Make Pathways For Any Gingerbread House

The holiday season signals a time when the kitchen mixers come out and the house fills with the aroma of baked goods. Another way to improve your holiday is to make a gingerbread house. To complete the structure, you can add a sidewalk, stained glass windows and a magnificent door. Here is make the sidewalk to your edible house.

Instructions

1. Choose the pavers. Choose neutral colored Necco candy for a slate look, speckled halved jelly beans for a pebbled sidewalk or brown sugar for a dirt sidewalk.

2. Color the royal icing the same color as the pavers. This will disguise the bright white royal icing used to glue the pavers into place. Add a light brown food coloring to look like mortar for a brick path. Or add a brown sugar color to blend in with the "dirt."

3. Apply a small amount of royal icing directly to the work space. Place the pavers into place. Continue Steps 3 and 4 until your sidewalk design is complete.

4. Wrap the workspace in aluminum foil, place the gingerbread house on top of that and then the sidewalk. Design the sidewalk on the foil using a toothpick. Then follow the design pattern with the above steps.

Sell A Rv To Some Salvage Yard

Selling an old RV to a salvage yard is usually easier than selling it on the market.

After years on the open road touring the quaint cities and towns of America, a growing number of expensive repairs to your RV might lead you to choose between selling the vehicle to another person or dealership or selling it to a salvage yard. One benefit of selling to a salvage yard is that salvage yards often buy RVs whether they are running or not, and the owner does not have to make repairs or market the vehicle.

Instructions

1. Call local salvage yards in your area. Some salvage yards specialize in RVs, while others may not buy them.

2. Give the salvage yard the make, model and year of your RV along with any other important information such as if it is running or not. Also inquire about whether they will tow the RV if it is not running.

3. Discuss a price for the RV. Remember that the salvage yard is going to sell parts from your RV to make a profit and there is a value to the RV. Try and negotiate a fee as high as possible. Remember that this fee will usually be far below the "poor" condition value in any blue book or pricing catalog since the RV is usually well beyond repair when calling a salvage yard.

4. Fill out paperwork provided by the salvage yard and sign over the title. While the required paperwork varies slightly by state, your identification and the vehicle identification number are usually required. In certain states, the salvage yard will then apply for a salvage title from the state, once you have signed over the title.

5. Collect your cash and finish the transaction. Be sure to get a receipt from the salvage yard before leaving.

Visit Clown College

Go to Clown College

It has been said, "To be a clown, you have to be a clown." If you are interested in clowning around for a living, you may want to attend a clown college. While you may be naturally funny and make the best balloon animals around, a little higher education in the art of clowning can give you marketable skills you might not get on your own. Read on to learn go to clown college.

Instructions

1. Determine if you have what it takes to be a clown. If you are known for your sense of humor, love making people smile and laugh, and don't mind working hard, you will have a good chance of becoming a great clown.

2. Research various clown schools and colleges online, particularly locations, programs and costs. You can fund your schooling in various ways. If you are taking a few classes in general skills, you may be able to work out a barter arrangement. If you are looking at a degree program, financial aid is available if you qualify.

3. Decide what kind of clown you want to be, based on your interests. You can work with children, start a clown ministry, specialize in magic, hire out for corporate events, become a rodeo clown or an acrobatic clown, or explore countless other opportunities.

4. Take an inventory of skills you already have before entering clown college. Things like face painting, story telling, singing, silly dances and telling jokes are all things you may already know do.

5. Learn organize, promote and establish yourself in your own business after completion of your formal instruction--if you would prefer not to work for someone else, that is. If your program doesn't include them, enroll in a few non-clown courses, such as child psychology, advertising, marketing and bookkeeping.

Help Make Your Own Painting Easel

Make Your Own Painting Easel

Whether you want an easel to hold a canvas while you paint, or you need to display paintings and other graphic projects on a sturdy easel, you can build your own custom easel with the use of a few ordinary tools. This project is especially useful if you need many easels for an art show or other event and cannot afford to purchase ready-made easels in large quantities.

Instructions

1. Acquire four 8-foot lengths of 1-by-2 lumber that are very straight. Avoid pieces that show proclivity toward bending into a "hockey stick" shape. Avoid pieces that have many knots and gouges. Set one length aside for a moment.

2. Cut three pieces to the same length, 66 inches each. This will form a standard floor easel.

3. Gather the three sticks of wood together in a sandwich. Use a C-clamp to clamp the three pieces of wood together at one end of the sandwich, approximately 3 inches from the end of the sandwich.

4. Drill a 1/2-inch diameter hole through all three pieces of wood. Position this hole 1 1/2 inches down from the end of the wood and yet above the C-clamp. Drill the hole through the wider 2-inch face of the wood.

5. Insert a 1/2-inch diameter stove bolt, one that is 2 inches long, through the holes. Add a washer to the protruding end of the bolt. Screw a 1/2-inch wing nut on the end of the bolt. Do not overtighten this nut. The center "leg" of wood that is sandwiched between the two outer "legs" of wood should be able to swing back and away from the outer legs to form a tripod. Space the middle leg back and tighten the bolt so the tripod stands on its own. The middle leg should be about 32 to 36 inches away from the two front legs for stability.

6. Determine where you want to place your cross member, a piece of wood that a picture or canvas can rest on. Lay a 48-inch carpenter's level across the face of the front legs, horizontal to the floor, to find this location. The level should be at about waist height. The level will form the cross of an "A." When the bubble indicates "level," and the vertical location of the cross member meets your approval, place a mark at the corresponding spot on each of the front legs.

7. Measure the distance between these two location marks on the cross members. Add 8 inches to this measurement. Cut another piece of 1x2 lumber to this length to form the cross member.

8. Turn the cross member, narrow side facing you. Measure in from both ends 4 inches. Use a drill to make a pilot hole all the way through the wood at both ends. You should be drilling through the narrow side of the wood, not the wider face of the wood.

9. Align one of the pilot holes with the cross member mark on the front leg of the easel. Drive a 2-inch long wood screw through the pilot hole and into the leg. Drive a 2-inch long screw through the other pilot hole on the cross member and into the other leg. The cross member should now be attached to the two legs. The 2-inch width of the cross member should be facing up towards the ceiling so it can provide a ledge for a picture.

10. Drill a small pilot hole on the back side of the attached cross member, in the center of the cross member. Twist a small brass cup hook into this pilot hole.

11. Measure and cut a piece of light chain approximately 30 inches in length. Use wire cutters or bolt cutters to cut the chain. Attach one end of the light chain to the cup hook. Use pliers to bend and close the "hook" so the chain cannot separate from the hook.

12. Drill a second small pilot hole in the back leg of the easel and twist a cup hook into this hole too. The location of this back hook should be level with the location of the hook on the front cross member.

13. Pull the chain toward this new back leg hook so it is taut. Hook the chain over the back leg hook. Close the hook with pliers. Trim away any excess chain. This chain will now prevent the three easel legs from separating too far from one another. You can close up the easel to make it portable-by loosening the top wing nut---but when the easel is open it will only open so far because of the chain.

14. Paint or stain your easel to suit.

Help Make Your Own Title Sign For Any Cottage

Exterior signs serve as decorations that can display the name (usually surname) of the residents of the home upon which they hang. These are often found on cottages, which can become even cozier and quainter when bearing a name sign. If you would like to have your own name sign for a cottage, you can make one with a few rudimentary tools.

Instructions

1. Select a shape, size and type of wood. Consider selecting a style of wood that will complement your cottage.

2. Draw the design for your name sign on a sheet of paper. You can form the letters of your name and add a family emblem or symbol as well.

3. Place a sheet of tracing paper on top of the wood, and place the paper with your design on it over the tracing paper. Transfer your name design onto the wood by tracing the lines of your design with a pen.

4. Place a bit onto the router; a plunge bit works nicely for creating letters. Turn the router on, allow it time to heat and begin tracing your name design slowly and steadily, burning it into the wood.

5. Cut a length of rope with which to hang your name sign. Staple each end of the rope to the back of the sign. Hang your sign on your cottage and enjoy.

Details On Broadway In New You are able to

Broadway is famous around the world for its many theaters.

According to the tourism website Visit New York City, the term "Broadway" refers to both a street in New York City and a geographical area of the street that is famous for the performing of live theater. Broadway is the longest street in New York, stretching from Manhattan Island to the Bronx via the Broadway Bridge.

History

The Talkin' Broadway performing arts website reports the site of Broadway has been known throughout history and was used as a trail by Native Americans before the arrival of European settlers. When the Dutch colonized Manhattan Island, a fort was built with a wide entrance that led to a road to the Wall Street gate of the colony. This wide street was named Breedeweg by the colonists; when the British took over control of Manhattan, the street name was anglicized to Broad Way.

Performance

Visit New York City reports that the area of Broadway became the largest and busiest street in New York during the 19th century, making it the ideal place for entertainment entrepreneurs to open businesses. The first professional play did not open in New York until 1750, when the Beggars opera was performed just six times. The Broadway musical is reported by Visit New York City as being created around 1866 by the manager of the 3,200-seat theater Niblo's Garden Auditorium, William Wheatley.

Area

The area of Broadway that has become famous for the performing arts is known as the Great White Way, according to the Visit New York City website, and is positioned in a geographical area marked by the city's streets. A Broadway theater must be positioned between West 41st and 53rd streets and between Sixth and Eighth avenues.

Types

There are a variety of different types of Broadway theater; the New York Theatre Guide classes these as Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway. Differences in these theaters are set by size and location. A Broadway theater must be situated within the geographical area of Broadway and have more than 499 seats. Off-Broadway theaters have less than 499 but more than 100 seats, while off-off-Broadway have less than 100 seats. The New York Theatre Guide also explains that the majority of off-Broadway theaters are nonprofit, while Broadway theaters are commercial theaters.

Record

The Visit New York City website says that the musical "The Phantom of the Opera" holds the record for the longest running Broadway production. The musical also holds the record for the highest attendance, with over 10 million people seeing its performances.

Modern Bed room Fresh paint Ideas

The right paint scheme can help you create a memorable modern bedroom.

You've long wanted a modern bedroom. Now the time has come to create one. This leaves you with big choices: What colors to paint your bedroom wall, what to do with the ceiling, and how it should all tie together. With a bit of creativity, and a willingness to experiment with bold colors, you'll find the perfect paint scheme for your new modern bedroom.

A Classic Look

Modern means different things to different people. For some, though, modern bedrooms are uncluttered and not stuffed with frilly pillows, furniture and bedding. For a modern bedroom that has a sleek and cool style, the best paint choices are often the simplest. A soft gray can accentuate a bedroom's modern feel. So can an off-white or a light brown. Homeowners can even mix the colors.

The key to making this classic color scheme work is to populate your bedroom with contemporary furniture and either clean hardwood floors or a lush but neutrally colored carpet.

A Burst of Color

Other homeowners will go in a different direction; they'll decorate their bedrooms with bright, splashy colors. Choosing an unusual color for a room's walls can provide a stunning visual. Homeowners can try dark reds or deep purples to give their bedroom visual flair. They can choose pumpkin orange or a lighter shade of peach to create a modern bedroom with a more soothing atmosphere.

When choosing color schemes for modern bedrooms, homeowners need to remember that they have options other than white, off-white, blue and beige. Sometimes the loudest and brashest colors make the most powerful statement.

Creating a Theme

Homeowners creating a modern bedroom can afford to get creative with their paint choices. The cleverest of owners might even use their color schemes to create a theme.

Homeowners who live along the beachfront can paint their modern bedrooms with a mix of blues, yellows, greens and sandy browns, all colors found in abundance on the seashore.

Homeowners who are fans of science fiction and the mysteries of deep space can paint their rooms with silvers, deep blues and spot splashes of black, all colors that can remind owners of the farthest reaches of space.

Homeowners are limited in this area by just one thing: their own creativity.

Selling Antique Cameras

Antique cameras and equipment can be valuable items to sell to collectors and professional photographers. Listing them in venues such as online auction sites, camera club classifieds or even your local newspaper can help you sell them quickly and easily.

Instructions

1. Sell through eBay. You can set up an auction for your antique camera and hope that you will find a buyer willing to pay what the item is worth. With this option you can set a reserve amount that has to be met before you will relinquish the camera, though it may be harder to get interested buyers if you set the reserve price too high. Ebay also has a "Buy It Now" option that allows you to set a price for your item and buyers can pay it directly without having to participate in an auction for it. Using an online auction site to sell your camera gives you more control over the amount you sell for and does give you worldwide exposure to potential buyers, but you will have to pay a percentage of the sale to the website as their fee for using their service.

2. Sell through a camera club. The Historic Camera Collector club sometimes purchases old cameras and photography equipment. Many times this depends on availability of club funds, as well as the quality of the equipment you are hoping to sell. Some camera clubs have classifieds available to list your camera equipment through, which are accessed via the Internet or a club newsletter. Some may charge for listings while others will include them for free.

3. Sell through the newspaper classifieds. The weekend issues of the paper will be best if you are trying to reach a wide audience, especially the Sunday edition. Make sure to list your ad in the proper category, such as "Electronics," "Cameras/Equipment," or "Antiques" if possible. If you do not sell your item with the first ad that you list, you might want to try moving it to a different category and see if that brings in more interest. Listing in the newspaper is a good way to show your ad to local buyers, but will not help much if you are trying to find a national or worldwide potential market.

4. Sell to an antiques dealer. You can take your camera and equipment to a local storefront that deals in antiques and see if they would be interested in purchasing them. You can also try online antiques dealers, such as Antique-Buyers.com. The offer appraisal services and evaluations, as well as giving you several options for selling your equipment.

5. Sell to a used camera store. Sometimes the people working in or running camera stores will be interested in buying antique cameras for their personal collections, but not necessarily with any intention of trying to resell them. Used camera stores, which buy many different qualities of cameras and equipment, may be more interested in your item but may not offer you as high a price as a collector or antiques dealer would. UsedCameraBuyer.com is an online company that buys used camera equipment, after giving you a price quote of what they have determined the value to be. This can be useful, as it will give you an amount that you can use as an example of your camera's worth if you decide to shop around for a buyer. Keh.com works in much the same way as UsedCameraBuyer, offering both money or trades for your old camera equipment.

Shade With Acrylic Fresh paint

Study how light falls on an object to create shaded areas.

Shading with acrylic paint can make your artwork look more lifelike and three-dimensional. Shading is generally reserved for areas of dark or shadow in an image, so studying an inanimate object under light sources from a number of different angles can help you to see where the shadows should be placed in relation to an object in a painting. With acrylics, shadows can be created by mixing paint colors and by building layers.

Instructions

1. Practice shading by drawing a circle on a sheet of paper with a pencil. Imagine that the circle is a three-dimensional sphere and there is a light shining onto it from the right-hand side. Shade the left-hand side of the circle using short pencil strokes. Following the curve of the circle, the pencil marks should be drawn so the short marks disperse in all directions. As your marks approach the invisible line separating the left and the right sides of the circle, ease off on the shading--apply less pressure on the pencil and allow more blank space between marks--so that the shaded area gradually becomes lighter. This will create the effect of a smooth, round surface. The left-hand side of the circle should be darkest, with the shading growing lighter toward the right-hand side of the circle. The shading should make the circle look like a sphere.

2. Mix a bold color of acrylic paint, such as red or blue, with white acrylic paint. Dip a large paintbrush into the mixture and paint a single stripe of color onto a sheet of paper. Add a small amount of the bold color to the mixed paint and again dip your paintbrush into it and paint a second stripe to the left of the first. The stripes should touch. Continue to add more bold-colored paint to the mix, each time dipping your brush and painting a stripe to the left of the previous stripe with the intensified pigment. Notice how this creates a shading effect across the page; the tone changes gradually from dark to light. Wash your brush thoroughly, pat it dry but maintain a little bit of wetness in the brush, and gently move it across the stripes to blend them.

3. Choose an inanimate object to paint, such as an apple or an ornament, and position a light source to face the object. Observe the locations of dark and light on the object. Using the practiced techniques, paint the object on the canvas by building up bolder colors and tones of acrylic paint for the shaded areas. Move from lighter shades to darker shades when painting to avoid making the highlighted areas of the painting appear "muddy." With a clean and slightly wet paintbrush, blend the shades while the paint is still damp; be careful to do this before the paint thoroughly dries, as acrylic paint tends to dry quickly. Use several layers of paint to accentuate specific highlights and shadows. For these details, allow each layer of paint to dry before applying more paint.

Help Make Your Own Camera Dolly

Professional dollies can cost up to $2,000.

A dolly is a mount for a camera on a track that enables the camera to move smoothly. Dollies are necessary for tracking shots so that the camera can move along with the action. Dollies are used extensively in major motion pictures, and the dolly tracks can be quite elaborate, extending for several hundred feet. You can make your own 10-foot dolly that moves from left to right.

Instructions

1. Screw the roller skate wheels onto the four corners of the wood plank using screws and a screwdriver. Make sure all the wheels face the same direction, so that the wood plank resembles a crude skateboard.

2. Coat the bottom of the tripod legs in superglue. Carefully place the tripod in the center of the dolly and firmly press down on the tripod to ensure that the glue adheres to the wood. Wait until the glue is dry, per the drying time indicated on the glue's packaging.

3. Place the wood plank on top of the two PVC pipes so that the wheels on each side line up on top of the PVC pipes. The pipes will act as a track; the roller skate wheels should fit perfectly on top of the PVC pipes. The PVC pipe should rest perfectly in the gap between the roller skate wheels.

4. Place one 2-by-4 piece of wood against the ends of the PVC pipe while the wood plank dolly rests on top of the PVC pipes. With a pencil, trace the ends of the PVC pipe onto the 2-by-4 wood. Drill holes onto the 2-by-4 using the pencil trace as a guideline. The ends of the PVC pipe will fit into this newly drilled space. Once the holes are drilled in one piece of wood, drill the exact same holes into the second 2-by-4. Coat the inside of the wood holes with superglue and insert the ends of the PVC pipe into them. Do this with both ends of the PVC pipe.

5. Test the dolly to make sure it can easily slide back and forth on the track. Then attach a camera to the tripod and do a test shoot.

Make Stained Glass In Your Own Home

You can make all kinds of designs and decorations out of stained glass.

Making stained glass at home can be an exciting and rewarding hobby. You can use stained glass to make window designs, frames for pictures and mirrors, decorative boxes, panels for cabinet doors, sun-catchers and much more. Although making stained glass may seem like a daunting prospect at first, once you master certain basic techniques it becomes much easier.

Instructions

1. Decide on the kind of project you want to begin with. Opt for a smaller project such as a decorative panel to begin with. Choose a design with simple shapes and straight lines. You may wish to design your own. There are many pattern books to choose from, and the internet has a wealth of free patterns.

2. Select the glass colors that you want to use. There are many kinds of stained glass with different colors and textures. Special coatings (reflective, iridescent etc.) add even more possibilities. For a beginner, inexpensive materials are a good idea as any mistakes will prove less costly.

3. Make two copies of your pattern on paper. Make the lines dark for visibility and thick so as to allow for the foil and solder. Number and color each section. These are your templates. Use the first as a guide when cutting your pieces. Use the second to lay the pieces of glass on as you cut them, to better keep track of them.

4. Score the glass, holding your glass cutter vertically. Start with the largest pieces. Do not score too deeply. Use the running pliers to gently separate the glass along the score line, or place the score line over the edge of your table and gently press down until the glass snaps. Rinse each piece in a basin of water with a small amount of ammonia, drying on a lint-free towel.

5. Place copper foil around the edge of each piece. Burnish (rub) the foil with the stick to ensure good adhesion. Apply the flux (resin) to the section of foil you intend to work on. Place the pieces to be joined edge-to-edge. Heat the soldering iron. Place the tip of the solder lightly against the foil, touching the tip of your iron. Move both at a steady rate along the joint.

6. Measure and cut the zinc came (a grooved frame) to fit the outline of your pattern. Insert your stained glass design into the channel. Place flux at the frame's joints and any place where a soldered line touches the frame. When this side of the glass is cool, turn over the piece and repeat for the other side. This zinc frame is very important for the stability of your finished piece.

Help Make Your Own Anime Portrait

Anime portrait sketching

Anime is an art form that originated in Japan around 1917. Since the 1980s, anime, also known as Japanese animation, has become widely popular the world over, especially in the United States. Cartoons such as Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, and You Gi Oh are animated shows that feature classic anime-designed characters. If you enjoy sketching, drawing an anime portrait is a great way to showcase your talents.

Instructions

1. Sketch the outline of your anime portrait first. Anime characters tend to have sharp outlines and softer features. Draw a rounded face, then draw the hair. Instead of using small lines and coloring for the hair, draw a jagged outline to represent the hair. In anime, there is often little detail.

2. Draw expressive eyes. The eyes, wide and clear, are the outstanding feature of most anime sketches. Start each eye as a large U, then draw a rounded top over each of the eyes.. For pupils, draw a circle in each of the eyes. Color the eyes solid, then use the corner of your eraser to remove a little of the coloring. This will create what appears to be a little moisture or reflective light on the pupil.

3. Draw a nose. Anime noses come in several different styles and are easy to draw. You might draw a line extending from between the eyes down about two inches, bringing the line to a point. You might also draw two small circles for nostrils and a simple curved line over the two circles for the nose. Sketch the ears. Typically, backward Cs with an emphasis on the top curve are sufficient for ears.

4. Draw thin lines for the mouth. You can even draw a slightly curved line to represent a smile. Many anime characters feature extremely simple noses and mouths. Don't worry about shading and lines for detail, since anime style also features a distinct lack of these elements.

5. Color your portrait. Dark brown on blue, edged in black, are typical eye colors. Brown, black or yellow are typical for hair coloring. After you've applied the color pencil, use the tip of your finger to smooth and blend the color pencil to remove the hard lines and give your portrait the smooth, almost featureless look typical anime drawings.

Be Look Better In Illustrator

Get the perfect face with Photoshop.

Some people cringe at the thought of having a photo taken. But those who worry about revealing their imperfections can end their worries by using Photoshop. The software is perfect for retouching photos. Professional photographers do it all the time. A Photoshop pro can erase freckles, age spots and other imperfections from photos.

Instructions

Get Perfect Skin

1. Open Photoshop and the photo you want to retouch.

2. Choose the "Healing Brush Tool" from the toolbar (hover the mouse pointer over the tools if you're not sure of their functions. A description will pop up). A small options window appears at the top of the screen. Set the brush size to 24 pixels in the "Brush" drop-down menu.

3. Use the Healing Brush Tool to erase blemishes from the photo. With the Brush Tool selected, press "alt" on the keyboard and left-click with the mouse on an unmarked area of skin. Move your cursor to an area with blemished skin.

4. Press "alt" on the keyboard and left-click with your mouse on the area with blemished skin. You should see a circle and a plus sign. The plus sign indicates the area being copied. The circle indicates where the clear skin will be pasted.

Drag the circle over the area you want to retouch. Keep dragging until the blemish is gone. The blemish is replaced with clear skin. Use this method to correct any skin imperfections.

Fix Red Eye

5. Open a photo in which you're afflicted with "red eye." Make sure the layers window is open. If it isn't, go to the Photoshop menu and select "Window" then "Layers."

6. Locate the adjustment layer symbol, which is indicated by a black and white circle. The symbol is at the bottom of the layers window. Click the symbol and open the "Channel Mixer."

The Channel Mixer controls the amount of red, blue and green color that appears in an image. You need to get rid of red eye, so set the amount of red in the image to 0%. Leave the blue and green alone for now.

7. Go to the Photoshop toolbar and set your foreground color to black.

Go back to the layers window. You will now see a Channel Mixer adjustment layer. It was added when you made changes using the mixer. Look to the right of the Channel Mixer layer. Click the white box you see there. Clicking the box activates a Photoshop mask.

8. Select a soft-edge paintbrush from the Photoshop paintbrush menu. Click the white mask box again, and paint the parts of the eye that were red. The eyes will appear red again. You'll fix that in the next step when you invert the mask.

9. Go to the Photoshop menu, choose "image," "adjustments" and "invert." The red-eye image should now have normal looking eyes. If you still see the red color, click the layer mask box again and paint where the red color appears. You can also return to the Channel Mixer and repeat Step 2 from this section.

Art Restoration Grants or loans

Art restoration and conservation is an area of concern where grants have previously been known to lack funding. Luckily, many grant funds have noticed the need for more money to be given to organizations to be used for the restoration of sculptures, buildings and objects. Without this money, many of these items would be lost or sustain deterioration. When applying for restoration grants the organization must follow the grant directions closely and be as specific as possible, including pictures and documentation, as to the purpose for the money.

National Endowment for the Arts

The Save America’s Treasures program is a national grant that is charged with the restoration and preservation of nationally significant artifacts, historic structures and sites. To be considered for this grant, the restoration project must include one of the following; collections, documents, sculpture and art, historic districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects.

An example of previously awarded grants is the Rosa Parks bus.

In order to qualify, the work must be considered a nationally significant object or site. All forms must be filled out in full including the SAT guidelines and instructions, SAT cover sheet, SAT budget form, SAT project narrrative and SAT project images form.

American Art Program Conservation Initiative

The American Art Program Conservation Initiative was founded in 2007. Its goal was to provide grants for the upkeep of American art in permanent collections in museums.

In the past, the sponsoring Luce Fund had not provided funds for the conservation or restoration of museum objects. However, following a survey of museum needs, the fund developed a program that would support the maintenance of these objects.

Each year $1,250,000 is distributed within two categories: projects that only require up to $30,000, and projects that require more than $30,000.

International Music and Art Foundation

The International Music and Art Foundation’s mission is to distribute funds to worthy arts organizations around the world. The foundation was founded to preserve international works of art so that future generations may study and grow from the past.

The fund restores and conserves individual works, architecture and cultural and environment documents. The International Music and Art Foundation specializes in funding the conservation and restoration of the fine arts, including painting, drawing and sculpture; music, theater and architecture.

The types of organizations that are eligible to receive these grants include museums, opera companies, symphony orchestras, chamber music ensembles and ballet and theater companies. In order to apply for a grant,the organization must submit a proposal including the organization’s budget, donor contributions, audited financial statements, board of directors, proof of tax-exempt status and mission statement.

Make Wood Mirrors

Making a wooden picture frame

Making wooden picture frames is a simple easy carpentry project which can be done relatively quickly by even the most inexperienced carpenter.

Instructions

1. Go to your local home improvement store and choose a wood moulding that you like. There are many different choices available ranging from very simple quarter round moulding to moulding with very elaborate carving. You'll find it available in 8' and 12' lengths. Make certain that you purchase enough to make all four sides of your frame.

2. Once you've chosen the moulding you would like to use for your frame, determine what the dimensions of your frame should be.

3. Using a small saw or other cutting device, cut one end of the moulding at a 45 degree angle. You can use a miter box to make the cut or you can mark the angle using a protractor.

4. Mark off a distance on the moulding equal to one side of your frame. Make sure to measure and mark off the long side of the 45 degree angle.

5. Cut another 45 degree angle with the angle going the opposite direction a the first first angle.

6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for the other three sides of the frame. You'll want your angles to come together as pictured.

7. Using the wood glue, glue two sides of the frame together as pictured above. If you like, you can use a finish nail through the two pieces of wood to give your project a little more strength.

8. Repeat step 7 at the other three corners to complete the frame.

Covered Wood Wagon Craft

You can recreate covered wood wagons in a craft activity.

American pioneer families commonly used a covered wood wagon, known as a prairie schooner, as they migrated west. Consisting of a farm wagon and a white canvas, the prairie schooner was simple to construct and convenient for travel across Western prairies. A covered wood wagon craft is an ideal activity for children as they learn about the American West, although the craft isn't limited to kids. You can make the wagons from common household items or using a craft kit.

Materials

To make a covered wood wagon model from scratch, you'll need to acquire materials such as a shoe box, child-safe scissors, white and brown construction paper, brown-colored markers and glue or a glue gun. If you'll be using a craft kit, you'll need sandpaper and glue. For more complex models, such as the Covered Wagon kit sold by KwikCraft, you'll need a hammer and decorating accessories such as paint.

Making Your Own from Scratch

Cut four circles out of the shoebox top and cut out rectangles from the brown construction paper so that they can cover the sides of the shoebox. Using the glue or hot glue gun, stick the construction paper onto the box and a piece of white construction paper to cover the top of the box like the white canvas tops of covered wagons. Draw the spokes and rim of the wagon wheel on the circles with the brown marker, then attach these to the bottom of the shoebox.

Using Covered Wood Wagon Craft Kits

If you prefer, you can put together a covered wagon using a store-bought craft kit, which will come with separate wood parts to put together (see Resources). These kits don't typically come with materials such as sandpaper, glue or paint, so you'll need to provide these on your own. Amazon.com sells a covered wagon wood model kit by Darice and KwikCrafts sells a kit to make a covered wagon that is able to roll on its wheels (see Resources).

Suggested Reading Material

Reading materials, especially illustrated ones, can enhance a covered wagon craft activity with historical background and visual aids. Free Kids Crafts recommends Eileen Levine's "If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon," a book written for children which describes what it was like to travel West as a pioneer, and "Covered Wagons, Bumpy Trails," an illustrated children's book by Verla Kay and S. D. Schindler. "Little House on the Prairie" and other books in the Little House children's book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder can also enhance lessons and activities on covered wagons.

Fresh paint Acrylic Lacquer

Acrylic lacquer is often used as a paint finish for show cars.

Automotive acrylic lacquer is a preferred finish for show cars. Painting a car with acrylic lacquer is extremely labor intensive. Properly applied, acrylic lacquer automotive paint requires up to 24 coats of paint applied over three to four days. The resulting finish should have an exceptional shine and smoothness.

Instructions

1. Prime the vehicle with a coat of primer paint and allow it to dry.

2. Prepare the car exterior for the lacquer. The preparation for acrylic lacquer follows many of the same steps as any automotive paint job. Clean the primed surface with grease removers and clean rags. Sand the surface with 400 grit wet sandpaper. Blow the surface clean with compressed air and wipe with a tack rag.

3. Apply the first coat of lacquer. The initial coat should be applied at a rate of one and a half parts thinner to one part lacquer. The alcohol within the lacquer and thinner will evaporate in a matter of minutes, allowing a second coat to be applied almost immediately. Repeat this process until six to eight coats are applied during the same day. Allow the lacquer to dry overnight or longer---up to as much as three days---in humid conditions.

4. Wet sand the car and thoroughly clean and dry the surface before applying another six to eight coats of lacquer. Each additional day's applications of lacquer should be mixed with more and more thinner so that the final coat is three parts thinner to one part lacquer. Continue repeating these step until the desired finish is achieved.

Kinds Of Instruments Inside A Symphony Orchestra

Violins form part of the string section in every symphony orchestra.

A full-size symphony orchestra can contain more than 100 musicians. These individual musicians are placed within one of four specific sections of the orchestra, with each section comprising instruments of a particular family. These four sections, strings, woodwind, brass and percussion, combine to create the powerful, unified sound of the orchestra as a whole.

Strings

The string section of a symphony orchestra includes violins, violas, cellos and double basses. The concert harp was a later addition to the standard instrumental array of the symphony orchestra. Although the harp has a long history, it was not really used in orchestral music until the 19th century, says the Philharmonia Orchestra website.

Woodwind

Despite its name, the woodwind section features wind instruments made from both wood and metal. Flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons are commonplace in all symphony orchestras. The saxophone, more commonly associated with jazz and popular music, can also feature in a symphony orchestra, but appears less frequently than the more traditional woodwind instruments.

Brass

Brass instruments form a powerful and distinctive section of any symphony orchestra. According to the Oregon Symphony website, this family of instruments can play louder than any other in the orchestra and can also be heard from far away. Trumpets, French horns, trombones and tubas are the most commonly used instruments in an orchestra's brass section.

Percussion

A symphony orchestra can call upon a huge variety of percussion instruments. Percussion instruments fall into two basic categories: tuned and untuned. Tuned percussion instruments, also known as pitched instruments, include the xylophone, glockenspiel, tubular bells, marimba and vibraphone. The timpani, or kettledrums, are also included within the tuned percussion category, but always have a special part written for them, says the BBC Orchestras and Singers website. Untuned or unpitched percussion instruments include the bass drum, side drum, cymbals, castanets and triangles.

Piano

The piano is included within the percussion section, but it is really a hybrid instrument. According to The Piano Education Page website, it is a string instrument because the musical tones originate in the strings, and also a percussion instrument because the strings are struck with hammers. The piano was originally used in the orchestra to add strength to weak bits of music, says the BBC Orchestras and Singers website. Since the early 1900s, however, the piano has been given more prominence, particularly as a solo instrument or as a lead instrument supported by the rest of the orchestra.

Make Homemade Silkscreen

Separate the embroidery hoops to attach the mesh screen.

Silk screening is the process of applying ink to fabric by pushing it through a mesh screen; it originated in ancient China and was passed along to Western Europe in the 1700s. The mesh screen is first painted with emulsion to block the ink from certain areas of the design. With the silk screen laid on top of the fabric, ink is spread on the screen and pushed through via a squeegee, applying the ink to the shirt. When dry, the shirt is ready to be worn. The silk screen is one of the most important tools of creating your own clothing designs.

Instructions

1. Gather supplies. You can buy the embroidery hoops at your local craft store. They may even have silk-screen mesh, though you may need to order it online. You only need enough mesh to cover the hoop.

2. Separate the inner hoop from the outer embroidery hoop, and stretch the mesh screen over the inner hoop.

3. With the mesh securely in place, replace the outer hoop and screw it closed tightly, making sure the screen remains taut.

4. Using the scissors, trim any extra mesh off the silk screen.

5. Using your favorite silk-screening techniques, start designing your own T-shirts.

Produce A three dimensional Model From Photos

3-D models have many uses.

Movie studios, video game manufacturers and advertisers make frequent use of 3-D models. While some of these models are made entirely based on sketches and the imagination of the modeler, others are based on photos. The process of using photo references is often used when the model is complex and the model has to be particularly accurate. Keep in mind that you will want to take the photos direct on, and not from a corner. And you will want three photos one each from the side, top and front. The process used here is called box modeling.

Instructions

Hexagon

1. Load the photos of the object you want to model into your computer.

2. Open Hexagon. Click on the "Scene Properties" panel on the right. Click on the "Browse" button next to the listed "Grids" to add the photos you loaded. The images will now be displayed in the view.

3. Click on the "Primitives" tab and click on the "Cube." Select one of the faces of the cube and use the "Extrude" tool found under the "Vertex Modeling" tools to extend this face to begin forming your model. Repeat to create the shape of the model. Use the "Tessellation" tools to divide faces when you need to.

Google SketchUp

4. Load the photos you want to use onto your computer. Open the photos for use as a reference in a viewer.

5. Open Google SketchUp. Delete the default figure in the scene. Select the "Rectangular" drawing tool from the toolbar and draw a square on the ground plane. Then use the "Push/Pull" tool to raise it to form a cube.

6. Use the "Inset," "Line," "Move" and "Push/Pull" tools to extrude the faces of the cube to form your model, referencing your photos as you work.

Wings3D

7. Load the photos that you want to base your model on into your computer.

8. Open Wings3D. Click on the "Cube" primitive to add it to the scene. Make sure the selection mode is "Faces" and click on one of faces. Right-click on the face and choose "Extrude." Use the tool to extrude the face.

9. Continue the box modeling process to create your finished model. Save your work as a Wavefront OBJ.

See If A House Is available

There are many ways to check the validity of a property address.

In this economy, real-estate transactions occur with buyers that are located states away. Popular auction and classified sites list real-estate deals to buyers all over the country. Online sales are convenient but can also be a perfect vehicle to scam an unknowing buyer. If you want to make sure that indeed a particular property does exist, there are a few ways to do this on and offline.

Instructions

1. Go to the assessor's office in the county where the property is supposedly located. The county assessor is responsible for evaluating the worth and assessing property taxes for each property in the county. If you are unable to find the property by address, it is very likely that the property doesn't exist. You can visit the county assessor's office in person, call the office by phone or search for the property on the assessor's website.

2. Visit the county recorder. The county recorder is responsible for storing all documents in reference to a particular parcel. If the property was sold, was transferred, had a lien was placed against it or demolished, the recorder will have all of these documents and records. Some recorders allow you to assess these records by parcel number or owner's name online, or you can visit the office in person or call by phone.

3. Enter the address into Google Earth. Select the "Street View" option and Google Earth will zoom into the address. Google Earth is not live and may not show a vacant lot, if say, the property was demolished within the last week. But it will indicate if at some point a property did exist at that address.

4. Type the address into the U.S. Postal Service's ZIP code lookup tool. Enter the exact street address of the property, plus the city and state. If the street address doesn't exist, the USPS tool will be unable to fulfill your search request.

Make Voldemort Angry

No one would want to get on Voldemort's bad side, but if you were looking for a guaranteed way to get yourself killed or at the least Crucio'd, you could use any of these many ways. All of the ways would be 100% accurate and more than sufficient to make Voldemort angry, even though he is just a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series. Follow these steps to make Voldy angry.

Instructions

1. Make him feel inferior. Call him "The Man Who Let the Boy Live," and ask him how come he does not have such an awesome scar. Paint all of the Death Eater masks and robes with pink paint and glitter. Tell him you don't know how he can hate such a sweet, innocent little boy.

2. Roll your eyes when he's describing his new plans, and say things like "it's your funeral" and "you're the boss, boss." When his plans are ruined, give him flowers and pat him condescendingly on the head. Do the "loser sneeze" to him and see if he gets the joke.

3. Tell him to stop repressing his anger when he gets infuriated, and then proceed to buy him a stress ball. Go around calling him Tommy-boy and Voldie-poo. Constantly recommend he get some professional therapeutic help. Make him a theme song and sing it whenever he says or does something particularly evil. Make fun of him at great lengths for having been defeated by a one year old. Stress the fact that Harry was simply a baby, a one year old.

4. Tell him that you have known many more evil people than he. To make it even worse, remind him that technically, he isn't even really alive. Make sure you repeatedly insist that you don't know how he could be afraid of a sweet old man like Dumbledore. Remind him that, in fact, the man he's afraid of is frail and withered, almost 100 years old and has a beard that looks like a beehive.

5. Repeatedly use the phrase, "Riddle me this!" since his last name is Riddle. Mimic and mock everything he says. Tell him his actions could be commonly classified as acts of repressed homosexuality. Make fun of his lack of hair. Schedule him a haircut, even though he's bald. When he asks why, say it was an "accident." Tell everyone you meet that he's really just a big push-over and that you taught him everything he knows.

Make Vinyl Graphics

Vinyl graphics are everywhere. Seen on vehicles, signs, machinery, banners, vending machines and store displays, this relatively new process has dominated an industry once run by painting and screen printing. The vinyl cutter is similar to a modified computer pen plotter, outfitted with a swivel knife rather than a pen. The graphics and lettering are designed on computer, and the cutter cuts through adhesive vinyl. Excess material is removed, leaving behind the lettering or design for application. With a modest investment in supplies and equipment, a little know-how and experience, you can set up a fun and rewarding hobby business.

Instructions

1. Using sign software, design the lettering or graphic. Line-art images may also be scanned, and imported into the software. Sign software converts lettering and graphics into computer language which the vinyl cutter needs to operate.

2. Load the roll or sheet vinyl into the cutter, in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Press the "print" or "cut" command on the software screen, and specify the installed cutter. Cutting will take several minutes to an hour, depending on the cutter speed and the complexity of the design.

3. Cut the finished vinyl from the roll with scissors. Lay the vinyl on a flat table, and begin the weeding process. The weeding process involves removing all surrounding vinyl from inside and outside the design. Tweezers help in removing small sections, and to peel up edges of larger sections. The desired result is to have the design remain on the vinyl backing sheet, with all excess material removed.

4. Install premask over the entire weeded design. Premask is a light-tack, translucent masking tape, and is available in many widths. For larger designs, it is easier to use several smaller widths than one large premask. As the premask is applied to the design, burnish with a signmaker's squeegee to promote positive adhesion, and push out large air pockets.

5. Prepare the sign surface by cleaning thoroughly with glass cleaner and paper towels. If installing on a vehicle, use car wash detergent. Measure the area where the design will be located, and make guide marks with a grease pencil (also called a China marker). Position the premasked vinyl graphic over the area, making sure the graphic is square, and all guide marks are visible. Tape the top side of the graphic in place, so that a hinge is formed, and the graphic hangs freely.

6. Roll the graphic upwards, stopping at the masking tape hinge, and spray vinyl application fluid on the sign surface. Slowly remove the backing sheet from the vinyl as you work. The top surface of the vinyl should be stuck to the premask as the backing is removed, with the vinyl's adhesive side exposed. Working top to bottom, slowly roll the vinyl onto the surface, using the signmaker's squeegee to burnish, force out application fluid and remove bubbles. When wet, the fluid acts as an aid to control air bubbles and allow the vinyl to be positioned easily. The application fluid will enhance binding after evaporation. After the vinyl has been applied, carefully remove the premask. Do a final burnishing with the squeegee, remove excess fluid with paper towels, and the vinyl graphic is complete.

Make Vertical Math Comic Strips

Comic strips are a popular newspaper section for kids and adults.

Comic strips are series of drawings that convey an anecdote or story, and sometimes contain commentary on politics, culture or human nature. The traditional format for comic strips is horizontal: individual blocks, progressively telling a story, are arranged side by side. This is an intuitive format for readers used to viewing text from left to right; most written languages are communicated horizontally. For this reason vertical comic strips attract attention for their format -- but many readers find vertical comic strips frustrating to read. The process for making vertical comic strips is nearly identical to that of horizontal comic strips.

Instructions

1. Develop your comic idea. This includes creating a cast of characters, a plot or theme, and a general story line. You can do these things by sketching characters or jotting down narrative. It helps to have a clear idea of your target audience, as well as to know what jokes will appeal to them and what types of characters will be relatable.

2. Choose your vertical panel size. Most -- though not all -- horizontal comics feature square panels, all the same height, arranged in a row from right to left. When choosing a vertical format, however, you may choose square panels, arranged vertically, or you can take advantage of the adjusted formatting to add height to your comic by drawing your comic in tall rectangles. A semi-vertical format could include rectangular panels, arranged with two or three panels side-by-side, progressing down the page.

3. Draw vertical comic panels on your page or tablet. If you are drawing by hand, and you will be drawing a regular feature -- for example, you know each comic you will create will have four panels -- create numerous copies of the template.

4. Draw your comic strip, including characters, background, and action, moving narratively down the page. Once the comic strip is done, color it in, using a distinctive palette of colors to brand your comic.

Make Dough Christmas Ornaments

Get creative this Christmas and make a batch of bread dough Christmas ornaments. Bread dough ornaments can be simple or elaborate, making them a perfect craft for a family to do together. Serve some hot chocolate and popcorn, and make it a fun event for everybody.

Instructions

1. Place the flour, salt and water in a large mixing bowl and stir them until they're thoroughly blended.

2. Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead it several times.

3. Separate small pieces of dough and use your fingers to create shapes for your Christmas ornament.

4. Bend the gold or silver wire into loops and insert them into the ornament for hanging.

5. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and bake the bread dough ornaments on a baking sheet for 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to 200 and bake the ornaments until they are solid, about 30 more minutes.

6. Remove the bread dough ornaments from the oven and allow them to cool on wire racks.

7. Paint a thin coat of polyurethane varnish on the ornaments with a sponge brush and allow them to dry. Use the acrylic paints to draw small details on the ornaments. Allow the ornaments to dry completely before you hang them on the tree.

Selfpublish Comics

Having a great idea and being able to follow up with it are two very different things. It takes a lot of time, energy and money in order to get what you want, but when it happens you are left with a sense of accomplishment that is unmatched. Publishing a book is hard work but publishing a comic book be even harder due to the inherent failures associated with the medium--but being successful at it can mean a huge cult following.

Instructions

Your Publication Goals

1. Define the nature of your comic book.

2. Making a comic book means making tough choices financially. Your comic can either appear in color or in black and white.

3. The cover of your comic, no matter your budget or internal artwork, should always be in color.

4. Set a sales goal for yourself. Decide, within reason, the amount of sales your comic needs in order to break even and how many sales to make a profit.

5. Determine the cover price of your comic.

6. Begin marketing your comics directly to the fans in order to spread your work by word of mouth. Create posters and small one page strips of your story and artwork to give out for free.

7. Copyright your story, characters and artwork prior to printing and distributing.

8. Obtain a business

Printing

9. Scan your art work into your computer. Choose the highest setting and DPI that your scanner allows. If the software lets you, select to scan directly into Photoshop. If not you can open Photopshop right away, click on file and "obtain from TWAIN device" and select your scanner.

10. Once the images are obtained in Photoshop, use its features to correct any blemishes there may be.

11. Comic books, like novels, are always even and odd numbered pages. You will be printing in such a way to allow collation. Your pages in Photoshop should have two comic pages on a sheet: Page 1 and the last page to one sheet. As such, you must combine the two pages that will go together into one image. Open an image and click on image--then image size. Double the properties and add 10 pixels to the size. Select the second page, copy it, then paste next to the first. Save.

12. Once your comic is fully scanned (or created in photoshop) it is time to close Photoshop and open Microsoft Publisher.

13. Click file and select new. Use blank and make the orientation portrait.

14. Select insert and picture from file and locate your artwork and load it.

15. Your work will appear huge, in the landscape setting, as opposed to portrait. Find the edges and hold down the "shift" key while clicking the corner of the image, and dragging it toward the center--until you can see the border of the canvas in publisher.

16. Move your mouse to the center of the image. An arrow will appear and you can now click and turn the image to make it the proper orientation.

17.Adjust the image size again until it fits.

18. Save your publisher file.

19. You are now ready to print. Choose the image you wish to print first and select file then print and go to properties. Make sure your printing options is to print portrait and at a DPI of no less than 900.

20. After you have printed assemble your book properly by going in reverse. The cover is laid down first followed by page 1 and page 16 (facing down). You continue until all the pages are together.

21. After your book is assembled (do not fold it!) you can take your finished project to an office supply store and have them run off several pages, double sided. Black and white pages are cheaper than color by 90 percent. Start with 50 books (you can always make more). You are looking at 4 sheets for 16 total pages and you will be charged for 8 copies. Your cover will be in color and will cost the most.

22. For an added fee they will bind your book for you. Otherwise fold your books and reopen them, press them open then staple 1/4-inch from top, bottom and one in the center. You now have your finished comic book.

Selling and Marketing

23. Obtain a business license and sales tax ID number.

24. Use the internet and your fan base as your initial distribution channels. Once popular and refined enough, try to get your comic into the hands of distributors.

25. Your comic is created. Take your book to local comic stores and pitch a proposal to them and include them in profit. You will allow them to sell your book--with no money out of their pocket-- you will come by every two weeks with a new issue, pick up the old ones and collect the portion of the money that is yours. Generally, 60 percent to you and 40 percent to them is fair to start.

26

Create flyers announcing a new comic and distribute them to cars, mailboxes and local comic stores.

27

Post on comic related message boards.

28

Casually leave around "free sample" books to entice people to read them.

29

Get into comic book conventions as a vendor or artist. This is a great well to sell yourself and your book to other comic lovers, as well as stores.

30

Obtain a list of comic book stores and send a sample of your book, sales literature and a short bio. to them.

31

Create a press release to promote your comic and release it online as well as sending it to print publications.

32

Create a website that includes your company information, art and comic book excerpts, as well as a list of where they can buy your book. Do not sell on line yet, instead, aid those stores who supported you by giving them free advertising.

33

Send your finished comic book to all of the major comic book companies. You never know--one might bite and offer to publish you under their branding.

How Scan My Very Own Art To Use Tshirts

Take your art to a professional to be scanned on a drum scanner, or save money and try it at home.

Scanning artwork is a simple process, until you start getting into pieces of art that are larger than your scanner. Large pieces of art have to be scanned in quarters and then reassembled in a program like Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Paint. While taking a photo of your artwork is also an option, it will likely skew the image. If you want to turn your artwork into a digital file to be put onto a T-shirt, scanning is the best method. Before beginning, wipe the glass of your scanner with a wet cloth to avoid getting dust on your art.

Instructions

Art Larger Than Your Scanner

1. Place your art face down on the scanner.

2. Line up one-quarter of the piece to be scanned. Make sure it is straight by lining it up with the sides.

3. Press the "Scan" button to start the scan. If you have the option, set up your scanner to scan the piece at 300 dpi or higher.

4. Scan the other three-quarters of the artwork, making sure to align them with the glass so they scan straight. It doesn't matter if some are upside down as they can be rotated later.

5. Open up a photo editing program and open each scanned picture.

6. Rotate the images if necessary.

7. Open a blank document and paste each quarter of your art work onto the new document.

8. Line each piece up so the picture looks exactly like your artwork.

9. Save your image.

10. Upload your art image to a custom T-shirt website to have it printed onto a T-shirt or save it to a disc and take it to a custom T-shirt shop.

Art Smaller Than Your Scanner

11. Open your scanner and position the piece face down onto the glass. Line it up with the edges so it is completely straight.

12. Close the lid and press "Scan."

13. Allow the scanner to finish scanning and then open the picture on your computer.

14. Save the image.

15. Upload your art image to a custom T-shirt website to have it printed onto a T-shirt or save it to a disc and take it to a custom T-shirt shop.

Make Timers In Mfc And Visual C++

A timer in Visual C++ is the term used to describe an arbitrary lapse of time. Programmers are the only people to set up and use timers within an application. The outside user does not intereact with the timer; the programmer has complete control over timers. Timers in Visual C++ are invoked using a predefined method call.

Instructions

1. Create a Timer in MFC. The command to accomplish this is the SetTimer() method. The complete syntax is:

SetTimer(1,200,0);

1 is your nIDEvent.

200 is your timing interval.

0 indicates that you are using the CWnds callback routine.

2. Determine your interval for the timer. This depends on what exactly you need the timer to do. This number is represented in milliseconds.

3. Open up Visual C++ on your Windows programming workstation. Regardless of whether you are working on an existing project or starting your own from scratch, implement your timer in a new method.

4. Kill the timer when you are finished using it. The syntax to accomplish this is KillTimer(int nIDEvent). Therefore, you want to use the same nIDEvent that was defined during creation.

5. Write your method that uses the timer. Typically, timers are used during drawing exercises. However, timers may be used for any programming task.

6. Test your application method. It is usually a best practice to thoroughly unit test your method independently from your application.

7. Implement an OnTimer method. This method will be called whenever your timer reaches its terminal count. This method will contain the "nuts and bolts" of your timer project.

Make Running Sneakers Look Cute

Turn plain white shoes into colorful footwear.

A pair of plain tennis shoes may be practical and comfortable, but they are not always the most stylish accessory. If you have a quality pair of leather shoes, decorating may be limited to adding a fun pair of shoe strings or a shiny shoe charm, but white canvas tennis shoes can literally be considered a blank canvas for decorating.

Instructions

Paint

1. Remove the shoestrings and wipe off any dust or debris from the shoes. Lay a drop cloth or sheets of newspaper on your work surface to protect it from spills.

2. Apply painter's tape to any areas you do not want to paint and any non-canvas areas, such as the rubber edge. Line the back of the eyelets with tape so paint won't soak through to the tongue.

3. Paint the shoes with fabric paint. Paint the entire shoe one color, or paint free-hand designs like hearts, spirals or geometric shapes. Allow the paint to dry for 24 hours.

4. Place the tennis shoes in the dryer with a couple of clean, dry towels to soften their tumble. Dry them on high heat for approximately 20 minutes to help set the paint.

5. Replace the shoestrings with a fresh new pair of colorful strings.

Glitter

6. Clean shoes, remove the shoestrings and tape off non-canvas areas.

7. Draw a design on paper that you can replicate with tubes of glitter paint. Use swirls, curves or straight lines. Experiment with duplicating your pattern with glitter paint on paper before attempting to glitter paint your shoes.

8. Apply washable glitter paint to the shoes to duplicate your pattern. Allow the glue to dry for 48 hours and tumble the shoes in a hot dryer to set the paint.

Fabric Decoupage

9. Prepare the shoes by removing the strings, cleaning them and taping off areas not made of canvas.

10. Cut small triangles from scraps of fabric. You will need approximately 80 to 100 triangles to fully cover one shoe, depending on the size of triangles and the size of your shoe.

11. Brush a layer of decoupage paste on one section of your shoe. Arrange several fabric triangles on the paste, allowing them to overlap and create an interesting design. Continue until the section is decorated as heavily as you like it. Repeat with other sections until all of the canvas area is decorated.

12. Apply a coat of decoupage paste over the sections where you have applied fabric. Allow the shoes to dry for 72 hours.

13. Remove the painter's tape and replace the shoestrings. Care for decoupaged tennis shoes by spot cleaning or hand washing them in cold water only as needed.

Which Kind Of Poetry Did John Donne Write

English writer and theologian John Donne composed memorable poems focused on death, love, spirituality and sex that ranged in style from satire to love poems and from sermons to elegies. His writing style was a perfect fit for a man plagued by death in both his personal and professional life. The 17th century writer was declared one of the first metaphysical poets to set pen to paper over the course of the 59 years of his life.

Identification

According to multiple dictionaries, metaphysical poetry is unconventional, other-worldly, conceit-driven and clever. John Donne fit this newly-minted definition perfectly. He used wit, subtle arguments, creative metaphors and an idealized view of eternal, perfect beauty as a platform from which he composed controversial sonnets, poems, treatises and theses. The earliest writings of John Donne were filled with puns and earthy, obscure metaphors.

History

Like most poets, John Donne was inspired and influenced by the era in which he lived and the role he played during that era. The 17th century was known for its emerging acceptance of sexually-influenced writings. Given his personality, conversion to the Anglican faith from Catholicism and eclectic career path, John Donne's exploration of sensuous, sometimes erotic sonnets, songs and satires were laced with vibrant language and vivid imagery.

Considerations

Donne salted his writings with irony and unlikely comparisons; his poems were never short on cynicism. Fans and critics alike credited his difficult life with driving his philosophical, spiritual poetic style, much of which was devoted to helping him wrestle with mortality and death. "Death, be not proud" (Holy Sonnet 10) is considered by literary critics to be Donne's most important work. It represents coming to terms with the many deaths he experienced during his short life -- including four members of his immediate family by age 10 and several stillborn children born to his wife Anne before she died in childbirth following her 12th delivery.

Effects

Using his clerical and legal education as a framework against which his poetry was written, Donne died in 1631 leaving a wealth of writings to future poets. As a matter of fact, most of his work was not even published until after he had died. Included in the community of metaphysical poets were Donne's contemporaries: John Dryden, Samuel Johnson, George Herbert, Andrew Marvell and Henry Vaughn. He survived as a poet thanks to the support of patrons (especially Sir Robert Drury) for whom he authored original works.

Expert Insight

According to the many biographies written about John Donne, the poet spent his last decade as a Church of England clergyman, a period that marked a dramatic transformation in his poetry style. Gone were the titillating metaphors that marked his earliest writings. His final body of work focused on faith in the scriptures and include a deeply moving collection of sermons and Bible-inspired poems that paid homage to his never-ending quest to understand the meaning of mortality.

Use Quixx Scratch Remover

Maintain a spotless finish with scratch removal products.

Scratches in the paint finish of your car are all but unavoidable, but you don't have to put up with these blemishes in the vehicle's finish. A scratch-removal solution such as Quixx Scratch Remover can make scratches disappear.

Instructions

1. Dip the Quixx Wet Sandpaper supplied in the scratch remover kit into a bucket of warm water. Rub sandpaper lightly over the scratched area until the scratch blends into the finish of the car. Skip this step when removing shallow, barely-visible scratches, or if your car has a nano-paint finish.

2. Squeeze a blob of Quixx Polish No. 1 about the size of a dime onto a clean cotton cloth. Rub the polish vigorously into the scratched area in circular motions. Keep rubbing for around two minutes.

3. Wipe off excess Polish No. 1 with a clean segment of the cloth then wipe the area clean with a sponge and warm water, leaving a dull area where the scratch used to be.

4. Squeeze a blob of Quixx Polish No. 2 -- about twice the amount as you used of Polish No. 1 -- onto another clean cotton towel. Wipe the Polish No. 2 into the dull area, rubbing for around two minutes in circular motions. Wipe off excess polish with a clean segment of the same cloth you used to apply the Polish No. 2.

Airbrush Cleaning Tools

Old toothbrushes can be repurposed for cleaning airbrushes.

An airbrush, if not cleaned properly after each use, will develop a buildup of paint on the needle and in the nozzle. This results in spattering on the canvas. Cleaning an airbrush is like cleaning a gun. It must be broken down and the individual parts cleaned.

Cleansing the Airbrush

Fill the airbrush cup with water and spray it into a bucket until all that comes out of the nozzle is water. Use solvent, such as turpentine, in place of water if you have been using an oil-based paint. This needs to be done whenever you switch colors. When the day's work is done, fill the cup with window cleaner and spray the brush into a container, such as a garbage can or bucket until the liquid is clear.

The Needle

Once disassembled, the small parts, such as the nozzle, are set aside to soak in a cup of nail polish remover. Cotton swabs dipped in the remover are stroked along the length of the needle until all traces of paint are gone. If oil-based paint is used, a solvent, such as turpentine, is used in place of nail polish remover.

The Body

The same solvent is piped into the body of the airbrush using a syringe, a pipette or a ball syringe. Swab the paint inlet. An interdental brush dipped in solvent is used to clean the channel of the body. The nozzle and caps are cleaned with the same kind of brush and solvent.

Airbrush An Appearance

Rubbing alcohol removes airbrush tattoos immediately.

A tattoo is a permanent marking on the body that, though beautiful, is never changing and may cause regret later in life. If body art is something that inspires you but a permanent tattoo is not something that is feasible, airbrush the art onto your body with airbrushing tools and paint. This way, the art is easy to take off a few days later. Using airbrush to make this body art is easy to do with the air compressor and stencils.

Instructions

1. Airbrushing body parts is a fun activity for parties.

Tape the stencil to the area of your body where you want to place art piece.

2. Pour two drops of paint into airbrush tool. To create a subtle effect, add a couple of drops of distilled water in the gun to thin out the paint.

3. Spray the open areas in the stencil with the air gun. Be sure to keep the gun at least 2 inches away from the skin.

4. Spray the area again if the paint does not seem to be strong enough.

5. Remove the stencil. Check for clarity and spaces where the stencil might have wrinkled, which allows paint to seep under the stencil. Clean off any errors with a cotton swab of rubbing alcohol.

Make Stereograms

Some stereograms require a stereogram viewer.

Stereograms are optical illusions that trick your brain into seeing two one-dimensional images as a single three-dimensional object. Stereograms are easy to create using either text or graphics. Using text is the easiest way for a beginner to make a stereogram. You can use any word processing application to create your own text stereogram in a matter of minutes.

Instructions

1. Open your favorite word processing program and create a new document. Find the text alignment options and click on the "Center" option so the text is automatically aligned in the center of the page. If your processor doesn't have "Center" press the space bar until your cursor is located in the middle of the screen.

2. Press the asterisk button. On most keyboards it is located on the "8" key and is represented with the asterisks symbol, "*." Hit the space bar 10 times and press the asterisk button a second time.

3. Press the "Enter" or "Return" button on your keyboard two times so there is a blank line between the asterisks and the cursor.

4. Press the "Left Align" text button so any new text will be left-justified. It is important for the asterisk to remain center aligned. However, all text following the asterisks will be left-aligned.

5. Type a simple word such as "Have." Press the space bar 10 times and type the word again. Follow it with 10 more spaces and repeat this process five times or until the word is written across the width of the page without starting a new line. It is important that there are 10 spaces following each word. Press the "Enter" or "Return" key twice to skip a line before starting the next line.

6. Type a second simple word "Take." Press the space bar eight times and type the word again. Follow it with eight more spaces and repeat this process five times or until the word is written across the width of the page without starting a new line. It is important that there are eight spaces following each word.

7. Move your face close to your computer screen so the two asterisks appear to be three asterisks. The first row of words should appear closer while the second row of words should appear set back.

Choose An Outdoor Gnome House

Garden gnomes bring fantasy and charm to any outside space and a gnome house is the perfect compliment to any collection. Approach your selection from all angles to find the right gnome house for your individual needs, not forgetting that your gnomes have to live there too.

Instructions

1. Look at the construction of the various houses. Consider whether the construction is sturdy enough to withstand the climate and consider how long they will last. Most garden gnome houses are specifically designed to be outside and are built accordingly but obviously some materials are more durable than others. Choose man-made strong materials if you live in an extreme climate.

2. Match the color and style to that of your gnomes. If you already have a couple or a collection of garden gnomes, find a house that compliments your garden friends. German-themed, brightly colored or a partially hidden house are all ways you can create uniformity in your garden so that all your garden art will match together.

3. Buy a house that will fit in with your garden and foliage. There are hundreds of different styles available from an alpine chalet to a tropical beach hut. If you live in New Mexico, a snow-covered house might look strange in your yard. Likewise, it would be unlikely for residents of Alaska to choose a hula hut made of perishable materials.

4. Shop around for other accents that will go well with your house if you are planning on creating a larger attraction. Doors set into trees, toadstools or bridges are all very popular gnome accents, so check that any of these will look fine with the house you choose.

Read Music (The Notes)

So with this new installment of "music reading" I'd like to introduce you to the notes.

The notes are derived from the chromatic scale, which is a series of twelve notes effectively spelling all the notes.

The notes are spelled in ascending order: A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#.

And descending order: Ab, G, Gb, F, E, Eb, D, Db, C, B, Bb, A

The order in which the notes move is indicated by a sharp (#) or flat (b) sign. If they are moving up in pitch it is given a (#). If moving down a (b). For instance the notes F# and Gb appear differently, yet sound identical. This is referred to as enharmonic.

Now that you are acquainted with all the notes possible, lets move on and focus on recognizing them on manuscript paper.

In this exercise we will cover only the natural notes (no # or b), which corresponds to the white keys of the piano.

Instructions

1. So we will begin with a staff that shows the notes that correspond to the spaces within it.

The notes are spelled F, A, C, E

2. The next photo show the notes that rest on the lines.

These notes are E, G, B, D, F.

I remember my sixth grade band instructor offering an easy way of remembering these notes with this little phrase: (E)very (G)ood (B)oy (D)oes (F)ine.

3. The next photo displays all notes beginning with E and ending with F.

It incorporates notes on both lines and spaces.

Salaries For Selftaught Professional Photography enthusiasts

It is possible to make a great salary as a self-taught professional photographer

While it may be beneficial to attend a college or university photography program, there are no degree requirements to becoming a professional photographer in most fields. Many of today's greatest photographers are self-taught. It's also true that the market is oversaturated with people who buy a nice camera and consider themselves a self-taught photographer. A fancy camera doesn't guarantee a high salary. How much you will earn as a self-taught professional photographer depends on a number of factors, including your skill level, years of experience, target clients, and business know-how.

Self-Employed Professional Photographers

According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than half of the photographers working in the United States in 2008 were self-employed. While self-employment offers greater freedom of expression, autonomy, and a flexible schedule, it also can mean an uncertain and inconsistent income stream. Self-employed photographers, whether self-taught or college educated, also incur considerable expenses acquiring and maintaining their cameras, props, and other necessary equipment and accessories to run their business. According to Simply Hired, the average freelance photography salary in 2011 was $40,000. Your level of experience, target market, portfolio, and geographic location are all factors that affect income.

Salaried Professional Photographers

In most cases, salaried photographers earn more than self-employed photographers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wages for salaried photographers in 2008 were $29,440 in 2008. The highest 10 percent earned more than $62,430 annually and the lowest 10 percent earned less than $16,920. DegreeFinders.com claims different figures, stating that the average entry-level photographer salary ranges anywhere from $42,368 and $62,996. There is no differentiation between college-educated and self-taught photographers in these statistics.

Examples of Self-Taught Professional Photographers

Famous photographers earn considerably more and unknown photographers just starting out in their career will likely earn less. There have been many famous self-taught professional photographers in recent history. Edward Steichen was a self-taught photographer who became one of the most successful commercial photographers of all time. Fashion photographers are almost always self-taught professional photographers, according to Becomeopedia.com. Many of them are freelancers and earn between $30,000 and $60,000 annually. Many freelance portrait, family, and children's photographers are self-taught.

Earn More Money

According to GetDegrees, earning a degree in photography, or merely taking a few photography classes at a community college, will greatly increase your chances of earning a good salary. Formal training will increase your chances of being hired at a photography studio or by a newspaper, magazine, or corporation. This doesn't mean that it's impossible for a self-taught professional photographer to be hired at a studio or to earn a great salary based on her experience alone. Many self-taught professional photographers thrive and enjoy immensely successful and satisfying photography careers.

Make Silhouettes Of Children'S Profile Shadows

Immortalize your child's profile with silhouette art. Portrait silhouettes date back to ancient Egypt and Greece, but reached their height of popularity in Victorian times. Make your child's silhouette portrait the traditional way or, if you prefer, use technology to help you if your little one cannot sit still long enough for a hand-traced portrait. Either way, the result will be a lovely keepsake to display or give to loved ones as gifts.

Instructions

Traditional Silhouette Portrait

1. Set a strong light, such as a desk lamp, on top of a table so that it shines on a blank wall. You will need space enough on the wall to cast a shadow of your child's facial profile.

2. Sit your child on a chair between the light and the wall so that a sharp shadow of his facial profile appears on the wall. Adjust the child or the light, if necessary, until you are satisfied with the silhouette. Don't worry about the body; just make sure that the facial features cast a clearly defined shadow.

3. Tack light or white paper to the wall so that the profile shadow falls squarely on the paper.

4. Trace around the edges of the silhouette with a pencil as carefully as you can to achieve an accurate silhouette. Depending on how comfortable you are with your drawing skills, this can take less than a minute or many minutes. The most important part is tracing around the features accurately so that your child's profile will be recognizable.

5. Turn off the light and allow your child to get up. Take the paper and cut out the shape with scissors for a template.

Using Technology

6. Sit your child in front of a blank wall in profile. Take a profile photograph.

7. Re-size the image using photo editing software to the desired size. Print the profile image on typing paper so that it is easier to cut.

8. Cut out the image with a pair of sharp scissors to use as a template.

Finishing the Shadow Art

9. Lay the template on a piece of black or colored card stock.

10. Trace the child's silhouette with a colored pencil.

11. Remove the template, cut out the shape and glue it on a piece of contrasting colored paper so that it stands out. Frame it and hang it or put it in your scrapbook.

Freelance Artists

About Freelance Artists

63% of artists are freelance artists. The term freelance artist means that the artist is contracted by either private individuals or companies to do paintings, drawings or graphics. The artist is not considered an employee of the company and is listed as a independent contractor.

Types

There are many different types of freelance artists. A graphic designer puts together fonts, logos, website graphics for companies. The portraitist is an artist that is hired specifically to do paintings and drawings of individuals. An illustrator is an artist that makes drawings and paintings for books, magazines and comics. Cartoonists, sculptors and multi-media artists are also considered freelance artists.

Pay Rates

The amount of money a freelance artist makes varies greatly from artist to artist. There are several factors to consider, such as what type of clients the artist serves, where the artist lives and how many hours she works. Typically, illustrators make around $35,118 a year on average while graphic artists make around $45,000 a year, for example.

Training

It is not unusual for an artist to be self-trained, with no formal schooling. Many technical artists, such as graphic artists, get a bachelor's degree in visual arts. Training in personal business management is also helpful for learning run a freelance business, including file taxes, get insurance and invoice clients. Training in marketing can be helpful for learning market the freelance business, though many freelance artists, excluding graphic artists and branding artists, get a degree in marketing.

Work Environment

A large number of freelance artists work in their own studio, be it a fine art studio or filming studio. These studios are often a room in their home or a building near their home. Others work on-site, just like a regular employee. The only difference is that freelance artists are not subject to the company's regulations and are not given employee benefits. The freelance artist is expected to pay their own taxes, keep track of their expenses and, many times, provide their own equipment.

Equipment

Freelance artist use specialized equipment that matches their artistic niche. For example, cartoonists usually have a wide-array of markers, pens, illustration boards and pencils. Graphic artists employ a computer, graphic software such as Photoshop, a scanner and a digital drawing tablet such as a Wacom to do their work. Sculptures may use jackhammers, chisels, wielders, metal, stone or found objects for their art. An average freelance artist's studio contains thousands of dollars worth of equipment, no matter what the specialty.

Draw Comic Sketches

A comic sketch is the initial stage of drawing a comic. The sketch of a comic is the line art that creates the basis of the comic, which will later be colored. A comic sketch is typically detailed and often serves as the actual artwork that will be used, whether as a comic strip or a comic book.

Instructions

1. Sketch your comic using lines and curves. Apply the lines and curves with short strokes and build the structure of your comic, whatever it may be. The details will be added later. For now, focus on getting the basic shape and content.

2. Detail your sketch by adding smaller lines and curves inside the initial outline to create the minute elements that will help bring your sketch to life. If you're drawing a comic book character, sketch in the facial details and add the clothing details. Draw the lines in dark so they will show through when the comic is later colored.

3. Texture your sketch. This is the stage where you add depth and make the drawing stand out from the paper. Fill in the details by adding shading around or beneath elements in the drawing to give them depth. Use your eraser or fingertip to blend some of the hard lines together to help create a balance of shading. Shading gives your cartoon a more dimensional appearance and creates contrast.

4. Sketch over the hard lines of your cartoon to thicken them. This is necessary to ensure the shape-related lines and the shadow or texture lines come through later, when the coloring process happens. If your lines aren't strong, the color will detract from the form of your cartoons.

Make Sand Casting Conforms For Children

The PTA decided on a tropical theme for the annual fundraising carnival. The high school’s prop people can create a beach scene and the principal’s brother promises palms from his garden shop, but sand is pricy. At nearly $1.00 a pound, it represents a large chunk of the fundraising budget. Recoup the cost of the sand with a sand casting craft booth. The molds make an excellent memento the kids will cherish, and a mere hundred sold covers the total sand costs.

Instructions

Preparation

1. Determine how many children can craft at one time. You need a shallow container and paintbrush for each kid accommodated and two plastic jugs for every four.

2. Cut your plastic jugs to contain plaster and water. Draw a line from just in front of the handle around the center of the jug. Use the utility knife to remove the front part of the gallon jug. Measure plaster into half the cut container to speed mixing later; tape mixing instructions to the jug. Repeat to achieve the required container count.

3. Fill the shallow containers with clean sand, Make at least two casting containers for every craft station to have an easy back up incase of spill accidents.

4. Collect seashells and other beach shapes into a central location; allow crafters to choose from them before going to their art stations. Ensure the shells and shapes are small enough not to contact the sides of your sand containers.

5. Put a paintbrush at every station and place generous decorative items like beads and glitter pens accessible to every crafter.

Ready Set Go

6. Dampen the sand in the container so it will mold to the shapes of the beach items and shells the kids selected.

7. Push a shape into the sand so it makes a deep impression. Repeat with various shells and shapes to create the desired design. Encourage the kids to be creative. Remember to remove the shapes and shells from the sand.

8. Mix the plaster and pour it into the sand molds; do this slowly to avoid air bubbles forming in the cast.

9. Allow the plaster to dry for one hour. Dig the cast up and brush the sand from it with a paintbrush. Let the kids decorate their sand castings with glitter glue and beads.

Make Retro Vector Images In Illustrator

Adding a vector effect to photographs in Adobe Photoshop gives your images a retro-cartoon look. The effect takes a little bit of time and effort, but the final result is a uniquely-manipulated photograph.

Instructions

1. Launch Photoshop and open the image to which you want to add the vector effect.

2. Save the image as a .psd file by clicking "File" then "Save As." Select "Photoshop (*.PSD, *PDD)" from the "Format" drop down menu, name the image and hit "Save."

3. Unlock the base layer of your image by double-clicking on the locked layer. Name the new layer in the dialog box that pops up and click "OK."

4. Duplicate the original layer.

5. Select the eye dropper tool and capture the darkest area of the image. Then choose the pen tool from the toolbar and select the "Shape Layers" option.

6. Add anchor points around the image. Then connect the anchor points to create your outline. Make the copy layer invisible to see what the outline looks like.

7. Turn on the visibility of the copy layer. Select the "Convert Anchor Points" tool. Move the anchor points as needed to wrap the outline tightly around the image.

8. Delete the anchor points you didn't use by selecting the "Delete Anchor Points" tool.

9. Highlight the "Shape 2" layer and duplicate it. Manipulate the anchor points so they wrap around the dominant color of your image. Change the color from black to the image's dominant color.

10. Toggle the copy layer so it's visible and hide the "Shape 2 Copy" layer. Choose the pen tool and select "Subtract from Area Shape" in the options bar. Select the "Shape 2" layer and trace the elements in the image, adding anchor points.

11. Tweak the anchor points with the "Convert Anchor Points" tool. Delete the unneeded anchor points and add color to the outline.

12. Repeat Steps 9 through 11 until your image is complete.