Produce A Story Collage For Authors

Creating a story collage is a way for writers to get their creativity flowing. If you have an idea for a story but you can't quite seem to get it started, creating a collage is a way to move you in the right direction. When you create a visual collage of items that capture the essence of your idea, it can stimulate your imagination and your writing.

Instructions

1. Sit with your story idea. If you have been newly inspired or have an old idea for a story floating around, you are going to have to focus on it. Use a notebook if you wish to write down a few key phrases that capture the main theme or essence behind your story. You may wish to meditate on your story, go for a walk, or engage in whatever creative process that works for you, as long as you are zoning in on the core of your story idea.

2. Sift through magazines, photos, poetry, and quotes looking for pieces that speak to the heart of your story idea. If your idea for a story is about a young boy in the summer and you happen to find a picture in a magazine of a young boy playing outside, this would be the perfect picture for your collage. You are looking for items that capture the feeling of your story.

3. Choose the type of platform your collage will be made on. You can use a cork board and thumbtacks to attach your photos and other items, or a poster board using glue or tape.

4. Gather all of the creative tools you prefer. Markers, stencils, paints, or pastels. You can draw or paint a picture that is fitting to your story if you can't seem to find one that speaks to you. You can add bits of poetry or inspiring quotes that you find truly bring out the feeling of the story you want to write.

5. Hang your collage or place it near your writing space. This will help you stay on track as you sit to write. Glancing up at your collage when you feel stuck or even when you are in the flow of writing will help you stay on track towards the core of your story.

Produce A Stop Motion Animation

In the days before computer generated images, stop motion animation was used to make 3D-style animated films. While Hollywood has moved on to what they can make exclusively with software, you can use the stop motion style with your action figures or other inanimate objects for any film project you have.

Instructions

Preparation

1. Decide what type of figures you will use to create your animation. Molding clay figures was the most popular form to use. If you don't have the time for that, using action figures or Lego block models can work well.

2. Write up a story to base your movie on. If you're using old toys like action figures, try to remember the adventures you thought up playing with those figures, and put it down on paper.

3. Choose a video camera to film with. A digital camera will always work best because you can easily transfer the images onto a computer to edit them.

Filming

4. Set up your scene and characters for the beginning of the shoot. Position the camera to capture the shot and angle you want.

5. Film one frame by pressing the record button and then stopping a split second later. Adjust the figures' positions appropriately and very slightly, then film another frame. Repeat this many times to simulate action on film.

6. Upload your movie onto a computer once it is complete. Edit the movie, as you desire. Trim frames that last too long for movement that are more realistic and add any music or dialogue that goes with the video. Make sure you have good editing software to do this.

Create A Threedimensional Map Of America On Poster Board

Make a Three-Dimensional Map of the USA on Poster Board

Students often learn best when they put their hands on their lessons and interact with them rather than just listen to lectures. This technique is easy to use in art and science class but can also be molded to fit geography. Instead of just telling your students where the United State's mountains and plains are, let them figure it out themselves and even build them by creating a three-dimensional topographical model.

Separate your students into groups and help them create one large section or a smaller whole map of the United States. They'll have a great time getting their hands dirty and retain the information much better.

Instructions

1. Print visual references for each group from Shaded Relief's website (link in the references section). The site has a very detailed color picture of the United States that includes mountains, plains, rivers and the country borders. Instruct your students to draw the country's outline on their poster board first.

2. Make map clay by mixing two cups of salt with a cup of flour and a cup of water. Mix the ingredients together in a large bowl vigorously with a large spoon. Each group will need about half a batch, so expand the recipe appropriately. Make it the night before and store it in the refrigerator until use.

3. Instruct your students to spread an even layer of map clay over the poster board. The layer should be about a half-inch thick. Have them pinch up small, rounded ridges where the Appalachian Mountains are and higher, sharper points for the Rockies. Mountains beyond the Rockies should be relatively low and smooth; get them to follow the contours on the map as closely as possible.

4. Tell your students to carve rivers into their maps with toothpicks. The main rivers, like the Mississippi, should be as wide as three toothpicks while the tributaries should be about as wide as one toothpick.

5. Let the clay dry overnight and paint the mountains brown, the plains green and the rivers blue. If you like, you can make flags with toothpicks and paper, labeling the different features. The clay should be soft enough to accept the toothpick flags.

Produce A Prank Expensive Animation

Prank Flash animations make great gags. The simplest pranks do little more than cutting an innocuous movie to a scary image and startling sound (in the tradition of Bambi Meets Godzilla). More complex pranks frustrate the user by playing tricks with the mouse. You can post them on your home page and email the link to your friends.

Instructions

Simple Screamer Pranks

1. Plan your prank. You need a setup and the prank itself. The set up is usually an innocuous image or animation and pleasant background music. The prank usually combines a startling image (a bloody eye or frightful face) and a scream.

2. Collect your materials. You can draw your own images, use photographs, download images from the web or capture frames from movies. The web has plenty of free sound clips, but you can always record your own.

3. Create your Flash Animation. Make sure the setup runs 15 to 20 seconds to lull the viewer into a sense of security. Cut abruptly to the shock image. Load sounds with the frame properties palette.

4. Save your prank as an SWF animation. Load it to your web page and email your friends.

Frustrating Mouse Tricks

5. Plan your prank. It should involve an interface element that doesn't work as anticipated. This could be a button that jumps when the mouse reaches it, a maze that blocks the mouse, or a hidden button that restarts the prank.

6. Draw the stage elements. You should include at least one object intended to interact with the mouse.

7. Create the animation keyframes. Tricks that move the button can be done in one frame. Tricks that move the user around in the movie require a keyframe for each different screen.

8. Input the ActionScript code. Depending on your version of Flash you can attach it directly to the button, or use an event handler. The most important element is to execute the script when the mouse moves over the button rather than when the user clicks.

9. Test your movie. When it works exactly the way you want, export it as an SWF file.

Produce A Portfolio Like A Fashion Digital photographer

Create a Portfolio as a Fashion Photographer

A fashion photographer takes high quality and high resolution images of clothes, accessories and models for magazines, designers and fashion houses. A portfolio is basically just a collection of the photographer's best work. It can either be an online portfolio in the form of a website that people can visit and view, or it can be prints of the images placed in a folder. No matter what form it's in, the portfolio must showcase the photographer's skill and versatility.

Instructions

1. Have photographs to put into your portfolio. If you are just starting out as a fashion photographer, it will take time to build a portfolio. Every time you shoot fashion photos for a publication or designer, you will have pictures to put into your portfolio. Over time you will have plenty of different types of images to show.

2. Pick and choose the best images to include in your portfolio. After every photo shoot, choose one or two photos that truly stand out and showcase your talent. If any photos happen to be published, definitely include those in your portfolio. Published photos show that your work has been acknowledged in the media.

3. Create an online portfolio. You may have to hire a web designer to give your site a polished and professional look. Upload your best images online and give out the web address so that people can view your portfolio just by going on the Internet.

4. Organize your fashion photos into a folder. Buy a discreet three-ring folder and laminated sheets. Put your best fashion photos into the plastic sheets so that they don't get damaged in any way. The sheets should also be hole-punched. This way your photos will be organized, and be able to be viewed by many people without being torn or soiled.

5. Organize your fashion photos into a photo album that can hold large 8 x 11 prints, as an alternative to a folder.

Produce A Poem

Creating poetry is an act of passion and creativity. Together, inspiration, flow, rhythm and organization make the foundation for great poetry. Writing poetry is also a very healing art. It is a great way to let pent-up emotions out. And poetry creates beauty, too!Learn here get in touch with your inner muse, spark inspiration and create a poem.

Instructions

1. Remember that inspiration is key. Put yourself in an inspiring spot. Be in nature, with a pen and paper. Close the door to your bedroom and put on some soft music. Sit at a cafe and watch people pass by. Be in whatever space inspires you the most.If you still need a spark of inspiration, close your eyes. Often, much of our perception is based on only what we see. Try perceiving the world with your ears and other senses. Feel the wind against your face. Creating poetry can be very sensual!

2. Have your writing tools handy. Start with an idea or intention. What do you want to say in the poem? What feeling or message do you want to convey? Write down your ideas. Once you have an idea planted, the creative process has begun. It's okay, too, if you find yourself filled with emotion with words flowing quickly, without much thought. Whatever your experience is, go with it!

3. Begin writing. Write in stanzas, in groups of short or long phases, using as many action words as possible. Action words are words that create motion or imagery, invoke feeling--that are alive! For instance, "deep blue sorrow" gives an image and feeling. As you write, group your phrases into stanzas. Each stanza should portray a complete idea or experience. Then add a space. See if you can set a pattern of meter and or rhyme in the stanzas. Try to create a pattern using the syllables in each line. For instance, "deep blue sorrow" has four syllables. Make your next line have seven syllables, and then the next line have four again. Play! The poem can be as short or as long as you want.

4. Stay out of self-judgment. Creativity and judgment work against each other. If you find yourself stopping at each word, thinking it doesn't sound good, you must get over it. Allow your words to come alive. Leave the editing for later, when you're not in the process of creating the poem.

5. Review your poem. Read it out loud and see how you feel as the words are voiced. Did you fulfill your intention for the poem? Did your initial idea take off and create a complete experience? If not, rewrite until the poem feels complete to you. It's okay if you leave your poem incomplete. Some poets write a few lines one week, and a few lines the next week.

Produce A Photography Portfolio With Blurb

Create a Photography Portfolio with Blurb

If you want to establish yourself as a photographer, you'll need a portfolio to show your work. While a website, blog or photo-sharing site is great for showcasing the bulk of your photos, printing your photographs and presenting them in a bound portfolio is often necessary when pursuing a photography job, assignment or client. Blurb lets you create and print professionally bound, four-color portfolios. To design your portfolio, Blurb provides free software that allows you to lay out photographs in a professional manner.

Instructions

1. Decide on your career goal. Your goal will impact your photography portfolio. Are you interested in becoming a commercial photographer, wedding photographer, a fine artist or some other type of photographer? Once you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve professionally, you can create a photography portfolio that supports your goal.

2. Select your photos. A portfolio is more than a scrapbook of your 10 to 30 favorite photos. It should contain your best 10 to 30 images that directly relate to your professional goals. (An example of this would be, if you want to become a children's portrait photographer, don't fill your portfolio with shots of zebras you took on safari. Feature your best portraits of kids.)

3. Make sure that each photograph has consistent image quality and color balance. Also, make sure that all black and white photographs share the same gray scale attributes.

4. Prepare your text. Creating a portfolio with Blurb is a lot like making a real book. Blurb allows you the option to add a portfolio cover and title, table of contents, a biography, photo captions and contact information. Writing out your text before creating your portfolio saves time and helps you stay organized. You can then cut and paste this text into pages throughout your portfolio.

5. Register at Blurb and download Blurb BookSmart(tm), the free bookmaking software you'll use to easily layout your photography portfolio.

6. Open Blurb BookSmart and decide on a book size for your portfolio.

7. Add your photos and text to the BookSmart page templates that best showcase your work. For portfolios, it looks more professional to use the same layout for all of your photos. It also helps to choose one font for all of your text and to select a font size that is not too large.

8. Have someone else edit your work. Once you've designed your portfolio, print out a preview and ask a friend, teacher or colleague to review it. Have them check for spelling, effectiveness, clarity and quality. Ask them to be honest and be prepared to adjust your photography portfolio as necessary.

9. Make your final edits if you have any and order your printed portfolio. You do this by clicking Preview Book, then Order Book in Blurb BookSmart. It should only take a few minutes to upload your portfolio's file to Blurb. If you have the time, Blurb recommends that you start by ordering one portfolio as a test proof to ensure that your photographs print well.

Produce A Personal Altar

Altar item

A personal altar is an excellent way to pay homage to things that you love and are important to you. These things can be a person, an idea or a tenet by which you live your life.

Instructions

1. Select your site. You’ll want to put a personal altar in a place that is away from heavy traffic but also in a place where you’ll be able to gaze at it often. Personal altars are perfect, of course, in meditation chambers. The altar can be anywhere in the house you so desire, as long as it’s an area removed from other items and stands out as a special place.

2. Pick your platform. A small table, individual shelf set off by itself on a wall or even a fireplace mantle can work as a personal altar, as long as you only populate the platform with personal altar items. No exceptions. You can jazz up your platform by draping it with decorative scarves, fabric and fringe to truly show this is a sacred and beautiful place.

3. Choose your items. Select items that have deep meaning for you. Perhaps you want to include a photo or two of those dear to you who have died or a place that is special in your heart. Pick things that signify greater truths, like a bird’s feather to indicate your reverence of freedom, a rock to show your respect for the earth, a bronze flower to indicate your love of beauty.

4. Arrange the items on your altar. The most important items should go in the middle with the other items arranged around the middle item in a circle. Try to keep a circular pattern going, as it is indicative of the circle of life.

5. Dust often. Letting a personal altar build up inches of dust, dirt or become neglected is not only disrespectful but it goes against the very reason you created the altar: to pay homage to all that is important. You are giving a very clear message to the universe that none of this is important if you let your altar fester in filth.

Produce A New Email Id Stepbystep

Create a new email address.

Having an email address in today's world is essential to communication. An email address allows users to communicate with family and friends, send resumes for employment online, receive receipts for online purchases, and create memberships and accounts with different websites. There are many email service providers to chose from. Some of the most popular email providers are Yahoo!, Gmail and Hotmail.

Instructions

Yahoo! Mail

1. Go to mail.yahoo.com

2. Select "Sign Up" under the login fields.

3. Create your Yahoo! mail account. Enter in your name, gender, birth date, country and zip code. Enter in your own personal Yahoo! ID that will be used as your email address (e.g. mynewyahooemail@yahoo.com). You can also select the "Check" button to make sure that name is still available. If not available, chose another name or pick from the suggestions Yahoo! provides. Enter in your password and select a security question in case you forget your password. Lastly, enter the captcha code.

4. Select the "Create Account" button and your new Yahoo! email is now available for use.

Gmail

5. Go to mail.google.com.

6. Select the "Create an account" button below the login fields.

7. Enter in your first and last name, desired login name (or email address), create a password and then pick a security question in case you forget your password. Enter in your birth date and select your country of residence from the menu. Enter in the captcha (or code) and read over the terms and conditions.

8. Select the "I accept. Create my account" button to finish the email creation process.

Hotmail

9. Go to hotmail.com

10. Select the "Sign Up" button next to "Don't have a Hotmail account?"

11. Enter in a "Windows Live ID." This ID will be used as your email address, and could be used to access other Microsoft Properties such as Xbox Live or Zune. You can hit the "Check Availability" button to make sure the name is still available.

12. Add your additional account information. Create a password, enter in your first and last name, select your country, state and zip code. Select your gender. Enter your birth year. Then enter the captcha characters.

13. Click the "I accept" button to accept the terms and conditions and create your new Hotmail email account.

Produce A Movie Studio

Independent film production and short Internet classics are the entertainment of the future. To create your movie masterpiece, you need a place to film the actors. While movie studios spend millions recreating exotic planets or the skyline of New York, you can produce most live action movies in the comfort of your own home.

Instructions

1. Find a room in which to film, avoiding high traffic areas. An extra bedroom or office work well, as does a portion of the basement. If you choose to film in a garage or converted garage, remember that the microphone can pick up stray sounds.

2. Determine the lighting needs. Amateur movies typically suffer from poor lighting, so provide enough light for the actors and the background. Make test shots of the area (with a stand-in) to see if the camera can photograph needed details, then mark areas for light stands with masking tape.

3. Place your microphone with care. Since cloudy sound often mars home movie productions, hang drapes to muffle outside sounds, and keep your studio quiet while filming.

4. Create a set for your home studio, which can be as minimal as a few chairs and a small table with books. Avoid an overly sparse look, though; most rooms have pictures, books and other evidence of human occupation.

5. Dress the set according to your story. Commercial films and television do this flawlessly. If telling a crime drama, lay around some plastic machine guns and plastic bags of sugar. If your movie is a love story, remember to add flowers and pastel colors.

6. Check to make sure your home studio provides safety. Secure anything hung above the actors' heads and tape down all electrical cords to minimize tripping.

Produce A Montessoristyle Homeschool

Many people wish to avoid the high tuition cost of a Montessori education, so they seek to replicate the classroom in a Montessori-style home school. To be successful, one must first learn about the philosophy, then have the appropriate materials on hand.

Instructions

Familiarize Yourself with Montessori Education

1. Read up on Montessori education, using books written by Maria herself. Classics include The Montessori Method, Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook, The Discovery of the Child, and The Secret of Childhood.

2. Seek out books by more contemporary authors, as well. Great titles include Montessori From the Start: The Child At Home from Birth to Age Three by Paula Polk Lilliard and Lynn Lilliard Jessen, Montessori Today by Paula Polk Lilliard, Montessori Play and Learn by Leslie Britton, Montessori Read and Write by Leslie Britton, Montessori: A Modern Approach by Paula Polk Lilliard, Teaching Montessori in the Home: The Preschool Years by Elizabeth G. Hainstock

3. Visit Montessori websites for further information. Organizations such as the American Montessori Society are full of information for parents.

4. Take notes on what you read, and carefully plan out how you are going to set up your home, the activities, and demonstrations.

5. Inquire about Montessori training either in your area, or via correspondence.

6. Schedule visits to many Montessori classrooms, to get a feel for the layout and techniques employed.

Setting Up the Montessori Environment at Home

7. Designate an area of your house to be the Montessori classroom. This is an area in which activities are done. The kitchen is a great place for a lot of the Practical Life curriculum activities and some science. Other activities should be done in an area away from the chaotic daily activities.

8. Provide tables and chairs that are child-sized. Keep activities on low shelves, or otherwise within the child's reach. To encourage independence, the child should be able to access her own materials and move about freely.

9. Maintain a minimalist decor. Avoid over-decorating the walls with educational posters and gawdy artwork. Simple, calming colors are best, with perhaps some fine art hanging.

Tips on Practical Life

10. Provide your child with kid-sized kitchen utensils that are located within her reach. She should be learning prepare food to feed herself. She should be practicing pouring her own drinks. If you set up the activity for her and show her do it, she will be able to independently perform it.

11. Teach your child perform cleaning tasks around the house, and provide her with her own natural cleaning solutions and supplies. Allow her to practice when she wants.

12. Have your child practice self-help skills by leaving out a variety of extra clothes and shoes for buttoning, snapping, tying, zipping, and buckling practice. Encourage her to do it herself before going outside, when using the bathroom, etc.

13. Give her opportunities to practice her fine motor skills by squeezing modeling clay, using tweezers to pick up rice, stringing beads, sewing buttons.

Tips on Sensorial Activities

14. Provide a variety of ways to allow your child to explore his senses. The sensorial area has activities that focus on one sense at a time.

15. Create your own sound materials by using different items, such as salt, rice, beads, bells, inside opaque containers that are sealed shut. Your child can practice matching them, as well as grading them in order from loudest to softest.

16. Mount different grades of sandpaper on a sturdy backing, such as wood or poster board to allow your child to explore texture. Have him practice matching two different textures with his eyes closed, or to grade them in order of roughest to smoothest. Further practice can be done with different kinds of material.

17.Look into purchasing activities such as the Pink Tower, Brown/Broad Stair, Red Rods, Knobbed Cylinders, Knobless Cylinders, from a Montessori company. Kaybee Montessori, Neinhuis, Bruins, Montessori 'n' Such, are all reputable companies. Also check catalogs such as Discovery Toys and Deep Discount Supply for cheaper replicas. Also check local toy and education stores.

18. Print replicas of Montessori sensorial materials from websites, such as montessorimaterials.org, which is a homeschooling site dedicated to helping homeschoolers. They provide templates for the geometric cabinet and constructive triangle boxes.

Tips for the Language Area

19. Read to your child as much as possible. Have a variety of reading materials available at all times.

20. Prepare your child for reading by playing games such as Memory. Also practice sorting and categorizing activities.

21. Train her ear by reading rhyming stories and poetry. Play rhyming games. Play "I Spy" using beginning sounds.

22. Teach your child the sound the letters make, instead of the names of the letters. Some of the letter names start with a different sound than the letter makes. For example, a child frequently believes that the letter "y" makes a /w/ sound, because its name starts with that sound. After she is familiar with her sounds, introduce the letter names.

23. Practice sorting objects and pictures by their beginning sounds. Later also practice sorting them by their ending sounds, and by middle vowel sounds.

24. Blend the sounds together, once she is confident in her letter sounds. Practice spelling words that follow the consonant-vowel-consonant rule, such as hat, pig, dug, log, jet. Always use short vowels. Later add more consonants. Lastly introduce long vowels and various letter combinations. Find lists and printable ideas at montessorimaterials.org, jmjpublishing.com, abcteach.com, and carlscorner.com.

25. Introduce sight words at this point. Use a list of frequently used words, or the Dolch series. Sight words will also naturally occur in simple readers. Use the previously mentioned websites to also locate sight word activities.

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The child can also start practicing putting those simple words together in phrases and sentences, using word cards, the moveable alphabet, or practicing writing.

Tips for the Math Area

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Introduce the numerals by purchasing or creating your own sandpaper numerals. They are taught in the same fashion as the sandpaper letters, only saying the numeral name.

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Practice counting by using tangible items, instead of trying to count on a flat card. The child will then be able to understand one-to-one correspondence and the true purpose of counting.

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Make your own bead bars, if you don't want to purchase them. String one red bead for one, then two green, three peach/pink, four yellow, five light blue, six purple, seven white, eight brown, nine dark blue, and ten gold. Use these to practice counting and for creating quantities.

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Teach the concept of base ten after mastering 0-10 counting. Introduce the quantities and numerals for 1, 10, 100, and 1000. 1 is one golden bead. 10 is ten beads in a bar. 100 is one hundred beads in a square. 1000 is one thousand beads in a cube. Base ten blocks are also available at teacher supply and toy stores.

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Start creating quantities up to 100 by using your bead bars. For example, creating 54 would require 5 ten bars and 4 units.

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Practice numeral recognition by creating a Hundred Board.

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Use printed cards from the Large Card Layout (accessible on montessorimaterials.org) to practice large numeral recognition, and for creating quantities the child must assemble with the golden beads or base ten blocks.

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String together bead bars into chains to practice squaring and cubing. For example, string together four of the 4 bars to create a 4 squaring chain, and sixteen of the 4 bars to create a cubing chain.

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Introduce fractions, time, money, and measurement, as well.

Tips for Science and Social Studies

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Emphasize nature as much as possible. Spend time outside. Care for the outdoor environment. Practice living green, recycling, and conservation. Care for indoor plants. Care for animals that represent all parts of the animal kingdom: mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish.

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Create science experiments that the child can perform on his own.

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Spend time absorbing new cultures through music, video, art, books, and food. Visit museums to see relics from other cultures. Show respect for all people, and your child will, too.

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Practice regularly the skills of grace and courtesy. Emphasize proper behavior and manners, both at home and in public. Use kind words regularly, and demonstrate appropriate methods of showing frustration.

Tips on Teaching the Arts

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Allow your child free exploration of different art media. Show her use scissors, clay, paints, and more, but then let her create whatever she wants, instead of trying to copy your craft.

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Expose your child to different kinds of art. Look at books from the library. Visit museums.

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Listen to a wide variety of music. The library is a great resource. Purchase simple instruments for her to play with at home. Make your own instruments.

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Learn different kinds of dance, either through video or by taking a class. Or just turn on the music and let her freely move around.

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Take yoga, or invest in yoga DVDs for kids.

Fresh paint My Glass Oven Door

Use a high-temperature enamel.

You can paint your glass oven door; however, the finish won't endure for a long period of time. Before you begin the application process, consider the pros and cons, and then decide if you still want to tackle this sort of project.

Adhesion Problems

If you're dead set on painting your glass oven door, the best you can do is thoroughly clean it prior to application. Because glass is nonporous, it's ill-suited for painted finishes. Professionals use sandpaper to abrade nonporous vinyl, plastic, and fiberglass. This technique roughens these surfaces, effectively enhancing their adhesive qualities. Unfortunately, this method doesn't work very well on glass.

Temperature

If you're committed to painting your glass oven door, choose a high-temperature enamel or appliance epoxy. Because oven doors get hot, they tend to reject ordinary types of paint. If you apply an ordinary latex, oil, or acrylic paint to your glass oven door, the finish will quickly bubble and peel.

Application

Because glass oven doors are slick, they'll reveal even the subtlest of flaws. Don't apply the paint using a brush, or you can expect marks to appear in the finish. For best results, use spray cans of high-temperature enamel or appliance epoxy. To prevent runs, hold the spray can tip approximately 8 inches from the glass.

Refinishing

When you first apply the painted finish to the glass oven door, it will likely look durable and attractive. Unfortunately, over time, it will chip and flake. This may take between six months to two years. Once paint failure begins, you'll have to refinish the glass with fresh paint. Consider this before deciding whether or not to paint your glass oven door.

Get The Baby In Modeling

Auditions for models of all ages are called "go-sees."

Most parents think their child is the most beautiful baby in the world. In some cases, a big-name talent agency might agree and sign their baby to a modeling contract. Brooke Shields and Jodie Foster are celebrities who began their careers as children hawking soap and suntan lotion in front of the cameras. While not all children will become famous, there are several steps to consider if you are convinced your child can make it in the competitive world of modeling.

Instructions

1. Photograph your child on the floor in front of a simple, clean background. Create a portfolio of candid shots of your baby in diapers or simple clothing. Remove props, toys, bow, extraneous attire or jewelry. Talent agents don't want to see frilly clothing, messy faces or anything distracting in the photograph, nor do they want to see professional portraits at this point, according to Jessica Hartshorn, Senior Lifestyle Editor for American Baby Magazine.

2. Select two or three color photographs for submission. Write your child's name, age, date of birth, eye and hair color and weight, as well as your telephone number on the back of each photograph.

3. Find reputable representation. Search online for an agent or manager that accepts submission, then send your child's photographs to the agencies you are interested in pursuing. Do not send money to any agent asking for payment up front. Reputable agencies never ask for money; they receive payment from contracts between you and the advertiser.

4. Be patient and persistent. Continue to send pictures out until you get an appointment to bring your child in for a meeting. Don't take rejection personally. It may take weeks to hear back from an agency if they are interested.

5. Show up to your child's casting early to reduce your stress level, which can affect your child's mood. Be courteous to everyone at the stage or studio. Agents remember pleasant, considerate parents and children.

Design An Abstract Painting

The balance between intuitive freedom and intellectual concepts is a hallmark of abstract painting.

Abstract art refers to works that depict a partial or complete abstraction of a subject. There are different types of abstract art that have become popular in recent times. Picasso, for example, used figurative art to create his abstract work known as Cubism. Body parts were segmented into cubes, or squares, to create a striking stylization of an otherwise normal subject. Abstract expressionism breaks all the rules of composition, color and form to provide an open platform for intuitive expression.

Instructions

1. Prepare your painting station with all the brushes and paints you will need to create your artwork. Use a drop cloth if you plan on splashing or splattering paint.

2. Use a pencil to sketch out any forms if you are planning a figurative abstract. Draw the main elements on a separate sheet of paper to formulate your composition.

3. Compose your painting in a way that makes it easy for the viewer to understand the work. Do not add too many items at first as this will create a confused composition. Draw the figures in a realist fashion; you will be able to deconstruct them later in the process. Use a reference image to help you get the right proportions. Keep the focus near the center and consider where it will lead the eye of the viewer.

4. Use brushes and apply paint to your drawing. Use striking colors that don't necessarily appear in reality. Use your intuition to create lines of sight, or action, within the painting. The flow of your brush strokes and the colors you use will be key elements in making it an abstract painting. Let each layer dry before adding more layers. Keep adding layers until the painting looks finished. Keep the main outlines intact and use the spaces within to enhance the abstraction in your work.

5. Create a spontaneous work of abstract expressionism as an alternative project. Prepare your thoughts on paper or let yourself go freestyle. Think of contradictions and juxtapositions of color and form. Splatter or use a spatula to scrape thick layers of different colored paints to express your thoughts and ideas. Rely on your instincts to guide you and to preserve a sense of spontaneity. Curb any thoughtless spontaneity by using your intelligence. Use some logic, or a "method-to-the-madness" approach, to avoid your painting becoming a confused mess.

6. Continue to analyze your work regardless of what style of abstract art you wish to create. Add layers to you work as many times as you feel necessary to properly create your expression. Use the freedom inherent in abstract painting by being intuitive and spontaneous. At the same time, be mindful of a concept embedded in the fabric of your painting.

What's Giclee Printing

Giclee printing is a method of producing prints of artwork digitally with high-end equipment. Superior quality giclee prints are economical for the artist and give the buyer some choices about the art they buy.

History

Giclee (zhee-klay) printing was developed in the 1990s.

Features

After a high-resolution digital scan is made of the artwork, prints are made with eight-color or twelve-color ink-jet printers, using archival-quality inks. The resulting prints have truer color accuracy than older printmaking methods and will last longer.

Benefits

This method of printing is practical for artists who want to sell copies of their work without the cost of mass-producing it. Giclees can be printed as-needed for little cost once the digital scan is made.

Fun Fact

Giclee prints, while comparatively inexpensive, are still high-quality. In 2004, an Annie Liebovitz giclee print sold at auction for $10,800.

Size

Once the digital scan is made, giclee prints can be made in almost any size. Art buyers buying on demand can specify the size they would like.

Learning To Draw three dimensional

Contrast between light and dark areas can create the illusion of three dimensions.

Learning to draw three-dimensional (3D) objects and letters requires detailed shading and lighting. The more contrast between light and dark, the more it stands out on paper. Shading and light sources are crucial to drawing objects that look 3D. Begin with simple sketches, then work in shading to bring out the object's dimensional qualities. Two- and three-point perspective and atmospheric perspective, which makes objects blurry in the distance and clear in the foreground, can also add dimensionality to your drawings.

Instructions

1. Draw a straight vertical line with a ruler and 2B pencil. Draw a horizontal line at the base of the vertical line to make an upside-down T-shape.

2. Sketch lines from the top of the vertical line to the left and right edges of the horizontal line to make a triangular shape.

3. Extend the vertical line past the bottom of the triangle and sketch an oval to create a cone shape.

4. Erase all the sketch lines inside your cone with an eraser.

5. Use zig-zag or back-and-forth motions with the 2B pencil, applying more pressure on the sides of the cone than the middle. This will make it appear as if light is hitting the front of the cone and there is shade on the sides with less light.

6. Shade your cone again to create good contrast between dark and light areas, but the transition should also be subtle. This will make your cone look 3D. Erase any extraneous pencil marks or smudges.

Produce A Medieval Poem

Gothic poems allow the writer to express the deep, gloomy thoughts from the pit of despair in the soul. A poem will allow an outlet or avenue for expression of feelings that the person may be uncomfortable vocalizing. Writing down your thoughts is therapeutic. It allows you to see your thoughts on paper as a personal expression and may afford you relief from troubling feelings.

Instructions

1. Select your topic. What are you trying to express? You have a wide variety of emotions and moods from which to choose. Search deep inside for an idea or thought that you want to put into words. Writing it down can separate you from any sense of judgment or repercussion perceived by vocalizing. It can be done away from the prying eyes of others.

2. Outline your topic. Choose words that best describe the feelings you are having about the topic you choose. The more descriptive words you use the better.

3. Maintain your privacy if the poem is not meant to be shared. Don’t leave your papers out in the open. This allows for unwarranted feedback and criticism. You must decide how much of yourself you allow into the writings. If your poems are for your personal benefit, then you are the reviewer and critic for your own material. You may choose to write your poem in a private journal.

4. Resist falling into the trap of trying to please someone else with what you are writing. This is a personal revelation you are expressing. You need to be true to yourself. This will allow you a sense of satisfaction. Your work will be your own. Do not allow what others think to color the way you express yourself.

Produce A Gingerbread Haunted House

Create a Gingerbread Haunted House

Make this Halloween spooktacular with a gingerbread haunted house. The little ghosts and goblins in your family will enjoy decorating the haunted house with sticky white icing, crushed cookies and tasty Halloween candy. Before you can decorate the gingerbread house, you will need to do some baking, so grab your mixing bowls and whip up this ghoulishly delicious Halloween treat.

Instructions

1. Cover a piece of cardboard to use for the base of the house with aluminum foil and print and cut out the Halloween haunted house template. Set the items aside until needed.

2. Combine 1 ½ cups vegetable shortening, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 1 ½ cups molasses and ¼ cup corn syrup in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add the 3 eggs and mix until thoroughly combined.

3. Stir together the 8 cups flour, 2 tsp. ground ginger, 1 ½ tsp. baking soda, and 1 ½ tsp. salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the mixture to the wet ingredients until well blended.

4. Remove the gingerbread dough from the bowl and knead until soft. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 ½ hours.

5. Take the dough out the refrigerator and peel off the plastic wrap. Place the dough between two pieces of wax paper and with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough to ¼ inch thickness. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

6. Place the pre-cut template on the gingerbread dough. Using a sharp knife, trace and cut out the pieces of the house. Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper and place the gingerbread on the cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.

7. Using an electric mixer beat 4 egg whites and 1 tsp. cream of tartar together for 5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Slowly add 1 16 ounce box of confectioner's sugar until smooth and thick. Add food coloring as desired and spoon the frosting into a pastry bag with a medium tip.

8. Begin assembling the gingerbread house by placing the cardboard base on a level surface. Pipe a generous amount of icing along the walls of the house. Press the pieces in place for 3 to 5 minutes to allow the icing to harden. Complete the house by adding the roof. Let the frosting harden for 45 minutes before adding the decorations.

9. Decorate the gingerbread haunted house by using icing to adhere black and orange jelly beans, gummy worms and spiders, candy corn and black licorice to the house. Create a spooky pumpkin patch with pumpkin-shaped candy and green-tinted coconut. Add crushed chocolate wafers for dirt and ghost shaped marshmallow candy to create a creepy graveyard.

Produce A Free Flier

When you’re trying to advertise an upcoming sale, promote a theater performance, recruit volunteers for a charity event or offer music lessons, there’s no need to spend money on a design company to make your materials. Create your own free fliers on your computer. They are usually a one-page handout on a standard piece of paper, and can be made through a variety of programs.

Instructions

Publisher

1. Open Publisher or download a free trial . Click "Publications for Print." Click the "Flyers" link and review the preset flier designs. Double-click a flier, which opens in the Publisher workspace.

2. Click your cursor inside the flier headline box, which becomes highlighted. Type directly over it with your new headline, such as "Band performance Saturday," "First clarinet lesson free" or "Cupcake sale, buy one get one free."

3. Click into the other placeholder text boxes on the flier and replace the information with your own, including contact details, dates and times of the performance, or a description of what you’re selling.

4. Right-click the placeholder image on the flier. Select "Change Picture" and choose "From File." Browse to a digital image stored on your computer and double-click the file name, which appears in place on the flier.

5. Click the "Color Schemes" link on the "Flyer Options" pane on the left side of the screen. Scroll through the color groups and double-click a set; the flier automatically updates to the new colors in the Publisher workspace.

Paint

6. Open Paint. Pull down the "Image" menu and click "Attributes." Set the page dimensions as 8.5 inches by 11 inches and click the "OK" button.

7. Click the "Text" tool, which looks like an "A." Position your cursor at the top of the flier and click. Type the flier headline.

8. Move your cursor down toward the bottom of the flier and click again, adding more text such as directions to the event, dress code, pricing and other details.

9. Click the "Paintbrush" tool. Select the small round brush head and choose a color from the "Color Picker" at the bottom of the screen. Draw the outline of an item that goes along with what you’re advertising, such as a bicycle, beach ball, ice cream cone or pumpkin.

10. Click the "Paint Bucket" tool and click inside the outline, which fills with color. Switch to the "Pencil" tool. Choose a new paint color and add designs to the drawing.

Word

11. Open Word or download a free trial as part of the Microsoft Office Suite. Pull down the "File" menu and click "New." When the "New Document" pane opens, type "flier" or "flyer" into the "Search online for" box and click "Go." You can type something more specific, such as "club flier" or "sales flier," but you may get fewer results.

12. Scroll through the list of flier template results, click a link to preview an example and click the "Download" button to open the flier in Word.

13. Highlight the flier headline and text with your cursor, then type directly over the top of the placeholder words with your own. Highlight the text again, then use the text toolbar at the top of the page to change the text’s font, size, position and color.

14. Click once on the placeholder graphic on the flier to give it focus, then press the "Delete" key to remove it from the flier.

15. Add your own custom graphic by pulling down the "Insert" menu. Click "Picture" and select "From File." Navigate to a digital photo or picture on your computer and double-click the file name. The image appears on the flier. Repeat to add more pictures as desired.

School Art Projects For Character

Use leaves and other natural elements to create a nature art project.

Combine outdoor elements with the subject of art to help students express their creativity with a nature art project. Use natural items found outdoors to create wall art and sculptures. Combine the outdoor components with simple craft materials to create compositions that both your students and their parents will love. Help students arrange the outdoor materials to create an effective and compelling design. Your whole class can take the fruits of the outdoors and bring them inside to decorate the classroom.

Nature Collage

Go on a nature walk with your whole class in a neighboring park or forest preserve. Give each student a plastic bag and let him collect fallen leaves, small stones, bark, pine cones, sticks or other small natural items. Make the walk educational by identifying the names and types of plants and trees you see. Take the items back to the classroom and give each student a sheet of poster board, glue, paint and markers. Instruct the students to use the nature items they gathered on their walk to create collages. Allow each collage to dry before handling.

Leaf Pictures

Gather together a variety of leaves in different shapes and sizes. Wipe debris and dirt from leaves. Give each student an assortment of leaves with multicolored acrylic paints, sponge brushes and a sheet of heavy card stock or poster board. Help each student arrange the leaves on the poster board to create a pleasing design. Let students paint over the leaves to create a stenciled design of leaf shapes. Remove the leaf shapes and allow the paint to dry. Paint over smaller leaves inside the larger shapes to create a compelling and interesting composition.

Seed and Bean Mosaics

Students can create a natural mosaic out of beans and seeds for wall art. Use various types of dried beans and seeds such as kidney beans, red and green lentils, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or navy beans to mix up the textures and colors within a design. Provide a sheet of thin plywood along with heavy duty glue and a pencil for each student. Tell the student to sketch a design on the board. Fill in each portion of the design with glue and pour seeds and beans onto the glue areas to fill out the design. Cover a large area with plastic sheeting before working with the dried food items for easy cleanup.

Shell Sculptures

Bring a beach atmosphere to your classroom by helping your students create sculptures out of shells. Give each student an assortment of seashells, ranging in size, texture and color. Also include a set or two of googly eyes. Help students come up with a shell arrangement depicting a simple scene or re-creating an animal. Assist students with a hot glue gun to glue their shapes into place.

Make Cascades And Swags For Curtains

Swags and cascades can be formal or informal.

Swags and cascades can be created in a huge variety of designs, simple or complex. Swags can be formal, gathered or unstructured and cascades can be even or uneven. The more complex designs are sewn and made up of more than one fabric, and are best left to the experts, but most homeowners can create simple swag and cascade treatments for their windows. Although not considered as formal as valances, swags and cascades are a timeless and effective method of dressing up your windows and creating an upmarket appearance.

Instructions

1. Take measurements and buy the fabric. Measure the width of the window and double it. Add the length of each cascade. A formal setting will call for a more formal type of swag, which should match or blend with the existing curtains and may require a heavy drapery fabric. A window with no curtains or an informal room may look better with lightweight fabric done in an unstructured style. All window dressings are likely to have direct sunlight on them, which causes fading; so you may want to hang blinds behind the swag and cascades or line the fabric with a matching lining.

2. Hem the edges of the fabric. Pin the lining to the fabric first if applicable and fold the seams over the lining before stitching. Hang the rods following the manufacturer's directions. Rods can be wooden or metal, and they must be strong enough to take the weight of the fabric. Make certain the rods extend beyond the sides of the windows by at least 6 - 12 inches depending on the space available.

3. Mark the center of the fabric. Lay the fabric out on a flat surface and fold the entire length of the fabric fan style to make pleats. These can be as narrow or wide as you wish. Keeping the center of the fabric centered on the rod, drape it around and over the rod as many times as necessary, depending upon how many tiers you want, but usually an uneven number is used. Even out the pleats and cascades until you are satisfied with their look.

4. Make certain the cascades hang down to an even length on each side of the window. Alternatively, you can choose to make them uneven. The cascades can be made to hang behind the swags or in front of them. Either way, they should hang down to create a flowing or rippled effect.

Act As A Film Extra

"Okay everybody, SHUT UP! Now go stand over there for 10 hours until we tell you to walk quickly in front of the camera for 6 seconds."

If that sounds good to you, you need to get your masochistic butt in gear and get yourself a job as a film or TV extra. But there are other reasons to become an extra:

* It will help you familiarize yourself with the film industry.

* You might get noticed and get work as an actor. (It has happened. . . once.)

* It's easy money for people who are especially lazy. Or mute. Or both.

* It's cool to stand within 100 feet of some famous folks.

These are all possible outcomes, and if they sound good to you, you have every reason to read on and get the straight dope on being an extra.

What is an extra?

An extra is a person who fills up the background of a film or TV show when the cameras are rolling. It would look pretty weird for two actors to have a conversation on an empty sidewalk, so extras get hired to make everything look more natural. Extras are almost never given lines to say, but if they are, they technically become actors while they are saying the lines. (Examples of extras' lines: "Excuse me," "Over there!" and "Thank you.") Extras are the people who busily walk by on the sidewalk while the stars are being fabulous, or stand around behind the stars holding fake cocktails while the stars are being fabulous. It's not all that challenging, but it can be pretty exciting if you like being around the entertainment industry.

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Instructions

Register With a Casting Company

The usual way to get started as an extra is to find a casting company or calling service that handles extras--there are many that specialize in extras--and then register with it. This means you will make an appointment to talk to someone at the casting company, go in and briefly talk to someone, then hand over some amount of money. This is unavoidable, and you shouldn't let the fact that the casting company is asking you for a registration fee lead you to assume that they are just a scam or a waste of time. They will actually provide you with services, which range from the simple posting of your picture in a directory to someone making phone calls on your behalf and trying to scare up work for you. Try to determine what sort of services they will provide you with, and decide if you want to pay the fee accordingly. In this regard, comparison-shopping among agencies is probably a good idea; to save time, try to get as much information as possible about each casting company's services and fees over the telephone before you go in.

When you go in to register, some companies will conduct an interview, while others will simply take a picture, collect your registration fee and be done with you. If there is an interview, the main thing the casting-company representative will want to determine is, "Will this person give me a sum of money?" They see a lot of people, and they need to collect those fees to make a living. However, the person will also determine how serious you are about being an extra, how much experience you have with acting, what special skills you have and what sort of wardrobe you own. If they don't ask you any of these questions, be wary--you might be getting scammed. If you make a good impression, the casting company will be more likely to go to bat for you to get you work, so be prepared for the interview. Be ready to mention your good attitude and special skills, and your understanding that being an extra primarily involves showing up on time and staying quiet. (You'll know all this because you're going to read Sections 5 and 6 of this eHow.)

Sadly, some casting companies will pull little side scams on their registrants, such as referring you to an expensive photographer (from whom they receive a kickback) to get a headshot done; charging you an inordinate amount of money to have your résumé printed up on "industry standard" paper; or asking you for "front money" for some project in which you would get to work. These things don't necessarily mean the place is a total scam--they just mean they're trying to get a little more money out of you. It can be a good idea to get a headshot done, and it's absolutely necessary if you're interested in getting work as an actor as well, but it's not really necessary for most extra work. Most extra companies will simply take a picture of you when you register and keep it on file. Similarly, there is an industry standard for the size of paper on which you print your résumé (8 by 10 inches, so it can be affixed to the back of your 8-by-10 headshot), but you don't need a résumé if you're just interested in working as an extra. The point is, if you do decide you want to have a headshot and a résumé, you can probably get these things done much more cheaply if you shop around than if you just do what the casting company tells you. (On the other hand, you should walk out if and when "front money"--money you have to chip in to help "fund" a film project--is demanded. This is often a scam, and you're a beginning extra, so you want to work on big, well-funded projects anyway.)

Most major cities will have at least one company that handles extras; if you don't live in a major city, you will have to register in the closest city that has one. One last option is to register over the Internet. Sure, you don't get the personal attention, but it's a start. (See Resources.) The whole process of registering with a casting company is not the same thing as getting yourself a talent agent. Getting an agent is much tougher.

Or just show up

If you don't want to start by registering, or you've registered and you want to try to get more work, another way to begin and see if you like the work is to show up on film or TV sets and try to be an extra on "spec" (speculation). This means that you will go to the location, indicate to someone your interest in being an extra (if you can get near anyone who would be interested, which can be difficult on sets) and/or stand around looking available while you "speculate" about whether you will get hired. This is not a surefire method of getting work as an extra. Extras are only hired on spec if someone doesn't show up, or if they have a look that interests the assistant director. Don't count on it. But if you enjoy hanging around film sets anyway, why not give it a try? You can find out where to make a nuisance of yourself on film sets via the FilmL.A. Inc. shoot sheet (see Resources).

Produce A Abs plastic Mold

If you have a part that you use often or replace every once in awhile, it could be worth your while to create a fiberglass mold. These molds are often used to make copies of automotive parts or hobby items. Once you have created your mold, it can be used for years to come to create identical products. You can find all the items you need to create your own fiberglass mold at your local hardware store or online.

Instructions

1. Take the "plug," or the shape you wish to duplicate, and make sure its surface looks smooth and perfect so that no imperfections appear in the product.

2. Apply a coating of wax release agent to the plug with a cloth. Wait a few minutes for the wax to harden then buff the surface to a shine with a clean cloth. Repeat this process at least five times, leaving several hours between coats. The wax layers will fill any small imperfections in the plug surface.

3. Coat the plug with PVA, a plastic green-colored liquid film that will prevent the mold from sticking to the plug. Spray on three thin coats with a spray gun. You must wait a half hour between each coat to allow the PVA to dry.

4. Catalyze the wax-free gelcoat by adding MEK peroxide hardener according to the package instructions. Combine the ingredients in a small bucket and then mix with a stir stick.

5. Add a layer of gelcoat evenly at a distance of 6 to 12 inches with a spray gun that has air pressure of about 85 pounds. This gelcoat will serve as the mold's surface. Apply two coats, waiting several hours between coats. Leave the gelcoat layers to set from two hours to overnight.

6. Add MEK peroxide to a small bucket of resin following the package instructions to catalyze the resin. Mix them with a stir stick. Tear out strips of chopped strand fiberglass mat with your hands.

7. Apply a layer of the resin mixture onto the plug with a brush. Layer strips of fiberglass cloth over the wet resin. Paint a second coat of resin over the fiberglass cloth pieces. Remove any air bubbles from underneath the layer using an air roller. Apply additional layers, alternating resin and fiberglass cloth strips, building up the mold to the desired thickness. Leave the mold to set for several days.

8. Trim any excess material to the mold edge using a saber saw. Sand the edges of the mold carefully with sandpaper until the line between the mold and plug is exposed. Insert a sharpened wooden stick into this exposed line. Carefully move it around the mold to separate the edges.

9. Pull the plug free. Sand the mold surface until smooth with sandpaper, then add a fiberglass finish compound to the mold surface.

Find Orange In Hireling Shepherd

The Internet and modern computing power make identifying color in paintings an easy activity.

In the past, copying a specific color from a source such as a painting required a person to sit dutifully in front of the painting, mixing paint and comparing it to the original. Today you can avoid this through the use of online color-picking tools that can scan an image and provide a list of all colors found within it.

Instructions

1. Search online for an image of the Mona Lisa. If using Google, click "Image" at the top of the screen to open Google Image Search. Type "Mona Lisa" and press "Enter." Click "Large" from the size options on the left side of the screen. This will cause Google to show only large image files, which are necessary for the color-picking tool to work.

2. Select a photo from the range of photos; make sure you choose an authentic version, rather than a doctored version (Mona Lisa chewing gum, for example). Click on the photo you want. On the next page, click the "Full-size image" link on the panel on the right side of the page.

3. Right click on the photo of the Mona Lisa and select "Copy Image Location" for Windows or a similar option for other operating systems. This will copy the Web address for the photo itself, rather than the Web page featuring the photo.

4. Open another browser window and access an online color-picking tool such as ColourGrab. This will bring up a website with some welcome text and a form. In the form under the welcome text, right-click and paste the URL for the photo. Press the submit button.

5. Look through the colors the tool has identified in your image. All colors in the image will be represented as a solid tone as well as a hex code, which can be used in image editing and creation programs. Find the orange colors and pick the one you want. To use the exact color, you need to copy its hex code and paste it into the appropriate place in your image manipulation program.

Cut Grass For In foreclosure process Qualities

Cut Grass for Foreclosed Properties

Providing lawn care to foreclosed property owners is part detective work and part sales work. Foreclosed properties rarely have signs or other identifying information about who took the legal action necessary to foreclose and evict the previous owner. Finding the owners of foreclosed property means doing the investigative work to get the contact information needed to get the work. After finding out who owns the property, it takes professional sales efforts to get the job and, more importantly, keep the job during the period the property is vacant, renovated if necessary and marketed for a new owner.

Instructions

Find the Foreclosed Property's Owner

1. Start by asking the neighbors near the foreclosed property if they know who took possession of the property. If they know move, to Section 2. If they do not know, go to step 2.

2. Contact the local government office that records property deeds and liens.

3. Ask for information about the property's address. Be prepared to pay a fee for information provided.

4. Use the telephone to contact the owner and make an appointment to discuss your services.

Sell Your Lawn Care Services

5. Arrive for your appointment dressed professionally.

6. Offer your business card and brochure detailing your services, your costs and your scheduled availability to keep and care for the foreclosed property lawn.

7. Be prepared to answer any questions, especially about billing and purchase orders.

8. Present a contract for services when details of services are satisfactorily determined by both parties. Sign the contract and have the foreclosed property owner or assigned sign as well. Give a copy of the contract to your new customer.

Perform Lawn Care Work on Foreclosed Property

9. Arrive on schedule and do necessary work quickly and professionally.

10. Bring only gas-powered lawn care equipment. There is no guarantee the property has electricity or any access to a power supply.

11. Rake and remove all lawn debris with the utility trailer to the municipal landfill.

What Instruments Take Part In An Orchestra

The orchestra is a large musical force capable of extreme dramatic power and nuance.

The orchestra is the pinnacle of achievement in western art music. Through the centuries the orchestra has developed and expanded to include several instruments not in the original orchestras. As early as 1600, the concept of the orchestra was being formed, refined and modified to the goals of composers. The Classical period saw radical changes made to the orchestra, starting in 1750, and changes continue into the 21st century. Learning about the orchestra begins with knowing the instruments and their respective sections.

String Section

Strings cover melody and harmony and are the basis for most orchestra works.

The string section is the heart of the orchestra. String players often play continuously throughout a piece partially because of their ability to play without breathing, along with the wide range of dynamics and expressive potential that the instruments possess. Typical string sections contain 30 to 34 1st and 2nd violins, 10 to 12 violas, 10 to 12 cellos, and 8 to 10 basses. The violins make up the largest part of the string section. Violas and cellos are equal in number and the basses are the smallest section. Some string sections also include one or two harps.

Brass Section

The brass section is relatively small in number but is powerful.

The brass section has a homogeneous sound that can provide powerful accents, stirring melodies, and lush choirs of sound. This section is usually smaller than the other sections and may include three trumpets or cornets, three trombones, four horns, two euphoniums and a tuba. When combined, these instruments are capable of producing a massive wall of sound that can be dramatic and effective in loud sections. They are also capable of playing solos and breaking up into smaller sections for lighter segments.

Woodwind Section

Woodwind instruments add color and variety to the orchestra.

Woodwind instruments have drastically different timbres than the other sections. They are not uniform in sound like the string and brass section. These instruments commonly double the string melody, provide color to chords, and act as a bridge between the string and brass sections. Orchestras commonly employ forces that include, in score order: piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two Bb clarinets, and two bassoons. Some larger orchestras may include four saxophones, Eb clarinet, English horn, bass clarinet and contrabassoon.

Percussion Section

Percussionists have several instruments at their disposal to create dramatic effects.

The percussion section has both pitched and non-pitched instruments. While it is impractical to provide a list of every potential percussion instrument, several are used in most concert works. The pitched instruments include the timpani and barred instruments such as the xylophone, glockenspiel, marimba and vibraphone. The non-pitched instruments are the battery percussion and include various sizes of drums, including snares, bass drums, tom-toms and tenor drums. Most orchestras also use metal non-pitched instruments including cymbals, gongs, triangles and cowbells. There are also several instruments that are used for effect only, including wind chimes, wind machines, castanets, wood blocks and various other small percussion instruments.

Keyboard Section

The piano has a large range and is capable of virtuosic playing.

The keyboard section involves any instrument that uses a keyboard to create sound. The most commonly used keyboard instrument is the piano. All major orchestras have access to a piano and pianists for when they are needed in the score. Sometimes, harpsichords and celestas are also used in an orchestra, although this is less common.

Produce A Fake Fire

Create a Fake Fire

Plays and scouting meetings occasionally require the use of a campfire. Indoor fire codes prevent the use of real fire indoors because of the safety risk. Instead of forgoing the campfire altogether, you can make a safe version. Creating a realistic-looking fake fire requires just a few common items.

Instructions

1. Cut a piece or two of white silk. Cut the silk in pointy flame shapes. Use hot glue to affix the white silk flames across the top of the bucket. The silk should run across the diameter of the bucket.

2. Put the fan in the bottom of the bucket or can. If the fan uses a power cord, cut a hole in the bottom edge of the can, so that it can be plugged in. Arrange the fan standing upright, so that there is room for air uptake. The bucket is small enough to create an upward draft without the fan pointing upward.

3. Affix one colored gel to each of the flash lights--one yellow, one red and one orange. Place the flashlights in the bucket, all facing upward.

4. Arrange small logs around the bucket, to mask it from view. Arrange them in a staggered-stacked fashion to mimic a real camp fire.

5. To start the "fire," switch the flash lights on, and turn on the motor. The colored lights illuminate the white silk, giving it a realistic flame look.

Produce A Dance Team

Create a Dance Team

Being a part of a dance team is an exciting experience. Creating a dance team is just as exciting, but takes a bit more work, coordination and cooperation. There are many aspects to creating the right type of dance team for your group or organization. Use the following steps as a guide in learning create a dance team to suit your dance needs.

Instructions

School-sponsored Dance Teams

1. Go to your school counselor or advisor if you want to create a dance team that will be school sponsored. Often, these are dance teams, drill teams, pep squads or a pom-pom squad. It will have to be determined who will be responsible for directing the dance team and reporting to the staff advisor at the school.

2. Establish practice times, age requirements and the style of dance this team will perform.

3. Decide if the dance team will be trained dancers with tryouts or auditions held, or if it will be an "anyone who wants to dance" type team.

4. Set up a board of directors for the dance team. This board will deal with costume decisions, when and where the dance team performs and issues relating to money needed for various funds. This board may also have to coordinate ideas on fund raising if there will be expenses for costumes, competition fees and travel expenses.

5. Appoint or hire a dance director or choreographer. This person will create the dance routines and teach the routines to the dance team.

Dance Company Dance Teams

6. Decide what age group is included in the dance team to perform under the direction of a dance studio or dance company.

7. Make decisions on what type of dance the dance team will be perform. It might be just one style of dance such as hip-hop or it might include several more types such as jazz, tap or lyrical ballet.

8. Select the performing members of the dance team or dance company. A dance team being created to have 12 performing members may have auditions where there are 12 dancers chosen for the team and possibly four alternates. The alternates would be required to attend all practices and performances in the event a team member is injured or ill. An "invitation only" selection is another option to fill the performing spots. The director selects the dance students to fill the various spots.

9. Have dance team or dance company meetings to go over all the guidelines and rules of the dance team. Have all team members sign commitment agreements stating that they understand that if they don't meet the requirements for practice and performances, they'll be replaced or removed from the dance team.

Just for Fun Dance Teams

10. Gather friends together that enjoy dancing. These dancers could be individuals that have danced together for years or even place ads in a local paper for interested dancers.

11. Determine the style of dance that the dance team will be doing. It might be a theater ballet group or hip-hop dance team.

12. Set the age requirements for the dance team. This dance team may be young women right out of high school wanting to keep up their dancing skills or it might be a group of grandmothers reviving their tap dancing skills.

13. Elect or appoint someone as the director in charge of the dance team. The director may enlist assistance in various areas or handle everything on their own.

14. Decide how the dance team will learn their routines. The director may teach the routines, the dance team might hire a choreographer or the dance team may choreograph their own routines as a group effort.

Produce A Custom Designs Library For Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop ships with an impressive library of patterns to create textures and surface effects. Sometimes, however, the available patterns won't work for that custom effect you need. Or you may remember creating a great pattern, but you can no longer remember where you stored it. You can create custom libraries from your own patterns to use whenever you need.

Instructions

1. Open a Photoshop document. Drag "Guides" to define the area of your pattern tile.

2. Create your tile. You can use any selection and as many layers as you need. Pay special attention to how the tile edges are defined so that the pattern will repeat seamlessly across any selection area.

3. Save your document in case you must edit your tile. Flatten the image into a single layer and copy the tile area to the clipboard. Create a new empty layer and select all of the empty pixels in the new layer.

4. Load the "Patternmaker" filter. Don't worry if the preview window looks empty. Check the "Use Clipboard as Sample" option, and then "Generate." Your pattern will fill the window, and you will see the tile in the smaller "Tile History" window. If your pattern doesn't tile quite right, choose a different offset setting and try again.

5. Scroll through the "Tile Preview" window to find the best version of your pattern. Click on the disk icon just underneath the tile preview to save your pattern preset. Name the pattern and click "OK" to return to the document window. Repeat this process to create as many pattern tiles as you want for your library.

6. Choose "Fill" from the Edit menu and use "Pattern." Click on the triangle next to the custom pattern icon to preview the available patterns. Click on the smaller triangle in the preview popup window to open the Presets Manager.

7. Hold down the "Shift" key and select the your custom patterns and click on "Save Set." Photoshop will save your custom patterns with its default libraries for you to access at any time in the future. You can also save your library to another location on your hard drive.

This Is Of Debits And Credits

The mathematics of accounting is as easy as counting beans.

The mathematics of accounting is elementary. It's the principles behind accounting that create confusion. One of the most confusing accounting principles is the double-entry system. Every accounting transaction requires two accounts and two entries, a debit entry and a credit entry. Mastery of the knowledge of which account is debited and which account is credited is the key to unraveling the mystery of accounting.

The Chart of Accounts

Understanding debits and credits starts with the chart of accounts.

The accounting process starts with setting up a chart of accounts. This is the list of the business activities (accounts) that receive the debits and the credits. The list of accounts can be brief or very extensive, depending on the complexity of the company's operations. For example, the main accounts can be divided into five groups: asset accounts, liability accounts, revenue accounts, expense accounts and owner's equity accounts. Each account in the chart of accounts has two columns, a debit column on the left and a credit column on the right.

Location of Account Balances in the General Ledger

Asset and expense accounts have their account balances and show increases to the account balance on the debit side, the left column of the general ledger. Liability, revenue and owner's equity accounts have their account balances and show increases on the credit side, the right column of the general ledger.

The Double-Entry System

The most fundamental rule of double-entry accounting and bookkeeping is that each accounting entry must, in fact, be two entries. One account will receive a debit entry in the left column while another account receives a credit entry in the right column. Selection of the proper accounts for the correct debit and credit entries is critical for accurate record keeping.

For example, a company receives a shipment of raw material used in the manufacturing of a product. Two accounts are involved in the transaction: raw material inventory (an asset account) and accounts payable (a liability account). Raw material inventory will receive a debit in the amount of the invoice for the shipment to reflect an increase in inventory. Accounts payable will receive a credit in the same amount to reflect an increase in accounts payable. When the company pays the supplier for the raw material, cash, an asset account, will receive a credit to reflect a decrease in cash, while accounts payable will receive a debit to represent a corresponding decrease in accounts payable.

History of the Double-Entry System

Leonardo DaVinci's friend, Bartolomes Pacioli, is credited with being the first to come up with the double-entry system of bookkeeping. According to the legend, Pacioli is reputed to have used double-entry bookkeeping in helping DaVinci compute the quantity of bronze required for DaVinci's statute of Duke Lidovico Sforza of Milan.

Debits on the Left, Credits on the Right!

This is the mantra that every student learns in basic college accounting. Unfortunately, the simplicity of the mantra leads many students to the literal interpretation that all increases to an account are debits, while all decreases to an account are credits. It is more useful to remember which accounts show balances and increases to balances on the debit side of the general ledger, and which accounts show balances and increases to balances on the credit side of the general ledger. Decreases to debit balances will be credits, while decreases to credit balances will be debits.

Who's Alfred Gockel

Alfred Gockel is an artist famous for his use of bright colors and abstract representation of objects. He has been in the art industry for over 20 years and continues to exhibit his work in galleries around the world.

History

Alfred Gockel was born in 1952 in Ludinghausen, Germany. He began experimenting with shapes and colors on paper at a young age. When he was eight years old, he had his first work published in Germany. In 1973, he began formally studying at the Polytechnic Academy in Munster. Graduating in 1977, it was not until 1981 that he became a full-time artist.

Style and Composition

According to GlobalGallery.com, Gockel's work originally focused on typography, graphic design and advertising. These influences are still evident in his artwork, which features bright colors outlined in black. Gockel creates etchings, screen prints and lithographs. In addition to his 2-dimensional work, Gockel has produced sculptures and jewelry.

Avant Art

Gockel and his wife Ingrid founded Avant Art in 1983. An art publishing company, Avant Art allows the pair to self-publish all their work and has expanded their business worldwide. It also controls exclusive distribution of the work they produce.

Park West Gallery

Alfred Gockel is a featured artist with the Park West Gallery in Miami and Southfield, Michigan. His works featured there include Love American Style (2004), Circle of Life (2005) and Basic Black II (1997).

Artistic Process

Gockel's website features a walkthrough of how he creates a piece from start to finish. He begins with a pencil sketch of ideas that he finalizes in a pencil outline on his canvas.

Gockel then paints the outline of his piece to create the correct color balance he is looking for. Following this step, Gockel adds the main characters or features to the work.

The last step is adding in the details, such as the black outline and mimicking of movement, to create his distinctive look.

Carry Out The Triple Threat

A trick based primarily on memorization skills, the magician is able to identify three cards after realistically never seeing the deck. This is best served as an opener or segue to another trick instead of a trick on its own. Here is perform the Triple Threat.

Instructions

1. Give the deck to a spectator and instruct him to shuffle.

2. After a few shuffles, take it back, exclaiming that you need to ensure the Jokers are gone (you know they are gone, but this is how the trick is done).

3. While "looking" for the Jokers, memorize the top four cards of the deck.

4. Shuffle the deck again, leaving the four top cards intact.

5. Break the deck into two piles and ask the spectator to pick one. Regardless of his choice, you need to use the top one. If he picks the bottom, say "OK, we'll put that one away."

6. Have him take the top card and place it in the middle. Repeat this with the bottom card.

7. Tell him to begin dealing cards face down so you can show him how in tune with the deck you are. As he deals the three cards, name them and turn them over to show him.

Produce A Credible Character

When acting, the goal is to create a character that will captivate the audience, bringing them into the world. Staying in character is very important, but creating the character in which to stay is equally important. Here are some tips to create a very believable persona.

Instructions

1. Respect your colleagues. Don't try to steal the spotlight or make everything about yourself. Reactions are usually the most genuine forms of acting.

2. Go beyond your comfort zones and be embarrassing. Don't worry about looking cool. A character is different from a real life persona.

3. Use props correctly--don't use them for the sake of using them. If they can be worked into a scene, incorporating the scenery, great. If not, don't fake it.

4. Use the mise-en-scene and background. Don't deliver lines while standing still and then move around. Act just as you would in your own setting/house.

5. Separate your level of intelligence from that of the character. Tom Hanks knew a lot of stuff Forrest Gump didn't, but he had to really sell the viewers that he didn't know. This is tough, but incredibly important.

6. Have fun with the character, exploring new realms of performance possibilities. Usually those having the most fun will deliver the best performances.

Make Website Edges

Making website borders is fairly easy if you have at least a basic understanding of HTML. Borders are a type of adornment that is added to a website to give it a little more flair. Borders have styles of their own, which include the border design, color and width. They can be placed around paragraphs, quotes, lists and pages. If you have Photoshop or a similar program, you can customize your borders.

Instructions

1. Define where the border will go.

Use HTML in a text editor, like Notepad, to define the location of the border. To do this, you insert the definition within the appropriate HTML tag. For example, if you want your border to surround a list, you first define the list; within that tag, you define the border.

If you only want one side of the paragraph to be bordered, define the side:







3. Define the border color.




You might want your border to be black, or you might want it to be blue. To define the color around a paragraph border, include the color in the paragraph's style tag.

Take Photos Of Art

Take photos of your art when you want to share it digitally.

Taking photos of art requires a few steps to ensure you take the best image possible without degrading the quality of the art. This means it will also require a few tools to achieve the best results. Whether you are photographing your own art or need proof that you saw a priceless Picasso at a gallery, following these guidelines will result in better images that showcase a work of art well.

Instructions

Taking photos of art

1. Turn off the camera's flash to avoid glare and washing out the art. This might require changing the settings on the camera to manual, depending on whether you are using a point-and-shoot camera or a digital SLR.

2. If the art is a painting, lean it against a wall in an area with indirect sunlight. If the art is framed, make sure to clean the glass and remove any smudges.

3. Place the camera on a tripod and stand it directly in front of the art to fill the frame. Get as close as possible. A bit of a border around the art is OK, because it can be cropped.

4. Shoot several photos of the art.

Editing your photos

5. Upload your photos to a computer with photo-editing software.

6. Adjust any color and sharpness issues in photo editing. Crop any edges, and make sure the art is as straight as possible.

7. Save any changes. Your photograph of the art is now ready.

Write Christian Children'S Books

You like writing children's books but you want to write something with a Christian base. You want to take the facts and give them a Christian theme that children will enjoy and learn from. Use these tips to write Christian children's books.

Instructions

1. Make sure your stories or information relate to the Bible. Use parables or learned lessons relating to Christianity. Include good morals like honesty as well as a spiritual element to your words.

2. Develop your characters and outline your plot or your non-fiction chapters like you would in any type of book. You want to see your book structure in whole so you know what each chapter will contain.

3. Write informative and interesting text. You want kids to like your books because they are fun or provide educational material.

4. Talk about the world and how Christianity affects people in different countries. Write about missionaries and charity work. Show real people in real environments.

5. Teach the principles of Christianity by writing about Christian values in your books. You can state the values directly or you can give indirect examples of Christian values. Make sure your message relates to kids and their lives.

6. Read the Christian Writers' Market Guide for detailed information about Christian books and publishers. Use this guide to help you write for the Christian market and help you place your finished writing.

Look Into The Accessibility To Their Email

Choose an email address that suits you.

Email is one of the top methods of communication, so having a personalized and memorable email address is important. It can be hard to know what email address to go for, though, as over 4 million email addresses are currently in use, and it can be difficult to find out what is still available. Here is the easiest way to see if the address you want is in use.

Instructions

1. Visit http://centralops.net/co/.

2. Select "Email Dossier" from the list. This is usually the third option down from the top.

3. Enter the email address you would like to check in the box, in full. For example, me@internet.com.

4. Click "Go."

5. Scroll down to view the "Confidence Level," which should be a number or letter.

6. Click "More Info," at the end of the "Confidence Level" paragraph. This will load a table, which explains each rating. Look at the row for the rating your desired address received, and see if it is in use. The most common rating is "3," which is in use.

Clean A Magnetic Whiteboards Eraser

Dry Erase Board Supplies

Dry erase board erasers are a little different to clean than normal chalk erasers. This is because dry board erasers absorb marker ink, which is a liquid instead of the chalk, which is a powder. Ink needs to be washed and scrubbed away, so you are going to need water. There are a variety of ways to do this utilizing items found around the home. Once you clean your erasers, they need time to dry before you can use them again.

Instructions

1. Take your dry erase board erasers outside and turn on your garden hose. Spray the erasers directly. The power from the hose removes all of the marker, even in the cracks of the eraser. Let the eraser sit in the sun to dry.

2. Fill a dish pan half way up with 1 teaspoon of dish soap and hot water. Place the eraser in the dish pan and let soak for 20 minutes. Rinse under running water and all of the marker will come out. Set in the sun to dry.

3. Place a line of toothpaste across the bottom of the eraser. Scrub the toothpaste in with a wet cloth. Rinse clean under a running faucet. Dry in the sun.

4. Wet a few paper towels and press them up against the bottom of the eraser. Let the paper towels absorb the ink. Throw the paper towels away after each use. This method of cleaning is best done in between big cleanings.

Crop Photos On Facebook

Your Facebook photos lend personalization to your profile, and Facebook's users each create an average of 90 pieces of content, such as photos, every month. When you upload a new photo to Facebook, you may want to crop the photo to improve its appearance. Although this is a simple process, photo cropping can be done only in limited circumstances. All photos that you wish to crop must be first uploaded as a profile photo, and you may crop only newly uploaded profile photos. To crop a profile photo when you upload it to Facebook, follow a few simple steps.

Instructions

1. Log in to Facebook with your email address and personal password.

2. Select "Edit Profile" in the top-center of the screen.

3. Select "Profile Picture" from the menu options at left.

4. Select the "Browse" button. This will allow you to browse pictures on your computer to select one for the profile photo.

5. Double click on the picture to be used as the profile photo. Click "Open." The photo will now upload to your Facebook profile, which may take a few moments. The photo will then appear in the middle of the screen.

6. Select "Profile" and then select the "Photos" option from the menu on the left.

7. Select the "Profile Pictures" album.

8. Click on the just-added photo.

9. Select the "Make Profile Photo" option on the left.

10. Place your computer cursor on one of the four boxes at the edge of the photo. Pull the box until the cropping is completed.

11. Select the "Done Cropping" option above the photo. A "Cropping Photo" message will appear while the picture is being cropped. Once the process is complete, the cropped photo will appear as your profile photo.