It's been a year since you promised your starving wallet and bloodshot eyes that you'd be proactive and prevent future holiday breakdowns by planning ahead and avoiding the nonstop shopping frenzy. If the idea of a calm, comfortable holiday season still sets your little heart atwitter, now's the time to start compiling a list of good Christmas gift ideas to show loved ones your year-round devotion. Here are 21 ideas to get you started:
1. Give your best pal a ticket to attend an afternoon holiday movie marathon and pig-out. Bring a cookie or cupcake decorating kit and ingredients for whipping up a batch of chubby red velvet Santas.
2. No book lover's collection is complete without a special edition of a holiday classic, such as Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol or Margery Williams's The Velveteen Rabbit.
3. Tell your pajama-loving friend (you know, the one who eats Hot Pockets for dinner every night) that she can attend her own in-home cooking demonstration wearing bunny slippers if she'd like.
4. Show your crafty niece how to put her tactile skills to work making handmade clothespin dolls. Pack a stocking with old-fashioned clothespins, a few spools of embroidery thread, a preteen-friendly glue gun, and a fine-point Sharpie.
5. A countertop composter, which can be anything from an "official" in-home bin to a large airtight jar, is a useful gift for the city-dwelling environmentalist whose New Year's resolution is to start a small garden.
6. Bring the holiday host and hostess a basket of fresh ingredients for making Bloody Marys or Mojitos and you might be invited to attend a cocktail hour at their Aspen chalet.
7. Vow to spend more Sunday afternoons watching classic movies with your parents if they promise to use a yearlong Netflix membership to explore new film genres.
8. Your spouse was probably too busy, um, studying to think about picking up a distinguished-looking coffee mug from his or her college bookstore. On Christmas morning, present your beloved with a cup of coffee and take a few moments to remember a favorite holiday home from school.
9. Give your dentally obsessed coworker a miniature Christmas tree decorated with fancy toothpaste samples, natural dental floss, and an adorable suction-cup toothbrush cover.
10. Modern sushi dish sets do double duty as tasting platters. Pick up a few different patterns and keep them on-hand as emergency gifts.
11. A dainty pickle ornament is always a hit, especially if your second cousin's children are anxious for a game to play while the grownups talk turkey.
12. Permanently boost your boss's mood with an insulated mug and removable coffee press. Pair with a bag of rich, bold beans and replace the morning grumpies with some extra pep.
13. It's too soon for a puppy, but your animal-obsessed kids can practice pet ownership with a little piggy or moo-cow from the Adopt-a-Farm-Animal Project.
14. Your loyal babysitter will be thrilled with a decorative tin filled with S'mores ingredients, especially if you suggest she teach the kids in front of the fireplace while you change the baby's diaper.
15. Fill a sturdy hamper with luxurious take-care items that the college students in your book club can't afford. It's amazing how decadent organic conditioners and shaving creams can feel after a night of cramming at the library.
16. Before you decorate the tree, spend a snowy afternoon with the kids personalizing a box of plain ornaments with a pack of paint markers, a shaker of multicolored glitter, and a roll of cheerful ribbon for replacing those drab metal hangers.
17. In case the new driver in your family groans over a monogrammed canvas bag filled with jumper cables, a digital tire gauge, and a First-Aid kit, add a coveted new CD for good measure.
18. Get your hands on a gorgeous photo of your aunt and uncle's favorite vacation spot. Commission a local artist to create an original painting based on the scene.
19. 'Tis the season for helping your child's teacher get ready for the long stretch before Spring Break. A versatile work tote is a universal must-have for anyone whose sanity depends on organization.
20. If your brother or sister has always wanted to just get on a plane and go, a nautical map of his or her favorite would-be destination would look lovely near the front door.
21. Help your parents overcome those forgetful senior moments with chalkboard or whiteboard decals they can use to remember recipes, family events, and easy-to-miss deadlines. They might even remember how much they enjoy writing little love notes to one another.
Once you've got a sizable list in front of you, taking the time to enjoy a mug or two of hot chocolate won't feel like a luxury, but a reward for honoring your promise to yourself. Now that you've got the blueprints for a season of thoughtful giving and wide-open afternoons, you're on your way to becoming the rare holiday-lover you once aspired to be. In fact, you might even want to get a few friends, whip up a batch of homemade eggnog, and host a small present-wrapping party, just for fun.
I turn a tri-fold display board into a chalkboard. This is a great thing to use and reuse for groups, craft shows, kids, etc. All you have to do is paint chalkboard paint onto the surface. Music: Fireflies by Owl City
acrylic paints are water based, but it takes at least a washcloth or a fingernail to get it off. the paint on cars is enamled?... ee nam uld, but still idk the effects of having the acrylic there for months. so get to painting! ... at your own risk of course Uploaded using PS3
Encouraging art is a good move in classrooms, no matter the age of the children. Creativity seems to come naturally for many kids, and allowing them to express it in a healthy way is a good thing. For this reason, easels are helpful items to have in a classroom, as they can make it easy for children to paint or draw. Of course, like any other type of classroom furniture, there are plenty of options when it comes to easels.
If you have children of different heights and ages in your classroom, such as in a preschool, you might find easels with adjustable heights to be invaluable. In fact, such easels usually have two sides, and each one can be set at different heights. Some easels even feature up to four sides of different heights. This makes it easy to allow four children of different ages or heights to draw or paint simultaneously. This type of easel has hinges that easily lock into place when you find the right height.
Many easels feature not only a blank paper canvas, but also a large chalkboard. In fact, some include a whiteboard, too, as well as space to store erasers, markers, and chalk. Of course, you can also attach plain white paper to this type of easel so that kids can use it to draw or paint. Such easels allow children several ways to express their imagination. If they enjoy playing with chalk or child-friendly dry erase markers, they have the opportunity to do so, but can also quickly switch to paint or regular markers when you add paper to the easel.
Some specialty easels include certain extras that you might find appealing. For example, some include much more storage space than most, with several shelves underneath that are big enough to fit small bins or buckets of supplies. Keeping all the art supplies in one place makes this type of easel a great piece of classroom furniture. Other easels attempt to encourage more creativity than ever in kids by including a certain theme. Some look like fire engines, police cars, or ambulances, which are especially appealing to toddlers who enjoy bright, recognizable themes.
Before you choose an easel for your classroom, think about the ages, heights, and interests of kids in your class. If you have a specific art time, it makes sense to get several easels that have adjustable heights so that many kids can paint or draw at once. However, you may simply have one easel available for play time. Either way, this type of classroom furniture can encourage kids to get creative.
As the classroom door closed, Joey got up from his seat. Rushing to the front of the room, he ran his fingernails down the blackboard.
Squeak...squeak... the sound echoed through the room.
The girls in the second grade class squealed, "Eek! Stop it Joey!"
The boys all laughed.
Three more boys jumped up to add their squeaking nails to the din.
With so much noise, it was not surprising that none of the boys heard the classroom door open, or the Sister enter the room. It wasn't until the ruler was cracked across the boys' knuckles in quick succession that they realized they had been busted - quite literally. Their next stop was in the School Administrator's office. Of course, he was also their own parish priest.
While they sat in silence, they heard each phone call - one at a time.
"Your son was scratching the blackboard with his fingernails when Sister Elizabeth was out of the room for a moment. No, it is only a minor infraction. He was told to stay in his seat when she stepped into the hallway. Yes, she exercised discipline, a ruler across the knuckles."
All four heard the same conversation time after time until each of their homes had been called. Once the black telephone handset was placed in the cradle, the boys glanced at each other.
"Well, my boys," he began, "it seems that we have a problem."
Each boy kept his eyes trained on the floor.
"Look up at me, please."
When the boys looked up at Father Wilcox, they saw him smile. "Don't misunderstand me, boys. I know that hearing the girls squeal because you run your fingernails on the chalkboard is fun...at your age. Believe it or not, I was your age once. But it is inappropriate and the bad behavior will not be tolerated. You must show restraint by doing as you are instructed by your teachers. What you did was very disrespectful."
Father Wilcox pulled the pink pad from his drawer. "But Father, wait, please don't do this, we'll behave" the boys protested. The dreaded pink pad was used for detentions, suspensions and sometimes - even expulsions.
Taking his time, the priest wrote four forms, one after another and then handed one to each boy. "Take this to Sister Elizabeth, she will remove the top form and give you the yellow copy for your parents. Sister Elizabeth will tell you what to do next."
The boys walked very slowly back to their classroom, two of them in tears. After all, they were only eight years old. When they handed the forms to Sister Elizabeth, she read them, gave each of them the yellow copy and directed the boys to their seats.
Joey and his friends looked at the Sister quizzically, the Sister said, "The Father has decided to overlook this transgression as long as you agree to clean the blackboards for the next two weeks."
The boys yelled, "Yes, yes, yes! We will, we promise. We'll behave from now on, Sister."
The second grade girls all laughed at the boys. "No more squeaking fingernails for awhile."
At the end of the day, Joey and his friends were standing at the blackboards with the erasers in their hands. They looked at each other and in one motion all four boys raked their fingernails down the blackboard.
Sister Elizabeth was at the back of the room...
"Eek!" was all they heard from her before the crack of the ruler found its mark.
If you are renting a photo booth for your next party, props are a fun way to make sure you end up with some really memorable photos. If you are short on time, the easiest way to get great props for your party is to purchase a props package from the photo booth company you are working with. These packages may include hats, wigs, sunglasses, boas, masks, and other props sure to spark your guests' creativity.
Most photo booth rental companies will also let you bring your own props. If your party has a specific theme, such as a luau or pirate party, you can tailor the props to fit with your theme to help your guests get into the spirit of the party. Party stores are a good place to find fun costumes and props, but they can be pricey. To get a good selection of props on a budget, try shopping right after a holiday, when many seasonal items will be on clearance.
If you're the creative type, you can even save some money by making your own props. Mustaches on a stick, empty picture frames for your guests to put their faces through, and sock puppets are all simple to make and fun to bring into a photo booth.
If you want to keep copies of your guests' photo strips, you can give them the chance to leave you a message right in the picture by providing a small chalkboard or dry erase board. Just make sure it is small enough to fit in the photo frame!
When putting together your prop kit, don't worry about what the typical props are. Choose what you think will be the most fun! Just make sure all of your props are visible from the waist up. Hula skirts and funky shoes may be a hit at a costume party, but are not good props for a photo booth.
No matter what you choose to do, props can definitely add that extra something to your photo booth experience.
For years, I admired those framed chalkboards & bulletin boards, but The Budget Diet girl inside of me couldn't justify spending $40+! So, I figured out how to make them for less than $10, and they make perfect teacher gifts! Here's how to make your budget friendly framed chalkboard or bulletin board:
#1. Find an old picture frame of any size...these are easy to find at garage sales, flea markets, Goodwill or thrift stores for just a few dollars! Also...always be on the lookout for a "free curbside treasure"...a.k.a. the trash!
#2. Take your frame to Michael's or Hobby Lobby and have them cut a piece of foam board to fit.
#3. If you're making a chalkboard...take the foam board home & paint it with chalkboardpaint. Next...return to Michael's or Hobby Lobby and have them insert the foam board into the frame & finish the back.
#4. If you're making a bulletin board...buy a piece of burlap & take it to Michael's or Hobby Lobby...they will mount it on the foam board, insert the foam board into the frame & finish the back.
#5. Have you child write "Have a Great Summer" on the chalkboard OR write a thank you note to the teacher & pin it to the bulletin board. If the chalkboard or bulletin board is a gift for a friend or family member, simply write a note on the chalkboard or pin a note to the frame.
Once you've mastered making these...you might just give them to all your friends & family! Just remember, always be on the lookout for old frames!
Proper painting surface preparation is one of the most critical factors to getting high quality results. It doesn't matter whether the job is complete repainting of a 1,000,000 square foot warehouse complex or a simple touch up job in the gymnasium of a small elementary school. Proper surface prep sets the stage for success. Here are some tips for perfect surface prep that you can take care of, and a guide to the prep work that you should leave to your painting contractor.
Dry Painting Surface: You or Your Contractor First and foremost, your painting surface should be dry. So long as safety permits, you can make life a lot easier for your painting contractor by drying the painting environment beforehand. Dehumidifiers and fans can be employed to speed air circulation. Mop up standing water if necessary to improve the safety of the project site.
Clean Painting Surface: You or Your Painting Contractor Surfaces have to be thoroughly cleaned to ensure good paint adhesion. Your contractor will often include an estimate for prep work in a project bid. You may be able to perform some of the work and thus reduce the estimate; however, some tasks must be performed by a professional. Get rid of old flaky paint, sand down blisters and other imperfections.
IMPORTANT: You should consult with your painting contractor and determine if lead-based paints or other hazardous materials are present before cleaning the painting surface. If a hazardous material issue exists, the surface will need to be cleaned by a certified professional for safety reasons.
Sand or Blast Painting Surface: Your Painting Contractor The actual sanding of the surface should be left to your painting contractor. Depending on the types of coating products that will be applied to the surface, the contractor may have specific manufacturer's recommendations for sanding. Plus most painting contractors hold to a high standard for surface prep because it is such a huge component of a quality job.
Prime Painting Surface: Your Painting Contractor After the drying cleaning and sanding, the surface is ready to be primed. A primer coat acts as the foundation for the coating. All subsequent layers of paint depend on the adhesion between the primer and the bare surface. Most painting contractors will insist on applying the primer coat to ensure that it is properly done and capable of producing a good finished product.
For more information and advice on preparing a surface for painting and coating, please contact a professional painting company.
The C2 Group and Ektron co-exhibited at a conference for higher education institutions last month. We created this chalkboard-themed display booth using masonite, chalkboard paint, white chalk and a little creativity. We captured the drawing process on our webcam for all to enjoy. As you can see, we had a blast making it. Three cheers for learning!
Wall murals can turn the plain old wall space of your child's room into beautiful portals and windows looking out over whole new worlds. And for little girls, wall mural options and ideas are only limited by the imagination. From princess themes to undersea dreams - from fairies to mermaids to horse-drawn carriages and castles in the sky - your little girl will fall in love with the endless selection of wall murals available to help create her dream bedroom!
Girls wall murals come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Vinyl wall decals for girls are sold in easy peel-and-stick applications, from the smallest single butterfly to the largest majestic unicorn. These vinyl wall murals go on and come off with no glue or adhesive, and can be moved and repositioned at will. Instant transformations can be made in the way of custom-printed Minute Mural wall hangings. Created on quality professional-grade materials, these kits come complete, ready to install, and assemble in just minutes. For the do-it-yourself touch, girls wall murals, stickers, and decals can be applied to bare or painted walls - perfect for the little princess that wants to create her own customized designs. Great shops like the Wall Sticker Outlet carry all of these wall mural types and more, and always offer free shipping too!
Choosing a girls wall mural theme can often prove difficult, as they're available in every imaginable motif. Princess themed options include castles, white horses, and knights in shining armor. Disney princess stickers and wall borders are available along the same lines. Girls wall murals come in popular themes like Hello Kitty, Barbie, Tinkerbell, and even Bratz decals and stickers. Animal wall murals are also popular, from baby nursery level stuffed animal themes to fun safari and zoo animal appliques that bring the jungle right into your little girl's bedroom.
Chic and stylish boutique-type wall murals are sold for older girls, including rock star and girl power stickers designed to make distinct fashion statements. Life-sized beach themes can be created by using giant wall murals depicting scenes of sun and surf. Tropical wall mural windows and surfboard themed accents can create the perfect surfer girl look. For a more dramatic look, turn an entire wall into a breathtaking undersea wall scene complete with fish, whales, and mermaids. Fantasy themes also include enchanted kingdoms, unicorn decals, and customizable girls wall murals that begin with 'Once Upon a Time' and end with your daughter's own name, custom phrase or saying.
Another recent development in wall decor is the application of chalkboard and dry erase surfaces. These peel and stick decals can be placed right into any girls wall mural, letting your child write her own story! Wallies flower fairies dry erase and chalkboard stickers make perfect additions to any girl's wall decor, and come off just as easily as they go on.
The finishing touches to any wall mural include all the extra trimmings that will make your daughter's room so special. Individual wall appliques and decal sheets can be used to supplement any little girls wall murals. Flowers, butterflies, and magical wands come in pinks, purples, and beautiful rainbow colors. There are even wall mural decals that turn your daughter's whole ceiling into a cloud-filled sky, as well as celestial glow-in-the-dark appliques of stars, moons and planets that can be enjoyed even when the lights go off!
No matter how you complete your little girls wall mural, the best part is getting her involved. Together the two of you can create a functional work of wall art she'll enjoy and remember for years to come, all the while having fun in the process.
If there is nowhere your child would rather be than the batter's box then this incredibly colorful theme is just what you are looking for! Give your child a ball park that can be used any time day or night, rain or shine. A dug out that houses a bed, a mural of the outfield, and their very own home plate will amuse your child and his or her guests for hours on end. Never again say the words, "No playing ball in the house." Once you have completed this baseball themed room your child can safely play ball anytime.
Build a simple dug out by fastening together three pieces of plywood and attaching to the wall. Paint with home team colors and slide the bed inside the dug out. This disguises the bed so that it does not detract from the theme of the room. It also adds a personal touch that will relax your child and increase their enjoyment of the room.
Next you will need to paint the remaining wall space. For this project you will need to hire an artist if you are not artistically inclined. On one wall you will be painting an outfield scene and on another you will be painting the bleachers. If you do not have a fourth large wall save room in the outfield for a scoreboard. Create your scoreboard by using chalkboardpaint. Paint a 3' X 4' area on the wall with chalkboardpaint, then use white paint to decorate this area to look like a scoreboard. This will give your child a realistic place to keep score for the many games sure to be held here.
Use a white area rug to create home plate. Situate the area rug so that the batter will face the outfield just like in a real baseball game. This will create the illusion of a truly being in a ball park. The area rug will protect you floors as well. Any scuffs that may be caused by missed swings will be prevented and if the action get a little wild the area rug will help to absorb the sound.
Of course you do not want your child playing ball in the house with a real ball and bat, as an accessory get a soft set that will not do damage to your walls or windows. If your child is small you may want to invest in a tee ball stand as well. These will double as accessories and toys, because they will match your theme and be useful. You could use the whole room as a birthday or Christmas surprise and invite a couple of friends for a sleepover. Your child and his or her guests will be amazed.
This amazing design may be slightly expensive, but it is worth every dime. This colorful theme will brighten every morning for your child. Give your child a place to learn and grow through a sport they dearly love. A room like this can inspire a child to reach for their goals, so encourage your child by giving their dreams a chance.
So you want to redecorate the bathroom with your children in mind, but here's the catch, you have both a son and daughter. What do you do? Decorating a bathroom for not only competing sexes, but different personalities can present its challenges. Luckily, there is plenty of gender neutral bathroom decor in the marketplace. Now on to the hard part, which is finding common ground.
Look to your children's shared interest. Do they both play a particular sport? Do they like the same kind of music? Do they both like animals? Whatever they can both agree on, make that your theme. Once you have established your decorating direction, you'll be able to infuse both of their personalities into the same room. Here's three examples to help you along the way.
The Rock Star Bathroom
Do your kids both like music? Do they share a favorite band. Even if there musical tastes differ, you can still incorporate both of their likes into the bathroom. Choose bright bold colors and liven up the walls with vinyl guitar decals. You can find a large selection of wall decals, many of which can be personalized, on the internet.
Use guitar picks and drumsticks to decorate picture frames or create a border around your bathroom mirror. These items can be bought inexpensively by the lot on eBay. Frame photos of both of their favorite musicians and display them on the walls. Add some tattoo hand towels, and you've got one rockin' bathroom.
Underwater Explorer
Just about every kid loves the ocean - even brothers and sisters can agree on this. So why not have an underwater explorer theme. Start your walls off with a nice shade of aqua. Why not paint the ceiling aqua too? Once again, you can decorate the walls with decals. On the internet you can decals that border on being cartoonish to completely realistic. Imagine a life-like 5 foot long great white on your bathroom wall. That'll wake you up in the morning!
Three round mirrors lined up in a row serve as submarine portals. How about hanging a pair of masks, snorkels and fins by hooks on the wall?
Next time you spend the day at the beach, make sure to have your kids write their name out in the sand. Take a picture of it and frame it. Now hang the framed photos above wherever your children hang their towels or robes. Add sea creature shaped soap and a starfish shaped sponge, and now your practically 10,000 leagues under the sea.
The Budding Artists Bathroom
If you have a couple of artists in your family they will absolutely love this bathroom theme. Start by painting one wall in chalkboardpaint. Colored versions of chalkboardpaint can be purchased on the internet or you can attempt to make your own with these instructions from Martha Stewart. You can take it a step further and use a magnetic primer to give your art wall a dual purpose. Add various size and shape empty picture frames to the wall. This will give your child a never ending opportunity to create new works of art.
Buy a plain white shower curtain and let your children decorate it with fabric paints. If you don't want the mess you can just as easily use fabric markers. You can display other works of art by making use of a homemade art display strip. Simply take a ruler and hot glue a clothes pin at opposite ends. Once it dries you can hang it on the wall and start rotating weekly masterpieces. There's only one thing missing from this artist's haven. Make sure you include plenty of tub paints!
Detailed video instructions for tabrasa™ dry-erase paint available exclusively through MDC Wallcoverings. tabrasa™ by IdeaPaint moves beyond the whiteboard to put a dry erase surface anywhere. It is a paint that transforms any smooth surface into a high-performance dry erase surface. Ideally suited for installation over drywall or to re-coat existing chalkboards and whiteboards. tabrasa™ is made for professional environments. tabrasa™ is available in White as well as 4 additional colorways. Visit www.mdcwall.com/tabrasa
Did you know that more than half of all U.S. businesses are home-based? Did you also know - according to the Small Business Association - they estimate approximately 6.6 million of these businesses provide more than half of their household income? The homeprenuer trend is growing, and will only continue to intensify. So how do we create that home office to provide us with a positive environment in which to grow?
Since almost 90% of home-based entrepreneurs have families, separating the living and working environments can prove to be a little tricky. So pick a spot in your home, where noise and traffic are at a minimum and privacy is optimum. A separate guesthouse outside, or a room above your garage, would be the ideal location for your home office, but the reality is that the typical home-based business is located inside the house.
Entrepreneurs, tend to be highly creative and innovative people - and their work environments should reflect that aspect of their personality. If your home office space is stimulating and sparks innovation, then your creativity just flows. When it's dull, drab and dingy your work will suffer the same fate. We've entered a new decade. Isn't it time to "Up the Ante"?
Whether you're purchasing new office furniture, re-painting your space or simply accessorizing, punch up your home office environment and infuse a few of these cool new design trends into your plan.
2010 Design Trends:
Eco-Friendly:
* Nature-inspired design and green products.
* Natural environmentally friendly furnishings.
* Paint colors that work with your company's branding, logo and website. (Use Low VOC or Zero VOC paints.)
* Introduce a chalkboard wall to save on paper and brainstorm ideas.
Eclectic Designs:
* Blending and layering of bold colors and graphic patterns.
* Large-scaled patterned wallpapers and grass cloths are back in vogue.
* Clean, simple and flexible office furniture styles.
* Office seating upholstered in bright bold fabrics with neutral pillows.
Color Trends:
Yellow:
* It's THE color for this year's palette. Wall color or accessories.
* If it's good for the White House, it'll be great in your house.
* Epitomizes warmth and a sunny outlook toward the future.
* Sparks imagination and innovation.
Mauve:
* Defines refined luxury and elegance.
* Represents a sense of royalty and power.
Green:
* Natural colors of sand, trees and moss green.
* Creates a sense of balance and harmony.
* Aqua/Teal will be a hot summer accent color.
Grey:
* Charcoal and slate grays are the new neutrals and showcase the brightly colored furniture.
* Metallic grays in furniture, leather and metals are hot this year - and blend beautifully with each of these trend setting colors.
Neutrals:
* Ecologically driven neutrals and organic tones.
* Muted colors always evoke a sense of calm - but infuse some color for accent to keep you jazzed and awake.
For that finishing touch, check out http://www.sortingwithstyle.com for the coolest office accessories.
Creativity can be fun and I have seen many housewives and stay-at-home moms turning into great businesswomen through their talent and art. If you either wish to open up your business of handicrafts or you like decorating your house with your own hand-made things, then I have some brilliant ideas to help you with it. In this article, I will show you how to make table runners and kitchen chalkboards at home so let's begin with it.
Wedding Table Runners
Wedding is a special occasion so if there is a wedding coming up in your close relations or if you are getting married, this could be a perfect gift which you or the bride can even use it in future as a regular table runner. A table runner enhances the beauty of your dining table and at the same time also reflects your elegant taste and choice. Following are the instruction to help you make them at home:
Materials you will need: A silk cloth, silk flowers, threads and thin foam.
Instructions: Cut the thin foam in shape of the runner; this will be rectangular and the length depends on the length of your table while the width should be around 8 inches. After the foam is cut, put is aside for a while. Take the silk cloth and cut that with the same measurements as your foam. Then insert the foam into the cover and stitch it from the opened side. Your silk flowers should be stitched at both the ends with neatness and your table runner is ready!
Kitchen Chalkboard
Available in craft stores, a pine chalkboard needs only a quick coat of paint and some decorative sponge printing to become an appealing and useful gift or decoration item.
Materials you need: Pine chalkboard; paints on straw and antique green; foam brush; kitchen sponge; palette.
Instructions: Paint frame of chalkboard with straw, allow to dry. Make a square heart on neat paper; then trace these and cut out shapes in kitchen sponge. Dampen sponge with water, wring out. Dip square sponge into antique green paint, damp into palette to remove excess paint. Starting from the center of the each side of frame and working towards the corners, print around frame edge. Print heart shape at the top of the frame.
Cathie Filian presents FolkArt Chalkboard paint on HSN. This paint can turn almost any surface into a chalkboard. Perfect for decorating kids rooms, kitchens, mud rooms and home offices. Click here to view the item at HSN: crafts-sewing.hsn.com
I love armoires -- they're so versatile and can be great when space is at a premium. Best of all, you can simply close the doors and everything is tucked neatly away, instantly improving the look of your space. Here are 12 ways you can use this piece of furniture in your home:
Laundry Station: A space for folding laundry as well as storage for detergent, fabric softener, and laundry supplies. You can even attach hooks on the outside and hang your folded up ironing board.
Gift Wrapping Center: A flat surface for wrapping gifts and plenty of storage space for supplies -- gift bags, kraft paper, tape, scissors, and greeting cards. Install long dowels on the back wall to hold your rolls of wrapping paper and ribbon. A birthday calendar on the inside of the door helps make sure you don't forget any special events.
Entertainment Center: An excellent way to hide the TV, DVD player, video games, stereo, and their less-than-pretty wires.
Microwave Cart: In the kitchen, an armoire can hold your microwave, freeing up counter space. You can use the shelves and drawers for anything from cookbooks and tablecloths to mixing bowls and baking needs. Paint the inside of one of the doors with chalkboardpaint and you have space for a quick grocery list as well.
Home Office: If you're short on space, an armoire can make an excellent home office -- you get a work surface as well as storage for office files, supplies and paperwork.
Bathroom Vanity: If you have the space in your bathroom, an armoire with a mirror installed on the inside makes a great vanity -- and the drawers are perfect for stashing towels, toiletries and cosmetics.
Bar: Perfect for mixing drinks and storing bar supplies -- bottles, cocktail napkins, and garnishes. Screw a slotted rack into the top shelf for hanging stemware.
Baby Changing Station: Makes a great hide-away change table with plenty of storage space for diapers and accessories.
Linen Closet: If you don't have a linen closet, an armoire is a great place to store bedding and towels.
Jewelry Box: Have a lot of jewelry and accessories? Mount small hooks in rows along the inside walls for a great way to store necklaces and earrings. Scarves, rings, and hair accessories can all be kept in small baskets on the shelves or in the drawers.
Gardening station: Store your gardening pots, seeds and soil, and use the flat surface for potting and tending to plants.
Craft Station: A great place to store craft supplies with a flat surface for working on projects -- scrapbooking, stamping, beading, card-making and more. Everything is within reach when you need it, yet easily hidden away when you're done.
Creating a school themed bedroom has never been easier! Especially when you implement some of the nine simple ideas provided in this article.
Find a solid red comforter or a comforter with a small print gingham comforter for your child's bed. Next add primary color throw pillows for comfort, reading and lounging at nap time.
Install a large molding at the chair rail height of her room and add wooden peg hooks. Your child will be able to hang coats, mittens, small bags, purses and other objects on these hooks. Keep the wall below the chair rail very neutral so that the items become the focal point and not the wall itself.
Above the chair rail, install a chalk board wall border. These wall borders can be found at any discount wallpaper store or online store and they have a true chalkboard surface. By supplying chalk, your daughter can be creative and teach her class at any time she likes.
Add a tall armoire that could resemble a locker. Paint the furniture a cheery yellow color which you can use as an accent color with your school house red. Add shelves and bins to your new locker so that your child will have lots of storage.
On the floor create a hopscotch board on a plain sisal rug with rubber backing (non-skid). This can be done easily by creating a rectangle template out of heavy card stock to use as a template. The template should be about 10 inches by 11 ½ inches. Find the center of the rug and trace your rectangles in the form of a hopscotch board. Next place number stencils in the center of each rectangle. Outline the numbers and paint them in with red acrylic paint. Use red bias tape and glue that over the outlines of your rectangles. You have now completed a hopscotch board for your child's playground If you would like, you can glue ribbon or rickrack to the backside edges, allowing it to stick out over the rug to finish off the edges.
Create a learning tree on one wall. This can be done by drawing a simple tree in pencil on a wall. You will need brown magnetic paint from a paint or home improvement store. Paint in your tree trunk with the magnetic paint and add green leaves at the top with regular paints. Next, you will want your child's participation in making all of the alphabet leaves. Collect real leaves from outdoors, use them as patterns and cut them out of colored craft foam. Next, draw or stamp all of the letters of the alphabet onto your leaves.
Lastly, buy some magnetic stripping, cut to size and glue on the back of your magnetic foam letters. Now your child can learn, teach and be creative by spelling words on their new learning tree.
Make a school bus message board to hang on the wall. Buy a 13 inch by 36 inch piece of cork Paint the cork yellow and cut the cork to the shape of a bus. This can easily be done by enlarging a photo of a bus and tracing it onto the cork. Next cut out two 4 inch circles for the wheels from black heavy paper or cardboard and adhere them. You will need 6 of 3 ¾ inch cork squares for the bus windows, painted blue. Attach your windows and pin on photos of your child and her friends in each window. Below the windows, add two 21 inch magnetic tapes running horizontally down your bus. Leave about 2 inches vertically between the two magnetic strips. Between the magnetic strips spell SCHOOL BUS with black letter stickers. Your child will be able to hang notes with paper clips on the magnetic strip and this makes a very clever and functioning room décor piece.
Find an old school desk at a flea market, yard sale or antique shop. Also add small wooden painted chairs for more students. Be sure to accessorize with plenty of dolls and stuffed plush animals who can double as students for your childs class.
Add a small table and chairs with puzzles and coloring books. Make a small activity center around the table with stackable bins to hold pens, crayons, glue, paper, coloring books, puzzles and more. If there is room add a desk that your child can grow with.
Any of these nine ideas, or all of them, make quick and inexpensive alternatives when creating a school house themed bedroom decor.
Any parent with little kids at home is well aware that keeping them busy is a hard task. The kids' art easel is one toy that can keep them busy for hours as well as provide educational value. One of the best easels out there today is the Melissa and Doug Standing Easel. This adjustable-height deluxe wooden easel bought along with the Melissa and Doug Companion Set provide for the best art easel set in the market. Some online stores bundle both of these together and offer at very attractive prices.
This two-sided wooden easel will accommodate up to two kids at the same time and provides for multiple mediums for your kids to draw and paint. The height of the easel is adjustable and you can change it according to your child's height. This is one of the main features that distinguish from the other easels in the market.
On one side is a chalkboard, on the other is a dry erase board. In between the two easel sides is a dowel for holding a paper and an extra large tray for holding erasers, chalk and markers. The colorful clips, sturdy paint tray with cup holders, and easy-loading paper roll allows the kids to unleash their artistic talents.
Just like a professional easel, the workstation is generously sized so that children can complete projects both big and small. Its durable wood construction ensures that it won't tip and it folds up easily for convenient storage.
And the companion set provides all the necessary art supplies that are required to get your kids started on this wonderful toy. This accessory set comes with the following:
1. 4 eight-ounce bottles of poster paint - Provided in vibrant colors of red, blue, yellow, and green. They are washable, non-toxic and provide excellent coverage.
2. 4 spill-proof paint cups - These are dishwasher-safe and come with snap-on caps to keep the paint fresh paint and don't dry out in between art sessions. The assorted color caps are provided to keep the paint where it belongs.
3. 4 medium brushes with medium-tip and natural bristle come with easy-to-clean and easy to grasp handles to apply the paint. The brushes are really high quality and durable.
4. 10 jumbo triangular chalk sticks - Non Toxic, Colorful, chunky, triangular pieces are easy to hold, and won't slip away
5. 1 roll of easel paper - premium quality paper roll that easily loads on to the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing easel.
6. 1 felt eraser - A top quality eraser that features a solid-wood handle and thick, durable eraser pad.
7. 1 dry-erase marker - a standard one that easily wipes off any dry-erase surface
With the best standing easel and the best value for money accessory set this Melissa and Doug Art Easel Set provides the perfect combination of fun, education and value.
The day I discovered that I was good at math, I was horrified. I felt as though Lucifer himself had risen from his fiery pit, and had stolen my soul. I was devastated. And I would never be the same again.
I had always hated math, and all math related topics. I especially hated my math teachers. Their personalities were so dry, I swore that if I blew on them they'd disintegrate like a pyramid of crumbs, and then scatter like dust in the wind. They were like desiccated fruit.
My algebra teacher, Mr. Connors, was the classic example of a geek, before geeks became popular. Black slacks, white crisp shirt, butch cut, pen protector in the pocket, horned rimmed glasses. I decided that he must be a virgin; I couldn't imagine him getting passionate and sweaty. I would squirm when I thought what his kisses might be like; tight arid pecks, void of moisture.
Mr. Connors' lessons were given in a steady monotone; an annoying drone about constants, variables, and Quadratic Equations that made me want to stand up and scream. There was the constant squeak and clatter of chalk against chalkboard, and what would spill forth were rows upon rows of nonsensical twaddle; parentheses and X's where numbers should be; an annoying array of plus, minus and equal signs, spelled out as if they were actual sentences.
How dare this mumbo jumbo parade around as if they were sentences! The sentences I loved were made out of words. Beautiful strings of words, held together by stanzas and paragraphs; descriptive snippets which oozed with love, death, agony, and the mysteries of life. Poetry and literature; that is where the sentences I understood were nestled, safe in their beds of wisdom and communication.
These math sentences were unsightly, meaningless gibberish.
Because Mr. Connors was always writing his ugly sentences on the board, I had plenty of time to stare at the back of his head and his very red neck. I found this far more interesting than the rubbish he filled the chalkboard with. His neck bulged slightly at the collar; I decided this was his only physical imperfection. He was strangely flawless; I was certain he'd never dropped a spoonful of pea soup down his tie. He was a robot; an unfeeling android. It was Square Root this, and Square Root that, and I often felt tempted to sneak up behind him and bonk him on the head with a heavy metal object. Not to kill him, but rather to shut him up. "Bang, bang, Maxwell's Silver Hammer came down upon his head," I would sing under my breath, trying to block his mind numbing prattle.
I cut my Algebra class as often as I could, and only attended just enough to pass the course. In those days, they didn't care too much about delinquencies from class; truants were rarely punished, and because we had few restrictions, graduating from High School really became our choice. No one was really going to force you to put in the necessary time; you were either going to work hard enough to pass, or you weren't.
I was going to pass. I was going onto college, and I had planned on getting the highest degree I could earn; a PhD in Literature. I had dreams as big as a Harvest Moon; I was going to be a novelist; a journalist; a columnist, and a War Correspondent. I was going to work at the San Francisco Chronicle, and I was going to share the occasional giggle with Herb Caen, whose office would be just down the hall from mine. I was going to rub shoulders with leather elbowed novelists, who would puff on a pipe as they'd quip about their latest narrative. I would be a member of the elite Literati, and I would spend the rest of my life dedicated to perfecting prose.
Sadly, this was never to be.
When I was a senior in High School, my parents sat me down one day, and explained to me that they were moving to Hopland, to the country home my Dad had been building for a decade. They would give me a month; I had to get my driver's license, which I had been putting off; buy a car, find a job, and find an apartment. I got my first credit card, and was in debt for $20,000 right out of the gate. I had no car, let alone anything to start a home.
Their announcement was one of the lowest moments of my life. I sat there dumbfounded; and I saw every dream I'd ever had for my future fly out the window, flapping merrily away, with little black wings. The depression was beyond tears; I was mute for a long time. "I'm still in High School," I finally said, as low and soft as my voice would go. But nothing I said would have mattered. I had to become an adult seemingly overnight, and I knew that college would have to be put on hold. I needed a job. And I could no longer take on menial jobs as I'd done in my past; I had to earn a living. I had to pay rent.
I went to work full time at Insurance Company in San Mateo. I honestly couldn't tell you what my job even was; not only don't I remember, but it was so inane I hardly knew what I was doing then. But I do remember that part of my job was mailing out hundreds and hundreds of policy statements to clients. So I typed up a small note which said something like: "I'm a frustrated writer held captive in Corporate America; in a tedious repetitive job that will surely suck the life out of me. If you can help me realize my dreams, and be a working writer, please call me at this number. 726-4854. Thank you." I then took this note and made hundreds of copies of it, carefully cut each one out, and piled them on my desk next to the stack of policies. Before I would enclose the policy in the envelope and seal it, I would tape one of these little notes to the bottom of the page.
No job offers came from this. But it did earn me a trip to the boss' office, when a client called and complained. And this led to another meaningless job and to another. I decided that if this was going to be my life, I would rather be dead.
But the nightmare only worsened in intensity. It was a beautiful autumn day, and my boyfriend was sitting on the patio in my front yard, doing his Algebra homework. He was whining and groaning; making sounds that were familiar to me, as they were similar to the noises I made when forced to listen to the incessant drivel from Mr. Connors. I ignored his feeble attempts to gain my pity; and while I had great empathy for his plight, I was determined to go nowhere near his math book. "Heeelllllllllllllppppppp Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee," he would bleat, as he would bang his head against his book.
"No."
I didn't understand what pleasure could be found in math. The whole idea of math was that it was a solvable puzzle; it was only a mystery until it was unraveled. It was a concrete science; and answers were either wrong or right. But there was always an answer; there was always a finite conclusion. Even if that answer was infinity.
Words intrigued me, because in my mind they were the reverse. The beauty of words was that there was no answer; literature and poetry are just beautiful chains of ambiguity and questions, strung together delicately, with the most invisible of filaments. There is no wrong or right; there is no black or white. It was an imperfect science without any conclusion.
"Help meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee," he pleaded again.
"You know I hate math. Stop bugging me. I wouldn't be of any help anyway. Do you know I barely passed Algebra in High School?"
"I know, I know, but just read this ONE problem with me, please. Maybe you can give me some perspective; something I cannot see. PLEASE. I can't figure out what it MEANS."
Rolling my eyes, I walked toward him, and toward the dreaded math book. I took a disinterested glance downward, and saw those strings of math sentences; just like the ones Mr. Connors would write on the board; the same ones that filled me with dread, confusion and loathing.
Imagine my horror, when I stared down at the page, and I could suddenly read them.
It was like staring at a page of words written in a foreign tongue that suddenly make sense. We've all seen pages of Chinese or Farsi; strange symbols that appear like nonsense on the page; and while we know that others can read the words written there, we also know that no matter how hard we try, we'll never be able to decipher their code.
That was the way Algebra always felt to me, and in this one moment, when I stared at the page, it felt like I looked at a Chinese book and could suddenly, miraculously, read Chinese. But I didn't feel joy; as if a magic wand had just given me a special gift of seeing; rather I was utterly sickened.
In short, this led me to becoming an accountant. Without any training, the double entry system made sense to me upon first glance. My mind wrapped around the entire accounting concept; as if I'd always known it. And unfortunately, I was very good at it.
When I would come in for interviews, I would often get similar remarks. "Wow, you're not what we usually expect when we interview for an accountant!" They always said it in a jolly but judgmental way, which caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand up. With my wild hair, and robust personality, they couldn't quite imagine me sitting quietly in a corner office, seriously clattering away on an adding machine.
But I tried to fit in. I tried to look like an accountant. I tried to look like Mr. Connors.
In the early days, I would don panty hose, heels, and business suits; I talked in a monotone business-like way. I was efficient and calculated. Strangely, somehow, someway I could never truly hide who I was. I don't know if it was my wild hair or wild eyes, or that I wore too many rings on my fingers. Perhaps it was my hearty laugh, which I couldn't suppress from bursting forth when something struck me as ironic. But somehow they always figured out that beneath my business demeanor lived an untamed poet, aching to write.
I did beg for a job at the San Francisco Chronicle once. And I mean, I really begged. I decided to write a letter that would scream my true passion to such an extent that someone would feel my crazed enthusiasm, and like a freak accident, would offer me an interview. They sent back a personalized letter which was quite kind considering, saying they enjoyed my writing samples, but I needed more experience to become a columnist.
Somewhere along the line, I did find that there was actually a great deal of creativity in accounting. It was much more fluid than I had previously thought; I discovered that the Balance Sheet was actually something that could be manipulated. Not in a dishonest way, but a good accountant can book things one way or another to make the financials appear to the owner's liking, depending on the scenario at hand. And on some level, I enjoyed making sense out of chaos, which is really what the job of the accountant is. Not to mention, it paid well.
But one year turned to a decade, and a decade turned to two. And as the years slipped by, I had built a resume of my life, which could scarcely be changed. The longer I worked as an accountant, the farther away I got from being a writer. When I would apply for writing jobs, I could really only offer 25 years as an accountant for my history. And every day I just slipped farther and farther away from my dream.
Over the years the ache has faded. Or perhaps I'm just in denial.
Wow, can you believe it's August already? Sadly, the laid back days of Summer are almost over and kids will soon be heading back to school. The school year brings lots of excitement but also a busyness. How do you stay organized during the school year? How do you encourage your kids to stay on top of their schedules and homework? As a parent it can be a full time job just keeping your family organized. In this article I hope to share with you some fun and stylish ways to keep you and your family organized this school year! I will cover some different styles of kids decals, from chalkboard stickers to whiteboard decals and educational kids decals, that can help you stay organized and encourage your children's learning all at the same time!
First on the list of helpful kids decals, are chalkboard stickers. If you haven't heard of these, you're missing out! These are one of the newest inventions when it comes to wall decor. Instead of having bulky chalkboards, you can now buy chalkboard decals! These decals are made of strong but thin, flexible vinyl. They're reusable and removable and stick to any clean, smooth surface. So your imagination is truly the limit. They aren't just stickers for walls either! You can apply them to refrigerators to help you and your kids keep track of schedules and appointments through the busy school year. You can stick them to the top of your pre-schooler's desk to encourage their practice of penmanship. Your tween or teen may find them helpful to apply to their lockers at school.
Chalkboard stickers come in all shapes and sizes. You can purchase chalkboard panels and put them in separate places or position them all together to form one gigantic chalkboard! There are fun shapes, like animals, buses and circles for preschoolers and for tweens there are guitars and fancy designs! What kid, no matter how old they are, wouldn't think it's super cool to write on the walls?
If you'd prefer to avoid the "mess" of chalk dust, then the dry erase panels and sheets would be perfect for you! Again, like the chalkboard stickers, these dry erase boards are made of that same wonderfully flexible but durable material. They are, as well, removable and repositionable and come in all different shapes and sizes too. Both the chalkboards and whiteboards are easily cleaned with a damp cloth. You can use regular chalk or dry erase markers on them, no special writing tools are needed.
Here's a fun fact to tuck away in your brain for both the chalkboard and whiteboard kids decals. You can cut any of these products to whatever object you desire! Say you're putting up a chalkboard decal in your son's room that's decorated in cars and trucks and anything with engines and wheels. Using a pencil or pen, you can trace an image of a car or truck onto the backing of the decal (before you peel it off the decal). Then carefully cut out the shape, peel it off the silicone backing, stick it to the wall, dresser, door, wherever and enjoy!
New designs and products are coming out all the time. One of these super cool items are the Dry Erase Photo frames. These are not as organizational in nature... but still very cool for the teen going off to college or for your tween that's looking to pimp out their locker at school! Dry Erase Photo Frames kids decals are sold in a pack of three and include "tacks" and "tape" kids decals. Simply frame your friends and fav places with these special frames. Then write a funny caption or title for each image.
A great benefit to both the chalkboard and whiteboard kids decals is that they're very economical and earth friendly. If you're family is anything like mine, we go through a LOT of paper. Whether it's making "To-Do" lists or the kids doodling their hearts out, we are certainly not saving any trees in our house with all the paper we use. By strategically placing these decals around the house, families could seriously cut back on the amount of paper that they go through. As well, my son, who is four, loves to practice his letters. By placing a fun chalkboard decal in his play area, I can still encourage this activity but be friendly to our earth as well!
The last group of kids decals that make learning fun are the many different styles of number and alphabet wall stickers! Because these kids decals are removable and reusable, your toddler and pre-schooler can use these fun and colorful to learn their ABC's and 123's. They can peel off the objects and match them to the letter they start with. Like move the elephant beside the "E" and so on. This is fun, interactive and a great way to encourage learning and stimulate their imagination. You can use them to teach colors and positions as well. "Which letter is Red?" or "Which object is Bigger?" or "Which object is Below the letter?". You get the idea. The ways you can use these cute kids decals is vast.
There are a number of people groups that I think could find these chalkboard stickers, dry erase whiteboards and alphabet wall stickers especially helpful.
Homeschooling is becoming an increasingly popular option for educating children. Whether it's through traditional textbooks or cyber school, more and more parents are opting to teach their children at home. If you're one of these homeschooling parents, these items could prove very helpful to you and your family. Like I said, for a very reasonable price you could provide a small chalkboard or whiteboard for each child or combine the panels to form one gigantic chalkboard to assist you in your teaching endeavors. As well, the alphabet wall stickers are a great way to start teaching your pre-schoolers their ABC's and 123's.
Other groups may be Preschools, Day Care Centers, Pediatrician offices, etc. How fun would it be for kids to doodle while they waited for their doctor visit. As well, these educational kids decals could be used to decorate the walls of these kid friendly places. This not only provides a fun decor but stimulates the children's imaginations and encourages their learning all at the same time.
Teens are the last group that could really benefit from these versatile products! If your teen is heading off to college, they'll be needing wall decor that is RA approved. Because kids decal chalkboards and whiteboards can be removed without leaving any sticky residue behind or pulling off paint, they're perfect for dressing up those drab dorm walls. Not only are they RA approved, but when your teen leaves one dorm to move to another place of residence, they can take their whiteboards and chalkboards and whatever other cool decals they have and reapply them to their new bedroom walls! Not only can your teen stay organized but they can express their unique styles and taste through their decor!
As you can see, these chalkboard stickers and dry erase kids decals can be useful no matter what age you are! The options are limitless. All you need is a smooth, dry, clean surface and you're good to go! Well, I hope this article was helpful in showing you just some of the fun ways that you and your kids can jump into this next school year with style and organization!
So you want to change the look of your child's room but aren't really sure how to do it. You've never really been a painter, but hiring someone else to do is going to cost way too much. So now what? There are some fun and easy painting ideas for kids rooms that anyone can do and will easily change the look and feel of the bedroom all together.
1. Using words to decorate the walls. You probably never thought that decorating the walls with words could change the way it looks. You can keep the background color of your walls exactly the same not even lifting a paint brush. There are several different ways to go about painting words. You can do it by hand which can add a personal touch to any room, however if you're handwriting is less than perfect you can also buy stencils to etch the words across the room. Some of the most fun and creative ideas come from nursery rhymes and other poems you may have heard. For example, for little boy's rooms you could write the words "Snakes and Snails and Puppy dog tails, that's what little boys are made of." For little girls who might be sharing a room with sister you could write a cute phrase like, "Two are we, my sister and me." You can make them up yourself or go looking for different quotes to use.
2. Murals. There are hundreds of different murals you can paint onto the walls of a kid's room, however finding someone to draw it for you might be hard to find. Since it's not a "professional" room or model home that you're showing to a lot of people you can get away with having an amateur artist come and draw whatever it is you need. Then once the mural is done you can paint it as you like. Murals can change the look and feel of a bedroom dramatically and can literally make a kids room become a fantasy world.
3. Sketches. Sketching is a great way to use the paint in a bedroom, especially if you're talented with the pencil. So what if you're not? Well, instead of fretting over how you're going to draw what your child wants look through some magazines and books to find the picture, make transparency of it and then project it onto the wall and trace it. It's really that simple. Once you've got the outlines of the character or object you can start painting. So sketches can be a fun and easy way to add some personality to the bedroom whether you can draw or not.
4. Themes. Of course when you're painting your child's room you can always go with a theme which sometimes makes it easier to figure out exactly what you're looking for. If you pick a theme before you begin any of the other stuff you can really get a clear picture of how you want to paint the room and what colors you will want to use. There are thousands of ideas out there when it comes to using themes to paint a room. From ocean sea floors, to princess and space ships the sky is truly the limit.
5. Magnetic and chalked paint. There are thousands of different ways to paint a child's bedroom, and two of the coolest things you can do with wall paint is painting a wall with magnetic or chalked paint. Yes it's true, you can buy paint that will actually make the wall a magnet and create a world of fun for your child. You can also buy paint that will allow your youngster to write directly on their wall like a chalkboard and erase it just the same. Of course you have to be careful that they only draw on the wall that has the chalked paint on it, but other than that it can be a lot of fun. There are literally hundreds of painting ideas for kid's room. The hard part about it is finding one that you absolutely love and your child will love.
Seriously... Coffee Shops... What's up with that? Been to one lately? I have, let me tell you about it. I started drinking coffee a long time ago. And since then, if it's past 9am and I haven't had a cup, then chances are, you'll find me in some dark closet, curled up in the feeble position, rocking back and forth, singing every verse known to man ofKoombya and some I just made up. "Therapy's fun... my lord... Koombya".
But sometimes I just can't find the time to make myself a pot and I'll need to go to the local coffee house to get me a cup. The last time I was there, the person in front of me seemed like it was their first visit to this land of Arabica beans and CD's for sale. I couldn't help but think of my first adventure here. I won't lie, I was a little nervous. There was a look of confusion on my face as I looked up at the giant chalkboard with six hundred and eighty five different types of coffee. At first I thought the place was just being kind to foreigners by simply putting the translation of "coffee" in every language known to man on the board. But as I looked closer, I realized that the words weren't written in ancient Egyptian and the pictures weren't symbols for Seth the prehistoric Caveman, who was just thawed out and needed to warm up with a steaming cup of Java to understand.
Everything on the board was supposedly in English. Normally I would say plain English, but that would be a lie. And lying is wrong. I've seen computer-programming languages that were easier to figure out than simply trying to locate the word "Coffee" on the gargantuan menu. I looked everywhere, but couldn't find any familiarity. So now it's my turn to order. Not having a clue, I simply said what's worked for generations... medium coffee. That's when all hell broke loose. Well, as much as it could in a coffee house with Dave Matthews playing in the background. You see, my order didn't sit well with Jimmy "I can tell you every type of coffee even made, by order of aroma, grind, alphabetically, geographic region of growth, altitude, or just to show off, watch me leave out all the vowels and say them out loud as I balance this chocolate biscotti on my nose, and just for some flare, light it on fire. Wait for it... C_l_mb__n! Water please".
So Jimmy asks me which type of coffee, I would like. I reply, "Well, plain coffee will due." Poor Jimmy felt all insulted because plain coffee is so beneath him, like commissioning Rembrandt to paint a landscape, with a family of stick people in front of their house including tree and a sun in the corner with a big smile on its face that my little cousin could do with one hand tied behind his back. But because, he is a professional, Jimmy calls out my order to the "Coffee Maker". "Vertis Java" rings through the house, also creating a little shock in me. What the hell is that? Some kind of code words to mock me? Good thing I didn't order a large hot chocolate. Jimbo would be screaming Steamed Mocha at the top of his lungs, loud enough for any guy in a two mile radius, who heard my order, feel compelled by human nature to meet me in the parking lot and proceed to take away my man card.
Things are much easier now. I try to frequent that place as little as possible. Large double double is all the vocabulary that I really have to use before getting some wake up juice in me. Addicted? No, I wouldn't say so. But then again, my sponsor said that the first stage is denial.
If your walls are looking a little bare but you don't have the money to go out and buy someone else's art, create your own. This is your home, and it should reflect your personal style. If you're stuck for quick, cheap and fun ways to create artwork, here are some ideas using frames to get you started.
FRAMES
Bargain shop for frames at garage sales, flea markets and vintage shops. Don't worry about the artwork inside or the color of the frame, you can easily change those. You can also look for frames at dollar stores or places like Ikea if you want more of a cohesive look.
PAINT
Next you'll want to head to the hardware store to pick up some spray paint. You should buy a primer as well as a colored spray paint. Glossy black or white give a sophisticated look and you could always paint one frame out of the bunch and accent color, like red, to add some interest.
Follow the instructions on the can for painting and be sure to do it in a ventilated area and to cover anything you don't want to get paint on. If the frames surface is really slick, you may want to sand it first.
CREATE
Once the frames are dry, you can decide what you want to do with them. Here are a few options:
a) Use just the frames - remove the backing, matte and glass and hang the different styles of frames together on the wall, alternating styles, shapes and sizes.
b) Fill them with black and white photos - if you're going to use the matting, try to find frames that have the same color of matte. Gather all of your photos and take them to a photo developing shop to have them changed to black and white and the size you want. To add even more interest, you could crop the photos in the editing process.
c) Make a chalkboard - use the piece of glass that came with the frame and use a chalkboardpaint to cover it. Hang it by the door or in the kitchen and use it as a message board or to make your grocery list.
d) Use fabric, wallpaper or even wrapping paper - you can use different patterns and textures to add interest to your wall. Wrap the piece of fabric or paper around the cardboard backing of the frame. You can do some frames with matting and some without.
e) Favorite Quotes - build a wall of inspiration. Write out your favorite words or quotes on your computer and print them off on regular paper or get a little more fancy and buy some specialty paper. Use the same font for all of the frames or use a different one for each frame.
f) Make a mirror - you'll need safety glasses, gloves and a glass cutter and sealer, which you can pick up at most hardware stores. Follow the instructions that come with the glass cutter to score and break the mirror. When it's cut to size, you'll want to seal the edges of the glass to prevent the back of your mirror from turning black over time. The mirror can be adhered to the back of the frame or you can use the frames backing board to keep the mirror in place.
HANG
When it's time to hang your new art on the wall, you can arrange the frames on the floor first. Use hooks on the back of the frames to hang them or you can get a little more creative and use decorative ribbon; use a staple gun to attach each end of the ribbon to the top left and right corner of the frame. You can then hang the ribbon from the nail in the wall (keep in mind that the frame will hang lower).
Your car may have a soul in your opinion, perhaps an evil one even, but it is definitely a mechanical device. With all the components now crammed into it, sooner or later there are going to be squeaks. To take the "rattle" out of your rattle and rolling down the road, let's take a look at how to get rid of squeaks in the driver's area.
A squeak in the interior of your car can drive you absolutely crazy. It may not be that loud. It may not even be that grating. The problem is it is always there. You can't escape it. Like the sound of fingernails scraping down a chalkboard, it will slowly drive you insane. You must fight back! Fortunately, it is fairly easy.
The interior of your car looks very organized and efficient. To some extent it is. From another point of view, however, it is closer to the clean room of a teenage boy - you really don't want to open the closet door! Well, your dashboard is the metaphorical closet door. Down around your feet and up under the dash are a host of components crammed in every different manner. As the car interior heats up and cools down every day, these components can move about. It is in this general area that you'll find your squeaks.
The first area to take a look at involves any moving parts. The pedals for your feet often start to squeak. There pedals connect to hinges near the top and these hinges need to be lubricated from time to time. Because the hinges are up under the dash from the point of view of the driver as he sits down, it sounds like there is a squeak under the dashboard. Go ahead and lubricate the pedal hinge points even if you don't hear a squeak. It might just go away.
Now comes the really scary part for any man. Pull...out...the...owner's...manual. I know this is difficult. Feel free to close the garage door, turn out the lights and read by camera light so nobody sees you. Why the owner's manual? Well, many modern cars actually require that you occasionally lubricate some aspect of the interior of your car. The manual will actually have a section on it. Now, the people that write owner's manuals think in a very odd manner, so you might have to search around for it. If you can find the note, however, they'll often lead you right to your problem area.
Finally, you can take the car to a mechanic. I don't advise this. The mechanic is going to do exactly what I've written above, so why pay for it? With very little elbow grease, you can save a buck or two and find the problem yourself.
So you're planning a bridal shower -- and everyone says you need a theme. "Around the Clock." "Home and Garden." Yawn!
There aren't many times we get to be silly and girly in this world, so a bridal shower shouldn't be wasted. Make sure it's genuinely fun. It's simple --- just think about what makes your bride special, and let yourself loose with the theme. Here are a few ideas to charge up the noggin and organize something unique.
"Like High School -- But Better."
Revive some great times by tipping your hat to the bride's high school days. Look up all those slightly embarrassing hits from the year she graduated -- let's say the 80s. (Create a gift CD of same for all your guests -- they'll secretly savor them when no one else is around.) Yes, they still make banana clips! Pass them out, along with big, dangly inexpensive hoop earrings and loads of jelly bracelets (remember? You wear about a hundred on each arm, a la vintage Madonna). Slather on the pink, blue and green eye shadow, metallic nail polish and bright blue mascara. Play the soundtracks from Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles.
Now for the games: segment a flashback classic, such as Madonna's "Holiday," into three or four CDs. Divide your guests into the same number of groups, and challenge them to come up with a dance routine to fit their part of the tune. Bring them back together in 10 or 15 minutes to perform their mini-masterpiece before a video camera you've set up for the occasion. Tape everyone's routine in order. Give a prize to the best choreographers (actually, give a prize to everyone for being a good sport). Together, you've created a music video that no one could forget. With any luck, it'll mysteriously show up at the reception.
Wine and Chocolate
Sometimes, when you tour a bunch of vineyards in wine country and you're really lucky, you hit upon "wine and chocolate" day. But you don't have to wait to hit the jackpot -- you can organize your own. Plan an easy afternoon of popular, easy-drinking wines like Merlot and champagne, and ask each guest to bring a creative form of chocolate. Some of our favorites: chocolate croissants, chocolate papaya crepes, chocolate-covered ginger, and yes, jalapeno brownies.
But don't stop with the food -- make an outright bordello of it. Pile lots of velveteen pillows around the room, drape the walls with heavy fabric, burn a bit of incense. Put on some soothing Moroccan music, and arrange a few flowers in plum colored pails or vases you've dressed up with groovy gold fringe. Now pass out those beverages in pretty glass flutes, dropping a rose petal in each one. Then dig in! (Have doggie bags at the ready for blissed-out guests who want to enjoy the spoils later at home).
Occupational Hazard
Few things are more flattering than having your friends develop a party around your job. After all, you spend day in and day out there, and what you do is probably pretty important to you. Is the bride a teacher? Hand out apple-shaped candles as favors ... and place them in brown paper lunchbags. Give her a chalkboard eraser "to erase any grudges" after she's married: spray paint the top gold or silver, and have everyone sign it with a Sharpie. Sew or glue together a quick clip-on or bandana for her dog's collar that reads, "Teacher's Pet."
Is your bride an attorney? Hire a Judge Judy impersonator (yes, they exist!) to make a showing. Ask each guest to "submit a brief" -- a gift of lacey underwear for the honeymoon, accompanied by a personal note to wish the bride well.
More Ideas for Exciting Showers
Christmas in July: Place the bride's gifts under a big, frou frou artificial tree you've hung the guest favors on. Serve iced eggnog and mocha-cinnamon smoothies. Everyone loves Christmas ... especially when you've had a break from it, and don't have to agonize over what to buy the boss.
Dancing Queens: Dress up in big, pouffy prom dresses from the past (you'll find them at every thrift store), super-glam makeup, even tiaras. Lay on loads of body glitter. Head out en masse to your neighborhood restaurant or karaoke bar and toast the bride as she opens her gifts.
Cheesecake Party: Ask your guests who their favorite hunk is. Serve mini-cheesecakes in lots of different flavors (Baileys and orange, amaretto, chocolate fudge), and place a framed photo of their favorite "cheesecakes" next to each serving platter, with a special label: "Brad Pitt Blueberry," "Creme de Menthe Mel." Get inventive with the descriptions. Borrow or rent the biggest espresso machine you can find, and serve up steaming coffee drinks.
Whatever you end up going with, don't be afraid to be creative. The less you go by the book and the more you think about what makes the bride special, the more fun your shower will be for everyone.
chalk time with chip Big Hungry's Toyota bB Scion XB toaster box. at the time of filming the the specs on the box are as listed front and rear lip were something cheap purchased off ebay for temporary use until Big Hungrys jdm parts came in. the side skirts are oem the box front lip rear lip and side skirts sat no lower than a the oem parts. wheels were sportmax 002's painted house of kolor gold suspension was tein ss coilovers jdm parts include firesports grill esams visors jdm head lights pioneer carrozzeria rear window speakers RingoRocks and Gothbox are drawing on big hungrys box. UPDATE: the box has changed since this video was done. This video was done to show everyone that yes you can write on chalkboard paint. please view some of se memphis and driveway customs other videos.
Our Tabletop Easel has all the fun features of a regular easel, but takes up much less space. Give this to any young artist and theyll be thanking you as they get hard to work on their next masterpiece. Features include: • Chalkboard surface on one side and a dry erase surface on the flip side • Wooden strips can hold paper firmly in place • Two plastic paint cups • Eraser • Folds for easy storage • Made of wood • Smart, sturdy construction • Packaged with detailed, step-by-step assembly instructions
