Collecting Vintage Lily of the Valley Handkerchiefs Hankies

Vintage handkerchiefs make a wonderful collectible. They are still readily available and for the most part affordable. If you want to narrow your focus down some Lily of the Valley designs are some of the prettiest vintage handkerchiefs.

For generations it has been a tradition for brides to carry a pretty handkerchief on their wedding day.
Lily of the Valley flowers have also long been associated with weddings and new beginnings. According to the book, The Language of Flowers,"It is not surprising that the Lily of The Valley symbolizes the Return To Happiness, for it is the sweetest flower imaginable. With it's dainty white bells and unmistakable green scent it is said to lure the Nightingale from his nest and lead him to his mate. It is the symbol of May Day and was known as May Lily and Our Lady's tears because it grew from the tears shed by the Virgin Mary at the Cross. The flowers were grown by monks for decorating the alter and were called Ladder to Heaven because the miniature flower bells grow like steps up from the stem." The young Shulamite bride in the Bible's Book of Love, Song of Solomon, says of herself," I am the Roses of Sharon and the Lily of the Valleys." The Lily of the Valley are especially popular in France and are found as a wild woodland plant throughout Europe. They were not considered a garden plant until the 16th century. They have been considered to bring good luck since the Renaissance.

You will find a wide variety of styles of Lily of the Valley hankies. Often they will be trimmed with lace. There are many embroidered designs, both all white and colored embroidery. Sometimes the lily spray will be entwined with a pair of wedding rings. The printed Lily of the Valley hankies are most striking and a red one would be the hardest to find. Blue of course is very popular due to ladies wanting, "something blue" for their wedding day.

I have found Lily of the Valley hankies made in France, Switzerland, Austria and Madeira Portugal. Madeira made linens are some of the most sought after by collectors.

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Colloidal Silver Soap for Treating Burns

Burns are most unpleasant incident in our life. It can be a result of exposure to extreme heat, chemicals, electricity or radio active materials, which damages body tissues. Its symptom depends on the severity and cause of the burn but usually includes pain and sensitivity to touch. He skin may appear blistered, swollen, charred, dried, weeping, or red, grey or black colored. Silver, in its pure form, has been used as topical antiseptic for minor burns for more than 100 years. Because of silver's antibacterial properties, colloidal silver has been found to prevent the infection resulting from burns.

Silver has been used for thousands of years as a healing and preventive health product. Treating wounds with silver was common from the 1800s to the mid-1900s, when the use of antibiotics took precedence in the medical field. However, silver is still utilized in many medical circumstances. Hospitals use a silver treatment to dress scars and wounds, especially wounds that resist healing. Catheters are lined with silver to prevent infection and water is purified with silver. Now, silver is coming to the at-home health care market.

Minor burns should be first cleaned with colloidal silver soap and cold water and left for drying. There after, colloidal silver may be applied topically. Topical application of colloidal silver made on blistered or open wounds prevents risk of infection. Internal use of colloidal silver is not recommended for this condition. Aloe vera, which is another constituent of soap, is also effective in treating minor burns. The stabilized aloe gel is typically applied to the affected area of skin three to five times per day. Older case studies reported that aloe gel applied topically could help heal radiation burns.

Severe burns require hospitalization. They are typically treated by surgical removal of burned tissue followed by grafting of skin or synthetic substitutes. Use of colloidal soap is not recommended for these conditions.

It is most important to understand the variety of burns that can occur in the human body. Because the treatment of burns depends on the type of burn body has faced. Doctors usually categorize treatment of burns depending on its depth, area and location. Burn depth is generally categorized as first, second or third degree. A first degree burn is superficial and has similar characteristics to a typical sun burn. The skin turns red in color. However, sensitivity is retained which makes this type of burn somewhat painful. Second degree burns look similar to the first degree burns; however, the damage is now severe enough to cause blistering of the skin and the pain is usually somewhat more intense. In the third degree burns, burns the damage has progressed to the point of skin death. The skin becomes white in color and sensitivity is lost. In second and third degree burn types, fluid gets accumulated in and around the affected area. It may result in inflammation in the area surrounding it.

In addition to the intensity, the total area of the burn is also significant. This is usually measured in terms of percent of total body burnt. The skin acts as a barrier from the environment, and without it, patients are subject to infection and fluid loss. Burns that cover more than 15% of the total body surface can lead to shock and require hospitalization for intravenous fluid resuscitation and skin care.

However, location of the burn is most important factor compared to factors mentioned above. For example, burn to eye requires special attention as soon as possible, because it may lead to loss in vision permanently or it may be the cause for clouded vision, both of which are difficult to reverse. Burns of the neck or signs of burns to the nose or mouth require urgent guarding of the patient's airway, as swelling may result in life threatening obstruction. Burned tissue shrinks and can cause damage to underlying structures. Burns that extend circumferentially around body structures require surgical release of the tissue, often referred to as escharotomy.

Skin is the body's first line of defense against infection by microorganisms. As the burn causes skin damage, the body becomes prone to infections. These infections can affect the wounded area as well as the area surrounding it. It can also affect internal parts as the burns skin leaves a gaping hole in the defense mechanism of the body. Therefore, it is most important to prevent infections in the aftermath of burn injury. Here colloidal silver comes into the picture which is so effective in fighting infections.

People in burn wards have known for a very long time that soaking bandages in a low concentration colloidal silver solution inhibits infection in burn victims; it literally saves their skin. In severe cases, it can even save their lives. Burn wards know this, and silver has long been used as an anti-infection agent with bandages or other medical supplies all around the world, especially in Russia, China, Japan, and Germany.

It is very easy to make silver bandages at home using a true colloidal silver that contains most of its silver content in the form of silver nano particles. The bandage pad is simply soaked in the colloidal silver and allowed to dry. The nanoparticles of silver impregnate the bandage material and will provide anti microbial protection when the bandage is applied to a wound. On a smaller scale, a Band-Aid strip can be used by simply putting a few drops of colloidal silver on the pad. It can be allowed to dry and saved for later use, or it can be used while the colloidal silver is still wet on the pad. Likewise, larger wound dressing bandages can be applied while wet with colloidal silver. The colloidal silver will speed wound healing and reduce the amount of scarring

For minor burns, natural medicine may be helpful after the burn is cleaned with soap and cold water and gently dried. Because of the risk of infection, topical applications should not be made to blistered or open burn wounds, unless under medical supervision. Extensive burns or burns causing more than minor discomfort should be treated by a healthcare professional.

Home Sewing - How To Make Your Sewing Not Look Homemade

Most of us will agree that sewing your own clothes saves you money and brings great satisfaction. It is gratifying when you complete a project and can say that you sewed it yourself. But, perhaps the biggest reason most people do not sew their own clothes is because they look homemade. You start out with visions that the outfit will look exactly on you the way it looked on the pattern envelope, but when it's finished it looks like something is missing. And, you can't quite put your finger on what it is.

I remember, as a teenager, staying up all night to finish an outfit so I could wear something new the next day for a special event or occasion. Even though I thought I looked cute, people could tell it was homemade, the night before. The only time the iron touched it was when it was finished, and then I really ironed it… hard. I didn't know what was missing until I stepped into a home economics sewing class, and saw a bunch of odd looking tools that I did not recognize, or know how to use.

What I learned in that sewing class was that the secret to making home sewing not look homemade was in the press…using those odd looking tools. I didn't know that if I put off pressing the garment until completion, that it would be too late to set in the shape. I didn't know that no matter how well I sewed, the professional look was also a result of proper pressing.

Yes, properly pressing seams as you sew actually shapes the garment and sets the stitching lines. As we all know, the body is not flat, it has curves, and using the ironing board alone will not shape the garment properly. The only way to shape your garment is by using the proper pressing equipment along with the ironing board.

If you are like me, and most home sewers, before taking a sewing class, you are also unfamiliar with specialized pressing equipment and not accustomed to using them. But, using the proper tools along with the proper pressing and sewing techniques makes the difference in the end result. It helps shape the fabric so it will fit the body more smoothly. Some of those odd looking pressing tools are listed below:

• Steam iron for pressing and shaping fabric and setting stitches at all stages of construction.

• Ironing board, well padded and smoothly covered in 100% cotton cover, absorbs moisture from the steam iron.

• Tailor's ham for pressing shaped areas and curved seams.

• Seam roll, or sleeve roll, for pressing seam allowances open and pressing seams in narrow areas.

• Clapper for pressing sharp creases without it looking over-pressed.

• Wooden point presser for pressing corners and points, and pressing straight seams open.

• Press cloths for protecting the right side of the fabric during pressing.

Pressing is different from ironing. When most of us iron, we use a back and forth motion, moving the iron over the fabric. In pressing, the iron is lowered to the place to be pressed, then raised off the fabric, and moved to the next area.

Ironing board covers should be 100% cotton because the all-cotton fabric absorbs the moisture so that the fashion fabric will dry quickly. The traditional ironing covers with the reflective surface, actually reflects the steam, and may cause burn damage to some fabrics and slows down the drying process when you're shaping with steam.

First, be sure you know the fabric content to determine the proper heat setting for the iron, then follow the techniques below as you sew your garment pieces together.

Press curved areas such as darts, hiplines, bustlines and collars over the tailor's ham from the wrong side with the point of the dart smoothed flat over the end of the ham to shape their curve. Horizontal darts should be pressed down, and vertical darts should be pressed toward the center of the garment.

Curved seams sometimes need to be clipped slightly along the edges so they can be pressed open without puckering. Do not clip any closer to the seam than absolutely necessary to press the seam flat. Be careful not to cut pass the stitched seam.

Darts in heavy or bulky fabric will be less bulky if you slash in the middle, and then press open. Be careful not to slash so close to the point that the fabric will pull apart.

Press seams open over sleeve or seam roll from the wrong side with the tip of the iron along the stitching line to prevent the seam edges from marking or showing through on the right side.

Follow the grain line in the fabric when pressing by moving the iron in the same direction as the lengthwise yarns of the fabric. Pressing across the grain or on the bias can stretch the garment piece out of shape.

Following the above pressing and sewing techniques will help you achieve the professional-looking results every home sewer dreams of. So, instead of a homemade looking garment, proper pressing gives you professional results and garments that you'll be proud to say…
"I sewed it myself."

How Is A 1963 Half Dollar Coin Valued

Between 1948 and 1963 the silver half dollar was known as the Franklin Half Dollar and on one side could be seen a picture of Benjamin Franklin and on the reverse side was the Liberty Bell with a small eagle. At the time of it first being minted this coin was required to have a small eagle to the right of the Liberty Bell by law. But what is ironic is that Benjamin Franklin actually opposed the use of the eagle as the USA's national symbol and would have preferred that they turkey (a more noble bird) was used instead.

Then in 1963 the coin was changed upon the death of John F Kennedy the president at that time he was assassinated. But what is the 1963 half dollar coin value and how is it calculated. But the value of this coin changed also because the value of silver had risen between 1962 and 1963 and as this coin contains such a high amount of silver compared to those that were minted in 1964 and onwards.

In the beginning the 1963 half dollar coin was being hoarded by many people for sentimental reasons (as a reminder of a US President who was truly loved) and also because they were the only precious metal US coin that remained in circulation at the time.

At present the 1963 half dollar coin is worth around $4.8141724190 and this relates to its rounded silver value. In order to reach this value a coin dealer will use the following equation. First they will need to get hold of the latest metal prices which at present are $13.31 an ounce for silver and $3.1256 an ounce for copper. They will then take the weight of the coin (12.5g) and convert the weight of the silver and copper within the coin in ounces. They then times the weight of the silver in the coin by the price of silver at the time and then times this by the weight of the coin and then times this finally by the percentage of silver that is contained within the coin and this will give you the final rounded silver value of the coin.

In order to arrive at the 1963 half dollar coin value if the half dollar were melted down, they need to use the same calculations shown above for the copper contained within the coin. Once you have the value of the copper held within the coin you then add this to the value of the silver and this provides the coin dealer with the 1963 half dollar coin melt value.

Bad Credit Refinance 101: The Hows and The Whats

If you are like every other home proprietor or general consumer out there, you need to pay for your disbursals somehow. If you have got bad credit, you might be limited in your options as to what you can make (or so you think…keep reading!). This tin be especially bothersome to homeowners who desire to refinance their mortgages to take advantage of low interest rates but have got had a few debt defaults in recent years. The narrative is always the same: you see these low 5% interest rates advertised on television and you cognize that you rate to refinance your home loan with this low interest rate. However, once you call, you happen out that in fact you can refinance your mortgage, but it will cost you a batch more than you think. "What?" you believe to yourself… "Why makes it cost more than for me to refinance my mortgage than I thought it would?" The ground is simple: bad credit. Refinancing with bad credit can be difficult. You might have got filed for bankruptcy or racked up a whole clump of debt which you just couldn't pay off. Debt defaults take a long clip to get off your credit report (if they ever come up off!) and they can impact every lender to whom you owe money.

This is because these days, lenders are very clued in to borrowers credit scores and credit history. All your credit information is stored in a giant database somewhere and if your credit is bad for some reason, it's going to demo up on a mortgage refinancing report. And banks probably don't mind seeing a few defaults and bad credit accounts here and there. More fees for them! Your bank might wish to see one of their client's earmarked as 'bad credit'…they tin raise your interest rate and you can't make anything about it.

These days, having bad credit isn't necessarily as bad as it should be. This is because banks are business physical things too. Banks borrow money just like people do. In modern times of relatively low interest rates, banks need to do money by originating loans. And, a batch of new 'subprime' lenders have got opened up store in recent old age and are specifically in the business of lending to people with bad credit. They are looking to refinance bad credit accounts like yours and accumulate monolithic fees on the backend.

Many people with bad credit history expression to take out loans from friends and family. While this may be a fairly good short term solution, it might not be the smartest of long term business moves. What you need to make is refinance your mortgage and lower your payment. The best thing you can make for yourself is to shop around. I'd be willing to wager that some banks will give you a better deal on a mortgage refinancing than you believe they would. Find out who's got the best rate to get the best deal on your loan. This mightiness take a small legwork, but it could pay off. Determination that right bank to give you the right deal on your refinancing will be deserving the effort.

Mortgage tin endure a lifetime and that extra 1% can add up to literally thousands of dollars over the years. I have got friends that are in their 70s and still paying off their home loans. It'll pay off in the long tally to do certain you happen the best deal possible. Don't allow bad credit halt you from refinancing your home.

Mortgage Refinancing - Does Size Matter After All?

Hopefully your egotism have never had to undergo the words, “It’s all right honey. Size doesn’t matter.” After all, what’s of import is the quality right? In a perfect world, perhaps this is true, but in the kingdom of mortgage refinancing, what is best is usually based on length. Let me explain.

The bulk of mortgages are given at terms of either 15 or 30 years. This simply intends that if you have got got got got a mortgage of $150,000, you will have to pay it off in pre-calculated payments (fixed mortgage) over the adjacent 15 or 30 old age depending on which loan you have chosen.

Both long term (30 years) and short term (15 years) loans have their benefits and drawbacks. With a long term loan, you are going to profit from having significantly lower monthly payments. This do sense because the loan amount is distribute out over a longer clip period of time. However, because the length of the loan is extended over 30 years, you will be paying higher interest rates and subsequently, more than money in interest as opposing to a shorter termed loan.

On the other hand, a home mortgage loan with a length of 15 old age is going to have got a much higher monthly payment than a 30 twelvemonth mortgage. However, the trade-off is that you are going to pay much lower in interest owed to shorter terms carrying an overall lower interest rate.

Some financial analysts urge a 15 twelvemonth mortgage as the best home mortgage loan. They believe that although you are paying more than monthly, you profit from having the mortgage paid off quicker which salvages thousands in interest. Also, by paying more than on your mortgage in a shorter clip period of time, you are increasing the rate at which your equity is being built.

Yet again, other lenders and economic experts urge the 30 twelvemonth mortgage for the lower payments and tax benefits. If you are concerned about length, they urge purchasing a 30 twelvemonth mortgage (minus prepayment penalties) and pay extra on the principal. This allows you to profit from the lower monthly payments and tax benefits as well as having the loan paid off in less than 30 years.

The “best” mortgage length for you depends on what you are willing to compromise on. Both 15 and 30 twelvemonth loans have got their advantages and disadvantages. My advice is to utilize a mortgage payment calculator and see which term plant best for your financial situation. Regardless of the choice, take pridefulness in knowing that you are a homeowner.

Buyers Closing Cost

Buyers, borrower, shutting costs can be divided into two categories. Nonrecurring shutting cost and recurring shutting cost.

Nonrecurring shutting costs on a one-time charge paid upon the stopping point of escrow. Recruiting shutting costs are peeping points that the buyer pays advance to assist offset disbursals that volition go on as long as the but it only to property.

Nonrecurring shutting cost usually paid by the buyer.

1. Loan ordination fee. A fee charged by a lender to cover the disbursals of processing a loan. The fee is usually coded as a percentage of the loan amount

2. Appraisal fee. A fee charged by an valuator for giving an estimation for property value. The fee for simple assessment will change throughout the state, with $350 or more than beingness a typical charge for a single-family residence. Appraisal fees for income places such as as flats or off his edifices are higher.

3. Credit report fee. Before a lender grants a loan to borrowers credits is checked. Each lender, broker charges different amounts for a credit report.

4. Pest control review fee. A fee charged by a accredited inspector who checks for termites, fungus, pests, and other points that mightiness cost structural damage.

5. Tax service fee. A fee paid to a tax service company that, for the life of the loan, each you can reexamine the tax aggregators records. If a borrower neglects to pay the property taxes, the tax service company reported this to the lender, who can take stairway to protect the loan against a tax foreclosure sale.

6. Recording fees. This screens the cost of recording the deep, deep of trust, and other buyer related documents.

7. Notary fees. Signatures on written documents to be recorded must be notarized.

8. Premise fee. A fee paid to a lender if the buyer presumes the loan, that is, buyer holds to take over and go on to pay the seller's existent loan.

9.Title and escrow fees.

Recurring shutting cost usually paid by the buyer.

1. Hazard insurance. A1-year insurance premium for insurance against fire, storm, and other risks. The minimum coverage is the amount of the existent estate loan, but buyers are advised to purchase a great amounts if they do large down payment toward the purchase price.

2. The proration. If the marketer have prepaid the taxes, the buyer reimburses the marketer for the prepaid portion.

3. Tax and insurance reserves. This is also known as an attach account or trust account. If a borrower's monthly loan payment is to include taxes and insurance, as well as principal and interest, the lender that sets up a modesty account. Depending upon the clip of the twelvemonth a lender or the 1 the borrower to prepay 1-6 calendar months of taxes and insurance insurance premiums in today's modesty account. Once an modesty account is established, tax and insurance measures are forwarded to the lender for payment.

4. Interest owed before the first loan payment.