracelet defies what previous research has uncovered about consumers’ response to cause-related marketing efforts. Cause-related marketing efforts have been found to be more successful in cases where an expensive, luxury product is offered ([33] Strahilevitz and Myers, 1998) and when the monetary donation offered to the cause is large ([9] Dahl and Lavack, 1995). Obviously, an inexpensive rubber bracelet (usually priced between $1 and $3 and sometimes provided for free) offers neither of these to the consumers purchasing it.

Yet, the rubber charity bracelet’s popularity may not have been completely illogical. Perhaps the rubber bracelets were popular because they allowed consumers to participate in cause-related purchasing without sacrificing the product attributes that they felt were important. The bracelets may have been popular because they were inexpensive and were available for purchase in a variety of retail outlets and publicized a great diversity of charitable causes. Furthermore, these bracelets may have been favored because they allowed wearers to demonstrate their level of fashion and celebrity involvement ([14] Douglas et al. , 2006). During 2005, these bracelets fit into a larger trend to revive 1980s fashions ([2] Anderson, 2006; [16] Fitted Pants, 2006). With their bright colors and silicone composition, the charity bracelets are similar to the jelly bracelets that were popular in the 1980s ([1] ’80s Style, n.d.). Some ([20] Jay, 2005) have even gone as far as to suggest that college-aged individuals wearing the bracelets cared less about the cause being supported and more about fitting in with their friends. Moreover, popular celebrities (e.g. Bono, Usher, Angelina Jolie, Bruce Willis) and athletes (e.g. Lance Armstrong, Serena Williams) were shown wearing these bracelets to support specific causes that they were associated with ([18] Hallett, 2004; [29] Read, n.d.). The causes supported by local and national celebrities included political causes (e.g. stars and stripes for supporting US Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, social causes (e.g. school-colored bracelets for primary, secondary, and post-secondary affiliation), and health-related causes (e.g. pink for breast cancer awareness). Thus, it seems likely that the individuals who purchased these rubber charity bracelets tended to be more involved than the individuals who did not purchase these rubber charity bracelets with fashion and with celebrities. To test this assumption, the first two hypotheses were created:

H1. Compared to individuals who do not own any rubber bracelets, individuals who own one or more bracelets are more involved with fashion.

H2. Compared to individuals who do not own any rubber bracelets, individuals who own one or more bracelets are more involved with celebrities.

Although the mass appeal of the rubber charity bracelet seems to contradict some research that has been conducted on cause-related products, its popularity seems to be consistent with other research in which the personal characteristics of consumers have been linked to their behavior in the marketplace. One of the personal characteristics linked to ethical consumption is personal involvement with the cause being supported by the purchase of the merchandise. For instance, [17] Hajjat (2003) found that involvement with the cause had a positive impact on individuals’ intentions to purchase cause-related merchandise. In their study, [12] Dickson and Littrell (1997) found that more of the women who purchased apparel from alternative trading organizations had past experience visiting Latin America than the women who did not purchase from these organizations. In the case of the rubber charity bracelets, certain individuals who were more involved with the issue being supported by the sale of the bracelet through, for instance, past experience with the disease or cause (either themselves or a friend or family member) may have been more likely to purchase the rubber bracelet than those individuals who had no such personal involvement. Individuals who have had cancer,silver tiffany, for example, might be wishing to support cancer research by purchasing one of the bracelets. Based on this reasoning, the third hypothesis was written as follows:

H3. Compared to individuals who do not own any rubber charity bracelets, individuals who own one or more bracelets are more involved with the cause being supported by the sale of the bracelets.

Besides personal involvement with the cause, another personal characteristic that may have been associated with the purchase of the rubber charity bracelet is attitude toward purchasing cause-related fashion products. From a cognitive standpoint, consumers want their attitudes to be consistent with their behavior ([15] Eagly and Chaiken, 1993). In terms of socially responsible buying behavior, researchers ([11] Dickson and Littrell, 1996; [22] Kim et al. , 1999) have found that individuals who purchase products from alternative trade organizations tend to have positive attitudes toward behaving ethically in the marketplace. Extrapolating from these findings, it is expected that individuals who purchased rubber charity bracelets had a more positive attitude toward ethical consumption than those who did not buy the bracelets. Hence, the fourth hypothesis was written as follows:

H4. Compared to individuals who do not own any rubber charity bracelets, individuals who own one or more bracelets have a more positive attitude toward purchasing cause-related fashion products.

Attitudes are not the only things that consumers want to be consistent with their behavior. Consumers also want the different types of behavior they engage in and the various products they purchase to be consistent with each other. The items that consumers purchase often share similarities in terms of the meanings associated with these products ([10] Davis and Gregory, 2003; [25] McCracken, 1988). When considered as a whole, the various items that consumers purchase often fit together like pieces of a puzzle. This puzzle of goods, which is referred to as a consumption constellation, creates a bigger picture of consumers’ lifestyle ([32] Solomon and Assael, 1987). If consumers do want to behave consistently in terms of the products they purchase, it seems likely that the individuals who purchased the rubber charity bracelets may have also purchased other types of cause-related fashion products as a part of their consumption constellations. Thus:

H5. Compared to individuals who do not own any rubber charity bracelets, individuals who own one or more bracelets have purchased more cause-related fashion products.

Understanding past consumer behavior is important because previous consumption activities influence similar future consumption activities ([3] Bentler and Speckart, 1979). Although not a study of ethical consumption, this relationship between past behavior and future behavior was evidenced by the findings from [30] Shim and Drake (1990). In their study of electronic shopping intention, [30] Shim and Drake (1990) found that individuals who had high behavioral intention to shop electronically were significantly more likely than those individuals with low behavioral intention to shop electronically to have previous experience with other forms of non-store retailing. Thus, participants who had previously engaged in a similar type of consumer behavior were more likely than those who had not to indicate that they would be likely to engage in other similar types of consumer behavior in the future. The notion that past behavior may influence future behavior has implications for cause-related product marketers. In the case of rubber charity bracelets, it seems likely that individuals who purchased the bracelets will be more likely than individuals who did not purchase the bracelets to purchase other types of cause-related fashion products in the future. Hence, the sixth hypothesis was created:

H6. Compared to individuals who do not own any rubber charity bracelets, individuals who own one or more bracelets have a greater intention to purchase cause-related fashion merchandise in the future.

Method

Measurement

To investigate these relationships, a convenience sample from two states (Texas and Iowa) was gathered. Undergraduate students enrolled in seven apparel merchandising and apparel design courses were asked to complete a questionnaire. In order to obtain a more diverse sample, including participants who were not currently enrolled in college, the undergraduate students in each of the classes were also asked to have a friend or family member complete a copy of the questionnaire.

The items on the questionnaire used for this study were contained within three sections. The first section contained items used to assess participants’ level of fashion involvement and celebrity involvement. The nine items used to measure fashion involvement were adapted from [34] Tigert et al. ‘s (1976) fashion involvement scale. The nine items used to measure participants’ level of celebrity involvement were based on a modified version of [26] McCutcheon et al. ‘s (2002) celebrity worship scale. For all of the items in the first section, participants were asked to indicate on a seven-point Likert-type scale (1=strongly disagree, 7=strongly agree) how much they agreed or disagreed with each of the eighteen items.

The second section of the questionnaire contained three items used to assess participants’ attitudes toward the consumption of cause-related fashion products and one item to assess their intentions to purchase other cause-related fashion products in the future. The four items in this section were based on [31] Shim et al. (2001). Participants were asked to indicate on a Likert-type scale (1=strongly disagree; 7=strongly agree) how much they agreed or disagreed with each statement.

The third section of the questionnaire assessed demographic information (e.g. gender, age, ethnicity). Additionally, in this section of the questionnaire, participants were asked to indicate, using open-ended questions, the number of rubber charity bracelets they owned and the average price they paid for these bracelets. Participants were also asked to indicate from which retail outlets they purchased these bracelets (e.g. department stores, specialty stores, the Internet). Three items in this section were used to assess participants’ level of involvement with the cause being supported by the bracelets. For these three items, participants were asked to indicate whether:

they, personally;

a family member; or

a friend had been affected by any of the causes supported by any of the bracelets they had purchased.

Participants were also asked in this section to indicate the number and type of other cause-related fashion products (e.g. ribbons or ribbon-shaped lapel pins, pink apparel items, red apparel items or accessories) they had purchased in the past.

Results

Preliminary analyses

Exploratory factor analysis

Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) with Varimax rotation were conducted on the multiple-item scales. For each analysis, Eigenvalues greater than 1.0 and scree plots helped determine the number of factors for each scale. Items with factor loadings of at least 0.50 on one factor and less than 0.30 on other factors were retained to ensure unidimensionality. EFA revealed one factor for the fashion involvement scale. This factor (seven items) had an Eigenvalue of 5.20, explained 57.75 percent of the variance, and had an alpha of 0.90. All nine items in the celebrity involvement scale comprised one factor, which had an Eigenvalue of 7.25, explained 80.56 percent of the variance, and had an alpha of 0.97. The three items used to assess participants’ attitudes toward purchasing cause-related fashion products also comprised one factor, which had an Eigenvalue of 2.52, explained 83.72 percent of the variance, and had an alpha of 0.90.

Demographic characteristics

Usable questionnaires were completed by 224 individuals. The majority of the participants were female (86 percent). Most participants indicated that they were either Caucasian American (76 percent) or Hispanic American (17 percent). The participants had a mean age of approximately 28 years, with a range of 18 to 65. Although an attempt was made to obtain non-student participants, most participants were currently enrolled as undergraduate students (72 percent). The number of rubber charity bracelets owned by participants ranged from 0 to 50, with a mean of 1.88. Of the individuals who owned rubber charity bracelets, the average price paid by participants for each bracelet ranged from $0.00 to $20.00, with a mean of $2.55. The number of retail outlets where the bracelets were purchased ranged from 1 to 7, with an average of 2.71 outlets. Participants indicated that they purchased their bracelets most frequently from department stores (16.2 percent), closely followed by specialty stores (15.3 percent), discount retailers/mass merchandisers (14.7 percent), internet web sites (14.7 percent), and boutiques (13.8 percent).

Hypothesis testing

Two groups were created to test the hypotheses. One group was composed of participants who had not purchased any rubber charity bracelets ( N =85), and the other group was composed of participants who had purchased at least one rubber charity bracelet ( N =139). A series of t -tests were used to test the hypotheses. H1 stated that individuals who purchased rubber charity bracelets were more involved with fashion than individuals who did not purchase rubber charity bracelets. The results of this t-test indicated that that those who had purchased rubber charity bracelets were significantly more involved with fashion than those who had not purchased any bracelets (M purchase =31.83; M nopurchase =28.42; t =2.36; p < 0.02). Thus, H1 was supported.

H2 stated that individuals who purchased rubber charity bracelets were more involved with celebrities than individuals who did not purchase rubber charity bracelets. The results of this t-test indicated that that those who had purchased rubber charity bracelets were significantly more involved with celebrities than those who had not purchased any bracelets (M purchase =30.78; M nopurchase =26.68; t =1.91; p < 0.05). Thus, H2 was supported.

H3 stated that individuals who purchased rubber charity bracelets were more involved with the cause being supported by the bracelet than individuals who did not purchase rubber charity bracelets. The results of this t-test indicated that that those who had purchased rubber charity bracelets were significantly less involved with the cause than those who had not purchased any bracelets (M purchase =4.37; M nopurchase =4.93; t =3.61; p < 0.01). Thus, H3 was not supported.

H4 stated that individuals who purchased rubber charity bracelets had a more positive attitude toward purchasing cause-related fashion products than individuals who did not purchase rubber charity bracelets. The results of this t -test indicated that that those who had purchased rubber charity bracelets did not have a significantly more positive attitude toward purchasing cause-related fashion products than those who had not purchased any bracelets (M purchase =17.27; M nopurchase =16.88; t =0.78; p =0.45). Thus, H4 was not supported.

H5 stated that individuals who purchased rubber charity bracelets had purchased more cause-related fashion products in the past than individuals who did not purchase rubber charity bracelets. The results of this t -test indicated that that those who had purchased rubber charity bracelets had purchased significantly more cause-related fashion products than those who had not purchased any bracelets (M purchase =5.85; M nopurchase =2.67; t =3.14; p < 0.01). Thus, H5 was supported.

H6 stated that individuals who purchased rubber charity bracelets had a greater intention to purchase more cause-related fashion products in the future than individuals who did not purchase rubber charity bracelets. The results of this t -test indicated that that those who had purchased rubber charity bracelets did have a significantly greater intention to purchase more cause-related fashion products than those who had not purchased any bracelets (M purchase =5.64; M nopurchase =5.05; t =2.64; p < 0.01). Thus, H6 was supported.

Conclusion, future research, and limitations

The results of our study indicate that the success of the rubber charity bracelet was based on several factors. Its consistency with larger fashion trends and its association with popularity celebrities of the time seem to have attributed to its mass appeal, particularly among individuals who were highly involved with fashion and celebrities. Future efforts to manufacture cause-related products should focus on developing products that incorporate fashion trends. Sellers of cause-related products could consider celebrity endorsers for effective marketing of their products.

The results of our study indicate that attitude toward purchasing a cause-related fashion product was not a good predictor of behavior. A possible reason for the non-significant relationship is that most respondents indicated that they had positive attitudes toward purchasing cause-related fashion products (M attitude =17.13). This may have been a result of a social desirability bias ([7] Crowne and Marlowe, 1960) to show support for particular causes and positive attitudes toward cause-related purchasing to please the researcher, despite the fact that their actual marketplace behavior is inconsistent with their responses on the questionnaire. This finding may have also been related to the wording of the items concerning participants’ attitudes. Attitudes are better predictors of behaviors when they are consistent in terms of the specificity of the action ([15] Eagly and Chaiken, 1993). The wording of the items concerning attitudes may have been too general and the behavior (purchasing the rubber bracelet) may have been too specific to result in a significant finding. Future research could be conducted in situ to assess the relationship between consumers’ attitudes toward purchasing a specific cause-related product and their actual purchase behavior at the time of purchase.

Another interesting finding was the significant negative relationship found between purchase of the rubber bracelets and involvement with the cause being supported by the sale of the rubber bracelets. For the participants in this study, fashion and celebrity involvement seemed to be more important than personal involvement with the cause. This is not to suggest that people who are involved with a cause are not interested in purchasing cause-related products. It may be the case, instead, that individuals who are involved with a cause may be the ones who are more willing to donate large amounts of money or to acquire luxury products, which would be consistent with the research findings of [9] Dahl and Lavack (1995) and [33] Strahilevitz and Myers (1998). Future studies should continue to investigate variables that might moderate the relationship that exists between involvement with the cause and donation size.

Our study provides positive news for ethically responsible businesses. Participants in our study indicated that they had purchased other cause-related fashion products in the past and intended to continue to do so in the future. Marketers should not have trouble selling these products in the future, especially if they keep the price low and the availability high. In what might be called the Wal-Mart model of cause-related marketing, organizations can potentially earn a great deal of money to support causes if they are willing to sacrifice profit from the sale of each inexpensive unit and make up for those losses by increasing the total quantity of units sold.

Of course, our findings must be interpreted with a degree of caution. The majority of the participants were young, female undergraduates. Thus, in future research, a more diverse sample should be drawn from the larger population of adult consumers. Additionally, the results we obtained may be different from the results obtained by researchers in other parts of the United States as well as in other countries. While cause-related fashion consumption appears to be an international phenomenon, cultural differences may exist which affect cause-related consumption patterns. More cross-cultural research should be conducted with respect to cause-related fashion consumption in the future.

US News & World Report

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Rocky says he won’t pay for GPS bracelet

Filed under: Plus Size Prom Dresses — Tags: , , — admin @ 5:43 am

Rocky Joe and Leon Houston return to Roane County Circuit Court today with a list of grievances and a chance of going back to jail.

The Roane County brothers have been free on bond since March as each awaits a second trial on double-murder charges in the May 11, 2006, shootout that killed Deputy Bill Jones,tiffany rings, 53,tiffany silver, and ride-along Mike Brown, 44. Two juries couldn’t decide last year whether the brothers acted in cold blood or self-defense.

The brothers’ bond conditions — $400,000 for Rocky Houston and $302,tiffany pendants,000 for Leon Houston — call for payments of about $25-$30 per day for electronic monitoring via GPS ankle bracelets. Rocky Houston says he can’t afford the payments and won’t pay for his bracelet anymore.

Tracking Solutions, the company that handles the GPS monitoring, has filed notice demanding its money and threatening to turn off the brothers’ ankle bracelets by the end of the month otherwise.

Special Judge David Hayes could relax the bond conditions or find the brothers in violation and send them back to jail.

The judge will also decide whether to proceed with Leon Houston’s retrial, set to begin in August. The recent poor health of special prosecutor Ken Irvine could mean a delay for that trial.

Rocky Houston’s case remains on hold as he waits for the state Court of Criminal Appeals to decide whether he can be tried again. The jury at his trial in December found him not guilty on some charges, including one first-degree murder charge in the death of Brown, the ride-along,tiffany earrings, but couldn’t decide on others.

Defense lawyer Randy Rogers argued the jury could have reached a verdict if given more time and that a second trial would violate his client’s constitutional protection against double jeopardy. Rogers now wants off the case.

And Rocky Houston wants to subpoena Rogers, Gov. Phil Bredesen and a host of government officials as witnesses.

The brothers have a history of lawsuits against Roane County officials,tiffany cufflinks, claiming harassment and official corruption.

Prosecutors say the deputy went to the Houston family farmhouse south of the Tennessee River on the day of the shootout to serve an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court. The brothers say he came to settle a score and shot first.

More details as they develop online and in Friday’s News Sentinel.

October 14, 2010

Charm bracelet reflects impact of computer

Filed under: Pageant Dresses — Tags: , , — admin @ 1:44 am

For my 16th birthday last October, my mom gave me a silver charm bracelet. The dainty charms, I was informed, were more or less symbolic of my life thus far. There’s a soccer ball for my love of soccer, a dog that uncannily resembles my Shiba Inu, Ginger, and a computer. At first I was taken aback. Really? A computer? Is this what helps to define my life? It seemed like a rather impersonal and materialistic representation. But then, recently, I was devastated to learn that my computer hard drive had epically crashed. In the loss of all my files (my digital photos,tiffany bracelets, homemade films and a treasured portfolio of essays), I realized that my computer is somewhat of a lifeline for me. It is very much like an integral extension of my mind, bringing my ideas to life.

There is no doubt that the computer and the Internet have revolutionized communication and collaboration to a world wide level. Through forums and blogs, ideas can be shared with the click of a mouse. There is no longer just one side to a story,tiffany earrings, and the Internet gives a voice to the people, no matter how biased or false that voice may be. The computer and the Internet lend so many opportunities, it would be impossible not to take them all for granted.

My computer ventures are, self-admittedly, not the grandest; in fact, they are seemingly rather trite. I stick to the usuals: e-mail, Word, Google, Facebook, and Youtube. My mundane rituals,tiffany rings, however, have jump-started my most glorious life-long hobbies and accomplishments. From watching hours and hours of Youtube,tiffany bangles, has grown my love for filmmaking and documentaries. Through Word, I’ve written many an English grade-salvaging essay.

My computer may just be made of shiny plastic, along with a fair share of little nano-things, but it’s more than just a cool technology gizmo. It’s a window to the world, an outlet for creativity. And I wear it optimistically on my bracelet, not only as a symbol of my life,tiffany Pendants, but of the future.

South junior Kati Cohen shares the School Diary columnist space with North senior Belle Kim and Edgewood junior David Adams.

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