Willow

Croatia - My Motherland 

Taste of Croatia

If you have been to Croatia than you know what I'm going to say! If not, let me tell you: We, Croats, love to eat!!! We also love to organize parties and gatherings on almost every occasion. Tasting of numerous Croatian food specialties and quality...

Interesting Facts About Croatia!

I was born in Croatia. I live all my life in Croatia. And I adore my country! It's not just soil, it's about people with great and warm hearts, it's beautiful and untouched nature and history behind it all. Those who visited Croatia surely know wha...

Old City Dubrovnik

Situated in the south part of Croatian coastline, Dubrovnik is place that should be added on your 'must-see list'! The walls of Dubrovnik girdle a perfectly preserved complex of public and private, sacral and secular buildings representing all perio...

Traditional Croatian Music

Croatia is country with wealthy cultural heritage which is mostly shown in it's folk music. The culture of Croatia has roots in a long history: the Croatian people have been inhabiting the area for fourteen centuries, but there are important remnant...

Places in Croatia UNESCO Marked as World Heritage

Croatia, although rather small country, has it all - plains, mountains, lakes, sea. And very welcoming people, I may add! This is rare country in many ways and here is one of it: You may go hiking early in the morning, refresh yourself in Adriatic se...

More about Croatian culture and history

Cravat - Necktie Made in Croatia!

Did you know that Croatia is the mother country of the necktie? In his book, La Grande Histoire de la Cravate (Flamarion, Paris, 1994), Francois Chaille tells us about the appearance of this article of clothing and how it became fashionable. "... A...

Josip Broz Tito

This article is about a charismatic man who kept Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Macedonia and Monte Negro united in one strong country - Yugoslavia for more than 40 years. Many people from former Yugoslav Republic will argue about his good influ...

Adventures in Paklenica, Croatia

There are many really exquisite places in Croatia. National Park Paklenica is one of the eight national parks in Croatia. What's even more interesting is that there are two national parks which are spreading over peaks, hills, mountains, fields and o...

Brijuni Islands - Heaven on Earth

Compared to heaven on Earth as there were, acording to legend, gathered remains of ancient Eden land so they would, protected by waves, stay as remainder to human descendants. Brijuni remain until today oasis of peace and dazzling generosity of natur...

Professor Balthazar

Professor Balthazar was born 1967 and the day he was born he was already 60 years old (or close to that)! How is it possible? Easy - he was animated character that was created in Zagreb film studio, Croatia! I don't know have you heard of this carto...

All the promotion of my beautiful motherland!

Promotion of Croatia on Twitter

It's been less than a month that I tried to use Google for searching Croatian web sites where word 'Twitter' has been used. Unfortunately, I have to say that result has been disappointing! There wasn't even one full page of results with links to Croa...

Promocija Hrvatske na Twitteru

Nema vise od mjesec dana da sam pokusala ukucati u Google rijec 'Twitter' i potraziti koliko se zapravo Twitter spominje na hrvatskom jeziku. Na zalost, mogu reci da je rezultat bio porazavajuci! Nije bila niti jedna puna stranica linkova do stranica...

Croatia - My Beautiful Homeland

Have to say right at the beginning - I love my country! And if you have been to Croatia, you can understand my love for it's people, untouched nature and exquisite beauty! If not, take a look around and I'm sure you'll like what you'l...

I am Mother 

Daddy Needs Diaper Bag!

Today more and more often fathers are involved in caring and development of their kids. And that's great! I know my father wasn't in either mine or my siblings. Until I was walking, most of job around 'baby me' was on my mother - feeding, walking, s...

365 TV-Free Activities You Can Do With Your Child

Make the most of your time with your child - whether it is five minutes or a whole afternoon - with simple, fun activities that will excite the whole family. From arts and crafts to toymaking to math and number games, 365 TV-Free Activities You Can D...

The Cutest Baby Girl Christening Outfits!

As a member of Roman Catholic Church, I was baptized. When my baby girl was born, it was only natural for me to consider baptizing her as well. Baptism is one of most important Christian traditions. Where I live it's usual for christenings to be hel...

Gentle Baby Care

Scared of becoming a parent for first time? Not sure how to handle all of it? Scared by people talking about sleepless nights, crying, colics, etc.? I know I was!!! I hated people telling me: 'You'll see.', 'Why you should have it better then me?' or...

It's All Parents Fault?!?

Raising A Brat Today, A Social Nightmare Tomorrow? With so many bad news concerning kids shootouts at schoolyards, bullying, fights, etc., but also issues regarding discipline, disrespect and contempt towards other people, isn't it about time that we...

The Cutest Baby Onesies on Zazzle!

Parents love to dress up their kids! I know I do! I'm always looking for something beautiful for my baby girl! When they are small, newborn or less than 2 years old, you'll have to look for quality cotton onesies for your baby. They are easy...

Shopping Guide for Best Baby Strollers

Before you decide to buy baby strollers, you should know what to look for when buying this important and practical accessory! Buying first baby strollers represent quite a challenge for new parents for few reasons: there are many different models wit...

Anti Boredom Ideas

If you're looking for a ways to prevent your kids saying: 'Mom, I'm bored!' or 'Everything is so boring!', you came to the right place! This page will continually be updated with new ideas but also with links to other pages with different ideas to ch...

Gentle No-Cry Solutions for Your Child

I'm still a new parent since my baby girl is now 17 months old... What I learned very fast as a mother is that there is no worst thing than baby crying... My heart gripped every time she started crying! I was familiar with book by Elizabeth Pantley:...

Learning Toys for Toddlers - Wooden Puzzles

As a mother of 19 months old girl, I've watched her development and the ways in which she learns about things around her. There are many toys that assisted my girl in her early childhood development but somehow wooden puzzles are one of her favorite....

How to Choose First Baby Shoes?

Some babies make their step sooner some a bit later. This shouldn't concern you normally. My baby girl made her first steps when she was almost 13 months old. She was little bit lazy for walking! Well, why she would want to walk when mommy is carryin...

Water and Sand Tables for Summer Fun!

As much as we wish to give our kids a joy of running on a beach, playing with sand and making castles or simply running in and out of water, it's not always possible - for one reason or more of them. Mostly financial side of summer vacation is that w...

Toys and books by age: 0 - 4 years

Third Birthday Gift Ideas

When you buy a present for kid - either for birthday, Christmas, Easter or some other occasion - do you consider what is appropriate for child at certain age and what he/she will like but also learn something from using it? Here you'll find some boo...

0-12 Months: Top 10 Educational Toys

From the moment they open their eyes for the first time, babies are learning. You may think that this small newborn doesn't get anything. You are so wrong! She/he is learning from touching you, smelling you, hearing you, looking into your face, e...

Top Learning Toys for 2 Year Old Kids!

Here you'll find some ideas for drawing toys, musical toys, books and other stuff that are suitable for 2 and 3 years old children. And for his/her mother and/or father - books about parenting and parental tips. I enjoy giving presents and always lo...

Peekaboo! Where are you?

Peekaboo was my baby girl's favorite game from her 4th month. And still is! She is almost 15 months now! This is game where you don't need much - for start only a piece of clothing is sufficient! You can hide yours or baby's face and once you pull c...

First Birthday Presents List

If you are like me, you have a problem selecting just the right present for kids birthdays, Christmas and other occasions. Since I'm in my 30's, there is a lots of newborns, babies, and small kids around me - more of them almost each month! That's no...

We love cartoons!

Even Babies Love Maya the Bee

This educational cartoon that was made in 55 episodes was broadcasted on TV when I was a kid. I adored it! It was one of the most popular cartoons in Europe during 1980's. Today, my babygirl is watching it also. I don't mind since there is so many g...

Fifi and the Flowertots

Welcome to the world of a lovable flower-based characters that inhibit garden world! This is animated cartoon for kids age 2 - 6 and specially appealing to girls! Although, boys want be left out since there are Stingo and Slugsy, the garden rascals,...

Do You Remember Original Bambi?

Who of us doesn't remember little dear Bambi, his rabbit friend Thumper and skunk Flower?! Many of us shared his hopes, dreams, laughs, fears and tears. I even managed to cry reading Salten's novel that I had as reading assignment in my third grade....

Learn & Laugh with Pocoyo

My baby girls is now 15 months. As she grows, her 'taste' in cartoons is evolving also. We started out with Teletubbies and she loved them. Well, she still does! Cartoon that occupies her these days is animation about small boy named Pocoyo and his...

We Love to Play With Dolls!  

And these Moxie Girlz are realy cool!

Moxie Girlz Share Fun and Creative Art-titude!

The most exciting new fashion doll line, Moxie Girlz, comes with one special product line called Moxie Girlz Art-titude! What's so great about this line? It lets young girls express creativity and unique fashion vision! A Moxie Girl is full of ener...

Moxie Girlz with Magic Hair

Every girl loves to pretend play and create her own beauty salon! And with new Moxie Girlz Magic Hair fashion dolls theme line, this is really fun! You can sit Moxie Girlz in their own Beauty Salon and have fun with the make-up, making coolest hair s...

Brand New Life and Fashion Style - Moxie Girlz

As we all know, girls love to play with dolls! And if those dolls are cool, fashionable and beautiful, many little girls want to be just like their dolls! After a stunning success with Bratz fashion dolls, MGA Entertainment had to step back after a...

Moxie Girlz Jammaz Party!

Come in and join the coolest and the moxiest sleepover party ever! Moxie Girlz Jammaz sleepover party can be turned into the greatest event of the week! Call your girlfriends and have a Moxie Girlz style party!!! Grab your favorite Moxie girl, prepa...

Dear Moxie Girlz....

If you came here, you know of new fashion doll line created by MGA Entertainment called Moxie Girlz! And you love those cute dolls with moxie style! This page contains a number of polls, duels, lists and even an guestbook which will be used to stres...

Work Related... 

Acquire Agreement by Negotiation

So, you prepared yourself well for a negotiation, came to a meeting to show what you know, but still there is something missing to close a deal. Have you done everything right? Important to remember is: there is distinct difference between negotiati...

Preparation for Negotiation

What ever you do, you'll do it better, faster and with more success if you are well prepared for it! Preparation is, in negotiation, as well in most things in life, extremely important. Master negotiators spend huge amount of time gathering informat...

Negotiation Basics For Business And Ordinary People

Negotiation has turned into science, but first and bottom fact about negotiation is: Your whole life is full of negotiations. Negotiating is not something that you do only in your working hours - turn around and think about it: you negotiate from th...

Negotiation skills showtime!

So, after you have made all the preparation for negotiation, it's time to make a call and agree upon a meeting. If you are well prepared, you have nothing to be afraid of. Go ahead and show what you know!

Changing Body Language? Looking Fake?!?

If our body doesn't respond to what our mouth are telling, it would be hard to convince someone in our words. That's truth! But, is it really possible to change all the signs that our body is giving - fear, discomfort, boredom, defensiveness, etc. Do...

Love to Reuse Stuff 

for Craft Projects especially

How to Reuse Egg Cartons?

Well, you may ask yourself - what could be done with the egg cartons?!? Plenty of stuff as you will see when you read the rest of this article! Not just crafts for kids - egg crates can be reused in household, garden as well for some DIY projects......

How to Reuse Old CD or DVD

Do you burn CD-ROMs on your computer and get errors, where you have to toss the CD-ROM? Do you get tons of CD-ROMs in the mail from Internet providers and trial programs? I do and all these unwanted CD-ROMs are piling up. You can recycle them but it...

How to Reuse Paper Bags

What do you do with paper bags? Toss them into garbage? Recycle? Reuse? Renew? The obvious first option is to reuse them for your groceries and other goods. They likely won't hold up for as many reuses as the plastic bags, but remember even one reus...

How to Reuse Paper Rolls

Before you throw away a paper roll, do you consider what it can be used for? Never thought of that? Or you already reuse them? Although our society urges people not to throw out but recycle and reuse as many common household items as possible, we st...

How to Reuse Popsicle Sticks?

Your kid just love to eat popsicles? Can't get out of the store without buying some? Who can blame them - I love them too! This page is a collection of possible uses for popsicle sticks and here you'll find how it can be reused in house, garden and...

How to Reuse Old Mouse Pad?

Here are listed some cool ideas how to reuse old mouse pads but also links to many online sources with instructions and tutorials how to make your own homemade mouse pad. All mouse pad images on this page are from my Zazzle gallery - Willowdesign....

What Do You Reuse?

You trip over many items in your household, garage, office and don't know what to do with them? Have you consider to give them new life? You know, many items CAN be reused! Well, almost everything! So next time before throwing something into trash,...

What Can Be Done With Wallpaper Leftovers?

Do you put wallpapers on your walls? And what do you do with residues? Wallpapers aren't just for walls - they can be a free source for some of the most creative yet simple crafts.

Multifunctional Aluminium Foil

Is there a way to reuse aluminium foil? You bet! I've listed numerous household tips, gardening tips and craft projects with aluminium foil! Hope you'll find something useful! Enjoy!

Beauty of Reusing

There are so many ways to reuse different items! There are so many items for which you can make a second (or third) use! And you can reuse them for such a wide range of purposes in your home, garden, office but also as art class projects or craft pro...

Celebrate Earth Day... Every Day!

I've been thinking a lot about what to include and what to exclude from this page since there is so many resources about how to go green by applying 3R's: reducing, reusing and recycling. So, this is how I would like to approach to issue of planet po...

Alternative & Helpful Uses for Pantyhoses

Your pantyhose have holes? Don't accumulate heaps and heaps of used pantyhose! Reuse them! After reading this page, I'm sure you'll wish you had a few more old pairs of pantyhose lying around. You"ll find tips and ideas for cleaning, storage, garde...

Be Crafty, Be Green! 

Reuse different stuff for craft projects!

Creative Easter Resources

We have so many things around our home that we throw away instead of giving it a 'second chance', a second life. In same time, we spend lots of money on craft kits that can be found all over the net and in stores near our homes! I say: Let's change t...

Simple Crafts: Make a Christmas Boot!

Before last Christmas we (parents) were invited to help prepare everything for our toddlers in my baby girl's day care center. This is one of simple projects we were asked to participate in: Making Christmas boots! What's great about this project is...

Creative Mother's Day Resources

And that's true! Nothing will make mothers happier than gift that their kids made with their own hands and give them with love! This page is a collection of links for craft projects that can be used by parents as family fun time with their kids, or...

Creative Valentine's Day Resources

There is one slight difference between this and all other pages offering links to different craft projects for kids: all of projects listed here are made of common household items you usually recycle or throw into trash! My goal while collecting all...

Creative Resources for St.Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's day is approaching and it's all about green! I've compiled a list of links here to help you (and myself) go even more green on this green day! Here you will find links to sites where you can find directions how to reuse common househ...

Creative Father's Day Resources

The best gift, one that will show all love, doesn't have to be expensive. Most important thing that will matter to father is if it's given with love and does it show all the affection you have for him. For these reasons, you can always make somethin...

Creative Spring Resources

Can you think of better green period of year than spring? Time when nature itself is going green, breaking coldness and darkness of winter! There are so many ways to celebrate nature's renewal that happens every spring season! Let's contribute to ne...

Books I like to Read 

Extraordinary Uses For Ordinary Things

When I first stumbled upon this book, I was trying to remove mold stains from my baby's push-chair (I was crazy enough to put it into old, unused refrigerator - like it's going to be in dry place there - what a mistake!!!). I heard lots of advices an...

Elizabeth Pantley

Elizabeth Pantley is the president of Better Beginnings, Inc., a parent education company, and is a regular radio show and internet show guest and featured expert. Her newsletters and articles are distributed worldwide.She has been quoted in such mag...

Earth's Children Series by Jean M.Auel

I encountered the first book from this series -The Clan of the Cave Bear - when I was in the high school and I have read it in two days! Since this book has 480 pages, I hardly slept these two days! Ayla's story so preoccupied my attention and my...

Music I Like 

Neil Sedaka

This page is dedicated to the man who survived in music business for over 50 years. I am amazed with the fact that he published his first album in 1959 and he still performs in concerts! Neil's irrepressible and incessant creativity, ensures tha...

The Drifters

Over the last five and a half decades, The Drifters have collated a huge catalogue of over 50 hits, selling in excess of 214 million singles and 114 million albums across the world. The Drifters served to link Fifties rhythm & blues with Sixtie...

Anastacia

There are many women in history that deserve special tribute and Anastacia is one of them! This is a woman who has been diagnosed with Crohn's disease at age thirteen but still wanted to dance! Also a woman that was diagnosed breast cancer but who di...

The Platters

If you ever heard The Great Pretender or Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, than you know why I love to hear them! The Platters are one of greatest bands of all time and one whose songs were sing by Freddy Mercury and many others. Sit back and enjoy!

Holidays - Who Doesn't Like Them??? 

Halloween

Dazzle by Halloween on Zazzle

This is a showcase of Halloween art designs applied on things like cards, aprons, shoes, etc. that I found the most fun, scary and beautiful. There are many more of them at Zazzle.com! When I first joined Zazzle.com I wasn't aware how many really g...

Halloween by Zodiac

Halloween with its masks and carnivals offers people a chance to bring to life fantasies that live in their imagination. If you lack of ideas how to pick a Halloween costume, read a following article to find out which costume fits with your zodiac si...

I have really mixed feelings about Valentine's day!!!

Perfect Love Card

You have someone you love? Would like to show just how much you love her / him? Well, affection can be shown in many different ways. One that is classic but always the most popular is by giving away beautiful love card with a little writing. That do...

Age of Aquarius

Literally - I was born in age of Aquarius - by year and by date! And I simply love it! There are some people who don't like their horoscope sign.... But, who wouldn't want to be born as Aquarius? Aquarius are original and always ahead of their time!...

Being Born on Valentine's Day!

As many of you suspected when they saw title of this page, I was born on February 14th! Or Valentine's day! Do I like it? Or not? Well, being born on Valentine's day has it's good and it's bad sides. But, more of that later on.

Christmas

Music Box Makes Perfect Christmas Gift

Do you remember how you felt when you received your first music box? I know that I was obsessed with my ballerina music box. I could sit for hours and make her play again and again! There are some gifts that really make us all soft and excited! Musi...

Original Christmas Cards

Sending Christmas cards is tradition that many people cherish and will go on although today more and more people simply send SMS with greeting message! Still it's great to both send and receive a Christmas Cards - makes Christmas somehow more about f...

Name Day! - Turning every single day into celebration?!

When is Your Name Day?

If you live in Europe or Latin America and you are either Christian or Orthodox religion, you know what the Name Day is and you probably celebrate it. For the rest of the world, this tradition is unknown and somewhat strange. Many of my American frie...

My Way to Give Back Kindness... 

I received upon joining Squidoo

Fresh Squid Graduation Class October 2008

October was really busy and successful month for Fresh Squid Group! During this month this group made exclusively for newcomers to Squidoo featured 94 lenses by 94 newly joined lensmasters! These lensmasters came willing to learn and teach us all so...

Fresh Squid Contest

As an effort to make newcomers to Squidoo easier to get their way around and become a part of our community here, I started Fresh Squid Group in which all new lensmasters have a chance to get one of their lenses featured as long as they apply to some...

Fresh Squid Graduation Class November 2008

Everyone of us, in every aspect of our lives, had to start from somewhere. Same thing is with Squidoo. We all came here and had to learn some new stuff to get our lenses to look great! Same applies to these Fresh Squids. They came to Squidoo to shar...

Fresh Squid FAQ

Are you a newcomer to Squidoo? Just signed in and can't find your way around just yet? Well, let me tell you: Welcome! You'll find Squidoo as experience addictive, thrilling and fulfilling! Fresh Squid Headquarters is here to help you in your first...

Fresh Squid Graduation Class September 2008

Fresh Squid Headquarters was created on September, 15th 2008 and in it's first 15 days it featured 51 lenses by 51 Fresh Squids! Each of these newcomers to Squidoo had to comply to certain rules that were listed both on group's page and on Fresh Squ...

Fresh Squids Swim to Become Giants!

As anyone else, they came to Squidoo not knowing what to expect, what will happened and where it will take them... Squidoo greeted them warmly and many lensmasters stepped forward to show them the way, give them suggestions how and what to improve, w...

Fresh Squid Graduation Class January 2009

They say that January is dead month with nothing going on! Well, not in Fresh Squid group! We have many new, excellent lensmasters who introduced themselves this month! They are off to great start on their Squidoo jouney with wonderful lenses they m...

Fresh Squids, LoTD Quality!

I start this lens with lots of question marks in title above for one simple reason: over last 6 months I've been on Squidoo, many people asked what it takes for a lens to get featured on LoTD blog? What a lens should be about? By who? And most import...

Fresh Squid Graduation Class December 2008

Newly joined lensmasters from Fresh Squid Group are learning daily and improving their lens-crafting abilities! Each day is a brand new day with so many new lenses to read and write! This month has been last of 2008 and lensmaster who joined are one...

Fresh Squid Graduation Class February 2009

Time has passed and they used it well! Learning secrets of successful lenscrafting! Just yesterday, these lensmasters were newbies and for making an effort to create quality lenses, they were featured on Fresh Squid Group. Since then, they read, ask...

Something Different.... 

.... I can't categorize with anything else here!

Lens Ideas!

From time to time, we all get stuck when we want to make a new lens. When no ideas come, we feel frustrated. This lens is to be a continuing resource of ideas exchanged by Squidoo and Twitter members. What I plan to do is tweet a term (word, concept,...

I Zazzle! Do You? 

Creative Digital Art by Willowdesign

I love drawing but, unfortunately, rarely have enough time to sit back and enjoy in making something great out of different shapes and colors laid on paper. So, I turned myself to digital art... mostly created by Corel... There is one big advantage...

Journey of Little Croatian Squid 

Journey of Little Croatian Squid

Welcome to my Squidoo memory lane! I'm inviting you to follow my adventures from little Cro-Squid to Cro-Giant who, as of recently, became a flying Cro-SquidAngel! :) This is also my thank you lens to all people who helped me with their advices, sug...

Long Distance Friends

We all tend to make friends. It's in human nature as it is in animal nature - striving to belong to a group. Only difference is where we find them and what qualities we are looking for in another person. Ever since I've joined Squidoo, there are man...

Blessed by an Angel

As you may heard, I've became Squid Angel. Invitation to become an Angel came to me as pleasant surprise and I'm very grateful to Squidoo HQ to find my work here, on Squidoo, worthy of such a honor. But, this lens is less about my role as an angel (...

Spotlighting The Best of Squidoo! 

Squidoo Spotlight

There are many exceptional lenses and lensmasters on Squidoo! People who incorporate piece of themselves in every lens they make! And these people deserve every right to be under Squidoo Spotlight! This lens has few purposes: * an archive of intervi...