| How to Decorate a Wedding Car with Ribbon Posted: 12 Oct 2019 05:00 PM PDT Decorating the getaway car for a wedding is a fun way to greet the newly-wedded couple after the ceremony. Traditionally, the best man and groomsmen decorate the car with ribbons, banners, and other decorations.[1] However, bridesmaids, friends, family, and even the couple themselves can decorate the car. There's no one right way to outfit the car with ribbon, but it always helps to consider the colors and theme of the wedding when planning your décor. In some cases, the car rental company may even help you decorate, if applicable. [Edit]Creating a Decorative Scheme - Check to see if the rental company allows decorations, if applicable. In many cases, this won't be a problem, but it's always good to check. Check with the company to ensure they will allow decorations on the car, and to see if there are any limits to what you can and can't include.[2]
- Some companies may also require that you purchase a decoration package from them instead of decorating yourself. Ask to see if this is the case for you.
- If you're not renting and plan to decorate a vehicle that belongs to someone else, be sure to ask them if it's okay before attaching decorations.
- Establish the wedding color palette. Weddings often work with a palette of 2-5 colors. These colors are integrated into everything from the flowers to the dresses and tuxes, to reception decorations. Figure out what the color palette for the wedding is so that you can plan the car decorations to match.[3]
- If you're unsure about the palette, white decorations are usually a good option for a traditional wedding.
- Ask about a wedding theme. In addition to a color palette, some weddings have themes like art deco, shabby chic, or rock 'n' roll. Ask the couple if their wedding will have a theme. If so, look for decorations that fit the overall style and aesthetic of the theme.[4]
- For example, if the wedding is shabby chic, you can make a "Just Married" banner for the windshield out of burlap or card stock and twine.
- If the wedding theme is rock 'n' roll, paint the banner on old 45 rpm vinyl records.
- Find out what kind of car the couple will use. The model of car can play into the theme of the decorations, too. Find out what make and model the couple will be riding off in to adapt your décor to vehicle style.[5]
- If they reserved a vintage Rolls-Royce Phantom limo, for example, the traditional white ribbons and cans would look very appropriate.
- If they reserved a 60's-style Volkswagen bus, you may consider adding some peace signs or tie-dye ribbons to the decorations.
- If they're using their own or someone else's vehicle, you can consider matching the decorations to the car style or color. You can also go with any ribbon color you like, and not worry about the matching the vehicle.
- Check the forecast for the day of the wedding. Since these decorations have to wait outside for the couple, they need to be able to withstand the weather. If it looks like rain on the day of the wedding, consider laminating paper banners or choosing a water-resistant material.[6]
- Likewise, think about what the ground outside the venue will be like. If it's going to be wet and muddy, think about using dark-colored ribbons that will hide the dirt.
- Ask the car rental company if they offer decorating services. Limo rental companies, vintage car rental companies, and other companies that do a lot of weddings often offer car decoration packages. Ask a few weeks before the wedding to see if this option is available, if applicable.
- These packages usually have an additional fee associated with them, so get a quote or estimate before you book.
[Edit]Positioning and Securing the Ribbon - Run ribbons over the front of the hood to create a sleek, modern look. You will need 2 pieces of thick fabric ribbon that measure roughly from the hood of the car to the back of the roof. Secure 1 end of both ribbons to the latch on the front-middle of the hood.[7]
- You can also use mounting putty to secure the ribbon in place.
- Avoid using tape to secure ribbon to the car, since this could damage the paint.
- Use the car's windows to secure the other ends of the ribbon. After attaching 1 end to the hood latch, pull each ribbon back in a diagonal to form a V shape up toward the rearview mirrors. Secure the other ends of the ribbon by rolling them up in the front windows on either side of the car or tying them around the rear view mirrors.[8]
- This technique makes the car look gift-wrapped.[9]
- Tie bundles of ribbons onto the rear bumper for a traditional look. Cut several lengths of ribbon long enough to trail behind the car when hung from the rear bumper. The exact number of ribbons you need will depend on the width of the car and how dense you want to make your trail.[10]
- For a small ribbon trail, 20-25 lengths of ribbon will do. For a dense trail, it may be closer to 50.
- For some cars, you may be able to slip the ribbons through the bumper itself. For others, you may have to bundle the ends of the ribbons and close them in the trunk to get them to stay.
- Make sure you don't obscure the license plate![11]
- Drape tulle on the hood or along the sides of the car. You can wrap the hood in colorful tulle and tie the ends around the rear view mirrors or the car door handles for a simple solution. Secure one end of the tulle at the hood latch, drape it loosely over the hood, and tie the other end around one of the rearview mirrors, the antenna, or the door handles. Use mounting putty to secure the loose tulle to the car's body.[12]
- You can also drape the tulle along the sides of the car or use the trunk to secure sections of tulle to the rear of the car.
- Make sure you don't block the doors with the tulle!
- Tie pretty ribbons and streamers to the car's antenna. Use ribbon in a few different colors, sizes, and fabrics for a fun look. You can knot the ribbons and streamers around the top of the antenna or use tape to attach them. Make sure ribbons are only a few feet long, since longer ribbons may snag on objects or bother other drivers on the road.[13]
- You can use as many ribbons you want—just remember to keep your choices pretty simple so that you don't obstruct the driver's view!
- Try to avoid using thick bunches of ribbons or super wide ribbons, since car antennae aren't super sturdy. 5-10 lightweight ribbons ought to be enough!
[Edit]Adding Accents - Make a bow to put on the hood. No matter the wedding theme or aesthetic, bows are a classic decoration. Make a large ribbon bow to put on the hood of the car, or to stick onto the back near the latch of the trunk.[14]
- If you choose to pull V-shaped ribbons across the hood of your car, you could put the bow at the front of your hood where the 2 ribbons meet. This covers up any messy ends at the bottom of the V. Use very thick ribbon that's wide.
- You can also make smaller, matching bows to stick on the back of each of the rear view mirrors. Go with ribbon that's wide for this.
- Attach plastic soda bottles to rear bumper streamers. Traditionally, tin cans were used, but these can actually create sparks when they hit the asphalt at high speeds. In some areas, using tin cans for this is even illegal! A safer, more modern take on this is to tie plastic soda bottles to the ends of the ribbons.[15]
- A strong double-knot should secure the plastic bottle to the ribbon, but you can also use hot glue.
- You could also use small, heart-shaped Mylar balloons instead of plastic bottles for a quieter option!
- Attach flower bows to the back of the rearview mirrors. You can buy flower bows at most floral shops in any color you wish. Tie them around the rearview mirrors and secure the flower part to the back of each mirror with mounting putty. Then, let the streaming ends hang down so they'll flutter in the wind when the couple drives away.[16]
- Add other accents like banners or window writing. Accents and banners aren't necessary, but they are pretty common. Hang a banner from the rear bumper or windshield that says "Just Married," or something significant to the couple. Use magnetic tape to attach the banner to the car, which shouldn't cause any damage. Alternatively, you could use window-writing markers to write the message in the rear windshield.[17]
- You could also hang the banner on the inside of the back windshield or use decals that stick to the rear window glass to create the message.
- As with any décor, make sure you check with the car rental company before you write in the windows.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Various ribbon colors and sizes
- Scissors
- Flower bows
- Plastic soda bottles
- Heart-shaped Mylar balloons
- Mounting putty
- Card stock
- Twine
- Streamers
[Edit]References |
| How to Manage Your Team Effectively Posted: 12 Oct 2019 09:00 AM PDT When it comes to business management, stronger leadership skills are essential. Whether you're managing a large department in a corporation or supervising a few employees in a home-based startup, you'll need to know how to effectively manage and encourage your team. Effective management is grounded in open communication and allows you and your team to work well together. [Edit]Inspiring Your Team to Work Hard - Motivate employees to contribute and produce results. Employees who do not feel that their contribution matters to the company are likely to lack motivation and may not apply themselves to their work. So, keep your employees motivated to help them enjoy their work and to stay productive. As you get to know your team members better, you'll be able to think of personalized ways to motivate them.[1] For example, you can provide motivation by:
- Acknowledging productive employees' work at monthly all-hands meetings.
- Offering annual bonuses to productive employees.
- Making it clear to employees why their work helps the company.
- To effectively personalize motivation, pay attention to the ways individual employees respond to motivational strategies. For example, 1 employee may be motivated primarily by feeling that their work matters, while another may work best when given public praise in front of co-workers. Motivate employees using the type of motivation that they respond best to.
- Avoid using unequal types of motivation among your employees. For example, handing out frequent financial bonuses to a select few employees may lead other team members to believe that you are playing favorites.
- Reward employees for their hard work. When a team member does some exemplary work that you feel deserves recognition, you can reward them with a small trophy a monetary award. Your team members will work hard for your approval if you're generous with rewards. Verbal praise and recognition is also a great way to reward productive employees.[2]
- You can give verbal praise either privately or in front of the entire team. Shy or easily-embarrassed employees may prefer private recognition, while extroverted employees who crave the approval of others will feel more rewarded if their efforts are acknowledged in a public setting.
- If you come across as indifferent to your employees' hard work, your team will come to see you as an ineffective leader.
- Maintain a positive attitude when you interact with team members. A manager's attitude can make a huge difference. Being positive, smiling, and occasionally making small talk can increase positive energy around the workplace and can encourage the employees to become more engaged in their work. It helps to show your staff that you are approachable and that you are all a part of one team.[3]
- When employees feel that their manager cares about how their day is going or if they are feeling better after being sick, they feel valued and appreciated, leading to greater productivity and positive attitudes.
[Edit]Leading Your Team - Work hard to show employees that you're invested in the company. Effective managers lead by example. To set a good example, you should be one of the first people to arrive at work in the morning. Keep most of your interpersonal interactions with employees focused on work. Show that you care about the company, and apply yourself to work.[4]
- If your team sees that you're a dedicated, hard worker, they'll come to respect you as a leader. What's more, your team will also be motivated to work hard and follow in your footsteps.
- Do not, for example, make personal phone calls while you're at work or openly browse the Internet on your work computer.
- Lead your team with openness and approachability. Most team members will be able to see through your personal presentation if you come across as an authoritarian, near-perfect person. So, be real and approachable. Celebrate successes and lament failures along with your team members, rather than shutting yourself up in your office most of the time. Having an approachable manager will lead employees to feel that they can trust you.[5]
- For example, it's fine to acknowledge a mistake that you made, or show a little tiredness at the office.
- Encourage comradery among team members. Close professional relationships among team members will make employees feel comfortable and should increase their productivity. Closely-knit teams are generally more willing to help one another complete assignments and think of new, innovative ways of helping the company succeed.[6] Try building comradery by:
- Inviting employees to an after-work happy hour once a week.
- Holding weekly all-hands meetings for face-to-face communication.
- Praising team members for work they do well and encouraging other employees to do likewise.
- Delegate responsibilities to deserving, capable team members. As a manager, you'll need to assign tasks to your employees. Do this thoughtfully. Consider the nature of the task that you're assigning and think about the strengths of the members of your team. Assign tasks to team members who will enjoy the work and will be able to complete it with success.[7]
- For example, if a team member excels at administrative work, give them a task like organizing meetings with your clients.
- Once you've delegated a task, avoid micro-managing the employee you assigned the work to. Let your team members do the jobs you've given them. However, if an employee is working on a large project (or if you're dealing with a newer employee), it's reasonable to ask for monthly progress reports.
- Demonstrate strong decision-making skills. Being decisive is a necessary quality for any effective team leader. Being decisive will inspire similar workplace behaviors in your team members. Making effective decisions is a great way to inspire by example. For example, don't waffle when delegating tasks to your employees. Make a decision and stick with it.[8] If you're often indecisive or change your mind once you've made a choice, your team may feel that you can't lead effectively because you struggle to make decisions.
- However, you also need to be able to recognize if a decision isn't working. While effective team managers are capable of making firm decisions, they also need to be able to admit when and if they made an impractical choice. If you've instituted a new policy or pursued a business opportunity that isn't working out, you may need to revise your initial decision.
- Part of being an effective and decisive leader is knowing when to solicit the opinions of team members. It's fine if you want to gain a consensus from your team before making an important decision.
- Deal with disciplinary issues when they arise. Effective leaders are capable of disciplining their team members when a team member has violated a workplace rule or has a serious disagreement with another employee. To be an effective leader, do not put off dispensing disciplinary measures. Although the task may be unpleasant, you'll come off as incapable of handling conflict if you refuse to deal with the situation quickly.
- For example, meet with employees and mediate between them if there's an ongoing office dispute.[9] If this doesn't solve the problem, you may reassign one of the troublesome team members to another office or department.
- In the case of more serious offenses—e.g., criminal activity at work or sexual harassment—you may need to fire the employee.
[Edit]Fostering Communication in the Workplace - Communicate openly and frequently with your staff. As a manager, you need to share new information pertaining to the employees' work and welcome their questions and comments. Communication helps employees feel like they're a valuable part of the company, and shows employees that their contributions matter. Effective communication can occur via email or interoffice memos, during meetings, or during face-to-face conversations.[10]
- Try having an open-door policy which allows employees to come in and talk with you about concerns. Keeping the lines of communication open will foster morale.
- Also keep employees informed about any company news including new hires, upcoming mergers, and business expansions.
- Solicit and listen to your employees' feedback. Listening skills are an important aspect of office communication. It is important to be ready to listen to your employees, whether they're offering work suggestions or bringing up complaints. Long-term employees may have suggestions that can improve workflow processes. Newer employees may need clarification regarding office policies.[11]
- Listen carefully to any input that your team members offer, so that you can respond clearly and effectively. This doesn't mean that you must always agree with team-member input, but at least express appreciation for the input.
- For example, if a team member tells you, "I think we can improve how we're handling the new client's sales problem. They might benefit from more focus on social-media advertising," respond with, "That's a great idea, thanks for sharing. I think we should run that by the marketing department. Can you set up a meeting for next week?"
- Encourage your team members to brainstorm new ideas and solutions. Brainstorming is an important part of any close-knit office environment. Sessions can produce new ideas that improve workflow and office policies. Brainstorming can also bring team members closer together and strengthen professional relationships. Try to solicit brainstorming ideas during monthly meetings, or send out an email or memo asking team members to brainstorm on a specific topic.[12]
- Praising team members for their helpful contributions will encourage them to participate in future brainstorming sessions.
- Get to know people at all levels of the organization. As a manager, it may be tempting to only familiarize yourself with other managers and your direct subordinates. However, you can manage more effectively if you have a working professional relationship with a range of team members and other employees. Showing that you're invested in all of your company's employees will also raise your credibility in your employees' eyes.[13]
- For example, offer to take a college intern or a new entry-level hire out to lunch.
- Or, strike up a lunchtime conversation with a senior manager from a different department.
- If you have a large home, try inviting 6-10 co-workers or peers over for dinner occasionally. Vary the team members you invite, so that everyone is invited with the same frequency.
- Solve workplace disputes quickly and fairly. In any workplace setting, it's inevitable that some disagreements and minor disputes will come up. As the manager, it's your responsibility to resolve these disputes, using communication whenever possible. If 2 employees are having a disagreement, for example, you can meet with each one individually and find out what's upsetting them. Then, meet with the employees together and insist that they hash out a way to resolve the problem.[14]
- If an employee persists in causing trouble around the office, especially if they're making the environment uncomfortable for other workers, talk to HR or higher management about suspending or disciplining the employee.
- Try not to treat employees as if they're your friends. While you should strive to make the workplace pleasant, remember that your employees must treat you with the respect that you deserve as a manager.
- Insecure or power-hungry managers often lead with an iron hand. The iron-hand approach may get the job done, but it won't create enthusiasm and inspiration among your staff. Being a cold, authoritative manager may also fill the workplace atmosphere with quiet tension and resentment.
[Edit]References |
| How to Wash Outdoor Cushions Posted: 12 Oct 2019 01:00 AM PDT Outdoor cushions see the worst the weather has to offer, and can quickly get dirty, faded, and even moldy if you don't wash them often. If you are struggling to find a way to clean off the cushions, you can use a few common household products to clean them off, remove mildew, and even keep them nice and dry. [Edit]Putting Cushion Covers in the Washing Machine - Check the cushion's care tag. The manufacturer's care tag on the cushion may have restrictions on whether or not you should machine wash the cover or the cushion itself. Each cushion and cover is different, and some have sensitive coatings that protect the fabric from damage.
- The tag will often provide detailed care instructions for you to follow.
- If either the covers, cushions, or the whole pillows suggest hand-washing, skip to the section on hand-washing your cushions.
- Remove the cushion covers, if possible. If the care tag for the covers suggests machine washing, you'll need to take the covers off the cushions.[1]
- Shake out the covers before machine washing them to get rid of any debris or dirt trapped inside.
- Pre-treat the cushions by rubbing a stain remover on large stains. If the cushions are especially stained, using a stain remover before throwing them in the wash will help the washing machine break down the stain. Stain removers can be found in most home goods stores.[2]
- You don't need to rinse off the stain remover, as you will be washing the pillow immediately after removing the stains.
- Load the covers in the washing machine. If the care tag recommends machine-washing, simply place the covers in the washer. Be sure to follow any special instructions described on the care tag, like the machine specifications or the cycle to use.[3]
- You can throw the covers in with another load, or wash them on their own.
- Add detergent and set the machine on a cold, gentle cycle. Filling the cap to the lowest marking should be plenty for a small load of a few covers, unless they are large and bulky or especially dirty. Set the machine to gentle so that you don't damage the fabric or fade the design.[4]
- Cold water is almost always a good idea for sensitive fabrics.
- Air-dry the covers or dry them on the lowest heat setting. Cushion covers may be damaged by high heat, so towel drying and then hanging them up to dry is the best way to keep them safe. If this is impractical, set the dryer to the lowest heat cycle you can.
[Edit]Hand Washing Outdoor Cushions - Use a vacuum to get rid of dirt on the cushions themselves. Regardless of whether your cushions have covers, use the upholstery fixture on your vacuum to remove the loose dirt that your cushion is almost certainly covered in. This will quickly and thoroughly remove debris from the cushions.[5]
- If you don't have an upholstery attachment, you can simply run the vacuum over the cover as it rests on the ground. Turn the cover inside out if possible to vacuum the inside as well.
- Add of dishwashing solution to a bucket of water. Combine the dish soap and of warm water in a bucket, tub, or plastic bin. This will be the hand-washing solution for you to use as you clean the cushion and its cover.[6]
- Laundry detergent is too highly concentrated for use when washing fabrics by hand, but you may be able to find ready-made hand washing solutions at fabric or home goods stores.
- Scrub the suds onto the cushions with a sponge or soft brush. Use your hands to get dirt off and a soft-bristled brush, like the kind you would use to wash dishes, to rub the fabric until tough stains come off. The brush should be abrasive without feeling like it might tear the fabric.[7]
- If you use a sponge, rub vigorously on the cover so that it gets as clean as it would with a brush.
- Let the covers, and cushions if possible, soak in the solution for 15 minutes. If you have a large enough container, you can soak the entire cushions to help clean the insides. If you only have a bucket or other smaller container, just soak the covers in the solution.[8]
- You can weigh the covers down with a small, clean rock if they float to the top.
- Spray the cushions with a hose to rinse them off. To remove the suds, you'll need to use a garden hose to rinse the cushions down. Be thorough and try to completely soak the cushions all the way through.[9]
- Never use a power or pressure washer on fabric, as it can create tears.
- Dry the cushions with a towel before letting them air dry. Squeeze out the water and then wrap a towel around the cushion to get rid of most of the moisture. Then, let the cushions air dry, sitting vertically on a dry towel.[10]
- Lean the cushions against a wall or other sturdy backing to keep mildew from forming on the underside.
[Edit]Removing Mold and Mildew - Soak the cushions in water and Borax for 15 minutes. You can either add of Borax to a hand-washing solution, or, if your cushions are especially covered in mold or mildew, you can create a separate Borax and water solution with and of water. Make the solution in a large container like a plastic bin or a tub so that you have room to soak the cushions.[11]
- You can add baking soda to help break up the mildew's stains as well.
- Use an ammonia and water mixture if Borax isn't available. One common household chemical that can get rid of mildew and mold is ammonia, which you can mix with water to clean your cushions. Adding of ammonia to of water in a large container creates a great solution for you to scrub mildew off cushions with a brush.[12]
- Be sure to use gloves when cleaning with ammonia.
- Mix of lemon juice and salt for a natural option. If you would rather stay away from household chemical solutions for health or safety reasons, a lemon salt mixture will do the job. Scrub the mixture into the fabric on spots with mildew and mold and watch it dissolve.[13]
- In this solution, citric acid from the lemon juice combines with salt to help break up the fungi, and the undissolved salt crystals act as an abrasive.
- Combine of bleach and of water. Scrubbing away mold and mildew with bleach will also sanitize the area and remove stains. While bleach alone can fade or discolor dark fabric, a mild bleach and water solution will most likely keep your colors safe.[14]
- If you are concerned about discoloration, you can add less bleach to the water.
- Never use a bleach solution if you used ammonia on the cushions, as this will create poisonous chemicals that are harmful to your health.
- Use gloves if you use bleach to clean your cushions.
- Dab hydrogen peroxide on newly clean spots to remove any smell. Mold and mildew can leave behind smells on your cushions that can be hard to remove. A few drops of hydrogen peroxide on each spot will break up the smell and help your outdoor cushions smell fresh and clean again.[15]
- Rinse the cushion with a hose and dry them. You'll need to rinse mildew and high-power stain removers off the pillows before using them again. The chemicals in cleaning products can be harmful to your skin, so rinsing off the cushions under a hose will keep you safe.[16]
- Be sure to towel and air dry the cushions afterward.
[Edit]Protecting Your Outdoor Cushions - Apply a coat of fabric sealer or protector. There are products available that will help waterproof or at least seal your cushions from water damage. Pick some up at a hardware or home and garden store, then spray it all over the cushion from around away.[17]
- This will help keep mold, mildew, and stains off your cushions and provide protection from sun damage or fading, too.
- Bring your cushions in when it rains or snows. During rainy or cold seasons, keep your cushions indoors or in a secure outdoor container to keep them dry and safe from freezing temperatures. Even during a brief summer storm, it is a good idea to put outdoor cushions in a safe, dry place.[18]
- Cushions under umbrellas are still vulnerable to rain. Bringing in the umbrella is a good idea, too, as it can also get rain damaged.
- Cover your cushions with a tarp. If you don't want to bring outdoor cushions in, or if it is a hassle to detach them from a piece of furniture, you can use a tarp to cover up the fabric during wet and cold seasons. Large and small plastic tarps can be purchased at most hardware stores.[19]
- This won't keep them completely dry, and you risk a bit of mildew, but it is much better than leaving them exposed to the elements year-round
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Using a Washing Machine - Washing machine
- Laundry detergent
[Edit]Hand-Washing the Cushions - Vacuum cleaner with an upholstery attachment
- Soft-bristled brush
- Bucket or plastic bin
- Dish soap
- Warm water
- Garden hose
- Towels
[Edit]Getting Rid of Mildew and Mold - Borax
- Ammonia
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Bleach
- Hydrogen peroxide
[Edit]Protecting the Cushions - Fabric sealer
- Outdoor container
- Tarp
[Edit]References |
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