Calligraphy Fonts

Calligraphy fonts have undergone a colorful evolution throughout the centuries. Their development has been shaped by history itself.

Early writing was done on wood or stone, thus the fonts were angular. As man became more sophisticated and developed cities, the fonts also changed to have softer edges to adjust to the papyrus being used. When Rome fell, academic centers were concentrated in Western Europe. Afterwards, the Dark Ages settled in; art and creativity seemed to have died, so did developments of calligraphy fonts. After the Dark Ages, with the rise of the Roman Catholic Church to power, the formal and elaborate font styles emerged. This font features the architectural designs of the Middle Ages. These fonts are known as "Gothic." Until printing mechanism disrupted handcrafting of prints, Gothic was the popular choice for fonts. When literacy was brought down to the level of common townsfolk, the demand for less complex fonts increased. This plea for practicality gave birth to informal Gothic variants used in manually printed publications and documents.

As printing became more readily available, hand-lettering was designated to artists. The rest of the population wrote in cursives for their regular correspondences. Elaborate calligraphy, however, was still used for its decorative purpose in several formal documents--maps and invitations, for example. The complex calligraphy carried with it a sense of elegance and formality suited for high-level affairs and audiences.

Samples of the different calligraphy fonts are now housed in museums. But software programmers have found a way to copy those font styles. So if you are feeling a little fancy, or when you are looking for an element that would bring a touch of elegance into your formal invitation or correspondence, you may want to check out the suppliers of these software programs. You are bound to find just the right one for your needs.

Code vs Common Spacing - Achieving Visually Harmonious Architectural Balusters

Chances are, at some point you have glanced at a house or building with architectural balusters or other elements and thought to yourself, "Something just doesn't look right". Oftentimes that "something" has to do with incorrect baluster spacing or misaligned features that throw off the visual continuity of the structure. Achieving visual balance and proportion are key when installing architectural elements such as balustrade systems, columns and decorative capitals. To ensure that architectural elements will properly enhance the design of a commercial or residential project, an architect, builder or project owner may desire the assistance of an experienced and knowledgeable Architectural Products Specialist who can provide expertise and accurate installation information that results in correct elevation balance that is pleasing to the eye.

The Basic Balustrade System Components

The architecturally correct term for any railing system is balustrade -- or balustrade system. A balustrade system is a row of short pillars or spindles, called balusters, with a top railing and typically, but not always, a bottom railing. A balustrade system can also include a newel post and is used to edge porches, patios, veranda, porticos, decks and other exterior facades.

Balusters are the upright support of a balustrade system. They can be square, round or circular or an ornamental bar and can be wide or narrow in dimension. The widest part of the baluster is called the belly, and the narrowest part is called the sleeve.

The newel post of a balustrade system refers to the end element of a run. Newel posts are used when a railing changes direction at either a 90 degree or 45 degree angle, at a transition point to a stair or at the end of a run and, sometimes within a run.

What is 4" Code Spacing and When Do I have to Use It?

In order to address liability issues specifically related to children putting their heads between balusters in railing systems, the spacing requirements for commercial projects and many residential installations now require that balusters have no more than a 4" space between balusters at the widest gap between balusters not at the baluster base. Most, if not all, commercial baluster spacing codes are based on the 4" spacing, and many residential codes have followed suit. Yet the most important factor of correctly spacing balusters for your project is -- check your local building codes! Building codes differ greatly across the nation, within a state and even within towns and neighborhoods. We have found that codes can be very specific within historic districts and certain types of commercial and residential developments. So before you begin speaking with manufacturers, check the code!

What is Common Spacing

Common spacing is whatever the designer, builder or project owner deems it or what the manufacturer recommends as having the best visual appearance, and does not necessarily comply with local building codes. It is anything other than code spacing. An experienced Architectural Products Specialist will be able to guide you on various spacing options for their products, but don't forget to check local building requirements.

Visual Harmony: Why Does it Matter?

Balustrade systems, and architectural columns and decorative capitals on exteriors can act as dramatic visual elements of a structure. Following some simple guidelines will help to ensure that the visual impact of these elements is pleasing to the eye. Balusters that are not proportional to the overall scope of the building or balusters that are not spaced in relation to columns and other architectural elements can contribute to the feeling that "something's not quite right", also referred to as visual discord. Similarly, when choosing a column, pay special attention to its proportions in relation to the overall building design and elevations. It is essential to maintain visual harmony in both commercial and residential structures since you want people to be drawn to a site.

Conclusion

The ultimate goal of all of these tips is to help guide you in the process of providing a residential or commercial project owner with a structure that is both architecturally and aesthetically pleasing. Since proportion, spacing and style of various architectural elements can be quite overwhelming, it is beneficial to select an Architectural Product Specialist as your "in-house" residential expert. Find someone who is experienced with architectural products and uses their knowledge to add value to your exterior. The chosen specialist will be able to back up their experience with literature that explains proportions and how to accurately space and plan installations that are visually pleasing and architecturally correct.

How to Buy the Perfect Antique Rug

If you are in the market to buy a collectible or decorative rug, consider these few options before making a purchase.

For starters, know what you are getting. Is it a good deal? Are the materials, the textures and the age along the lines of what you were expecting? How much restoration has gone into the finished product? It can be difficult to determine by the naked eye or by way of a book whether the antique rug you are looking for is really what it claims to be. However, you do have some options to keep you from making a mistake that you will live to regret.

1. Go to a reputable dealer. If there is one in your area, friends, family or co-workers should know. Make sure you ask them. They may not have the answers you are looking for, but they will likely know someone who does.

2. Ask the dealer to stand by his product. A good way of him proving the quality of the product is to let you try it out at home for a few days. Submit the rug to normal wear and tear and see if there are any adverse effects. If the product is as good as advertised, then he will not have any trouble selling it should you not wish to purchase at the end of the trial period. If he refuses, then he may not have faith in the product.

3. Know the exchange policy. Ask the dealer how long you have to decide on the rug. If you get tired of it, or you do not like the way it looks in your home, will he take it back with no-hassle? Will he allow you to exchange for comparable products so long as the merchandise is returned in good quality?

4. Get it in writing. Make sure he notes the return agreement on the invoice at the time of purchase. This protects both of you.

5. Don't stop at one. Look at more than one style of rug and compare against quality, color and overall looks.

6. Examine color. Make sure it matches on the front and back of the rug.

7. Ask the dealer where he bought the rug. Getting one from an estate auction may indicate authenticity. Buying from another dealer is okay, too, so long as the other dealer is reputable.

8. Call Sotheby's and Christie's directly to speak with the head of their carpet departments. Ask them for dealer's names and recommendations of dealers you can trust to buy from safely.

Avoiding the purchase of phony antique rugs is your responsibility. Stick with advice you can trust and dealers whose reputations are without question, and you will never experience antique buyers remorse.

Make a Photo Book Online - 5 Ideas For Photo Book Themes

Photo Books are similar to photo albums but they're a little different. When you make a photo album, an adhesive holds the pictures in place. When you make a photo book, the pictures are printed directly onto the page. Sometimes with photo albums, the pictures will deteriorate over time. This usually does not happen with a photo book, which is an advantage. They're an awesome way to preserve memories and share life's special events with others. Various themes can be chosen for a photo book. Here are some ideas -

1. Baby Photos - Collect all of baby's first year in a photo book. Use your baby's newborn photos. The first time you held him after he was born. The first time you fed him. His first smile. The first time he sat up on his own. His first steps. His first birthday party. All of his memorable firsts. The funny memories, the sad memories, and the precious ones and compile them into a book. It'll be a wonderful keepsake to show him when he's older.

2. Wedding Photos - Compile all of your favorite wedding photos into book. Pictures of the bride and her bridesmaids, the groom and his groomsmen. The I-do's and family members dancing their pants off at the reception. What other images did you like? Be sure to include those too.

3. Vacation Photos - Chose pictures from the long road trip. Pics of the hotel, the tourist activities, the restaurants where you ate and all of the other fun things you did on your vacation.

4. Graduation Photos - Graduation is indeed a very special event. If you're close with the grad, perhaps if you live with them or see them before the ceremony, you'll have lots of opportunities to take photos of them. Capture a few shots of them getting ready for graduation. Get the shot of the first time they put on their cap and gown. Capture the anticipation and excitement of knowing they've accomplished something great and are about to be commended for their accomplishment. Of course take pictures of the ceremony and them with their family and friends after the ceremony. Add these to a photo book.

5. Holiday Photos - Choose a holiday, whether it's Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other holiday and compile these into a book. If you spent your holidays with your family and friends, and took a lot of photos, there will be lots of options to choose from.

Use your photo book as a coffee table book to be displayed where your guests can see it. You'll surely receive a lot of good feedback from the pictures you've taken. Photo Books are great for compiling, preserving and displaying life's special moments.

Illuminated Letters - How to Create a Convincing Illuminated Manuscript

Using this method it is very easy to create a convincing gilded manuscript that has the look and feel of genuine vellum or parchment.

To do this you will need:

An inkjet printer, Microsoft Word software or similar and a good quality off white or cream paper to print onto.

Imitation gold leaf. This is for the illuminated letters.

A bottle of gold size, there are many different varieties, I suggest using an acrylic size like  Simple Scribe as it is very easy to use.

Blonde de waxed shellac. This will alter the tone of the paper and give the paper the feel of vellum/parchment; it will also seal the gold leaf so that it does not tarnish over time.

Methylated Spirit is needed to dissolve the shellac, this is a 90% proof alcohol made to smell and taste very bad.

Some small paint brushes and a 1 or 2 inch paint brush.

Lastly you will need a craft knife and ruler, plus a cutting mat, or a sheet of thick card to cut upon.

I suggest making up the shellac solution first, we will not need it until later, but it gets it out of the way.

To make up the solution take 1 part of shellac flakes to 4 parts alcohol.

Be aware that the alcohol does give of fumes, best to do this in a ventilated room.

Using a screw top jar add the flakes and alcohol and let it stand for 24 hours; give the mixture an occasional stir. If conditions are cold it will take longer to dissolve.

Now create your document in Microsoft Word; if you want the look of a medieval illuminated letter choose an Old English typeface.

If you do not have such a type face installed on your PC you can easily obtain them as there are many websites that offer free fonts.

If you want to use a large drop capital you can do so in Word by going to Format/Drop Cap/Dropped.

Change the colour of the capital letter from black, to pale pink; we do this in order that we can see the letter to be gilded.

When you have finished creating your document in Word, print out however many copies you want to create.

Using a small paintbrush, paint the capital letter with the gold size.

When the gold adhesive is ready it is time to apply the leaf.

Remove one of the leaves together with the front and back tissue to support it, and cut it up into appropriate sizes with your craft knife.

Now lift up one of the pieces, discarding the bottom layer of tissue but including the top layer, and lay it down in place over the large capital, the top layer of tissue paper protects the gold while you rub down firmly.

Removing the surplus gold leaf from the illuminated letter.

Take a small length of masking tape and gently dab the gold leaf, the surplus leaf will stick to the tape.

When you have removed the surplus leaf it is time to apply the shellac coat.

Give a generous coat of the shellac solution to the front and back of the paper.

Leave to dry in a warm room.

Making a Scrapbook For a Gift

If you are a scrapper, you know the sentimental value that a scrapbook holds. Each book represents a special time in your life, memories you don't want to forget and events that made you who you are today. Taking photographs of important life moments and arranging them so they are not only beautiful to the eye, but to the soul as well, is something you know all too well. Those who take pride in the scrapbooks they create may find that providing another with such a wonderful keepsake would be a beautiful gift idea. Straight from the heart, the gift of a scrapbook is something to be cherished, just as the photographs in there are treasured.

Below are a few occasions for which you might consider creating a scrapbook for a loved one. You can do a mini scrapbook that measures 7 x 7, or go all out with a 12 x 12 scrapbook, depending on the occasion and how many pictures you have to include.

Weddings and Anniversaries

Among the most popular reason for creating a scrapbook, weddings and anniversaries are definitely occasions to remember. As one of the most important days in most married people's lives, the day a couple was joined as one is a momentous one. Consider creating a wedding or anniversary scrapbook as a gift only if you are closely acquainted with the couple, since you will be more familiar with their design taste, and you'll better know which family photographs mean the most to the lovely couple. One great idea: include a decorated page with quotes, good luck wishes, or congratulations from guests of the wedding or anniversary party.

Babies and More Babies

The number one reason moms get into scrapbooking is to make a permanent record of their beautiful child's upbringing. Babies are so special, which is why many mom's make "baby books" when their children come along. If you know of a new mom who isn't into scrapbooking, consider asking her for copies of the best photos of her little one. You can create a small memory book that showcases the baby's birth and homecoming, or consider a larger scrapbook that chronicles the child's entire first year. If you'd rather let the mom get into the process herself, you can also wrap a blank book, scrapping papers, pens and other cutting tools together as a baby shower or 1st birthday gift.

Important Travels and Adventures

Sometimes a vacation deserves its own scrapbook. Perhaps your parents went on a week long trip camping at the Grand Canyon, or maybe your children took your grandkids to their first Disneyland vacation. Travel destinations and other adventures are perfect for scrapbooking, and work equally well for a large or small scrapbook. For that once in a lifetime trip or occasion, consider asking for a copy of your friend or family member's photos and creating a gift for them.

The ABC's of Packing - How to Do it Right

If packing for a short trip is difficult, how much more if you are packing for good? The real challenge in packing when you are moving out is packing the right way to make sure that nothing gets left behind. And by right way, it means packing your things in an organized manner so when you get to your new space; you won't have a hard time locating stuffs. There are a number of ways to do this and although it may cause you a couple of headaches, here are some of the most important things that you should do to make your moving out more smooth with the help of the right office storage boxes.

Eliminate things that you don't need. Before you start packing your things, try to eliminate first the items that you do not need. For example, your scratch papers, bills, receipts, newspaper, magazines, etc. You can put all of those together in one cardboard storage box and leave with someone else who might find use for it later. Some of your decorative items, frames, or the little things in your desk could also be sold on a garage sale. You can organize one and have your officemates choose from your items. That way, your baggage when you leave will be reduced, and at the same time, your old stuff won't be put to waste.

Pack your things ahead of time. In order to save some time, it is always better to pack way ahead of the big day. You can start with the little things and you can do this gradually. So when your actual moving date comes close, you won't be cramming over all the things that you have to bring along with you. Months before the big day, you can already start packing small things such as books, and other reference materials or documents. You can put them in an office storage box so every time you need them, you can simply take the item out of the box and put it back after use.

Organize your stuff. As the moving out date comes nearer, you should do your packing more intensively. Weeks before it, start organizing your stuff and categorizing them together. If you are still working for your old office, don't pack the items that you are still using. Just leave them in your desk, and pack those that are not of use anymore.

Keep similar things together. In packing, it is a must that you put alike things together in one container. Documents should go with documents, books should go with books, decorative items should also be kept together, and desk tools should also belong to one group. It would help if you put these items in separate office storage boxes per category. This is a way to organize your stuff so you yourself won't get confused.

Moving out can become simpler if you know the basics in packing. The key to it is being organized. You should also pack your stuff in a gradual day to avoid stress and disorientation. Moving out and packing can be fun and it can be a lot easier for you, if you use the right office storage boxes in storing your items.