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Halloween Paper Mache Spiders
Jan 20th, 2012 by admin

Paper Mache is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to make any number of Halloween decorations. Follow these simple instructions to make your Paper Mache spiders and once you understand the techniques, you can let your imagination run free to make other Halloween figures to use as part of your overall decoration theme. Be sure to make them in sufficient time to allow them to dry out ready for painting and decoration.

This is a fun activity and makes a good group learning experience but supervision is required. If you make these a while before, they make great party favours. Estimated time needed for painting and decoration 45-60 minutes including clean-up and allowing some time for paint drying between coats.

You will need:
2 balloons per spider of differing sizes
Newspaper
Paper Mache paste
Pin
Masking tape
Art card
Black and red paint and paintbrushes
Wiggle eyes and glue

How to make your spiders:
Cover your working area well as this is a messy process
Inflate the two balloons to slightly different sizes – the larger for the front, the smaller for the rear
Cut out 8 legs from the art card and gently bend the ‘foot’ into shape
Attach the two balloons together using the masking tape but remembering to make this tight at the joint
Attach the legs to the spider’s body
Prepare your newspaper by tearing into small strips about 1″ wide by 4-6″ long….this does not need to be precise
Prepare your Paper Mache Paste
Dip the newspaper into the prepared paste and spread them onto the balloons allowing a generous overlap for each piece. Completely cover the balloons and the legs and allow this layer to dry completely. Tip: in a hurry? Place in a warm environment to speed the drying process
Add two more complete layers to your balloons making sure to mould the paper mache to form a spider shape
Once the spider is completely dry it can be painted and decorated as required
Glue on wiggle eyes to complete

Thought! If you are using this project during the party it would be a good idea to make the spiders before hand and to give them a first coat of paint in advance of time so that your guests only have to complete and decorate them during the party. When they have completed their spider, make sure they write their name on the underside.

Thought 2! – Paper Mache PasteThere are lots of different recipes but this is the simplest. Prepare a simple mixture of flour and water in a ratio of about 2 parts water to one of flour. Mix vigorously – see exercise as well as playing with the children – to smooth out all of the lumps. Add salt to prevent mould on the finished piece.

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How to Spot Fake UGG Boots
Jan 11th, 2012 by admin

Christmas is just around the corner, and gift-buying season beckons (that is, if it hasn’t already started in earnest in your locality yet)! So start thinking and looking for gifts now, or else you’ll end up doing 11th-hour Christmas shopping, just when prices have already gone up!

Thinking of buying shoes as gifts for Christmas? Sheepskin boots would make for an ideal gift at this time of the year, because of the ice-cool temperatures brought about by winter. And if you and me are on the same “wavelength”, what better sheepskin boots to give than a pair of genuine, honest-to-goodness “UGG Australia” sheepskin boots, right? As they say, “give nothing but the best!” But the problem is, where should you look for authentic “UGG Australia” sheepskin boots? Sure, you might say that ‘there are actually lots of stores in my area selling authentic “UGG Australia” sheepskin boots, but are you sure that they are, indeed, authentic “UGG Australia” sheepskin boots? And are you even remotely aware of the “controversy” or”"dispute” between Australian bootmakers and the American company that makes the authentic “UGG Australia” sheepskin boots? If you are not aware of this so-called “controversy or “dispute”, then check out the Wikipedia article about UGG Boots.

Now that you have spent some time educating yourself about the American and Australian “interpretation” of the word “UGGs” and the background behind the “UGG Australia” controversy, let’s move forward as I show you the ways by which you can distinguish a pair of genuine “UGG Australia” sheepskin boots from fake ones. Let me begin, however, by saying that all of my “hints”, “pointers”, notes and remarks that follow are applicable ONLY to “UGG Australia” boots found in an “actual” store and not a “virtual” one (such as those “online” stores and/or “retailers”), okey? For purposes of conciseness or brevity, I”ll talk about spotting fake UGGs among “virtual” or “online” stores in another discussion.

Let’s start the ball rolling by talking about the PRICE. Genuine “UGG Australia” sheepskin boots are quite expensive. I won’t mention any figures, because prices vary and change from time to time. But here’s what I sUGGest you can do to “root out” obvious fakes: if there are several stores offering UGGs in your area, check out each and everyone’s prices. If they”re all bunched together within a small range, that means 1.) Either they are all selling genuine UGGs, which is good; or 2.) They are all selling fakes, which is too bad. My point is, if one store offers a price that is significantly much, much lower than the others, then, in any language, that’s a giveaway that that store is selling fake UGGs.

Now, suppose they all indeed sell UGGs in a tightly-bunched price range. What should you do next? Check out their LOOKS. Here are several visible ‘telltale signs” that give away fakes:

If one or all of a particular boot’s labels (both outside and inside) show “Made in Australia” or “Made in New Zealand”, then those definitely are fakes. Because Deckers has been manufacturing them in China for quite some time now.
If the quality of the stitching is very bad, then it’s a fake. Of course, it might be difficult to distinguish “very bad” from “bad” and from “good”, but if it is obviously very bad, then the boots are fakes.
Look at the store’s black-colored UGGs. Geniune black-colored UGGs have black-colored soles and black labels with the “UGG” logo in white, whereas fake “black” UGGs have tan-colored soles and brown (or non-black) labels.
Ask for the “Nightfall” model. If the “Nightfall” presented to you is any other color but Chestnut, it is a fake. Deckers only makes “Nightfall” in Chestnut.
Ask for a “Sundance” model. If you see a “Sundance” in any other color but Chestnut Sand or Chocolate, it is a fake. Deckers has stopped making it in Black. There may be old stock around, but anyone selling large amounts of them is probably selling fakes.
While still on the subject of boot color, take note that there are no “camel”-colored UGGgs. So if someone offers you one, bingo!
In a genuine UGG, the sheepskin fur around the boot matches the colour of the boot but the sheepskin fur at the bottom of the boot, where your foot sits, is always natural (or “cream”) in color.
The sole of a genuine UGG is about a half-inch or more, while the soles of fakes are very thin, like maybe ¼-inch.
Now try looking at the “size” label of their women’s and kid’s UGGs, if they have any. All the Euro, UK, and US sizes are shown on a kid’s UGG, whereas the women’s UGG only shows the US size on it.
If a blue card or a brown “leather” pinned-on tag (some of these might say “Made by CGM Co. Ltd.”), or a dust bag in a light brown or beige colour saying “UGG” or sometimes “Snow Boots” goes with the pair of UGGs, then it’s a fake. Most “innocent” purchasers are fooled by this seeming “attention to detail” or “extra touches”. The truth is that no pair of genuine “UGG Australia” boot has a pinned-on label (or with “sample fur” attached) or comes with a dust/protection bag or shopping bag!
If you happen to bring with you (or wear) a pair of genuine UGGs, or one of your companions brought with him his genuine UGGs, try to compare your genuine UGGs with a fake side-by-side; a fake one that is the same “model” as your genuine UGGs either will be taller or shorter than yours.
Also, while still on the subject of side-by-side comparison, the “UGG” label on the rear of the boots is higher up on a fake and the lettering is different from the genuine UGG. The letters may have gaps between them in the fake, while in the real, they are overlapping. Lastly, the word “australia” on the “UGG Australia” logo is in a bolder font on the fake than on a genuine UGG.

Now, suppose that the counterfeiters have exceedingly gotten better, and, so far, the UGGs you are looking at have passed all the “visual” tests above. There are yet some more ‘tests” that you can do to “root out” the fakes. For instance, try this FIT TEST: If you know your boot size, try asking for a pair of UGGs whose size is higher up by one “notch” than your size, then try wearing them. If they are genuine UGGs, they should fit snugly, or they should even be a little loose-fitting. Fake UGGs, on the other hand, are notoriously ill-fitting!

Want more ‘tests”? Try these simple FUR TESTS: Look at the boot’s interior fur. Genuine UGG fur are fluffy-looking and thick, and they should have a rich cream color. Fake UGG fur, on the other hand, are synthetic and are thin- and delicate-looking, and they are “greyish” or “white”, instead of being cream-colored. Now “feel” the fur with your hands. They should “feel” very soft. Next, try rubbing your fingers against them. You could tell the fakes because bits of them would “come off” or “come away” even with just a slight “rubbing.” Lastly, smell the boot’s interior and the fur. If there’s even just a slight paint or “lacquer” smell to them, then that’s your indication that the boots are fake. Genuine UGG fur don’t have even just a slight hint of that “lacquery” smell, because genuine fur doesn’t have to be dyed to “pass” it off as the “real thing”.

Let’s try a “new” approach to these ‘tests”; instead of testing the boots, let’s TEST THE SELLER. Here are some ways by which it can be done:

Strike up a conversation with the seller about UGGs and where they are made. If he/she mentions that the genuine ones are made in Australia and/or New Zealand, then he/she is selling fakes. Likewise, if the seller fails to mention the Deckers Outdoor Corporation (or Deckers, Inc.) as the “parent” company, then that’s another sign that he/she is selling fakes.
Try “feigning” a slight disappointment with the “model” or boot size that was presented to you, like perhaps it’s just not what you want. If the seller says, “Take your time choosing. I have lots of different “models” and sizes for you to choose from.”, then, chances are, he/she is selling fakes, because UGGs are, by the very nature of their “raw” materials, scarce or in limited supplies. Anyone who has a truckload of them at this time of the year is highly suspicious!
Next, look around the place and try mentioning a “model” that isn’t there, asking him/her if he can “order” it, how many days it will take, and from where does he/she get it. If the seller mentions getting it directly from his supplier in China, then he/she is selling fakes. While it is true that all of Deckers” UGGs are manufactured in China, a seller/reseller doesn’t get them directly from China.

That’s it. I have already covered the bases here. By no means this is a “comprehensive” list of ‘tips” on discerning a genuine UGG from a fake one; in fact, a fake UGG may pass all of the “visual” telltale signs which I mentioned above (perhaps because the counterfeiters themselves have “wised up”), but, for sure, a lot of fake UGGs fail the “FIT TEST” and the “FUR TESTS” mentioned above, while a lot of their sellers fail the ‘tEST THE SELLER” tests.

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Sketchup Area Lights & Soft Shadows
Jan 10th, 2012 by admin

Demonstration of a tool for Sketchup that provides area light sources and soft shadows without exporting while allowing interactive walkthroughs of the results. Visit www.light-up.co.uk

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Think of Buying a Bonsai Tree As a Gift?
Dec 31st, 2011 by admin

Think you have found a great innovative idea for a gift but then worried that it might not be a good idea?

This is often a thought people have when they think about buying a bonsai tree. I can guide you with this simple plan to follow when buying bonsai trees and tools.

Where is it going?

The most important thing is to know where the tree will be going – Its no good buying an outdoor tree that needs a cold winter and expecting it to thrive in the living room or picking an indoor tree and then expecting it to cope with a frost. Indoor trees like being outside in summer but need total frost protection. Outdoor trees need a dormant winter before spring.

Where in the house will it be?

Most indoor trees will cope with varying light levels but they cant cope with full sun through a window or being above a radiator. Its just too dry for them. It is normal for a tree to drop a couple of leaves while it adjusts but if it drops a lot there is something wrong.

How much care does it need?

Not that much to be honest. They need keeping damp rather than wet and definitely not allowed to dry out fully. In warm summer or a warm house this can mean some water every other day or even every day. Outdoor trees need a lot less care during winter than in the growing season but they still need to be protected and kept slightly moist (the less leaves the less water then need during winter)

Feeding?

Easy – feed it when it should be growing and don’t when it shouldn’t!

Repotting – a bit scary?

Maybe the first time you attempt it. Basically a tree wont grow on top if it cant grow its roots. You need to prune the root ball normally every spring. Its reasonably easy and we do offer free and more in depth advice from our website. When the roots get tight in the pot, it cant be watered very easy or the soil is getting stale then its time to repot. In very simple terms you comb the soil out of the root gently and then reduce the root ball by about a 3rd. The tree is then secured into the new pot and fresh soil introduced.

What about Tools?

You will need a decent pair of pruning scissors and maybe a branch cutter to start with. Bonsai tools normally have finer blades to reduce crushing of branches as this can cause them to heal slower.

Chinese tools are great value and good quality. Japanese ones are higher quality and this is normally reflected in the price.

Where should I buy a tree from?

Bonsai trees can be bought from a number of places but you should check that the tree looks healthy. Avoid ones where the soil has got very dry or the tree is not secure in the pot as this can indicate root problems which may cause the loss of the tree. Specialist bonsai suppliers are the best option and they should be able to offer advice on the type of tree you want.

Bonsai make great gifts and are easier to look after than people think – just make sure you get the right tree for where it will be kept!

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Trans Globe Lighting 5904 BRT 18-1/4-Inch 2-Lightoutdoor Hanging Lantern, Burnished Rust
Apr 29th, 2011 by admin

Trans Globe Lighting 5904 BRT 18-1/4-Inch 2-Lightoutdoor Hanging Lantern, Burnished Rust


Trans Globe Lighting 5904 BRT 18-1/4-Inch 2-Lightoutdoor Hanging Lantern, Burnished Rust Feature

  • Weather resistant
  • Powder coated finish
  • Water glass
  • UL Listed
  • Requires 2 60-Watt candelabra base bulbs

Trans Globe Lighting 5904 BRT 18-1/4-Inch 2-Lightoutdoor Hanging Lantern, Burnished Rust Overview

Size:Small, Finish:Burnished Rust, Glass:Water Glass, Light Bulb:(2)60w B10 Cand C Incand

This premium outdoor pendant features a two-step finish and gorgeous detailing.

 

Trans Globe Lighting 5904 BRT 18-1/4-Inch 2-Lightoutdoor Hanging Lantern, Burnished Rust Specifications

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!



*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Apr 30, 2011 06:30:35

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