Soap bubble art, or bubble painting as it’s sometimes known, is an easy and fun project. You can make the paint with household ingredients and the results are colorful and have a three dimensional quality. Since most kids love to blow bubbles, you should probably be prepared to become a living piece of soap bubble art, too. At least you’ll be clean.
Cover your work surface with newspapers or a plastic tablecloth. Soap bubble art is very messy, which is probably half the fun. After you cover your work surface, cover your clothes and that of your children. Old T-shirts or button-down shirts worn backwards make great art smocks.
Make your bubble paint. Use plastic cups or old yogurt containers, one for each color of paint you want to make. Place 2 Tbsp. of tempera paint in each cup, add 2 Tbsp. of dish soap and 1/2 cup of water. Mix the solution with a spoon.
Test your paint to make sure it’s bubbly enough. Too much paint can make the solution too heavy and not soapy enough. Put a straw in one of the cups and blow gently to see if the solution will bubble. If not, add a little more water and dish soap.
Distribute bubble wands, straws and pipe cleaners to each eager artist. The pipe cleaner can be bent into shapes and then used as bubble wands. The advantage to using pipe cleaners is that you can make different sizes of bubbles which will vary the artwork a little.
Create soap bubble art. Use a straw to blow into each container until the bubbles reach the top and then press a piece of white construction paper on the bubbles. As they pop, they will leave rings on the paper. Repeat this process with a variety of colors to create a layered, tie-dye look.
Blow bubbles onto the paper using the bubble wands or pipe cleaners. This technique allows you to have a little more control over where the paint will land on the paper.
Replace the paper with a new piece before it gets soaked through.
Vector art is created by manipulating a photo or image with a computer program. It makes the image appear in an animated style. Vector art does not lose its quality under magnification like normal photos do. When vector art is printed, the picture keeps its crisp look even when resized. Making vector art takes a basic knowledge of photo editing software and a little bit of time.
Pick an image to use. When first learning vector art, it is best to choose an image with less detail–one that you don’t mind looking at for a long time.
Open the image in the photo editing software. Copy the background layer of the picture and turn off the visibility of the top copy.
Click “Posterize” under the image tab on your toolbar. Some software lists “Posterize” under “Image and Adjustments.” The “Posterize” picture is a rough guide to creating the vector art.
Create a new layer by clicking the “Layer” option under the “Image” tab. Select the “Pen” or “Pencil” tool. Find the largest portion of the picture and choose a color that is similar to the color on the original picture. Trace the edges of that part of the picture. Repeat until all of the major portions of the picture are traced with the colors matching the original photo.
Compare the original photo to the traced photo. Start doing the outlines and the details. Start with the second largest features first. Trace the basic shape of the second largest feature with the “Pen.” Add the colors, shapes and basic aspects of that feature with the options on the “Draw” toolbar. For instance, if you are drawing an eye, start with the shape of the eye and then do the iris and the pupil. Add shading around the eye and then add the eyelashes and highlights.
Save the feature as a layer. Use the “Layers” option once a feature is complete. This allows you to work in just one area without tampering with another completed area. Repeat the last two steps for the rest of the components of the picture.
Add shading to the whole picture to give the picture depth. Save your photo as a “.VPF” file.
“Hair is at once the most delicate and last of our materials, and survives us like love,” said the popular 19th-century women’s magazine Godey’s Lady’s Book. Hair was used during the Victorian era to make jewelry such as bracelets, earrings, brooches and rings. These personalized pieces were a way to mourn those who had passed away as well as tokens of affection between loved ones. These days, hair art is making a comeback as a type of folk art and can be seen exhibited at museums and in private collections.
Bundle the lock of clean, dry hair and secure at one end with a rubber band. The hair can be either human or from a doll, and the bundled hair should be about the width of a pencil.
Separate the hair into three equal sections.
Braid the first section of hair, securing it at the bottom with a rubber band. Do the same for the other two sections so you are left with three thin braids.
Braid the three thin braids together to create a thick cord.
Carefully remove the rubber bands at each end and replace with bracelet clasps, being sure to fit the clasps securely around the braids. Wire clasps can be purchased at any craft store and should be tightly wrapped around the hair to secure it.
Money: Additional Income from Scrap Materials around the House
Recycling can be quite lucrative if you know what to look for and know all the little tips. I do it for several reasons. Here’s how you do it and get paid!
You need to know what pays: Most common household items here is a list of common items.
Inkjet printer cartridges
Old cell phones
Soda / beer cans
Copper tubing and wire
Brass
The inkjet cartridges normally can be recycled online. Google inkjet cartridge recycling and look at a few sites, they should have a list or price guide as to what they pay for a cartridge. Some may have a minimum amount that you have to return. Printers ink carts are common and can be found on trash day you may have old carts lying around in the study or computer room. It’s easy to ask friends and family to save them for you also.
The cell phones wok the same way as the ink carts and most of the time the site that buys back the ink carts will also buy the cell phones as well. Again shopping around might be a good idea so you can get the most cash for your items.
Aluminum cans are everywhere these days. We all crack open our favorite soda and drink it and toss the can when we’re done. Well most communities have a recycling center that can be found in your local phone book. Round up your cans i.e. soda, beer, and energy drink.
Copper normally pay well and is again paid for by the pound. The going rate can be attained from your local recycling center. We all see the TV’s and other appliances on the roadside right? Well those electrical cables are made of copper along with extension cords as well. Most forms of wire have a copper core (some may have aluminum or other conductive metals so take care). Copper tubing also is worth cash by the pound and can be found all over. Keep an eye peeled and you’ll come across it.
Brass pays also by the pound, call your recycling center and get prices. Most common types of brass are valve assemblies from water pipes. I take off the handle with a screwdriver or a wrench and then bring it back. Some places pay for the brass shavings from laths and other metal cutting tools.
If you are a stay-at-home parent, just retired or crave the flexibility of working for yourself, making extra money from a home-based business may be worth looking into. Set your own hours and do what you love.
Consider your talents and expertise. If you have an accounting degree or a law degree, consider moving your practice to your home or working from home in addition to your full-time job. A teacher could tutor or a musician could offer music lessons. There are many options here.
Open an online store to make extra money. Research products or manufacture your own creations to sell to the public. Many wholesalers will drop-ship products to your customers. You could start out on eBay to work out the kinks before you launch your independent online store.
Write articles, newsletters or other projects for local businesses or newspapers. Consider writing articles based on something you know about well. Many publications would welcome expert advice columns or articles.
Care for children in your home during the day, after school or in the evenings. Check with your state for the guidelines governing in-home daycare centers.
Offer a service, such as interior decorating, professional organizing, catering or a cleaning service.
Check job board sites, such as Journalism Jobs, Career Builders or Monster for telecommunication jobs. Many companies offer home business option for consulting, writing or other positions.
Shop for extra money and products by becoming a mystery shopper. Be careful about which company for which you choose to shop. Some companies require you to pay to become a shopper. Choose a company that doesn’t charge you.
Little amounts of oil can be disposed of easily, but what about the bottles of oil that have gone rancid or the larger amounts of cooking oil that were used for deep frying? Don’t put the oil down the drain — any drain — as it will stick to pipes and cause blockages. There are much better ways to put that oil to use. Here are some suggestions on how to recycle unwanted cooking oil.
You can use old oil in your garden. For an organic insect pest spray, mix one cup of your unwanted oil with a few tablespoons of Murphy’s oil soap or baby shampoo and add little warm water. If you add some garlic and/or hot pepper it will be an even better deterrent to future insect pests. Wash your sprayer clean with soap and hot water when done.
Another way to use your rancid or used cooking oil in the garden is to pour it into your compost heap. Only use a little at a time. Since it is a vegetable product it will decompose safely. But because of its viscosity, vegetable oil will be slow to break down so you don’t want to smother any parts of your compost pile by using too much at any one time.
WonderHowTo.com has three clever videos of ways to recycle your cooking oil. You can make metal candles, cool your computer and make a recycled lamp all with cooking oil. Just make sure your oil is clean without leftover pieces of food if you are recycling oil that has already been used for cooking rather than oil that is simply old or rancid.
Look around for centers that accept vegetable oils to convert to bio-diesel fuel. Some cities actually have programs in place to help collect oil for recycling. Why not put your disposable cooking oil to work?
Since there are so many good ways to recycle unwanted cooking oil, there’s no reason to add it to our trash heaps and dumps.
Unfortunately, most bed bug extermination methods are costly and time-intensive. Moreover, these treatments are not guaranteed to be successful because the insect has acquired so many immunities. Nonetheless, homeowners can avoid infestations all together by using natural repellents and adopting healthy habits.
Treatments
Just like other insects, bed bugs can be repelled by essential oils that are distilled from plants, spices and herbs. Their aromatic properties mask human scent and evoke smells that the organism naturally avoids. Cinnamon, lemon grass, lavender, citrus, eucalyptus and tea tree oils are just some agents that naturally discourage insects. In fact, these oils make up many organic alternatives to synthetic insect repellents. These “green” products work best when they are sprayed around the perimeter of a living area and used before there are any signs of infestation.
Habits
Since bed bugs can easily hide and transport themselves, homeowners should make sure they avoid picking up the insects while travelling. When staying in hotels, luggage should never be left on the floor. Bags should either be propped up on a suitcase stand or kept in an empty bathtub. Furthermore, travelers should always place their garments in a drier upon returning home. A high heat setting will likely kill any insects that have latched onto the fibers. But in addition to travelling wisely, homeowners should always maintain a clean household and eliminate clutter. A hygienic environment greatly minimizes the risk of bed bug infestation.
Benefits
There are several benefits associated with organic living and the use of natural repellents. Most significantly, they can help homeowners avoid expensive extermination services that are not guaranteed to work. Moreover, natural repellents are not formulated with the same artificial compounds as their synthetic counterparts. As a result, humans can have a better tolerance for them while they work as an effective deterrent to bed bugs.
Home Improvements: 7 Short Ways to Make Your House Unique
A house can be as unique as its inhabitants, and your home can become a direct reflection of your personality. Each decorative element and accent can contribute to making your home extraordinary. You may not be the only one on the planet with your particular floor plan (if you are, you’ve got a head start), but the difference is in the details.
For A Unique Exterior
Adorn your lawn with interesting ornaments you haven’t seen elsewhere. Small fountains, a colony of garden gnomes or artfully arranged bird feeders are not as common as plain grass or stone. To ensure your yard is as unique as you, choose ornaments that you enjoy. If you prefer a whimsical look, statues of fairy tale creatures may be nice accents to your front yard. Those who want a dignified, somber look may add a wrought-iron fence and a large, crystal gazing ball as the lawn’s centerpiece.
Repaint or side the exterior of your house using a color that doesn’t already appear in your neighborhood. If changing the color of your home isn’t an option, you may elect to paint your front door.
Add shutters to your windows or remove existing shutters. Outdoor window treatments can drastically change the face of a house.
Add decorative accents to the front, back and sides of your house. Wrought-iron street numbers or sculptures of wildlife may be in order, or you may choose more colorful options like a few vines of carefully placed ivy.
For Unique Interior
Add mirrors, paintings, photographs or tapestries throughout your home. Mirrors, for example, can create the illusion that your home is larger than it is or be arranged to reflect your favorite pieces. Frame and mount several rare, antique posters to form an unusual pattern that will become the focal point of the room.
Create a focal point in the main rooms of your home. For example, place a large easel holding a painting you created, a tall bookshelf or other attention-grabbing object beside the television in your living room. Add oddly shaped lamps around your dining table. Place an antique dressmaker’s mannequin in the corner of your bedroom (but only if it won’t keep you awake at night).
Arrange a custom lighting scheme in your home that highlights your uncommon objects. If you have track lighting, point it toward the focal points you have chosen. Place lamps in front of mirrors. Add a colored hood or cover to hanging lights to change the feel of a room.
Although many people tout rooftop planting as a way to save the environment and provide habitat in urban areas, there are some significant business aspects to such planting as well. Rooftop planting can double the lifespan of a roof, prevent excessive water runoff from overloading storm drains and dramatically reduce the energy consumption of a building.
Clean the surface of the roof. Make sure there are no leaks, since water damage can destroy your roof.
Cover the entire surface of the roof with a roof membrane, which acts as a water barrier and helps the roof soil to retain moisture. This membrane can either be applied as a liquid that is painted on or in sheets that are rolled out and fastened in place.
Place a layer of coarse stone gravel around the edge of the roof. This helps to hold the soil in place and to promote proper drainage of the rooftop garden. These stones are often called ballast stones.
Spread a lightweight layer of drainage medium over the main area of the roof, reaching to the edge on all sides. Various materials are available for this. One of the most common is made from crushed shells and weighs much less than gravel.
Cover the drainage medium with a layer of protective fabric that will help hold the lower layers in place. It also provides a stable surface for the planting medium to be spread over.
Cover the protective fabric, up to the ballast stone edging, with a fertile, lightweight growing material. Use a thin layer of soil — about 2 inches thick — in many cases. If the soil is very deep it can get extremely heavy when wet. Planting medium made for using on rooftops is a better choice in many cases.
Plant the green roof with the plants you have chosen. Space them according to type of plant, depth of soil and exposure to sun.
Family Care: Tracing Down Your Family’s Medical History
Medical history is an important, although often overlooked, component of a family tree. Understanding your genetic predisposition to disease can aid physicians tremendously in diagnosing and treating illness. In addition, individuals who know their health risks are more likely to develop healthy habits and engage in preventive practices. Tracing your family’s medical history will not only teach you about your heritage; it can also prolong your life.
Interview your parents and siblings. Medical information about immediate family members will likely help you the most if you encounter health problems. Record information and take it with you to all medical consultations. Whether you’re pregnant and seeing an Ob/Gyn for the first time, or have cancer and have an appointment with a new Oncologist, the physician will ask questions about family medical history.
Talk to other living relatives. If your grandparents are still alive, interview them regarding their health history and that of their parents and siblings. Ask to record the conversation or take detailed notes. Talk to your relatives about immunizations, childhood illness and chronic diseases. Also ask about hospitalizations and surgeries, whether major or minor. Find out at what age distant relatives died and the causes of death.
Try to get information about mental illness. This may be difficult as people have only recently begun to talk openly about psychiatric disorders. Even if a relative did not receive medical treatment for a mental illness, she may have exhibited symptoms that family members can recognize in retrospect. Ask about mood swings, suicidal behavior, impulsivity, prolonged periods of sadness and overall emotional demeanor. Some mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression are believed to have a genetic component.
Read death certificates and obituaries. These records can help you determine whether a potentially heritable disease such as cancer or heart attack caused your relatives’ deaths. Some states black out cause of death on certificates and not all obituaries provide cause of death, but this is a good place to start your investigation.
Ask a doctor to provide a posthumous diagnosis if there is no information about a relative’s health or death. If someone suffers from a genetic abnormality that affects appearance, a physician may be able to identify an illness by looking at a photograph.
