Now You Can Create Your Own Desktop Icon!

There are some people who put as much effort into customizing their computer desktops as they do into decorating the tops of their desks or even rooms. I have personally seen friends of mine spend hours looking for the perfect desktop icon which reference some show or other that they used to watch in their childhood in the 70s. And no matter how obscure or rare the desktop icon, someone, somewhere in this universe of ours has at the very least a pirate version of it, often as part of a theme. There are countless desktop icons floating around, that the number will probably never be known.

Certainly the best way to get all of your icons is as part of a desktop theme. Desktop themes comes with icons, background pictures, event sounds, and even color schemes all on the same subject to convert your desktop into a seamless color-filled, decorative scheme. For example, I used to have a Scooby-Doo theme, complete with a desktop icon for every character. There was even a mystery machine desktop icon with little rolling wheels that informed me when the computer was busy loading something. The coolest thing about that desktop theme was the little "zoinks" sound that it made each time an error occurred. And since I was running Windows, that happened rather frequently. The Scooby Doo desktop icon itself was way snazzy IMHO.

If (and this is a real IF) you really have a thing for desktop icons, the best thing to do is to create them yourself! How fun is that?! You can quite easily download a desktop icon creator, and you wouldn't believe how easy they are to make. Every desktop icon is really just a very small, fairly low-resolution picture. This means that you can probably create the perfect desktop icon with a little imagination and creativity, as well as one to two hours of your time.

I have also been told that certain desktop icon creators can shrink photos into desktop icons for you, saving you precious time that it takes to create them, but I do not know if this actually exists. The best thing is to try it out yourself if you are really interested. Like any other program, the desktop icon creator software can be found in either free or trial versions (just google it), so it not that difficult to get hold of and start using. So then you will finally have those perfect desktop icons you have always dreamt of having!

Fun Facts About Botanicals

Just about everyone has heard of botanicals these days, but what you associate with the word botanicals depends on how they are used in your life. The dictionary definition of botanical is: "1: of or relating to plants, or botany; 2: derived from plants; 3: species (tulips)". Wikipedia defines botanicals as "a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal or therapeutic properties, flavor, and/or scent". So already we have four slightly different meanings of this word. A scientist would probably think of definition #1. A doctor or health enthusiast would most likely think of the Wikipedia definition. I myself think more of the #3 definition because I am heavily into gardening and plants.

As far back as 60,000 BC man has been using plants for medicinal and health reasons. In the Middle Ages most castles, abbeys and monasteries, and homes of prominent citizens had herb gardens and a "still room" where soothing and healthful drinks were concocted. Botany (Botanicals) became more studied in the 16th and 17th centuries when universities in Europe started planting herb gardens so that the plants could be examined while students took a formal course in botany.

Today we find botanicals in many forms; tablets, liquids, fresh and dried products and tea bags. Ginger is found fresh (ginger root) and dried (teabags). Also used in the kitchen are parsley, rosemary, mint... and the list goes on. Juniper berries are the chief flavoring agent in gin, and many manufacturers add their own "secret" botanicals to give the product its own distinctive flavor, such as cinnamon, coriander, angelica root, and orange peel. Medicinally we use Echinacea (coneflower), garlic, caraway, in a holistic approach to health; but with traditional medicine we process plants to get a whole host of prescription drugs such as aspirin, digitalis, quinine, morphine and codeine. Obviously there are way too many of these to list them all.

When dried, the petals, leaves and berries or fruits of herbs and flowers give us the ingredients to make potpourri. They are decorative additions to any décor. Mix a few different flower shapes and colors for your own signature potpourri, or else purchase a mix. You can also scent your potpourri by adding a few drops of fragrance oil. If your mix contains some of the stronger smelling botanicals, such as mint, sage or thyme you might not want to add any other scent. But whatever you choose, botanical potpourri is definitely a soft, beautiful way to decorate your home or office.

One other use of botanicals is not so much employed today. In the language of flowers, each particular flower and its various colors have a specific meaning. Long before men understood the cyclic changing of the seasons and its effect on plants, they realized that the flora changed and began to assign meanings to the different flowers and trees. This symbolism allowed man to express various sentiments. Originating in the poetry of Persia, the "language of flowers" came to Europe around the early 1700's. But evidence exists that show that flowers were used as secret code in art, architecture and legend well before this time. Using flowers to express one's sentiments really came into vogue during Victorian times. Fresh flowers were used whenever possible; but if one was unable to obtain them, then herbal intention bottles, or Blessing Bottles made of combinations of dried flowers were substituted. The Victorians had the art of communicating through flowers down to a science. Not only did each individual flower have its own meaning, the combination of various flowers imparted special sentiments and desires. And sometimes the meaning wasn't very nice!

How to Choose the Best Storage Cabinets

Choosing the best storage cabinets depending on your specific needs is very essential because it is considered to be one of the important furniture for home as well as office.

The storage cabinets are of great help in getting things organized. It can be used for storing various kinds of things such as documents, equipments, cloths etc.

Today you have plenty of options in case of indoor and outdoor cabinets. You can get it in various sizes, designs, colors and it also varies in terms of features as well as the material utilized for making it.

Other than the ready made cabinets you also have the option of custom made cabinets which can be specifically designed to suit your needs as well as the space requirement.

In general the cabinets for storage purposes are classified into living room cabinets, media storage cabinets, computer, bedroom cabinets, office cabinets, kitchen cabinets etc.

The cabinets that are used at offices are normally facilitated with locks keeping in mind the safety purpose. Most of the offices use the hanging cabinets which are securely mounted on the walls and used for storing, files, documents, CDs etc.

While buying a cabinet whether it is for indoor or outdoor use, it is better to go for cabinets with adjustable kind of shelves because they are very flexible and functional and can be easily customized according to our storage needs. It can not only be helpful for your current storing but also useful for your future needs since it can be modified to store extra items.

It is also better to choose cabinets that are made of high quality material so that it can last for longer period of time.

IT is highly recommended that you do a careful planning before choosing the storage cabinet which can be best suitable for your storage needs.

Anyone Can Make a Handmade Scrapbook Using My Step by Step Process

Sharing Your Photos

You went to a special event or party and took a lot of pictures but what are you going to do with them now? If you are like most people, you'll view the pictures on your computer or from the envelope that they came in and that will be the end of it. They will be filed away never to be seen again.

That is a shame. I know, because I have boxes and boxes of pictures that are rarely seen because it's too difficult to get at them. Conversely, I also have several scrapbooks that are just a joy to look at. To me, they are heirlooms that I can't even put a price on.

The idea of putting my photos into a handmade scrapbook came to me after I attended a certain event and several people asked me for copies of my pictures. Rather than make a bunch of copies of random pictures and pass them out, I decided that this certain event deserved more than that. It was special and so I wanted to showcase the pictures in a special way. I wanted to tell the story in pictures and words.

Although handmade scrapbooks take a lot of time to make, they can not be beaten for quality and uniqueness. I started with that first special event and have made several books since then. Follow the steps below to make your own:

To Make a Handmade Scrapbook

Mount prints on 8-1/2 x 11 white card stock. In addition to the prints and card stock, I recommend getting a paper cutter and a corner rounder. The paper cutter allows you to precisely cut your photos and card stock to size, and the corner rounder is really nice for shaping the corners of your photographs.

I usually put my prints in chronological order first, crop them to size, round the corners (personal preference) and then mount them with glue sticks.

In addition to the photo pages, adding a one page family tree or an itinerary page can really help tell the story. My scrapbooks usually end up being 20-40 pages with 3 to 5 pictures on each page.





Put words to the pictures. After all the pictures are mounted onto the card stock scrapbook pages, I bring them to my computer and simply go through each page and type into a blank Word document the captions for each picture.

When I began making these books, I purchased a disk of really cool fonts called "The Best of Creative Lettering" from my favorite scrapbook magazine, "Creating Keepsakes Magazine." If you want a great scrapbooking resource, this magazine is it!

After the captions are in the Word document, I print them, and mount each one by the appropriate picture using glue sticks.




Embellish the pages. Now that the pictures and captions are mounted, I dress up the pages with memorabilia, such as, golf score cards and ticket stubs, and I add stickers to limit the amount of white space. Don't use metallic stickers as they do not copy well.



Copy, Laminate and Coil. The cheapest way to make copies of your original pages is to go to a copy place, like Kinkos or Reprographics, and make the color copies yourself (bring your own cardstock). It's more expensive, but they will do it for you if you prefer.

This is the best part of making this kind of scrapbook. You can make as many copies as you like of the original and everybody gets a copy of their own to take home. You can't do that with scrapbooks made in those big, fancy albums.

To make the scrapbooks more durable, I laminate the front and back covers. It really adds to the quality of the book. Lastly, the books need to be bound. I like to use the black coil type because they hold up well and look really nice.

I spend a lot of time and energy creating these handmade scrapbooks to commemorate special events or to honor special people. When I give someone one of these extraordinary gifts and see their expression, it truly warms my heart and makes it all worthwhile.

Home Organization - Unclutter Your Home

Ever find yourself lost in the sea of clutter? Books, toys, old documents, laundry, and everything in between hanging around your house making it look messy? You surely want to entertain people and show them your house, but not if it is embarrassingly messy. Instead of sitting around and waiting for a reality TV show to help you clean up your house, why not try and do it yourself? Just follow some easy steps and soon you'll be able to find everything you need in a neat space.

The first thing you need to do is look in each room and find out where the problem places are in the room. Problem places can be things like a pile of clothes on the floor, books on tables and not in shelves and piles of magazines and newspapers. Take note of these messes. Find out why these problems and messes exist. Is there nowhere to put the shoes? Has everybody forgotten about the clothes bin? Try and solve these problems if they exist so after you're done cleaning the mess it does not come back to haunt you again.

Go through your cupboards and find out what you should throw out or keep in there. You might find things in your kitchen cupboard that you never knew you hand, like a five year old bottle of cooking oil. Closets are important to go through as well. A lot of people keep things in their closets for long amounts of time. The rule with going through closets is if you haven't worn it for a year, then you have to throw it out or give it away.

Bookcases are usually full and packed beyond their capacity in most houses. If this is the case in your space, then you should get rid of books that you find you do not want to read or you do not want to read again any time soon. Remember there is always the public library if you get a sudden urge to read some old bestseller or classic book again. Kids' rooms need to be cleaned out too, so throw away and give away old toys and clothes that they do not use anymore. They will just start gathering dust and becoming clutter if you don't.

Clean out bathrooms starting with things that are old and not being used any more. We're all guilty of keeping things in the bathroom for too long: old lotions, cosmetics, and the like. If it has gone past its expiration date, throw it away. Lastly, check under your bed. Be careful and use a broom, a vacuum, or even a hazardous materials mask to do this.

It is easy to keep things organized nowadays with all of the organizing products that are available to us. There are many containers and boxes which you can use to store away everything that you do not use all the time. Make sure you put these in a place you'll remember, and label the containers correctly. This way you can keep these things out of sight and you will still know where they are.

Make sure to arrange the room in a way that you will remember where you have put things, and put things near or in the area where you usually use them. If you take on a system that is not practical, usually it will get messy again soon. Make sure to solve the problems that cause your mess, and clean it up. Soon, you'll be able to keep everything in place without any stress if you take these steps to home organization.

Use Premade Scrapbook Pages to Create a Quick, and Snazzy Holiday Photo Album

As holidays come and go, you probably have plenty of photos to captivate those memorable moments. There are photos of family gatherings, gift exchanges, children exploring their new toys under the tree on Christmas morn, New Year's celebrations, Easter egg hunts, and more. The usual photo album protects and organizes your photos, but that's about all! Scrapbooks bring your photos to life and enable you to keep notes or depict a theme for specific occasions.

Maybe you don't have time to create memory albums from scratch. A good solution to make a creative holiday scrapbook is to purchase premade scrapbook pages. These come in a variety of holiday themes ready-made to include your favorite photos.

Themes for Christmas may include snowmen, elves, ornaments, wrapping paper designs, Christmas stars and more. Premade pages for Thanksgiving usually have harvest designs with turkeys and pumpkins. Easter scrapbook pages often feature spring flowers, Easter eggs and rabbits. Premade scrapbooking pages are available for Mother's Day and Father's Day if you want to honor your parents with a unique photo album or help your own children surprise the other parent! There are also custom scrapbook pages for St. Patrick's Day, 4th of July, Halloween, New Year's Day and Grandparents Day.

Premade scrapbook pages can be added to your current album if you already started making one on your own and haven't had the time to update it. These also make great holiday gifts for girls who enjoy scrapbooking, although most girls prefer to create pages from scratch! Another idea is to create a few pages for a loved one as a gift using keepsake photos and premade scrapbooking pages. It's a gift that will be treasured for life as you remind them of a sentimental moment or perhaps even a funny moment. You might include a card that says, "Remember this moment?" and send their new custom scrapbook page by mail.

Durable Protection for Your Holiday Photos

Shop for custom scrapbook pages that are clearly marked "acid free." Paper with high levels of acid can add to the acid already present on photos. This is called acid migration, and can cause a chemical reaction that can distort the coloration of your photos over time. Custom made scrapbook pages are usually hand made with special care to ensure long-lasting enjoyment of your photos. These usually cost between $5 and $20 depending on the style and materials used, but they're well worth the investment if you want your photos to be around for future generations to enjoy.

Some companies allow you to custom order your pages and specify the theme and artwork based on your needs. For example, perhaps you'd like to create a special wedding photo scrapbook and want to use your wedding theme and colors as a springboard for the scrapbook pages. You might not be able to find the exact designs needed, but a scrapbook designer can create the pages from scratch to your specification.

A premade scrapbook page also enables you to document each holiday photo for future viewing. Imagine your grandchildren looking through your memory albums years later with no documentation. They will not know who is in the photo or when it was taken. Documentation eliminates the worry that your photos may one day be discarded because they are not clearly labeled.

Holidays are meant to be remembered. Premade scrapbook pages make it possible to preserve your memories in a fun, creative way!

Interior Design Vs Interior Decorating Vs Home Staging Vs Interior Redesign - What's the Difference?

The other day a real estate agent whose listings I stage for sale introduced me to someone as a "designer". I didn't want to take the time to correct him, but I thought to myself, "This isn't the first time I've heard people use 'designer' erroneously. It's often used to label someone who's an interior decorator. So, why does everyone lump us all in one category, when we all clearly do something different?"

To put the differences succinctly:

Interior Design involves, among many other things, the preparation of documents often by a licensed professional for the construction of an interior space such as plans and elevations, and details and specifications, including lighting, power and communication locations, materials and finishes, and furniture layouts.
Interior Decorating involves the adornment of surfaces in the interior space, such as fabrics, wall coverings, furniture, decorative accessories, flooring, light fixtures etc., and takes into account the lifestyle, taste, needs and preferences of the user of the space. While interior designers may decorate, interior decorators don't design.
Home Staging is preparing the home for sale through updates and "decorating" so that it appeals to the broadest range of buyers for the market that the home is in.
Interior Redesign is often done by home stagers for homeowners not currently selling because it employs many of the same principles that home stagers use, such as primarily using what furniture and decorative accessories the homeowner already has, with an eye towards the future sale of the home.

Now, let's explore each one more in-depth.

Interior Design

According to the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ):

Interior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment.
These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants and are aesthetically attractive.
Designs are created in response to and coordinated with thebuilding shell and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project.
Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements, and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability.
The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology, including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process, whereby the needs and resources of the client are satisfied to produce an interior space that fulfills the project goals.

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is the leading organization for interior design professionals. Certain levels of its members must meet certain education, work experience and examination requirements administered by the NCIDQ. Further, some states have licensing requirements for interior designers which include the passage of this exam. ASID also has continuing education requirements for its members.

Interior Decorating

No wonder people often confuse Interior Decorating with Interior Design. Even I had trouble finding a definition for Interior Decorating. Often it said "see interior design".

Perhaps its best to understand interior decorating as it exists in contrast to interior design:

An interior decorator would select floor coverings based upon the tastes and lifestyle of the client, whereas the interior designer would take it a step further and look at usage, sound transference, flammability, etc.
An interior decorator would select lighting fixtures, whereas the interior designer would plan for the location of lighting and ensure that it is in compliance with building and safety codes.
An interior decorator does not need to have any formal education and/or work experience, testing or licensing, whereas an interior designer does.

Home Staging

Home staging is the art and science of preparing a home for sale so that it appeals to the broadest range of buyers in order to sell quickly and for top dollar. The objective is to make the potential buyer fall in love with the home, envision themselves living there and aspire to the lifestyle the home portrays.

According to the Real Estate Staging Association's Consumer's Guide to Home Staging, it is a "systematic and coordinated methodology in which knowledge of real estate, home renovations and creative design principles are applied to attract a buyer."

Home staging involves any or all of the following:

Evaluating what furniture and decorative accessories (throw pillows, artwork, decorative objects, lamps, knickknacks, etc.) the owner has, and:

- eliminating some of the furniture and/or decorative accessories, otherwise known as decluttering as well as depersonalizing (removal of family photos, trophies, collections etc. so the buyer can envision living there)

- arranging the furniture and accessories for optimal placement to enhance flow (the ability to walk freely through the room), focal point enhancement (e.g., emphasizing a fireplace or a beautiful view), balance (are there too many or too large pieces in the bookcase or on only one side of the room?) and the positive aspects of the home while downplaying the negatives

Carefully selecting for purchase or rent, if necessary, the appropriate furniture and accessories for the style of the home and it's market.
Recommending, implementing and/or arranging for enhancements, updates and repairs such as painting, flooring, sink fixtures, lighting fixtures, window treatments, landscaping, etc.

Interior Redesign

As stated above, interior redesign is like home staging, however it enhances the home for the homeowners rather than for potential buyers. And it does so with an eye towards its future sale. It is like home staging in that it primarily uses the client's existing furniture and decorative accessories to transform the space, and may also involve the purchase of additional furniture and accessories as well as updates to the wall colors, window treatments, lighting fixtures etc.

Summary

To summarize the differences:

Interior Design involves the planning of all aspects of interior space often by a licensed professional.
Interior Decorating involves the adornment of surfaces in the interior space. Interior designers may decorate, but interior decorators don't design.
Home Staging is preparing the home for sale through updates and showcasing so that it appeals to the broadest range of buyers for the market that the home is in.
Interior Redesign employs many of the same principles that home stagers use, such as primarily using what furniture and decorative accessories the homeowner already has, with an eye towards the future sale of the home.

Mortgage - Move For the Lender

If you are looking for the real deal on your next loan or mortgage, then it's always better for you to opt for the glossary or the terms that are often being said in this industry. Keep in mind that the loan and mortgage industry is now drawing more popularity across the globe and due to such reason, the industry is also implementing new terms and conditions. Constant modifications and additions are coming into act. This is the exact reason why customers need to stay updated with the terms that are now going high on use in the mortgage industry.

Additional security fee: An additional security fee is also know as the Mortgage Indemnity Guarantee Policy is nothing but the fee that will be taken to draw an insurance policy. Such insurance policy will often cover the lender when there is a default in payments. This is a good way for a lender to keep him away from the possible losses. The borrower has to pay the additional security fee along with the premium and the mortgages in advance. Although the borrower will have to pay the premium, then also he/she needs to keep in mind that such policies are often made for protection for the lender and not for the borrower.

Administration fee: The administration fee is a kind of fee that will come into act by the lender when the documentation work will be on progress. This is a part of the mortgage application process. It also includes the home valuation fee. The administration fee is a nonrefundable one. Even though you are not done with the valuation task and your application for mortgage has been rejected, then also the administration fee will be considered as a nonrefundable one.

Mortgage Fraud: Another thing you need to consider is the fraud that is going around the home loan industry. FBI has already warned about it to banks, lenders and prospective home buyers and investors as well. Before getting into any such deals please check the credibility of the lenders and make sure you have no chance of mortgage fraud. If you do not take care of this issue then your investment can become a great hurdle and instead of investment it may become a problem. So be careful and simply do more research Well, its time to move for your lender and track out more details in this regard.

Increase Security With Keyless Entry Door Locks

Because of a practice that burglars use called "lock bumping," and other measures burglars take to pick locks, keyless entry door locks are becoming increasingly popular in office spaces and in residential buildings. In order to keep burglars from breaking into your home, (especially if you live in an area where there is a higher likelihood of crime) you should consider alternative measures to your ordinary door lock.

You can go keyless with several types of locks that are bump-proof, unpickable and hacksaw-proof. You might even consider mechanical locks, electronic locks or fingerprint locks, all of which are keyless.

Both mechanical and electronic locks utilize some sort of keypad into which you press a secret code that you can customize. Both of these types of keyless entry door locks operate a deadbolt that only releases its latch when you enter the proper code; the mechanical lock opens manually while the electronic lock opens via electric signals.

Fingerprint keyless entry door locks are very convenient but much more expensive than mechanical and electronic locks. With fingerprint locks, the deadbolt will not open unless the proper fingerprint is registered on its scanner.

Whether you choose a mechanical, electronic or fingerprint keyless lock, you can purchase one in just about any style. If you want a look that is all business or if you want a lock that is decorative for your home's ornate front door, you can easily find what you are looking for online. The Internet can provide many affordable resources.

In Design Efficiency Booster - 5 Tips on How to Increase In Design Speed

Slow down at the start - Slowing down might sound strange because this article is about speed increasing. Still, taking some time at the beginning of a design task is absolutely crucial for an effective fast paced design session. Set your priorities straight and get all the design tools you are planning to use near you. Make sure you focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking is absolutely counter-effective. If you are really close to a deadline I highly recommend closing your telephone, e-mail applications and other distracting elements! One small distraction can cause a complete loss of focus.

Set up a good grid system - A well designed grid keeps the chances of text problems and design flaws at a minimum. I also recommend some font testing. What will the size of the average text be and how tall will the line-spaces be? These questions are the perfect basics for setting up a good grid system. Don't forget to link all your type onto the grid system for the grid guidance system to work properly!

Master all pages - Mastering your pages will prevent offsets in the design content. All master pages serve as a guidance layouts for the rest of the document. Use master pages to position elements such as paragraphs, headers and page numbering positions at a preferred position in the layout. Newly created pages will have the master design layout automatically applied. Any changes to the master page will now affect the whole document.

Create character styles with short keys - I recommend using paragraph styles for paragraphs and character styles for individual typographic elements (elements such as headers and sub headers). By doing so, all elements in your document get assigned to a certain style. This makes the whole document related. Now it's possible to change the looks of the entire document with just a few clicks.

Effectively divide your time - Make sure to work in blocks no longer then 1.5 hour. Take a break for at least 15 minutes after each block. I recommend doing something not related to your design activities. It's amazing how effective it can be to take a little break. A short break of 15 minutes often leads to a fresh look on what you have done so far! It's much easier to spot flaws you did not notice before.

Locate Chicago Birth Records

If you spend time trying to call has been spent in Chicago birth record, you know how difficult it can be. Every year people spend countless hours on the ice, only to find they had been transferred to the wrong department or accidental disconnect. Fortunately, there is a more effective way to Chicago in the 21 century birth records found. More and more people see the Internet as a Chicago-area birth records in human choice. JustAn order to pay a small fee and are delivered door-minute recording was born. This could not be easier. Let us look at just a few reasons why so many top Chicago birth records request online.

Like a beautiful city of Chicago, who lived there a specific time, even up and move to another city school or work that it took a lot of people. This means that there are millions of people in the United States and around the worldThe world, has a large Chicago area has its roots, but no. If you ever want to make your exploration a Chicago-area birth records from the grassroots level requirements of your choice is limited, because you can not go to Chicago Office and Government Records 地区 running a's request. The Internet is really the only option, so do not be afraid to use it to get the records you need. Since so many Americans can easily trace their heritage to the rest of the world, findGenealogy can be as long as the United States over a period of time has been missed. We can know that we are Ireland and Germany, rather than the names of most of us, from our distant relatives overhead. Who knows, maybe some of Chicago's birth certificate, only to find someone related or known to have the legacy you are not you always think that it yes.
If you have more time, you can contact:

Cook County vital records Daley Center 50 W. WashingtonChicago St. IEC standards, IL 60602

More and more people born in Chicago's order to complete their own data records may be incomplete years. We all do, most of today, records may be missing or get laid. This is very good to know, the Internet has replaced these important legal documents easy.

Mother's Day Crafts For Kids To Make - Mother's Day Coupon Book For Kids To Make

Mother's day crafts for kids to make should result in gifts that really mean something to mom. Now what can be more special than giving mom a coupon book with coupons that can be redeemed when necessary? Make beautifully decorated coupons with promises like "Good For One Week Of Doing The Dishes" or "Good For A Free Hug" or "Good For Hanging The Washing Once" or whatever is suitable in your circumstances. It is obvious that a coupon for a chore the kid has to do in any case is useless and the promise must also be within the kids capabilities. No good can come from letting a three year old make a coupon for "Good For Making Sunday Breakfast Once!" This craft is a little advanced and smaller children will need quite a bit of help with it.

Supplies for your Mother's day craft:

2 Pieces of cardboard 61/2 inches square
Colored construction paper 61/4 inch X 18 inch
A pair of craft scissors
A pair of scallop-edged scissors
A black permanent marker
A satin ribbon of a color that tones in with the color scheme of your book
A ruler
A glue stick
Assorted decorative colors:
6 Assorted colors to tone in with your color scheme
2 Of 71/2 inch square in one other color
1 Of 31/2 inch X 5 inch in one other color
Stickers for decorations
Envelopes 41/2 inch X 53/4 inch:
3 in your first Color
2 in your other Color

Method for this mother's day craft for kids to make:

The first you need to do is to place your 71/2 inch square papers on the table right side under.

Now you take your cardboard and glue one piece onto the centre of each of you 71/2 inch square pieces of paper.

Trim the corners of the pieces of paper and glue the overhanging pieces of paper onto the cardboard.

Now you place your pieces of cardboard wrong side up next to each other on the table about a ¼ inch apart.

Glue the ribbon onto the cardboard as follows: Apply a thin horizontal line of glue across the center of both your pieces of cardboard from the one side to the other and place the ribbon over the glue letting the ends of the ribbon lay flat on your table.

Now we get to a step that really might need the help of an adult. Measure 6 inches from the one end of your construction paper and make a fold on the mark.

Starting from that fold make four complete ¾ inch accordion pleats in your construction paper.

Now there should be a 6 inch portion of the construction paper on both sides of your accordion pleats.

Turn your construction paper over and glue each 6 inch portion onto the center of your pieces of cardboard. It will also cover the ribbon glued onto the cardboard, making everything neat and tidy.

Now you have to let everything dry well for at least 30 minutes.

While you are waiting you can make your coupons in the meanwhile. Make them out of your decorative paper and cut them in assorted shapes. Write your message on them and decorate them with stickers.

Insert your coupons into the envelopes.

You can also make the decoration for the outside of your coupon book. Using your scallop-edged pair of scissors trim the edge of your 31/2 inch X 5 inch decorative paper.

Also using your black marker create a title for your coupon book.

Cut out your title with the scallop-edged pair of scissors.

Now you glue it onto 31/2 inch X 5 inch piece of paper that you prepared for the outside of your book.

You can also further decorate this piece of paper with stickers.

Now you have to complete your book before you stick it onto the front of your coupon book.

To complete your book glue the envelopes onto your accordion pleats alternating the colors. You glue four onto the pleats, flap side up and the last envelope you glue onto the back cover of the coupon book.

You can also decorate your envelopes with stickers.

With the glue stick the piece of paper with your title onto the front of the coupon book.

Now you are finished and you can tie the coupon book close with the ribbon.

As you can see this mother's day craft for kids to make is going to take a little effort but the end result is so beautiful that it is well worth it. Mom is going to love this mother's day gift.

Unique and Imaginative Wall Storage Ideas

Everyone can use more organization in their lives (except those misguided souls who alphabetize their spices, canned goods and color-coordinate their laundry supplies!). Additional wall storage can help bring that organization into your home. And original and unusual wall storage ideas can help organization become décor pizzazz! Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. If you have old fruit crates or soda pop crates, attach them to the wall to become a wonderful storage unit to display books or knicknacks. You can paint the units to match your décor or leave the original labels and wood to create a rustic and unusual centerpiece of your room.

2. Do you have an old garden bench or one of those wooden benches which are frequently beside dining tables or in entry halls? Try it attaching upside down on the wall. Use the shelf created by the bench top to display collections. Just think of using a white distressed bench as a shelf for teddy bears in a child's room.

3. Old wooden hangers can make beautiful storage units for jewelry, ties, and even shoes. Paint the hangers a solid color and let dry. Then add decorative touches such as hand-painted flowers or stripes. Or wrap the hangers with strips of fabric using glue to adhere the strips to the wood. When the hanger is completely wrapped, cover with a decoupage finish. Attach to the wall with painted or plain hooks.

4. Want a wonderful idea for towel storage in a bathroom? Try attaching a window box or planter to the wall and fill with folded towels and washcloths, soaps or creams. Add trim and paint to make a unique storage unit.

5. Need an easily accessible place to store your pots and pans? Attach a narrow wrought iron curtain rod with decorative finials to the wall. You can hang the pans from S-hooks which have been hooked over the rod. A great idea!

Use your own imagination to turn everyday objects into storage areas. You might come up with the perfect solution to your organization needs. Hmmm...any ideas for storing the 20 years back issues of "Better Homes and Gardens"?

Write a Cover Letter Tips - Your Secret Guide to Landing a Job

No matter how you view it your cover letter is still the first key to the success of your job-hunt. Resumes generally act as support to your cover letter. Since the letter should be as compact and short as possible, you are hindered to include everything in it. Instead, you incorporate this essential data in your resume. As such, it is vital to write a cover letter with caution.

A job application process is a step-by-step procedure. If you start poorly at the beginning, expect the outcome to be undesirable. A messy cover letter throws your chances to get your resume read. If your resume is not read and scanned, your opportunity to be interviewed is also lost. Without a job interview on your part, the door to career opportunity is not open. So when writing your cover letter, here are few tips for you.

• Do not Re-hash Your Resume on Your Cover Letter. It is not recommended to make only a summary of your resume and integrate it on your cover letter. A good letter should highlight only your relevant skills and experiences and tie them up gracefully with the job position. Metaphorically, a cover letter acts like a bridge between the resume and the job description.

• Coordinated Your Resume with Your Cover Letter. Aside from it to be visually appealing, the cover letter should coordinated nicely with the resume. For instance, if you use a certain font on your letter, you should also use the same font on your resume. Use also the same quality of paper on both documents. In addition, use the same header on your letter and resume. With well-coordinated documents, your marketability will be great.

• Keep it Simple and Yet Elegant. Overdoing the style and format on your letter is a big mistake, unless you are applying for a position as a graphic designer. A simple letter with great content is enough to convey your message. Never go for common decorative fonts to attract attention because they will not. However, if the employer is unconventional, be as creative as you can possibly be.

• Be Brief on Your Letter. It is important that you capture and maintain the attention of the employer within 10 seconds. A short and snappy letter is a good option in doing so. If you make your letter long enough, you will lose the interest of the hiring manager. To avoid long paragraphs, do not use sentences with the same thought. Honestly, you do not need to explain everything on your letter. This is because your intention is to leave the employers' curiosity on you. Let them call you and learn more about you through job interview.

• Use Different Letters for Different job Applications. This only implies that the letter should be tailored and fit the job description perfectly. It must be specific enough to highlight your strengths. Tailoring your letter for every job application can take too much of your time. However, it is very effective.

Decorative Chinese Hanging Knots - Unique Asian Gift Decor For the Home & Office

Long a staple decoration across cultures in Asia, the Decorative Knot is instantly recognizable by people both native and foreign to Asian countries. Though the art of knot tying was practiced separately across the world, it was in Asia specifically that this art form was so developed that it's still in widespread and popular use today. Possessing characteristic curves and intricate turns, the decorative knot is an ancient art form that is once again spreading in popularity with the reemergence of Asian cultures on the world stage.

Cultural Significance of Decorative Knot Tying

Besides being practiced in China and much of Asia for several thousand years, Chinese knots begun to see use in both ceremonial and religious functions in addition to their more decorative uses. Chinese weddings commonly feature a variety of decorative knots, symbolic of the entwining of two lives similar to entwining of the knots. Many pieces also feature embroidered images or other materials inlaid onto the knot itself, such as precious stones or other solid materials. Other common additions to knots are small embroidered bags filled with fragrant herbs. In modern times, decorative knots fill an important commercial niche especially in China, where you'll see it attached to everything from rear view mirrors to cell phones carried by teenagers.

Origins of Traditional Decorative Knot Making in Asia

Knot making began during prehistoric times, likely for the practical purposes of holding together rope and other fabric material. But as civilization advanced, the practice shifted to artistic and ceremonial purposes. Surviving documents and records suggest that artistic knot making was proliferating widely in ancient China and being incorporated into everything from sword hilts, lanterns, to hair stick tassels.

Bosch Paintings

Hieronymus Bosch was an early Dutch artist who was to inspire the Bruegel family amongst others who followed. Bosch produced his paintings throughout the 15th and 16th century at a time when art movements were starting to develop on from those of the middle ages. Bosch always attempted to get across his moral and religious messages through his art, rather than just painting what he saw. His surname came from the city of Den Bosch in the Netherlands.

Little is known from Bosch's life due to a complete lack of written accounts and historical documents. It is known that he received popularity throughout his life for his paintings, which is not the case for all artists, and that he reguarly received commissions from Dutch-based and foreign customers. His tripychs were also amongst his best works, including The Garden of Earthly Delights which covered Adam and Eve in great splendour and imagination, combining different messages with each part of the tripitych.

Famous Bosch paintings and triptychs included The Garden of Earthly Delights, The Temptation of St. Anthony, The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things, the The Haywain Triptych and The Stone Operation.

Phillip II of Spain was Bosch's best known follower, leading him to buy many original works by the arist throughout his life. These paintings, a large percentage of the 25 that still remain in good condition and fully attributed to Bosch, now reside in the Prado Museum in Madrid as a result.

To conclude, Bosch is a well known artist from a period where little has survived an the artist remains unique for this. Bosch is also another great example of the success of Dutch painters, followed on by the Brugel Elder and Younger, during this period around the early and high renaissance. It is important to remember that this critical period of art was not confined to Italy, as many believe, and that the renaissance took in most of Europe by the time it had finished.

GBC Accucut A400pro Smartcut Rotary Paper Trimmer Review

Overview:

The GBC Accucut A400pro (also known as the Smartcut A400 pro) is a heavy duty high performance 12" rotary paper trimmer. It is designed for trimming signs, presentations, photos, labels and more. It even works with laminated items and matboard.
The A400pro rotary trimmer is the introductory model for GBC's line of professional rotary trimmers.
The A400pro even has optional cutting blades that are available for decorative cutting and perforating

Strengths / Features:

The Smartcut A400pro is a professional grade rotary trimmer designed for trimming all types of materials. It is rated for cutting up to 10 sheets of 20lb paper at a time. However, it is not the ideal solution for cutting large volumes of paper. Instead, it is designed for the precise trimming of laminated materials, signs, presentations and photos.
This cutter has a metal cutting base that offers stability and strength and the base has a printed alignment grid that helps to provide precise cutting of all different formats of paper. The cutting length of the A400 is twelve inches and the width of the base is nine inches.
The A400 has a transparent cutting guide that makes it simple to see exactly where the cutter will trim. The rotary blade travels along the edge of the transparent guide allowing you to precisely judge where the blade will travel.
The A400 uses a high quality stainless-steel rotary blade that cuts in both directions. The blade can easily be replaced if it becomes dull. There are even optional blades available for the A400 that allow you to use it for perforating documents or for adding a decorative edge to your paper using a wave cutting blade.
The A400pro also has a convenient storage department in the bottom of the cutter that is designed for holding extra cutting blades.

Weaknesses / Limitations:

Although the A400pro has a metal rod for the blade to travel on, the blade mechanism still seems to have some play in it. This can make it difficult to make the most precise cuts when accuracy is absolutely essential.
The A400pro uses a cutting mat to help ensure high quality cuts. However, over time the cutting mat will become worn and the quality of the cutting produced by the A400 will degrade. The cutting mat can be reversed and then fipped over for a total of four possible positions. However, it is essential to replace the cutting mat as it becomes worn. This helps to ensure the quality of your cuts.
The cutting base of the A400pro is only 9 inches wide. This makes trimming larger documents difficult. Documents with more than 9" to the left of the blade are not able to take advantage of the rulers or guides on the machine making them extremely difficult to cut.

Recommendation:

The GBC Smartcut A400pro is an excellent choice for small offices and home offices that are looking for an introductory level professional quality rotary trimmer.
The trimmer offers a great set of features for its price level. However, it offers a limited cutting length, cutting table and the cutting blade is not as secure as I would prefer in a true professional level paper trimmer. For these features you would need to step up to the 500 series of GBC trimmers.
However, the 500 series of trimmers does not offer wave cutting or perforating. If you need these features then the A400 or A410pro which offers a 15 inch cutting length are ideal.