Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Speak to the bride about the guest list. Determine the budget. Select a date and time. Choose a location or book a venue. Choose a theme for the shower that matches the wedding theme or colors. Send out invitations 1 month before the event.

Answer: Unless the bridal shower is a surprise, you should get the bride’s input on who she wants to attend. Write a list of everyone she wants to invite, and ask for the guest’s addresses so you can send them invitations, as well. Remind the bride that anyone invited to the shower should also be invited to the wedding. Typically, the hostess pays for the bridal shower. If you aren’t sure you can manage tackling the cost on your own, consider asking a few of the bride’s close friends or family members to co-host the shower with you. The cost of the shower can be split evenly between the hostesses.  You don’t need to shell out a ton of cash to have a nice shower. Consider splurging on a beautiful location and keeping decorations and refreshments to a minimum. Alternately, host the party in someone’s home to save money and purchase cute cupcakes and simple floral arrangements for a fancy feel. Typically, bridal showers are held on the weekend. Speak to the bride well in advance to find a date and time that works well for her. She’ll be busy planning the wedding and may have other engagements, like cake tastings or dress fittings, to work around. Opt for a mid-afternoon shower if you want to avoid serving a full meal. If possible, give the bride a choice of several locations and let her decide which she likes best. For example, you could offer to host the party at your home, at a local restaurant, or at an outdoor event venue in town. Once she’s selected a location, book the venue, if applicable. Speak to the bride about what she envisions for the shower. Oftentimes, the wedding colors will work for the shower as well. Or, you can choose a theme based on the bride’s interests or plans for the marriage.  For instance, if the duo plans to honeymoon in the Caribbean, go for a Caribbean-themed bridal shower. Decorate with seashells and tropical flowers, play reggae music, and serve island cocktails. Alternatively, if the wedding has a roaring 20s theme, decorate the invitations and space with feathers and bling, play 1920s music at the shower, or even request that guests come in flapper dresses. To ensure that guests can make arrangements to attend, party invitations should be sent out no less than 1 month before the event. You can hand-make invitations, buy invitation templates to fill in, or have invitations printed specifically for the event.  Include information about where the bride is registered for the bridal shower, if applicable. Keep track of the RSVPs so you know how many guests to expect, and make a point to reach out to anyone you don’t receive an RSVP from.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Stain or paint your popsicle sticks. Add extra detail to your fan. Open and close your fan. Practice waving your fan. Leave your fan open.

Answer: This is a strictly optional step, but which will add another dimension to your fan.  Buy some standard wood stain or acrylic paint in any color or shade you like.  Chinese fans usually use a reddish stain on the wood handles, but you should choose something which compliments your design.  Take a small paintbrush, and apply small brushstrokes to one of the popsicle sticks.  Make sure to get both the top, sides, and the back of the exposed end. Let one popsicle stick dry before you turn it over.  It is best to wait a day in between each, but you should at least give it an hour or so. If you go the acrylic paint route, you can add painted designs after you apply an initial base coat.  You might want to continue the design from your fan onto the popsicle sticks, or add in something complimentary.  Make sure to buy a smaller paintbrush for the finer details. This could mean any number of things.  You might want to glue on buttons or beads to the popsicle sticks.  You can use glitter glue to highlight the edges of your popsicle sticks, or use it to highlight the edges of the actual fan. The important thing is to be creative without adding too much.  Remember, this is a fan which will by necessity take on a lot of wear and tear.  Too many beads, or add-ons may make the fan too heavy, or make it damage relatively quicker than it normally would. Your fan needs "exercise" so that the creases continuously open and close the same way.  Every day, try to open and close your fan 3-4 times.  Do this for a week straight so you get used to how it opens and closes.  The creases of your fan will become more permanent. If you are just using your fan at church to keep you cool, you can wave and hold your fan any way you wish.  However, if you are going out to the opera, there is a more sophisticated way to hold your fan.  Open your fan half-way (half a circle) and place it in front of your face, so that other people would only be able to see your eyes and nose.  Your hand will hold the fan at the bottom center of the half circle.  Place your thumb on the outside of the fan (decoration side).  Your other four fingers will be placed on the inside (non-decoration side). Gently wave the fan towards your face.  If the fan comes into contact, move the fan away slightly.  The goal is to cool yourself off, show off your fan, and too demonstrate your level of sophistication. Certainly the goal of this project is to create a contractible fan.  However, if your fan stays closed for too long, the design you have on it can become worn and damaged.  After you are done using it for the night, and you are home, open the fan up.  Lay it down on a flat surface, or hang it up on the wall as a home decoration.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Decorate everything. Write your own vows. Have someone special sing or read. Have a loved one officiate the wedding.

Answer: Decorations are where your theme really shines. The three greatest places to decorate at a wedding are the aisle, the altar, and the tables at the reception.  For the aisle you can roll out a red Hollywood carpet or attach beautiful bouquets to the end of each row. The stage or altar that you are getting married on should be simple enough that all the focus is on you, but have enough character so that all the picture will be uniquely yours. Table centerpieces at the reception are limitless when it comes to decorative potential. You could use simple items like candles, river stones, or vases with flowers, or you could place a prop or item relevant to your theme on each table. Vows are a perfect way to add a personal tone to the ceremony and be yourself with your partner. If you want to write your own vows, agree on a format beforehand with your partner so they match in terms of tone. You can make them funny or personal and sentimental. Just be creative and read other vows for inspiration. If you happen to have a close mutual friend who is a talented singer, consider asking them to sing at your wedding. If you have a close friend who could not be a part of the wedding party but you still want to include, offer to let them read a particular passage from a religious or otherwise significant text. It’s a relatively simple process to become an ordained minister. If you and your partner have someone special that you would love to officiate your wedding, they can! It’s a quick and free process to become an ordained minister online and in return they’ll be able to officiate weddings and sign the marriage license. Be careful, though, as some states do not officially recognize marriages officiated by someone who became a minister for a day to do so. Check your state’s requirements to ensure that you can pursue this option.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Look for armyworms and/or droppings. Mow your hay fields. Use insecticide.

Answer:
Look under your plants for armyworms and/or signs of their frass (droppings). You may also find larvae hiding under plant debris. If you are growing barley or wheat, you may find worms inside of the heads.  Newly hatched armyworms may have no distinguishing marks, but older armyworms will be either brown with yellow stripes or green with light stripes. Armyworm droppings resemble black pepper. If armyworms have infested your hay field, mowing the field is the first course of action. As the hay dries, the armyworms lose interest in it as a food source and move on. You can apply insecticides to the field using either ground or aerial equipment. The following insecticides have been proven effective on controlling armyworms:  Asana XL should be used only on corn crops and should not be applied within 21 days of harvest. Permethrin is also only for use on corn and should not be used within 30 days of harvest. Carbaryl (Sevin) may be applied either to corn or wheat. Do not do more than two applications and do not it apply within 21 days of harvest. Ethyl is useful for corn, sorghum and all small grains but can only be applied with an aerial application. Do not apply ethyl within 12 days of harvesting corn or sorghum, and within 15 days of harvesting small grains. After you apply the ethyl, post notices that the field is being treated, and stay out of it for three days. Lorsban can be applied to corn and sorghum. Do not allow livestock to graze in the field for at least 15 days after you apply lorsban. Do not feed meat or dairy animals grains treated with Lorsban until at least 35 days have passed. Lannate or Malathion can be used on all crops. Do not spray these insecticides within seven days of harvest and stay out of the field for two days after treatment. Methyl is used for aerial application on corn and small grains only. Do not apply it within 12 days of a corn harvest, or 15 days of a small grain harvest. Post notices in the fields, and stay out of them for two days. Warrior can be used in corn, sorghum or wheat fields. Do not apply it within 20 days of corn harvest or 30 days of sorghum or wheat harvest.