Canvas Painting

A canvas painting can be renamed as the mirror of human thoughts. They not only add grace to museums and mansions, but also add lively colours to the environment. Paintings have been playing a huge remarkable role in human life from time immemorial. History gives evidence to the fact that the artistic record of history first transformed from the caves to the canvas.

Italian artists first popularized the use of canvas during the early Renaissance. The name "canvas" is a variant of the Arabic word "cannabis" or hemp. Canvas originally is made from hemp. After hemp, linen canvas became the preferred medium for oil paints. Cotton duck canvas came into being in early 20th century. Oil painting was first used in India, China, and Afghanistan for Buddhist arts. Eventually, oil painting became the principal medium of artwork.

Paintings have been receiving great importance not only as historical interest, but also as a symbol of aesthetic taste. From this conception canvas paintings have made their special room in our residences, working places, amusement places, and where not! As a result, a large market has grown for the paintings for sale.

Canvas paintings are chosen for different places depending on the size, subject matter, colour effects, pattern or design. We love to decorate our house, from bed room to corridor with oil paintings of different tastes. Even, our offices, hospitals, hotels, or waiting rooms anywhere simply look bare with walls not holding some oil paintings. In offices, canvas paintings play vital role in providing enlightened atmosphere. A kind of refreshing relief from the ever preoccupied commercial walls surrounding the work-place also can be derived from them.

Utilizing this huge demand, paintings have occupied a big economic importance in the market of interior decoration goods. Another reasonable cause behind canvas painting's being so popular as an ornamental piece for decoration is that they are much easier to preserve if once is framed under glass-easier than preserving other decorator items with enough safety and neatness, like earthen or heavy metal vases, or big lamp shades.

Oil paintings are usually framed before they are hung. Frames are chosen simultaneously for the purpose of protecting the piece as well as putting a floating impression on the painting, but it should not be forgot that the frame never should be too massively decorative that it surpasses the gorgeousness or fades off the genuine glow of the main art piece.

Now a days the paintings found in markets, for sale, are claimed to possess museum quality. These are in actual, a new genre of reproduction painting, and are copied by professional painters in their studios. There is very chance of occurring degradation of quality of these paintings as they are drawn relatively very fast on commercial basis. So it is very important that the artists need to be technically skilled enough in order to retain the artistic quality of the works.

Originating from the glory of Vinci's "Monalisa" to Gogh's self portrait, canvas paintings are now aristocratic selling goods with impressive economic as well as beautifying significance. They are the part and parcel of our every day's fashionable world.

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Arabic Calligraphy

According to contemporary studies, Arabic writing is a member of the Semitic alphabetical scripts in which mainly the consonants are represented. Arabic script was developed in a comparatively brief span of time. Arabic became a frequently used alphabet--and, today, it is second in use only to the Roman alphabet.

The early Arabs were basically a nomadic people. Their lives were hard before Islam, but their culture was prolific in terms of writing and poetry. Long before they were gathered into the Islamic fold, the nomadic Arabs acknowledged the power and beauty of words. Poetry, for example, was an essential part of daily life. The delight Arabs took in language and linguistic skills also would be exhibited in Arabic literature and calligraphy. The early Arabs felt an immense appreciation for the spoken word and later for its written form.

Arabic script is derived from the Aramaic Nabataean alphabet. The Arabic alphabet is a script of 28 letters and uses long but not short vowels. The letters are derived from only 17 distinct forms, distinguished one from another by a dot or dots placed above or below the letter. Short vowels are indicated by small diagonal strokes above or below letters.

The Nabataean were semi-nomadic Arabs who dwelled in an area extending from Sinai and North Arabia to southern Syria. Their empire included the major cities of Hijr, Petra, and Busra. Although the Nabataean empire ended in 105 A.D., its language and script would have profound impact upon the early development of Arabic scripts.

Archeologists and linguists have analyzed and studied the Nabataean inscriptions that represent the advanced transitional stage toward the development of such Arabic scripts as the Um al-Jimal, dating from about 250 A.D., and the Namarah of the famous pre-Islamic poet Imru' al-Qays, dating from 328 A.D. Another inscription from Um al-Jimal, dating from the 6th century, confirms the derivation of the Arabic script from the Nabataean and points to the birth of distinctive Arabic writing forms.

North Arabic script was first introduced and established in the northeastern part of Arabia. During the 5th century, Arabian nomadic tribes who dwelled in the areas of Hirah and Anbar used this script extensively. In the early part of the 6th century, the North Arabic script reached Hijaz in western Arabia. Bishr Ibn Abd al-Malik and his father-in-law Harb Ibn Umayyah are credited with introducing and popularizing the use of this script among the tribe of the Prophet Muhammad, Quraysh. Other tribes in nearby cities adopted with enthusiasm the art of writing.

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Architectural 3D Rendering

Architectural 3D rendering is the most sought after and popular technique used today by the Architectural Industry. This has brought about a revolution in this Engineering field and is popularly used as a marketing tool. Architectural 3D rendering is divided into multiple services depending on its usage. It can be used to create images with different angles and set ups, animation, walk-through, product modeling etc.

A technique that is used to add texture and give it a realistic effect is called Rendering. It can be just material application, textured or photo-realistic rendering. Photo-realistic rendering helps in making image look real. It has lighting effects, material application and high quality rendering finish that gives an excellent visual appeal to any kind of view. Architectural 3d rendering conceptually is rendering related to Buildings.

The following are the services that can be provided under the Architectural Umbrella.

Interior & Exterior Rendering:
Interior & exterior rendering comprises of rendering of Indoors and Outdoors. This includes 3D floor plans, Furniture and Fixture, Landscaping, Water bodies, Day and Night views etc. Landscaping can be for a villa, golf course, Stadium etc. These rendered views can act as an excellent presentation and visualization tool of how a building or surrounding site would look like after construction.

Photo-montage:
Photo-montage is a combination of an existing site and a rendered 3D Model. We can place a rendered house, building or a villa on an existing backdrop and see how it looks like. This helps Architects in deciding if a particular site is suitable for construction or not. This can help in deciding the exterior wall colors and other construction elements.

Furniture and Fixtures:
Architectural 3d rendering also includes modeling and rendering of furniture and fixtures. This is very popularly used in the field of interior designing. Different color combination's, material texture etc. can be applied to the model.

Animation and Walk-through:
An architectural walk-through gives us a virtual tour within the building or outside the building. This is most popularly used as a presentation or marketing tool to promote sales of apartments or villas. Client can view the video or animation created to get a feel of virtual presence in the building. Walk-through are video clippings in motion which can be of 30, 60, 90 seconds with camera angles placed at different locations to give an overview of entire interior or exterior.

Architectural 3D Rendering is used for rendering the following:
1. Residential Apartments
2. Single Family Homes
3. Office Premises
4. Resorts and Clubs
5. Villas and Condos
6. Restaurant and Hotels
7. Landscapes
8. Schools and Colleges
9. Shopping Centers

Tesla, a leading CAD outsourcing firm providing 3d Rendering Services and Architectural Animation to many clients across the globe.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_C_John

High Quality Image With Photoshop CS5

The Adobe Photoshop is graphic designing software that was brought into the market by the Adobe Systems in September 1988. Since the day of incorporation, Photoshop is immensely popular between the photographer and the graphic designer. Since 2003, the software underwent a re-branding and it came to be known as CS Photoshop. CS stands for Creative Suite and is a specialized graphic designer. This is a graphic designing program that has redefined the computerized artwork process. It is a complete collection of image creating, editing, video editing and web developing. A number of software has been released by the Adobe Systems under the CS series. The CS5 is one of them. It was launched by the Adobe systems in April 2010.

The new version of the CS5 is a collection of various new applications, which Adobe has included to increase the effectiveness of the software. With The CS5, Photoshop has stepped into the world of creating 3D images along with creating 2D images. With CS5, Adobe introduced new features, such as, the Content Aware fill, mixer brush, refine edge, and bristle tips, puppet warp. All these features are unique in quality and contribute to create extreme high quality image. Apart from these, the other features that have increased the efficiency of the CS5 are the rule-of-thirds cropping tool, automatic image straightening, and color pickup along with many others.

In the 3D image creating section, Adobe has equipped the CS5 with all the best possible tools to create high quality 3D images. With its advanced tools and equipment it has taken creating 3D images altogether to a different high. All these features are included in the extended CS5, which includes all elements of creating 3D images along with 2D images. The extended version provides options, like, Cork, Chrome and glass. To increase the appeal of the 3D images further the shadow catcher tool may also be used. This tool adds an extra factor to the 3D image and increases the appeal of the image. The uses of all these tools and techniques have simplified the process of creating or editing 3D images. Thus, with the Aid of this CS5, creating or editing 3D images have become easier.

The various online Photoshop tutorials are available to learn the different styles and techniques of the CS5 series. The Photoshop tutorials the source of readily available answers to all possible questions related to the CS5 series of software. Be it a beginner or a regular user, the Photoshop tutorials is equally helpful to everyone in terms of providing quality information.

The Photoshop tutorial is the best thing, with the aid of which one can become proficient or even expert in the application of the different techniques in this graphic designing software. Thus, the Photoshop tutorial is an expert that teaches all the styles and techniques most efficiently and aids to create an effective image. Thus, with Photoshop tutorial one can expertise in all the features of the CS5 software and become an expert in the field.

I have been learning and using Photoshop since my high school year. I just love how we can use Photoshop to design and create what we want. So I will write articles about what I know about Photoshop and share with everyone here.

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Jazz Improvisation

Jazz is at the cutting edge of the eternal now. The word "jazz" means "innovation in music". The great trumpet player Clark Terry said the way to learn to play jazz is through "imitation, assimilation, and innovation".

To innovate means to introduce something new. It means making changes to something already established. What makes the music of Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Miles Davis so appealing and vibrant?

For many listeners it's the new ideas, and the changes these great players brought to the music.

Louis Armstrong paraphrasing melodies, infusing them with the blues, articulating around the pulse, decorating the tunes. Art Blakey, one of the inventors of modern bebop drumming.

Charlie Parker, with his great technique, emphasized the upper extensions of chords. John Coltrane longing to play his saxophone like a harp, creating his"sheets of sound" approach. Miles Davis performing some of the 20th Century's most challenging and influential music.

So we stand here today with the sounds of the masters echoing in our minds. But, as we are jazz musicians, we turn our faces away from the past and see what the future holds.

Three key trends in jazz improvisation-trends which indicate where jazz is heading-are expressionism, postmodernism, and freebop.

The first trend is expressionism. Musicians playing expressionism strive to express themselves as fully as possible. This style is noted for its intensity. It is sometimes called 'energy music'. Musicians known for playing in an expressionist style include Pharaoh Sanders, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones.

The second important trend to think about is postmoderninsm. Postmodern jazz musicians borrow from one idiom and transform it. Fragments and signifiers are relocated. Players are interested in developing their own voice, without regard for any direction that jazz as a whole might be taking.

For example, a performance may consist of suites that move from style to style during the course of performance, rather than taking on any particular style of their own.

The third trend is freebop. Free bop is a cross between bebop and so-called modal jazz. It's the stuff between hard bop and free jazz. Miles Davis's second quartet was free bop. In freebop, musicians play free, without the regimentation of the changes demanded in bebop. Yet the rhythmic pulse of the music is clearly bebop and blues based. Atonality is used sparingly. While it has many new elements, this music is still recognizably part of the blues tradition.

Clark G. Baldwin is a saxophonist, improviser, composer, educator, and author. His books include Seven Steps To A Great Jazz Solo, Etudes For Jazz Volume I, and Saxophone One: The Beginner's Guide To The Saxophone. Visit http://learnjazzfast.com to learn more about taking your music to a higher level--and download a free mini-course in Jazz Improvisation.

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Energies of June

The energetic rollercoaster ride we have been on for too many years continues. It seems it will never end, that we will never have peace again.

Venus remains retrograde through June 27. Many relationships have ended. Any dysfunction in our relationships has become very obvious. We are having to look at our relationships and decide what we can do differently, how we can come together in a healthier way. My relationship ended early, even before Venus started it's retrograde motion. We have now come back together to rebuild it healthier and more loving way.

We are also having to look at our relationship with ourselves. How lovingly do you treat yourself? How well do you take care of yourself?

We are also forming a stronger relationship with Spirit, with the Creator. Psychic abilities and experiences are increasing and becoming stronger.

The theme for June has been opening the heart and learning more about love, about what it really is. We are learning that it is not the romantic ideal we thought it was. It is so much more, so much deeper and multi-leveled.

Venus is helping us to learn that Love is everything and that everything is Love. This lesson has been very painful for many of us. Our hearts are being forced open, even if we want them to remain closed. The more tightly we try to hold our heart closed, the more painfully it is being ripped open.

The Goddess energy has returned to Earth to be combined with the Masculine energy that has been in charge for so long. Now there is a balance that has not existed before. We have to experience this balance within ourselves, within our relationships and within our world. This is not an easy transformation for many of us.

It is definitely not an easy transition for those who control our world. The unworkable systems continue to falter. Banks and economies worldwide are failing. They have been built on greed instead of Love and cannot continue. Businesses built on greed are also failing. Only Love and things built with Love will be allowed to prevail.

Tomorrow will be the New Moon. A time to begin new things, to create new things in our lives. Focus your intent on what you want to create in your life and in our world. Because this New Moon is in Gemini, it reinforces the joining of the God and Goddess, the Masculine and the Feminine. This will anchor this energy even more deeply in our consciousness.

The intense energies this month have increased the symptoms we have been experiencing. Emotional issues have been brought to the surface for us to recognize and heal. Many of us have hit rock bottom where the only way we can go is up. There has been an increase in deaths and illnesses. This has caused us to experience grief, sadness, depression, resentment, anger and many other emotions.

These overwhelming emotions are serving to burst our hearts open so that we can feel Love once again. It is not comfortable as we are experiencing it, but will be well worth it when we come out the other side into Unconditional Love for ourselves and others.

This rollercoaster ride is not over. We have further to go, so we may as well hold on, put a smile on our faces and scream as loud as we can.

Claudia McNeely is a Clairvoyant Psychic, Master Energy Healer and Law of Attraction Coach. Request a free ebook on 'Self-Healing' at http://www.askclaudia.com/divineempowerment.htm.

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The Month of Cancer, 2012

The Zodiac Month Ahead The Sensation of Feeling Good

What we all can expect from the forecast of our planetary skies 20 June to 22 July.

A MEDITATION FOR CANCER

"Metamorphosis in Cancer persons occurs mainly through feeling. The consciousness of Cancer is fed by feeling and emotion; all sensational life is active here and is instantly registered, from the coarsest physical feeling to the most exquisite, delicately nuanced spiritual touch, according to the purity and quality of the individual. Just as a lake reflects the immediate view above and about it, much as a mirror, so the sign of Cancer reflects in the soul of its native the consciousness of feelings and forces from the environment and people." ~John Jocelyn

Sun enters Cancer 20 June

Cancer grants the collective the cardinal energy that leads through the element of water. As we initiate another season, spending time in the flows of intuition and receptivity are favored. The Crab urges us to reflect and bask in a sensitive nature that is engaged in enlivened spirit verses the deception of the darkened senses to reap the soul's true rewards. Our Mother Moon assures we have the capacity to cozy up to our purist emotions, be with the honor of family, and find enjoyment within our home environments. Cancer possesses the innate ability to nurture and equally is the expert when it comes to taking care of others, as a paternal instinct provokes them to protect what they cherish, while best to avoid doing so with a smothering energy.

Saturn goes Direct in Libra 25 June

Our Karmic Adjustor planet Saturn has been taking up review within The Scales since 07 February, offering his last passage of reflection from the 29th degree of Libra. As he now moves forward at the 22nd degree, the collective can take up in the final learning from the present experiences within this piece of the Zodiac Pie. He has asked that we strive to develop balance, impartiality and true maneuverability here and leave judgment out of the picture to achieve our goals. Saturn concludes his transit here for another 28-30 years upon 05 October. If you have taken the time to absorb the patience pace this area of life has requested since October 2010, you will have discovered how much harmony and diplomacy now has you passionately involved in the wisdom that the justice of Libra bestows upon us all.

Mercury enters Leo 25 June, Retrogrades 14 July

Mercury joins up with The Lion this summer for an extra long passage until 31 August. This grants the collective's communications to prefer noble and respected methods, while authoritarian reactions should be avoided in this area of the life, especially from 14 July to 08 August under Retrograde. Under review within a fixed energy, our Messenger's flexibility is more of a challenge to reach. The development of humbleness and organization will aide in preventing stagnation to occur. Gravitating to creative, independent, and ample energies allow for mentalities and thoughts to align in comprehensive and dignified means of expression.

Mars enters Libra 03 July

The Virgin will definitely begin to take a deep sigh of relief as our Pioneer moves on to bring drive and action within The Scales. Mars has been in a long passage in Virgo since 10 November 2011. Now, he is ready to start motivating refined desires within Libra until 23 August. A relaxed and more well-regulated energy will have the potential to unfold with this transit, as the stimulation of the power of reaction and compromise can be easily reached with courteous and persuasive attitudes. What Father Saturn has been asking for you to learn the most comes into its' intensity as he and Mars will conjunct at 24 degrees Libra upon 15 August. This will be a divine time to truly take up in seeing both sides of the emergences here. By allowing balance to persist, the outcome that can be made through the requirement of hard work, is assured to regulate the energies to unfold self-reliance we are meant to begin to depend upon.

Uranus goes Retrograde in Aries 13 July

Our planet of innovation and originality takes up with a reflective passage that will continue until 13 December from 08 to 04 degrees Aries. As he reached the infamous square to Pluto retrograding over in Capricorn in June, this offering for creating structure will continue throughout our Summer and early Autumn to the 06 degree of these Cardinal points. While squaring off energies are typically viewed as challenging- there is the opportunity to examine how these two areas of the life are ideally meant to take on more determination and spiritual energy through the strengthening of the will. The collective can expect inventive ways to tap into authority, character and independence to bring forth endurance and stability between these energies when the aversion of explosive and fanatical reactions is adhered to.

As Cancer engages us all to spiral in the true spirit of emotion and the channel of a healthy imagination, the inspiration to feel exceptional sensation within the life guides the intuition to innately be able to be receptive to taking a genuine leap of faith within our soul.

Since the young age of 7, Sharita has been a student of the planets above and all of the mysteries of our Universe. A Psychic of the Planets, she is available for all levels of astrological, numerological and lexigram analysis through readings, classes and party services. While residing between New York City and Chatham, NY, her first book, 'It's All In The Name' is now available for purchase form Amazon, Steiner Books and various retailers. Sharita's radio show, 'What's Your Sign? I Have Your Number!' is heard on WBCR-LP, 97.7FM, Great Barrington and the worldwide web. Please visit: http://www.sharitastar.com.

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Organ Playing: How to Memorize Prelude and Fugue in B Flat Major, BWV 560 in 8 Easy Steps?

If you can play the Prelude and Fugue in B flat Major, BWV 560, why not memorize it? After memorizing this composition you will have a much deeper understanding of it. In fact, if you truly want to master this piece, you should be able to play it by heart. Here my 8 steps in memorizing this exciting composition.

1) Take a slow tempo and play the 1st measure 5 times from the score and 5 times without looking. Since one measure is a very short fragment, you will find that it is a natural process to memorize this way. After 5 repetitions, the music will start to stick into your memory.

2) Take the 2nd measure and memorize it in the manner I just described above. It is best to start and end the fragment on the downbeat. This way you can easily learn to connect the fragments together.

3) Practice the 3rd measure and finish on the downbeat of measure 4. Play it 5 times from the score and 5 times from memory.

4) Then learn measure 4 in exactly the same way. These 4 steps take about 15 minutes of practicing.

5) Memorize measures 1-2, 2-3, 3-4. Later practice 1-2-3 and 2-3-4. Finally master all four measures.

6) Then take another fragment of 4 measures and repeat the above 5 steps. In the similar manner, learn the entire prelude and fugue.

7) Combine the 2 fragments, by playing 8 measures without stopping. Later memorize 16 measures, 32 measures and so on until you can play the entire composition without stopping. Remember always to start your fragments on the downbeat and finish on the first beat of the next fragment.

8) Start your practice session each day by repeating a few times what you have already mastered the day before. In fact, it is best if you refresh the fragments you memorized 4 days ago as well. It is important to practice the old fragments because memorization requires reinforcement and repetition.

Open the score of Prelude and Fugue in B flat Major, BWV 560 and start memorizing using the above steps today. If you will follow these directions strictly, you will be surprised how much more enjoyable and easier the entire learning process will become. You will have no more frustration in memorizing organ music.

Do you have your own memorization techniques, which help you to learn to play this piece by hearth? Feel free to share your experience in the comment section.

By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my FREE Organ Practice Guide.

Or if you really want to learn to play any organ composition at sight fluently and without mistakes while working only 15 minutes a day, check out my systematic master course in Organ Sight-Reading.

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How to Turn Average Photos Into Stunning Images

With the rapid technical development and wide affordability of advanced digital cameras a huge amount of people is meanwhile able to enjoy the pleasure of digital photography. However, most photographers are still tempted to use the comfortable fully automated setting of their cameras without knowing how easy and rewarding it is to switch to advanced camera settings for stunning results. The step from just a "Snapshot" to a stunning image is smaller than you may think...

Ideally use your camera in Aperture priority mode. This gives you control over depth of field. The camera will set all other parameters accordingly. Small values result in a smaller depth of field higher values increase the depth of field. If you take landscape images, make sure you use an Aperture at around f11.0 to f14.0. It is also recommended to use a tripod for best results in landscape photography. For portraits a shallow depth of field (f1.4-f5.6) often gives you a nicer results as "disturbing" elements are blurred away and the spectator's focus is on the person.

The secret to success is how to compose your images. You can have the best camera and might have chosen the perfect settings for your image. If your composition is boring your picture will not make it. It is the composition that will determine if your picture is poor or stunning. With some easy rules you can turn your pictures into stunning images:

Rule of Thirds
Do not place your subject in the centre. It is much more appealing to place your subject(s) according to the rule of thirds. Some cameras even have the function to divide your viewfinder with two horizontal and two vertical lines into nine segments. Place your subjects on the spots were two lines cross.

Lead in Lines
After applying the Rule of Thirds in Landscape Photography you should find lines that lead to your main subject like a path or a fence.

Dutch Angel
It can also add another exciting element to an image when you hold your camera at an angle other than 90 degrees. Try it and play around with this. You'll love the difference. This is one of my personal favorites as it changes the perspective out of the "normal".

Starting following these few simple rules there will be no more rainy days - you are already on your way to becoming a great photographer that takes stunning images. I wish you loads of fun and hope you enjoy your transformation...

For more details and resources or to share your views / comments visit us at http://www.photographymate.com or connect with us on http://www.facebook.com/PhotographyMate

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Photo Tip - How To Eliminate The Dreaded Red, Green and Blue Eye Effect In Your Photography!

Today's photo tip is about spooky, creepy looking eyes. We all know about the "red eye" effect ruining our photos! But have you ever seen the "green eye" effect? (Sometimes it is blue.)

Those of you that HAVE seen the green and blue eye effect are undoubtedly referring to pet portraits.

In animals, green and blue eyes are the same thing as red eye in humans!

Most of you already know what causes it, but for those who don't... red eye is a result of your flash being too close to the lens.

When the light source is close to the lens, like with an on camera flash, when the flash is fired, the light goes from the flash, into the pupil of the subject's eye and straight back out into the camera's lens.

Light bounces the same way a billiards ball does. It reflects out at the same angle it went in. If it hits the subject at a steep angle - like 45 degrees, etc., it will bounce off at 45 degrees.

In other words, light hitting a model from one side, will exit to the other side.

With the on camera flash, the light hits the model with little or no angle at all! So it comes straight back and into the lens.

What causes "red eye" is that the light from the flash goes into the eye and reflects off the back of the eyeball. The red you are seeing is the red of the blood vessels and inside surface of the eye.

Green and blue eye is the same thing - only in animals. When you are shooting dogs and cats, you will frequently run into the problem.

How to fix it?

Change the angle of the light so it doesn't bounce off the back of the eye, straight back into the lens!

Move the flash off the camera and away from the lens... tilt the flash so it bounces off the wall or ceiling and onto the subject or get rid of the flash altogether and use another light source.

That's why you frequently see photographers with their flash unit mounted on one of those big stalks off to the side of the camera. They are just eliminating a few problems caused by flash - on of which is red eye.

One "Fix" that I do NOT recommend is using the red eye setting on your camera. What that does is fire off a bunch of pulses of light prior to firing the main flash and exposing the photo.

The idea is that this will cause the pupil in the subject's eye to constrict - becoming smaller - so the light can't get in and back out.

It doesn't work - and worse it makes the subject squint! If you are shooting an animal, it will freak them out and you can forget getting any good shots! You'll be doing good to even find them after they take off.

At the very best, you've lost the moment and your work will suffer!

I hope this photo tip helps you understand how to eliminate red, green and blue eye! Both your human and pet portraits will benefit. For more information, check out the resources box!

To learn more and enroll in a FREE "photo tips" course, go to: http://OnTargetPhotoTraining.com

Bonus... You will also get YOUR free copy of "7 Secrets To Stunning Photos!" AND you'll get a FREE daily photo tips newsletter! Check it out right now while you are thinking about it!

Dan Eitreim has been a professional photographer in Southern California for over 20 years - his data base exceeds 6000 past clients, and he says that learning photography is easy, if you know a few tried and true strategies.

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Don Henley: Inside Job, Lyrics and Corporate Duplicity

It's a little odd to be lectured on corporate greed by a guy like Don Henley. 'Inside Job' was the album, and lyrics that got me somewhat disenfranchised with him on this and other matters. Don't get me wrong, I love Henley. I have to sing his songs every weekend, and he's got one of the great American voices and song-quills to ever come down the line, but I say a red alert should go off the moment your band starts being referred to as an 'organization'. At that point, you need to watch very carefully for things that you... uh... complain about on your own albums.

Being one-half of the Eagle's dictatorship (with Glenn Frey) and ousting just about every member who doesn't see things his way, you still gotta hand it to Don, he's a helluva solo artist. He can still write songs, sing them, and that's the heart of the matter.

So while we wait to see what the Eagles may or may not do, let's revisit one of Henley's great solo outings: Don Henley, 'Inside Job'.

Almost as cool as Sting, Harrison Ford and a few other contemporary rainforest savers, the soulful desperado still finds a way to bring insightful lyrics into a firmlly American pop framework. The oddly moving 'For My Wedding' is a solid cry for a better world, whereas 'Goodbye to a River' is an overwrought attempt to get people to use less aerosol or something.

So no, it's clearly not as hot as 'End of the Innocence' or 'Building the Perfect Beast', but this guy still knows how to carve up his own little perfect piece of a pop album as songs like 'Everything is Different Now' and 'Nobody Else in the World But You' give us exactly what we want... that voice.

He even takes a page from the Sting handbook (perhaps a page that ought to be carefully perforated and removed from Mr. Sumner's little black book and inserted into Don's) by injecting 'Nobody Else' with a rocking R&B soul that's just grand. Grander, even than that band he's sometimes associated with.

Anyway, you can't fault this album beyond a certain point. It is what it is and even though you'll probably buy it at WalMart, it doesn't feel like it was made anywhere else but America. Some will undoubtedly say it's just 'End of the Innocence III' or that Don should just stick close to Glen Frey, but the fact is, nobody else in the world could have pulled off this 'Inside Job'.

If you like Don Henley, check out Pickett's free music at: http://www.m-overdrive.com/video.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Pickett

The Top 3 Rufus Wainwright Songs of All Time - And Why

Without a doubt, Rufus Wainwright is one of the most original songwriters out there today. Countless people have been moved by his compositions. I am personally a huge fan of Wainwright's unique style, and when the question of the best Rufus Wainwright songs came up in a conversation among a few music-loving friends, I had to answer it.

Here's what I came up with:


1. California

Rufus delivers a withering critique of California life, veiled in a poppy tune with Beach Boys harmony. It recalls how he worshiped Hollywood as a kid, but how now he's disillusioned by how seriously California takes itself. "Ain't it a shame," he says, that the rest of the world "can't enjoy your mad tradition" and the "soft-skinned boys" that can still bruise you. It's a satirical comment on a world he has to live in to do the work he does. The last line says it all: "Life is the longest death / in California." Funny that the first time I spent time with this song I was driving the 101 to LA.

2. Poses

On the title track to his sophomore album, Wainwright explores the superficial things in life that he seems to both love and hate. But like most of his tunes, his intelligence takes it beyond just a gripe fest. It becomes both an ode to and a dirge about the "trappings of youth" - the leather jackets and expensive shades. He both loves these things and laments that he loves them. It's a credit to his skill that he pulls off both - and that we believe it. In an interview on NPR's "Fresh Air," I heard Wainwright talk about how "Poses" refers to a young gay man's attempts to be mature, in-the-know, special. Underneath the list of trinkets in the song is a pining for something more - a desire to truly be special, coupled with the knowledge that all these toys aren't the way.

3. Across the Universe

This classic song by The Beatles was reimagined by Rufus Wainwright. In this track from the soundtrack to the movie "Sam I Am," Wainwright pulls the song back to its simplest elements, voice and acoustic guitar. He takes his time singing the lyrics, and his smooth operatic voice suggests the hope that Lennon probably intended. It's not an easy song to pull off as a cover without appearing silly, especially with the Hindu lyrics, "Jai Guru Deva." It could easily have become a light, fluffy tribute to the Fab Four - but with Wainwright's voice it becomes a portal transporting us into a brighter future.

Whether you agree with my list of the best Rufus Wainwright songs or not, there's no disputing he's one of the most original and talented songwriters at work today.

If you like Rufus Wainwright, then you might also check out Justin Jude -- an artist with sophisticated lyrics and songs like Wainwright.

Click here to download a copy of Justin Jude's latest single for free.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Justin_Jude_Carroll

How to Choose a Good 2D Animation Studio

An animation studio can portray moving images in 2D and 3D view. Choosing a good 2D animation studio is important in order to get graphics and other elements, such as cartoons, as per one's wishes. They can make an animated cartoon video according to the prevailing trend in the market.

How to choose a good 2D animation studio

By looking at their testimonials: Testimonials can be a great way to way to know how a company has performed, in terms of quality and quantity, till date. Testimonials are the feedback of the clients who have availed the services of an animation studio. Being in a better position to voice their opinion, negative and positive, their testimony can help a new entity to make out whether to choose or reject a studio.

By looking at their past work: Past work consists of videos that are already made by a studio. By looking thoroughly, a video can reveal about the quality of graphics, the uniqueness of character, the way a message is communicated and the overall feel generated by a video.

By looking at their client list: More often than not, you will always find a dedicated section showing the clients list of an animation studio. A studio having a global client may be leading other such studios. And having varied clients mean the vast exposure a studio has received in terms of doing a variety of videos.

By looking at their work force: A good animation studio will always have a dedicated team of animators, graphic designers, story board artists and script writers. Take your time to make out to know the professional level of people on their team.

By looking at the awards or the recognition they have attained over the years: Awards and recognition can reveal a lot about a dynamic and proficient animation studio. Recognition from someone capable means that a studio is not merely doing its work but also doing it qualitatively.

By looking at the price at which they are making a video: Price can also be a determining factor in choosing a studio. A proficient studio will always make the best use of all its resources, thus coming up with a video at a competitive price.

By looking at their post production services: It is better to clear beforehand about the post production services that a studio is offering. Try enquiring about the post production services that a studio is willing to provide you.

Broadcast2world is a 2D Animation Studio which specializes in making cartoon videos supporting clients from global brands to small businesses. Broadcast2world helps to increase the sales of your business, through our unique video production services. We have developed over 500 animated videos including animated cartoon video for business from across the world to realize their corporate advertising, promotional and marketing requirements.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sunny_Singh_Arora

How To Organise a Local Talent Show

Not everyone's a contender for national talent shows, and not everyone wants to be a contender. But there's no reason why you shouldn't show off your skills to a smaller audience. Local talent shows are an excellent way of learning how to perform in front of a crowd and finding out whether others appreciate your talent.

Many communities would benefit from a talent show that they can not only participate in, but also help organise. Working on a project together is a fantastic opportunity to get to know your neighbours at a time when close-knit communities are becoming rare. The better you know each other, the more trust and understanding develops and so the neighbourhood is likely to become safer and livelier.

Getting the Word Out

The first thing you'll need to do is suss out if there's actually enough interest in the community for you to justify your efforts in putting together a show. Even if people sound enthusiastic, will they want to participate in the show or just attend as an audience member? There's no other way of finding out than direct communication. Set aside a few evenings to go and chat to your neighbours. Or use an occasion like a parent teacher evening at the local school to catch up with folk. With any luck you'll get your first helpers on hand and will be able to schedule a first meeting with the team.

Once you've begun organising you can turn to advertising the event by word of mouth, posters and flyers.

Selecting Participants

How professional do you want the event to be? If it's a community talent show, you should really let anyone participate provided their talent is appropriate to be shown to an audience of varying ages, and is entertaining. It's really all about having an occasion to come together and celebrate community spirit.

The best way of gathering participants is by collecting names from the word go. If someone shows interest as soon as you tell them about your idea, get their name, email address and skill, and stay in touch, updating them on progress, auditions and rehearsals.

Speak to local schools, community centres and care homes. They'll probably be happy to help spread the word for you by putting up posters and telling students and colleagues.

If you have too many people sign up, organise auditions. Not confident enough in music and other talents? Get some local music or drama teachers on board.

Sponsors and Funding

Whether or not you've decided to donate all proceeds to charity, you'll incur some extra costs along the way, for which you should plan ahead. So try your luck at getting sponsors. This could let you afford a better venue, free refreshments and extras such as printed programmes. Target local companies who you think would be interested in giving something to the local community. Similarly, approach local celebrities who you could invite to chair the jury, for example.

To get a full house ticket prices should be symbolic. As it's a community talent show people won't be expecting to see the world's best talents so don't expect them to pay a high price.

Venue

A venue could be indoors our out but an outdoor setting requires a lot more work and equipment, from stage lighting to folding chairs to diesel generator rental to power everything.

Indoor venues could be your local school hall, community centre, church hall or theatre. Make sure there is sufficient room for the crowd you're expecting, and that there is a backstage area for participants to practice and prepare.

Outdoor venues could be parks or village greens, school sports grounds or the local stadium. You'll need indoor rooms for auditions and rehearsals, however. And ensure the area is accessible to all, and that there are toilet facilities available.

Harvey McEwan writes to offer information and advice on a variety of areas, from technology to holiday destinations. Read through Harvey's other articles here to find out more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harvey_McEwan

Cardistry - The Art of Card Flourishes

I am passionate about sleight-of-hand card magic; the dexterity, subtleties, timing and fluidity make it poetry in motion.

But as a general rule, the better sleight of hand is performed, the less you see. Perfectly-executed techniques should be invisible, so that the audience is left with the impression that they have witnessed real magic.

This of course should be the goal of any magician, but I sometimes feel that it's a shame that so much hard work is put into cultivating skills that are often as beautiful and amazing as the magic tricks being performed, and yet are never seen.

Magicians Penn and Teller made the point that sometimes magical methods are actually more entertaining than the tricks they effect, an idea they put to good use in routines such as their cigarette trick, or when Teller was run over by a truck.

Cardistry - the beauty of prestidigitation

An exciting development has been the rise of cardistry - the performance of elaborate card cuts, shuffles, spreads, fans and other displays of prestidigitation, as an art in their own right.

Cardistry is in contrast to magic, in that the techniques are far from being hidden, rather they are the entertainment. However, cardistry and magic can complement each other. The grace of flourishes sometimes makes a magical performance more pleasing to watch, and adds to the sense that the magician is capable of doing amazing things. There are also people who perform cardistry in its own right, without combining it with magic tricks.

Cardistry is not new, you can see photos of Houdini performing cuts and card spreads. Before specialising in escapology, Houdini was famed for his sleight of hand and was known as the King of Cards.

But in recent years, cardistry has been taken to new levels, with a growing number of practitioners developing increasingly skilful moves. The rise of the cardistry community has created a healthy competition that drives members to develop more impressive flourishes. The highly visual nature of cardistry, and its fast and flashy moves, have led to it being dubbed the magician's equivalent of extreme sports.

Cardistry practitioners often combine their card-handling abilities with a talent for film making to create some amazing videos. Beautiful card flourishes are mixed with striking backgrounds and great soundtracks, elevating cardistry even higher as an art form.

Many people can be credited for the development of cardistry, but perhaps most significant are twins Dan and David Buck. They have played a fundamental role in creating cardistry techniques, and in teaching and inspiring others to take it up. I saw them perform live at a lecture in London and was very impressed by their skills in cardistry and magic, and also by the breadth of the knowledge.

You can see a video of cardistry by visiting the London magician YouTube channel.

Other videos of card flourishes and magic tricks are available from the London magician website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_AG_Pritchard

Bronze Plaques - A Source of Beauty, Prestige and Heritage

Have you ever noticed the impressive effect that a bronze plaque lends the character of a business? Bronze plaques add something to an office, home and other institution or establishment. A medical, dental or legal office takes on a new perspective and level of prestige when graced with quality plaques outside the business' entrance. It tells passersby that we have been around for quite awhile. When you invest in this kind of plaque, it also indicates that your firm intends to be around for a long time into the future as well.

Such plaques do more than advertise businesses. The entrance to a private, gated community of homes is often preceded by them stating the name of the community and decorated with an appropriate symbol, like an oak tree, lion or other logo which adds status as well. Important churches, city hall and other buildings of vital importance often have them with pertinent historical and civic information.

In the same way, a golf course or country club will often use signs and plaques in basic geographical shapes, most commonly rectangular but occasionally shield or oval-shaped. No matter which style you choose, they are really something special. It is probably a true statement that a small bronze plaque will make a greater impact than a huge futuristic billboard that can be seen for miles around. A single one whispers notoriety, class, and substance. If you are admitted within its walls, this means that you are a person of notoriety and class as well. This gives members a source of pride and status without ever having to speak a word.

Bronze plaques have a long history behind them. Kings and queens of old often used them to commemorate the site of an important happening lest it be forgotten in history. In modern society, we continue to use them to commemorate a location where an important battle was fought, where a historical person was born and at the foot of a statue. Rich and famous people also used to bronze their baby shoes - but that is another story!

In everyday life, these plaques provide a service in a variety of normal ways. When an individual or a sports team wins the championship, the winning team or school often receives a bronze plaque to hang up on the wall! Speech contest winners, runners-up and others who have reached a high level of education and notoriety may receive such special plaques.

Men and women who have given years of excellent or extraordinary military service, recipients of the purple heart and even law enforcement / police officers who went beyond the call of duty are often given bronze plaques commemorating their contribution to the police force and to the society they serve.

Ornate or plain, they are attractive to look at and will last a long time. They may contain a raised up design, like a quill pen or a single initial. The logo of the parent organization (the one dispersing of the bronze plaques) may also be included. This is as if to symbolize the relationship of trust and appreciation between the giver and the receiver. Photographs may be included on bronze plaques to give further recognition to the recipient. Because they are made to last, perhaps generations later the child or grandchild of the recipient will lovingly refer to it as a source of pride and family heritage.

Locations of cultural interest are often marked with bronze plaques, stating their importance and value. "Here Slept George Washington", or "First Colonial House Built - 1652″ - may be engraved on a cultural marker of information and importance. For such monumental descriptions and notifications, bronze plaques seem to do the job best. For example, wood signs are very attractive, rustic and down to earth. When it comes to a message that is expected to be marked for the sake of posterity for future generation to come, nothing beats bronze plaques.

Bronze plaques can withstand the elements of snow, rain, moisture, heat, dryness, buffeting winds and even abuse. They are strong, shiny, and treated to outlive even human beings! The best way to care for bronze plaques is to keep them dusted off, wiped with a damp cloth, and occasionally lightly polished with a mild bronze cleaner.

Barry Brown has been in the Sign, Banner, Decal and Display Business for over 20 years. It isn't what he thought he'd do with his life, but he says he knows too much now to do anything else!

He has been marketing these products online since 1998, and the company he was general manager of in 1998 was the first sign company to be listed on Yahoo!

Barry is a great resource for information regarding Signs, Banners, Decals, and Displays, and is also an outstanding source of information on how to shop online without getting ripped off.

He invites you to visit our website below, and call him if you have any questions regarding safely purchasing products from any site online, or regarding our company and product offerings.

http://www.visigraph.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barry_K._Brown

From Triffids to Zombies - How One Book Can Influence Your Life

I blame triffids for changing the course of my life.

Until I was twelve years old, my reading list was pretty tame. It consisted of classics like the Prisoner of Zenda, horse stories such as My Friend Flicka and cute mysteries like Trixie Belden. My deepest desires were to uncover a jewellery heist in the neighborhood and to own a horse that ran like the wind (courtesy of Black Stallion).

And then I read The Day of the Triffids. A meteor that renders the world blind. Flesh-hungry walking plants that roam the streets. What a dream combination!

I was captivated by the book's many haunting scenes, some of which have been copied in movies like 28 Days Later. The scene when the man wanders down London's deserted main street? Straight out of the pages of Day of the Triffids.

There is another scene which haunts me every time I read the book. The hero hears a young girl, somewhere in the city, singing a melancholic song. Her sweet voice travels clearly through the deathly still streets. It is a haunting image because the hero, and the reader, knows she is doomed. I could go on, but suffice it to say, the book changed my reading list overnight.

Out went the Gnid Blytons and in came John Wyndham's and Andre Norton's post-nuclear apocalyptic landscapes. I was entranced by the idea of living in a world transformed by disaster and having to rely on my own skills to survive. For that is the appeal of the apocalyptic and disaster genre, isn't it? When we read these books, we imagine ourselves in the same situation but, of course, our character, steely determination or unusual skill set gives us an advantage over our unfortunate fellow man. Zombies are just another subset of this genre. Instead of nuclear bombs, viruses or earthquakes, there are mindless, hungry automatons. It helps that they spread faster than juicy gossip. I adore this form of the apocalypse because it requires the hero or heroine to be intelligent to stay alive, not just be in the right place at the right time. One of the reasons my novel is placed in the midst of a zombie apocalypse is because it provides the perfect scenario to test my heroine, a mother desperate to protect her young family, and discover what qualities she possesses which set her apart from others.

My passion for science fiction and disaster stories, in particular, has remained steadfast for over thirty years. So, when you come down to it, I have to thank the triffids for leading me to write my first novel. The mindless feeding machines of The Day of the Triffids have morphed into the mindless feeding machines of Dead Tropics. Zombies may roam the streets instead of triffids but the spirit of the Wyndham's book is still present in the zombie books of today. It is in the modern hero's struggle to retain their humanity in the face of terrible choices; it is present when they discover inner strength they did not know they had, and, most especially, it is in their determination to fight to the death for the people they love

Every decade or so, I feel the urge to dust off my copy of The Day of the Triffids and lose myself in it again. I have a feeling it is that time of the decade again...

Sue Edge is the author of Dead Tropics, published by Permuted Press. Enjoying the Apocalypse

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sue_Edgerley

The Widow Adriana (A Tierra Del Fuego, Tale)

It was his custom once a year to climb that old wooden arduous stairway-one-hundred and sixty-steps, from the foot of Cape Horn, to the lower part of its near fifteen-hundred foot summit, where resided a little red house, with a little red chapel in the background, where a retired General of the Chilean Army resided with his wife, Adriana De la Vega de Pinochet, to inspect the premises, and let the world know, that the last part of Tierra del Fuego mountains, the renowned Tierra del Fuego, of Patagonia, in spirit and in rule, the island of Cape Horn, and its waterway belonged to Chile; thus, the Chilean Emissary Diego Medina, who had offices in Punta Arenas and Santiago with his entourage stayed only long enough on that windswept, forsaken island in the Drake Passage, only long enough for his picture to be taken and to say hello to his old friend, Jorge Pinochet (who had been close friends with Lieutenant Colonel Luis Altamirano, who had become president in 1925, of Chile, and his associates)to legitimately say, he was there in his person.And then off he'd be (it was a time when there was a sense of a de facto government governing the land of that region, one not ordained by law but one established by practice, and considered accepted by norm).

It is that Jorge Pinochet, had died as every man must die, departing this world, but in his case, in quiet footsteps, adown in his bed, no longer the great erect clinched fisted general he once was, cursed by destiny, flung over to the elements of nature, he died of double-pneumonia-not in the wicked battles he had dreamed of between Peru or another enemy of old, passing forever into the subduing winds and passage of time, and into the un-witnessed hands of fate, and cast into the great waters of the Drake Passage, where ten-thousand sailors had perished before him, and eight-hundred ships had sunk to its ocean floor-with its long avenging triumph over the immortal strait that walled two great oceans.

It was Old Widow Adriana now, who seemed inseparable from this old and desolate shelter on top of the summit of Cape Horn, doing daily what she always did, her nominal duties, as if nothing had happened. Upon the next visit by the Emissary, with the scrupulous good manners, he had always shown for General Pinochet, (retired, and now deceased) he had expected for her to depart this God Forsaken place for a more comfortable residence and life, and an admirable pension, in Punta Arenas or Santiago, or perhaps back to her homeland in Seville, Spain.

"Widow Adriana, why do you hesitate to come?" questioned Diego.

"Not so," she answered, "this here will be my tomb, as it was for my husband, I will not leave," answered the Widow.

"Be that as it may, I must then force you to leave, this is no place for a lady of your rank!" he proclaimed, handing her some currency, for her husband's past duties.

"My dear old friend" commented Adriana, "Never, never shall I leave this place, even if you take me away, will I return somehow!"

'Awe,' what a contemptuous woman he thought, stubborn as the day is long, nerves like the old hero of Seville, Hercules.

"Okay," he unwittingly said, "be scattered here and about, if you wish old fool, I shall leave you to your tomb, and isolation, to the empty world that surrounds you here, to visit the ghosts if you can find any, I fear for you and have pity on you-and that is enough scorning for me on you, therefore, I will see you in a year's time, if indeed, the Good Lord is willing!"

So he murmured, and left, and as he looked back there was a haunting about her; on the other hand, he now had a watchman in this case a watchwoman, for the premises, one who if anything, by and large, was faithful, and devoted to her countrymen, although she'd be in utter loneliness surely in due time.

In brief, it was at this juncture, the few figures in her life had disappeared, but a strange thing happened soon after that last visitation by the Emissary, the forbidden dynasty of the infamous, Drake Passage, the sailors of the graveyard, entrenched in watery graves, in old ships eight-hundred old ships, ten-thousand dead, now shadows, at the bottom of the passage, under a gibbous moon, and starlight night, four miles deep into the depths of the ocean, the Drake Passage, long buried, dating back a thousand-years, came to visit the Widow (so she wrote in her diary; yet some in future time would proclaim her crazed).

It happened something like this: she lived long in her own region of facts and figures, writing notes and information into her diary of the regular appearance of her guests, composed into strange tales, she even gave names to the sailors who visited her, names that would in time prove to be registered names, official names of those long lost at sea, forgotten by time. She had even proclaimed in one journal note to have talked directly with Sir Francis Drake, whom she said often, visited the area-long dead, and the Drake Passage named after him. She summon them by having by her side, a pan of water, that reflected-she said-their shadows mingled, and she'd beckon to them, to join her. And most often they did, she said; thus, learning of long forgotten tales that never would have been told, like this one.

And so it was, upon her death, they found her diary, attesting to this very strange story indeed, and the Emissary buried her according to her wishes, to be with her husband, and upon completion of the burial, he simple said to his entourage, "Now that we've buried her with dignity, let us be done with her, we have much work to do with the living."

No: 687/10-2010 (Reedited: 6-2012)

Dedicated to the Watchman, or Watchwoman (At Cape Horn)

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Siluk_Dr.h.c.

Decorating on a Budget - Accessories

Trying to update your home on a budget? Grab some accessories!

Pillows - If you can't buy a new sofa, buy some throw pillows! You'll find them inexpensively at craft, garden supply, and big box discount stores. If you don't find a pillow you like, buy a pillow insert and enough fabric to cover it. Even without a machine, you can sew up a pocket for the insert and make your own throw pillows. Or switch pillows from one room to another to create a new look!

Candles are wonderful additions to the home. They not only bring color and dimension, but can add fragrance, too. One of my favorites is vanilla. Nothing makes a home cozier than a soothing fragrance. Candles come in a variety of colors and sizes so they're good even in small areas like bathrooms. But be very careful using lit candles, especially if you have small children or pets.

Pots, vases, and urns in all sizes and shapes add a splash of color and interest to nooks and corners. They're wonderful for holding flowers, plants, rocks, colored pebbles, or all by themselves for display. Not the season for fresh flowers? A fistful of twigs in a vase or a bowl of leaves, stones or pine cones creates interest on a table. Change the look by changing what you display.

Color - Pick an accent color for your home, like red, and splash it all through the house with accessories. Red pillows on the chair, a red vase sitting on the table, a red candle in the bathroom. Picking a color and displaying it throughout your home will create a theme that ties it all together.

Boxes are both pretty and useful, and they're not just square anymore! I have one on my coffee table that I had completely forgotten about but found in a closet. It now holds our remote controls. Use boxes to hold pen and paper so everyone in the family knows where to find them, or to hold batteries or other useful items that can get lost in drawers. Stack several different sizes for a taller display. How many ways can you think of to incorporate decorative boxes?

Picture frames can be very inexpensive and can even be painted to match your room. Frame your children's art and display it. Frame cards you've received. Frame a piece of your favorite fabric. Frame photos from magazines. Mount shells, leaves, twigs, anything you like from nature and put it in a frame. A grouping of multiple framed items on a wall creates a beautiful display.

Mirrors are perfect for making a small space look larger. Before hanging, check to see what they will be reflecting and reflect only areas that look good. Mirrors can be used in much the same way as picture frames. Use a small one in a photo stand and sit it on a shelf. Hang a grouping of different size and shaped mirrors on a wall to create the effect of a larger mirror and cover a larger space. Mirrors can be very inexpensive and beautiful.

Craft shops are a fantastic source of unique, inexpensive accessories. Search them for ideas, colors, and styles you like.

*Green tip - shop yard sales or swap accessory items with friends. Rather than buying more goods which costs the environment, recycle what's already here. Cheaper for you, easier on the planet!

What other ideas have you tried?

Happy Decorating!

My name is Karen Rittenhouse and I've been investing in real estate full time since 2004. In the past few years, I have bought and sold roughly 100 single family homes. Please check out my blog - http://www.KarensPerspective.com

As a company, we buy, sell, rent, lease, owner finance and manage properties for ourselves and for others. Check out our site at http://www.AllPropertySolutions.com

I also coach and train anyone interested learning about investing in real estate.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7116477

Bar And Pub Trivia - Making Drinking Even More Fun!

For a person, a couple, or even a group of people, sometimes there needs to be a night out to break up the monotony of everyday life. People can get stuck in routines and sometimes they stop doing anything fun. Sometimes, even just going to the same old bars, restaurants, and even peoples' houses can get a little old. Sometimes people want something new, something different, to entertain them.

A lot of people don't think about it, but pub trivia can be an absolutely great activity to break up the usual routine. It's not something a lot of people think about doing on a regular basis, but it's something that everyone can have a good time playing. In fact, there's something for everyone in a friendly, competitive night out playing trivia. A person can be completely sober or be enjoying a few cocktails, but still be entertained playing pub trivia. That is one of the beautiful things about this game. Unlike going to a bar solely to drink, trivia offers something for everyone, even people who don't drink much. When a person is at a bar playing pub trivia, he or she is focused on that, so the things that normally take precedent in a bar take the sideline.

What makes playing trivia with a group of friends out in a bar or a pub so much more refreshing than simply sitting at home playing a game of Trivial Pursuit? Well, the most important thing about pub trivia is that it is really competitive, against people that do not know each other at all. Teams are often made of 4-6 friends and they compete against every other team in the pub that happens to be playing trivia. Pub trivia is also uniquely fun in that it's very likely that one person on a team won't dominate like it other types of trivia games. There are questions in every category, from pop culture, to music, to history, to current events, technology, and even local questions. The beautiful thing about pub trivia is that the guy asking the questions has control over the questions. He's often not reading them from a card or picking the questions out of a box, but he has taken the time to prepare the questions in advance.

Pub trivia can be a great way to pass time with friends. It is cheap (usually no more expensive than going to a bar without playing trivia), it is fun, and all people can play. People from young to old, people that drink, and people that don't even drink can all come together and just have a good time.