Jasmine's Place - Issue No. 9 by Jasmine's Place

Reaching Outwards, Reaching Upwards

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Inspiring Stories & Features for Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Woman! Faith. Style. Beauty. Business Tips. Healthy Food. Great Advice. Unique Decor + More! ISSUE NO. 9 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

Expecting great things as I wait, as I watchâ&#x20AC;Ś

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A huge thanks to everyone who has contributed to Jasmineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place. Thank you very much!

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Welcome!

It’s so great to welcome you to the 9th issue of Jasmine’s Place! Here we are on the cusp of a new year. A whole new year full of new ideas, possibilities and ventures. This issue is filled with great articles, helpful information and insightful features to inspire you upwards and onwards with faith, hope and strength for the new year. You’ll find beautiful styling and beauty tips, unique home decor ideas, great encouragement for mothers, practical business advice, a treat for one and more! Exciting news! Issuu, the website on which Jasmine’s Place is published, is now offering a print on demand service to publishers. So, if you’ll like a copy of this issue or any of the previous issues of the magazine, let us know! If you have any feedback, comments or questions, just send an e-mail to the editor at jmagazine33@gmail.com. It would be great to hear from you! Happy New Year! Design and Editing: Puaichie Badejo Article Summary Assistance: Julie Arduini Contributors: Cheryl Thomas, Janelle Herzog, Marion Ayonote, Anna Queseda, Ramona Hirschi, Olivia Howard, Funke Oham, Chef Mike Darracott, Julie Arduini, Sade Edokapyi, Joanne Sher and Puaichie Badejo.

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Contents JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2014

Inspirational 8 3 People Every Dreamer Needs To Meet. Dreams don’t have to stay dormant. Make your dreams come alive this year with these 3 people.

Style & Beauty 16 Designer Extraordinaire Marion Ayonote shares what it’s like to be a couture shoe designer

28 Olivia Howard Her style and inspiration.

8 22 Walking On Water Peter’s triumph and fall as he walked on water is an encouragement to us.

50 34 The Question Box A father and mother realize the importance of their daughter's questions. 50 Mountains Into Roads A fresh perspective of life’s challenges.

40 44 TLC For Your Eyes. Simple suggestions for keeping your eyes looking and feeling refreshed. JASMINE'S PLACE

Healthy Eating 12 Easy Guacamole A treat for one, or two if you’re nice!

44 10 Steps to Setting Up An Internet Business From Home. A step by step practical guide.

Flowers for Mama

Community

40 Flowers for Mamas. Insightful encouragement for mothers.

38 24 Simply Beautiful Unique Fairtrade ethical products.

Features 42 If It’s Good Enough To Eat… Highly creative pictures of art made from food items.

40 All information in this publication is accurate at the time of publication. While we do endeavour to make sure that all published information is correct, we cannot be held liable for mistakes or omissions. The inclusion of articles etc. does not necessarily indicate that the editor is in agreement or sympathy with what is written. Clients submitting content to us for publication are confirming that they have a legal right to do so, and agree to neither knowingly or unknowingly submit content they have no right to publish. The client accepts that he/she is responsible for ensuring they have publication rights of use for all material provided, and agree to indemnify any losses incurred to us , the publisher using content supplied by them. This also applies to where articles etc. have been sourced by us. We acknowledge that any logos, photographs, images and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.

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INSPIRATIONAL

3 People Every Dreamer Needs to Meet By Cheryl Thomas Dreams donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to stay dormant. Let these 3 people help you make your dreams come alive in 2014!

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I can remember always being the kid with my head floating not in the clouds, but far above the clouds. I thought I could fly. For real. And don’t think I didn’t try several times. I know it sounds naïve, but in those days my measurement of success only depended on my joy of the adventure. I spent the better part of my days in the front of the mirror in my childhood home dreaming. That mirror was a doorway into an adventure. When I peered through its shiny surface, I could travel to exotic locations, meet extraordinary people and have the grandest adventures. You see, I knew then that dreams weren’t solely for nighttime slumber. No ma’am. The universe let me in on a secret early in my life. The best dreams a person can dream are the dreams that come during the full light of day. In those dreams, I was invincible. Nothing was impossible for me. I was ready to change the world. I dreamed I could make a difference. I believed my voice, my thoughts and my opinions mattered. I believed somehow, someway I could use it to change my environment. While I’m grateful for the capacity to dream, I’m even more grateful I grew up in an environment that cultivated, and didn’t stifle, my fragile, yet powerful dreams.

I spent the better part of my days in the front of the mirror in my childhood home dreaming. That mirror was a doorway into an adventure. When I peered through its shiny surface, I could travel to exotic locations, meet extraordinary people and have the grandest adventures. As I travel speaking, I am disheartened as I look into the sad, discouraged eyes of women and see that the dream they held close to their hearts in their youth has dwindled and sometimes even died. I can tell by the slump in their shoulders and their slow purposeless gait, that they have given up...all because they never had the opportunity to meet three people.

Though I didn’t realize it then, I now know, that every dreamer needs to meet three people. Not an army, not even a crowd. Just. Three. People. JASMINE'S PLACE

A Supporter Every dreamer needs ONE person to believe in your dream. This person believes not only in the dream on the inside of you, they know YOU are the person graced with the ability to fulfill it. They support not just with their words, but with supportive actions to help you reach your goal. A Challenger Every dreamer needs ONE person who will hold you accountable when you feel tired, defeated and discouraged. This person challenges your drive and determination and lovingly pushes you forward when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re tempted to quit. They are the coaches who help you increase your stamina and stoke the flames of your dream when life tries to snuff it out. A Transformer Every dreamer needs ONE person who will shift your thinking. The transformer coaxes you out of the narrow confines of the limitations in your mind. They help you see past roadblocks and train you to turn any setback into a comeback. Their goal is to help launch you into the BIG world you are called to conquer. JASMINE'S PLACE

These three people are likely not famous, they may not even be rich. But they are definitely angels sent to help move you forward on your journey.

Dream on dreamer, you’ve got a great year ahead!

As we go forward into 2014, take action: Do you know who the three members of your dream team are? If you do, write them a thank you letter this week. They deserve it. Perhaps they may even be your co-workers, family or friends. Maybe you haven’t even met them yet? Then pray to God. No detail of your life is too big or too little to take to Him. He is interested in all of you. He gave Moses to Joshua, Paul to Timothy, and Naomi to Ruth. Get comfy, grab your favourite drink and check out these accounts in Exodus 4: 6-7, Timothy 2: 3-5, and Ruth 3:14. And if you don’t know God, you can. In an instant, in a heartbeat, you can ask Him to be your father today through His son, Jesus. Believe in Him, trust Him, He’s waiting with open arms.

We were not created for isolation, but for community. When you’ve found your three people, link up with them, love on them, pray for them and get on with the business of living your dream.

Cheryl Thomas is a lover of life, great adventures and God. A minister, author and certified life coach, she is passionate about inspiring everyday Christian women to embrace SUPER extraordinary lives. Visit her website, www.BecomingEngaged.com/Life, to grab her FREE eBook, 7 Secrets to Living the Life of Your Dreams, and take your life from lackluster to blockbuster today! You can also connect with her socially at www.Facebook.com/becomingengaged or Tweet her at www.Twitter.com/Cheryl_L_Thomas

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HEALTHY FOOD

EASY

For 1 or 2 if you’re nice!

Guacomole Hi, I’m Janelle, a Christian, a Wife, a Stay at Home Mom of 3 young children and a proud-to-claim- it “Foodie”. I absolutely love to cook. I typically have an audience of 3 children, pulled up on chairs, taking turns pouring ingredients into bowls. My spiritual gifts are a mix of “hospitality and evangelism”. So, here I am at the center of God’s will, hoping to help you get a little more comfy in your kitchen! Wohoo!

It’s up there with chocolate on my list….seriously. I love guacamole! In fact, my entire family loves guacamole! ha! I’m very proud of that fact, being that my little ones are tight lipped when it comes to eating their veggies {I know, I knowit’s a “fruit”}. Nevertheless….this recipe is for 1. Why? Because 1 avocado is the perfect size for a portion of this deliciousness- you can multiply the recipe as you wish. I make this often for myself for lunch …I eat it in a salad or with corn tortilla chips for a gluten-free meal!

Easy Guacamole Listen Ladies, if you don’t have all of the ingredients on hand- NO worries, be “comfy” about it- as long as you have a ripe avocado, salt, pepper, and garlic powder you are good to go. I’ve “made do” many of times! JASMINE'S PLACE

1. Start with a ripe avocado- you’ll want to look for dark skin and when pressed it will feel tender on the inside. If your avocado isn’t ripe-its going to be tough-figuratively and literally. Add diced onion, diced tomato, garlic powder, sea salt, cracked black pepper, lime juice and some cilantro. I don’t typically measure, but for story telling purposes I will

2 2. Mash with a fork- nothing fancy about it

3. Here you have it! Wasn’t that easy?! There are SO many health benefits to eating avocado and to top it off..it’s delicious! Serve with corn tortilla chips or serve with lettuce and some homemade salsa for a tasty lunch! Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients •1 ripe avocado •½ tsp of lime juice •1 Tbsp diced onion •1 Tbsp diced ripened tomato {I like Romas}

•1 Tbsp fresh cilantro •½ tsp garlic powder {you may use 1 garlic clove if desired!} •salt/pepper as desired {you can add more if needed} Instructions 1.Mash all ingredients together with a fork!

Visit Janelle at: http://comfyinthekitchen.com JASMINE'S PLACE

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Expecting great things as I plan, prepareâ&#x20AC;Ś

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STYLE

Marion Ayonote has been named Africa’s top designer and she designed Miss World’s 2002 shoes. In this interview, she shares what it’s like to be a couture shoe designer.

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Conqueror - Gold From Marion’s Couture Collection Marion Ayonote’s resume reads like a who’s who… 2000: Launches her first collection simply titled "Shoes" under the "Marion Ayonote" 2002: Selected to attend the Xperience UK event in Dubai entitled "Best of British" showcasing alongside Paul Smith, Janet Reger and others. Received a special recognition award from Ovation Magazine as Africa's top shoe designer. Designed shoes for Miss World 2002. Chosen to design shoes for the beauty pageant "Face of Africa" and was listed as one of the top 50 most influential female designers in the UK by the Design Association.

2003: Selected for entry into Drapers Record Magazine Shoe Supplement covering high end craftsmanship in evening styles and made the Top Style Lounge at the GDS Messe Dusseldorf Fair showing alongside top brands such as Cavalli, Hugo Boss, and Escada. 2006: Selected amongst 60 designers worldwide to design the dream shoe for Swarovski's around the world exhibition tour. Marion Ayonote brand starts to sell in department stores in Tokyo and Osaka. Nominated for the Fashion Designer of the Year, Black Business Awards and the International category at the 11th EFBWBO Annual Awards. JASMINE'S PLACE

2009: Won a special recognition award from BFIIN British female inventors and innovator's network.

Born and raised in Nigeria, she attended the University of Maiduguri, where she graduated with a BA in History. Her parents recognised and nurtured her talents from an early age. These were mainly in the Arts from private piano lessons to theatrical performances, fine art and literature. She is well travelled and draws inspiration from her journeys. Innovation continues to be of genuine interest to Marion Ayonote. Engaging in design projects such as Knowledge Connect which was part funded by the L.D.A (London Development Agency) and the European Union regional development fund, the BDI (British Design Innovation) and also private design collaborations. She has been invited to exhibit at a number of international events i.e. Tranoi Paris, GDS, Moss Shoes, South Africa fashion week, Moda Calzaldo, and many more. She recently exhibited her Spring/Summer Collection simply titled “Sanctified” which is part of her affordable range brand at the London Fashion Week. We caught up with her recently to talk about her work and inspirations…

1.What inspired you to become a designer? My Mother was a main influence, she had an amazing wardrobe and my sisters and I would role play after school wearing her dresses, shoes, hair pieces and loved every bit of it. I studied the works of Vivier, Perugia and Blahnik and knew it had to be shoes. 2.You worked with Italian Artisans for over 10 years, how did you feel the time was right to start your own design company? I made a decision and just went for it. 3.You must have experienced a number of setbacks as you've built your brand. Please outline just one turning point that encouraged you to keep pressing forward. Yes there were a few challenges as with anything else. I had invested so much time, resources and made sacrifices… quitting was not an option. 4.Can you give us an idea of the design process - for instance, do you sketch first, paint, or go straight into working with materials when you're starting a design? Sometimes I start with a simple sketch and make a selection from the colour cards for the relevant season. I never paint as I do not find it necessary. Alternatively, I source materials and components and develop a collection from my JASMINE'S PLACE

Emperor - Gold Featured at Marie Claire USA From Marionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Couture Collection

findings or design on shells and style accordingly. Most importantly, I work on a variation of themes so it is important to storyboard the collection before I make a selection. Needless to say, things could change at the last minute as the reality sets in after sample production meetings. 5. You've been featured at the London Fashion Week, what does it take to be featured at such a prestigious event? I was invited to apply for LFW and was a bit reluctant as the process is a little bit daunting. It is a highly vetted show and the organisers wanted just

10 shoe designers. The BFC (British fashion council) decides who gets to show. 5.What's your favourite collection to date? I really havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t got a favourite, I strive to do better each season. Now I am working on AW14/15 and already excited about the collection. If the manufacturing is as good as it looks on paper, then we are on to a winner! What's the name of your Spring/Summer 2014 collection? SANCTIFIED

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SANCTIFIED is Marionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut collection of accessible Ladies shoes. The spring summer 2014 collection is inspired by Marionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey to the ancient city of Jerusalem, with its natural surroundings including the intimidating yet intriguing mountainous backdrop, The Souk, Synagogues and Churches.

Marion in Israel Left: Golgotha, Above: Capernaum

SANCTIFIED includes the following designs:

Conqueror - Mini

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From lampshades and Vases to Jars and Lanterns the rich colour pallets are reminiscent of this unique middle-eastern city.

Galileo

Hebron Pump

A gold theme runs through, however colours include Burgundy, Copper, Bronze, Azzure (Blue), Black, Cream, Beige, Rose, Grey, Yellow and Red. Styles range from Perspex wedges, high heeled sandals, flats, mules, platforms and pumps. Materials used - Lamb leather, Kid, calf leather, Suede, Patents and Metallics. All made using 100% Leather. Marion will be showing the AW14 collection in NYC from Feb 23rd to the 25th at the Coterie/ Sole Commerce Jacob Javits centre, New York Contact details: www.ayonote.com/ www.facebook.com/MarionAyonote London

We thank Marion Ayonote for her time! Palm Flats JASMINE'S PLACE

INSPIRATIONAL

Walking On

Water Peter had the same passions we have. His triumph and fall as he walked on water can be an encouragement to all of us.

By Anna Queseda

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In our fast-paced world, life can get chaotic and overwhelming in an instant. One minute I’m walking on water. The next minute I’m screaming at the top of my lungs to be rescued from the waves. Through it all, I’m learning that Jesus is my prize. He’s always been faithful to catch me when I fall. Lately, I’ve been allowing God to prune and cut away at the things in my life that rob me of more of him. The process is painful, to say the least. I have so many huge goals and dreams for my tomorrows, but in my day to day walk, I often feel paralyzed by the storms. Because of this, I’ve felt Him call me to put one foot in front of the other and jump into the deep sea of His grace and faithfulness. In the book of Matthew, Peter reaches out to Jesus and walks on water during a terrifying storm. He begins sinking because of his lack of faith, but Jesus was there to catch him and pull him to safety. With the winds raging all around me, I feel God calling me out into the unchartered waters of my life. Like Peter, He’s asking me to trust him. Sometimes I worry that I’ll sink and other times I worry that I’ll just be one huge belly flop for the world to laugh and point at, but I can be confident in knowing that Jesus will catch me whatever the outcome may be. I can find my peace in knowing that He is my reward.

Through it all, I’m learning that Jesus is my prize. He’s always been faithful to catch me when I fall. He has already seen all my tomorrows and paid the price for all my yesterdays. How about you?

Is God calling you to make changes? Do you have a dream that seems impossible? If so, I’d like to encourage you to give it to God. Allow him to rinse and remove the dirt from your life. Take the leap of faith and know that He will catch you and help you to set sail towards the amazing plans He has for your life. Anna Quesada is the founder of the Christian Women’s Small Business Association, created to Ignite a movement of women trailblazers from around the globe to fearlessly live out their Godcalling. Founded in 2006, the organization now encourages over 85,000 entrepreneurs daily online. She offers daily inspiration at www.twitter.com/empowered. Before starting cwSBA, Anna spent a decade in the marketing industry working closely with inspirational speakers, life coaches, ministry leaders, and small business owners. She has a degree in Organizational Development and is about to complete her MA in Communications. Anna also blogs for the San Antonio Express News web site and runs a full service digital agency helping multi-million dollar clients dominate the online business world via search engine optimization, social media, and web site branding. You can find out more about her work at www.salessolved.com or join the cwSBA movement at www.cwsba.com.

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COMMUNITY

Simply Beautiful

Simply beautiful Ethical Fairtrade products from Little Trove

Butterfly Digital Print Cushion Mango Wood Vase

Orange Stripey Shopper With Discrete Inner Lining

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Mango Wood Deep Star Bowl

Bird, Butterfly and Flower Tealights Cupcake Candles

Twii Twoo Cushion For Kids

For these and other great products, visit www.littletrove.com Rustic Bark Vase

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Expecting great things as I push, as I pressâ&#x20AC;Ś

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STYLE

Olivia Howard

Owner of Fresh Modesty A fashion blog A look at her personal style and inspirations JASMINE'S PLACE

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From Olivia’s website: "Make sure when you get dressed in the morning that you look cute as a button and that Jesus would be proud of you.” ~Unknown

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“Clothes are the first clue anyone has to who we are, what we stand for, and who we represent. We must not balk at this and say, “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” because like it or not, we are ambassadors. “ - Olivia

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Olivia is also the owner of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Working With Eager Handsâ&#x20AC;? - a sewing blog. Through e-books available on her site, she teaches sewing skills, how to make modest swimwear, as well as durable feminine denim skirts. Step-by-step, and picture by picture, her books also teach how to draft patterns to fit body shapes. Here she wears a naval inspired denim skirt she made herself. Olivia is 21. An inspiring young woman indeed.

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Visit Olivia at: www.freshmodesty.com www.freshmodesty.blogspot.com http://workingwitheagerhands.blogspot.co.uk/

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INSPIRATIONAL

By Julie Arduini

The Question Box A father and mother realize the importance of their daughter's questions as she grows into a young woman.

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As soon as Darci started talking, we nicknamed her "the question box." Her questions came like gunfire and I believe I only survived the preschool years because my mom prayed me through. There was no topic off limits to Darci.

As the question box dominated our coffee table, Bob and I realized the questions were relentless. Life experience gave her a lot to ponder. As she struggled through middle school, the question box was overflowing each week.

"Can I stay up all night?"

"What made you think I wanted a baby brother? "

"Do raccoons have bad breath?" "Mama, do all mommies have stretchy marks when they're naked like you?"

"Why are people so mean? I don't get it. I never would've said the mean things to Jen she said to me." "Am I pretty? I don't think I am. "

Those gems came to me her early elementary years. As Darci learned to read and write, she came home from art class one day with a decorated box.

"Do I really need algebra? I'm going to be a reporter. Who needs math when they plan to be on television? I'm confused. "

When her dad asked what it was, she thrust the box forward into his hands. Pink foam question marks stuck to his thumb. "It's a question box daddy. When we have questions we write them out and put them in. Mr. Stewart said that once a week we could talk about the questions. Whaddya think?" Bob shrugged. We promised each other when we married we'd always be available to our kids, especially if they had questions. We embraced Darci's enthusiasm as brightly as her decorated box. JASMINE'S PLACE

By high school the question box was wilted and faded. Darci still had questions, but she saved most of them for her diary. We were blessed to get more chat from her than most parents with their kids, but I actually missed those pre school days.

"Why are people so mean? I don't get it. I never would've said the mean things to Jen she said to me."

One day the box was gone, moved to her closet. She proudly replaced the area with her prom picture.

"Am I pretty? I don't think I am. " The night before graduation Darci was at the kitchen table with the question box. I could tell she'd been crying but I waited for her to share. She was opening up questions from years gone by. "You and dad always gave me answers when I asked. When did you have all the answers? Was it college? When you got married? Had me? Jake?"

It was that season that it felt like most questions came from us. We wondered what happened to our little girl. Pigtails transformed to a bouncy chic haircut that set her back $100 from her first job at McDonalds. She was researching colleges and constantly on the phone with her friends. I tried not to let it show, but I felt lost in the shuffle. Didn't she need us? Would we ever matter again?

Her ocean blue eyes sparkled, even in her confusion and fear. I took her by the chin and smiled. "Baby, we still don't have all the answers. We just ask God for wisdom every day. Sometimes we get it right and sometimes well; we get papers in the question box asking us how we could be so unfair. You'll be fine.â&#x20AC;&#x153; Tears trickled down her tanned cheeks, her hair sticking to her face. One of the foam question marks stuck to her cheeks. JASMINE'S PLACE

Two months later, the question box landed in a dorm two hundred miles away.

The day before college graduation she called.

I had so many questions of my own I wanted to submit, but instead I left an answer. I gave her my Bible with Proverbs 3:3-5 highlighted.

"Mom? I have a question."

Bob had to pull over twice just to let me sob from the heartbreak of letting go. By the end of Darcy's third week, she sent a fat envelope full of questions.

"Will you start watching channel 13 instead of 8? I'm the new weekend anchor. They plan to move me to an investigative reporter position during the week if I ask enough questions and get to the bottom of every story. You know, I think I can do it."

"Will I ever adjust? I feel so alone. " "How will I know when boys are real? They seem so full of it here. " Every week I received an envelope with the return address marked from The Question Box. The day before college graduation she called.

"I'm listening.â&#x20AC;&#x153;

"Mom? I have a question. " "I'm listening." "Will you start watching channel 13 instead of 8? I'm the new weekend anchor. They plan to move me to an investigative reporter position during the week if I ask enough questions and get to the bottom of every story. You know, I think I can do it. "

Julie Arduini, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/, is devoted to writing for Christ in ways that encourage and inspire. A graduate of the Christian Writer's Guild, her writing resume is on her blog's sidebar. Happily married to Tom, they have two children.

I didn't have any question.

@2009 by Julie Arduini Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com <a href="http://www.faithwriters.com">CHRISTIAN WRITER</a>

Neither did The Question Box.

Article URL: http://articles.faithwriters.com/reprint-articledetails.php?id=3785

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Expecting great things as I walk in peaceâ&#x20AC;Ś

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FLOWERS FOR MAMA

Mums, did you know you are the flower someone wants? Find out more. By Funke Oham

Many mums if not all, look forward to receiving flowers. But Mum, do you know that you are actually the flower many people want? Let’s look at some of the attributes of flowers: Each Flowers Is Unique Flowers come in various colours, sizes and types. But each is unique in its own way. Avoid the trap of trying to be like another mum and feelings of not being good enough. Work at being the best mum you can be, of course learn from others but don’t try to ‘be’ others. Flowers Are Attractive Mums, we are all a work in progress. Each year, work at increasing your attractiveness quotient. I don’t mean physical looks! That’s important too and we shouldn’t let that slip. Your spouse, children, friends and others should love being around you. Your words and deeds should inspire

motivate and engage everyone in your sphere of influence. Flowers Beautify I always find myself stopping anytime I walk past a flower shop and spending time admiring the flowers. Flowers light up a room. In what ways are you brightening the lives of those around you? Flowers Nourish Every now and again, I look at my older son and realise he is growing so fast. We can never regain the days, months and years that have gone by. You need to constantly ask yourself, am I spending quality time with my spouse and children? How am I encouraging, supporting and cultivating them? This is our primary purpose as a mum not our never ending responsibilities and chores. Yes, it is hard, but we need to find a fine balance. It just doesn’t happen, we need to plan for it and make it happen.

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Flowers Make Seeds One of the main functions of flowers is to reproduce. Ask yourself what am I reproducing in others? What kind of seeds am I planting? Because what you plant is what grows! Who are you associating with? It is important to know as this determines your end product. Flowers Demonstrate Love When we receive a gift of a flower, we feel loved. The best gift we can give to those we love is ourselves; our time and undivided attention. Being aware of our children’s concerns, recognising their weaknesses and developing them, complimenting their strengths and giving them due respect can depict our love for them. Flowers Can Die Flower, you can’t give what you don’t have. Remember you are your most prized asset. Look after yourself. For you to thrive you need food (spiritual, emotional), support, time for yourself, rest and a list of other things you may have probably identified. Feed yourself so you can give your best to those your love.

What kind of flower would you like to be? Red flower: Love Orange flower: Warmth Yellow flower: Joy Green flower: Resilience Blue flower: Peace Lavender: Grace Purple: Admiration Pink: Beauty White: Modesty You are the flower someone needs! Funke Oham is passionate about women’s affairs. She has been involved in mentoring, coaching, and encouraging women to discover and maximise their potential. She spearheaded the concept for a Ladies Club in London, which she directs. A woman with a large spirit to support, speak the right words to soothe broken hearts, and stand by those in pain, Funke published her debut book; Always a Mum: How I survived my baby loss in March 2013. She raises awareness and campaigns on maternal and neonatal issues based on her own baby loss experience. She serves in a leadership capacity in her church and lives with her husband Charles and their two boys. www.womenmentoringwomen.me www.alwaysamum.com funkeoham@gmail.com

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FEATURE

If It’s Good Enough To Eat…

Highly creative pictures of art made from food items. By Chef Mike Darracott

Bridge Over Mushroom

Smarty Pants

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Berry Good

Blown Away

Come On In, The Milk’s Warm

You can order these prints on framed canvas at ; http://www.photo4me.com/photographer.asp?OwnerID=9589 And tell Chef Mike we sent you too.  JASMINE'S PLACE

BEAUTY

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TlC

FOR YOUR EYES

The eye is a delicate part of the body that need some tender loving care.(TLC ). Every woman should ensure she takes good care of her eyes and the area around her eyes every day.

By Sade Edokpayi

Simple suggestions for keeping your eyes looking and feeling refreshed.

How do you take care of your eyes and the area around your eyes? 1. Take off any makeup you have on with a good eye makeup remover before you go to bed. After a full day at work and other errands at the shops, this is a necessity. The build up of makeup left on overnight will cause black circles under the eyes. 2. Use your ring fingers to apply any eye cream or moisturiser on the skin around the eyes. This is so because the ring finger is the weakest finger and so it can not by nature apply a lot of force. The skin around the eyes is so tender that it requires very little friction. 3. Tiredness or lack of sleep will cause puffiness under the eyes. Get enough sleep. ď &#x160;

Sade is a licensed beauty adviser, visit her at: www.marykay.co.uk/fedokpayi

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FEATURE

10 Steps To Setting Up An Internet Business From Home Practical tips to help you begin your own home Internet business. Navigate everything from legal, branding, and technical aspects to launch a successful venture. By Ramona Hirschi Winner of Business Boost Awards 2013

If you are thinking of running your own business and would like to sell products online, then this simple guide will take you step by step through the process from setting up to running it from home. This is not from an MBA or a business book but from personal practical experience setting up our online business. 1. Research The Market Before you start your business,, research the market: Find out: • what consumers are buying. There’s no point selling things people do not want. • what other businesses are selling (ie. the competition) • what prices your competition is selling things. If you can sell it for cheaper than your competitor or

offer “added value” for your product to the consumer, then go for it. If you can’t, look for another product • from where you can get the products (ie. your supply source) • what gross profit you can make from each product (roughly the retail price minus the cost to you) • How or where you will store the stock; home garage? Self-storage unit? Industrial warehouse? 2. Write A Business Plan Failing to plan = planning to fail. Write a business plan. Did you hear that? Write a business plan. It will force you to think of issues you’ve not thought of and show you any areas that need more attention. It’ll show you if you need more money and whether you’ll make a profit. JASMINE'S PLACE

Many businesses fail because of lack of cash flow or working capital. A business plan will alert you to potential cash flow problems, which means you can look into funding before a crisis hits! You can use Business Plan Pro, Business Plan Template or any other software. Get advice from relevant government agencies.

3. Legal & Administration A limited company means your personal assets are safe in case something should go wrong but you will have more administration. .

4. Branding Now that you’ve found your product and written your plan, work on your branding: • Business name. linked with the domain name • Logo • Tagline • Your Unique Selling Point Corporate” colours You can pay a graphic designer to design a logo or you could use websites like http://graphicriver.net/ for logos.

You’ll need to think of a company name. Search at your local companies registration body, If it isn’t taken , quickly snap it up!

5. Web Design & Hosting Get quotes from web development or marketing companies to design an e-commerce website and host it. Check where servers will be located, server capacity, and speed and so on.

You will need a business bank account. Shop around for free banking for start-ups. You may also find a package that includes Business Plan writing software or accounting software included for a monthly fee. That might get you started quicker than having to buy them individually.

Check whether you will have complete access and control of the Content Management System (ie. the backend of your website) or whether you will need to pay the web company to manage and maintain your website. You can see where the costs are going to rack up.

Don’t forget to set up some insurance for your business. If you don’t intend on holding stock, at this stage reach an agreement with your supplier for them to drop ship the goods to your customer when the sales come in. If you haven’t done so, read up on Distance Selling Regulations!

Alternatively, explore a WordPress site. You can purchase a WordPress template for $30. That’s what we did. Provided you get someone to download it and host it, you can then do your legwork filling out the site with pictures, descriptions and so on. With Word press, you can add the ecommerce shopping cart yourself JASMINE'S PLACE

and whatever plug-ins thereafter. With something like £300, our website was up and running. At this point, you’ll need product images and descriptions. Set up your payment gateway from your website. You’ll need a: • Card payment processing provider (eg. WorldPay, Ogone, Sage Pay) • Merchant Account to receive funds (this is different from your current account but check with your bank or shop around to see what rates are for debit cards, credit cards and how many transactions can be processed for free) You can also integrate PayPal as a payment mechanism relatively easily. 6. Search Engine Optimisation There isn’t an overnight solution but rather a consistent effort to improve your search ranking. Please read up on SEO. We aren’t experts but here’s what we do: • Create fresh content on our site regularly • Keyword our products and tag our images with Google search terms. • Create backlinks by listing our business on third party websites. Blogging. • Social media presence • Commenting on forums

• Writing articles You can pay a SEO company to this for you for a monthly fee or you can plod through yourself! 7. Marketing This will require more time and effort than you think. You have to consistently market your business. This is what we’ve done: • Google Adwords • AdSense • Social Media • Email marketing • Print leaflets • Magazine advertising • Memberships of the Chamber of Commerce and local networks • Attending networking events • Prizes/Competitions • Corporate sponsorship • Attendance at fairs/markets • Word of mouth referrals The list is endless but you’ve got to do it. 8. Processing Orders & Postage Now you’ve done all the behind the scenes work and your website is up and running, look forward to some sales!

When orders come through, you will need to process them from bookkeeping, generating sales receipts, packaging your product safely (to withstand bashing around) and then dispatching it to your customer, JASMINE'S PLACE

within 2 working days generally

afford to buy.

If you are not intending to hold stock, then you will pass the request to your supplier to drop ship the goods to your customer.

Order more of the popular items, less of the unpopular items. Physically count your stock from time to time some people do a yearly stock check). It is boring and tedious but has to be done to account for deterioration, loss, theft and so on.

Make sure you inform the customer when the goods are dispatched. Our WordPress e-shop has an automatic dispatch notification function. Investigate the most cost effective and reliable delivery service for your parcels. 9. Third Party Platforms In order to reach more customers when you are starting up, it’s not a bad thing to experiment with selling on Ebay, Amazon or Etsy. They all have pros and cons and you’ll soon see which platform is paying off for your type of product and price range. You’ll need to set up accounts on each site and follow their rules and payment mechanisms. Their fees also vary, so remember to check your statements at the end of the month to see whether selling on those platforms are profitable for you. 10. Stock Control As you sell stock, you’ll need to replenish. Keep an eye on stock levels. Your accounts software, if you have one, should be able to generate a stock take sheet and report stock levels by item or supplier. Re-order in regular intervals. Watch your cash flow levels to see how much you can

Adjust your stock numbers on your website when new stock arrives or when stock is lost, damaged or no longer available (assuming the website adjusts stock when sales are made through it). I hope you find this guide useful. It’s in no way meant to be comprehensive and the companies or websites mentioned here are not recommendations but merely examples of what we have used. If you have any questions or wish to have more information, do contact us via http://www.littletrove.com/contactus/ Ramona Hirschi is the Managing Director of Little Trove, the UK’s premier fair trade party plan company. Little Trove was born and still operates on the internet at www.littletrove.com. She is an entrepreneur, former solicitor, wife, mum of 2, student mentor and ambitious multi-tasker. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved by the author. To read the full article, visit: http://goo.gl/rgimDK

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INSPIRATIONAL

Mountains Into Roads By Joanne Sher Life has challenges that can feel like impossible mountains. But did you know that those mountains CAN have a purpose? A great purpose? Read on to find out more.

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Sometimes, life is hard. It feels like you are making no progress. You just want to turn around and go the other way--any way but the awful path you seem to be stuck on.

God taught me something else He will do with those mountains. The book of Isaiah is one of my favorites, and this verse has blessed me all day, the more and more I think about it.

But you can't. The illness won't go away. Your kids won't behave. The job doesn't get any better. Your marriage isn't mending. The bank account is empty.

I will turn all my mountains into roads. Isaiah 49:11a NIV

So, what do you do? You keep plugging on. You keep climbing that mountain, hoping against hope that you'll make it to the top and back through to the other side in one piece. That mountain. We all have mountains we're trying to climb, barriers that are keeping us from where we want to be, that are making getting there (wherever "there" may be) tough.

The battles we face--the mountains we climb--will become direct paths to God's will for us. As we hike up that seemingly insurmountable peak, the Lord will use it to lead us on the path He wants us to follow. The very struggles we are experiencing will become the road that leads us to the precise location where God wants us. So, if you're hiking one of those mountains, thinking you can't handle another day, press on. You may just be on just the right road, and God is right there with you.

And that's the best place to be. But, do you know what? Those mountains are not truly our (c) Joanne Sher 2011 mountains. Sure, they're affecting us, Joanne Sher is a Christian writer saved out of Judaism, traveling rough roads with God's strength. She loves to but they don't belong to us. blog, encourage, write, and spend time with her family. Learn more about her at http://www.joannesher.com.

Those mountains--those struggles-are God's. He knows about them. He allowed them to block our path. In many cases, He put them there.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com <a href="http://www.faithwriters.com">CHRISTIAN WRITER</a> Article URL: http://articles.faithwriters.com/reprint-articledetails.php?id=7785

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Stories News A faster and easier way to subscribe to Jasmineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place Plus more! Visit www.jasminesplace.com

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