Contemporary House Fresh paint Colors

Contemporary home design uses black and neutral colors to emphasize straight lines and light.

Contemporary home design uses clean lines and pale or neutral colors to make a home feel light and airy. Characteristics of a contemporary home include a blend of form and function, geometric shapes defined in bold colors balanced with neutral trims or pastel wall colors. Exterior features are often accentuated in dark colors while interior architectural details stand out against pastel walls. If you like spare design, contemporary design offers a fresh, simple look.

Exterior House Paint

Whether you choose to paint the outside of your home with a modern color palette of coral, pale yellow, light gray or white with classic hues, a sophisticated exterior increases curb appeal and reflects the inviting interior of your home. Consider your home's natural features before choosing paint colors to ensure colors and materials are complementary. If you have a black roof, wrought iron railings or a stone or brick wall, a bright color will add balance and emphasize your homes shape and structure. If your home is an individual shape with a brown or light roof, a natural paint color adds a pleasant contrast to creative design.

Interior House Paint

The contemporary colors you choose for your walls are influenced by the furniture and d cor you intend to use in the room. Neutral wall colors are best paired with black and bold accessories or sculptural art. Pastel walls accentuate exposed brick, pipes, railings and arches, but the trim in these rooms must present a neutral color. According to the Paint Quality Institute, honey-like hues paired with pale yellows or pale blue, or shell pink ceilings paired with Wine or Eggplant-colored walls, and khaki paired with white and black are three favorite color palettes that lend themselves to contemporary design. Add drama to a room with a stainless steel lighting fixture that reflects light and adds textural contrast.

Accent Colors

Accent colors enhance the aesthetic of a room or exterior with a bold infusion of color. Paint doors, shutters or railings in red, green or sporty blue to prevent a neutral room from feeling too stark or sterile. If you're nervous about adding a vivid color, try a few colorful throw pillows or a solid color rug in a room first. Accent walls, or walls painted in a different color from the rest of the room, are generally used in rooms without architectural details. Accents colors are paired with either neutral or white paint or a color three shades lighter than the accent.

Hereditary Cyanotic Cardiovascular Disease

The National Institute of Health says congenital heart disease (CHD) is an umbrella term used to describe several different problems affecting the heart. The American Heart Association says each year there are about 35,000 babies born with some type of congenital heart defect. CHD is frequently divided into cyanotic (blue discoloration caused by a relative lack of oxygen) and non-cyanotic.

Causes of CHD

The NIH says while several factors appear to be involved in the development of most congenital heart defects, the exact cause is unclear.

Prenatal issues that may increase the risk of CHD include diabetes, rubella or other viral illnesses and deficient prenatal nutrition.

Pregnant women over age 40 are more likely to have a baby born with the disease. Hereditary may also play a role in CHD.

Cyanotic Defects

In congenital cyanotic heart defects, blood pumped to the body contains insufficient levels of oxygen. This creates a condition known as cyanosis, which is a blue discoloration of the skin. That's why the phrase "blue babies" is sometimes used when referring to infants with cyanosis.

Three of the more common cyanotic defects are tetralogy of fallot, transposition of the great arteries (vessels) and total anomalous pulmonary venous return.

Tetralogy of Fallot

Tetralogy of fallot causes low oxygen levels in the blood, which leads to cyanosis. Some newborns with severe tetralogy of fallot may undergo surgery to provide temporary relief by increasing blood flow to the lungs by redirecting the circulation of blood. This lessens the cyanosis and gives the time child to grow and develop, at which time the problem can be permanently remedied.

Transportation of the Great Vessels and Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous

Transposition of the great vessels is a congenital cyanotic heart defect in which the two major vessels (the aorta and the pulmonary artery) are reversed. Babies born with this condition will die unless they have a procedure that will provide one or more connections that will allow oxygen-rich blood to reach the body.

Total anomalous pulmonary venous return is diagnosed when none of the four veins that transport blood from the lungs to the heart is attached to the left upper chamber of the heart. This congenital defect needs to be surgically corrected soon after birth.

Treatment

The NIH says the mortality rate from congenital heart disease surgery has declined from approximately 30 percent in the 1970s to less than 5 percent today.

In some cases CHD doesn't require surgery and can be treated solely with medications.

However, the majority of congenital heart diseases require both surgery and medications to heal the defect.

Concert Lighting Techniques

Any lighting technician will tell you there is a lot more to properly lighting a concert than just setting up a couple of lights and turning them on and off with the music. Lighting sets the mood, allows for changes between songs and spotlights the performers. In order to have a successful performance, there needs to be effective lighting.

Stage Lighting

When you see a play, there is a great emphasis on lighting the front of the stage and keeping the back of the stage darker to allow scene changes and actors to get to their places. Lighting the front of the stage is known as front lighting, and lighting the back of the stage is known as back lighting. For a concert, there is much more emphasis put on back lighting than front lighting, and the back lighting is used for emphasis and effect to follow the mood of the music. Bathing the stage in light is called washing the stage in light, and this is done using back lighting and side stage lighting.

To follow the performers on stage, usually multicolored spotlights are used, with the colors changing based on the song being performed. By keeping the front of the stage darker than the back of the stage, the lighting technician is able to show off the effect lighting more as too much front lighting will overpower the effect lighting.

Intelligent Lighting

Today, one of the newer types of lighting is referred to as intelligent lighting. Intelligent lighting is equipment that can be programmed to respond to a bank of controllers on a lighting control board, and then the technician can control what the light does and what color light it gives off. The more popular type of intelligent light is an LED light because an LED light can change color without having to change the gel in the front of the light. The small LED bulbs that make up the LED lighting effect are able to change to different colors, and this allows the technician to create different scenes and color the stage in different colors without having to use multiple lights. Intelligent lighting equipment also includes fixtures known as intelligent moving lights or scanners. A scanner is an intelligent light that is placed on a movable head and can spin in a circle and move up and down. Because the light is completely controllable by the technician, just a few powerful scanners can create an entire light show on their own.

Composition Of Taps On Tap Footwear

Taps were added to leather-soled shoes in the 1920s.

Tap dancing is an American style of dance characterized by rhythmic patterns. The percussive sounds are made from iron plates that are attached to the bottom of shoes. The roots of the dance are a mix of clogging, Irish step dance and African movements. The American slaves popularized this style of dance and by the 1920s, taps had been added to leather-soled shoes and it started to evolve into the style of dance we know today.

Shoes

It all starts with the style of tap shoe. Men's and boys' tap shoes are oxford style; women wear heeled character shoes or oxford style, and little girls typically wear a Mary Jane style of tap shoes. However, in recent years, a tap sneaker was popularized due to its comfort and flexibility. Although the taps on tap shoes are attached in the same place on each type of shoe, the size and "ring" of the taps is different.

Sounds

Many children's tap shoes come with the taps already attached, but older children and adults have the taps screwed on. There are three types of taps: teletone, duotone and staccato, and each has a different tone. The number of screws and tightness of the screws also affects the sounds of the taps. Professional tappers are very particular about the type of taps on their shoes as well as the number of screws so that they can get the sound they want.

Placement

There are two taps on each shoe, one on the front and one on the heel. The back tap covers the entire heel regardless of the shoe style, and the tap on the front of the shoe can vary in size. Character shoes require a smaller front tap because the front of the shoe narrows. Other taps cover a larger portion of the front of the shoe and come up slightly over the lip of the shoe in order to do toe stands.

Sneakers and Boots

A more recent addition to tap styles are sneakers and boots. The sneakers have the same placement of taps but with a flatter, less "jingling" sound than traditional tap shoes. The sneakers also have a hollow arch in order to do toe stands. The lace up boot comes above the ankle but has the same tap placement and sound as the oxford type of shoe.

Common Qualities Of Jazz Music

This article is a discussion of the common characteristics of jazz and how defining these common characteristics have become increasingly more difficult as the genre evolves.

Time Frame

As a result of the evolution of the jazz genre, to define exactly what qualifies as "Jazz" at any given point in history is absurd because it has never been one single form of music.

History

Early jazz before the 1930s is defined by ragtime and big bands. The Great Depression brought on smaller bands, known as the bebop era, which led to the development of the smaller groups seen in rock and roll and most modern genres.

Identifying Features

The common characteristics of Jazz over the history of its evolution are defined by syncopation, off-beat rhythm and improvisation, among other qualities.

Fun Fact

The radical difference of early jazz from classical music made it quite frightening to the many people of the time, much in the way that rap and metal genres may be considered today.

Speculation

Many musicologists have speculated that jazz is a dying breed of music because of the declining popularity of the music of the wwing and bebop eras. Others, however, speculate that jazz isn't dead, but has simply evolved (rock and roll or rap for example), which are surely not dead or dying.

Comic Costume Ideas

Comic book characters make great Halloween costumes.

When you are trying to decide what you want to dress up as for Halloween, remember that there are a great number of different comic book characters that make quick, easy and memorable costume ideas for anyone from small children to adults.

Batman

Dressing up as Batman for Halloween can be one of the easiest costume ideas as well as one of the most easily recognizable ones. All you need is a black cape, a black mask to cover your eyes and some black felt and you can become Batman. Batman is a great last-second costume idea, and if you don't have time to go out and find a real authentic Batman costume, the materials listed above can be found at just about any arts and crafts store, or they may even be lying around your house.

The Incredible Hulk

The Incredible Hulk is another surprisingly easy, but classic Halloween costume idea. With an old ripped t-shirt, a pair of old sweatpants or jeans with holes in them, and some green body or face paint, you can become the Incredible Hulk and have a great Halloween costume in just a few minutes. From the Incredible Hulk comic book series, television series and movies, the main character of the Hulk is a costume that is quick, easy to make and fun.

Superman

Superman is one of the most popular comic book heroes of all time and he is certainly one of the most popular Halloween costumes every year. A Superman costume can be found at just about any Halloween costume store, however if your budget doesn't allow for a complete costume set, all you need is Superman's trademark "S" on a plain blue t-shirt and a red cape to go with it.

If you really want to be creative and different, a much cheaper and easier alternative would be to simply wear a button-up dress shirt with a blue t-shirt underneath and jeans. Add a pair of glasses to go with it and you can be Clark Kent.

Joker

With some red, black and white face paint, you can become the Joker for Halloween. This costume idea has gained a lot of popularity in recent years after the release of the Hollywood blockbuster "The Dark Knight," and it is a very easy and inexpensive Halloween costume idea for just about anybody.

Repair A Fresh paint Nick

Paint chips can be frustrating, especially if your car is new or in very good condition. There is hope, though. You can repair the chips with touch-up paint, and if you take the time to do it right you will end up with a very professional-looking repair. The key to the repair is the preparation that needs to go into the process. You will need to get good-quality touch-up paint that matches your vehicle's paint. Touch-up paint is available at the dealership or at your local auto parts store.

Instructions

1. Wash the entire car with a mild car wash soap and water. Use a soft towel so you don't scratch the finish on the car.

2. Remove the wax in the area of the paint chip using a commercially available wax remover. Follow the instructions on the product for best results.

3. Examine the chip closely so that you can determine if the paint is damaged all the way to bare metal or not. If it is, you are going to need to add some primer to it before painting.

4. Sand the chip lightly with 600-grit sandpaper to rough up the metal that is exposed. You do not want to sand the paint around the chip or you will damage the good paint that is still there.

5. Wipe the area down with a tack cloth to remove the dust from sanding and apply a small amount of primer using the brush in the bottle or a toothpick. You just need enough primer to cover the metal that is showing, so do not glob it on. A nice smooth coat is enough.

6. Let the primer flash--or set--overnight before applying paint to it. Use the brush from the bottle of touch-up paint to apply a very thin coat of touch-up paint and allow it to dry for 24 hours before applying another coat. This will allow the paint to shrink as it dries.

7. Continue adding paint to the chip in thin coats, allowing it to dry between coats until the chip is completely covered. If the touch-up paint extends beyond the original chip, you will need to use a little rubbing compound to blend the paints together after it has completely dried.

8. Apply a little rubbing compound to a clean rag and work it into the area over the touch-up paint, working in small circles to blend the original paint and the touch-up. Do not overwork the area or you will burn through the paint and damage it.

9. Wipe off any extra rubbing compound that remains on the paint, allow the paint to set for 30 days and then wax the area with a high-quality car wax to protect the repair.

Comedy Evening Clubs In New You are able to

New York City is a major destination for up-and-coming comics who are looking to be discovered, and veterans who want to stay on top of the comedy game. Since New York is such a huge city, it can seem overwhelming at first to find the best comedy night clubs to check out, whether you are a fan or a prospective stand-up. There are many landmark clubs to choose from.

Dangerfield's

While this is one of the most respected clubs in New York City, it was co-founded by the man who never got any respect -- Rodney Dangerfield. Located in the Upper East Side, this mainstay of the comedy circuit has been around for more than 40 years.

Dangerfield's

1118 First Avenue

New York, NY 10065

(212) 593-1650

dangerfields.com

Gotham Comedy Club

Gotham has been around since the mid-90s. It is known for its stylish interior design, which was done by co-owner Chris Mazzilli. The red interior mimics the Roaring Twenties era in New York.

Gotham Comedy Club

208 West 23rd Street

New York, NY 10011

(212) 367-9000

gothamcomedyclub.com

Upright Citizens Brigade Theater

This improvisational theater was founded by Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Matt Walsh and Ian Roberts, a group of comedians who perform as the Upright Citizens Brigade. Amy Poehler is the best known of the group for her years as a cast member of Saturday Night Live.

Upright Citizens Brigade Theater

307 West 26th Street

New York, NY 10011

(212) 366-9176

ucbtheatre.com

Comedy Cellar

This West Village club's alumnus includes Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Ray Romano, Jerry Seinfeld and Damon Wayans. The Comedy Cellar is known as an "intimate" establishment, which means that it's on the smaller side. Reservations and early arrival are recommended.

Comedy Cellar

117 Macdougal St.

New York, NY 10012

(212) 254-3480

comedycellar.com

Caroline's on Broadway

Founded by Caroline Hirsch in the early '80s, the club's first guest was none other than Jay Leno. It also hosted the rising comedy stars of the time: Jerry Seinfeld, Garry Shandling, Sandra Bernhard and Paul Rubens -- better known as Pee-wee Herman.

Caroline's on Broadway

1626 Broadway

New York, NY 10019

(212) 757-4100

carolines.com

Stand-Up NY

Located in the Upper West Side, Stand-Up NY is another long-running New York comedy club. After being founded in 1986, this comedy club has hosted a number of legendary acts, including Robin Williams, Roseanne Barr, Dave Chappelle, Jerry Seinfeld and Jon Stewart. While the arrangement is cramped, Stand-Up NY still occasionally hosts shows for big-time acts such as Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld and the aforementioned Robin Williams.

Stand-Up NY

236 West 78 Street

New York, NY 10024

(212) 595-0850

standupny.com

Comix

Unlike some of its more cozy competition in the Big Apple, Comix boasts 14,000 square feet, including 300 seats in an amphitheater-style setting. It's certainly not a hole-in-the-wall. It has a slick modern design with ample elbow room, and high-tech amenities, including a broadcast-ready, acoustically tuned showroom and an infrared listening system in the showroom. The Comix showroom was designed by SIA Acoustics, the team responsible for Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Comix

353 West 14th Street

New York, NY 10014

(212) 524-2500

comixny.com

Make Eucalyptus Oil From The Leaf

Eucalyptus Leaves

If you've ever smelled eucalyptus, you know that it's an acquired smell. Most people either love it or hate it, as it's a very natural, strong, earthy fragrance. Eucalyptus oil is used by aroma therapists and herbalists for a variety of therapeutic benefits. The Aborigines of Australia were actually the first to use it as a fever reducer and skin treatment. Though it takes about 110 lbs. of eucalyptus leaves to make 2 lbs. of oil, you can attempt the process on a much smaller scale.

Instructions

1. Crush the eucalyptus leaves ever so slightly using your fingers. This releases the leaves' essential oils.

2. Mix the oil and leaves together in a large crock pot. Use a ratio of 1/4 oz. of leaves for every 1 cup of oil.

3. Set the crock pot on low and "cook" the mixture for at least six hours. Alternatively, the leaves and oil can be mixed in a mason jar and left in the sun for two weeks.

4. Strain the oil using a cheese cloth after the time has elapsed (either six hours or two weeks).

5. Pour the oil into a clean mason jar, label it with the contents and the date it was created, and store the oil in a cool, dry spot. The shelf life for eucalyptus oil is about six months. If refrigerated, it can last longer.

Look For A Bestseller

Finding a good book is sometimes not as easy as it sounds - especially as you should not judge a book by its cover. So how can we find a good book?

Instructions

1. Go to your local book shop - people working at small book shops usually have a better knowledge of books. Talk to the staff and check if they have a "recommended" list.

2. Have you seen a movie that you liked recently. Find out if the story is based on a book. The book is always better.

3. If you find an author that you enjoy reading, find his/her previous books.

4. Keep an eye on the Man Booker Prize. This is a prize offered to writers from Commonwealth Countries (long live the queen). First they release a long list (2006 long list had 19 books) and then a short list of 6 books. The 2006 winner is "The Inheritance of Loss" by Kiran Desai. You can subscribe to email alerts on the website www.themanbookerprize.com

5. Try to find local authors or local stories. You will be able to relate to them.

6. Read book reviews. In the US the Sunday edition of New York Times has a Review section. So do The Guardian in the UK and The Age in Australia.

Diy Foam Mold

You can use high density styrofoam to make a mold of a person's head.

Styrofoam isn't just the stuff you see wrapping packages and fast food. Styrofoam comes in many different qualities. You can buy high grade, high density styrofoam from art supply stores. This styrofoam can be cut, burned and sanded into shape. It is strong enough to serve as a mold for concrete and to be used as an external mold for robots.

Instructions

1. Draw multiple sketches of your three-dimensional mold from many different angles. Draw the sketches full scale if possible. Get a read on the size of your mold.

2. Purchase an appropriately sized high density block of styrofoam from an art supply store. For large scale projects, you may want to purchase a hot-wire cutter from a hardware store. The wire heats up and cuts through the styrofoam easily.

3. Take a pencil and lightly sketch the outline of your mold on all sides of the block. Shade different areas of the sketch as a topographical guide.

4. Use a sharp knife, hacksaw, or hot-wire cutter to cut into the styrofoam. You want the blade to be as sharp as possible so change the blades every eight cuts or so. It is a good idea to wax the edges of your knife before every cut.

5. Cut off small chunks at a time. Leave about 5/8-inch of styrofoam off of your mold so you can sand in the details.

6. Use coarse sandpaper to get the final shape of your mold, then use fine grain sandpaper for a polished finish. You can paint onto your styrofoam mold with acrylic and glue styrofoam pieces together with a low temperature glue gun.

Uses Of Empty Water Bottles

Empty water bottles can act as the main material for numerous crafts.

Making crafts out of recycled items is definitely a rewarding feeling, as you're able to take something that most would ordinarily discard and give it new life. Nowadays it's common to see crafts constructed out of old newspapers, magazines, soda cans and jar lids; even empty water bottles can act as inspirational materials for crafts. Empty water bottles are cheap, easy to work with and very adaptable when it comes to making crafts.

Room Divider

Empty plastic water bottles make suitable room dividers: they're transparent, they let lots of light through and they're easily stackable. The Klein Dytham Architecture group made one for the Danone company, which creates both Volvic and Evian waters. The bottles hang from wires, which run through them. The wires attach to a track on the ceiling. All together, the bottles make a strong statement to any space, one which is both elegant, inventive and highly functional.

Curtains, Garlands and Dividers

String together the bottoms of plastic water bottles to make all sorts of decorative items for around the house. For example, when you cut the bottoms off a plastic water bottle of the standard dimensions, you get what looks like a minimalistic flower shape. String these flower shapes together and you can fashion alternative style curtains or decorative garlands. Most people will never guess what they're made out of, and they give your space a bit of adornment that's completely original.

Votive Candle Holder

An empty plastic water bottle makes a surprisingly good votive candle holder. Just cut the bottle in half and fill the bottom with sand halfway to the top. A votive candle should squeeze into the middle of the sand and the sand should envelop it, hugging it in place. Decorate the outside of the empty water bottle however you like. For example, glue beads, buttons or sequins to the outside of it for a one-of-a-kind candle holder.

Draw Comic People

Drawing comics and characters can be as simple, or complicated as you choose. This article will teach you draw comic people at a level somewhere between stick figure and graphic novel.

Instructions

1. Gather your drawing supplies. You will be drawing with your pencil first. When you have drawn a character and/or comic people you are happy with you will trace over your pencil sketch with a marker and then erase your pencil lines.

2. Decide the shape of the chin you'd like your comic people to have. I've drawn a half circle, upside down triangle and a half circle with another smaller half circle to start my comic people.

3. Now you are going to add your cartoon character's ears, nose and neck.

For the ears just draw a small half circle. To make the inside of the ear draw an arc close to the upper edge of the ear and then a dash in the middle. Now you've drawn ears on your comic people.

Human noses come in all shapes and so should your characters. I've included 3 examples here.

The first nose is the underside of a half circle then attach two half circles to the side of it.

I decided that the triangle face would be angry so I gave her a long pointy nose. Just draw a right triangle without a bottom.

The third character is going to be a little girl so I gave her a spunky little nose which is the upper half of a circle.

The necks are simply two lines drawn from the bottom of the chin down. Draw them farther apart for a fatter neck, closer for a skinnier neck.

4. Next ad your comics mouths. I drew three very different styles as examples.

The first is simply a tiny dash. He's a very quiet character.

Next is my angry but stylish woman. Her lips are made by drawing a heart and then adding a dash.

The little girl has a very big smile which was made with a large arc with two small arcs on either side then a half circle attached to the bottom.

5. Next add eyes to your comic people. They can be as simple as dots or small circles filled in. Or make big googly eyes by drawing big circles with slightly smaller circles in the center colored in. Placing those colored circles in different positions will change the emotions of your comic people.

6. Now add hair to your cartoon character. Draw a half circle attached to your character's jaw line for the top of the head. Decide what hair style to give your character; long, short, bald, spiked etc. Use the top of the head as a guide. Begin with bangs or a part and add on to create your hairstyle.

7. Drawing your comic character's body can be a little more difficult. Attach a circle, rectangle or triangle to the neck. Draw sticks for arms in any position you'd like. Ad small circles to the end of the arms for hands and draw lines on the circle for fingers. Ad "bulk" to the hands by drawing around them. To make a closed fist rather than elongating the fingers just draw bumps or knuckles where you've positioned the fingers.

Draw clothes on your character. Use the line you've draw for the arms as a guide.

8. Add the lower portion of your comic people. Draw sticks in the position you want your characters legs to be in. For pants just draw a rectangle around the sticks and shape as you see fit. A skirt can be made of a rectangle or triangle.

Ad an oval to the end of the leg stick for the foot. Draw around the oval to create your shoes.

9. Once you are happy with your characters trace over your pencil sketch with a fine point black marker. Erase the pencil lines. Color in your comic people any way you'd like.

Script Writing For Novices

Script Writing for Beginners

Writing a theatrical script for others to perform in the backyard, at a party or on a real stage is a challenging way to flex your imagination and relive the childhood fun of playing "let's pretend." Here's a look at the basics of script writing.

Elements

Plays are comprised of settings, characters, dialogue, parenthetical cues, physical actions and scene transitions. Unlike a book, descriptions are kept to a minimum.

Types

Plays can embrace any genre, theme or era, and are classified as skits, one-acts, full-length (two- or three-act productions) and musicals.

Format

Scripts are typed in Courier 12 pt. font on one side of 8½-by-11 inch white paper, and single-spaced with hard returns separating scene, action and dialogue blocks from one another.

Length

Play scripts can be as short as five minutes or as long as three hours. The majority of full-length productions are two hours long. One typed page of a script (if properly formatted) is equal to one minute of playing time.

Structure

Even very short plays follow the traditional three-act storytelling formula of beginning, middle and end. The shorter the play, the smaller the cast, the fewer number of scenes and the less complex the plot.

Conflict and Resolution

Whatever conflict is introduced at the beginning of the play needs to be resolved by the final act. There also needs to be sufficient opposition to the hero's quest in the form of a villain and/or plausible obstacles.

Color Wheel Projects

Learn more about the primary colors.

Teach children about the color wheel through fun and interactive lessons that encourage creativity and exploration. Learning about the color wheel helps reinforce learning colors and how color combinations are mixed to create other colors. Color wheel projects encourage kids to experiment and take creative risks to understand colors and their combinations.

Finger Paint Fun

Give each child a sheet of finger paint paper and place a small amount of red, yellow and blue paint on the paper. Red, yellow and blue are the primary colors and the base of the color wheel. Mixing these three colors together can create all other colors. Have students experiment with the primary colors of finger paint and try to create as many color combinations as possible. Using finger paint allows children to enjoy a tactile art project and enforces learning of color mixing.

Color Wheel Plate

Create a color wheel with a paper plate. Display a color wheel for children to use as a guide for their color wheel plate. Use crayons or colored pencils to place the colors of the color wheel around the outside edge of the paper plate. In the middle of the plate draw a triangle connecting the primary colors, red, yellow and blue. Use the color wheel to encourage children to understand the color combinations of the primary colors when mixing paint to achieve other colors.

Primary Color Painting

Provide children with red, yellow and blue paint along with a large sheet of white paper and a selection of paintbrushes. Have children create a painting of their own design using only the primary colors. Encourage kids to combine colors to create other colors to use in their painting. Is it hard only using the primary colors to create the colors they want? Having to create other colors to create a finished artwork from the primary colors encourages kids to look at the color wheel and paint mixing in a new way.

Edible Color Wheel

Purchase enough vanilla frosting to use with children along with vanilla wafer cookies so there are enough for six cookies per child. Divide the frosting into three containers and mix one with red food coloring, the other with blue and the third container with yellow. Give each child six cookies and have them create a circle for their edible color wheel. Mix the frosting to create a color wheel that displays the primary colors along with the secondary colors. Allow kids to eat the cookies when the colors wheels are finished. An edible color wheel makes learning about color mixing lots of fun.

Color Art Training

Use old crayons to teach students about primary colors and how they create secondary colors.

Teaching children about art gives them a chance to discover how colors work together to create images. While letting children have free time to simply draw to learn about colors can be beneficial, children will also enjoy structured activities that teach them principles of color and art.

Learning About the Color Wheel

One of the basic tools in teaching about color is the color wheel. Teach students about the color wheel so that they can understand how colors work together. Choose a corner of the room, or a group of objects, and have students draw them with a pencil. It is okay if the drawings are not exact. Explain to them that colors that are the opposite of each other on the color wheel are called complements. That is, they work well together. Show your students a picture of the color wheel. Students should choose two complementary colors, and only use those two to fill in their drawing of the area or objects they drew. They can use crayons, markers or colored pencils. Ask students if using the complementary colors makes the drawing look prettier. What do they think makes complementary colors so appealing together?

Blotter Bugs

Teach small children about primary colors by allowing them to create colored bugs. Explain that the primary colors, red, yellow and blue, can be combined to create other colors. Have paintbrushes, washable paints and water ready for children. Encourage them to dab a few drops of two of the primary colors onto the center of a white sheet of paper. After they fold the paper in half, they will see their new color. For instance, red and blue will make purple. The paintings should dry overnight. The next day, children can cut out the colored blots and add embellishments to make them look like bugs. They can use markers, googly eyes, colored pencils, stickers and more.

Melted Crayons

Students can create new crayons with muffin tins and old crayons. Have students gather old crayon pieces in the primary colors. In muffin tins, they can put several pieces from two of the primary colors in one tin. For instance, they might combine two greens and one blue. Once each tin is full, place the muffin tin in an oven pre-heated to about 300 degrees. Allow the crayons to melt; this should take about ten minutes. Once they are melted, pull the tin out of the oven and let it completely cool. Once cool, children can pull their new colored creations out of the tin, see what new colors they have made, and use the new disc-shaped crayons to color.

Colors and Emotion

Many colors represent emotions. Ask students to share some of the emotions that they feel when looking at some colors. For instance, yellow might mean spring, and black could mean evil or death. Give them some time to create a self-portrait, and ask them to only use the colors that represent the emotions they are feeling. When they are finished, ask them to explain what each color means to them.

Clown Costume Ideas

Clown costume

Clown costumes are playful and entertaining, and anyone who wears a clown costume is sure to become the center of attention. The options for making a clown costume are endless, as there are many different kinds of clowns you can emulate. Using these ideas, you can put together a clown costume that is uniquely yours.

Brightly Colored Costume

A traditional clown wears an oversize, brightly colored one-piece costume. To imitate such a costume, you can use an oversize jumpsuit or sweatsuit and add tons of colored polka dots and stars made of felt to the costume. Add rickrack trim at wrists and ankles and metallic pompom balls down the front of the costume. Brightly colored pajamas with stripes or another bright pattern would work well also. To this costume, add white-face makeup, a funny clown hat and a brightly colored wig.

Rodeo Clown

A rodeo clown costume is a convenient choice for anyone with Western clothing items and a country sensibility. To create a rodeo clown costume, wear denim overalls, a flannel shirt, a cowboy hat and clown face paint. Add a bandanna around your neck. Put on cowboy boots, and don't forget to bring your barrel. You can hunt down an authentic barrel or you can make one with fabric and a couple of hoops. Use suspenders or thin ropes to it to wear it over your shoulders. For a child's rodeo clown barrel, use a fabric clothes hamper and cut the bottom out of it.

Closet clown

Pull items from your closet to use in making your clown costume. Choose anything that is brightly colored, trendy or out of date, or too big. Add bright buttons and pompoms. Use flowers, and buy bright-colored tights and leg warmers to accent the costume. Paint your face with clown makeup and add a clown nose and a crazy colored wig to finish off the costume. You can also use some thrift store items as well such as old-fashioned, plaid, high-water pants and 1970s tuxedos for your clown outfit.

Create A Byzantine Ring

A piece of Byzantine artwork.

Kids love history and crafts and can learn about the Byzantine Empire by recreating Byzantine rings they can wear. The Byzantine Empire began in 330 A.D., and Byzantine jewelers created rings that still hold their presence today. The rings are often gold or bronze with large etched or jeweled faces. This craft will help you make a gold ring with your own drawing in the face for everyone to admire.

Instructions

1. Roll out a circular piece of clay approximately the side of a dime. Leave it thick enough to etch a design in it.

2. Make a design in the clay using a toothpick. You may choose simple lines, circles or diamonds.

3. Let the clay dry.

4. Paint the clay with a gold base. Then choose other colors to make your design shine. Red and blue were colors often used with gems. Let the paint dry.

5. Adhere the clay shape to the gold ring band using diamond glaze. It will take 24 hours for it to completely dry.

Clothes To Have An 1980s Party

Decade-themed parties are always a hit, and '80s themed parties are no exception. One of the key components to preparing for any themed party is dressing the part, but this can sometimes be a difficult process. Luckily, the '80s saw some very distinct dressing styles that make dressing for an '80s-themed party a breeze.

'80s Hip-Hop

As with the music of any decade, 1980s hip-hop was defined by the clothes the artists wore. Wear shell toe Adidas shoes with a matching jumpsuit and Gazelle-style sunglasses for an early 1980s Run DMC look. Alternately, wear a button down shirt with an argyle sweater and some baggy pants for the more dignified hip-hop look of the later 1980s. Gold chains and fedora hats are also good representations of 1980s hip-hop.

'80s Rock Star

Women that want to dress like an 1980s rock star have a few options. They can go the route of 1980s Madonna and wear a large ribbon on their head, combined with a skirt, pair of leggings, tank top, tons of bracelets and dangling earrings. Or they can opt for the Joan Jett look, with an all black ensemble, combined with bracelets up both arms and a patterned neck wrap. Men can pull off the '80s look by imitating the image of 1980s hair metal bands. Tight jeans, a tight black shirt, teased hair and a bandanna wrapped around one leg let other party goers know you are there to rock.

'80s Prep/Jock

The '80s prep look is best represented in the John Hughes movies of the '80s. Women should wear bright polo shirts with the collar up, khaki pants or a knee-length skirt, plain white tennis shoes and a sweater tied around the shoulders. Men can replicate the same look, or opt for an '80s jock look. To achieve the jock look, wear jeans, tennis shoes, a plain white T-shirt and a vintage-looking varsity jacket.

'80s Trends

On top of these '80s clothing ideas, there are several '80s trends that can turn almost any outfit into an '80s-inspired costume. For women's costumes, wear shoulder pads, leg warmers, neon jewelry, shoulder-slung tops and high-waisted pants to achieve an '80s look. For men's costumes, wear harem "Hammer-style" pants, leather or jean jackets, sleeveless shirts, tight stone-washed jeans and high top shoes for a distinct '80s look.

Clothesline Versus Dryer

Clotheslines are more energy efficient than dryers, but they have their own drawbacks.

Both clotheslines and dryers have the ability to dry laundry. However, there are benefits and drawbacks to each option. As environmentalists urge society to become "greener," clotheslines have resurged in popularity. Though dryers cost more to both the individual and society, they are a more convenient and faster way to dry clothes. Some state and local governments have even entered the debate by banning clotheslines for aesthetic reasons.

Benefits of Clotheslines

Clotheslines allow a consumer to dry his clothes without paying any energy fees. TerraPass estimates that an average family could save about $70 per year by air-drying half of their loads of laundry. Further, the family would conserve over 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. Overall, clotheslines are cheaper to the individual consumer and better for the environment.

Drawbacks of Clotheslines

Despite the cost and energy savings, there are several key drawbacks to using clotheslines. It can be time-consuming to hang clothes on a line as opposed to simply tossing the whole load in a dryer. Also, clotheslines cannot be used in inclement weather; thus the method is not always a reliable way to dry clothes. Clotheslines also require space, so people living in small spaces-such as urban condos-may not have room for a clothesline. Finally, some citizens argue that clotheslines are not aesthetically pleasing and should be banned because they reduce the beauty--and property values--of the surrounding community.

Benefits of Dryers

Dryers primarily offer convenience, as many new appliances and technologies do. Dryers are typically placed right next to washers, so unloading a wet load of washed laundry into a dryer is very easy. Dryers also save time because they dry a load of laundry in under an hour whereas a clothesline could require several hours to dry the clothes. Because dryers can be used in any weather conditions, they are also more reliable than clotheslines.

Drawbacks of Dryers

Though the added energy costs and use are the biggest downsides, dryers do have other drawbacks. Because dryers toss clothes around throughout the drying cycle, clothes can take a beating. Dryers ultimately reduce the life of clothes as a result. Also, dryers are expensive to purchase compared to clotheslines, so the initial cost is also a downside.

Regulations Regarding Clotheslines

Despite the recent push from environmentalists urging consumers to use clotheslines, some areas make use of clotheslines difficult due to long-standing bans, usually as part of homeowners' association rules. Proponents of such bans argued that the sight of clotheslines reduces property values. Proponents of clothesline use in the province of Ontario, Canada, fought for years to lift an arcane law allowing municipal bans on clotheslines, finally overturning the bans in 2008. Some homeowners’ associations and towns still ban clotheslines. Typically, though, areas with bans do allow retractable clotheslines that can be stored when not in use.

Clay Versus Plastic Planters

Empty clay pots waiting to be filled.

Container gardening can be both fun as well as functional. Planters and pots are crucial for many people living in apartments, condominiums and townhouses who are unable to plant a traditional garden. Clay and plastic planters both have advantages and disadvantages that the container gardener should consider.

Weight

Clay planters are heavier than plastic ones. Plastic pots are good for plants you may need to move often, but clay pots may be required to counter the weight of top-heavy plants.

Fragility

Clay planters are more likely than plastic ones to break if dropped.

Cleaning

Plastic planters can be cleaned and reused easily, whereas a clay pot is porous and hard to disinfect if a diseased plant was living in it.

Moisture

Plastic planters and pots hold water better than their clay counterparts. Clay pots are often a good choice for plants that prefer dryer soil. Plastic pots are a better option for plants that require wetter soil.

The Environment

Plastic pots are harder to recycle than clay pots.

Cold

Clay planters crack more quickly than plastic ones when exposed to cold weather.

Chapel Restoration Grants or loans

Church Restoration Grants

Church restoration can promote the revitalization of communities and ensure that historic buildings remain a part of the past, present and future of the neighborhoods where they have existed for many years. Restoring older buildings, like churches, can also be good for the environment. Restoring a building instead of tearing it down reduces waste added to landfills, and can lessen urban sprawl which destroys open spaces and natural habitats of animals, birds and fish. Historic buildings, particularly churches which are often so beautiful, add character to the neighborhoods where they stand. The materials and quality with which they were built simply can not be duplicated.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation

One of the best resources for church restoration grants is the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Created in 1949, the trust is "dedicated to saving historic places and revitalizing America's communities," according to their mission statement. The National Trust for Historic Preservation offers a number of matching grants for preservation and educational uses, and funds for preservation emergencies.

Local Resources

Many states have local resources and grants for restoration of historic buildings. Visit your state's website or contact your state's Department of Planning and Economic Development for more information. Your state may also offer tax incentives that make restoration a valuable project.

Fundraising

Some grants may be matching grants that will match the funds that your church restoration group already has for the restoration project. If this is the case, you may need to raise funds for the project. There are a number of books that offer great information on raise funds for this type of project including, Effective Strategies for Fundraising for Non-Profits: Real World Strategies that Work, by Ilona M. Bray.

Restoration Project Tools

The American Association for State and Local History has a catalog of books and reports that may assist in planning and completing a church restoration project. Contact them at:

AASLH

1717 Church Street

Nashville, TN 37203

Draw Anything Using Shapes And Angles

Learning to draw is simply a matter of learning to break objects into smaller shapes in your mind, and then making adjustments to add details. This tutorial will show you draw anything using shapes and angles.

Instructions

1. Start by choosing a simple household item such as a cereal box from your pantry. Examine the box and break it into little shapes. While it might look like you can just draw a rectangle and have a cereal box, if you look closely you will see the box is made up of a series of shapes.

2. Make a set of straight lines to represent each side of the box. Then make a set of angled lines following the same slant of the actual box in front of you. From there you make another set of angled lines going in the direction of the corners of the box. Finally, make lines that are parallel with the top and side of the box.

3. Choose a more interesting item based on circles like this mug, for example. Examine the mug and look for different shapes in the cup.

4. Draw the different shapes of the mug such as the ellipse at the top, the lines of the side and the curved line at the bottom. Once that is done, look more closely at how the lines are angled on the cup and make adjustments.

5. Choose an item that is more difficult like this wine glass. Once again examine it closely picking out different shapes in your mind. You can see there are circles, and rectangles in the glass. Start out drawing the simple shapes of the glass, such as the ellipse at the top, and at the bottom. Then draw the rectangle stem and rounded top.

6. Look at the angles of the glass more closely. You will see that the stem curves up, so make those corrections. You will also see that the top of the glass in angled in, so make those corrections as well.

Clay Art Ideas

Clay Art Ideas

Creating art out of clay is a simple and fun way to introduce children to making three-dimensional projects. It also creates multisensory stimulation and provides a sense of reward. While professional-grade clay can be difficult to handle for children, local craft stores typically carry nontoxic, pliable products suitable for beginners. You can choose from many different projects, some of which take just a few minutes to complete.

Pinch Pots

Pinch pots are simple to make, especially for children. Begin by forming a ball of clay, smaller than the finished pot. Roll and smooth it. Push a hole into the center with your thumbs. Fashion a bottom by flattening it against the table, while gently pinching and pulling the sides upward and outward to form a bowl. Although pinch pots can be as deep as you desire, the sides should be thick enough to support the structure and a lid if you choose to make one. You an add texture with a toothpick, fork or clay tool. When the clay is dry, paint the surface with ceramic paint or basic acrylics.

Animals

Making small animals out of clay is easy and fun. Cats, mice, dogs--even squirrels--can be made out of basic clay. Start by rolling a small amount of clay into a ball (about the size of a radish or golf ball). Depending on the desired animal, the ball should be kneaded into a teardrop or other shape, to form the body. Flatten the large end so it stands flat on the table. Make the animal's head using the same technique and fashion it to the body. To complete the face, flatten small clay circles or similar shapes for ears. You can use a toothpick or clay tool to make eyes. Construct tails, arms and legs by rolling and stretching the clay, blend and affix them to the body with your fingers and thumbs.

Bracelets and Necklaces

Bracelets and necklaces can take on many shapes and colors. Start with several small balls. Roll and pinch them into a variety of bead-like shapes. Press small holes through the clay to allow the beads to be strung onto a piece of string, fish line or soft, pliable wire. Before you paint your beads and string them into a bracelet or necklace, allow them to dry.

Clay Sculpture Tips

Clay is a versatile medium to work with in sculpting.

Created by nature and one of the most versatile, three-dimensional art mediums available, clay is a favorite of dedicated professionals, amateur sculptors and even children. Whatever your reasons for working with real or man-made clays, some basic techniques will help you get the most out of your sculpting, strive for a greater artistic pallet and increase your structural success.

Support Structures

Some clay sculptures must be made of something more than pure clay. If the structure is larger and has a shape whose mass is not largely positioned low and in the center of the overall structure, you will probably need to build a non-clay frame to give the sculpture balance. Some good options include craft wire (good for small human or animal form shapes), chicken wire and dowels or stakes (good for larger frameworks) or balled-up aluminum foil (good for building lightweight, filled-in structures that will need to be covered in clay).

Finding Tools

Clay sculptors use standard tools that are made commercially and improvised tools from household and found items. Choose your tools based on what you need as a sculptor; don't be afraid to keep a large arsenal of items at the ready. Professional sculpting tools are roughly pencil-shaped items with tips designed to dig, cut, poke small holes or smooth areas of clay in ways you can't reliably do with your fingers. Some improvised tools that achieve the same results include toothpicks, bamboo skewers, needles (especially good for miniature sculptures), nail files and cuticle pushers, miniature sugar spoons, wooden butter spreaders and disposable wooden chopsticks (which you can customize by shaping them with knives, pencil sharpeners and sandpaper).

Firmness

Most modeling clays need to be softened before you can easily work with them, but you can control how firm or soft it is to help you get different levels of detail and effects in your sculpture. Firmer clay is better for tiny, intricate detail while softer clay is easy to manipulate when forming larger shapes. If the clay is water-based, soften it by adding water and harden it by letting it dry for a few minutes at a time. With oil-based clays, mix in mineral oil, but take care with how much as it won't evaporate to re-harden.

Connected Pieces

Many sculptures must be formed in several pieces and then joined. Poor joint seams are a common cause of structural and design failure. If you are attaching two heavy sections, add short pieces of toothpicks (or other non-clay framework) to spear the center of both sculptures and enhance the connection. Soften the clay at the connecting parts as much as possible to help them stick together. After joining the pieces, smear clay over the crack to cover it.

Texturing

Add visual and tactile interest to clay sculptures by pressing other objects against the surface to imprint a texture. Be on the lookout for objects that might give the clay an interesting imprint, such as coarsely-woven fabric, leather, hair combs, the edges of thick book pages, lace, sandpaper, spools of wire and a metal screen.

Create A Clown Costume

Make a Clown Costume

A costume that can be made quickly and easily without too much financial investment is a clown costume. It is a great costume for Halloween, for costume parties, and for entertaining small children. Here are directions on make a clown costume.

Instructions

1. Wear oversized clothes. Putting together the base of a clown costume is as simple as wearing oversized clothes. You can get them from someone you know, or you can pick up an outfit at the thrift store. Slacks can be several sizes too big and held up with suspenders. Oversized shirts can be stuffed with pillows and you can add filling under an oversized dress as well. You can be a skinny clown as well, but bigger is generally seen as more jolly.

2. Purchase or create a pair of clown shoes. Your clown shoes can be big and floppy, or they can simply be brightly colored. You can customize your own clown shoes by painting a pair of canvas shoes or boots in bright colors.

3. Find brightly colored clothing and accessories. Look for brightly colored and patterned socks, ties, bows, and belts. You want to make your costume as colorful as possible as this will make it more fun. If you can find a brightly colored shirts and pants, then purchase those too.

4. Wear face makeup. Clown makeup is the most important part of the costume. It is also not as difficult as it looks. Simply use white paint as the background makeup. Paint the cheeks and nose red, draw high pointed eyebrows, and paint lips much bigger than they actually are. If you have artistic face painting skills, then you can make your clown face more intricate. If you can find a clown nose, use that as well.

5. Don’t forget to add a wig or hat. You can find a huge red curly wig, a bald-headed wig, a simple striped hat, or a big goofy rainbow wig. Just add something to it to make it eye-catching.

Christmas Holidays In The country

Spain offers several vacations around the holidays.

Sometimes staying home for Christmas isn't as appealing as traveling abroad. Spain is an ideal vacation spot at Christmastime. With December being the off-season, prices on airfare and accommodations are less expensive. Churches abound throughout the country, ideal for your holiday celebrations, and in Madrid, two of its biggest festivals, Dia de los Reyes and Fiesta de Otono, are held during this time of year. For some sunny weather, vacationers can head to the Costa del Sol and the cities of Granada and Gibraltar in the south of Spain.

Madrid

A Christmas in Madrid, the capital of Spain, offers a variety of activities and attractions in a cosmopolitan setting. Art lovers will enjoy the city's three major museums, the Museo del Prado, which houses a well-known, extensive collection, Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, home of Picasso's famous "Guernica," and Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. Other popular attractions that will appeal to lovers of the outdoors include Real Jardin Botanico and Parque del Buen Retiro. Madrid also offers a lively nightlife and two major festivals, Dia de los Reyes and Fiesta de Otono, take place during Christmastime.

Granada and Gibraltar

For travelers looking for history and impressive architecture, as well as some skiing, a Christmas vacation to Spain should include Granada and Gibraltar. Granada, a World Heritage city, sees millions of visitors every year. according to JustSpain.org. Vacationers can visit the world-reknown Alhambra Palace and the Generalife summer palace which contains lavish gardens and go skiing in the Sierra Nevada mountain range south of the city. Only 121 miles away, Gibraltar is well-known for its main attraction, the Rock of Gibraltar. Besides historical sites, the city offers duty-free shopping and mild winter weather due to its subtropical climate.

Costa del Sol

For travelers looking to liven up their winter with some sun and leisure activities, a Christmas vacation to the Costa del Sol is an ideal choice. According to Spanish-Fiestas.com, the Costa del Sol (Sun Coast) of Spain sees more than 2 million visitors a year. With over 300 days of sunshine, the region is a year-round resort destination. Malaga, the birthplace of Picasso, is both a historic as well as modern port city, offering a lively nightlife, pedestrian-friendly shopping in its historic center, and views of the Mediterranean Sea. The Costa del Sol is lined with resorts and about 70 golf courses and offers activities such as scuba diving, horseback riding, dolphin watching, sailing, and more.

Fresh paint Watercolor Farm Scene

Watercolor painting is attractive to most with the soft tones and misty effects available in this medium. It takes relatively few supplies to begin painting in watercolor. Small paint sets make working outdoors easy and enjoyable. A farm is a simple and familiar scene to paint with watercolor.

Instructions

1. Select a source as a guide to follow. It can be a farm from real life, use a photo or picture in a book. If you are a beginner, edit out things to simplify the picture.

2. Choose an emphasis for your painting and give these major elements more space in the painting.

3. Run a horizon line across the paper lightly in pencil. This determines the amount of foreground and background in the painting. To feature a large field in the foreground, for example, have a high horizon line.

4. Consider the placement of any structures such as a barn. Position any structures or additional images, such as trees, in the foreground or background based upon your emphasis. Sketch them lightly in pencil.

5. Paint large areas first with washes. Float in a highly diluted mixture of paint with a flat brush. Choose a brush large enough to cover the paper from side to side in a few strokes. Wash in the sky area as well as the foreground in this way.

6. Let the washes dry. Then begin to add details. Use the paint without diluting as you fill in details such as the color of the barn or the dark shadows that separate rows of crops. Paint details with the #2 brush. Match the color from your source with your paint colors.

7. Continue to add details until you are satisfied. Wash areas out with extra water to lighten if necessary. Make adjustments as you paint until the painting pleases you.

Christian Film Festivals

Christian film festivals bring attention to Christian movies.

Christian film festivals exist as an outlet specifically for films with Christian themes that are often overlooked or nonexistent in mainstream films and festivals. These festivals often germinate into existence as a result of the images and values seen in Hollywood productions, which are often viewed as direct challenges to Christian beliefs, and they utilize innovative methods to reach the public.

Christian Film Festivals of America

While most film festivals are held in the same city each year, the Christian Film Festivals of America is a non-profit ministry with a unique method of operation. Instead of holding the festival in one location, the Christian Film Festival travels to different cities each year, and for a period of seven to eight days, continually showcases between 10 to 14 Christian movies, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day. Current cities the festival visits yearly include Memphis, Boston, Orlando, Syracuse and Rochester, as well as cities in California and South Carolina.

San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival

The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival serves as a platform for filmmakers whose work represent biblical values and ideals, and is held in San Antonio, Texas. Past venues for the festival have included downtown Houston's Municipal Auditorium, with the 2012 festival scheduled for the Lila Cockrell Theatre and the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, also in downtown Houston. The festival has competition categories in dramatic short films, commercial advertisements, documentaries, promotional media and feature films, vying for Jubilee Awards. In addition, the festival features speakers, performing artists and workshops.

Christian Youth Film Festival

Based in Bakersfield, California, the annual Christian Youth Film Festival is in its 18th year. Individuals are not allowed to enter the competition, but youth groups, organizations and teams from anywhere in the world can enter up to three movies, with a run time of up to 10 minutes, in one of two divisions, either middle/high school or college. In addition to exhibiting a Christian worldview, the movie's writing, production and post-production must be done by youths, not adults, in the movie's category. The primary roles must also be portrayed by youth.

Kingdomwood Christian Film Festival

The Kingdomwood Christian Film Festival showcases feature films, short films and documentaries that promote "faith-based values" and are suitable for viewing by all family members. The festival's competition is open to filmmakers, ages 12 and up, in the United States, as well as those from all other countries. It also offers additional features, including panel discussions featuring pastors, workshops for making faith-based films and instructions about proper editing, as well as information on film distribution opportunities. The three-day festival is based in Lithonia, Georgia.

Decorate To Have An Outside Circus Party

The circus offers a fun and entertaining environment for kids and adults, making it a popular theme for outdoor parties. Whether you're celebrating a child's birthday or a momentous event, you can use decorations to create a circus in your own yard. From clowns to balloons to stuffed animals, you can pick decorations designed to fit your personal taste.

Instructions

1. Use primary and secondary colors in your decorations. Red, blue, yellow, white, orange, purple and green are all common colors used in circus costumes. Flat colors work better than blended shades.

2. Set up a circus tent. Party rental stores specialize in renting tents in various sizes. The larger the tent, the more expensive it will be. When you price tents, ask whether the company includes setup in the cost. If renting a tent isn't in your budget, you can make your own by using a tall plastic pipe with streamers in different colors taped to it. Pull the streamers out to the distance you want and secure them to the ground using nails or tent spikes.

3. Decorate circus booths for your planned activities. To make a booth, you can drape a white sheet over a cardboard table. Use duct tape to connect a plastic pipe the length of the table to two pipes equal in height. Connect the frame to the table with duct tape. You can hang streamers across the top of the frame, or you can paint a cardboard valance to cover the top. Make signs out of poster board so people will know the purpose for the booths.

4. Make paths using helium-filled balloons taped to chairs or stakes. Alternate the colors of the balloons to make the paths visually stimulating. Mix in Mylar balloons in the shape of clown faces to add to the idea of being at a circus.

5. Place cardboard cutouts around the yard. You can make your own or you can purchase decorations to fit your circus theme. You can include clowns, acrobats, strong men, elephants and tigers.

6. Paint a circus ring on your grass. If you want a paint that will wash off the grass, purchase aerosol paint designed for football fields, called field marking paint. You can place some of your cutouts in the center of the ring or you can use it for planned activities.

7. Place stuffed animals around the circus area. Horses, zebras, elephants, tigers and dogs are all animals that perform in circuses.

8. Hire a clown or juggler to perform during the party or have guests fill the roles. Pass out clown noses for guests to wear or consider painting guests' faces to look like clowns. As the host, you can dress like the ringmaster or a clown.

Child Parade Float Ideas

Parades serve to unite and entertain the community.

Parades are colorful, artistic events in which the community gathers to celebrate a variety of holidays; choosing a parade float theme that interests children will make their experience both memorable and educational. Decorating the parade float a recognizable theme will connect children on a more profound level to the holiday and will provide talking points between parents and children. Consider the following child parade float ideas to enrich the process of float building and the parade day for parents and children alike.

Children's Literature

Children's books are a rich source of ideas for parade floats that both adults and children can enjoy. If you and your child are involved in the float production, read the story to him to deepen his connection with the decorating process and fully grasp the scene the float is portraying. Often classic literature is chosen for parade floats, and knowledge of books such as "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" will provide hours of reading and learning pleasure.

Nature and the Environment

Let nature's bounty direct the theme of your float.

Children's parade floats are an excellent way to connect with environment. Parades such as the Rose Parade require that all decorative materials be drawn from nature. You and child will be amazed at the variety of supplies this encompasses---seeds, wood, flowers, and fruits and vegetables to name a few. Also consider constructing this float to honor your local American Indian tribe. You can even take this opportunity to teach your child about pertinent environmental topics, such as thinking "green." Your child will begin lifelong habits of recycling and energy saving if you teach them the benefits of conservation at an early age.

Floating History

Encourage your child to learn about the past by creating a parade float with a historical focus. You can choose a historical moment that affected the globe, like the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in the fifteenth century. You can also choose a national theme, such as the Civil Rights movement or Women's Rights. Further narrowing your historical focus may be even more exciting to your child if your hometown played host to a historic moment. Though you may not have a site as obvious as San Antonio's Alamo, a trip to your local town hall for a list of historical sites in your area may surprise you.

Ethnic Celebrations

Choose vibrant colors for onlookers to admire.

Parade floats for children can also inform them about cultures, countries, or continents outside the United States. Celebrate a minority culture that is present in your community so your child will have a better understanding of the diversity of cultures that comprise the modern American social fabric. Any culture that will bring you and your community closer together is a good option, be it Irish, Latino, Italian, or Middle Eastern. The parade float will be a bonding experience for you and your child as well as the community at large.

Start Your Personal Cinema

Everyone loves going to the movies, it's an American tradition. Nowadays lots of people have been building in home theaters to enjoy films out of the comfort of their own homes. But there is still a market for movie theaters. Here's start your own theater.

Instructions

1. Find a location, someplace that is preferably easy to see from a main road or freeway that also has lots of available parking. Once you've found a place to buy or lease you have to build the inside as needed to accommodate your desired look and feel.

2. Purchase all your items. A movie theater requires projection screens, projectors, theater seats and more. Once you have all that set up and your theater is actually starting to look like a theater it's time to set up a concession stand. A lot of a movie theater's profits actually come from the concession stand. All you need is a long counter with glass to show off the goodies, a popcorn machine and fridge with cold drinks.

3. Acquire some films. First-run films are very expensive but if you know some people you might be able to pull some strings. If you can't afford these blockbuster hits consider having your theater be a specialty theater. it can run a specific genre or only independent films or foreign films. Whatever you decide you have to start picking up the phone and making contacts.

4. Begin advertising. Flyers, special promotional postcards, free screenings, and student discounts for the ever popular teenager crowd of movie go-ers. Your advertising may vary depending upon what type of theater you decide to have. That's it. Hire your staff and good luck on your opening night!

Create A 3dimensional Type Of A Titanium Atom

Titanium is a versatile metal, being both very light and exceptionally strong. It resists corrosion, is nonmagnetic and exists in large quantities in the Earth's crust. These properties make it ideal for use in things as diverse as replacement hip joints and aircraft engines. The structure of the titanium atom is complex, with 22 protons, 26 neutrons and 22 electrons. Creating a Bohr model of the atom is the best approach because, although it simplifies the nature of electrons, it does make the atomic structure easier to visualize.

Instructions

1. Glue 22 red beads and 26 green beads to the surface of the table tennis ball, covering it completely, to form the central part of the atom, the nucleus. Mix the colors to form a random pattern, overlapping the beads if necessary. Allow the glue to dry.

2. Use a drop of quick-setting glue to attach one end of the string to the ball. Hold the ball, suspended by the string, to make sure it hangs vertically under the string without looking lopsided. If it does not hang well, remove the string and try again.

3. Glue two black beads to the 6-inch wire hoop. Glue eight black beads to the 8-inch hoop, 10 black beads to the 10-inch hoop and two black beads to the 12-inch hoop. Space the beads out around the hoops. Allow the glue to dry.

4. Tie the 6-inch hoop to the string with a simple knot so the nucleus of red and green beads hangs in the center of the hoop. One inch farther up the string, attach the 8-inch hoop so the previous hoop hangs in its center. Repeat at one inch intervals with the 10-inch and 12-inch hoops to form a series of concentric circles with black "electron" beads circling the nucleus ball.

5. Adjust the spacing of the rings as necessary and then fix them in place with a drop of glue over each knot in the string. Hang the model from the end of the string.

Children'S Museums In New You are able to

Let the kids run wild at a New York children's museum.

To many children, the word "museum" may call up images of ancient artifacts, silent rooms or dusty dioramas. However, children's museums are anything but stuffy. Most museums for kids provide interactive activities, hands-on learning experiences and a variety of exhibits in which to play, imagine, make noise, pretend, get dirty, make a mess and generally have a good time. Several children's museums operate in New York state.

Children's Museum of Manhattan

The Children's Museum of Manhattan has been in operation since 1973. Set between Manhattan's Central and Riverside Parks, the museum offers theme-based exhibits, interactive activities, hands-on displays and a variety of educational programming. As of January 2011, exhibits include Playworks, which combines art, science, math and literacy-focused activities with a stimulating play space, including a large, talking dragon, a fire truck, a sand box and crawling space for infants. Other exhibits include Discover Ancient Greece, Adventures with Dora and Diego and the seasonal City Splash water-play exhibit. The museum also provides classes, school programs and community outreach events.

Children's Museum of the Arts

The Children's Museum of the Arts in New York City has a collection of more than 2,000 works of art, all made by children and selected with the intent of creating dialogue between museum visitors and inspiring children to create their own art. Pieces date from the 1930s to today and come from more than 50 countries. The museum hosts the summer art colony, a series of one- and two-week day camps for kids ages six to 14. Camps include art classes taught by professional artists and instructors. Other museum classes include the wee-arts drop-in program for kids under age five, after-school classes for kids ages five to 12 and an evening art studio for teens ages 11 to 15.

Brooklyn Children's Museum

Founded in 1899, the Brooklyn Children's Museum is the world's first children's museum. Located next to Brooklyn's Brower Park, the museum features exhibits focusing on the arts, culture, the environment and science, and collections of specimens and artifacts. Past and present (as of January, 2011) exhibits and activities include mineral of the day, night journeys, neighborhood nature, living in space, Japan and nature and out on a limb. The 30,000 Object Collection, a permanent exhibit, contains man-made items such as masks, dolls and baskets, and natural items, such as birds, fossils, insects and stones.

Children's Museum of History, Natural History, Science and Technology

The Children's Museum of History, Natural History, Science and Technology in Utica offers hundreds of hands-on exhibits on four floors of a historic building. Exhibit topics include Legos, wooden trains, microbes, radios, weather, a hyberbolic funnel, NASA and an Iroquois longhouse. The museum provides a variety of school programs and classes, ranging from space science programs to music and movement.

Children'S Encaustic Art Projects

Broken crayons can find a new purpose in an encaustic painting.

Encaustic painting will most likely be a new technique for the children in your life. Use crayons, melted beeswax or add dry pigment to paraffin wax. Several layers constitute one piece of art, but since the wax hardens almost immediately, these projects can be done quickly.

Crayon Encaustic

Experiment with the encaustic method by using melted crayons. Gather broken, unlabeled crayons and place them in a muffin tin. Melt the crayons in an oven set to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Hand out pieces of cardboard to the students. Let them carefully apply melted crayon with a brush or palette knife. Show them layer the colors to make a basic landscape painting. Start with the horizon line approximately 3/4 of the way down the page. Let them choose a color for the ground and they can use several colors to represent the sky. It can be a sunrise or sunset, stormy day or a night scene.

Encaustic Collage

Collages done with the encaustic method have a depth to them unlike traditional paper and glue. Introduce children to using layers of wax, paper and oil pastels. Encourage the children to tear images they like from magazines, post cards, greeting cards or advertisements. Build the encaustic painting on a piece of plywood or heavy cardboard for stability. The process can be done in several different ways. You can have the students lay a main image on the background. Brush a layer of clear hot wax over the entire surface. As this layer dries, they can scratch textures in with the tines of a fork, a palette knife or other objects. Use oil pastels to rub in color and then add more images and wax until they are satisfied with their project.

Domino Encaustic

Applying an encaustic image on a domino is another way to introduce encaustic art on a small, inexpensive scale. Before starting this project, you can drill small holes through the top of each of the dominoes. This step is only necessary if you are having them create necklaces from their encaustic pieces. Alternately, a magnet or pin back can be added to the backside of the completed piece if desired.

Have the students plan out the color scheme and overall look they want their domino art to have. Although encaustic is an unpredictable medium, encourage them to start with a simple concept. They can apply one color of melted wax and then a small paper image. Cover both with a layer of clear wax to finish. Another method is to use a rubber stamp to place an image on the domino, color it in with permanent markers and then apply colored or clear wax.

A Brief History Of Circus Costumes

The first modern-day circus originated in 1770.

For centuries the circus has attracted young and old, regardless of culture. One of the features that makes the circus so appealing is the fascinating costumes of the performers. Some costumes have become standard for all circuses, regardless of where they are from. Clowns are easily recognized by their costumes. The same is generally true for trapeze artists in their leotards and skintight attire.

The Early Days of the Circus

The humble origins of the circus date back thousands of years to ancient Rome. After the Roman Empire was toppled, the first traveling circuses began to emerge. These sought to take advantage of scattered audiences that used to travel to Rome for these events. These earlier circuses bear many similarities to today’s circuses. The traveling from place to place, the fanciful clothing and the excitement has not changed.

The First Costume

One piece of circus costume probably owes its origins to a French acrobat named Jules L otard. In the 1850s, he created the skintight outfit that is so popular today, not just in gyms but also in the fitness arena. L otard’s desire was for free movement as he performed his trapeze act.

The Evolution Begins

As the acts became more elaborate, so did the circus costumes. In 1884, probably the best-known name in the circus business, Ringling Brothers, entered the limelight. Back in those days, durability of the costumes was the main concern. They were generally put together by the performers themselves with what they had handy. The costumes and props were simple, with the most elaborate styles belonging to trapeze artists and acrobats.

The clown costumes, which clearly influenced those still worn today, were very basic. In fact, they often involved throwing anything together that would provide amusement. More emphasis was placed on the use of makeup. In Europe, early clowns wore tights in many performances. They gradually adopted the baggy clothing now associated with clowns.

Trapeze artists did not begin to wear tight clothing until it was developed by L otard. Over the years, the biggest change was that they became more glitzy. There was increasing emphasis on the use of sequins and glittery effects. Naturally, outfits were coordinated so the entire troupe could have the same look.

Adding the Allure

Long before it became acceptable to see women in scanty clothing, female circus performers were wearing short skirts, tights and leotards. These were meant to partially pull in customers by displaying the sexuality of women. Female animal trainers, while rare, normally wore elaborate headdresses and limited clothing.

For men, costumes ranged from leotards and sleeveless skintight vests to business suits. The costume was designed to reflect the desired image. Of course, the strongmen had to wear clothing to show off their impressive muscles. The magician had his black tuxedo or cape to help create the image of mystery.

In many cases, circus costumes were designed to represent a culture; for example, elephant riders would dress like an Indian Raja. As such, they would wear a turban with a crown in the center of the forehead. Some costumes were designed to depict a fairytale theme. In short, designs were limited only by imagination and available material.

Many outfits worn by today’s circus performers are reminiscent of earlier periods. In the 1930s, the Ringling Brothers brought in outside designers to provide costumes for its performers. As circuses became more popular, costumes became even more elaborate. Lots of frills and bows were added to keep the audience enthralled.

Modern Costumes

While still sticking to traditional skimpy and glittery costumes, modern circus performers have improved on what they wear. Footwear is now better able to manage particular surfaces, due to improved grip and traction soles. A knowledge of aerodynamics and science have resulted in the use of materials and designs to aid performers.

Keep Screen Printing From Diminishing Or Cracking

Screen printing is very versatile and can be used with multiple types of inks and surfaces.

If you have ever screen printed a T-shirt as a craft project, you know how vulnerable your T-shirt can be to fading and cracking. Home screen printing may not be as high quality as screen printing done by a professional company or T-shirt maker; however, there are several steps you can take to help prevent fading or cracking of your T-shirt design -- or at least to slow the fading and cracking process.

Instructions

1. Turn your newly screen-printed T-shirt inside out. Make sure that you have allowed your design to dry thoroughly for several days after printing it.

2. Place an old towel or rag inside the shirt and lay it on your ironing board.

3. Plug your iron into a power outlet. Set it to low heat and allow it to heat up.

4. Press the iron in waving motions across the inside of the shirt. This helps to set the ink.

5. Wear your shirt and do not wash it for several days. Once the shirt is dirty, do not wash it in a washing machine.

6. Fill a sink with cool water. Add the appropriate amount of delicate washing detergent, according to the detergent's instructions. Turn your shirt inside out and place it in the water.

7. Allow the shirt to soak for a few minutes. Swish it around. Rinse the shirt gently beneath your faucet. Do not scrub the shirt or squeeze it tightly. Gently press the water out of the shirt.

8. Hang the shirt up to dry.

Cheap Quick Cosplay Ideas

Cosplay refers to wearing costumes in public for fun.

Many anime, science fiction and video game fans like to dress up in costumes from their favorite shows and games, especially at conventions. This activity is called "cosplay," which comes from a combination of the words "costume" and "play."

Character Choice

If you need a cheap and quick cosplay idea, start by choosing a human character from one of your favorite shows, games, books or movies. In general, it is easier to dress as a more or less average character than to come up with a costume for a god, a mascot or a military character. Consider characters like undercover cops and students in fictional schools.

Costume Essentials and Helpful Items

If you build up a wardrobe of cosplay basic items, it will be quick and inexpensive when it comes time to add props and finish off a costume. Men can often use white, long-sleeved shirts and jeans as the basis for cosplay ideas, while women often find crinolines and pleated schoolgirl skirts handy. Other helpful items include wings, animal ears, scarves, jewelry, leotards and other dancewear and wigs.

Quick and Easy Cosplays

Inexpensive cosplay ideas that can be pulled together at the last minute, especially if you have some basic elements on hand already, include superheroes in disguise, with hints of the superhero costume peeking through ordinary clothes; students from Harry Potter; and Pokemon trainers.

Least expensive Home In The country

Cheapest Place to Live in Spain

Living in Spain today can be viewed as less expensive when compared to living in other countries because of the exchange rate of the euro, but Spain has a become more expensive country in which to live since the 1970s and the 1980s.

Major Cities

If you are looking for a cheaper place to live in Spain, it is best to avoid the major Spanish cities. Major cities in Spain are highly modern and boast historical architecture as well as contain designer facilities placed high on the world's current market value. To live in the major cities, you can expect to pay quite a premium.

Beach or Coastal

The popularity of Spain's coastal areas is quite high. With the sun, sea and sangria, there are thousands of tourist hot spots along the Spanish coasts, which have increased the area's market prices over the past 40 years. Coastal or beach properties are also high in value.

Inland

The best bargains in Spain can be found inland. If you search inland from the coastal areas approximately an hour or so, property prices drop considerably. In mid-2009, you could easily find a deal on a five- or six-bedroom country house with land. In Ontinyent, an exclusive popular modern town approximately an hour and a half inland from Benidorm, you could rent a five- to six-bedroom country house from around 400 euros a month, which is about 365 British pounds or 450 U.S. dollars on average. You can buy the same property for less than 200,000 euros.

What to Watch Out For

There is more to finding the cheapest place to live in Spain. It is best to look at the whole picture. An area may be really cheap, but remember to calculate how long it will take you to drive to the nearest main town or hospital; fuel costs can alter your expenses by a lot.

Misconceptions

Looking carefully, you may find that in certain areas of Spain, some basic living costs and needs are cheaper than others within the same area. This is due to the fuel price increase and higher delivery costs of certain products. The price of cigarettes, fuel and produce doubled in the few years leading up to 2009 but still remain cheaper in Spain than in other countries.

A Tip

If you really want to save your pennies and find a cheaper and lovely place to live in Spain, steer clear of the highly populated expat areas. Most inland Spanish towns offer everything you need to enjoy a great life, and you can still visit the beaches for the day with an hour's drive. Inland Spain also boasts many mountain rivers and lakes to relax in.

Charlotte now Evening Clubs

Nightlife

Charlotte night clubs bring out the city's adventurous side. People dress up determined to spend the night dancing no matter how long the line outside is or how crowded the dance floor gets. Attracting a mix of young professionals, college students and local residents with a taste for chic decor, the nightlife rises to the high standards of its clientele.

The Forum

Cocktail

Located in uptown Charlotte's entertainment district, The Forum is the place to go whether in the mood for sipping cocktails and watching the sun set or people watching from a roof top garden. There is frequently a line outside, but the local consensus is that this is one club that is worth the wait. The Forum specializes in a variety of vodkas from around the world, featuring an ice bar to keep the liquor at the right temperature. Once inside, the space offers an intimate setting with banquette seating and a chic interior. A mezzanine overlooks the dance floor where a DJ spins while the outdoor patio offers a breath of fresh air. The venue caters to those seeking to escape the college crowd and party atmosphere.

The Forum

300 N. College Street

Charlotte, NC 28203

(704) 375-8765

thecharlotteforum.com

Tremont Music Hall

Rock music

In downtown Charlotte, the Tremont Music Hall is a live music venue that opened in 1995. Presenting shows nightly, the venue features a full bar, though many shows are for all ages. The majority of bands that perform are independent, metal or alternative groups from the south east. With several stages, Tremont is also a great venue to discover a new local band. The venue has a reputation for providing friendly service in a clean space with minimal decor. The best part of spending a night here is that club-goers are never more than 50 feet from the stage, and the 1,000-person capacity ensures a high-energy show.

Tremont Music Hall

400 West Tremont Ave.

Charlotte, NC 28203

(704) 343-9494‎

tremontmusichall.com

Bar Charlotte

Dance club

Bar Charlotte is a no-frills, popular destination for groups of friends. The party crowd skews younger, particularly on College night Thursday, Ladies' night Friday and the DJ dance parties on Saturdays. The space features cage dancing, a swing over the bar and a mechanical bull. It's not unusual for girls to dance on top of the bar, partly to perform and partly to find enough space to dance. Though the bar gets crowded, it's the good kind of crowded that fuels a fun atmosphere. Bar Charlotte offers cheap beer, simple snacks, and encourages patrons to dress up.

Bar Charlotte

300 N. College Street

Charlotte, NC 28202

(704) 342-2557

barcharlotte.com

Kids Guitar Techniques

If you are a parent of an aspiring guitar player, take the time to find the method that suits your child's aspirations. A number of methods and instructional approaches are available for kids who are interested in learning the guitar. Some methods adopt a slow and methodical approach to learning the guitar. Other methods take a fast track approach that encourages kids to play songs as quickly as possible.

Mel Bay

Mel Bay is one of the pioneers of guitar instructional books and materials. Mel Bay's "Children's Guitar Method" is divided into three books. Volume 1 presents the basic fundamentals and Volumes 2 and 3 provide additional instructional material and songs. The Mel Bay method teaches children to read musical notation while learning to play single string notes and simple chords. The Mel Bay method teaches children to play the guitar with a guitar pick. Children also learn different strumming and rhythm patterns. The material is presented with colorful cartoons. The book also includes a CD and DVD.

Hal Leonard

Hal Leonard is one of the contemporary leaders in guitar instructional materials. Hal Leonard produces guitar instruction books and DVDs for all styles of guitar playing. A variety of books are offered for children interested in learning the guitar. "Guitar for Kids" teaches guitar fundamentals and technique. Children learn to play single notes, chords and popular songs such as "Yellow Submarine" and "Hokey Pokey." A CD is included to demonstrate each lesson. Hal Leonard also offers "Children's Songs" and "Beginning Rock Guitar For Kids." The latter book teaches kids the fundamentals for rock guitar, including rock guitar riffs and licks.

The Suzuki Method

The Suzuki method is a well-respected method of musical instruction for children that was developed in Japan in the 1930s. The method is motivated by the premise that children are inherently musical. Its focus is on preschool age children from 3 to 5. The Suzuki method emphasizes ear-training rather than sight reading. It also teaches children musical fundamentals and techniques through playing songs rather than technical exercises.

New Dimensions In Classical Guitar

"New Dimensions in Classical Guitar" is a guitar method book designed to introduce children to the intricacies of classical guitar technique. It is influenced by certain elements of the Suzuki methods and it is published by Mel Bay. The New Dimensions method teaches children classical guitar technique, sight reading and the basic elements and fundamentals of music theory. It incorporates listening and theory games to help students understand musical principles and concepts.