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Amish Quilt
Being from the heart of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, I am always amazed at the fascination with the Amish community. I find myself driving behind horse and buggies each and every day, wishing that they would find other roads on which to travel which would not affect my daily commutes to and from work. I shake my head when I see the tourists swarming to the attractions that focus on displaying the Amish lifestyle and culture. Some co-workers persuaded me to attend a charity auction a few years ago. I had no idea what to expect; I figured it would just be a way to show support and an evening out of the house. After a few uninteresting items went up for bid and were sold, a large Amish quilt was brought up to the podium. Around me, several people gasped and seemingly came to life. The auctioneer was sure to point out its intricate details and even named the local family who had been responsible for its creation. I wasn’t impressed. What did impress me was the amount of bidders that were relentless in staking their claim in owning this quilt. It sold for $450. I practically had to pick my jaw up off of the floor.
Much to my amazement, Amish quilts are highly sought after. While some may be plain, others demonstrate some brilliant designs and patterns that only the Amish can create. I had no idea how many hours upon hours it takes the Amish to make a quilt. I had no idea, depending on what season it happens to be, how many women end up coming together to help finish an Amish quilt. And so, the very next weekend, I found myself at one of those tourist attractions that I had always zoomed right past. The various aspects to the Amish culture that I was suddenly absorbing was amazing to me. As if it was meant to be, a tour guide went into a whole speech about the meaning and significance of the Amish quilt. When a girl is born into an Amish family, it is assumed that once she begins to walk and talk, she will begin the art of quilting. Since the Amish do not acknowledge earthly luxuries that most of us take for granted, such as electricity, the need for the Amish quilt began long before they were ever commercialized and
sold for high prices at auctions. A lack of electricity left the Amish households cold in the fall and winter months. Quilts were made simply for the necessity of keeping warm at night. The women would work on them individually and then come together in ‘quilting bees’ as a means for them to socialize and form friendships. At these quilting bees, they would help one another finish their Amish quilts. Young Amish girls would start to make quilts for their future households. Eventually, the Amish figured out that the rest of the world was incredibly interested in their creations. Suddenly, it became a way for them to not only stay warm and socialize, but to make money and support their families. The amount of hours that these women put into making these quilts is simply incredible.
After learning about how the quilts are made and the amount of time and care that goes into making each individual quilt, it no longer surprised me that they sell for such a hefty price. It also no longer surprises me that people find these quilts to be such a wonderful find. Though I have a new respect for the culture, I will forever get annoyed at the mere thought of driving behind their buggies. That’s just a given.
 | US $16,500.00 End Date: Monday Apr-05-2010 8:46:13 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $16,500.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $8,200.00 End Date: Thursday Apr-01-2010 20:09:55 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $8,200.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $6,800.00 End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 18:44:38 PST Buy It Now for only: US $6,800.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $6,500.00 End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 18:18:41 PST Buy It Now for only: US $6,500.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
Tags: amish quilt
Italian Espresso Machine for Your Home
Everyone loves coffee! This is plain and simply a major aspect of our society as we know it. It is the beverage of choice for the morning, lunch meetings and even after work. Basically, most people all over the world love coffee and espresso drinks. There is a major market for these tasty caffeinated beverages in the United States alone. The only problem is the steep cost of many coffee drinks. What do you fork out for a mocha latte, double shot of espresso, or cafe breve each time you hit up the local coffee shop? If you are like most people, you probably spend a good $3 to $5 per drink. Heck, for the large beverages, it may be even six bucks. Yikes! That can really add up.
There are ways to get your coffee bill under wraps. One method is to acquire an Italian espresso machine for your home. Surely by now you have encountered a few of these. They come in all shapes and sizes, and can be purchased for various prices. While one Italian espresso machine might cost $2000, another machine might only be around two or three hundred bucks. A lot just depends on what you what the machine to accomplish, and how much you are willing to spend. If you are up for investing around $500 in an Italian espresso machine, then you can pretty much get one that does it all. The key is to take a closer look at all of the espresso machines currently on the market first.
Some great places to begin your search for Italian espresso machines are in department stores, home stores, and kitchen stores. Major chains like Bed Bath And Beyond offer a pretty decent selection of espresso machines to suit most kitchens. You can also find a good variety of coffee makers in William Sonoma. However, the prices tend to get pretty steep in fine kitchen stores like this. You should also give online stores a shot. Virtually any Italian espresso machine you can imagine can be acquired online. The prices vary greatly, starting as low as $50. However, keep in mind that you get what you pay for. So ask yourself, how much do you like java?
Do not be intimidated by all of the espresso machines on the market. While there certainly are a lot of them, this gives you the option to choose any one that suits your individual needs. Believe it or not, you can even spend $5000 on an Italian espresso machine that is industrial grade. Can you imagine one of these in your kitchen? The espresso would be amazing! So take your time and look at a few different espresso machines when you have the chance. This does not take long, and it will save you oodles of money in the long run. Say farewell to that horrific coffee bill.
 | US $629.99 End Date: Saturday Mar-27-2010 12:54:50 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $629.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $500.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Mar-14-2010 20:57:39 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
 | US $369.00 End Date: Monday Mar-15-2010 22:42:51 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $369.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $175.00 End Date: Wednesday Apr-07-2010 19:54:06 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $175.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
High Pressure Shower Head
For me, showering is not simply a way to get clean. The shower is where I relax and let go of all of my cares. When I am stressed out, I just go into the shower for an hour and come out refreshed and renewed. It doesn’t matter what is happened that day. A good hot shower will always make me feel better.
When I first moved into my house, I thought the shower pressure was miserable. I figured that the plumbing was old or something. There’s not much you can do about that. Fixing it will cost thousands of dollars. I found out that the problem was much easier to fix. Once I got a high pressure shower head, it worked like magic.
You might think that high pressure shower heads are not very important to the quality of your shower, but you are dead wrong. You see, with this big water conservation craze, many people put in water saving shower heads. Some of these are alright for people who just use a shower to get clean, and some of them even do have a pretty high degree of pressure, but for people like me who really enjoy their showers, they are not enough. Without a high pressure shower head, a shower is practically worthless to me. My wife tries to guilt trip me about using up too much water, but I don’t pay her any mind. I just turn on the high pressure shower head and drown out all my cares!
The best thing about high pressure shower heads is that they work even if the water pressure is only so-so. They concentrate the stream of water, causing it to feel like gallons and gallons are pouring down on you. There are actually water saving high-pressure shower heads for just this purpose, but in our house, the plumbing is good enough that we don’t need them. I don’t mind wasting the water. We live in an area with plenty of water, so I don’t feel too bad about it. For me, the high pressure shower head is worth it. I almost couldn’t get by without it.
It can be very hard to pick out the right high pressure shower head. It isn’t like picking out a bed. You can’t try out each high pressure shower nozzle and see if it is right for you. You have to go on faith. Consumer Reports can help, but I had to go through three or four before I found one that I really liked.
 | US $79.95 End Date: Wednesday Mar-24-2010 14:30:07 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $79.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $29.95 End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 9:13:02 PST Buy It Now for only: US $29.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $29.95 End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 9:13:16 PST Buy It Now for only: US $29.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $29.95 End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 9:13:27 PST Buy It Now for only: US $29.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
