Strategies For Traditional French Country Decor

If classic French decor is a little too formal for you, lighten it up with traditional French country decor. There are still enough of the regal touches--well-crafted furniture, artisan-made accessories, cherished antiques--to keep the look sophisticated, with a touch of Old World charm. However, there is a more inviting feeling with the country look, featuring comfortable furniture, eclectic juxtapositions and integration of nature and natural light.

Palette

The traditional French country palette begins with natural materials. Wooden beams, stone walls, tile countertops and unfinished or lightly stained wood are common. Walls may be pale, but they are rarely plain white. Creamy antique white, with a matte, distressed finish, would be more appropriate. Mustard yellow or cool gray are other possible neutrals for walls.

However, French country also features bold colors, typically on accent walls, textiles and accessories. Paint a wall cornflower blue and add a painted trim, using stencils, of fleur-de-lis. In the kitchen or dining area, add a splash of color with muted olive green or mustard yellow.

Faux finishes, hand-painted borders, vintage wallpaper and faded fabrics are other favorites in the French country palette. A quick coat of antique whitewash gives furniture, walls and accessories that appropriate vintage look.

Furniture and Textiles

Traditional French country-style furniture is often made of solid wood that has a lightly stained or painted and distressed finish. Look for classic design elements, such as a ladder-back chair, an armoire with scrolled details, a four-poster bed or a bistro-inspired set of chairs and table.

Textiles, cushions and upholstery often feature the classic French country images of vines, wildflowers, red roosters, fleur-de-lis, faded florals, stripes, paisley and toile, a type of design that features a repeated motif against a white or yellow background. The rustic farmhouse look is appropriate in a traditional French country interior, achieved with pieces such as a large wooden dining room table, bench seating or a solid round coffee table.

Accessories

Bring the garden indoors and you will achieve the fundamental look of traditional French country design. Hang plants near doorways and windows to create flow between your interior and your garden. Leave windows bare, or cover them partially with cafe-style curtains in translucent cotton fabric.

Invest in some beautiful pieces crafted in and inspired by the French countryside, such as hand-painted tile murals of flora and fauna or wooden garden art. Display wildflowers and leafy vines in buckets, bottles, pitchers, glasses and vases distributed throughout your home. Fill a painted ceramic plate with ripe grapes or an earthenware bowl with persimmons for a burst of natural color.

Store Canvas Works of art

Keep treasured work safe.

Painting was and remains one of the most popular forms of fine art, and many people own paintings of sentimental value. However, sometimes paintings need to be stored, and canvas paintings, in particular, are at risk of damage. Fortunately, storing your painting doesn't take a specially designed vault or an expensive service. With some precautions and safeguards, you can keep your prized canvas painting safe and clean, ready to be taken out and hung with pride.

Instructions

1. Remove each painting from its frame, if possible, and set the frame aside. Only carry paintings by the sides or bottom, never from the top. Check each painting for any damage or problems that you can repair. Wearing your white cotton gloves, carefully clean each painting. Err on the side of caution when cleaning to avoid removing any paint or causing any damage. When complete, wrap each painting in the plastic and seal it in the crate.

2. Choose an area to store your paintings in. Avoid basements and attics, areas with water pipes or electrical conduits, and areas with frequent vibration. Once you have found your area, clean it carefully with your cleaning supplies. Check for any pests such as mice or rats. Hang heavy curtains or shutters on any window to reduce the amount of sunlight shining into the room. Install shelving if necessary.

3. Bring your paintings into the room and place them on the shelves, one at a time. Do not stack paintings on top of each other or lean them against exterior walls or shelving units. Only move one painting at a time, and use two movers for large paintings. Before picking up a painting, point out exactly where it should go, so the paintings are not unnecessarily jostled. When all the paintings are placed, lay down pest traps in order to prevent any pest damage.

Strategies For Purchasing Dj Equipment Online

Buying DJ equipment online is a must for any frugal DJ. Online deals, classifieds listings and discount sales make purchasing DJ equipment online the smart choice, even for a beginning DJ. However, there are some risks to buying your equipment online, and you must take care to ensure that you are getting a good deal from a reputable seller. With a little bit of research and comparison, you can safely save a lot of money buying quality DJ equipment online.

Research

When buying DJ equipment online, research your equipment to make sure it has all of the features you need. Check the input listings to make sure that the inputs and outputs are compatible with the equipment you already have. Then, research the seller. There are many small-time sellers of DJ equipment online which offer a low price, but some of them use shady business practices. Check online for reviews of your seller, including your local Better Business Bureau, to see if it has a record of good customer service.

Price Match

Many major DJ equipment sellers offer a price match program. If you would rather work with a major commercial company for your DJ equipment purchase, but a smaller company advertises a lower price, try going to the company you want to buy from with the advertisement from the other company. Commercial companies will often match the advertised price of other companies. This can benefit you if the commercial DJ equipment retailer has a better service plan.

New vs. Used

You can save a lot of money buying used equipment online from sites such as Ebay, Craigslist, Musicians Friend and many other online companies. But buying used DJ equipment comes with risks: there is usually no service plan or warranty on used equipment, so if something turns up broken or missing, you usually can't do much about it. Check the reputation of your seller and read the listing carefully to make sure that there is nothing damaged or broken. You should also take a good look at shipping charges, since the cost of shipping equipment can be high. If you can find a great deal on used equipment that you just can't pass up, go for it, but the discount should be significant enough to be worth the risk and hassle of dealing with a used equipment seller.

Security

Check out the reputation of any company to whom you give your personal information, including your credit cards. Many companies will take payment by PayPal, which is more secure than supplying your credit card number, but some do not. If you have PayPal, you may want to take advantage of their temporary credit card number service, which issues a one-time-use credit card number for online purchases.

Make sure the site you are on is secure. When you are on the site's check-out page, the form where you enter your information should be secure, and the URL in the address bar should begin with "https://," which indicates that your connection to the page is secure. Do not give your information to any company with an insecure website, or with an incomplete or poorly worded privacy policy.

Beginner Packages

If you are a beginner DJ and want a basic setup, there are packages that offer a complete beginner DJ package. The package DJ setups are a good starter gift, but they can often be more expensive than purchasing a custom setup piece by piece. If you don't know what the equipment does yet, rent or buy a package setup to figure out what you want.

Do Photo Pencil Sketches

Drawing from a photograph is a common practice for creating realistic drawings.

By drawing from a photograph, you can sketch subjects realistically and in accurate proportions, adding specific details. The more you draw from photographs, the more you will become accustomed to checking your drawing against the photograph and using it to find errors in your drawing. This habit will improve your hand-eye coordination and ultimately your ability to create realistic art.

Instructions

1. Choose a photograph that is high resolution, relatively large, in focus, clear and detailed. Draw a loose sketch of the objects in the photograph, including an outline and basic details. Use a hard lead pencil (4H or harder) for a light line that you can easily erase or draw over later.

2. Look back and forth quickly between the photograph and the sketch. Be aware of errors and make corrections as necessary.

3. Use a softer lead pencil (2B or softer) to darken the outline and details. Draw with a mark that fluctuates between light and dark, using a lighter mark to outline more delicate or lighter parts of the drawing and a darker mark to outline darker portions of the drawing. For example, if you are drawing a portrait of a person with light skin and dark hair, use a lighter mark to outline the skin and a darker mark to outline the hair.

4. Repeat step 2. Look back and forth quickly between the photograph and the sketch and make corrections to errors as necessary.

5. Add texture and shadows to the sketch. Make the shadows lightly at first and darken them slowly. It is much harder to erase a shadow that is too dark than it is to darken a shadow that is too light. Continue to look back and forth between the drawing and the photograph to ensure that you are drawing accurately.

Things You May Make From Polymer Clay

Squish two colors of clay together to make a marbled effect.

Polymer clay doesn't need a kiln for because it cures at a lower temperature than earth clays. All you need for successful crafting with polymer clay is a little inspiration and a home oven. You can mold the clay over and over without it deteriorating. It's non-toxic, but shouldn't be eaten, so always supervise if using polymer clay with young children.

Scrapbook Embellishments

Leaves, flowers, buttons or small cartouches are simple to make with polymer clay. To make leaves, roll out green polymer clay into a thin sheet, then press a metal leaf charm into the clay to make an imprint. Cut around the imprint with a craft knife, then set the clay aside to bake according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you don't have a leaf charm, use a tooth pick to score a rough leaf shape in the polymer clay before cutting it out. Don't worry about perfection. The charm of homemade items is in the slight imperfections.

Photo or Name Place Holders

Sculpt small animal shapes, or even simple box or pyramid shapes, out of polymer clay and turn them into photo holders or name place holders for the dining table by curling a length of wire into a spiral at one end and poking the other end into the top of the shape to create a hole before baking. Even simple shapes such as boxes or oval egg shapes look stylish or funky when they're painted or decorated with more polymer clay on their surfaces. Try adding a little glitter, or burnishing the piece with a bronze crafting powder for an antique look.

Beads

One way to make one-of-a-kind jewelry is to make your own beads. Being small, beads are an ideal project to use up any tiny pieces of clay left over from other, larger projects. Make marbled beads by rolling a couple of colors together between your palms, stopping before the colors completely merge. Make round beads or long beads, or roll polymer clay flat before stamping out disk beads with the end of a drinking straw. Use a needle or toothpick to make a hole through the bead so you can thread it after it's baked.

Magnets, Pendants or Mosaic Tiles

Use deeply etched rubber stamps that have a simple, bold design to stamp texture or patterns into thinly rolled out polymer clay. Cut around the stamped design with a craft knife, or cut out the design with a cookie cutter if you have one that the design fits inside. After curing the cut out shapes, use them as mosaic tiles to decorate mirror or picture frames, or they can become refrigerator magnets if you glue a small, flat magnet onto the back. If you want to make a pendant, remember to pierce a hole before baking the clay.

Things Related To Old Cameras

You don't have to toss your old cameras into the trash. One man's trash can easily become another man's treasure, and there are plenty of ways to recycle your camera--whether by turning it into an art project or donating it to charity. Even if your camera is in non-working condition, you can still find resourceful ways to transform an old camera into something new.

Create An Artistic Display

Creating a display of old cameras on a shelf or bookcase in your home showcases your hobby and becomes an interesting conversation piece when guests come over. According to design blogs like Unplggd and Apartment Therapy, pieces of old technology, like vintage cameras, typewriters and old telephones can become sculptural works of art. Additionally, photographs of your old cameras can actually become works of art. Hang a series of three or more photographs in a group in similar frames. You can even sell your photographs on Etsy.com, a marketplace for handmade goods.

Donate It

If your camera is in working condition, you can recycle it by donating it to a charity. Check with your camera producer to see if they offer recycling options. For $6, Canon, for example, lets you print a pre-paid UPS shipping label off their website. Send it back, and they'll recycle your camera for you. You can recycle Sony cameras for free if you drop them off at a Waste Management eCycling drop-off center. Or you can mail your cameras to RecyclingforCharities.com, an organization that donates your old electronics to a charity of your choice.

Use It

Photography with vintage cameras has become a trend, especially in the wedding industry. Brides are paying high prices for old photographs, like the old Hasselblad. Tintypes and Polaroid shot by New York City photographers like Weddings by Two. Even if you're shooting for your own personal collection, the grainy, shadow-and-light-filled images created by older film cameras can create a photograph much more interesting than the standard digital camera photograph.

Sell It

You can sometime sell your old cameras, working or non-working, to antique stores in your area. Alternatively, the website Used Camera Buyer will give you an instant quote for your old camera, pay for you to pack and ship it to them, and mail you a check. Ebay is an option for selling a camera to the highest bidder. And if you have an especially antique model, the Historic Camera Collector Club will also buy cameras.

Fresh paint Ocean Coast With Watercolors

The sea coast is a traditional subject in painting. Working with watercolors allows for many beautiful effects. Use washed, layered and blended watercolors to create a realistic or more expressionistic versions of the sea. Use a photo as a source or create an original composition. Follow these watercolor techniques to paint an illusion of the sea.

Instructions

1. Draw a horizon line lightly in pencil across the center of the paper. Treat the top half as sky and the lower half as sea.

2. Create a sky using diluted color, that is nearly transparent by using a large, flat brush. Be creative with dark stormy colors or a golden sunset. Use sweeping strokes that cover the entire width of the paper.

3. Choose a color for the sea. Wash the color in a horizontal direction across the paper. Scallop the edge in wave patterns. Wash a lighter tone of the color closer to the horizon line.

4. Wash in several more bands of color for the sea. Each one should be slightly darker than the previous. Then lighten the top edge of each band slightly by applying water to the paint.

5. Add detail to the waves such as white foam at the crest of each wave. Apply white paint with a smaller brush in a rough or textured manner. Paint thin, dark stripes in wave patterns randomly throughout the lowest band.

6. Use a sponge to apply additional colors in the sky such as grays and whites for clouds. Dip a wet sponge in the water color and dab into the sky area of your painting to create the effect of clouds.

7. Apply a sand color to the very bottom of the painting beneath the waves if there is any room left. Create the coastline in this way. Add any details like shells or rocks.

Things Related To Children In The Smithsonian

The Smithsonian offers many exhibits and activities for kids.

With a collection of more than 142 million objects housed in several museums, ranging from art to fossils, the Smithsonian Institution boasts something for nearly everyone. You can prime your children -- and hopefully their enthusiasm -- for a visit by directing them to the website Kids Explore, Discover, Play (smithsonian.kids.us), where children will learn about such exhibits as Julia Child's kitchen, the Hope Diamond and the more than 3,500 artifacts from the Apollo Moon landing effort.

Learn About Airplane Anatomy

Kids preparing to visit the Smithsonian can learn all about the anatomy of an airplane by helping assemble Orville and Wilbur Wright's 1903 Flyer in an online interactive exercise. This exercise enables kids to put together a plane, learn the names of airplane parts and understand how the parts of a plane work together to enable it to fly. Other online activities teach kids about Arctic animals, buffalo hide art and the anatomy of the human body.

Catch an IMAX Film

What kid doesn't love larger-than-life film with state-of-the-art sound? The Smithsonian knows that most children love this, and the museum uses its IMAX film offerings to showcase live-action and computer-generated films on subjects such as the Hubble Space Telescope, tornadoes, evolution and the Grand Canyon. The Smithsonian IMAX theaters also occasionally show big-name films, such as "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." The IMAX theaters are included in the National Museum of Natural History, the National Air and Space Museum and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

Watch a Tarantula Feed

Kids can watch a tarantula eat lunch at the Orkin Insect Zoo, a special exhibit hall of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. In addition to offering daily tarantula feeding demonstrations, the insect zoo allows visitors to view, and in some cases touch and hold live insects.

Get in Touch With the Cosmos

The Smithsonian recently outfitted its Einstein Planetarium with a one-of-a-kind Sky Vision, dual-digital projection system, allowing those who enter it to feel as if they are hurtling through the cosmos. The experience is heightened through moving images and what museum officials call "spine-tingling sound." The planetarium regularly features full-dome productions, including "Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity," and "Journey to the Stars."

Things You Can Do On A Trip From Columbus To Fairborn Ohio

See a polar bear at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

If you are traveling from Columbus to Fairborn, Ohio, and have some time for detours and stops, there are many activities and sights you can enjoy. Stop at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on your way out of Columbus. Make a brief stop in Hilliard for some scuba lessons. Spend a day at Buck Creek State Park. End your journey in Fairborn at the Air Force Museum.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Before leaving Columbus, consider a visit to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Visit Jack's Landing and ride the water slides. Enjoy the foods and shopping available at the zoo. Take your time to visit the zoo regions, including Asia, the shores, African forest, North America, and the islands and Australia. You can also enjoy a round of golf at the Safari Golf Club.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

4850 West Powell Road

Powell, Ohio 43065

800-MONKEYS

www.colszoo.org

Buck Creek State Park

Stop in Springfield and visit Buck Creek State Park centered around C.J. Brown Reservoir, a 2,120-acre lake built by the Army Corps of Engineers to control flooding downstream and supply water to the area. Enjoy the natural, cultural and recreation activities inside the park, including a visit to the restored native prairie. Picnic at one of two picnic shelters that can be reserved. Enjoy a hike on the nature trails. Fishing is also available. Experience the fen wetlands. Visit the 1830's David Crabill House. If you have a day to stay in October, guests can be a part of a hog roast, campsite decorating contest, pumpkin carving and chili dinner. Enjoy trick-or-treating, a haunted trail and live entertainment during the Annual Fall Campout.

Buck Creek State Park

1901 Buck Creek Lane

Springfield, OH 45502

937-322-5284

Buckcreekstatepark.org

Aquatic Adventures

Aquatic Adventures Ohio is a 18,000 square foot aquatic center offering scuba and swimming services. The center has two pools and 4,000 square feet of shopping so you can purchase all of your swimming and scuba needs. The scuba training pool is a multi-level pool used in scuba instruction, with a "boat bench" to simulate a real diving experience. Learn to rescue dive and become a divemaster to lead dive tours and assist the instruction of dive students. Book a dive adventure through Aquatic Adventures pre-organized, guided dive vacations. You can also learn water kayaking and take water fitness classes. Learn swim, train for a swim team and swim laps in the second 25-yard, 6-lane pool. You can also learn snorkel at Aquatic Adventures.

Aquatic Adventures

3940 Lyman Drive

Hilliard, OH 43026

614-545-7000

www.aquaticadventuresohio.com

Air Force Museum

Visit the National Museum of the US Air Force at the end of your trip. Visit museum exhibits like the Early Years Gallery, Air Power Gallery from WWII, Modern Flight of Korea and Southeast Asian wars, Cold War Gallery, Missiles and Space Gallery and the Research and Development Gallery. The museum has an IMAX theatre, gift shop and caf . You can become a member for $30 to $1,000 per year. Enjoy one of the special lectures about the Korean War or what it is like to be a test pilot. Take a "behind the scenes tour" on Fridays at 12:15 p.m. Family programs are provided the third Saturday of each month. Sign up for Aerospace Camp or spend Halloween in the museum.

Air Force Museum

1100 Spaatz St

Wright Petersen AFB, OH 45433

937-255-3284

www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/index.asp

Get Marching Band Uniforms

Get Marching Band Uniforms

Listening to a marching band is invigorating, but these outfits don't have the same impact without matching uniforms. Whether you're looking for a standard uniform or something custom-designed, plenty of companies are available to help enhance a marching band's overall appearance.

Instructions

1. Buy books with information about what kind of uniforms are appropriate for marching bands, such as "The Marching Band Handbook" compiled by Kim Holston.

2. Request catalogs from companies that sell marching band uniforms, such as The Bandmans Company or Band Shoppe. Having several catalogs to look through will help you compare prices and decide where to order uniforms. Along with your catalog, some companies will also send you swatch samples to compare colors and material textures.

3. Browse online catalogs when print catalogs aren't available. Ictus Limited and Stanbury Uniforms both have detailed catalogs on their Web sites along with other useful information on sizing, pricing and color choices.

4. Determine which company offers the best uniforms in your price range, but remember cheaper is not always better and the most expensive isn't always necessary.

5. Make a list of each marching band member's sizes or get their measurements so you can compare them to a sizing chart. Uniform companies usually have charts to determine which size will fit best, but if they don't, request more information on choose the correct sizes.

6. Raise money to purchase uniforms. Unless the marching band's school or other athletic organization is paying for the uniforms, fund-raisers are good sources of money for marching band uniforms.

7. Order the band's uniforms once you've found what you want and raised the required money.

Stuff That Glow In Ultra violet Light

UV light being used to authenticate currency

Some objects glow in ultra violet light because of the phosphors they contain which absorb radiation and emit it as visible light. Many household items glow in the dark, such as detergent, baby powder, tonic water, milk and glue. New $20 bills, certain rocks, minerals and gems also glow in UV light.

Household Items

Black light emphasizes "bluing agents" and makes detergent glow white in the dark

Most laundry detergents contain phosphors that are advertised as "bluing agents." Black light emphasizes these phosphors and makes detergent glow white in the dark. It is detergent that makes white shirts and blouses glow brightly in UV light. You can make your Halloween and party decorations glow in UV light by mixing a mixture of diluted detergent and spraying it on your decorations. Household glue also glows in UV light and is available in basic colors. Most tubes and containers of glue have a small tip which is handy for making fluorescent lettering. The quinine content of tonic water makes it glow blue. Cat urine under black light will glow greenish-yellow. You can buy phosphorescent or UV reactive powders, but baby powder will also glow in the dark. You can add it to candles, paint and even nail polish for your parties, or sprinkle it on your hair. Milk glows a pale orange in UV light. Ripening bananas glow blue. This luminescence in ripe bananas comes from the chlorophyll catabolites accumulating in the banana peels.

New $20 Bills

Newly designed 2003 $20 bill

To make currency more difficult to counterfeit, the U.S. government has issued $20 bills since 2003 with a security thread that will glow under ultraviolet light. Plans are to also introduce this security thread eventually into $50 and $100 bills. If you have bought a black light for your party, you see this thread yourself on your new $20 bills.

Certain Rocks and Minerals

Minerals glowing under black light

Fluorescent rocks and minerals which give off visible light when activated by UV light are popular collector's items. The light given off can be highly colorful and quite different from the normal color of the mineral without UV light. If you wish to collect minerals that fluoresce very differently from their normal appearance, choose minerals such as zippeite, which goes from yellow to a glowing green. Gypsum will go from dirty white to a glowing blue, as will sodalite and fluorite.

Adamite will go from a drab yellow to a glowing bright green. Willemite and calcite with franklinite will look drab white but glow a brilliant green in UV light.

Certain Gems

An appraiser examines a sapphire necklace

Some diamonds fluoresce or glow blue in UV light, while others can glow a variety of colors which are used in identifying diamonds for insurance purposes. UV light is often used to test whether a gem is natural or synthetic. Natural yellow sapphires will glow yellow in black light, but synthetic ones will not glow at all. Natural sapphires without color will shine orange whereas their synthetic counterparts will not shine. Natural emeralds will not glow in UV light, but synthetic emeralds will glow red. Blue sapphires will not glow, but synthetic blue sapphires can glow various colors. A synthetic ruby will glow brighter red than a natural one.

Have An Essay On Npr

If you've listened to much public radio at all, odds are you've heard one of those essays on "Morning Edition" or "All Things Considered" about someone's tomato garden, or the old dog that helped them be brave in some way or another and said, "I can write one of those!" Well, perhaps you can...

Instructions

1. The first, and most important step by far, is to know the market you're going to be pitching. Listen to your local public radio station during "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered" to get a good sense of the sort of essays they air. Note the length, tone, subject matter, style, even the stories that air before the essays. Editors use essays to complement a timely story or event, or occassionally just to fill a hole on a slow news day. If you can't listen live, check out npr.org, click on "Opinion," then on "Commentary' to find examples of recent essays.

2. Once you feel like you've got a sense of what NPR editors might be looking for, you can begin writing. But as you do, keep in mind certain news pegs that might make your essay more appealing to editors. Got a story about your son's tour in Iraq? Might be good for the anniversary of the invasion in March. Be sure to get it submitted at least a month in advance of the relevant date (March 19th, in this case).

3. While writing, remember a conversational tone and brevity are key. After all, you'll end up reading this in your own voice if selected, so you'll want to be comfortable doing so. And as far as length goes, you'll be lucky to get much more than 3 minutes, so keep it simple and pack a punch with as little as possible.

4. When you feel like you've got a winning essay, it's time to pitch it to the editors. Instructions and updated addresses can be found at http://www.npr.org/about/pitch/commentary.html.

5. The last step is the hardest--and that's being patient and waiting for a response. The hardest part of this is that NPR doesn't often send rejection notes; you're likely to get the silent treatment instead. So if you don't hear anything after a few months, it's probably time to try another essay.

6. If your essay is accepted, you can expect some editing and coaching on your speaking voice and recording. If you don't hear anything, don't despair. Check out other public radio outlets like "This I Believe," an independent essay series that airs on NPR. Local NPR stations often are also very interested in airing essays from listeners, although they aren't likely to pay you anything.

Draw A Mug Of Water

Cup of water

Through an artist's keen eye for detail and delicate nuances that others do not see, the most mundane household item can become a masterpiece. A cup of water is not as effortless to draw as it looks, once you observe light and shadows from a more difficult perspective. Knowing the correct sequence of steps and having the correct tools as you draw a cup of water will help fine-tune your drawing technique.

Instructions

1. Draw the angles that make up the edges of the cup, then draw the curves on the top and bottom, keeping perspective in mind. Erase extra lines.

2. Scribble firmly on a scrap piece of paper using a soft pencil.

3. Dab a cotton swab in the graphite from the pencil, and "paint" the shadows into the smaller areas of the inside of the cup.

4. Blend and fill in larger areas with a paper towel rolled around two fingers.

5. Add shadows with a pencil, starting with the outer edges going inward. Use the 2B and 4B pencils to shade in deeper shadows inside the edges of the cup. Use paper towel and cotton swabs to fade in shadows from the edges.

Create Variety With Tile

Create Mosaic with Tile

Mosaic refers to the creation of art using pieces of tile, glass, clay or other objects. Mosaic tiles add a colorful and artistic touch to any surface. Mosaic is often known for a somewhat unfinished look, so it is not something that has to come out perfectly. It is also a great way to recycle old tiles and broken dishes. Having a specific design in mind makes creating mosaic tile art even easier.

Instructions

1. Draw the design you want to create on a piece of paper the size of your mosaic platform, or print out the design you want on a piece of paper the size of your mosaic platform. The platform refers to the area you are decorating with mosaic tiles, like a trivet, shower wall or tabletop.

2. Cut out the designs you want and place them on your mosaic platform.

3. Trace the designs onto the mosaic platform with a pencil.

4. Arrange the tiles on a table or the floor in the pattern that you think they should go. This is a trial to make sure you like the way the colors look next to one another.

5. Base your choice of adhesive on the mosaic tiles and the platform they will be glued to. Craft glue is an acceptable choice if you are using lightweight mosaic tiles for an indoor project. Thin-set or a silicone-based adhesive is strongly recommended for outdoor surfaces. Other adhesive options are cement, epoxy and gummed paper.

6. Squeeze adhesive onto the back of your chosen tiles and place them according to your tracing. It is always best to start in a corner. Wait until the adhesive dries before going on to the next step.

7. Spread grout over the mosaic and in the spaces between the tiles with a tiler's float.

8. Scrape off excess grout with a grout scraper or sponge. Wait 15 to 30 minutes before going on to the next step.

9. Use a dry towel to remove grout that has gotten on top of the tiles.

10. Go over all of the tiles once more with a soft, dry towel to polish the surface.

Using Indelible Ink

Indelible ink colors the skin well.

Indelible ink is a form of marker that cannot be erased or washed away . The Gentleman's Magazine cites its earliest use in 1430, when Laurence Coster made a permanent impression on paper using cut-out letters from bark. People from all over the world use indelible ink for a variety of things, most notably for tattooing and body art.

History

In 1748, English physician William Leivis discovered permanent ink through an experiment he was conducting to create writing fluids. In 1953, Sidney Rosenthal invented the first permanent marker using dye-based indelible ink. He used a stout bottle with the ink inside and placed a felt tip on it. Rosenthal discovered that using the marker produced marks "rich in color and permanence."

Tattoos and Body Art

In 1891, Samuel O'Reilly invented an electric tattooing machine that uses indelible ink and tattooing businesses today make use of this machine. Permanent ink fills the hollow needles of the machine to create tattoos on human skin. Tattoos carried a stigma in the earlier days, when they were used to mark criminals and gang members. Western society embraces the practice of tattooing today as a form of art.

Elections and Fraud

Governments use indelible ink to prevent fraud during elections. In countries such as India and the Philippines, voters' fingers are marked with indelible ink to make sure they vote only once. Election officials apply a quick-drying ink to each voter's nail bed. The ink can last on a person's finger for up to a month even with daily soap-and-water cleansing.

Removal

Dermatologic surgeons remove indelible ink on human skin using laser technology, but the process can be painful and expensive. Good Housekeeping suggests immediately using rubbing alcohol to remove ink stains. The fresher the stain, the easier to remove it. Hairspray loosens ink stains on fabrics, and a soft eraser works on wallpaper stains.

Other Uses

Schools and offices use permanent markers, pens and stamps. Clothing companies use indelible ink for their designs, prints and labels. Retail businesses also use plastic security ink tags on clothes to prevent theft. These tags are filled with ink that stains clothes when removed by force. Some women use indelible ink for permanent facial makeup. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that this practice may be hazardous. In medicine, radiologists outline a patient's body parts with indelible ink to target treatment areas.

Hide A Spy Camera

If you need to catch someone in an illegal act, a spy camera can be constructed with an inexpensive camera and a few household objects.

Instructions

Decoy

1. Consider the size of your camera. The size of the camera will determine the size of the object you use to hide it. There are several cameras that are designed specifically to work as spy cameras and have a slim profile.

2. Choose the object you would like to use to hide your spy camera. When choosing an object, it is best to choose something that belongs in the room where you intend to set up the camera. Also, choosing an object that is already hollowed out or empty will make it easier to prepare the object to hide the camera.

3. Prepare your decoy object so you can insert the camera. Depending on which object you choose, you will need to find a tool that will help you fit the camera inside of or behind the object.

Spy Book

4. Pick a thick book with a dark spine that is at least 2 inches thicker and 4 inches taller than your spy camera.

5. Hollow out the book pages in the shape of the camera using a precision cutting tool such as an X-acto blade. If it helps, use a magic marker to trace the shape of the camera on the book pages. Keep in mind the camera lens should face the binding.

6. Cut a hole in the binding of the book. To make sure you have the right size hole, position the camera in the hollowed-out hole and draw a guide for a hole where the camera lens meets the binding. The hole should be smaller than the camera lens so the lens stays hiding behind the binding of the book.

7. After drawing the hole guide on the binding, remove the camera and cut the hole with your precision blade. When cutting your lens hole, it is better to err on the small side to keep the lens hidden. You can always remove more of the binding later if it obscures the view of the camera.

Hole Cover

8. Cut out a square of pantyhose fabric that will cover the hole in the binding.

9. From inside of the book, apply fabric glue around the outside of the hole in the binding.

10. Stretch the pantyhose over the hole enough to where you can reasonably see through it and secure it on top of the hole with pushpins.

11. Allow the glue to dry for 24 hours. Remove the pushpins.

12. Place the camera into the book to test your image to make sure you can get a good shot. Adjust the focus and light settings. When the image is clear enough to get a good shot of the area you wish to monitor, the spy book is ready to go.

Be A Teacher In The country

Teaching in Spain can be an exciting and rewarding experience. The downside is that it can take a long time to obtain the work visa. Spain is a member of the European Union (EU), and the process can be frustrating. There are many teaching jobs available, especially teaching English. Most Spaniards do not speak English and there is a shortage in teachers that have the credentials to teach English in Spain. There are also teaching jobs available working for the U.S. government in Department of Defense (DOD) schools.

Instructions

Obtaining a Work Visa

1. If you are not in Spain, email your resume and credentials to schools where you would like to work. If you are in Spain, visit the school and leave your resume and credentials for review. If you don't hear from school officials within several weeks, follow up with a phone call or email. Once you contact a hiring manager, make an appointment for an interview. Maintain contact until you receive an offer. Once you receive an offer, you can begin the work visa process. Check with the school that you receive the offer from; many schools will assist you in obtaining your work visa.

2. Submit all documentation to the government of the city in which you will work. This can be time consuming. Required documentation includes an application for a work visa, three matte-finish passport photos, a copy of your original passport that is valid for the duration of your employment, your credentials, and the official job offer from the school that has made you an offer. The offer must be signed and stamped. Next, submit an official company tax identity and social security identity document obtained from the school. The school also has to provide documentation that shows it posted the job opening with the unemployment office and that no EU candidates qualified for the position.

3. Pick up your work visa in person from the Spanish Consulate nearest you, once it has been processed and you receive notification. The consulate will not issue the visa to anyone but you. Once you have the visa you can return to Spain and finalize your residence permit and begin work.

4. Applying for a teaching visa may not be a good idea if you are trying to obtain a working visa for less than two years. The bureaucratic process can be very involved and difficult. Spain has a high rate of unemployment and gives EU passport holders priority for jobs.

Types of Teaching Jobs

5. Obtain a U.S. government teaching job by checking frequently with the Department of Defense website. DOD jobs are available for teachers in Spain on military bases or at civilian U.S. government schools. These positions are normally a one-year assignment and are difficult to get.

6. Attend a Teaching English as a Second Language school in Spain (TESOL) and receive your certification; it can open doors. You can network while attending and TESOL schools will help you find employment. Being a TESOL teacher in Spain almost always requires at least proof of a TESOL certificate. Many schools require a bachelors degree and some may require a masters degree.

7. A short stint as a freelance English teacher is another option. Many backpackers meet other backpackers in Spain that know people who want to learn English. They are not in Spain long-term so they teach for a month or less to experience the local culture and learn Spanish at the same time. Some teach just for room and board, while others make just enough to pay for their living expenses during their visit.

Produce A Vector Of The Class In Java

The Java programming language has a data storage device called a vector. A vector stores data similar to an array, in that stored data can be accessed directly by index. However, unlike an array, the vector doesn't have a defined size and can grow or shrink as items are added and removed from it. Vectors can store many different items. You can create a vector that stores instances of classes, also known as objects. The syntax for using vectors is quite simple and you can get started with creating vectors of class instances right away.

Instructions

1. Load the NetBeans IDE by clicking on its program icon. When the program loads, navigate to "New/New Project" and select "Java Desktop Application" from the list on the right-hand side of the screen. A new project is created, and a blank desktop application window appears in the main workspace.

2. Import the Vector container class by writing the following at the top of the source code file:

import java.util.*;

3. Declare a vector by writing the following code within the curly brackets of the main function:

Vector v = new Vector();

4. Create an instance of the Integer class, or any other class you wish to store in the vector. To create an instance of the Integer class, write the following below the line written in the previous step:

Integer tmp = new Integer(20);

5. Add the instance of the Integer class to the vector by writing the following below the line written in the previous step:

v.add(tmp);

6. Print out the item you just added using the println() function. Write the following line of code below the line written in the previous step:

System.out.println("The object at index 0 is: " + v.elementAt(0));

7. Execute the program by pressing the "F6" key. The program executes and creates a vector storing one instance of the Integer class. This is then printed to the console.

The Types Of The Twentieth Century

Full skirts dominated fashion in the 1950s.

Fashion went through dramatic changes in the 20th century. From flapper dresses to flannel shirts, women's fashion reflected the times. Each decade made unique contributions to the styles of the 20th century.

1920s

The roaring 20s was the time of the flapper. Women cut their hair into short and sleek styles and wore cloche hats, which fit snugly on the head. The hats were worn low on the forehead, with the brim just above the eyes. The flapper dress was a simple shift dress, which made them easy to make and a fashion accessible to women of all income levels. Flat chested, girlish figures were considered ideal in the 1920s.

1930s

Fashion turned feminine in the 1930s, especially in the evening, when women wore evening gowns. Hairstyles were less severe as permanents became more popular and reliable. New fabrics were introduced, including metallic lame, rayon and fine wool crepe. The plastic zipper was used as a fastener for the first time in clothing.

1940s

World War II birthed the pin-up girl of the 1940s. Swimwear got smaller as the bikini splashed onto the fashion world in 1946, introduced by French engineer Louis Reard. Wartime demanded rationing of everything from tea to fabric, making two-piece swimwear practical. Hairstyles got longer, wavier and more blonde as women wanted their tresses to resemble those of Veronica Lake.

1950s

Ladylike fashion and the poodle skirt dominated the 1950s. Women traded in the headbands they wore in the factories in the 1940s for gloves and a girdle. Dresses and skirts with soft, feminine touches such as bows and wide Peter Pan collars were the style of the times.

1960s

The 1960s was the beginning of big changes in fashion. Young women traded poodle skirts for mini skirts. High heels were replaced with tall leather boots. Clothing became less feminine and more playful. Bright, psychedelic colors saturated fabrics. The bouffant "beehive" hairstyle became fashionable.

1970s

Miniskirts continued their popularity in the 1970s. Ladies also donned hot pants, which were very short. While skirts were often short and tight, pants grew in other dimensions. Flared pants and bell bottom jeans became popular fashion items in the 1970s.

1980s

Young ladies in the 1980s expressed themselves by wearing dozens of rubber bracelets and Converse high top tennis shoes. Madonna became a fashion icon with her mesh shirts and mini skirts. Leg warmers were worn over leggings or acid washed jeans. Tight, close fitting leggings and jeans were paired with big, boxy shirts or colorful shaker sweaters worn backwards. Plastic shoes in pastel colors were popular and were affectionately called jellies or jelly shoes. Hair was big, with bangs curled and sprayed to rise high.

1990s

The 1990s grunge fashion was rebellion against the outrageous styles of the 1980s. Fashion got comfortable. Hair was worn straight and loose. Clothes got baggy and shapeless. Women and men wore denim and flannel shirts. Practical fanny packs and comfortable Birkenstock sandals were popular.

Interesting Art Activities

Art can exist in many places besides a museum.

Art is more than just something to look at on a museum wall, and you don't have to be a professional artist to take part in it. There are all kinds of activities involving art that anyone can do. Many people associate art and crafts with children, but there is no reason that adults can't be creative as well.

Museum Sketching

Sketching in museums has traditionally been a way for artists to learn from and emulate their predecessors. Whether you consider yourself an artist or not, there's nothing to stop you from heading to the nearest museum with sketching paper and a pencil. Learn to see works of art in a new and deeper way by translating them into your own creation on paper.

Guessing Games

Using a collection of postcards or other images of famous works of art, play a game where everyone tries to guess the work of art and the artist. You can make the images easier or harder depending on the level of knowledge of the players. For kids, use very famous or easily known works and artists. For a group of art historians, use obscure images and make the game harder by asking for dates and other information.

Guerrilla Art

Make and leave art in unexpected places without letting anyone know who did it. This activity can take any number of forms. Build a sculpture in a public park. Sneak one of your works into a museum and hang it on a wall. Put up posters in a public bathroom. By appearing in unexpected places with no explanation offered, guerrilla art helps to make people more aware of art and makes them question what it is, thus engaging them in a deeper way than if they simply encountered it in a museum. Be sure that what you're doing doesn't break any laws.

Art Show

Invite friends and family to create something and hold your own art show. Take the right to make art back from "official" artists and museums. The caliber of the art may not be as good, but that doesn't matter. Making people aware that they have the ability and the right to make art is a worthwhile thing, and friends and family will be impressed with the latent creativity that exists in others.

The Reason & Worth Of Public Art

Public works of art enrich communities.

Public works of art are prominent in cities and places throughout the world and the United States. Unlike private works of art, viewing public art is free and nonexclusive; you just have to be where the art is. Public works of art aim to enrich the community by evoking meaning and purpose in the public setting.

Types of Public Art

There are five types of public art: integrated, semi-integrated, discrete, community art and ephemeral art. Integrated public art draws inspiration from the location and could not exist anywhere else. Integrated public art uses the location's history, culture and social circumstances that make the work of art distinctly a part of the community. Semi-integrated public art gathers its inspiration, to a certain degree, from the location, but is not necessarily mutually exclusive to that area; the piece of art works in different locations, provided the locations share the same conceptual and physical locations.

Discrete works of public art are not integrated with a certain area, therefore having no conceptual or physical dependence on the location. Community art focuses on the community's belief system; these works of public art often have a community-based design and allow people to express their goals or problems. Community public art helps bring people's experiences in the community into the work of art itself.

Ephemeral public art is temporary, is designed specifically for an occasion or event and is transitory in nature. The Gates exhibit in Central Park during February of 2005 is an example of ephemeral public art.

Purpose

The purpose behind public art is to enrich the community by evoking meaning in the public forum. Public artwork is meant to inspire higher thought about the community, or thought in general, and can help raise awareness or give remembrance to events. Public artwork is meant to be seen, but more so experienced, as a work of art can help inspire and provide perspective no matter what the subject at hand.

Value

There is no true way to find the value of public art, as there are no real ways to measure inspiration or insight that any public artwork may help inspire. Public art is there to be experienced, and the beauty of art is that if a hundred people all see the same artwork, there could be a hundred different ideas and interpretations of the same work. It is important when gauging a value of a public artwork to take in account the effect it has on the community it is in and how members of the community view the artwork; this is the best way to find the value of a specific piece of public artwork in a community.

Benefits

Public art offers social and physical benefits. Public art, depending on its size, can act as an impromptu meeting place or local hangout. Sometimes the public artwork will also shine a light onto a particular event rooted deep within the community, acting as a talking point for an important social conversation for the community. Public art is also a sign of maturation and identity within a community.

Geography

Public art is available in most towns and communities in America and throughout Europe. You probably see some sort of public art every day; whether it be a memorial, statue, fountain or picture, public art surrounds and enlivens the world we live in. There is usually a flux of public art in most cities; cities are an effective showcase for artists, since their work will be seen by many people.

The Benefits And Drawbacks Of The Career In Photography

There are advantages and disadvantages to a photography career.

Photographers are highly skilled professionals who can tell a story through scenes they capture through their camera lenses. Although photography is often viewed as a glamorous profession, it has a variety of pros and cons. Many professional photographers are trained at universities or in vocational programs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary of salaried photographers in May 2008 was $29,440.

Pro: Choice of Specialties

Photographers have a wide area of available niches to choose from. Some photographers specialize in taking baby and wedding photos, while others work in fine arts or the world of fashion. Media and sports photographers cover news and sporting events, while others take photographs for businesses and institutions.

Pro: Action and Adventure

Some photographers work in interesting and adventurous environments. A wildlife photographer may travel to remote areas of Africa or Australia to photograph wild or exotic animals in their native environment. Others may get a thrill from attending major news or sporting events or being able able to photograph famous people.

Pro: Autonomy

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over half of professional photographers are freelancers. This provides them with a great deal of autonomy and some freedom when choosing assignments. Freelancing can also allow for greater creativity since the photographer may have more freedom over the choice of setting and the types of photos that she takes.

Con: Unpredictable Hours and Conditions

Some photographers may work long, irregular hours and spend time away from family and friends. A photographer who works for a news organization may be "on call" and have to be at an accident scene in the middle of the night. Outdoor photographers often have to face difficult weather conditions.

Con: Uncertain Income

Freelance photographers are not guaranteed a salary or regular income. In addition to being skilled at their craft, they must also be good businesspeople and be able to market their services. Some freelancers may be forced to accept assignments they do not want in order to earn a living.

Con: Possible Danger

Photographers who work in certain settings may put themselves in harm's way. A wildlife photographer may run the risk of being attacked by a dangerous animal or slipping and falling in rugged terrain. A news photographer covering a live crime scene or war zone could become caught in the crossfire. Photographers who cover football games run the risk of being hit by a player on the sidelines.

Famous Works of art Of Excellent Versus Evil

The Tate Gallery houses at least one famous painting that depicts good vs. evil.

The theme of good fighting against evil, and vice versa, is regularly used in all branches of the arts. In order to describe the contrast between the two, painters use various symbols, including Christian figures, angels, devils and demons, and the result are several famous paintings that have made an impact on how we have perceived good and evil throughout history.

The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch

Painted as a triptych, the famous painting by Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch shows good and evil through depictions of the Garden of Eden in all its beauty on the left panel and the damnations of hell with all the gory details on the right panel. The middle panel shows colorful fruits, animals and structures in various fantastical shapes and several nude figures engaged in sexual activity. It has been interpreted as humankind's tendency to waste goodness by engaging in worldly pleasures that ultimately lead to evil and hell. Bosch painted the famous triptych between 1500 and 1505, and it can be seen in the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

The Mystic Nativity by Sandro Botticelli

Like "The Garden of Earthly Delight," this painting is also divided into three parts, but this time horizontally. "The Mystic Nativity" depicts the birth of Christ in the middle, angels singing above him, and demons fleeing to hell below. The famous painting by Italian artist Sandro Botticelli was produced while the painter was under the influence of the dissident friar Savonarola who preached the nearing of the Apocalypse at the end of the 15th century. The curators of the National Gallery in London, where the painting is housed, assume that the painting depicts the second coming of Christ. This ultimately would result in the end of the world, the banishment of all evil and the opening of heaven to the good Christians.

The Good and Evil Angels by William Blake

William Blake's "The Good and Evil Angels" was painted between 1795 and 1805 as an annotation to the Christian mysticism works of the Swiss pastor and writer Johann Kasper Lavater. The famous painting pitches good versus evil by depicting two angels and a cherubic child. The evil angel is characterized by the hellfire he rises out of and the chains at his left ankle that keep him firmly attached to the ground. He tries to grab the child that is held by the good angel, painted with blond floating hair, rosy cheeks and the sun behind his back. The watercolor painting can be found in the Tate Gallery in London.

The Third of May 1808 by Francisco de Goya

Goya's most famous painting about the atrocities performed in the French-Spanish war in the beginning of the 19th century depicts good versus evil in the form of a Spanish civilian the moment he is killed by French soldiers. The good in the picture is personified by the unarmed Spaniard in his spotless white shirt, which stands out against the evils of war, symbolized by the bodies and the blood of other victims, the soldiers, the gunfire and the blackened sky. The oil painting is housed in the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

Mount A Print On Foam Core

Using foam-core boards is an inexpensive way to mount your photographs. Form core is available at your local craft store. For mounting photos, use a 3/16-inch-thick piece of foam core. According to EZPixels, the foam backing will not warp and is rigid enough so you can display your art without a frame. Purchase a board bigger than the picture you are mounting. It is easier to cut the form core to size after the picture is mounted than to place the photo exactly on a pre-cut board.

Instructions

1. Ball up the sheets of newspaper. Lay the photo image-side down on the paper. Spray both the back of the photo and the front of the foam board with the spray-on adhesive.

2. Place the photo on the foam board. Wearing gloves pick the photo up with your fingertips touching only the edges of the photo. You will not be able to reposition the photo once it is placed on the foam core. Try to line the picture's edge along the edge of the board.

3. Cover the photo with a sheet of blue non-stick paper. Using the roller brush, gently burnish the photo to remove any air bubbles. To burnish, run the roller over the photo.

4. Trim off excess foam core using the ruler and the utility knife. Line the ruler along the edge of the photo. Run the knife along the ruler through the foam board. Trim all sides as needed.

Produce A Costume Plot

One of the most important aspects in a theatrical production are the costumes. They help identify characters, emotions, and common themes as the play progesses. However, they can also be very difficult to organize, and this is where the costume plot comes into play. By making an organized chart of what the production requires, it will save yourself a lot of time and energy down the road.

Instructions

1. Open Microsoft Excel and start a new spradsheet. Name it whatever you wish, but something with the phrase "costume plot" would be helpful for future identification.

2. In the first colum, list list the name of each character. The list should move in a downward direction. Don't be afraid to resize cells in order to fit the entire name.

3. In the first row, enter each scene. It is often useful to include a description of what happens in each scene as well, so that you can keep the storyline in mind once you start sewing. As always, play with the height and width of each cell in order to include all the necessarry information.

4. Simply line up a scene in the first row with a character from the first colum and then fill in the cell with what they will be wearing in that scene. Repeat this process for each character and each scene, so that you have a complete listing of what each person is wearing in each scene.

5. Save the spreadsheet and you're finished.

The Loa Exercises

A book named "The Secret" became a phenomenon by teaching the world about an already existing "law" of the Universe, the Law of Attraction. The Law of Attraction says that "energy flows where attention goes." Basically, what we think about we get. Therefore, exercising our minds, watching our thoughts and visualizing what we want will bring us what we desire.

Meditation and other Mind Games

Every great teacher of the Law of Attraction will tell you that daily meditation is key to quieting and controlling your mind. The Law of Attraction is all about watching your thoughts and making sure to eliminate bad habits. It is also about having a strong mind to direct your thoughts and bring about the goals you desire. Spend even five minutes a day seated in a quiet place to meditate. You can try to focus on your breath, just paying attention as you breathe in and out. You may also try counting: count one as you breathe in and then one as you breathe out. Or start with inhaling for one second, exhaling for one, then inhaling for two and exhaling for two, and so on up to 10. There are many techniques to help you prepare for meditation. Find one that works for you and practise it daily. Meditating at the same time every day can be helpful as well.

Another way to strengthen your mental powers is to play the Memory.game. You may have played this game as a child. There will be cards face down and your job is to turn them over one at a time to find pairs. There is a free online version of this game on the Secret's website at www.thesecret.tv.

Visualization

Albert Einstein said, "Imagination is the preview of life's coming attractions." How we imagine our lives to be will affect what is attracted to us. Spending a few minutes daily "seeing" ourselves and our lives the way we want them to be will help make that a reality. Designate a time every day to let your imagination roam to all that you desire. See yourself driving the car you want or living in the house you desire. You can also imagine yourself wearing a piece of jewelry you covet or living in a place you want to move to. You can even use this trick to get good parking spots by taking a moment before you drive somewhere to imagine yourself pulling into a spot close to where you are headed.

Gratitude

Practising being thankful for what you have will bring more of it to you. Write in a journal daily what you are thankful for, and even write future things you will be grateful for when you receive them.

Another good gratitude exercise is to make a list of the things you appreciate about your partner to help your relationship.

Also, every morning as soon as you get up say "thank you" and take a moment to be grateful for all the wonderful things you will receive.

A Brief History From The Guggenheim

The History of the Guggenheim

Solomon R. Guggenheim was an American industrialist whose family made its fortune in mining. Solomon began to collect paintings in the 1930s by modern artists such as Vasily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, and Marc Chagall. He established the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation for the advancement of art and art education in 1937 and put his collection on display two years later. Since its opening, the Guggenheim Museum has been expanding by opening sister branches of the museum and constantly expanding its collections.

Design

When Guggenheim first put his art on display in 1939 at the Museum of Non-Objective Painting, the location was a former car showroom. Solomon and Countess Hilla Rebay, the first director of the museum, commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design a building for the art collection. The Guggenheim Museum was the last project that Frank Lloyd Wright would work on. He modeled the Guggenheim after the ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia. The new location opened on Oct. 21, 1959, on Fifth Avenue and 89th Street in New York City.

Leadership

The early directors of the museum greatly expanded the museum's collection and enhanced the reputation of the museum. When James Johnson Sweeney became director in 1952, he introduced sculpture into the Guggenheim starting with the acquisition of Brancusi's "Adam and Eve." He also brought in 19th-century art with the acquisition of Cezanne's "Man with Crossed Arms." Thomas Messer took over as director in 1961, acquiring Impressionist and post-Impressionist works from the Justin K. Thannhauser Collection.

Thomas Krens became director of the Guggenheim in 1988, and Richard Armstrong was named director in 2008.

Collections

Under the directorship of Thomas Messer, Solomon Guggenheim's niece Peggy agreed to donate her Palazzo Venier dei Leoni in Venice and all of its art to her uncle's foundation. Peggy Guggenheim had purchased the palace in 1949 and had been allowing the public to view the palace and its works since 1951. It became part of the Guggenheim in 1980, a year after Peggy's death. Her collection included works by Braque, Dali, Ernst, Magritte and Pollock.

Holdings

Under Thomas Krens' directorship, the Guggenheim increased its art holdings by 50 percent. He brought in the Panza Collection in 1991, which consisted of Minimalist, post-Minimalist and conceptual art. Krens also introduced photography to the Guggenheims in 1993 with a $5 million gift from the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation.

Locations

Aside from its Upper East Side and Venice locations, Guggenheim Museum branches include Bilbao, Spain; Berlin, Germany; Las Vegas; and SoHo in New York City. A branch of the Guggenheim is also set to open in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, in 2013. Its exhibits will include Middle Eastern contemporary art.

A Brief History Of Swing Dance

The History of Swing Dance

The history of swing dance is a very colorful one. Swing is much more than throwing girls in the air and gyrating on the dance floor. Its music is an interesting mix of blues, ragtime and jazz and being so very popular, it has stood the test of time.

Early History

The history of swing dance is hard to separate from other dances and types of music. Emerging out of jazz, blues and ragtime it has similarities to the Cakewalk, Foxtrot and Back Bottom. Swing dance grew, like jazz, out of the African American culture from the time of the Civil War right through most of the 20th century.

1920s

During the 1920s, swing appeared in clubs in Harlem and around Manhattan. Although it has its own specific moves, it is widely known that the most popular versions of this dance came from the Lindy Hop which in itself was created out of tap moves combined with the Charleston and Foxtrot which were the two most popular dances of the day. The birth of swing dancing was imminent.

Herbert White

Herbert White, owner and manager of the highly popular Harlem Savoy Ballroom, became a credible force behind the Lindy Hop and Swing Dance when he formed performance troupes which were featured in motion pictures of that day. "Hellzapoppin" and "A Day at the Races," both hit films, featured this dancing that created a nationwide stir. Whites were initially banned from the Savoy Ballroom, but as the swing and Lindy gained in popularity, that rule changed and these dances served as a bridge between the races. Soon, swing dance moves evolved and changed to fit the tastes of each decade and region of the country.

East Coast Swing

East Coast Swing is a straight on six-count step similar to the Lindy Hop and became wildly popular in the 1940s. Being taught at the most famous dance studio of its time, the Arthur Murray dance studios, swing dance now included the Triple-Step Swing which has much more simple footwork and can be danced to slow, medium or fast music, depending on your preference

West Coast Swing

West Coast Swing dance is a more recent form of this style of dancing and was created in the 1950s. Although it is still similar to the Lindy Hop it is danced to all types of music which includes: rock 'n' roll, country, blues and jazz. It is still a very popular dance today throughout the United States as well as Europe, Asia and as far reaching as Australia and New Zealand. Despite its name, West Coast Swing has made its way into dance studios and on dance floors around the world.

Time Frame

Swing dance has truly withstood the test of time and has morphed into many other types of dancing. Other types of swing dancing that emerged through the 20th century were Western Swing, Boogie Woogie, Imperial Swing, Carolina Shag and many other regional favorites who put their spin on the original swing moves.

A Brief History Of Written Music

The History of Sheet Music

Were it not for the invention of sheet music, it would not only be difficult for anyone except the original composer to play the music but also be challenging to pass down the music from one generation to the next. Furthermore, it would be impossible for orchestras and choirs to perform an unrehearsed piece if no one had any idea what key the music is in or when voices or instruments are supposed to enter and exit the lyrical equation. Sheet music resolves these problems by providing musicians and singers with printed notations that correspond to the sounds to be produced by the instruments. Here's a look at its development and evolution.

Early History

Ancient civilizations had no shortage of individuals who were intrigued by the process of creating sounds and rhythms from ordinary objects. Artifacts dating from Middle Eastern and Greek cultures suggest that rudimentary musical codes started being scribbled down as early as 4,000 years ago. It wasn't until the ninth century A.D., however, that Catholic monks approached the task of recording notes with their quills on parchment as a functional "cheat sheet" for the delivery of religious chants. With the invention of the printing press 600 years later, sheet music not only became more accessible to the masses but also embraced secular themes about courtly love, adventure, humor and devotion to homeland.

Printing Techniques

In the early 1800s, lithography techniques replaced metal engraving as an efficient method of reproducing multiple copies of handwritten musical scores. Many composers today still write everything out the old-fashioned way and then have it transcribed by a publisher. In addition, there are numerous software programs that allow even fledgling musicians to create a musical score at their computer keyboard and print it out in a professional format for any musician to try. The sophistication of modern scanning tools also allow users to instantly download an entire library of music scores without ever leaving home.

The Medium as a Message

As sheet music became more popular after the end of the Civil War, advertisers realized that shorter tunes didn't always extend to the back page of the score and that this blank canvas of sheet music represented an ideal spot to hawk new products and businesses. In addition, publishers of commercial sheet music seized this back-page opportunity to list other music selections that customers might be interested in buying.

Types of Sheet Music

Whereas the notations that monks wrote down over a thousand years ago were usually for voices only, the simplicity and complexity of modern scores is based on how many participants are going to be involved in the performance. Examples: (1) A vocal score displays the notes and the lyrics of a song that will be performed as a solo or a duet. In addition to the vocal line, there is a two-staff format directly below it that reflects what a single musical instrument (usually a piano or guitar) will play in accompaniment; (2) Fake books are comprised of sheet music that contains a succession of chords that are played in a tune and leaves the musician to improvise individual notes and tempos; (3) An orchestral score displays what every instrument and every voice is supposed to do in a full production and lays open and flat on the conductor's music stand as he faces the musicians in rehearsal and performance; (4) Musical theater songbooks feature the most popular selections from a show, are generally written for piano accompaniment and often intersperse the pages of music with photographs from the production.

Cover Art

Toward the end of the 19th century in Europe and America, the front page of a folio that had previously featured the first page of music or presented the centered title of the song began to be replaced with decorative color artwork that people would be pleased to display on their pianos. Not only was this an inventive way to promote the talents of new and established artists (who were often associates of the music publisher), but this also provide the purchasers with a clue as to what kind of song it was. The popularity of Broadway musicals (followed by sweeping movie scores and pop culture bands) led to the production of sheet music covers that were consistent with the posters used to promote new shows.

User-Friendly Notes

The more you play a particular song or instrumental, the less likely your eyes are going to be glued to a piece of sheet music in front of you. Still, many musicians keep their sheet music on the stand in the event their mind wanders or they're playing something with a tricky passage that tends to challenge them. To make it as easy as possible for the eye-hand coordination necessary to sight-read, sheet music is printed as black notes on white paper and in a large enough size that it can comfortably be read from a distance of 12 to 16 inches. There are natural breaks (albeit small) to facilitate page-turning, and the pages themselves are 9 x 12 inches on sturdy paper that won't go fluttering off the music stand. Such was not the case for early composers who were often forced to make do with whatever size scraps of paper they could find and, accordingly, fill up every inch of space with notations. Nor did they have the luxury of composing on both sides of a page because the saturation of the ink would bleed through to what they had already written. Interestingly, many of these musicians memorized entire programs for performance so as to impress audiences by their lack of need for any visual aids.

A Brief History Of Pottery Wheels

Pottery is an ancient art. The oldest known pots date back to Japan approximately 10,000 B.C. The concept of clay-made vessels sprung up in cultures when a society transitioned from a nomadic lifestyle to an agrarian one. This is largely due to pottery being a more stable, heavier container. The pottery wheel was eventually invented to help shape pots quickly and efficiently.

Pottery Prior To The Wheel

Before the invention of the wheel, pots were shaped by coiling clay and then turning it repeatedly by hand. The disadvantage of this method is that a single vessel could take quite awhile to create. As societies grew and traded with one another, the increased demand for clay vessels also grew. The old method for making pots gradually became insufficient for keeping up with the demand.

Speeding Up Coiling

In response to the increased demand for pots, a number of methods were developed to speed up the coiling process. Some potters used a platter that could be easily turned as a surface for coiling pots. Others refined their techniques of standing and moving while working to maximize their efficiency.

The Invention Of The Wheel

The wheel was invented in ancient Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) around 3,000 B.C. Within a short time, the Sumerians adapted the wheel concept to a faster method of turning and shaping pottery. These first turntables were slow, but they were a vast improvement over the previous methods of shaping pots.

An Industry Is Born

In the early Mesopotamian villages, specialization occurred to a small degree. While some people worked exclusively on pots, the process was by no means an industry. This changed by the time of the ancient Egyptians. Hieroglyphics on tomb walls record the first attempts at a large-scale effort to making pottery, including the invention of smooth-turning tables that eased the shaping of clay vessels.

A Better Wheel

As potters' wheels became faster and smoother, potters' abilities to make more complex and beautiful pottery also grew. Some of the advances in technology are evident in potters' abilities to make clay vessels with stems, smooth spirals and true circles.

Throwing Pottery

In the 19th century the concept of throwing pottery as we know it today flourished due to potter's wheels that could achieve higher spinning speeds. This is partially due to the French development of the momentum wheel, a wheel that took advantage of low friction and high weight to achieve maximum speeds.

Today

Although modern wheels are available that use electricity to vary wheel speeds and give users greater control over the shaping of their pottery, many potters still prefer to use the quieter momentum wheels. Eastern methods of creating pottery use a very different style wheel, in which the flywheel is the actual surface that the pot is shaped on. Potters who use the Eastern-style wheels sit at ground level and often have an assistant to keep the wheel's momentum going.

A Brief History Of Picasso'S "Fruit Bowl & Guitar"

Pablo Picasso is best known as one of the founders of the Cubist art movement. He worked in a variety of artistic styles. "Fruit Bowl & Guitar" is representative of a period in his work often categorized as Analytical Cubism.

Period

It is believed that Picasso created "Fruit Bowl & Guitar" between 1927 and 1929. By this time, he had been working alternately, and sometimes controversially, in two styles for several years. In addition to continuing to explore Cubism in paintings, he also was working in a classical manner. Some of his paintings combined elements of both.

Style Considerations

Picasso did not want the different styles he used to be viewed as steps in his evolution as an artist. Instead, he said, he allowed the subjects he chose to dictate how they should be painted. "Fruit Bowl & Guitar" is essentially a Cubist still-life.

Life Influences

"Fruit Bowl & Guitar" was painted at a time when Picasso was experiencing a fame he did not enjoy. His wife Olga, a former ballet dancer who thrived on the public's admiration, could not understand Picasso's discomfort with his notoriety. In 1927, Picasso began an affair with Marie-Therese Walter, his son Paolo's 17-year-old nurse, and he and his wife eventually separated.

Draw Bloodstream

There are precise steps that must be followed when a health care worker draws blood. These steps protect the patient, ensure the safety of the phlebotomist or nurse drawing the blood and lead to a successful blood draw. Learn to draw blood safely and effectively using a vacutainer and needle with syringe.

Instructions

1. Ask the patient his name and date of birth. Make sure he answers with his full name and full date of birth to ensure his identity. Mark all specimen tubes with his identification and pull on protective gloves to protect yourself from bodily fluids.

2. Set out all of the tubes you need by the order of the draw and have any necessary tools (tourniquet and alcohol swabs) nearby.

3. Draw blood from the most common point--the median cubital vein--which runs on the inner part of the forearm. This is the optimum vein because it's close to the skin surface and there aren't a lot of nerves surrounding it.

4. Prep the chosen location by placing a tourniquet on the upper part of the arm, tight enough to make the vein bulge. Gently pat the vein and look at it's size. Find the best angle from which to draw the blood.

5. Insert the needle into the vein with a smooth, fast motion. This technique helps lessen pain.

6. Push the vacutainer (blood specimen tube) into the holder, keeping the needle steady. The vacutainer will automatically start filling with the right amount of blood needed for a specific specimen. If using an old-fashioned syringe and needle system, manually pull back on the syringe to start filling the tube with blood.

7. Pull the needle out at the same angle you inserted it once the last specimen is collected. Immediately dispose of the needle in the proper place and apply gauze to the patient's wound, holding it to apply pressure.

8. Mix the specimens thoroughly by gently swishing them around. Confirm that each specimen is labeled correctly.

Make History Come To Life For Kids

To make history come alive for children is to re-enact vital moments in history. Children get the opportunity to have first-hand experiences at local and national history. They can pretend to be famous historical characters who influence society today. Allow children to act out history so that they gain comprehension and retention. Read on to learn make history come alive for children.

Instructions

1. Based upon the age of your group, choose a book that recounts a historical story. The discovery of gold in California or the landing at Plymouth Rock are great examples.

2. Read the historical story to the children. Make sure all the children understand the story. Periodically ask them about what is going on in the story.

3. Assign characters in the story to each of the children. Read the story again and have the children demonstrate the roles while reading. Encourage the children to act out the action. Validate the actions of acting as appropriate.

4. Change character assignments so that everyone has a chance to play various roles. Create an audience if you have more children than characters with the expectations of rotation.

5. Ask the children speak some of the lines in the story. This includes all the words between the quotation marks.

6. Keep the story exciting. Listen to what the children have to say about acting out history.

7. Let the children dress for each role. You can obtain hats, ties, jackets, vests or scarves.

8. Add props appropriate to the story. Run the story one more time with dress up, props and children acting out the story with out you reading the book.

9. Schedule your next history lesson.

Appreciate Motherhood

Appreciate Being a Parent

As we go about our very busy schedules-we often overlook the tiny moments-the small unnoticed delights of being a parent. Here are some ways to appreciate the joys of being a mom or a dad.

Instructions

1. Stay out of parental mindset. We spend too much time regretting the past and worrying about the future. We overthink what might have been and try to control what could be. This overthinking saps the joy of having children around. You can't smell the sweetness of a baby right after her bath if you're worrying about getting the kitchen cleaned up. You can't delight in the sweet song of a first grade choir if focused on the work on your desk.

2. Be present. "Could have" and "should have" and "if only" are thoughts that take away from the happiness that comes with being a parent. Children are lively. They live in the moment. We can learn something from watching how easily they skip, run and play. There's never a dull hour when a child is around. Be present. Watch your child wiggle, notice innocence. Clear your schedule, your mind, your "to-do list" and really be present.

3. Skip over the small stuff. Children grow quickly and leave home soon enough. The wet towels on the bathroom floor may be annoying; the toys on the floor may get in the way, but there will be plenty of time for cleaning the house when they're grown up and moved away. If you must clean the house, ask them to pitch in, and be sure to make the cleaning fun.

4. Accept innocent love. Your child loves you unconditionally. Even when you let them down, which you probably will, they'll forgive you quickly. They see your mistakes and they let them go. Children are very trusting. They depend on you. They want your approval and acceptance more than you know.

5. Say "I love you" daily. Never, ever leave your child angry or upset. Make the generous gesture and put aside the lecture. Comfort willingly when they're troubled. Admit when you're wrong. Notice the look on their face that says, having a bad day. Put down your newspaper, shut down the computer and ask what you can do. There are never too many "I love you's."

6. Acknowledge the sacrifice. There are many sacrifices that come with being a parent. Most parents put the child's needs above their own, and this is as it should be. Once you have a child, you're changed; you are no longer the same person. Now everything you do is done with your child in mind. This is difficult. The rewards are bigger. Acknowledge to yourself and your partner the sacrifices made. Feel good about doing a good job of parenting.

7. Believe. A child who has the backing of a parent will have what it takes to meet life's challenges. Think of the power you have. You've created a person who hopefully will take the best of you, improve on it and become better. The legacy you leave will be reflected in the life of your child. Believe in your child completely. Tell your child often, "I believe in you."

8. Ask yourself: "What better than being a parent?" Parenting is not always fun, but children are a joy. When you are old and grey, consider what will matter most.

A Brief History Of Dance In Cuba

The History of Dance in Cuba

Modern Cuban dance styles emerged when European settlers and African slaves came to Cuba in the 16th century. African and Europeans fused traditional dances to form a distinct and unified Cuban culture.

Habanera

Named after its 19th century birthplace in Havana, the slow and graceful habanera dance has roots in English contradanza performed in ballrooms. The opera "Carmen" has a number called "habanera."

Danzón

The danzón, introduced in the late 1870s, became the official dance of Cuba and contains off the beat and slow, but flirtatious, steps.

Rumba

Slightly faster than the danzón, the rumba emerged during the 1920s as a frantically paced dance for its time.

Son

Son began in the 1930s with rural Cubans who danced close together and off beat while accentuating hip movement. It later influenced mambo, cha-cha and salsa dancing.

Mambo

This up-tempo dance became popular during the 1940s among North American vacationers to Cuba. Mambo utilizes the same diamond pattern of foot movements as the rumba.

Cha-Cha

An offshoot from the mambo, the cha-cha of the 1950s uses off the beat steps in 4/4 time with exaggerated hip movement and foot shuffling.

A Brief History Of Clay Sculpture

Aesthetic form began as the reddish-brown earthen substance that first captured the noble existence of man. After thousands of years, the form has risen to embrace the light abstract idea that now dignifies a wise eminence. An art piece in clay exemplifies a composed feeling. The role of a sculptor's hands has progressed from molder of man to forger of the abstract idea.

Ancient

Terracotta, "baked earth," was used in cultures that predate history. A vivid realistic body is seen in the clay figure "Venus of Willendorf" dated 24,000 to 22,000 B.C.. By ancient times, a clay figure was a rude resemblance. The "Woman with Raised Arms" from 7th century B.C. reveals a character content in a place above society. The ancient peoples found established ritual significance in immortals embodied in clay form.

Classical

Clay works validated the order decreed by rulers and priests in a strict hierarchy. The ideal for a civilization ruled by immortals was represented in the elements of classical form that express either politics or religion. Unity in the Greek statuette of Nike from late 5th century B.C. expresses the classical idea of purity. In the "Heraion" temple dedicated to Hera, the harmony of pomegranates and a pine cone holds prosperity.

Renaissance

Terracotta rose to a golden distinction during the Renaissance. Man was freed from the burden of a supreme hierarchical order. In clay, the artists recognized the new place of a citizen in a sculptural form that could be seen by all. With a belief in humanism, artists replaced the duty that held form rigid with a beauty that made sculpture generous. After Michelangelo Bounarroti gained attention by working in clay as a pupil in Bertold's school, he demonstrated a devotion to the true human subject. Works by Luca della Robbia affirmed the naturalism and a new charm. His painted terracotta sculptures had a prevailing brilliance in character and colors with a permanent freshness.

Neoclassical and Enlightenment

At the end of the 18th century, the order of civilization again captured the artist's attention. At the same time, a sculptor was enlightened by reason on the importance of self. Perfection in an ideal observance of authority was balanced with a regard for the nobility of a prominent citizen. Antonio Canova created the definitive elegant forms that flourished when viewed. A characteristic tendency of figures moved the Rococo style of Clodion.

Modern

Form is again free. Culture known by a citizen with a noble significance in society is the center for a graceful idea. A novel shape displays a national civic duty seen from the perspective of the citizen. Modern artists now attempt the beauty in proportion of the whole to express a pure abstract idea. In the early 1890s, Rodin set in the "Head of Balzac" an eternal beauty for ordinary life and a psyche made public. For the "Rosita" statuette, Aristide Maillol shaped the artistic human form by smoothing natural bodily forms into a formal subtle beauty that lives as a type.

Write A Tale Presumptions People

People tend to make assumptions about others based on first impressions, on secondhand information or on stereotypes that we have internally accepted as truth, sometimes unwittingly. Most of us are guilty of making assumptions, at least on occasion, but a well-crafted story may be just the medicine we need to get us to turn our microscopes inward and improve our "character" vision.

Instructions

1. Make a list of common assumptions that people may make about others, as well as myths that enable those assumptions to exist. Dig deeper and consider assumptions that you may unwittingly entertain yourself. Think broadly about how we often categorize people based on education, background, profession, age, geography, physical appearance, health and so on.

2. Pick from your list the assumptions that you want to address in your story. If you are writing a short story you may need to stick to only one or two. Consider developing two distinct characters who form biased judgments about each other, especially if you want your reader to really think about his perception of others as well as the way others perceive him.

3. Choose a point of view from which to present your story. Writing in third person allows you the freedom to express thoughts and interpret actions for multiple characters as an omniscient author or for only one character as a limited omniscient author. can also restrict your knowledge to external factors and write in the third person as an objective author, according to the book Writing Fiction.

If you're writing a short story you may not have time to effectively execute an omniscient point of view. If you write in first person, the "I" character presents the action and events of the story and helps shape the reader's perception. Second-person storytelling is not very common in literature.

4. Fully develop your characters in order to prevent distance between the reader and the story's action and message. According to Writing Fiction there are four direct methods of character presentation---"appearance, action, dialogue, and thought." Through these four methods, "a character is captured in print and transformed from a concept in the writer's mind to a living presence in the reader's. If you are writing from one character's perspective, use dialogue or behavior to reveal the thoughts of secondary characters.

5. Show the reader what you want him to experience. When writing about assumptions that people make about others, the only way to get your reader to feel the personal applicability is to make her feel implicit in those assumptions. "Literature," says poet John Ciardi, "is never only about ideas, but about the experience of ideas." If you want your reader to experience your ideas about assumptions and stereotypes, you need to set up compelling dialogue and action that depict the experience of the characters. Avoid excessive authorial moralizing, and allow your story to convey your message subtly.