Qaark.com

A wine gift is a gift that you can give to almost everybody, of course they need to be above 21 years of age and no recovering alcoholic or teetotaller but luckily most of the persons you would like to give a wine gift to don’t belong in those groups. Wine is a gift most recipients will love to receive, a classic and welcome gift. Most wine gifts will not be on a shelf for long like other knick knack gifts. Some gifts are discreetly being “re-gifted”, with a wine gift you will be at least of risk that this happens to your gift. Because what ever the color and the size of the wine, people will almost always find a destination for it, some will drink it, and others will create wonderful desserts or sauces with it.

Wine Gift Baskets Are Always Popular.

There is a great variety of wine gift baskets available and they are very popular for givers and as the receiver, they usually contain one ore two bottles of wine, red, white, rose and/or port. Often they are accompanied by crackers, cheese, chocolate or other foods. Usually the wines are paired with a food that tastes good with it for example red wine is a good combination with chocolate and with a white wine like Chardonnay some crackers and cheese are just right.

Wine of the Month Clubs

It all depends on your wallet, but at the cost of just a few hundred dollars your recipient will receive a new wine every month all year long, a gift that keeps on giving for a long wile. A membership of a wine of the month club is a very popular and creative way to give a wine gift. You can of course specify if your recipient would like to receive white wines, red wines combinations of both or other special wines like rose or port. And your gift receiver can reorder any of the wines he or she did really like.

Wine gifts stand on a high and lonely top of the best most wanted gifts, and it does not matter if you give one really good bottle of wine, a basket with two wines, one red and one white, or if you give a whole box of specially selected wines, your gift will always be appreciated. Some people like to give a personalized wine gift, and buy a large amount of one sort of wine and personalize then with specially made labels.

But don’t let this extravaganza keep you from giving just one bottle of an excellent vintage wine, it will be just as appreciated as a whole box of ordinary wines. You do need to make sure that the bottle you give as a wine gift meets the expectations in taste and quality.

Wine tales

Most wine lovers do not just like the wines you give them but also the stories around them, the stories of the seeking out of a special winery in uninhabited areas, or that little unique tasting room, with the toothless waiter, and other unusual tales that will add to the excellence of the gift will be most appreciated.

Jean Bolton loves to give gifts and wine is her favorite. She shows at www.worldwidewinegifts.com what you can do with wine when it comes to giving.

Turn your child’s birthday into a memorable event. All kids have a favorite character. Turn the favorite one into a birthday party theme for your little one and have a memorable birthday party.

Themed parties are great fun as they are easy to plan and organize. The party supplies easy to get hold of in most cases as these are popular characters.The invitations, cake, games, favor all tie in so easily and turn the event into a success.

Here are some fun birthday games ideas for a themed birthday party for kids.

1. Dinosaur Dig for a Dinosaur Party

Is this your child’s favorite toy? Why not then have a Dinosaur of a Party. A fun game to play at a Dinosaur party is Dinosaur Dig.

You would need a large sandbox, sand, some plastic buckets and shovels and some paint brushes.

You will have to prepare some dinosaur bones and fossils made out of salt dough before hand and hide them in the sand box filled with sand.

Let the kids pretend to be archaeologists out on a dinosaur dig. You can demonstrate how the archaeologists are supposed to use the shovels and their paint brushes to carefully dust of excess sand from their findings.

2. Pin the nose on Elmo for a Elmo Party

If your child’s favorite is the popular sesame street Muppet, here is a game to suit an Elmo party.

The traditional game of pin the tail on the donkey can so easily be transformed to suit almost any themed party for kids. Turn it into pin the nose on Elmo for your Elmo party.

All you need for this game is a large Elmo poster and round red nose stickers, one for each child.

Tape the poster onto the wall at a height which is within the kids reach. Let each child have a sticker with his or her name on it. Every child is then blind folded and spun around before placing before placing the sticker on the poster.

The sticker closest to Elmo’s nose wins.

3. Pass The Mochilla at Dora The Explorer party

This is one beloved character with plenty of fan following. There are many birthday games that can be set around this popular character. Here is a party game suitable for a Dora party.

You will need the famous Dora backpack, the mochilla. Fill it with a variety of toys, one for each child. You can have things like rubber balls, package of stickers, crayons in it.

Lead the children and adults in singing the backpack song or play it on a music player and when the song ends the child holding the backpack gets to open it, and without looking inside, tries to guess one toy by feeling the toy.

If guessed correctly gets to keep the toy and has to move out of the circle and if incorrect carries on with playing the game. The game continues till each child wins a prize.

You can find more birthday games for your little one’s party at Best Preschool games Yogi Shinde is a busy Mum and a webmaster of kids games website featuring fun games for kids. This article is free for republishing provided the original resource link is retained.

Fishing has always been an exciting and relaxing activity for enthusiasts and fish lovers. Though this is a profession for some, this has also become more of a leisure activity nowadays. To fish at your favorite spot of fishing is therefore a nice experience for such people. No matter if you are a novice or an expert, you can be equally enjoyable for both, as a sport and as a hobby. For people who love it, they can arrange for trips with their friends and family and make most of their vacation. There are fishing resorts to spend vacations and explore new dimensions of their favorite pastime. In fact, these resorts are quite cost-effective; you just need to bring your equipments like fishing gear.

There are different styles and types of fishing that can be tried. The foremost is the one that employs artificial bait known as fly that is made from hair or animal feather. Done in shallow and clear waters, this the one that reaches 1 foot deep. It uses the boats and graphite rods that are modified especially for shallow waters, lakes, sea, rivers and lagoons are most appropriate destinations for this kind of sport. Another type is deep sea fishing that employs several equipments along with some devices that will make possible to recognize the fish schools location, flexible rods and large line. Fishing lures used in this are the biggest of all types and are exhibited in the multiple hooks. At times, even real bait is employed rather than lures.

There are two kinds of techniques that are used in deep sea fishing – bottom and trolling. The technique to be used is chosen depending upon fish school location. Trolling technique means that the boat is kept constant at a speed of 6 fishing knots. This technique carries lines, though not deeply. On the other hand, bottom fishing refers when the boat gets stopped in the deep waters. Hooks have downriggers, and the lures that lead the line to go 200 feet down very quickly.

Conversely, trout fishing is quite different from other styles as tout fishes can be found only in small streams and rivers most of the times. Also, tout fishes are fount in clear and cold water, in which is a more challenging task. This type is just opposite to largemouth bass fishing. It’s for many of us does mean simply going out to the pond and it can be done regularly, but even this kind of fishing has many options to explore.

Ice fishing is also a good option for anglers who love cold weather. Standing on frozen lake, staring through some hole in ice is all what it is all about. Last but not least, Alaska is undoubtedly the best destination worldwide for fishing. With various places, beautiful sceneries along with the zest to catch the fish halibut, there is a lot that Alaska fishing has to offer to its anglers. Then after reading this article, you will have more idea on which type you should go for, or even try the new challenge if you already have your own favourite ones.

Find information about fishing gears, fishing trips, fishing resorts, fishing technique, and the rest at Fishing Trip

Have you ever seen those little clear plastic donation boxes at stores and restaurants? Well, they are perfect for any type of donation collection, whether it is for a charity, service club or simply a school fundraiser. There are many features that make them the most desirable type of donation boxes to get for your charity or school. They are lightweight and easy to transport and their glossy surface makes them look like glass but clean even better. Because they are clear and glossy, they blend in with any d?cor and don’t distract from anything else that is going on in the room. Store owners will prefer these to other traditional donation boxes and are more willing to have them put in their establishment. Many of them have a sign holder that makes it easy to advertise your cause and brings in many more donations than simply leaving a box at a till. Another great feature is the fact that it is shatterproof which makes it safe to leave anywhere, including where kids will be running around.

One of the best features about it, however, is how it prevents theft of your donations. Unfortunately, we live in a world where many people are out for themselves even if it means that they take from others who are less fortunate. There are always and probably always will be people who take from donation boxes and keep it for themselves. No one wants their donations to go to those who don’t deserve it. We put up the donation boxes for a reason and it is quite disheartening to find out that everything you earned is suddenly gone. The acrylic donations box help prevent this from happening in several different ways.

First, they are in fact shatterproof. This means that the easy smash and dash way of getting donation money is out of the question. The boxes are strong and well-built so that you can only get into them if have the key or if you have a blow torch which is not exactly the quickest and quietest way of doing things. Many times, the thief will try and smash the acrylic donation box only to find that it bounces off the floor and lies there perfectly in tact. This usually deters them and makes them find a different place to vandalize and steal from.

If you don’t have it nailed down, however, they may just take it with them and open it at their leisure at a later date when they have the proper tools and the time. One good way to prevent this is to chain it to something sturdy on the counter such as the cash register or even the counter itself. Many of the acrylic donation boxes come with something that you can attach a chain to, whether it is an acrylic loop on the back of the box or just two small holes in the back of the box to slip a chain through. Just make sure that you use a sturdy chain such as a bicycle chain or a strong cable.

It doesn’t matter what you are raising funds for, you want to keep the funds that you do raise for the cause that you set out to help. Acrylic donation boxes will help you do just that.

Raising money for charity is honorable work, but in today?s uncertain society there are some unsavory people who would steal from charity. The best way to prevent this is to utilize an acrylic donation box.

New Jersey, one of the smallest states in the nation, is packed with an exceptional variety of attractions including; beaches, boardwalks, amusement piers, bed and breakfasts, beautiful hills and mountains, charming Victorian towns, casinos, and of course great restaurants.

The dining experience in New Jersey can run the gamut from the Jersey shore family restaurants that serve up fried sea food, burgers, and pizza, to the many fine dining restaurants that can be found in most of the major cities and towns.

With all that variety of restaurants, here are the best romantic restaurants in the state that offer exceptional dining to celebrate your anniversary, Valentine’s Day, or an intimate occasion with a loved one.

Amanda’s Restaurant in Hoboken is set in a beautiful converted brownstone building, with the dining area adorned with embroidered linen, a fireplace, and pine-planked flooring, all balanced to set the mood for a memorable, romantic eating. 908 Washington St. 201-798-0101

The High lawn Pavilion in West Orange, with its striking view of Manhattan, is only the beginning of an extraordinary dining experience. The impressive grand vistas are matched by High lawn Pavilion’s well prepared American Fare. Eagle Rock Reservation, 973-731-3463

The Frenchtown Inn in Frenchtown is a charming romantic restaurant in a scenic, historic location with 19th century white-columned building on the banks of the Delaware River. The restaurant d?cor is attractive with high ceilings, dark moldings, and carpeting that muffles the sound. 7 Bridge St. 908-996-3300

Panico’s in New Brunswick is a modern day version of an old world fine dining restaurant. It’s elegant, with mirrored walls, earth peach tones, soft lighting, and a flower at each table. 103 Church Street (732) 545-6100

The Ebbit Room in Cape May is located in the charming Virginia bed and breakfast hotel. Stay overnight and enjoy a romantic getaway with new an American menu and piano music to complete that special romantic getaway. 25 Jackson St. 609-884-5700

Are the Best Romantic Restaurants too pricey for your budget? Here is a list of the best of the less expensive, or affordable romantic restaurants in New Jersey that can be enjoyed by a couple looking for a cozy dining experience in a romantic setting at an affordable price.

Creole Caf? in Sewell If you enjoy the popular Cajun dishes like crawfish, jambalaya, muffaletta, and Po Boys, or are the adventuresome type willing to try Alligator, Ostrich or Elk, then you will enjoy this place. The location is in an old Victorian home converted into a restaurant with three attractive dining areas done up in soft sponge painted peach and coral tones with a down home, Southern feeling. 288 Egg Harbor Rd 856-582-7222

La Griglia Sea Food Grill and Wine Bar in Kenilworth offers good Northern Italian dishes and sea food selections and an award winning wine list. The decor is contemporary and attractively done up with colorful prints, candle-lit tables, and soft recessed lighting. 740 Boulevard 908-241-0031

Sergeantsville Inn in Sergeantsville offers fireside dining in a 1700’s stone building; ask for a cozy table for two by the large stone, open wood burning fireplace. The atmosphere is attractively done up in colonial period decor. They offer a nice menu of traditional country American selections and exotic wild game dishes. 601 Rosemont-Ringoes Rd. 609-397-3700

Frank Dalotto is a freelance writer and travel consultant. His specialty is writing articles about New Jersey travel, including attractions, events and restaurant reviews. Frank is the owner and editor of http://www.new-jersey-leisure-guide.com New Jersey Leisure Guide and a travel consultant for http://www.leisuretravelmart.com Leisure Travel Mart.

What is the correct name for the Italian sandwich in New Jersey? Is it the Hoagie, the Hero, or the Sub?

New Jerseyans love their food and the most popular sandwich in New Jersey is the Italian sandwich, although it’s not called the Italian sandwich, depending on what part of the state you live in, it is called the Hoagie, Hero, or Sub.

New Jersey, similar to the United States, is divided into two geographic regions with people having different roots, cultural traditions, and food tastes. I-195, running west to east from Trenton to Belmar, is considered the unofficial dividing line, between north and south Jersey.

North and south Jerseyans root for different football teams, different baseball teams, different basketball teams, and have different accents.

In south Jersey, most people who live there had roots in the Philadelphia area. South Jerseyans receive their TV programming and newspapers from Philadelphia and tend to be slower paced with food tastes and food descriptions largely influenced by Philadelphia.

People who live in the more crowded north Jersey are influenced by NYC events and traditions and either have roots in New York or commute to New York to work. North Jerseyans receive their TV programming and newspapers from NYC and tend to be faster paced, with food tastes and food descriptions largely influenced by New York City.

Where did the Italian sandwich come from?

Most of the early twentieth century Italian food in the United States came from the southern Italian immigrants who arrived during the great wave of immigration in the United States from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s. Most of these immigrants settled into the large north east cities of New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia.

Many Italians became fishermen, shoemakers, waiters, fruit and food peddlers, and tradesmen, though most were unskilled laborers working in mines, construction jobs, building roads, and as longshoreman on the waterfront.

The southern Italian immigrants from the Naples, Italy region (Neapolitan) brought with them the Italian sandwich, made with baked crusted bread with pointed ends stuffed with cured meats and cheese. Entrepreneurial immigrants seized on the opportunity to peddle the sandwich to the Italian immigrant workers on the docks at the waterfront, and to the laborers at construction sites.

Later on, this tasty sandwich became sought after by Americans and other ethnic groups and they began to include additional varieties of meat, vegetables and cheese. It wasn’t until the end of World War II that the Italian sandwich caught on outside the Italian-American community and began to achieve widespread popularity. At that time, the typical Italian sandwich was made with 12” long by 3” wide baked crusted bread with pointed ends, provolone cheese, Italian hard salami, lettuce, tomatoes, oil and vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper.

How did the Italian sandwich in New Jersey take on the names of Hoagie, Hero, and Sub?

The Origin of the Hoagie

The Hoagie originated in the Philadelphia area. The term is now used in regions such as Scranton, Pittsburgh, southern New Jersey, Delaware, and southern Ohio.

Legend has it that an area of Philadelphia known as Hog Island, a shipyard during World War I, had many Italian immigrant workers who would take large Italian sandwiches made with cured meats, spices, oil, tomatoes, onions, and peppers for their lunches. Because of the location of the shipyard, the workers were nicknamed “hoggies”, and at some point the sandwiches they ate adopted the name “Hoggie”.

After World War II, the “Hoggie” became the “Hoagie” and quickly caught on outside the Italian community and soon achieved the status as the favored sandwich in Philadelphia. South Philly neighborhood “mom and pop” delis began offering the Hoagie as the featured sandwich and Wawa Food Markets began selling Hoagies in the late 1970s. Philadelphians who began the migration to south Jersey in the 50’s, retained the name Hoagie for the popular Italian sandwich.

Former Philadelphia mayor Ed Rendell declared the hoagie the “Official Sandwich of Philadelphia”.

The Origin of the Hero

The Hero originated in New York City. The term is now used in downstate New York and north Jersey.

The name “Hero” is credited to NY Herald Tribune Food writer Clementine Paddleford who wrote in the 1930’s that you needed to be a hero to eat the giant sized Italian sandwich.

Legend has it that in 1905, James Manganaro, who came from Italy to New York to join his cousin in the deli business was responsible for popularizing the Italian sandwich in NYC where he sold the king sized Italian sandwich that later caught on and became the Hero.

The Origin of the Sub

The origin of the name submarine sandwich or “Sub” is widely disputed, with stories of its origin taking place in Boston, MA, Groton, CT and Patterson, NJ. Today the term is used throughout New Jersey and New England, and has spread across the United States by the many chain restaurants like Subway, Quiznos, Blimpies, and Jersey Mikes Subs.

One legend credits it being originated at a restaurant in Scollay Square in Boston, MA at the beginning of World War II, and whose customers were large numbers of navy servicemen stationed at the Charlestown Navy Yard who coined the name sub after the hull of the submarine.

Another story places the naming of the sub sandwich during World War II when the naval submarine base in Groton, CT ordered 500 Italian sandwiches a day from Capaldo’s Italian deli in New London, CT and the employees of the deli began to refer to the sandwich as the “Sub”.

The other legend has the earliest date in 1910, when the sub was named by Dominic Conti owner of Dominic Conti’s Grocery Store on Mill Street in Patterson, NJ who observed the similarity of shape with his crusted, pointed end bread sandwich and a local exhibit of the first experimental submarine, and began selling the sandwich as the “sub”.

The Correct Name of Italian Sandwich in New Jersey is the Sub

The appropriate name for the Italian sandwich in New Jersey is the Sub. Although the location of the origin of the name “Sub” is widely disputed, one of the three popular legends has it that the name “sub” was coined in Patterson, NJ. The Jersey legend also has 1910 as the earliest date of all the legends. Hoagie and Hero clearly have their origins in Philadelphia and New York City.

Sack O’ Subs, with four sub shops in south Jersey, in Absecon, Brigantine, Ocean City, and Ventnor, has it right when they say that in New Jersey the correct name is the Sub. In south Jersey where many other sandwich shops sell “Hoagies”, if you come into their sub shop and ask for a hoagie, they will jokingly remind you that you have crossed over the bridge and you are now in Jersey and it’s called a “Sub”.

Frank Dalotto is a freelance writer and travel consultant and the editor of New Jersey Leisure Guide http://www.new-jersey-leisure-guide.com and Leisure Travel Mart http://www.leisuretravelmart.com (c) Copyright 2008 Frank Dalotto

We’ve all seen them sitting in coffee shops, restaurants and corner stores. Those little clear plastic donation boxes that are used for various charities and service groups seem to be everywhere but why are they used instead of other traditional donation boxes? How does an acrylic donation box benefit more than any other type of donation box? If you are looking into getting a donation box to put up for your charity or service group, there are a few things that you should know about acrylic donation boxes and all of their benefits.

First of all, acrylic is a material that is very difficult to break, making them a safer choice. You wouldn’t want someone to knock a donation box off the counter and have it shatter on you like a glass donation box would. That could cause both injury as well as loss of donations. It would also make it very easy for thieves to smash the boxes on purpose and take the money, leaving you with nothing but a big mess to clean up. An acrylic donation box eliminates that possibility because it is next to impossible to break into without the proper tools. So, acrylic donation boxes are the safest and most theft resistant donation boxes available.

Another great thing about acrylic donation boxes is that they are clear and make it easy for everyone to see what is inside. People love to see how their contribution ads up and kids love to watch the money fall into the little pile at the bottom which means that there will be more donations just from people who like to look at money rather than just support your cause. You will also get more donations from people who feel guilty. If there is not a lot of money in the box, more people with put their change in just to make it look fuller. A clear acrylic donation box is sure to bring in more donations than you would normally receive from a plain donation box.

Acrylic donation boxes are great for any donation needs because they are simple, lightweight and easy to set up. The transparent appearance does not distract from any d?cor or environment around it which makes it easier to convince stores owners to set one up in their establishment. More store owners will agree to set them up, which means that more donations will com into your charity or service group. The high gloss finish is attractive and has a classy appearance that looks like glass but is stronger and more impact resistant as well as lighter in weight which makes it very portable. It is easy to clean when too many little finger prints get all over it.

Many of the donation boxes have sign holders attached too, which makes it easy to advertise your cause and bring in more donations through educating people about where their money will go. No one wants to donate to something that they don’t know exactly what their money will be used for. You can use this feature to tell about the overall charity or program or a specific event that you are funding for. Either way, the donors will be happy that they know a little bit more about what they are spending their money on and they will be more likely to give more.

So, whatever your charity or service club may be, acrylic donation boxes are a sure way to bring in the maximum amount of donations.

Acrylic donation boxes can really help boost your fundraising efforts. They help play on the psychology of groupthink, which means people tend to give money if they see others doing so.

This year sees the introduction of some stunning new cottages from the sculptors of Lilliput Lane Cottages.

Particularly noteworthy is the first ever Lilliput Lane sculpture from the Isle of Man. The island has a history as stormy as its seas, but this has also resulted in the rich cultural heritage it boasts today. The island’s architecture bears witness to its varied history. In fact, it’s no surprise that William Wordsworth felt drawn to visit the shores of this island so frequently.

The sculptors of Lilliput Lane were truly spoiled for choice when it came to deciding which cottage would make the best first Isle of Man Cottage. Would it be Peel Castle, perched on Man’s rocky west coast, whose round tower was originally part of a celtic monastery? Perhaps Ballamoar Castle would prove to be the inspiration, with its cool, slate gret stone and sweeping lawns. In the end it was the quaint proportions of The Manx Dovecote that won the day. Doubtless every Lilliput Lane Collector would agree that this delightful building situated on the North West Coast of The Isle of Man is a deserved winner of the accolade – Lilliput Lane’s Isle of Man Number One.

This year’s Club membership cottage is Nutkin Cottage . Any avid walker with a fondness for the beautiful fells around Grasmere will instantly recognise this beautiful cottage found on the edge of Deerbolts Wood. This is a typical picturesque Lakeland Cottage – picturesque meaning not just pretty to look at, but in architectural terms, it refers to the golden era of Victorian Cottage building, which chose the best local features and materials to create buildings that look as though they’ve always been there.

Another Lilliput Lane Collectors’ Special for 2008 is Hazelnut Hall. Traditional lakeland architecture at its best! This was no humble dwelling, but the home of George Browne, a wealthy yeoman farmer. It was built in 1626 at a time when Troutbeck benefited from having an absentee Lord of the Manor, and so its social system was made up of prosperous ‘statesmen’ or Yeoman Farmers like the Breowne family, who lived in this house for some 400 years until 1943, when it passed to the National Trust.

Unlike its more aggressive cousin, the wasp, bees are a welcome visitor to summer gardens, hovering about the flowers and gathering nectar to take back to their hives. The bee kingdom is resposible for creating remarkable structures that have influenced full-size human architecture. The traditional bee-hive shape can be seen in many buildings, such as Little Beehives – a delightful circular cottage, found at Chilworth in Buckinghamshire. Perfectly recreated by Lilliput Lane, its stuccoed brick walls have purely decorative rustic tree trunks attached.

On the same ‘bee’ theme, few Lilliput Lane collectors will be able to resist Honeybees & Summer Breeze cottage from the picturesque village of Old Warden in Bedfordshire. Built in the late nineteenth century by the Shuttleworth family in a sympathetic style to blend in with the houses built by the estate’s former owner, Lord Ongley, this was originally three estate cottages. This delightful sculpture is the 2008 Anniversary Cottage.

For further information, please visit our website at http://www.theukgiftcompany.co.uk

To explore our range of
Lilliput Lane collectibles further, please visit our website at http://www.theukgiftcompany.co.uk

2008 sees the Lilliput Lane Annual Fair make a return visit to Shugborough Hall, which Club members may recall was the home to the second Lilliput Lane Fair back in September 1990.

The ancestral home of the Earls of Lichfield, the Shugborough Estate sits outside Milford, just a couple of miles east of teh county town of Stafford and set on the banks of the River Sow.

Enthusiasts of Lilliput Lane cottages should make a note in their diaries of the dates September 20th and 21st 2008. For on this weekend Shugborough Hall will be hosting the 2008 Lilliput Lane Collectors Fair.

Shugborough has a rich and fascinating history. The original eight acres of land were bought in 1624 by local lawyer William Anson and over the next 150 years the Anson family extended the estate to 900 acres of parkland that features a number of intriguing and surprising monuments, many of which could make wonderful sculptural additions to the wonderful world of Lilliput Lane.

Perhaps the most mysterious structure of all is the Shepherds Monument. Built in 1748, this contains a ten letter inscription, which conmtinues to baffle visitorsd and scholars alike. In recent years, it is said to have provided inspiration for Dan Brown’s best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code while in 2004, the legendary World War II Enigma Code breakers from Bletchley Park were invited to solve the mystery. Whether the inscription does indeed refer to the Holy Grail or is a coded love message from Admiral to Lady Anson is perhaps not of great interest to collectors of Lilliput Lane Cottages, but either way – it’s fun to speculate.

Elsewhere the original servants’ quarters are preserved as they were more than a century ago, complete with the only log-fired brewery in the country still producing beer on a commercial basis (incidentally, part of the servanrs’ wages in the nineteenth century included eight pints of ale a day!). More recently, the house was the model for JRR Tolkein’s ‘House of a Hundred Chimneys’ in his Tale of the Sun and the Moon, although Shugborough Hall itself boasts a more modest eight chimneys. (I dread to think of the reaction of the Lilliput Lane Cottage Sculptures if we were to tell them to start work on a model including one hundred chimneys – probably unrepeatable I guess.

Today, Shugborough is a National Trust property leased to Staffordshire County Council. It remains vibrantly active as a working estate while keeping right up to date in proudly displaying the work of its most illustrious resident of recent times – the late Lord Patrick Lichfield.

So, as you can see, Shugborough Hall is well worth a visit – and what better opportunity, if your a collector of Lilliput Lane Cottages, than September 2008. You can reserve your tickets by contacting the Lilliput Lane Collectors Guild hotline on 01228 404350.

If you aren’t able to attend the event in September, there will be many other Lilliput Lane Cottage events throughout the year, most noteworhty being at Church’s China in Northampton in late Northampton.

For further information, please visit our website at http://www.theukgiftcompany.co.uk

To explore our range of
Lilliput Lane collectibles further, please visit our website at http://www.theukgiftcompany.co.uk

If there is a time when the language of emotions is at its height, that time must surely be childhood. Words, expressions, caresses …. learning to live entails a new and infinite array of gestures and attitudes. With their new collection, “A World To Discover”, Lladro are celebrating the magical process whereby a child displays the first signs of the human being that lies within. Lladro Porcelain recognise that this is a journey filled with hope, where each experience is another step towards making a place for oneself in life.

Similarly the new creations of Lladro’s The Pulse of Africa collection are inspired by the formal purity and expressiveness of traditional African art. Part of the proceeds of these sculptures are being donated to Operation Smile, a foundation that raises funds for the repair of facial deformities of underprivileged children in underdeveloped countries. Lladro are keen to extend their cooperation with this foundation from the United States around the world. It is a wonderful initiative which goes a long way to putting a smile back on the faces of thousands of children.

There are smiles all round too for the members of the exclusive Lladro Privilege Gold Society, which embarks on a new phase, with new sculptures and with many new benefits. For example, there is the introduction of the first Lladro Privelige Gold Annual sculpture, Playtime With Petals, the first piece in a brand new collection. Lladro invites collectors to join them in this new adventure, steeped in feelings and emotions. Emotions that we have attempted to reflect in their new advertising campaign. Because, as long as there are fairy tales, innocence, romance and freedom, there will always be Lladro.

Playtime With Petals

When springtime comes around, there will always be colour. At this time of the year, when life springs anew, the air is filled with nature’s fragrances and our energies are renewed, this is the ideal time to carry out our plans or live out our dreams. Lladro’s exclusive Privilege Gold Society opens a new chapter with the launch of its first annual sculpture, Playtime With Petals.

This piece will be followed by many other Lladro exclusives – sculptures which are sure to delight all those who admire their porcelain creations. As fresh as the real-life flowers that it represents, this sculpture, created in the artists’ workshops of the City of Porcelain, is destined to become one of the most sought after Lladro sculptures in the history of the company.

Collectors are urged to reserve their figurines soon, as Playtime With Petals will be restricted in number. No true afficionado of Lladro porcelain will want to miss out on this delightful new figurine.

Say the name ‘Lladro’ and a wonderful image comes to mind – the image of a living artistic tradition whose beautiful secrets have fascinated through the centuries. Modelled by expert Lladro sculptors, each work of art acquires its own spark of life. Romantic and energetic, sensitive and full of life – that’s what epitomises the Lladro story

For further information, please visit our website at http://www.theukgiftcompany.co.uk

To explore our range of Lladro collectibles further, please visit our website at http://www.theukgiftcompany.co.uk