Handmade Birthday Cards
When my children were small they often made me handmade cards and gifts and they always included lots of circles and crosses to show how much they loved me. They were very creative, with every card being unique and not impersonal like mass produced cards. The cards and special gifts always meant so much to me because they were made with love and I will keep them always.
All my children have shown an interest in arts and crafts in various ways over the years, but as they grew and had their own children, their time has become absorbed by other things. However, my daughter took an interest in scrapbooking and I have followed suit. It is fun to create beautiful scrapbooking pages to display mementos and pictures in elegant or fun albums.
It gives me a lot of pleasure to make things like greeting cards, invitations or gifts for that special person. And knowing that everything I make, like my children before me, is one of a kind, makes me feel amazing. I remember when I was little, my brothers and I would make decorations for Christmas out of coloured paper. We always had such fun and our mother always displayed our efforts with pride.
And no matter how much times change, I have precious memories of displaying my children’s work and am now making new memories with my grandchildren. I had such fun with them just before Christmas when I gathered up blank cards, stickers, glitter and glue and they made cards for their parents.
They were so happy to give them to their mums and dads and I must confess that I was not the only one with a tear in the eye. As they get older I am looking forward to more hand made cards, craft fun, maybe making wooden gifts, canvas art, wall hangings, cards or gift tags. The possibilities are endless as there will always be a Christmas, birthday, anniversary, engagement, wedding or just an opportunity to say “I am thinking of you” or “I love you”.
In late 2010, my daughter and I started a small business making handmade birthday cards, weddings and other occasions. We hope each card brings enjoyment and love to the recipient as only handmade cards can. Visit us at Circles and Crosses.
Living in Brisbane
As the major city of the Australian state of Queensland, Brisbane is the third most populous city in the continent. Since Brisbane is so metropolitan, with a large number of, interestingly architecturally designed skyscrapers and a large central business district, many people from neighbouring towns choose to come and relocate to Brisbane mainly due to the great economic opportunities. Life here is a very different experience for people who did not grow up in a large city. People who have experienced city living will most likely find the Brisbane experience similar to many other large cities across over the world, economically speaking. However, when it comes to weather, entertainment, cityscape, and the general cost of living, Brisbane offers something altogether better!
For a start, Brisbane enjoys very warm winters, other than the seasonal 8 weeks of chilly evenings. This easily remedied by adding extra layers. The weather here is generally temperate throughout the year, as it doesn’t get arctic weather, unlike other main places like Moscow or Toronto, with snowy winters. And everyone living in Brisbane is sure to enjoy the beautiful summers, as the city has very warm weather, which is perfect for outdoor pursuits and the beach. Most visitors who visit Brisbane enjoy its night life, festivals, weather and shopping malls, among other things.
When it comes to the cost of living, Brisbane is calculated as one of the least expensive cities and capitals in Australia, making it a great destination for those who wish migrate. Regarding accommodation, food, transport, education, and personal expenses, Brisbane is decidedly more affordable than other cities in the country. This is also perhaps why it is considered to be one the best cities to study in Australia with renowned universities such as QUT residing there.
Also, anyone who is considering living in Brisbane will be happy to know that as well as the relatively inexpensive cost of living, city locals are also very friendly. Drivers are notably polite, and make it a point to give way to pedestrians and merging traffic, and travellers generally make way for each other on trains and buses. Rush-hour commute in the city is generally far less stressful than in other large cities.
There are also a large number of recreational activities in Brisbane, which offers a number of festivals that showcase a love for art and music. The annual Brisbane Ekka Festival is something to go to, as it features a huge number of different rides and attractions. People who love film will enjoy the Brisbane International Film Festival, held annually in August. And there are also a great many interesting spots in the city, so tourism in Brisbane is flourishing.
Travelling in Brisbane is very convenient, as the city has an accessible and wide network of public transportation making it stress-free to get around without a car. Since a large part of the population uses private vehicles, public transport is not as congested. You only needs to go to the Brisbane central business district to get around the entire city, as this is the central hub of transportation in Brisbane so you can get anywhere from there. The train system covers most of the city, as it has ten suburban lines that can take you in every direction from the centre of Brisbane.
Relocating to Brisbane is one of the best living experiences you can opt for, with its fantastic weather, endless recreation activities, friendly locals and convenient transport system.
Looking for backpacker accommodation in Brisbane or cheap accommodation Brisbane? Consider Kookaburra Inn at Spring Hill.
Planning for a Comfortable Retirement
When you do retirement planning, do you picture yourself as resting on a couch, reading a book, and being taken care of by nurses in a retirement home? Or perhaps you would rather spend your retirement in a nice little resort during with one of the popular Fiji holiday packages?
Better yet, there are Bali Holiday Packages which you can avail when you choose the right retirement package. You can only have that life-changing Fiji holiday or that Bali Holiday Packages when you have a good retirement plan.
There are financial institutions and insurance companies that help people achieve these goals, but you have to remember that working hard and working smart for something as worthwhile as these holidays is always a prerequisite. You have to take a look at the status of your financial well-being: are you putting away enough money for retirement? How much are you earning per month? What are the expenses you need to start getting rid of? If you think you are not making enough cash, you better start looking for extra streams of income.
This can be a sideline job. There are many online jobs you can do in the comfort of your home. Writing jobs are the easiest. You may also try to become an online consultant for whatever your forte is: accounting, finance, management. If you want to have a easy retirement, you have to start saving at least $1500 every month by the time you reach the age of 35.
This means that by the time you reach the age of retirement, you are comfortable about your retirement planning. You can spend your days cruising around the Caribbean, or touring the beaches and towns in Asia, where retirement is cheaper.
That is why planning ahead is a crucial task for your retirement. Look for the companies that will increase your investment exponentially, and payout the benefits you deserve. Saving and increasing your income are two of the best ways to secure a good retirement.
The Benefits of Pre-Employment Assessments
In providing workplace health solutions, an astute employer promotes the need to consider the health and wellbeing of employees, from the start of recruitment, as a vital first step in the effective management of the employee life-cycle.
The costs associated with recruiting, the potential impact of work-related injuries and the resulting labour replacement costs provide a strong case to support the introduction of pre-employment assessments as a key component in managing the health and wellbeing of employees.
Research demonstrates that implementing a pre-employment screening program has significant health and financial returns.
- Screened employees were discovered to sustain a 3% injury rate compared to non-screened employees at 33% (Harbin & Olsen, 2005). The implementation of Australia’s largest Pre-Employment organisation is reported to have reduced some of its key customers average workers’ compensation claim costs by 33%. This shows that non-screened employees are 2.4 times more likely to have a muscular-skeletal injury than screened employees (Roshenblum & Shankar, 2006).
- Non-screened employees incurred 4.3 times higher costs of claims than screened employees (Roshenblum & Shankar, 2006).
- Pre-employment screens also ensure a risk assessment is completed on the potential employee; this can assist to mitigate against an organisations risk, in particular common law risk. The average Common law claim is now over $97,000 and is rising at a dramatic rate of 11%. (Q Comp, 2008)
- The average costs of return-to-work cases were found to dramatically reduce when comparing injured workers who had passed screening vs those who had never been screened. The cost savings were found to be in excess of $18 per dollar spent on the pre-employment screen. (Littlejohn, 2007)
- Pre-employment functional screenings were found to be effective in lowering the severity of work-related back sprains and related medical costs and lost time from the workplace (Nassau, 1999).
- Pre-employment screens enable a base line reading for health screen items such as hearing and eyesight, and lung function screens to be obtained on order to minimise any organisation’s exposure to permanent impairment liability.
A comprehensive pre-employment assessment can involve all or any combination of the following components:
Medical History, Alcohol Screening, Urine Drug Screening, Blood Pressure, Range of Motion, Upper Limb Testing, Posture, Back Care and Manual Handling, Cardiovascular Fitness, Lung Function, Audio Testing, Colour Vision, and Visual Acuity.
Employment applicants are screened through a comprehensive range of medical and physical tests specifically selected to precisely represent core work-related functional requirements. In all cases, a detailed report ought to be provided highlighting the work-related functional restrictions and/or recommendations relating to the candidate’s proposed employment.
For more information about the management of corporate health, please visit http://www.konekt.com.au