How To Create A Collage Journal
June 28, 2007
Creating a collage journal is a unique and fun way to personalize and enrich your journal. Making a collage journal is something that everyone can enjoy. If you are a visual artist, photographer, writer or just someone who wants to enhance your written journal, then creating a collage journal can be quite an adventure.
CHOOSE A PAPER FOUNDATION: Find a journal with a ring binding. This will allow you to open the journal flat with two blank pages facing up. If this is your first collage, I recommend that you work create only one collage. (Note: Make sure to use a thicker strength to create a multi-dimensional collage.
LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS: Look for unusual words, pictures, images and other materials for your collage. Don’t forget your basic office supplies such as: transparent tape, glue, scissors, stickers, glitter, paper punches as well as artistic paper, and small pieces of fabric or yarn.
CHOOSING A THEME: Take a second look at your collage pieces collection. Choose one picture that represents your theme. For example, an airplane ticket, could represent someone with a travel bug, a honeymoon plans or a future home. Remember to place your main picture at the center of your page, or wherever it fits in your overall theme.
Tips On Writing A Killer Sales Letter
June 28, 2007
Writing a sales letter doesn’t have to be that difficult all you need is the right writing style and some tips to knock out a killer sales letter
Benefits The first thing you need to do is focus on the benefits the reader will find useful. Tell the reader what’s in it for him. Promise them increased sales, better skin, better results in writing a resume or whatever it is that you’re selling. Tell them how your product can help them. Don’t beat around the bush and get right to the point. Stick to benefits, facts and features. Whatever you do don’t be vague it will turn them off.
Give additional benefits. Show additional value other than main benefit. Give product/service features. Support benefit promises with product/service facts. Show how your company will help him. Don’t start sounding arrogant and brag.
Writing Style: An emphasis should be placed on "you" and not "I". Use words like you and your, so that the reader feels you are writing for him. Write clearly. Make sure your reader doesn’t have to think about what you’re saying. Your main points must be understood immediately. Make yourself believable. Make sure your claims or representations appear to be realistic and believable. Don’t promise a 200% increase in sales because most people won’t believe it even if it’s true! You must be able to back up your claims. Use repetition; repeat benefits throughout letter. Present the same ideas and benefits in different ways.
How To Play The Violin
June 27, 2007
This article gives the essential basics for how to play the violin. Generally violins are quite commonly available instruments and it is reasonably easy to rent or buy a violin. Children may need smaller violins (from an eighth, quarter, half, three-quarters, seven-eighths up to full size) to accommodate smaller hands if they are going to be learning over an extended period.
The Basics
The bow is held in the right hand with the thumb bent underneath the frog to support it and the other hands loosely gripping the wood. There are many different holds and it its important to find one that suits your hand size and strength. The violin is held with the left hand, with the chin on the chin rest supporting most of the weight, and the fingers loosely coiled around the neck of the violin. The thumb should be relaxed but firm. The left elbow should be curved under the violin. The violin should be roughly horizontal and the right arm held high. The main methods of playing the violin are bowed and pizzicato.
Bowed
West Highland White Terriers ? Westies- A Wonderful Breed Apart
June 27, 2007
"Westies" or West Highland White Terriers are furry coated dogs, with dots for coal black eyes and button noses.
Why are West Highland White Terrier puppies sought after by many dog lovers? Because these friendly creatures are well-behaved, loyal and affectionate dogs, who may be pocket sized (average a 10-11 inches tall), but are highly intelligent animals.
You won’t have a hard time training these dogs, whether solely as house pets, or for show. Their keen intelligence makes it seem like play. However, they learn better and best to training sessions that are done on a schedule.
Brush their white coats two to three times a week, to keep it shiny and clean. If you do intend to enter them for competition, make sure your pet is regularly trimmed, plucked and stripped of his or her coat.
A West Highland white terrier lives an average of 15+ years, and usually has a litter of two to five puppies.
What is the history behind the West Highland White Terrier breed? This breed originated in Scotland developed in the high mountains of West Scotland, to hunt vermin. They claim a common ancestry to the Scotch Terrier.
Planting Bare Root Roses
June 27, 2007
Before planting, the plants must be prepared. The following suggestions will help insure that your roses grow into healthy bushes, trees, etc.:
1. Your new roses have probably dried out during shipping or storage, therefore before planting, either bury the roots in wet saw dust or peat moss for several days or soak them overnight in water. Keep the roots wet when planting, do not let them dry out.
2. Prune damaged and broken roots.
3. Prune main roots just enough to reveal white healthy tissue. This will help more roots grow.
4. Prune the plant back to three or four healthy canes. Try to keep the center of the plant empty. Prune the healthy canes back to about six (6) inches using sharp pruning shears. Keep the cutting blade on the lower side. Cut at a 45 to 60 degree angle. Cut about one fourth inch above an outside bud union.
5. In order to prevent infection, treat the cuts with some type of sealent or sealing paint.
6. Make sure that you have removed any suckers that may have started growing during shipping or storage.
Writing For The Web: Where To Get Article Ideas
June 27, 2007
A friend and I were talking the other day about writing. He liked to write, but even so his biggest problem was finding things to write about. My friend was astounded at the volume of writing that I do - at least one article and something as many as six, per day. Where do I get all of the ideas from?
I, in turn, was astonished myself. Why on earth would anyone have any trouble finding things to write about? In fact, my main problem has been I have so much to write about that I often find myself locked in a silent battle over which subject should be put on paper first.
People find it even more amazing when I tell them I try very hard to only write about positive events and provide helpful articles. Only rarely will you find any of my writings containing criticism, complaints or, worst of all, whining. Occasionally I will write an article which recommends against purchasing a product, seeing a movie, reading a book or visiting a web site, but these are the exception.
West Highland White Terrier - Westies - Training Success Tips
June 26, 2007
The West Highland Terrier is a friendly dog, and is considered easier to handle and train than other terriers, such as the Scottish Terrier. Still, it possesses the bold, dynamic terrier temperament, and has to be trained in a manner appropriate for the breed.
Your West Highland Terrier training begins from the moment you bring your terrier home. Westies are stubborn and clever, and considered a bit naughty. They will become demanding and ill tempered if they do not get their way, so you must teach them from the start that you are in charge. From the beginning, treat your terrier in a firm, consistent way.
Terrier puppies, like all very young dogs, should be trained in short sessions of five minutes or less. Make the training session play for both you and your terrier. Generously reward your dog with praise. They are also known to react well to food training.
Your Westie will become confused if you lash out at its misbehavior, particularly if you continue to be angry after the behavior has stopped. Your little terrier wants to please you, and by consistently rewarding the behavior you wish to promote, you will encourage it to become part of the dog’s personality.
Stevia 100% Natural Herbal Sweetener
June 26, 2007
Artificial sweeteners are developed in organic chemistry labs. Stevia grows wild in the rain forests.
Finally, a sweetener that I think has yet to show any real toxicity. It has been used for centuries by the Guarani Indians both as a sweetener and a medicinal. It does not have any calories, is suitable for diabetics and does not cause cavities. It is obtained from the leaves of the stevia shrub which grows wild in the Amambay Mountain region of Paraquay.
Introduced in Japan in 1970.
Stevia was first introduced to Japan in 1970 and by 1988 it represented 41% of the sweetener market in Japan. To date, there have been no ill effects or health related problems. It is also used in Japan, to sweeten other foods such as ice cream, bread, candy, pickles, seafood, vegetables and soft drinks. The safety of stevia is accepted in Japan. Besides being grown in Japan, it is now grown in China, Germany, Malaysia, Israel and South Korea.
1991 Stevia Banned by the FDA
From Clutter To Treasure: Re-use and Not Reject!
June 26, 2007
Make use of clutter to decorate your home! Sounds strange? Believe me its possible! While moving into my new house, I had to get rid of a lot of old pots, torn clothes, cracked dishes and chipped china. At my wit’s end trying to figure a way out of the mess, it struck me that I could actually use a lot of these to make decorative accents for my new home.
I got my 6 year old daughter involved as she was the only one who was willing to get her hands dirty in the act! Every body thought I was crazy, but that didn’t stop me from going about my business.
First, we sorted what could be re-used and what HAD to be thrown away. It soon turned out that I could reuse most of the things that I had discarded earlier.
There was my mother-in-law’s old iron chest; a wooden bookrack with jammed hinges; a couple of cracked clay planters; dozens of paper bags; old shabby pillow-covers; torn bedsheets; my daughter’s old woollen garments; old magazines and more…
Dog Pile - Please Pick It Up
June 26, 2007
I really do not hope your are eating something, but did you know that you can get a fake dog pile in long or round bits for a joke. My younger son had initiated this research of mine, by asking why I pick up the dog’s business, even though he had done it on the grass.
As a slight diversion, I found out that the meaning of pepper - our westie dog -is “An animal full of zip” Believe he has plenty of zip if you are trying to get him into the bath.
To get back to the topic in hand (sorry that was a bad turn of phase), please be responsible and try and clean up after your dog. There are a number of diseases and illnesses that can be caused by contact with dog poo. One is stomach upsets, but the most important is Toxocariasis.
Toxacra can infect young children, if they play in an area, which has been infected by dogs, and they then put their fingers in their mouths. The infection is very serious and can cause eyesight damage or even blindness. Although, the Toxacra infection is very rare, even one case is one too many.
