Fimo Project Ideas

You can sculpt small dolls from Fimo clay.

Fimo is a type of polymer clay used since the 1930s. The clay bakes and hardens in the oven at 230 degrees Fahrenheit within about 30 minutes, depending on the size of the project. Fimo is available in a wide range of colors that can accomodate almost any design imaginable. With a little creativity and half an hour to spare ,you can make easy Fimo projects.

Beads

Beads are one of the most common items crafted with Fimo clay. At their most simplistic form, all that is necessary to make a Fimo bead is to roll a small ball of the clay into the desired shape and poke a hole through the middle. Fimo beads can be made quite intricate as well. For example, a red Fimo bead can have a yellow Fimo spiral wrapped around its length or green Fimo polka dots stuck onto it.

Figurines and Statues

You can easily make figurines and statues from Fimo clay. The possibilities are endless when creating a Fimo statue, pick a design and go with it. For example, an Easter egg figurine can be made by rolling Fimo clay into and egg shape and decorating it. When making Fimo statues it is a smart to flatten the base so that the statue stands on its own. Form the statues into animals, people, plants, holiday figures or even inanimate objects--the possibilities are endless.

Necklace Pendants

Fimo necklace pendants are another common Fimo craft, typically made with Fimo clay and a gemstone or other small object. Make a pendant by rolling a ball of Fimo and then smashing it flat to make a round pendant. Then, poke a hole through the top to create a necklace chain hole. You can insert gemstones and small collectibles into the Fimo clay to decorate the necklace pendant.

Props Employed For The Play "Othello"

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Othello" is a tragedy about a husband fooled into killing his wife.

William Shakespeare's "Othello" is one of his greatest tragedies, according to University of Texas theater professor, Dr. Oscar G. Brocket. Written in 1604, about 12 years before his death, Shakespeare used props in "Othello" to serve as symbols for the themes. Expressed with only a few props, the play's themes are revenge, love and jealousy. Shakespeare's minimal approach made props crucial to understanding his stories and their universal, yet timeless themes.

Summary

Othello, the ruler of Venice, promotes Cassio, a brilliant officer in his army. Iago, Othello's adviser, is envious and angry about Cassio's promotion. Vowing revenge, Iago plans to destroy Othello and blame Cassio. Through a series of deceptive schemes, Iago convinces Othello his beloved wife, Desdemona, which means "unfortunate" in Greek, had an affair with Cassio. Maddened by his jealousy, Othello murders her then commits suicide when he learns the truth about Iago's wicked plan.

Torches

Torches, which represent truth, are the first props in the play to denote a theme. When Othello and Iago enter in Act 1, their two attendants follow them carrying torches. The mixture of light and shadows or lies show how the two are blurred revealing only partial truth. Brabantio, Desdemona's father, and Roderigo, Cassio's friend, also enter under torch light. Iago manipulates them as part of his plot. He twists the truth into lies to serve his revenge. The torches disappear until the final act.

Handkerchief

The most significant prop in "Othello" is Desdemona's white handkerchief, a gift from her husband during their honeymoon. It appears more than any other prop, and represents his love for her; his father gave it to Othello's mother. Desdemona even uses it in Act 3 to soothe his headache. Iago turns it into a false symbol of Desdemona's betrayal by planting it in Cassio's room. When Othello discovers Cassio with it, the handkerchief serves to confirm the affair.

Bed

Desdemona's bed, first seen in Act 2, is an important symbol in the play. The ultimate sign of fidelity between her and Othello, it becomes the scene of her demise. In the final act, Othello enters her bedroom holding a torch to find her asleep. He confronts her about Cassio, which she denies but he refuses to believe. Othello storms around the bed tossing covers and pillows. He climbs on the bed and smothers her with pillows.

Perform The Arm Wave Stylish Hop Dance Move

Do The Arm Wave Hip Hop Dance Move

The arm wave hip hop dance move requires flexibility in your arms, shoulders and your hands. Being able to move your body effortlessly and wave to the music's beat is the key to the dance looking smooth. It is a very popular dance move with street dancers and a hit at parties and on school campuses.

Instructions

1. Stretch out your arms completely on both sides. Extend your hands in a flexed position with your fingers pointing upwards.

2. Roll your hand in a downward motion with your fingers leading towards a downward position. Keep your shoulders and upper arm intact without moving it.

3. Bend your arm slightly at the elbow and roll your shoulder inwards toward your chest. Push your chest outward and roll your body towards the opposite shoulder.

4. Move your shoulder on the opposite side towards a rolling motion and push the roll out towards your elbow. The opposite arm should still be extended but not moving. When this is done faster to the beat of the music, it creates a wave effect.

5. Flex your elbow and roll your hand down with your fingers pointing again to an upwards position as you wave your hand outwards.

Write A Musical Script

Screenplays are enough to write on their own, but if you want to add in special elements, like writing for a 3-D film or dealing with flashbacks, the formatting can be very challenging. One of the hardest types of screenplays to write is the musical, but if you have excellent material, it will just take a little work on formatting to get the script completed.

Instructions

1. Draft out an outline, approximate number of songs and full song lyrics. You can also create lyrics as you go, but songs are the key elements in musicals, so a lot of work should be emphasized on them.

2. To type the script, it is recommended to use a screenwriting program like Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter. This will make the typing a lot easier and allow you to worry more about the story than the formatting.

3. When you have reached the point of your first song, there are multiple ways to indicate singing. Next to the name of the character you can place the word singing in parenthesis like this : (singing).

4. The easiest way for readers to recognize singing is by putting all of the lyrics in capital letters like this: MAX THEY’VE BEEN LAUGHING SINCE I CAN REMEMBER, BUT THEY’RE NOT GOING TO LAUGH ANYMORE.

5. Try to put as much as you can in between the lyrics to help show what the singers are doing. It may break up the pace of the song, but readers will usually re over the lyrics to get a better understanding of how the song flows.

6. Example: Max looks to the ground and kicks a rock. MAX THEY’VE BEEN LAUGHING SINCE I CAN REMEMBER Max looks up at a group of bullies. MAX (CONT’D) BUT THEY’RE NOT GOING TO LAUGH ANYMORE! Max raises his fist.

7. Many songs feature characters singing at the same time. If they are singing at the same time and are the only two in the scene then you can format it like this: Max and Goofy look each other in the eyes. BOTH NO MORE MAXIE THE GEEK, OR GOOF OF THE WEEK LIKE BEFORE!

8. If they are both singing different lyrics, than you split them up, but put them on the same line. MAX GOOFYTHEY’VE BEEN LAUGHING SINCE I I’VE BEEN LAUGHING SINCE I CAN REMEMBER. CAN REMEMBER.

9. Use other scripts for examples and get creative when showing action between lyrics. Try to write out dance scenes as descriptive as possible and do not worry about splitting the lyrics up too much.

Can Waterbased Acrylic Craft Fresh paint Be Thinned With Water

A wash of color

Acrylic paints are fast-drying water-based pigments that can be used to create water-color-like paintings, or even artworks that look much like oil paintings. These looks are accomplished by thinning and mixing acrylic paints.

Mixing Acrylics

Acrylics may be mixed with water, or a water and acrylic-gloss-medium mixture in order to make a thin wash of color. These mixes should be performed on the palette and not on the painting's surface.

Glazes

Water and acrylic paint glazes are areas of thinned, lightly tinted paint that have been painted on top of light-colored areas of a painting. Glazes help to add greater dimension to an artwork.

Scumbles

Scumbles are created when thinned acrylic paint is painted over darker sections of a painting. Scumbles give a painting a subdued and muted look. This look could not be accomplished without mixing acrylic paint with water.

Rich Color

Thinning acrylic paint allows a painter to create several layers of rich color on a painting. Thinned acrylic dries faster than regular acrylic and has a soft appearance.

Experimentation

Experimentation is the best way to achieve the right mixture of acrylic paint and water. Always add acrylic paint first onto a palette. Slowly add the water to the paint in small amounts.

Create A Harsh Reaper Costume

If you're interested in giving people a scare on Halloween you can't go wrong with the Grim Reaper. Stop people dead in their tracks with a swing of your scythe and a point of your bony finger. Avoid the trouble of creating an elaborate costume, the Grim Reaper is a frighteningly perfect choice.

Instructions

1. Find a full length, hooded black cloak. Be sure that the cloak goes all the way to the floor, covers your arms completely and has a hood. Flowing arms and a belt are ideal.

2. Wear a mask to turn yourself into a skeleton. Find a mask in the Halloween section of a store. Apply black make up around your eyes to look more sinister.

3. Paint a skeleton face by first covering your entire face with white make up. Draw and fill in circles around your eyes with black make up. Create an upside down heart on your nose and fill in the hollows of your cheeks. Use black eyeliner pencil to draw teeth over your mouth.

4. Purchase a pair of skeleton gloves. They're available in the Halloween aisle. Look for the gloves and mask in a set together.

5. Dress in black clothes and shoes under the cloak. Complete your costume with a plastic scythe.

Acrylic Painting Strategies For Beaches

Beaches make interesting subject matter for landscape painting. The sand, the sky, the water, and even green vegetation and foliage give you a wide range of colors and textures to work with. Acrylic paints are ideal for this type of painting because they can be used thick or diluted to create the varying textures and colors you'll need for your beach landscape.

Painting Tools and Supplies

While there aren't set rules about the tools and supplies you should use, it's a good idea to have the basics on hand in quantity. The wider range of acrylic paint colors you have, the better color combinations you will be able to create. Brushes, both soft and hard bristle, in variety of shapes are useful, as well as sponges and rags, paint thinner, and sketch pencils and erasers.

Composing Your Beach Scene

Sketch your scene in pencil. You can do it right on the canvas. Keep the sketch light, but do it in detail. Find a focus for your scene. Are there any landmarks besides the sand? Will you include people? Determine if your point of view is from the beach looking out at the ocean or from the ocean looking in at the beach. You might even go for an above-the-beach point of view. Capture all of this before you begin adding color.

Painting the Sky and Water

Use a combination of light and dark blue acrylics to bring the sky out first. Use a wide brush for most of the sky and apply the darker blue as a base, then work in lighter shades of blue to bring out the varied hues of the sky. Use a cotton ball dipped in white paint to bring out the clouds. If there are any buildings on your beach, paint those before you use a thinner brush to bring colors in around your building. Swap the lighter blue paint for a shade of gray if you want to create a stormy sky.

Use dark blue, light blue, and white paint to create your water. Use the white primarily to add foamy tips to waves. Apply your acrylic slightly diluted and move your canvas from side to side to allow the paint to roll and create a motion effect.

Painting Your Beach

Use shades of brown paint for your sand. Start with a light tan base and use a thin brush to work in darker lines. Consider using a sponge or even sprinkles of real sand thrown on top of your wet paint to give it texture. To add a touch of realism, use splashes of gray/white paint to place little seashells throughout your beach. Vary the composition so some of the shells are only half visible.

Use varying colors of green to work in palm trees and other natural beach vegetation to break up the color between the sky, water and sand. You can skip an overload of detail for the vegetation. Try to capture the leaves and trees with one or two strokes of your brush, then mix in colors to bring out the right color tone.

Authenticate Japanese Woodblock Prints

Warrior Minamoto No Yoshitsune on Horseback from series Famous Warrior Heroes by Utagawa Yoshimori (1830-85), published 1886.

Japanese woodblock prints originated in the 18th century and began a popularized art trade. Woodblock prints became commercialized art, used for images on playing cards and religious memorabilia. Two of the most famous woodcutters in Japanese history were Katsushika Hokusai and Ando Hiroshige, both of whom produced woodblock prints in the late 17th and early 18th century. Woodblock prints were some of the first means of communication before the printing press was invented. Today many collectors buy and sell authentic woodblock prints.

Instructions

Key Block Lines

1. Compare the key block lines (lines that represent the basic drawing of the design) to an original, either the original woodblock print or a photograph from a reference book.

2. Look at all the lines of the print closely (including inscriptions) with a magnifying glass to find variations in line thickness, direction and angle. Expect to find variations among the prints if one is a copy or reprint.

3. Compare the quality of the block cutting and printing. Original prints tend to have smooth lines and brush stroke appearances, where copies produce sharper lines and uniformed edges.

Colors and Papers

4. Compare the prints for a range of color hues, richness, translucency and texture. Many copies will not have such a wide array of color qualities.

5. Flip the print over and look to see if the design has bled through the paper. Many copies do not have reverse designs on the back.

6. Compare the paper quality and size. Originals will be smoother and have glue or another substance that controls and limits the absorbancy of the paper. Copies tend to be stiffer. Originals tend to be on washi paper.

7. Feel the paper for the condition of the print. Textures vary based on age of the print, condition of the glue and paper, and whether the print is an original or copy.

Liklihood of Reproduction

8. Research the print for popularity. Most copies are made from popular and attractive originals. Obscure and rare designs are copied much less often than masterpieces.

9. Discern the size of the original print compared to the copy. Most originals are made in distinct sizes, although many copies are also made in the same size.

10. Look for differences in the printing from the original. Blocks become warped if the papers are of different sizes, which leads to colors mixed differently or an application of inconsistent pressure. Copies are more uniform and appear machine-made.

Choose Wardrobe For Film Figures

While watching a movie the clothing that characters wear seems so normal for their persona that most audiences do not even notice them. However, these clothes were not just thrown together. They were carefully picked out by a professional to appear unnoticeable based on the character's persona.

For an independent movie you probably will not have money for a professional to do this, so follow these instructions and you will be set.

Instructions

1. Determine the number of outfits a character needs throughout the course of the movie.

2. Determine what genre the movie fits in. Actors in horror or slapstick comedies will require numerous backup outfits due to blood or anything else, while romance would be less.

3. Understand the character. Talk to the director about how he/she feels about the character's persona and presence. A powerful character needs clothing to match his personality.

If 'Spiccoli' walked around in a business suit, that would not match his personality. Same is 'Gordon Gecko' walked around in surfer attire.

With the right wardrobe, the audience can learn about the character before he even speaks.

4. Talk to the Director of Photography about the lighting in specific scenes. If you need a nice suit and tire outfit, make sure the color fits well with the color scheme of the scene.

If the Director of Photography plans to use a red tint in the scene and have red props, you do not need a red suit.

5. Determine what size and material makes the actor most comfortable.

6. Purchase the outfits. For a low-budget film, keep the tags on so you can return afterwards.

Do Probability Tree Diagrams

A probability tree diagram expresses the possible outcomes of a given scenario. Math instructors often ask students to construct tree diagrams in order to solve probability problems. Students working with tree diagrams for the first time should begin by understanding express the probabilities associated with a scenario that has two possible outcomes. Examples include finding the probability of randomly selecting a marble from a bag containing two colors or the probability of getting either heads or tails when flipping a coin.

Instructions

1. Draw a large "greater than" sign, <, which represents the first two branches of the tree. Each branch represents the outcome of a scenario.

2. Suppose that you have a bag containing 12 red marbles and eight white ones.

3. Place a dot on the point where the two branches meet. The dot represents the first event, whose probability is the sum of the probabilities assigned to its branches.

4. Indicate which branch represents each scenario. Write "Red," or simply "R," next to one branch and "White," or "W," by the other branch.

5. Write the probability of each scenario occurring, i.e., the probability of selecting a red marble from the bag. There are 20 marbles in total (8 white + 12 red), so the probability of picking a red one is 12/20. Write 8/20 next to the second branch. You can also express each probability as a percentage, but expressing it as a fraction will facilitate calculations that you may have to perform later on.

6. Represent the probability of picking another red or white marble by expanding the tree diagram. Draw another "greater than" sign, connected by a dot, coming off of each end of the original branches. You will now have four new branches on the tree.

7. Use the same system to label the first two branches to represent the scenario of selecting another red or white marble after a red one has been selected. Similarly, label the two remaining branches to represent the scenario of selecting another red or white marble after a white one has been selected. Because you removed one of the marbles during the previous round, express the probabilities in the second round of picking marbles from the bag out of 19, not 20.

8. Keep adding branches and the corresponding probabilities if the problem in question involves more scenarios.

9. Multiply the probabilities of multiple branches to determine the likelihood of a specific sequence of events. Suppose that you must find the probability of selecting two red marbles in a row. The probability of selecting a red marble during the first around is 12/20. During the second round, the probability would be 11/19 because there are 19 marbles left in total and 11 red ones. Therefore, the likelihood of picking a red marble and then another red one would equal to the product of 12/20 and 11/19, or 132/380.

Do Portrait Tats

Tattooing is an intensely personal experience.

Tattooing is a permanent form of body art often done to memorialize a person or event, and in no way is this more true than with portrait tattoos. Portrait tattoos are as personal as you can get and will last longer than any physical memory. Though much of the art of doing a portrait tattoo is technique and experience, there are a few tips to keep in mind for a truly brilliant tattoo.

Instructions

1. Find out what is most important to your client.

Know your canvas. Your canvas is the person on which you will tattoo, and ultimately he is the person you must please. Whether it is a widower memorializing his long lost love or a woman grieving a lost child, the result must be the same: a beautiful portrait that makes her smile each time she sees it. Does your client want a black and gray or a full color portrait? Does he remember most the way her eyes sparkled? Does she remember how his cheeks pinkened when he smiled? Knowing these things, asking these questions, will make your portrait tattoo more than just a picture.

2. Whether your client wants a realistic or surreal portrait, your sketch should detail all major lines.

Draw a detailed sketch. Tattooing begins with art on paper and transforms into art on the body. After learning what your client is looking for, begin sketching ideas for the final tattoo. Consult with your client during the process to get a better idea of what she wants, and come up with a final drawing that agrees with your artistic sense and her request.

3. An organized, clean workspace is essential to good tattooing.

Organize your workspace. Place everything within easy reach. Depending on the individual portrait, you may need an assortment of needles, inks and basic supplies such as paper towels and your preferred ointment. Always make sure your workspace is clean and disinfected with all equipment sterilized before use. The more organized your workspace is, the less stressful your session will be, resulting in better portrait tattoos.

4. A clear photo to use as a reference can give your portrait tattoo "life."

Have a photo on hand for reference. After numerous sketches and consultations with your client, there may be all sorts of conflicting images clouding your brain. The last thing you need is to go into a tattoo session -- especially doing a portrait tattoo -- with anything less than a determined outcome. Keep a photograph of the portrait study on hand to use as a reference throughout the session. Any pertinent notes on the client's particular desires may also be handy.

5. Teach your client care for his new tattoo.

Deliver care instructions. Not everyone walking into a tattoo parlor knows the proper way to care for a tattoo. Assume each client know nothing, and instruct properly on your personal recommendation for the next few hours. Your client should know when to take the plastic wrap off, what type of soap you recommend washing with, and the types of ointments and creams you recommend applying to keep the area moist as it heals. Let the client know about the importance of hydration and sunscreen to preserve the look of the tattoo for years to come. This will be especially important with portrait tattoos, as they are very detailed and often involved a lot of shading.

Techniques To Have An Acrylic Pet Portrait

The portrait can show a habit or natural pose of the pet.

A pet portrait serves to express fond memories of the artist's furry friend, and can make a great gift for friends and family members. The versatility of acrylic paint allows an artist to experiment with a variety of techniques and styles. Paintings can range from realistic fine art to cartoons or comical pictures. Painters can choose to mimic the style of a particular artist or develop their own style.

Acrylic Paint Tips

Artists can vary the appearance of an acrylic painting by their choice of paint consistency. Deciding on what they desire for the painting beforehand will determine the how much water to add to the acrylic paint, ranging from a thick paste, almost like an oil paint, to a much thinner wash, closer to the look of watercolor. Due to the fast drying time of acrylic paint, artists should remove only a small amount of paint from the tube at a time. The fast drying nature also makes blending difficult, requiring artists to dampen the paper to achieve this effect.

Acrylic Paint Techniques

Applying glaze, after the paint on the paper has dried, creates darker colors than is possible by mixing paint in the palette. Artists can still paint over this glaze, provided they wait until it has dried. To add a look of depth to a painting, artists can utilize the technique of scumbling. The artist adds a very thin coat of opaque paint, allowing the color beneath to remain visible. When using thick paint, artists can apply many layers of acrylic to create texture in the painting.

Pet Portrait Tips

Artists require a good photo of the pet in a pose they wish to copy, ideally that shows the pet in a natural position. Taking more than one photo may prove helpful; for example, close-up shots to assist in painting detail. Artists should take all the photos without flash to avoid dulling of colors. Other factors to take into account include the background for the portrait and whether the painting shows any particular traits of the pet.

Pet Portrait Techniques

Paintings in a fine art style show the pet naturally and have accurate colors and details. However, the artist may choose to paint the portrait in another style, such as colorful pop art or as a cartoon. The artist should take into consideration her own abilities and what she is comfortable painting to achieve the best result. Other options include using the influences of a favorite artist.

Do Online Creative Writing

Online writing courses provide flexibility.

Creative writing lends itself very well to the medium of the Internet. You can take undergraduate or graduate degree programs or nondegree programs online, and you can join online writing groups that connect you to other writers anywhere in the world. You can also start a website or blog to share your writing and gain feedback. It requires considerable discipline to complete coursework independently or to create a website with worthwhile content, but it's a terrific way to develop you creative writing, especially if your geographic location does not offer easy access to schools and writing groups.

Instructions

Do Creative Writing Courses Online

1. Inventory your writing skills and experience and determine what you need to learn. Starting from scratch requires one type of course. If you have years of experience and just need coaching, a more advanced course may be suitable.

2. Decide what kind of course you want. As yourself if you want a degree or a non-degree course. Assess how much time you have to devote to the reading and writing assignments.

3. Determine your budget. There is online creative writing education priced from free into the thousands. There are major universities offering free courses, but keep in mind that these are usually at the beginner level and don't include instructor feedback.

4. Find a provider of the type of online creative writing course you want. When you evaluate its quality, look at the profile of the institution and the instructors. Gauge how much feedback you will get from the tutor, and how often, if any.

5. Perform an Internet search on comments and see if certain teachers or institutes have gotten good or poor reviews. When you're satisfied, download or follow the course, if free. Apply to the institution with any existing writing samples, if applicable.

Get Tips and Information or Join Writing Groups

6. Perform an online search. Use combinations of specific key words to find what you're looking for. For example: "fiction + characterization" or "poetry + imagery." You may find online writing groups, or online writing discussion forums on sites such as Writing.com or Writing.ie. These sites also offer tips and advice.

7. Vet the website to determine the quality of the information, advice and writing groups. Use criteria such as the qualifications of the person or persons giving advice. Make sure they offer examples. Be clear in your own mind if the information makes sense to you and is actionable.

8. Incorporate tips and advice into your writing. Some sites offer free creative writing exercises. Use these to work on your writing. If joining one of the site's groups, be clear up front about the format of the group and how often you have to read others' works.

Start Your Own Website

9. Determine the content of your site. You may post only fiction, poetry, literary criticism or a combination of all of these. Websites can have multiple pages, so you could showcase different types of work on each page. Since this is your website, you are free to choose. At this point, also think about how often you will be posting content to your site. Examples are rarely, weekly or daily.

10. Choose a host for your site. Options include Wordpress, Blogger, Posterous and many more. These types of "blog" sites are free. If you have technical knowledge you may choose to design your own website and have it hosted on a remote server. The server hosting will incur a fee.

11. Design your site. Even if you are choosing a hosted site where all you have to do is configure colors and pages, this will take some time so plan for it.

12. Post your content to the site. Keep in mind that some text editors may skew the formatting of text pasted from Microsoft Word documents. For poems with irregular spacing and indentations, you may have to paste them into the text editor and add formatting by hand, line by line.

13. Advertise your content or it may not get read. Social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Stumble Upon and others may help you in your quest to gain a readership. Also share your news with writer communities who may share your interests.

Do Variety Crafts

Mosaic artwork can be created out of different types of materials.

A mosaic craft is created by making a picture from small pieces of material. This material could include glass, clay, beads, sequins or paper. Depending on the level of complexity, mosaic artwork is easy enough for a preschooler to successfully accomplish, or can be challenging enough for a seasoned artist to make a masterpiece. In order to make a simple mosaic craft, it is important to follow a few basic steps.

Instructions

1. Draw an outline of a picture onto a sheet of white printing paper.

2. Using scissors, cut colored construction paper into small, 1/2-inch sized pieces.

3. Separate the cut construction paper into piles of like colors.

4. Apply a very thin layer of craft glue to the picture.

5. Place the construction paper pieces onto the picture. Organize the colors to match your picture. For example, place different shades of green onto the boughs of a tree.

6. Continue adding pieces of construction paper until the entire area has been filled. If you have any white space, fill it in with a solid background color.

7. Allow the glue to dry completely before displaying the picture.

Do Mental Card Methods

Mental card tricks are performed by the magician knowing aspects about the deck. The magician doesn't use trick decks, but he uses methods unbeknownst to the audience to tell certain cards apart in the deck. Most mental card tricks involve the magician knowing what card an audience member picked from the deck.

Instructions

1. Look at the bottom card while shuffling the deck. In order to keep the bottom card the same while shuffling, release cards from the bottom side of the deck first so that the same card is on the bottom of the shuffled deck. You can ask the person to put the card back on the top of the deck, cut the deck and put the bottom half on the top half and fan the cards out to find the person's card, which will be to the right of the card that you saw on the bottom.

2. Use a deck that has a picture on the outside of the cards, like a sports team logo or scenery. You can position the cards so that they are all facing the same direction and then turn the deck before the person puts the card back into the middle of it. You'll then be able to tell which card he picked.

3. Put the cards in an order and don't shuffle the deck in front of the audience members. The best way to do this is put the cards in numerical order and in suit. Then, you'll be able to tell which card is out of place.

4. Use an assistant and to help you determine things about the deck and the cards. For example, you could have an assistant who sees the card drawn by the audience member and have her touch it in a different manner than she touches other cards.

Airbrush A Cake

One of the quickest and easiest ways to add color to a cake is by using an airbrush system. Airbrushing is a technique in which liquid paints are sprayed through a needle tip by using compressed air. While you may have to spend a little money to purchase an airbrushing machine, it's probably worth the investment if you plan on decorating cakes regularly.

Instructions

1. Purchase paints that can be used in your cake-airbrushing machine. Be sure to purchase edible paints or your birthday party guests might end up in the emergency room!

2. Invest in an airbrushing system designed for cakes. You can purchase these products at specialty cooking stores or through websites. Prices can vary significantly, so shop and compare prices.

3. Turn your cake into a canvas by covering it with an even layer of white icing. Popular white icings include vanilla and cream cheese.

4. Load the first color paint you'll need into the airbrush machine. You'll have to do one color at a time.

5. Sketch out a design before you start decorating and know which colors you need to use. Practice airbrushing on a paper towel before attempting to airbrush your cake.

6. Point the airbrush nozzle at the cake's surface and pull the trigger. Keep the nozzle at a 45-degree angle, no more than eight inches from the cake's surface. Sweep your hand across the cake while spraying paint to make soft swaths of color.

7. Clean your airbrush equipment (including all piping) with hot water every time you change paint colors.

8. Use stencils to help keep your lines crisp and clean. Otherwise, it's too easy to spray outside the lines when using an airbrush machine.

9. Outline your airbrushed designs with conventional cake decorating icing. This will add some extra dimension to creative designs and can make your cake even more delicious.

10. Garnish with candles, flowers or plastic decorations to add the finishing touches.

Flyer Design Advice

You have about five seconds to capture someone's attention with a flyer. If the flyer is too busy or the message is unclear, you will lose the reader quickly. You don't want the reader's eyes to jump all around the flyer in confusion; you want him to focus on one area at a time.

Use Design Software

There are a number of graphic-design programs you can use to create your flyer; Adobe Photoshop and InDesign are two of the most popular. Photoshop allows you to edit the images--remove white space or add effects--in addition to laying out the flyer to fit your needs.

Avoid designing your flyer in a word-processing program, because your options are very limited.

Keep It Simple

Designers often make the mistake of packing the flyer with images and words, creating confusion. Keep the flyer as simple as possible. Choose one central image to support your overall them, and use only one or two fonts. Take advantage of the white (or other colored) space in your background as much as possible.

Use Bold Text

Pick a bold, eye-catching font for the headline and an easy-to-read font for the rest of your text. Remember that you have a very short time to grab the viewer's attention. Avoid script fonts, because they are usually too light and difficult to decipher. The general rule of thumb is that you use bold sans-serif fonts (no lines on the edges of the letters) for your headlines and serif fonts for your text.

Center or justify the text on the flyer whenever possible. Centering the words will draw the reader's attention to the main message first.

Use Both Sides

When you have flyers printed, the printer usually offers double-sided flyers. The cost of a one-sided flyer is not much different, so go ahead and create a two-sided flyer. Put your headline, main photo and pieces of supporting information, such as event location, time and date details, on the front, and place a longer description of the event, product or service on the back.

Do Latin & Salsa Dancing

Latin and salsa dancing are hugely popular in the United States and abroad. The term Latin dance encompasses both social dancing and ballroom dancing. Latin dances originated in the Caribbean and Latin America. Dances from these regions include salsa, samba, rumba, mambo, cha cha, danza, tumba, cumbia and bachata, among others. Salsa dance mixes European and African dance influences. Salsa is usually danced with a partner, but there are some solo forms to the dance, such as "suelta," or line dancing, and Rueda de Casino, where salsa is danced in a circle and people exchange partners.

Instructions

1. Decide what type of Latin or Salsa dance you want to do. Decide whether you want to dance socially or learn ballroom.

2. Find a dance class or school that offers lessons in the type of dance you want to do.

3. Once you pick a class or school get a class schedule and decide how often you want to take classes and how many hours per week.

4. Purchase dance shoes. Some dance shoes can be pricey; check discount dance stores and online retailers for bargains.

5. Gather or purchase lightweight clothes such as tank tops, T-shirts, shorts, socks or tights. Wearing an old shirt and jeans also works well.

6. Arrive early to your first dance class and enjoy!

Do Ring Hats On The Tajima Embroidery Machine

Tajima embroidery machines can pattern more surface area of a hat than most other embroidery machines.

The Tajima Embroidery Machines have excellent hoop hat embroidery capabilities with user friendly set up and design transfer. These machines also have many important safety features such as automatic thread tension regulators, broken thread alarms and automatic shut off sensors if anything comes too close to the needles during operation. These features help make embroidering hoop hats fast and easy. Embroidery designs can be transferred to the machine using a USB device such as a jump drive or through a network cable to a personal computer.

Instructions

1. Ensure the machine is set up and threaded properly with the necessary thread colors for the chosen embroidery design. Refer to the owner's manual for set up and threading instructions.

2. Input the embroidery design into the Tajima by inserting a jump drive into the USB drive or connecting your personal computer to the machine via a network cable. Create and save your design in the Tajima program software prior to transferring it to the embroidery machine.

3. Hook up the pantographic attachment system over the sewing arm designed for hoop hat embroidery. Clamp the blank hat into the pantographic attachment system with the brim pointing upwards and the hat covering the sewing arm. If there isn't a brim, line up and center the front of the hat over the top of the sewing arm and clamp into place with the pantographic attachment clamp.

4. Press the trace button on the Tajima. The machine will trace the parameters of the design on the hat to ensure proper alignment. Shift the hat as needed if the trace process reveals a misalignment.

5. Press the start button to begin the embroidery process. Re-thread the machine if the thread breaks by following the threading instruction in the owner's manual. Be prepared to press the emergency shut off button if the machine malfunctions.

Do Fancy Script Calligraphy

Calligraphy comes from the Greek words "calli," which means "beautiful," and "graphein," which means "writing." You can perform this script style with a regular pen or pencil in your own natural penmanship.

Instructions

1. Draw a downward vertical stroke with your pencil bearing down to get a heavy line. As in other styles of calligraphy, a thick and thin appearance of the lettering is a major part of what gives script writing its artistic appeal.

2. Make an upward vertical stroke lightly, taking note of the thickness of your initial downward stroke compared to the thinness of your new upward stroke. This is achieved by lighter and heavier pressure on the pencil.

3. Practice a continuous, tall, wavy stroke while bearing down on downward strokes and letting up for upward strokes to create a thick and thin effect throughout.

4. Write lower case lettering in your own handwriting, consistently bearing down and letting up as you draw your letters.

5. Practice connecting lower case letters with a light, thin line between the letters.

6. Keep all vertical lines perfectly parallel to each other, whether slanted or straight.

7. Draw capital letters, keeping letter heights even with each other.

8. Begin writing words, inter-mixing capital letters and small letters.

9. Search for samples of script calligraphy on the Internet and on advertisements to familiarize yourself with various styles.

10. Practice to achieve perfection, remembering to maintain uniformity with all lettering.

Clean Antique Hands Colored Furniture

Kept clean, painted furniture brightens any room.

A piece of hand painted antique furniture is a welcome accent in any home. Paired with other items of natural wood finishes adds color and texture. Among the attractive benefits of painted furniture are the durability of the finishes and the ease with which they are cleaned. Whether you own a classical piece of Baltimore painted furniture or a primitive piece that is the forerunner of today's shabby chic pieces, antique hand painted furniture will occasionally need to be cleaned.

Instructions

1. Brush loose dust and dirt off furniture surfaces with a dust brush or soft cloth. Carved details and crevices can be dusted with the dust brush attachment of a vacuum cleaner.

2. Mix a 1/4 cup oil soap with 1 gallon of warm water. Alternately, use just enough dish soap to make the water slightly sudsy.

3. Wet a soft cloth or sponge with the soapy water and wring out so it is just damp. Wiping excess water off your hands prevents it from dripping on your project.

4. Wipe the furniture gently with the damp cloth, using only enough force to remove the dirt. Clean a small section at a time, swishing the rag in the soapy water and wringing it out again to refresh the cloth.

5. Repeat the cleaning process on surfaces with stubborn dirt until all surfaces are clean. Replace the soapy water as it becomes murky with dirt.

6. Wipe surfaces with a fresh cloth dampened with clean, fresh water to remove any excess soap, then allow to dry.

Help Make Your Own Footwear

Make Your Own Shoes

Can't find comfy shoes? Have a flair for fashion and design or just want some funky accessories? If you like crafts,have ever worked with leather or are handy with your hands then you can make your own shoes or sandals. A variety of footwear can be made as your skills improve. Not crafty but still want something different? No problem,customize shoes online, buy a kit, follow a simple plan, attend a workshop or take a course and become an apprentice.

Instructions

1. There are several avenues to explore when it comes to making your own shoes. Perhaps you want a fun funky custom look for a special outfit, occasion or to stand out from the crowd. If so, a simple internet search is sure to turn up many websites where you will find the exact customization for footwear you are looking for. I found a website that will use elements out of an image of your choice to decorate different styles of Keds sneakers for women and children. Brand name athletic shoes can also be customized.

2. Looking for a classy sandal complete with Swarovski crystals for your cruise, vacation or special evening? Well, if you live in Miami Beach, Florida(more locations available soon) or visiting any time soon you can stop by Morgan Miller's and make your own shoes or order them online. Endless combination's are possible by choosing each individual element.

3. Another option is to find kits that include all the needed materials to make a pair of shoes or sandals. Or find a book or free plan to make your own shoes or sandals. Again, all you need to do is conduct an internet search. If you are one of the many folks going green then see the resources at the end of this article for a free eco-friendly plan for making tire sandals.

4. Want to make your own shoes from start to finish? If so you may want to take a workshop or course about making your own leather shoes custom fit to both feet. This is a such a fascinating process and shoemakers are true craftsmen. I will give a brief description of steps needed to accomplish this. See the resources at the end of this article for a more detailed look at the shoe making process.

5. Find your inspiration. It may be from color combination, elements of a fabric, accessories etc. Check out the designers to see whats new for the season. Maybe vintage styles and history influence your inspiration.

6. Design and draw a sketch of the way you want your finished shoe to look from the front,side and top. For a perfect custom fit for both feet you will need a last,which is a form traditionally made from wood that combines a certain size with a particular style. These can also be made with plaster. Choose the appropriate last for your design.

7. Use masking tape to cover the last. Start by apply a layer over the entire top surface of the last lengthwise and then again crosswise. This masking tape shell is what you will create the pattern from. Now transfer the design directly on to the masking tape shell. Remove the the tape shell by cutting down the middle of the front and heel resulting in two pieces. Smooth the pieces on to some stiff paper and cut out the pieces needed to construct the shoe. Use the paper pattern to cut out your leather or fabric pieces.

8. Once you have your shoe pieces it is time to begin assembly. There are many ways and different steps for this. See the resources and the end of this article to find out more about the art/craft of making shoes, I have found it to be a fascinating process and hope you do to!

Do Christian Comedy Skits

Skits and short plays are a great way to spice up a church service or Sunday school class. Religious teaching can be emphasized with funny parables or anecdotes that keep an audience's attention and relate Christian ethics to real-world situations.

Instructions

1. Decide on a message. The purpose of a Christian comedy skit is to relate a deeper meaning or message through comedy. Let the message lead you to the skit, rather than the other way around.

2. Find or write a script. There are plenty of free Christian scripts, but you may decide to write your own to tailor the message to your congregation. Parodies of popular media are a great way to start a script. Examples include parodies of reality shows, movies or game shows.

3. Find actors. Choose people in your church who are comfortable being in front of an audience, or have experience with public speaking. Often a self-conscious performer takes away from the impact of a skit if they are too nervous.

4. Practice your skit. Don't wait until the hour before the performance to practice. Especially if you are making biblical references that may be hard to pronounce, you need to practice with your actors at least once. Ask a handful of people to watch the skit and give you feedback. Did your message come through? Was it funny?

5. Perform without apologies. No skit is going to please every person in your audience. Perform the skit knowing you believe in your message and want people to learn. If mistakes happen, improvise. Some of your funniest moments may come from improvised reactions from or to the audience.

Do Chainsaw Maintenance

Tuning up that chainsaw for a season of woodcutting takes only a few minutes. Performing chainsaw maintenance can save you a lot of down time in the field and make your cutting more productive. By following a few simple steps at the home shop, you can make chainsaw maintenance an easy task.

Instructions

1. Remove the blade chain and bar from the saw. Thoroughly clean the clutch area and the protective cover from oil and sawdust with the paintbrush.

2. Remove the spark plug with the bar chain wrench that came with the chainsaw. Replace the spark plug on the chainsaw with a new one. Be careful to clean the area first with the paintbrush so no debris falls into the combustion chamber

3. File down all raised edges on the chain bar itself with the flat mill file. This will take a few minutes, but the result in cutting will be amazing. The chain bar will always have raised edges on it from the running of the chain in the grooves of the bar. Filing down the raised edges will guarantee a smooth cut into the log.

4. Sharpen the old chain or always keep a new replacement chain blade on hand. Use the round chain blade file and give each tooth a good going over. Be sure to follow the proper angle set for the blade. Also, be sure to take equal strokes for each blade tooth as you can cause the saw to cut at an angle by taking too much from one side of the blade.

5. Reassemble the saw and pay particular attention so all surfaces mate correctly and the blade is properly tensioned. A properly tensioned blade should not be easily pulled from the chain bar and the chain should still be free to move around the bar.

Do Felines The Musical Makeup

Whether you're attending a costume party or looking for a Halloween costume or even performing a number from "Cats," all you need is a little bit of stage makeup and you can recreate the makeup look from the hit musical. Pick your favorite "Cats" character to base your face paint on, or just design your own unique look. This is also a great way to get kids excited about theater productions---having their makeup done will give them a taste of what goes on behind-the-scenes in musicals like this one.

Instructions

1. Apply base color of greasepaint. Dip a slightly dampened makeup sponge into the greasepaint, then apply slow, short strokes to your face to get an even coat. Choose your base color by deciding which "Cats" character you'd like to resemble. For example, if you want Exotica's makeup, start with a dark brown base. If you want to look more like Munkustrap or Grizabella, start with a white base. Apply the desired color to your forehead, the hollows of your cheeks, the bridge of your nose, and along your jaw line. Use a photograph of the character you want to resemble to decide where else to add the color. Demeter's tan base coat covers most of his face except for the area around his mouth and the very center of his forehead. Exotica's base coat covers everywhere but the area around her mouth and her cheekbones. Munkustrap's white base coat covers his entire face.

2. Apply secondary color, also using a makeup sponge. If you have only one sponge, wash it thoroughly and air-dry until moist before you apply the second color.

If you're Exotica, use tan greasepaint. If you're Demeter, use white. Most of the cat characters in the musical have a lighter secondary color, which appears in a circle around their mouth, extending from their chin to just below their nose. You can add a V-shape in the center of your forehead with either the secondary color or a darker, third color. Add long streaks of the second and third colors at the edge of your face, just below your cheekbones, and from your eyebrows leading up to the edges of your forehead. This mimics the color pattern of real cats' facial fur.

3. Outline your eyes. Using black eyeliner, start on the inside corner of your eyes and make two short downward marks, one from your lower lid toward the bridge of your nose, and one from your upper lid in the same direction. Then, at the outer corner of your lower eyelid (and in some "Cats" characters your upper eyelid as well), draw a thick line that extends past the edge of your eye and up toward your eyebrows. At this point, you can also use the black eyeliner to make whiskers---draw five or six solid dots above both sides of your upper lip. If the character model you're using has a black nose, smudge the tip of your nose with the eyeliner. If your character's nose is pink, apply a dab of pink greasepaint to the nose-tip.

4. Create optional wrinkles. First, draw a thin, dark line with black eyeliner where you'd like the wrinkle to be. Blend one edge of this line so that one side of the line is sharp while the other is blurred. Add a thin line of white highlighter along the sharp edge of the black line. Blend the white line on the opposite side of the black line, so that the outer edges of your wrinkle are blurred, but the inner edges, where the dark and light lines touch, are sharp. This gives your wrinkles a realistic look.

Do Break Dancing Strength Drills

Do Break Dancing Strength Drills

To be a good break dancer, you have to have strength as well as skill. Many break dancing moves especially require upper body and core strength. You can build upper body strength through drilling yourself in break dance moves that use your arm, chest and core muscles.

Instructions

Do a Break Dancing Baby Freeze-Handstand Drill

1. Start off with a baby freeze. In this move, your head and hands form a tripod. Place your head lightly on the ground, bend each arm so it's almost at a 45-degree angle and place your hands on the ground a little wider than your shoulders at your lower chest. Then, lift your legs off the ground and scissor them to one side.

2. Bring your body back to center, keeping your feet off the ground, and push up from the baby freeze into a handstand. Take a few steps in the handstand if you need to.

3. Lower yourself back into a baby freeze.

4. Repeat the sequence three or four times in a row to each side to build up your strength.

Do a Breakdancing Elbow Planche Drill

5. Kneel on the ground and place your forearms on the ground.

6. Place all of your weight on your forearms as you bring your feet off of the ground and above you.

7. Hold the position for a few seconds, then come out of it. Repeat the planche three or four times.

8. Add a baby freeze before the elbow planche for a greater challenge as you drill.

Do Fundamental Ballet Positions

There are five basic positions in ballet and this article will take you through each in their proper sequence. These position are the basis for all movement in ballet.

Instructions

1. First Position. Feet are turned out with heels touching. The backs of your knees should also be touching. The goal is to create a straight line with your feet, but that turn out takes a lot of practice. The arms should be curved with fingers almost touching in front of the body and the fingers should be at navel level.

2. Second Position. Keeping feet in first position, step out about 12 inches with the right foot. The arms are out to the side of the body with the hand angled slightly downward at about a 45-degree angle. The elbows should be slightly lower than the shoulder and the wrists should be a little lower than the elbows.

3. Third Position. Draw the right foot into the left foot. The right heel should be in the center of the left foot's arch. The left arms stays in second position while the right arm comes back to first position.

4. Fourth Position. Step forward with the right foot about 12 inches. Keep both feet turned out. The left arm comes to first position and the right goes up over your head but stays rounded.

5. Fifth Position. Draw the right foot back to the left. Try to get your feet closer together than in third. Your right heel will line up with your left toe while your right toe is aligned wtih your left heel. Both arms should be above your head with rounded arms.

Perform A Sunset In Watercolor

Painting a sunset using watercolors brings the burst of colors to paper or canvas.

Painting landscape and realistic pictures by using watercolors is a way to express creativity through a medium suitable for all ages and skill levels. Painting sunsets is one way to replicate a recognizable scene. The technique and colors chosen for painting a sunset helps to ensure the picture is as true to life as seen through the eye of the painter.

Instructions

1. Find a picture of a sunset for reference. Use a color photograph for visual inspiration to paint your sunset. Place the picture on a wall or table, close to where you will be painting.

2. Tilt the paper or canvas to a 15-degree angle before beginning to paint. The slight tilt of the paper will allow for the paint to slowly seep downward for paint colors to softly blend together.

3. Wet the paper or canvas to begin painting the sunset. The process, known as wet into wet, is used to create soft lines between colors as the wet paper or canvas allows for the wet watercolor paint to blend easily. Apply water with a mop brush over the section of the paper where the sunset will be located.

4. Apply a line of blue watercolor paint along the top of the paper or canvas. Use a deeper shade of blue for the first pass, making sure to extend the blue line from left to right. Allow the paint to bleed downward as the wet watercolor paint, once applied to the wet paper, will run slightly.

5. Add the first color of the sunset directly below the blue sky portion of the sunset painting. Refer to your pictures for guidance if necessary. Use a deep, dark red under the blue and continue adding layers of colors as you work your way towards the bottom of the paper. Optimal colors to use for a sunset include shades and hues of red, pink, yellow, orange and purple. Stop once one-half to three-quarters of the paper has been covered with the background colors of the sunset.

6. Add the sun to the painting. Position the placement along the last line of color which will be used as the horizon. Use shades of yellow and orange to create a sun. Blend the edges of the sun in to the colors of the sunset to soften the shape.

7. Finish the watercolor painting by adding extra details to your sunset. Options include trees, water, grass, buildings or other objects. Utilize the reference picture for inspiration, or add details based on personal preference.

Perform A Slideshow In Photobucket

Photobucket allows you to organize your photos into a slidesshare online.

Websites like Photobucket allow you to store your photos online and share them with family and friends. As an added feature, Photobucket also makes creating a slideshow with photos you have already uploaded accessible. These slideshows are usually a more entertaining way of showing off your pictures rather than a regular photo album, and can be useful for presentations as well. As with your Photobucket photos, once you create your slideshow you can share it on blogs and social networking sites.

Instructions

1. Log in to your Photobucket account, then select the photo album with the photos you want to use in your slideshow. Click the "Slideshows" tab.

2. Click the "+" underneath each photo you want to include in your slideshow. Select a template for your slideshow in the templates pane on the left.

3. Click the "Small," "Medium" or "Large" buttons on the bottom left to select a size for your slideshow. Click "Save Slideshow" when you are finished. Enter a name for your slideshow and click "Save."

Fresh paint Realistic Flames

Paint Realistic Flames

Humanity has an obsession with fire. It keeps us warm, lights the dark, wards off predators and cooks our food. Fire also has been associated with danger, passion, anger and love. Because of this, fire is often depicted in art. This ranges from oil paintings all the way to flames painted on the side of motorcycles and hot rods. Painting fire is tricky because it is constantly in motion. However, there are a few simple techniques that you can use to effectively render flames in a realistic and beautiful manner.

Instructions

1. Draw out the line art for the flames on your canvas with a pencil. The shape of flames can be best drawn if you imagine the shape as a series of triangles that have been distorted. Begin drawing a triangle but dip the line in and out with wavy strokes. Don't be afraid to really exaggerate these warps and dips.

2. Place a a dab of each color of paint on your pallet. Mix up some of the red and orange to create a deep rust-orange hue. Paint the entire section of flames in this basic color. Paint the background solid black to accentuate the color of the flames.

3. Mix up a lighter hue of orange by adding in some yellow. Paint over most of the deep rust orange, leaving some areas exposed.

4. Add some bright yellow paint on top of the lighter orange. Keep the strokes smaller and leave more of the lighter orange exposed than you did with the rust orange.

5. Blend the colors together while the paint is still wet by adding a touch of water to your brush and softly spreading the yellow and orange together. Add white to the yellow paint, and with a small brush add this very bright yellow to the middle and tips of the brightest concentrations of yellow paint.

Be A Talkshow Host

Oprah and Letterman, Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh. What talkshow

hosts have in common is marrying the gift of gab with the ability

to glean juicy details from their guests. To get your own show, you can

rise through the ranks of broadcasting or enter as an expert in your

field. Either way, you need a double dose of confidence and a perpetually

quick response.

Instructions

1. Get a college degree in journalism and/or communications with coursework in public speaking and drama. See 149 Decide Which College Is Right for You.

2. Attend a private broadcasting school. Before you enroll, ask a variety of broadcasting professionals about the school's reputation. Or apprentice in a training program at a radio or TV station.

3. Work at a campus radio or TV station, or intern at a commercial station to gain experience and develop contacts. See 161 Set Up an Internship.

4. Produce a demo tape to distribute to program directors. Film or record a live performance to showcase your on-air experience and ability to interact confidently with guests.

5. Start out in radio--you have a better chance of getting on the air than you do in TV. Even there, your first job probably will be operating equipment or working as an production assistant, not hosting a show. You'll work behind the scenes--taping interviews, meeting guests' needs and running out for coffee.

6. Expect to begin as an assistant, a researcher or a camera operator if you start out in TV. With luck, you'll move up to an on-air position. Start in a small market to gain experience. You'll do everything from production to fund-raising--and hopefully some broadcasting work.

7. Get some years of experience under your belt and move to a bigger market, where you'll earn more prestige and more money. Your goal may be to work at a radio or TV station in a thriving metropolitan area, but you need a proven track record first.

8. Get on the air first as a guest if you're a specialist in a field such as psychology and want to become a talk-show host. People will fall in love with your wit and wisdom, and you'll go from there. At least, that's how it worked for Dr. Phil and Dr. Ruth.

9. Cultivate mental and verbal flexibility and the ability to ad-lib. You never know who's going to say what on a talk show, and you have to be ready with the right response.

Buy French Motor Rail Tickets In France

French motor rail can get your car to your vacation destination.

If you want to drive a car on vacation in France but don't want to spend your entire trip behind the wheel, motor rail may be the answer. This service allows you to drop off your vehicle in the center of Paris, travel by air or train to your destination elsewhere in the country, then pick up your car there. As of 2010, ticket prices start at the equivalent of about $100.

Online

The easiest way to book a motor rail ticket is via the website of France's national railway service, SNCF. The site explains the procedures and lists the prices. Your reservation must be settled by telephone or in a station within 48 hours.

Telephone

You can also call the SNCF's reservation line to book and pay for your ticket. Dial 36 35 and say "auto train" if calling from France. From outside France, dial +33 892 35 35 35. As of 2010, either call will cost 34 euro cents per minute, plus any charges levied by your operator. The advantage is that you can have your ticket mailed to you if you reserve four days ahead in France or seven days ahead outside the country.

Station

The most straightforward way to buy a ticket is at any train station in France, using a credit card or cash. If you don't want to stand in line, you can use one of the automatic kiosks to book your ticket by following the instructions on the touch screen. In that case, payment must be made by credit card.

Famous Art Museums In Canada

Canada's Art Museums

If anything transcends borders, it's the arts. Artistic expression has brought people together for years, with many nations having prominent museums dedicated to art. With a rich, culturally diverse history, Canada is no exception.

National Gallery of Canada

Established in 1880, the National Gallery of Canada is one of Canada's oldest cultural institutions. The Gallery attempts to develop and maintain a collection of both historic and contemporary art with a special reference to Canada. The Gallery also tries to provide visitors with a sense of Canada's national identity.

National Gallery of Canada

380 Sussex Drive

Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 9N4

613-990-1985

gallery.ca

The Glenbow Museum

The Glenbow Museum combines a museum, art gallery, library and archives to help create the complete Western Canadian experience. Boasting over a million artifacts, and approximately 28,000 works of art, the Glenbow is one of Canada's largest museums. The museum features exhibits dedicated to the heritage and culture of Western Canada, as well as exhibits with artifacts and artwork from around the world.

The Glenbow Museum

130 --- 9 Ave. S.E.

Calgary, AB, Canada T2G 0P3

403-268-4100

glenbow.org

Musée de la Civilisation

The Musée de la Civilisation complex is quite vast, including a 18th-century house with an inner courtyard, an 18th-century rowboat, a stone wharf, a number of exhibition rooms and auditoriums and two historic sites. The Musée de la Civilisation offers traditional and unorthodox themes as well as a number of hands-on activities for visitors.

Musée de la Civilisation

85 Rue Dalhousie

P.O. Box 155, Station B

Québec City, QC, Canada G1K 7A6

418-643-2158

mcq.org

Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

Established in 1908, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia offers two venues for visitors, one in Halifax and the other in Yarmouth. The Gallery features over 14,000 pieces of art. The Gallery features historic artwork associated to Nova Scotia, art from the Maritime region and Canada, and a variety of international and multicultural art.

Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

1723 Hollis St.

Halifax, NS, Canada B3J 3C8

902-424-7542

artgalleryofnovascotia.ca

Art Gallery of Ontario

Established in 1900, the Art Gallery of Ontario is one of North America's largest art museums. The Gallery's collection includes over 79,000 works. The collection includes a wide variety of historic Canadian art, as well as many European masterpieces and contemporary artwork. The collection also includes more than 40,00 photographs.

Art Gallery of Ontario

317 Dundas St. W.

Toronto, ON Canada M5T 1G4

416-979-6648

ago.net

McMichael Canadian Art Collection

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection offers a uniquely Canadian experience to visitors. The McMichael houses are made from field-stone and logs, and house almost 6,000 works of art. The focus of the Collection is entirely on Canadian artwork, and thus the collection contains only Canadian pieces, making it the only major public art gallery devoted entirely to Canadian artwork.

McMichael Canadian Art Collection

10365 Islington Ave.

Kleinburg, ON, Canada L0J 1C0

905-893-1121

mcmichael.com

Royal Ontario Museum

The Royal Ontario Museum offers a wide variety of exhibits to visitors, from natural history to world culture. The Royal Ontario Museum offers a number of galleries with themes such as the work of First Nations artists and historical objects to the history of Canada itself. The Royal Ontario Museum also has many hands-on exhibits and workshops for visitors.

Royal Ontario Museum

100 Queen's Park

Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 2C6

416-586-8000

rom.on.ca

Winnipeg Art Gallery

Established in 1912, the Winnipeg Art Gallery is Canada's sixth largest gallery, as well as its first civic art gallery. The Gallery features almost 24,000 works of art that span a wide range of mediums and cultures. Exhibits range from 15th century European paintings to contemporary multimedia artworks, and pieces from local, national and international artists.

Winnipeg Art Gallery

300 Memorial Blvd.

Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3C 1V1

204-786-6641

wag.ca

Perform A Black & Whitened Value Scale For Art

The dark tones and light tints of the value scale give life to paintings.

Contrasts from light to dark add drama to any work of art. A value scale, also called a gray scale, represents the range of light tints and dark tones between pure white and pure black. A painting with predominantly light values has "high key" while dominant dark values create "low key" paintings or areas of paintings. A high key painting can evoke a mood of lightness, freedom or optimism while risking a washed out appearance. A low key painting connotes mystery or strength at the risk of looking oppressive.

Instructions

1. Draw 11 rectangles in a column, with each rectangle 2 in. wide and 1 in. tall. Number each rectangle.

2. Pour a puddle of black and a puddle of white paint onto the palette. Dilute with enough water to make the pigments flow.

3. Paint block 1 pure white and block 11 pure black. Mix a puddle with equal amounts of white and black and paint block 6, the middle block. This 50-percent gray value makes a good reference point for painting middle values.

4. Add a little more black to the 50-percent gray mixture and paint block 7. Continue to add a little black at a time and paint successively darker tones in blocks 8, 9 and 10.

5. Clean the brush and work with the puddle of pure white. Add a little black at a time and continue painting blocks 2, 3, 4 and 5 with successively darker tints, keeping them lighter than the 50-percent block.

6. Let the pigments dry. Look at the range of values and notice any difficulties in differentiating them from one another. According to watercolor artist and author Jan Kunz, the typical human eye can discern 10 or 11 differences in value. Kunz says the value on the shady side of an object represents a 40 percent darker value than the sunny side.

7. Cut out the dried rectangles, stack them from black to white and fasten them with a paper fastener. Refer to your value scale when creating art work to assure that you have enough variety to create drama and interest.

Write A Company Bestseller

Writing a book, regardless of the topic, takes a lot time. But anyone given enough time-and assuming they are literate-can write a book. Writing a bestseller, now that is a lot more challenging. Most people are not even capable of writing a book that someone other than themselves would read. A bestseller requires the approval of a very large group of people.

Instructions

1. Find an original idea or creative approach to an existing topic. A business book is marketed to a very discerning audience of highly intelligent people, so for it to be successful it must be a new idea; you can't just talk about investing the same way everyone before you has, or you will not have a book that will sell. You can, however, draw new conclusions about old data.

2. Succeed in business. Your book needs credibility in order to become a bestseller. This requires that the author has succeeded in business. The buying public wants to know that the advice or ideas in the book have been successfully applied to the real world. They want to know that they can use them to achieve success.

3. Write the book; this entails more than just putting words down on a page. Business people as a rule don't like to spend an excessive amount of time on any one task. This means that in a book they are looking for clearly defined answers delivered succinctly and without unnecessary fluff. However, do not assume that you can just present facts and bare bones sentences. The book also has to be interesting enough to read so that it doesn't put the reader to sleep.

4. Promote your book, as one can't just be content to allow simple market forces to compel your book to bestseller status. You might want to do a simple book-signing tour, or you might want to arrange a series of seminars and speeches; but either way you need to tell people why they should buy your business book instead of all of the others. Once you have them convinced that the book will change the way they do business for the better, they will buy it in droves.

Do An Envelope Prank

Do an envelope prank to startle your friends or coworkers. Watch them jump when they open the envelope and it vibrates. It’s a fun prank for kids to play on each other because it’s easy to do--the things you need should be right at home. Follow these steps to do an envelope prank.

Instructions

1. Label the front of an envelope with the name of the person you want to prank or a clever phrase like “Rattlesnake Eggs.” The object is to pique someone’s interest enough that they want to open the envelope.

2. Unbend the large paper clip or piece of thick wire. Bend it into any shape that will hold the rubber band taut when you string it between the two ends of the wire. You can have the middle side of the wire or unbent paper clip straight with the two ends pointed in the same direction or the whole wire bent into a crescent shape.

3. String the rubber band across the two ends of the wire. If the rubber band isn’t taut enough, get a smaller rubber band or adjust the wire so the two ends are farther apart, pulling the rubber band tighter.

4. Slide the small paper clip over both sides of the rubber band. The rubber band should be going through the middle part of the small paper clip.

5. Spin the paper clip around as many times as you can without making the wire collapse. The rubber band should look twisted.

6. Hold the paper clip in place and set the contraption inside of an envelope. The sides of the envelope should be strong enough to hold the paper clip in place after you close the envelope. If the aren’t, you need to find a stronger envelope.

7. Close the flap on the envelope, but don’t seal it. Set it with the label facing up in an area where your target person will be likely to pick it up.

8. See the shocked look on your target’s face when he opens the envelope. The paper clip spins at a high rate of speed making the envelope vibrate and creating a fluttering sound.

Learn Photography

Learn become a wedding photographer.

Wedding photography is a growing business because couples getting married want to have reminders of that day. Photographers in the wedding business range from amateur to professional and have a variety of different styles and pricing. When hiring a wedding photographer, couples choose based on price, quality and style of the photographer. If you are looking to break into the wedding photography business, there is a lot of competition. The best thing to do is learn as much as you can and build up a strong portfolio.

Instructions

1. Learn your equipment. The most difficult part of wedding photography is learning get proper exposures in any type of lighting. Each camera has different reactions to light. Understand how your camera photographs in various lighting situations. Does it overexpose or underexpose? Read as much as you can about setting exposure, ISO and aperture on your camera in different lighting. Know how your flashes work, how your film or memory cards load, how long your battery lasts, etc. Practice as much as you can in different settings until you are comfortable enough to change settings quickly and seamlessly.

2. Practice with your camera. Bring your camera with you to different indoor and outdoor events to get a feel for different lighting conditions. Once you get a hang of this, you may even want to do some practice wedding shots. Make this fun by asking friends to model for you as brides, grooms, and wedding guests.

3. Study a variety of wedding photographers and their style. Pick out things you like and don't like. This will give you an idea of what type of shots people are looking for as well as develop style and an eye for shooting.

4. Shadow a wedding photographer or become an assistant. Often times, photographers need a second photographer, or a camera assistant at a wedding in order to get as many good shots as possible. Finding an internship is a great way to learn the ins and outs of the photography business. Learn about handle the client from intake until after the wedding shots are done, what type of shots are needed on the wedding day, what equipment is necessary, how much shooting a wedding will cost, shoot in a variety of settings, editing, and sales.

5. Build up a portfolio. As a photographer, your portfolio is your resume. When people consider hiring you for a job, they will look through your portfolio to determine whether or not you are right for their wedding. Build a portfolio by working with a more seasoned wedding photographer, shooting for fun at friend's weddings, or staging your own ceremonies for the camera.

Choose A Tomb In New Orleans St Louis Cemeteries

Located near the French Quarter, the historic Roman Catholic cemeteries St. Louis 1, 2 and 3 date back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The narrow, twisted paths lead to crumbled tombs, built in above ground vaults to protect them from floods due to the low ground water level. It's easy to find a tomb if you know look.

Instructions

1. Gather as much information about the person as possible from obituaries, wills, death certificates and other public records. You at least need the first and last name, as well as the date of death within a year.

2. Search for the names and burial dates of the deceased person's closest relatives. The St. Louis cemeteries have vaults that contain groups of family members, so if you search for the person's closest relative, you may find them as well.

3. Find out which cemetery the deceased person was placed in. The funeral home or church that handled the final arrangements can provide the name of the cemetery and perhaps even the tomb number.

4. Contact the cemetery office to get the tomb number and a plot map, which will help you locate the tomb when you visit the cemetery. St. Louis 3 is the only cemetery of the three that has its own office; however, all three cemeteries are operated by the New Orleans Archdiocese.

5. Request tomb numbers and plot maps for St. Louis 1 and 2, in writing only, from the St. Louis Archdiocese, 1000 Howard St., New Orleans, LA., 70113-1903. Include the deceased person's name, nationality and date of death within one year. For more information on request information, call the Archdiocese office at (504) 596-3050.

6. Call the main office of St. Louis 3 at (504) 482-5065.The cemetery is at 3421 Esplanade Avenue. St. Louis 1 is at Basin and St. Louis Streets. St. Louis 2 is on Claiborne Ave., between St. Louis and Iberville streets.

7. Consult the cemetery plot map when you have the number of the tomb. Plot maps don't list names. The tomb numbers are written in the boxes on the plot map and are arranged consecutively.

Write A Musical Script

If you have a story to sing on stage, you want to make sure that you tell the story correctly. Your first step towards getting your story told is to put together a script. If you want to combine this with singing and music, than making sure that you add this in as extra flavor can help you to move towards a standing ovation.

Instructions

Piecing Together the Writing

1. Put together the plot. Before you write any music or put together the lighting, you want to make sure that you have the outline of the plot that is going to take place. You can do this by creating a story board, where there are a number of scenes. In each scene one major event takes place, leading to the climax. You can further divide this by having acts that support the scenes and divide the plot into the introduction and the action.

2. Get to know your characters. While you are building the plot, you will need to find the individuals who will take part in the scenery. You will want to define their physical characteristics, as well as their attributes and flaws. You can then move them into the plot where they can take part in the actions.

3. Set the scenery. At this point, you can start drawing out the details of your play. You will want to start with a scene and with the actions that are a part of these. As you move forward, you will want to continue to define actions and scenes so the characters and plot can move forward.

4. Set the conversations. After you have your actions and scenery in place, you can allow your characters to converse with each other and to get to know each other. You will want to define different areas for dialogue, where the characters talk to each other, as well as monologues, where the characters define certain ideas and thoughts.

Toward the Music

5. Once you have the stage set, you can start adding in music. You will want to begin with an overture, which will play as an introduction to the musical and will start before the curtains open. This will also define the different themes of music that will be used throughout the different scenes.

6. Say how you feel. Within each scene, you will have different ideas that are being passed. You will want to make sure that the thoughts and feelings of the characters are continued with the songs that support them. Using slower songs that break the scenes or help to reach the climax within each scene will help to define the characters thoughts from a different point of view.

7. Show the action. The second type of song that can be used is the one that helps to tell the actions or part of the story. You can take breaks in different scenes that are a part of the story and can add in a song that is more up beat and helps to show the character from a different angle. This will add in more color, action and defining points in the musical.

8. Arrange the orchestra. Once you have the main parts, lyrics and songs in place, you will want to continue with taking care of the orchestration. You want to make sure that you have the right instruments in the right places, all which should be available when the musical script is performed. For instance, having defined violins, woodwinds, piano and rhythm in different areas will help to smooth out the musical.

Write Jokes & Oneliners

Perfected jokes and one-liners can seem effortless.

Writing jokes and one-liners takes time, mental acuity and skill. Comics make this process seem easy because of the wit they use in executing seemingly flawless jokes. However, the process of creating these flawless jokes and one-liners is not necessarily simple. The setup, punchline, wording, tag, timing and language utilized is essential to the overall success of the joke. When writing jokes, use real life experiences to relate to your target audience. Funny jokes and one-liners, when done effectively, lend humor and laughter to any atmosphere.

Instructions

1. Write the setup to your joke. Make it as brief as possible.

2. Write the punchline, which is the twist that make your joke funny.

3. Trim the setup by minimizing the wording.

4. Add a tagline to the joke by adding another line or two after the joke for the aftershock to the punchline.

5. Spice up the setup by adding abstractions such as similes, metaphors and other figurative language techniques.

6. Sharpen the timing and rhythm of the joke by repeating it aloud several times.

Fresh paint A Pot In A Pottery Studio

Paint a pot according to an existing design or create your own.

Pottery painting studios have popped up all over the country giving visitors, even those without art experience, an opportunity to decorate pieces of pottery. Studios usually display shelves full of bisque (a clay object that has already been fired once and is ready for glaze) and many colors of glazes, or paint, from which to choose. There is space to work, professional guidance and kiln firing, making this an activity to do alone, with a friend or with a group.

Instructions

1. Select a piece of bisque ware that you would like to paint. Usually each piece of bisque is priced differently. Select colors that you would like to use based on samples in the store. Don't make decisions based on what the paint looks like when it's wet; ceramic glazes appear lighter and paler when wet than they will be after having been fired in a kiln.

2. Wipe the piece with a damp sponge to remove dust.

3. Pour small amounts of glaze onto a palette, dip a clean damp brush into the glaze and begin painting your bisque. Allow the first coat to dry before applying a second.

4. Apply a second coat of glaze on top of the first for more a solid-looking, bold color. Without a second coat, your piece will have a streaked, water-colored appearance. Allow this coat to dry.

5. Cover the entire piece with a coat of clear glaze. When this is dry, the piece will be stored on a rack or shelf until it's time for firing. Studio staff will fire your pottery in a kiln and it will be ready for you to pick up in a few days; times vary from one studio to another.

Download A Yu Gi Oh Gameboy Advance Rom

Yu Gi Oh is one of Japan's most successful manga franchises and has spawned numerous multimedia toys, films, television shows, cards and video games. Yu Gi Oh is largely card-based with head-to-head action, making the Nintendo Gameboy Advance a great match for video gaming. The Internet provides emulators and game ROMs so all you need is a computer and online connection to get your Yu Gi Oh fix.

Instructions

1. Locate a Gameboy Advance website that offers downloadable Yu Gi Oh game ROMs (see Resources). Some digging is required to locate the harder to find ROMs.

2. Download a Yu Gi Oh ROM by clicking on the title of the game you desire. A prompt will appear asking if you would like to open or save the file. Click "Save."

3. Search through the program files on your computer and find the Gameboy Advance emulator. Look for the subfolder titled "ROMs" and open it.

4. Copy the Yu Gi Oh ROM from your download folder over to the "ROMs" folder in the Game Boy Advance emulator.

5. Test the ROM by starting the Gameboy Advance emulator. Click "File", select "Load ROM" and click on the Yu Gi Oh file to start the game.

Download A Totally Free Comic Cost Guide

Comic books can fetch some money---make sure you know what they're worth.

Comic book collectors may notice that their collection keeps getting bigger and bigger. Whether you want to pare down or keep adding to it is up to you, but in order to sell or buy comics for the right price, you need to know what everything is worth to avoid getting ripped off and to get the most for your money. Though there aren't many of them, you can find some free, downloadable price guides so you can price out your comics yourself.

Instructions

1. Open a search engine and enter the search criteria. If you are looking for a general price guide, just type in something along the lines of "Free Comic Book Price Guide Download." However, there are also specific price guides out there if you know exactly which comic books you are looking to buy or sell. For example, if you are interested in Marvel Comics, you can search for a Marvel Comic Book Price Guide.

2. When you see an appropriate website, click on it. Read the price guide's description to make sure it's exactly what you want, containing not only a correct comic list but also current pricing. Read the system requirements for the download, if there are any, and make sure that your computer is updated enough so that it can support the file.

3. Click on the "Download" link or button. When you do this, your Internet browser's download manager will pop up. Depending on what your settings are, the file will either download directly into a downloads folder onto your computer's hard drive, or it will ask you what folder you would like the file to be in. If the second option comes up, select a place on your computer where you'll be sure to find the price guide, whether it's your desktop or a separate folder you've created for comic books. After a few minutes of downloading, the file will be on your computer. Now you can open it up and begin pricing out your comics.

Qualities Of The Dramatic Play

Drama is the centerpiece of classic and modern plays. Represented by two masks (comedy and tragedy), the dramatic play seeks to entertain and thrill just as it showcases the human spirit and reflects humanity back to the audience. Drama in other forms of literature, such as novels or screenplays, owe much of their debt to this form of production and the ancient Greek tradition that created the dramatic structure.

Exposition

Dramatic plays are beholden to a set of characteristics that outline the arc of the play. These characteristics are most easily identified in five-act plays, but they can be seen in three-act plays, literature and films. The first part of the structure is the exposition, where background information is given to the audience through a narrator or dialogue. This information sets the tone of the story and lets the audience know the setting, the characters and the conflict. Usually, this segment of the play ends with an inciting moment, which is to say the turn in the story that essentially is the reason the story is being told.

Rising Action

Rising action is the second characteristic of a dramatic play. During the play, the conflict will be complicated by several subplots or various other conflicts. These other conflicts will be put in front of the protagonist to prevent him from reaching his goal.

Climax

Many people mistakenly view the climax as the end of the play. The climax actually comes in the middle. This is the turning point in the story where things begin to change for the protagonist. Depending on whether the drama is a comedy or a tragedy, the turn will either be for the worse or for the better.

Falling Action

The fourth characteristic of a dramatic play is the falling action, which is where we will finally see the confrontation between the protagonist and the main antagonist. This confrontation will take different forms, depending of the type of story. By the end of this section, we will either have a resolution to the conflict or we will be left in suspense as to the outcome.

The Denouement

The denouement, or conclusion, of the story signifies the final characteristic of the dramatic structure. It is in this act that we will see whether the protagonist is better off than when the story began (in the case of a comedy), or worse off (in the case of a tragedy.

Produce A Farm Scene Bed room

If you are decorating a bedroom in a farm theme, you want to make it look as authentic as possible. The person should feel as though they are sleeping on an actual farm. This may seem a bit difficult to pull off, especially if you live in a big city, but it actually can be quite easy with a little planning and some interesting pieces of décor.

Instructions

1. Put up a farm wall mural. The wall mural can take up all or most of the wall and are essentially a large piece of artwork. You can buy one that is a large farm scene including a barn and animals to go into your farm scene bedroom. There are some that are a cartoon type and some that are realistic. See resource 1.

2. Paint the walls a sky scene. Whether or not you are using a wall mural, you may want to paint the rest of the walls and ceiling a sky scene; for example, a light blue color with puffy clouds. Farms have wide-open skies, so sleeping and looking up at the painted ceiling can make it feel as though you are sleeping right out on a farm.

3. Use fake bales of hay. The faux bales of hay can be used to sit on, as a table or for any other type of flat surface. Many are sprayed with fire retardant spray; however, if it is not, you should make sure to spray the faux hay yourself when you receive it. While real bales of hay may attract bugs, fake bales of hay will most likely not. See resource 2.

4. Put out large stuffed farm animals. The stuffed animals can add an extra dose of fun personality to the room. You can purchase these animals anywhere from grocery stores to online auction sites. They cost a bit more then small plush animals, but they can look more realistic in a farm scene bedroom. In some cases, you may be able to purchase a look-a-like baby of the same type to go along with the large one. See resource 3.

5. Use green bed sheets. Sleeping on green bed sheets can make it feel as though you are sleeping in a field of green grass on a farm. For your farm scene bedroom, you can sleep on any type of green sheets you wish; they come in a variety of thread counts and costs, so you can find a set for any budget or preference.