How To Get Rid Of Parental Stress

Being a parent is a demanding, extremely difficult and at the same time unpaid job. Doing your best to make your children happy for years and years with little chance to rest can be extremely wearisome and frustrating for many parents.

Children always ask for more even if their requests are far above their parents' ability to fulfill them. Such situation puts entire family on a strain and is a common reason of parental stress. Unlike many parents hope, the stress only gets worse with age, so we simply have to learn how to cope with parental stress. Otherwise the only alternative to giving children all they want will be a madhouse.

Another source of parental stress is school and (later) relationships. While parents have to (and often really do) give all advice and support they can, such problems are long-term and can persist even for years. Teaching children how to cope with them and how to make right decisions is necessary not only from children's point of view. It is also the only way to stop parental stress level from growing.

Being overwhelmed by parenting problems is more common than you might think. There is hardly anyone who has never hated their children for their constant demands, idiotic life choices and lack of gratitude towards the parents. It is ok if it happens once or twice in one's lifetime. If it gets stronger or more common, you have to act and get this under control again - quickly.

Patience and ability to quickly cool down are two most important abilities of every parent. Do not attempt to shout at children or start rows only to reduce your stress level. If you face a stressful situation where you're about to say something you'd be sorry about later, walk away and take your time to cool down, then return and discuss the facts.

Do not bring stress from work home. Problems at work have to stay there or your family life will be ruined. This will help you take care of children without shouting at children only because you have a bad day at the office. A good way to keep the work-related stress at work is taking a few deep breaths before coming home. This will let you relax and make you less stressed out before you enter home.

Also, remember that you can and should relax. If you start getting mad, take a few deep breaths and relax your muscles. This is all you need to get back on track and start to solve problems instead of creating new (or just shouting at someone).

By: Andrew John
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How to Regulate Your Child’s TV Watching

Most parents complain that their children watch too much television. In this age and time television is a fact of life. One doesn’t come across families that don't have one, or that never watch one. While there is nothing wrong with television per se one has to be selective when it comes to watching television and how much of it you can allow your children. Television is educational, informative, and uplifting. At the same time, a lot of what is shown on TV is nothing but drivel. It is nowhere near uplifting or educational, and shows certain behavior that is quite unacceptable and undesirable in most social circles. But, children are too small to discern the difference and make intelligent choices.

Besides the garbage that is fed into your child, television eats into the time your child would have otherwise spent in physical activity or in meaningful conversation. Watching television has turned normal healthy individuals into ‘couch potatoes’ since it is a largely passive and solitary activity that is detrimental to healthy social behavior.

That television influences behaviors is evident from the billions of dollars spent on advertisements. It is the sheer repetition of it that works on the minds of people and comes to surface at the time of making choices.

So, short of throwing the TV out of the window, how can you limit your child's exposure to it to reasonable amounts? Here are some suggestions:

1. To begin with, you will need to cut down on your own TV watching. If you spend 4 hours a day watching soaps and other nonsense, you can’t expect your child to be selective and watch television in a limited time. Parents have to become good role models for their children. You can influence the impressionable minds of your children by setting good examples rather then by preaching to them.

2. Next, you will have to find alternatives for TV, both for yourself, and for your children. Think of healthy social activities that will improve your physical health and help you in social interactions. The best ones include taking up some sports or hobbies. Choose the sport you like and introduce your child to it. Or revive your interest in an old hobby. You may just want to relax reading a good novel, or even a comic while listening to your favorite music. But, initially you will have to put in extra effort to make it work.

Take a visit to your local recreation center and/or adult education center and see what programs and classes they have on offer. Make a deal with your child that if he attends one of his choice you will offer some incentive.

3. Television watching timings will have to be regulated. You can speak to your child and mutually agree to avoid watching TV at specific times, such as before school, or after 9 pm, or during meals. Fix a day of the week as a regular TV-free day and dedicated to outdoor activity.

4. Pre-schedule television - ie. People can only watch what has been pre-booked. This cuts out aimless channel surfing. Instead the family will have to look up the TV guide and find something that is actually worth watching.

5. You can draw up a chart to use television time as a reward for other activities, such as completing household chores, or getting homework done.

6. The best method of getting rid of all TV woes is to watch television together - and then initiate discussion on what you have viewed. This will help your child to evaluate the program and learn something from it. If you discuss the commercials, it will help your children to be less naive and gullible. As a family, you can figure out what tricks the advertisers play to make you want to buy their product. You know that most of the toys and foods don’t live up to the hype created around them.

7. Be fair when it comes time to turn off the television. Give some reasonable warning, and try to time it with the end of the show.

8. Cancel your expensive cable and satelite subscriptions and use the extra money either for other activities or else to rent movies. This discourages aimless channel surfing and, instead, encourages you, as a family, to go out, choose a movie, and watch it together - without ads! Combine this with a home-cooked pizza or nachos and you have the makings of a special family night instead of the usual couch potato routine.

As with all things, moderation is usually the key. Be selective. Find the good programs and watch them. The rest of the time, do something more active or more sociable. Within a month or two you will wonder how you (and your kids) ever found the time to watch so much of it.

By: Dr. Noel Swanson
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How To Locate My Birth Parents

How would you assess the kind of family that you grew up with? Have you ever been happy? But why are you still searching for something? Is there really an emptiness that you could feel deep inside you?

For adopted children, they usually arrive at the point of locating their birth parents regardless of how happy they have been with their foster families. Some strong believers clarify this feeling and they emphasize that there will always be a point in time when adopted children would look for their birth parents. It cannot be denied though that all adopted children are privileged to enjoy a satisfying life. Some of them get abused. But moreover, there are those children who are fortunate enough to be well catered for. They usually end up as very successful individuals. But then, these adopted children, as they get aware of the fact about their real identity are always united by the same purpose and that is the concern of locating their birth parents.

As per the surveys, it has been tallied that around six million of people turn out to be adopted. It has also been covered by these researches that most of these individuals have figured out some facts about locating their birth parents. They have their varied reasons of course there are those who simply want to know the reason as to why they were given away, there are some who harbor grudges against their birth parents, while there are some who are just curious. However, the major cause as assessed by the researchers is someone intention to trace the genetics of his or her birth parents.

Now what about you? As an adopted child, you surely have wondered for about a million times what your birth parents look like. You have always been curious regarding the factors that may unmistakably associate you with them. Locating your birth parents could be a tedious task. You have to go through a lot of processes and you must be open to the possibility that your efforts may end up futile. You will be investing on too much emotional adventure and mental trauma. But if there is nothing that could further stop you in locating your birth parents, you could try out these vital procedures. They will somewhat aid you in your perilous journey.

The first thing that you have to look into is the adoption paper. You could ask for the documents from your adoptive parents. You could trace the name of the hospital, orphanage, or agency that had managed your adoption. It is important that you arrive at a sound conclusion. More so, your goal is to trace the names of the people who had given you up upon birth.

How I used free and low cost internet sources to locate my birth parents. Learn what works and what does not. All the resources that are used to find your family are listed along with recommendations on how to use them.

Your adoptive parents could be the key for your search. Well, there are instances when adoptive parents do not really know who the birth parents are but it is always worth trying. They may be able to give you possible clues that may narrow down your search for your birth parents.

Collect every document that would be of use. Locating your birth parents will be much easier if you have got the papers that will direct you to them. These documents could be the decree for adoption, petition for adoption, amended birth certificate, and the likes.

Get in touch with agencies or states that had a share of task for your adoption. Go for misidentifying information such as eye, weight, hair color, health status, medical history, ethnic origins, level of education, religion, educational attainment, and a lot others. Register yourself in the State and National Reunion Registries so that your case may be matched up with other existing adoption cases.

Seek the help of adoption support organizations.

If you have got the financial means, better hire the services of a competitive intelligence. This will positively provide you the details that you always wanted.

Bear these steps in your mind and have a fruitful result as you locate for your birth parents.

By: Ronald W. Firquain
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How To Find Low Cost Vacation Home Rentals in Orlando

There are a large number of villas in the Orlando area, around 21,000 at the last count, all hoping to get your rental business. Due to the competition these villas are in, finding a low cost vacation rental is going to be easier than you might have thought.

Around 60 million visitors a year make Orlando their vacation destination of choice. The demand for vacation rentals and hotel rooms has increased over the years as have the quality of villa rentals that are now available to you.

More and more people are choosing to rent a villa rather than paying higher prices for hotel rooms. Villas give the flexibility to come and go as you please, eat meals whenever you feel like, and relax in a less formal or constrained environment. It is not surprising therefore that vacationers are increasingly turning to villa owners to provide their accommodation.

The per person cost of renting a villa is very attractive when compared to a medium quality hotel. This price can be further reduced if you are travelling with a large family group. The reason for the attractiveness of villa rental prices is due to the competitive pressure villa owners are under to fill their homes.

The quality and type of facilites you get at a vacation home are not directly affected by the price you pay. When renting a hotel room generally the lower you pay, the poorer the quality of the services and room furnishings. Villa owners reduce their prices for several reasons.

1. There may be a gap in bookings that the owner wants to fill at short notice

2. Owners often discount their prices for anyone booking well ahead

3. Slower months in Orlando will cause vacation homes owners to reduce prices to attract more bookings

4. Prices will vary depending upon the time of year you want to occupy the villa. Many owners define seasons and increase or decrease their prices accordingly.

Knowing how vacation home owners in Orlando price their rentals helps you to understand where you may find the bargains.

Searching out a low cost vacation home rental is easy once you know how.

1. If you can book your vacation rental at the last minute you will often find a good price for some excellent quality villas.

2. Owners like rentors who book in advance as it gives them visibility of their income. If you can book well ahead you may be able to secure a good price.

3. Booking in the quieter months will get you less busy theme parks, shorter queues for the rides and cheaper rental prices. A win-win all round. Generally the quieter months in Orlando are considered to be January to March and September to November.

There are many rental bargains to be had if only you look closely enough. Now that you know what you are looking for, your job should be that much easier to find low cost vacation home rentals in Orlando Florida.

By: Gregory Spence
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How to Choose a Pool Contractor

Choosing a contractor to build your pool isn't that much unlike choosing a contractor to work on any other part of your house. You need to be wary, do your research, and be armed with a few key pieces of advice. Below are some bits of that very advice you need before choosing your pool contractor.

The first thing you want to do is get more than one quote. Three to five quotes are usually considered ideal. Going the extra mile on this step really is worth your time especially since any good contractor will provide a quote free of charge. Make sure you read the fine print and do a comparison of all the bids. Use all the same materials and the same design when talking to the contractor so that when they write out the quote, you can later compare the same things. Different quotes don't do much good if they're all for different things. Make sure the contractor comes to visit your home so they can see the site where the pool is to be built.

Ask the contractor for testimonials. There are fewer things that are as reassuring as hearing from others that the contractor is worth his salt. Ask others if they have ever heard of the contractors that you are considering. When speaking to the past customers, ask how the service was and how problems were handled. Also ask about how much time it took for the pool to be built. While you want the contractor to take the time to do a good job, you don't want to start building a pool in April only to still have an empty hole in your backyard in December.

You absolutely must make sure that they are licensed and insured. In most states (if not all) pool contractors must have a license. And it only makes good business sense to make sure that they are insured if any unforeseen problems arise. Also check with the Better Business Bureau to see how they rank there.

By: Roberto Bell
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How to Make a Family Tree for Free

A very common question among beginners is "How can I make my family tree for free?" Though genealogy can evolve into an expensive hobby, here are some ideas to start to make your family tree for free.

Download free family tree software

One of the best software programs to help you make your family tree, Personal Ancestral File (PAF), is also free! Download PAF (link) to start organizing your information and making your family tree charts for free. Start your family tree by entering your information (name, birth date, birth place, etc.) and continue to add as much information as you know about your family. Once you have entered in everything you personally know, it's time to get help from family members to expand your family tree.

Interview your parents, grandparents and other relatives

The next step in making your family tree--interviewing relatives--is also free! Sit down with your parents, grandparents and other relatives and find out as much information as they know-names, dates, places-about their parents and their grandparents. These interviews should help you make your family tree back to your great-grandparents or even your great-great-grandparents!

Search at free family tree websites

Though many family tree websites require a subscription free, there are a handful of excellent websites that can help you get started:

1) http://www.familysearch.org/ - One of the best places to start searching for your family tree. Search for each of your ancestors from your family tree who have passed away by name and with any other identifying information (birth date, death date, etc.)

2) http://www.cyndislist.com/ - With more than 250,000 links to genealogy websites, this is a must-stop for any person trying to make their family tree. Browse through the links related to your family surnames-you may find websites with information that can help you expand certain of your family lines.

3) http://genforum.genealogy.com/ and http://boards.ancestry.com/ - There are thousands of message boards for surnames where you can post as much information as you have on each surname from your family tree and see if there are others also researching the same line who may be able to help!

Visit a local Family History Center

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is very involved with genealogy and has over 1800 Family History Centers in the United States where volunteers can give you free advice on how to make and research your family tree. These volunteers can also help you search for microfilms that you can look at to find your ancestors in records from all over the world.
Share your family tree

After you have followed the steps above to make your family tree for free, share what you have found with other family members. Consider making a family tree website so that others who are researching similar lines may find parts of their family tree for free!

By: Roberto Bell
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How To Value Your Antique Clocks

Antique Longcase clocks like antique artwork or other collectable items are so individual in nature that it is almost impossible to make a fixed valuation on them. Unlike motor vehicles there is no standard value list guide, antique clocks hopefully go up in value, whereas motorcars depreciate the moment you drive them off the sales room forecourt

A price asked for and offered is determined by the personal interest of the seller and the buyer, and also on the market trend, but it is interesting to note that the antique markets, like all other markets are cyclical and are in and out of vogue.

The antique market seems to be correlated to the housing market. When the housing market is in a boom period the antique market is in a slump, which has been the case in the UK for the last twelve years. People have been investing their money into bricks and mortar and not putting their money inside their homes.

It is inevitable that at some time the housing market will reach a bubble, and house prices will stabilise or fall and people will once again put their money where it will make the most gain, into a rising market, antiques. This housing cycle is about fifteen years in the UK so by the end of this year 2007 or into early next year we should see interest in the antique market increase and the value of works of art and collectables go up.

It is interesting to note that although the antique market has been in decline for a number of years, in the antique furniture industry, clocks have held there own with a small increase in value and sales are still strong. This I believe is because we look upon a clock especially a grandfather clock, as a working living piece, to which we form a bond and get attached to it as it seems to have a heart, but not so the chest of draws or tallboy.

There is also the fact that there is no capital gains tax on clocks which makes it a great investment as clock prices have been rising at about 10% a year which is better than some pension plans and stocks.

You can find many publications on the value of antique clocks but these never seem to be current and never take into consideration regional variations, they mostly only cover the top end of the market which are high value pieces. One of the best places to find the current range of prices for clocks is at your local sales and auctions, you can go there and compare your clock like for like to the ones being sold, remembering that variations on movement and dials, also type and quality of case can make a great difference in valuation.

If you don't have the time to spend at the auction most auction houses publish a catalogue which they will mail to you, and by consulting this you will get a guide for the reserved price which as been placed by the seller. Many reputable auction houses do have professional appraisers and valuing service but this is not always free. You can find a full list of UK and global antique and auction sales from antiquestradegazette.com where you can get live auction prices and view the many current catalogues online. Also take a look at antiqueclockspriceguide.com for comparisons.

It goes without saying stay clear of dealers actively engaged in buying and selling antiques as I'm sure you can understand they have only there own interests at heart.

Always use professional appraisers attached to sales rooms, and official appraisers of local probate courts usually can give prevailing price values.

By: Barry Share
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How to Give your Baby a Bath

How do you know when it is okay to give your baby a bath in the tub?

After your baby's umbilical cord has fallen off and the area is healed, you can ask your baby's pediatrician about giving your baby a bath in the tub.

Once he or says gives you the "A-Okay", then go ahead and give your baby a wonderful relaxing bath! Before you begin:

Make sure you have everything you need within close reach - baby safe soap, a soft towel and washcloth? Be sure the room is nice and warm. Babies can get chilly easily, so if necessary use an extra heater to warm the room. Make sure that the room is warm and that there will be no unexpected drafts.

Begin by preparing a little diluted baby soap by mixing warm water and baby safe soap in a small bowl or dish. Use this solution so that you don't have to worry about getting too much soap on your already slippery little one.

Before you get started be sure you are calm and relaxed. Enjoy this special time together. You won't be able to answer the phone, check your email or take a break for a bit so if you need to use the bathroom, do so before you get started with your little one's bath.

Find a clean place to bathe your baby. Usually the kitchen sink does the trick or use a baby bath inside a larger area (sink or bathtub). If you do not use a baby bath tub, you may try putting a small hand towel, or non-slip mat on the bottom of the sink. This can help prevent your baby from slipping, once they get wet and soapy.

And don't forget – never leave a baby unattended even for one quick moment during a bath. You must remain with your baby at all times during a bath.

Giving your baby a bath in 9 easy steps

1. Begin filling the bath with just a few inches of luke warm water. Make sure you test the water so that it is warm to touch. Not too cold or too hot. Fill the tub and turn water off before placing baby in the "bath". If possible move the water faucet out of the way to prevent baby from moving and bumping into it.

2. As you undress baby continue to talk to her and explain step by step what will happen next. Babies learn through experiences, so the more you explain what is happening the more they'll learn.

3. Hold your baby snuggly and securely, providing extra care to support her head, gently place her into the bath water. You may take extra care to introduce her slowly to the water. Always watch for baby's cues and take a hint from this communication as to her likes and dislikes.

4. Begin by washing your baby's face. When washing you might first just start with water so that she can get used to how it feels. Then wash with a little of your baby safe soap mixture. Always careful to not get any soap in baby's sensitive eyes.

5. Then wash the top of her head and work downwards making sure to wash the ears, neck and all those chins!

6. Taking extra care so baby doesn't slip, wash her cute little arms and legs, and don't forget to clean between the fingers and toes.

7. Next, carefully clean around the belly button and diaper area. Remember to rinse each area very thoroughly.

8. Now it's time to wash her back. Hold your baby so that you can reach around and wash her back and bottom.

9. You're just about done. Carefully lift your little one out of the bath and wrap her up in a soft towel taking extra care to keep her head warm while you drying her. Put on a diaper and a snuggly outfit, give a kiss and hug. She's clean and ready for the rest of the day!

By: Tina Allen, LMT, CIIT, CIMI
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How To Keep Your Bedroom Furniture Sparkling!

Your bedroom furniture has to be squeaky clean to create that sparkling lively effect in the room. Dusty, stained furniture hardly appeals to the eye. Now, the big question is – what is the best way to clean your treasured modern or classic bedroom furniture?

There are many ways to keep your furniture sparkling – dust it, clean it, wax it, or polish it. A lot depends on the finish of your fine bedroom furniture. Glossy smooth finish requires polishing once a year to maintain the sheen.

Dusting Is A Must.

Many people underestimate the effects of dusting and consider it to be important only once in a while. This is wrong. Whether it's affordable bedroom furniture or an expensive high end master bedroom, you should dust it EVERYDAY. It eliminates the airborne deposits on your furniture. Always use a soft cloth to dust your furniture; you may damp it, but only slightly. Feather dusters are available in the market and the best thing to have for your furniture.

Cleaning Tips.

Using all-purpose cleaning sprays on your traditional bedroom set is not a good idea, unless it is coated with plastic as in kitchen tables and kids furniture. And don't even think of washing your wood furniture with water!

In case there are some sticky stains on your modern metal beds and other bedroom furniture, you may use soap and water meticulously. Dip the soft cloth in water, to which mild detergent is added. Wring the cloth properly. Remember there should not be a drop of water in it. It should just be moist. Wipe the sticky area gently with the damp cloth. Immediately after that, wipe the area with a dry soft cloth to remove any moisture from your furniture.

Home Remedy.

For Cleaning Wood Bedroom furniture If your furniture has caught a lot of grime, then do this: take equal parts of denatured alcohol, olive oil, gum turpentine, and strained juice of lemon. Mix them well. Dip a soft cloth in this mixture and apply it on the grimy furniture. Thereafter, wipe with a clean dry cloth. Your king bedroom furniture looks like a king again!

Wax.

Wax meant exclusively for bedroom furniture cleaning comes in the form of liquid or paste. Paste wax finish usually lasts a couple of years while liquid wax finish requires a more frequent application. However, the latter is easier to apply. Waxing your furniture is a good idea, as it gives a hard finish, does not smear, and lasts longer than other polishes and sprays available in the market.

The best way to apply wax is in light coats. If you do not apply wax properly, it may leave streaks or a hazy appearance on your furniture.

Whatever may be your furniture – either discounted bedroom furniture or pricey one, regular cleaning is important to maintain its look. Usually furniture pieces come with guidelines for maintenance from the manufacturer. If there are specific guidelines mentioned, abide by them. Your manufacturer knows best how to deal with the kind of material they have used for creating the beautiful piece.

By: Ben Weissman
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How To Get Rid Of Raccoons

Many of you know that raccoons are known to adapt very easily to a changing environment that is why many people have problems with the damages caused by these creatures. Raccoons have inherited a bad habit: they vandalize garbage cans, fish ponds and also your very own kitchen pantry due to the fact that many houses ( especially in United States ) have a pet door which for a raccoons is like an invitation.

Besides this, raccoons invade attics, chimneys, porches and other similar locations, not to mention that the cities and suburbs offer these creatures a developed underground roadway system for those intelligent animals who use these storm sewers. These raccoons not only invade your privacy but also they cause damage, for example, they can get into crops or just by simply occupying your chimney they make annoying little sounds that eventually will drive you crazy.

The first thing you should do is to find out if you are truly having problems with raccoons because many people have the tendency to affirm that raccoons are the one’s to blame for the damages but in reality, the one’s who should be blamed for causing these problems are dogs, cats or other “friendly” animals.

If you don’t have the possibility to observe these animals directly the best thing you could do is to identify their tracks. In order to do this you should use the following : flour, nontoxic powders and also cornstarch, these will help you to check out footprints on hard surfaces. A useful tip : raccoons which use chimneys or attics usually begin to make noise when it is getting darker and they stop doing this in the morning, when the sun makes its appearance. The sounds that raccoons make when they are moving can help you detect them more easily. Also, if you hear purring noises then you should know that young cubs are present. Usually, you will hear these noises when their mother comes back to the den.

A wise thing you could do if you have problems with raccoons is simply wait; in other words, many of the problems made by raccoons ( for example: occupation of a building ) resolve themselves within a few weeks or if you are lucky, in a few days. If cubs are also causing you problems then you should know that they won’t leave your attic until they are nine weeks of age because until then, they can’t take care of themselves so they won’t venture in an unknown environment where they will be helpless.

When it comes down to chimneys and attics if yours is uncapped then raccoons will probably use it for denning but also for giving birth and raising cubs. If you assume that after a while they will leave, the best thing you should is that you might try using some harassment techniques so that you could “hurry” their departure. Also, you might as well leave the attic lights on or place a radio tuned to a talk-show and leave it a high volume.

Once you are certain that you got rid of all the raccoons, the first thing you should do is install an approved chimney cap so that in the future, raccoons won’t be able to invade your privacy. A very important note is that you shouldn’t use fire or smoke to make the animals come out of the chimneys because by doing so, you will most likely kill the youngsters as they aren’t able to evade on their own.

When it comes down to yards and gardens, in order to discourage garbage vandalizing you should place cans at the curb when the day of garbage pick-up has arrived. Another thing you could do is that you should secure the lids using bungee cords or weights. Don’t forget that raccoons are often attracted by birdseed and suet and they usually cause a lot of damage to garden fruits and also vegetable gardens , especially corn and grapes. Garden vandalizing will often occur when the foods are ready to be picked so you should be more attentive during those periods.

All in all, raccoons can cause a lot of problems so some safety precautions should be taken in order to avoid these problems which can become very annoying if ignored for a longer period of time.

By: Angelina Diaz
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How to keep your freezer in tip top shape

Freezers require care and maintenance for both efficiency and safety. Make sure to read all manufacturers instructions to ensure proper installation and use. Here are some important steps to take to help your freezer run at the highest efficiency possible:

First choose a cool dry room, above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, for your unit. This will allow the freezer mechanism to run at its best. Always locate the freezer away from heat sources. For example, do not place your freezer near a heating vent. It should not be placed in a spot that gets sunlight during any part of the day

Once your freezer is in the right place, make sure that it is level. This enables the door to close properly every time. When using an upright freezer, you may tilt the freezer slightly away from the front so that the door closes easily.

Clean the door seals regularly. A tight seal is important to maintain cold temperatures inside your freezer.

Position the freezer with adequate air circulation on all sides. The freezer must disperse heat from the inside and heat generated by the unit itself. If the circulation is limited, the freezer has to work harder to do this.

Keep your freezer well stocked for greater efficiency. Filling your freezer at least ¾ full is more efficient than an almost empty freezer.

Defrost the freezer according to manufacturer directions, but not less than once a year. Defrost more often if the frost builds up to more than ½".

Avoid leaving the door open for long periods. Keeping a list of what foods are stored inside your freezer can help you decide what you want to remove before you open the door. Keep this list near your freezer with a pen or pencil so that you can update it as you add or take out foods.

Keep the condenser coils dust free. A vacuum cleaner with a crevice attachment is ideal for clearing dust and dirt accumulations. This should be done once a month or according to the manufacturers instructions. This is essential maintenance for your refrigerator as well, so it can be helpful to schedule this chore at the same time for both units.

Use of a freezer alarm for your unit can alert you to problems with freezer function. This is especially true if you do not visit your freezer every day. A freezer alarm is a simple way to make sure your freezer is doing the job of protecting your food and can be worth the small price, many times over, if anything should ever go wrong with your unit.

Plug your freezer into a grounded electrical outlet. Choose an outlet that is on a circuit not used by any other electrical device or appliance. This will help prevent an overload that could shut off your freezer.

When you defrost your freezer, wash the inside of the freezer with a mild soap and warm water solution to remove any spills. If odor is a problem, use a solution of 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda in 1 quart of warm water to wipe the inside of your freezer.

Do not leave a freezer unplugged for more than two weeks or you may damage the freezer. Internal ice crystals can melt and cause the coils to rust, resulting in a unit that no longer operates.

Use proper freezer storage containers to avoid freezer burn to stored foods. Label your containers with item descriptions and date.

If power to your freezer is lost, the food in a fully packed unit may stay frozen for up to two days. Food in a unit that is only half full may not last for even one day. Use the oldest items first. Keep the door closed. It may be helpful to wrap blankets around your freezer. Remember to leave the air vents uncovered to allow free movement of air, once the power is restored.

When discarding your old freezer, please remember to remove the doors to prevent children from getting trapped inside and suffocating.

By: Johnny Waymire
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How to make your refrigerator more efficient

Most people don't realize how much electricity a refrigerator uses. Unlike most household appliances, a refrigerator is working hard all the time. It is a heat pump, pumping heat out of the freezer, and using a fan to cool off the refrigerator unit. So, if you want to save money on your utility bill, you should make sure that your refrigerator is running at top efficiency.

The more efficient your refrigerator is, the less energy it will use. And that, of course, saves you money. Sometimes, the best way to make an old refrigerator more efficient is to simply get rid of it, and replace it with an Energy Star compliant new model. The savings on your electric bill can be substantial. Additionally, features such as automatic defrosting consume electricity as well. Modern designs are more energy efficient, and so replacing an old refrigerator almost always makes a great deal of sense.

Of course, whether your refrigerator is new or old, there are always other things that you can do to improve its efficiency. Is your freezer full? It should be. A full freezer is easier to keep cold. Filling milk jugs with tap water about two thirds the way up will eventually provide a nice block of ice that will help keep your freezer cold with minimal use of energy. And, in case of a black out, the jugs of frozen water will help keep other things in the freezer cold longer. Best of all, in case of a severe emergency -- think hurricane season -- the jugs of water can be thawed out and used. Remember, when you fill up those jugs to put in the freezer, don't fill them all the way to the top. Water expands when it freezes. Two thirds full should be just fine.

Speaking of water, open water evaporates and condenses in a refrigerator. This makes the refrigerator work harder, and also tends to drip little annoying drops of water on your hands whenever you reach for something on the top shelf. So, if you put something wet into the fridge, make sure it is covered.

Another handy method of making your refrigerator more efficient is to use the "energy saver" setting on your refrigerator's controls. The controls can be found on the inside of the refrigerator unit, often on the refrigerator's "ceiling." Try different settings, and be sure to use a refrigerator thermometer to make sure the settings keep your food cold, between 35 and 37 degrees fahrenheit, or around 2 degrees celsius. While you're at it, get a freezer thermometer as well. The freezer should be around 0 degrees fahrenheit, -18 celsius. Check both thermometers regularly, particularly during the summer.

When opening the doors to your refrigerator and freezer, make sure you've already got a pretty good idea what you're looking for. Keeping the door open while you "take inventory" is a bad habit that you should try to break. Know what's in your refrigerator, and where it's located. Refrigerator and freezer doors are kept closed with magnetic strips. The magnetic strips are embedded in a rubber seal around the door. Keep the seals clean. Debris on the seal can let air in and out, compromising the air tightness and making the refrigerator work harder.

You can test for good seals by slipping a dollar bill in between the door and the fridge. Close the door, and try to take the dollar bill out. If it's easy to remove, your seals need cleaning. After cleaning, try using silicone spray to revitalize the old rubber on the seals. If this doesn't improve things, you might want to see if you can get the seals replaced. You can order replacement refrigerator seals online, or by phone, from your refrigerator's manufacturer.

Bob Vila recommends that you put replacement seals in the clothes dryer for a few minutes to warm them. Warming, he says, removes the crimps that come from being packed in the shipping box. And while your keeping the door clean, be sure to vacuum around the coils. The refrigerator coils are usually either on the back of the unit, or on the bottom of it. The coils are essential working parts of your refrigerator -- they are how the refrigerator dissipates the heat that it is pumping out of the interior. Dirty coils don't dissipate heat well, because the dirt acts like an insulator. Clean coils do what they're supposed to do -- dissipate heat at maximum efficiency.

These simple maintenance tips should make your refrigerator live a healthy, energy efficient life. And you'll notice the difference on your utility bill.

By: Johnny Waymire
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Season your Cast Iron Cookware

Cast iron has a porous surface. The seasoning process serves to fill and smooth the surface of the pan. It's true that the more you use and season a cast-iron, the more non-stick the surface becomes. Here is how you season a new or used cast-iron utensil:

1. If the pan is new, be sure any adhesive label is completely removed.

2. Wash, rinse and dry the utensil.

3. Grease the inside surface with Crisco or other solid shortening. A medium-light coating, as you would grease a cake pan, is sufficient.

4. Heat the oven to 350ºF, and position the oven rack in the top third of the oven.

5. Open your windows because there is going to be some smoke.

6. Rub a thin layer of shortening (like Crisco) or oil (bacon grease works great, too) all over the inner bottom and sides of the pan with a paper towel.

7. Place your pan upside down on the top oven rack with a rimmed baking sheet or a roasting pan underneath to catch the drippings.

8. Bake the pan this way for 1 hour. Then turn off the oven and allow it to cool with the pan inside.

When the pan is correctly seasoned, the cooking surface should be smooth and shiny. It helps if the first few things you cook with your newly seasoned pan involve oil, try frying or sautéing something.

To eliminate any concerns about using too much shortening, you can put the pan in the oven upside down. Put a cookie sheet or aluminum foil on the rack below to catch any drips.

A skillet or other utensil can be seasoned as often as necessary to maintain a good surface. Let's say you've just made tortillas and, after all that heat, the surface of your cast iron looks dry. Just season it again before you put it away.

Until the pan is very well seasoned, either by many uses or repeated seasonings, do not attempt to cook foods with a high acid content (tomatoes, for instance). The corrosive nature of high-acid foods will not react well to unseasoned cast-iron. Once a pan is well-seasoned, however, you can use it for just about anything. I do believe my mother could have fried plutonium in her big skillet.

Perhaps the most difficult thing for a particularly fastidious cook to do is refrain from using soap or detergent in the cleaning process. Seasoned cast-iron utensils may be cleaned very nicely with boiling water and a stiff-bristled brush. (I have a short-handled brush with stiff nylon bristles that I use only for cleaning my cast-iron skillets.) And often, say after making cornbread, I merely brush the skillet vigorously, wipe it with a damp sponge, and dry it with a paper towel. It is important to dry cast-iron utensils well after use; they will rust unless thoroughly dried. Cast-iron utensils will darken with use, turning from a steely gray, when new, to dark gray or black.

Over years of use, my cast-iron skillets have become old friends. Although I would never choose to replace them, if I had to (let's say an astute kitchen thief broke in and recognized my skillets for the treasures they are), I could buy new skillets, season them well, and have some new old friends.

By: Johnny Waymire
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to season your Wok

Seasoning a Wok is less of a mundane task and more of an art. Allow me to explain.

A Wok isn't like your run of the mill cast iron pans. It has curves. That means your seasoning medium (fat or oil) tends to flow to the center of the pan instead of giving you a nice, even coat over the entire surface of the Wok. Clearly, you don't just want to stick this in the oven as you might do with a cast iron frying pan. The difference in contours means that you will want to season your Wok in the open air, rather than closing it up in the stove. It also means that the process needs a little more babysitting than that of a cast iron skillet.

I suggest using a low-carbon steel Wok over any other kind. The traditional recipes seem to come out very well in this kind of metal. It also takes well to treatment. Stainless steel looks beautiful, and there's no need to season it... but these just aren't the same. They reflect too much heat instead of absorbing it, the amount of oil you need is different, the amount of liquids that you add tend to be different... it's a whole other world.

Your Wok should be of medium depth, or medium-high depth. Shallow Woks are next to useless, because of the heating properties and the inability to shift ingredients properly. What's the point of using a multi-heat-level surface if there's no surface area to work with?

Here's what you'll need to season your Wok: A fine heat-proof cooking brush (AKA a barbecue brush), a bottle of peanut oil, a good stove top, paper towels, and excellent ventilation. If you can, use a natural gas stove. The ability to instantly heat, and remove heat, will be of great use in this process.

Heat the Wok until even the outer edges are nice and hot. Then, using the brush, coat ever inch of the inside of the pan with a thin layer of peanut oil. Only a thin layer should be used, enough to make the surface shine upon application, and not a drop more. This is where the artistry comes in. It's tempting to just slather a bunch of oil into the pant and hope that it will turn out OK in a couple of burn-ins. Believe me, that won't work. Go through the whole process for best results.

Turn the ventilation fan on high, and tilts the Wok in all directions as the oil bakes in. After about four minutes, turn the heat off and leave the Wok alone. It needs to cool back down to room temperature before the next round of seasoning starts. When it's cool, wipe out the excess oil with a paper towel.

NEVER cool your Wok with cold water! Not only could you damage it and undo all the work you're about to do in the seasoning process, but the steam and spitting oil that might result can easily burn your skin. When seasoning, just allow your Wok to air cool. And during the course of regular use, 'cool' the Wok with boiling or very hot water, and clean it with a bamboo brush. Cold water is the bane of Woks.

Patience is a virtue!

Repeat this process at least three or four more times. You'll note that each level of oil that gets burned into the surface will turn the Wok a deeper shade of black. You want an even coat of blackness for aesthetic reasons, but it isn't a big deal if that doesn't happen. Eventually, with proper use, a beautiful and full black sheen will happen. Trust me.

You'll know that your Wok is ready for use when it looks almost wet whenever you heat it up. Now you can use the Wok properly: Heat it up until it is smoking hot, THEN add the oil. You'll notice that the pan sops some the oil right up, like it was a living thing that needed a drink! That's how you know that the pores of the Wok are properly treated.

I use all wooden tools with my Wok. Others are less paranoid than I am. Either way, you'll note that a seasoned Wok is nearly non-stick when properly used and cared for. If you ever DO manage to burn food to the surface of the Wok and need to clean it with a steel-wool pad, you need to go through the whole seasoning process again, sadly. Remember, normal cleaning with hot water and a bamboo brush is usually enough! Some will lightly coat the inside with peanut oil before storing, though I've never seen the need to do that, personally.

Enjoy the fruits of your labors!

By: Johnny Waymire
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Choose Aspergers Schools

Choosing the right school for any child can be stressful; finding one for your child with Aspergers can be almost too frightening. Every child deserves a good education and the law provides that children with disabilities such as Aspergers be educated with teachers trained in handling such disabilities in practice; however, finding good teachers isn't always easy.

Parents must decide whether or not their child will be best managed in a mainstream school, with a high rate of contact with mainstream children, or in a special or residential school, where the chances of the child coming in contact with mainstream children is considerably less. Special and residential schools may have better educational programs for autistic children but may not provide enough positive role models of more ‘normal' behaviors. Some people also feel that special schools can encourage kids to mimic other children with similar problems.

For most children with Aspergers I would consider that as a basic "rule of thumb" mainstream schools with support will be the best option for your child's long term progression. This is because for children with Aspergers the main issue is not one of cognition, learning or understanding it is more the case of challenges with social situations. So the child is best if supported well in an environment where typical peers for the rest of his life (i.e. the general population) are around. Because obviously the much more "artificial world" of special schools and communities does not prepare children as well for the general community. But I must stress this is a "rule of thumb" as there are certain institutions and certain individual cases where this much more specialized approach would be beneficial.

Choosing the exact right school most definitely needs a visit to the school and a talk with the teachers who will be teaching your child. Before such a visit it is essential to have considered your own fears and thoughts about the school experience for your child. Even more importantly the thoughts and feelings of your child with Aspergers. What questions do they have, what do they want to know more about. You can draw up a list of questions between you that you can take along and ask of the staff at the school.

Some of these questions may include: - How integrated will the child be in the classroom? - What techniques are used to support pupils if they are struggling to cope and about to go into "melt down"? - What is the plan for reducing arousal if necessary? - Will your child be well taught both theoretically and practically about coping and living in the community with others?

Your child may want to know how teachers will talk to him, what the other pupils will be like, what subjects and classes he will be in etc. Some of your choice in relation to schools will depend on the degree of Aspergers your child has and his or her age. Younger children will need very small class sizes with early education so that, when the child reaches school age, he or she may be more integrated into the classroom.

The ‘right' school understands Aspergers and has methods in place for teaching children with Aspergers. They carry a positive attitude about Aspergers and place expectations on your child for progress, in whatever way it occurs, in the school setting. The greater is the likelihood that you'll feel your child's needs are being addressed and that he/she will have a chance to improve along with learning important social skills from other children.

But once you have chosen the right school this is only really the beginning as you then need to work closely with the teachers to ensure that they know all about your child. They may well know about Autism and Aspergers. But they won't know about your individual child. It is your job to be an advocate for your child and teach the school what they need to know.

So to summarize this article on choosing a school – the major decision for parents is mainstream V special school. Beyond this the child and parents must visit the schools with pre-prepared questions to help make their decision. Then once the child is at school it is essential for the parent to educate the school staff further about the child.

By: Dave Angel
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How to Find Someone Residing in Mexico

This article will discuss the five major challenges people face when trying to locate someone in Mexico. These five key challenges are what hold people back from successfully being able to find someone. The good news is, throughout these next five articles, we will break down these challenges and explain the solutions to finding someone in Mexico. These articles will get you to the door so you are ready to go through to achieve your desire: to find someone in Mexico. You will also save time, frustration, anguish and confusion.

The five biggest challenges are:

1) Frustration in Searching
2) Having No Information
3) How to Get Started
4) Sorting Through the Information
5) Knowing Where to Go Next

We will focus on and identify two key goals to finding someone in Mexico. You will be ready to find the person you are looking for when you complete these two goals.

Who is this person you are trying to find? Could they be a relative or a parent? Possibly a friend or maybe someone they met on vacation? You may be looking for this person because you want to learn about your Mexico family history or maybe because you are into family genealogy. You may be searching for medical reasons. We are hearing more and more how our relatives can affect us physically, how our genetics affect us. Many people now want to know all about their family's health history so they will know what diseases or medical problems they may face as they get older or so that they can provide this family history to their doctor. Family medical history is rapidly becoming an important reason for people wanting to learn about their relatives.

Most people looking for someone in another country or looking for someone in their family think about genealogy first. Genealogy is the study of our family heritage and where we come from. But here is the catch; most of the time genealogy deals with people who are deceased such as our great grandparents or people who came to the country hundreds of years ago.

Here is a quick example. Let's say someone wants to do genealogy research on their Mexican Family History, but they do not know who their father, uncle, or current relatives are. Many people have to first start with their living relatives before they can discover more about their family history.

If someone has been searching online at genealogy sites, they are probably looking in the wrong place. Genealogy sites are there mainly with information for visitors looking to find family or friends who are deceased. The majority of genealogy societies worldwide prohibit placing personal information online until that person has been deceased at least 71 years for reasons of privacy. If someone is trying to find a person who is living, then genealogy sites might help but only if they know who their great-great-grandparents were. The researcher then has to work forward from there.

In most cases, this is not what people are looking for. What they want to do is find someone who is alive today and living in Mexico. They want or need to find their living relative. They may want to find a friend. This is the point where people want and need help finding someone living in Mexico.

The next five articles will help you get to that door and provide you with the guidance you need so you can find the person that you are looking for.

By: Richard Villasana
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How to Write a Eulogy for Your Loved One

Writing a eulogy for your loved one is indeed an emotionally daunting task. As you begin writing, you remember the good times you've celebrated, and the bad times you've weathered along with your loved one. The nostalgia will fill your eyes with tears, but you must get over your emotions and write a "from-the-heart" eulogy – a eulogy that is a sincere and an emotional farewell. Here are some ideas and tips on how you must pen your eulogy for your loved one and make it sound like an ode to his/her life:

1. You must first plan your eulogy: its duration should be well under ten minutes but should still capture the poignant highlights in your loved one's life.

2. Remember not to speak anything that is negative and do not reminiscence about touchy issues. Keep the eulogy simple, optimistic and anything but gloomy.

3. Having decided the theme and the tone, you must now collect content. To collect content, you will have to look through photo albums and note down the happiest or even the strangest moments and events in your life. You must also note down your loved one's special qualities, passions, habits and what was it about him/her that made him/her so endearing.

4. Once you have the content ready, you must break it up into three parts: beginning, middle and end. The beginning can be an inspirational quote or even a poem or anything that will stir the audience; the middle portion will be pure nostalgia: the moments you shared, the ups and downs, exhilarating and quirky episodes, quotes and comments and whatever other content you have gathered. The end of any eulogy usually carries a punch. Of course, you need to remember that your punch lines must be in context and, though they may make the listener smile, they should inspire him too. For example, "Mary was the one who used to push me into writing notes, so that I should leave nothing to memory; forgive me Mary, from today onwards I shall consign everything to memory. Your memories will remain with me forever."

5. Though a eulogy is considered formal, it must be written in a conversational, informal tone. Go ahead and read samples by all means, but write out your eulogy from your heart, in your own conversational style.

6. You must not cast yourself as the principal character in your eulogy – do not forget to mention about people who were close to the deceased, such as her best friend and relations.

7. You must always hand over a copy of your eulogy to a trusted friend or relation, who can finish it for you just in case you are overwhelmed by emotions.

A eulogy is not a biography – it is more like recounting personal experiences. And when it comes to your loved one, you must make the best effort to produce the best piece you have ever written. After all, it's for your loved one – for someone you gave your heart to and received happiness, warmth and a fulfilling life in return.

By: Patricia Bennett
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Make a Baby Mobile for Fun, Learning and Saving Money

One thing I find strange is how many parents want to make a baby mobile despite all the fancy, high-tech ones they can buy in shops.

I've often wondered why.

If I disregard saving money, the only conclusion I reach is that you can actually make a very good learning toy if you do it right. Unfortunately few parents know how to make one or even what to look for when buying one.

The sad thing is that many parents still believe that commercial baby mobiles are far superior to homemade ones.

But that's not true!

If you make a good one...

- You can vary and change how much stimulation your baby gets

- Prevent your baby from losing interest and keep his attention, thus getting much more "play and learning value" from your mobile

- It's a simple technique for increasing and growing visual stimulation

- It gives you the right way to encourage grasping with one hand and using both hands together at a very early age, and…

- Very few other baby mobiles give your baby the chance to discover the textures and shapes of different objects

So, how do you make a good learning baby mobile?

Step 1: Find a long dowel rod (at least 12mm/half inch diameter) or even a normal yardstick to use as suspender bar for the baby mobile's crosspiece.

Step 2: Fix this dowel or yardstick (suspender bar) to the top of the cot approximately above your baby's chest.

Step 3: Use a piece of cardboard or plastic tube, wooden clothes hanger (removing the wire hook) or even rubber hose as the crosspiece. No sharp objects allowed.

Step 4: Tie a strong piece of string to the middle of the crosspiece. Tie the other end to the suspender bar at the top of the cot.

Step 5: Tie a piece of string to each end of the mobile's crosspiece.

Step 6: Tie small objects to the end of the string tied to the crosspiece. The object must dangle at the distance of Baby's outstretched hand when lying in the cot.

Step 7: Tie other small objects to the same crosspiece, making sure the crosspiece still balances.

Step 8: Finally… make sure that the swing of the crosspiece is such that when Baby grabs an object, he can handle, touch and feel it.

What are the best objects to hang from the crosspiece?

Everyday toys like colorful booties, blocks, rattles, squeaky toys, small plastic bottles and teething rings work well. In fact… you can use almost any child-safe object as long as it's colorful, have different textures and contrasts light and dark colors.

If you want to get even more from your baby mobile…

Tie only a few objects to the crosspiece at a time, but change them more often… maybe once or more often per week. This keeps your baby's curiosity and interest for much longer.

The thing I like about this baby mobile is that it encourages and teaches your baby to use his senses to work together - one of the first skills all infants must master.

Only once this skill has been fully mastered will he automatically further explore and discover the crosspiece objects.

By: Dalene Joubert
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How To Create Stained Glass Quilts

One of the joys of quilting is being able to spend your craft time doing various styles or types of quilts. You may have noticed that stained glass quilts are growing in popularity. These look complex to create but following some simple guidelines will have you mastering this part of quilting in no time!

You will need to select your pattern for the project. It is best to actually use a pattern that is specifically for stained glass quilts for beginners. There are many different types and colors of fabrics to select from when making stained glass quilts. It is best to use fabrics that do not have fine details and patterns within them since you want the finished product to look like a piece of stained glass. Many people find that Muslin fabrics work well for the foundation fabric.

Once you've selected the pattern, increase the design size by 150% on a copier. Position the stained glass pattern in the middle of a 10" x 8" piece of woven fusible interfacing. It is best to avoid the fusible web because it can tend to make your project too stiff. Trace just the design without the numbers onto the fusible area of the interfacing.

Get a large piece of wax or freezer paper that will fit the design. Trace the design onto the paper, again without numbers. Using sharp scissors, you will need to cut the design out following the lines you just traced onto the paper.

Place all the appropriate freezer paper pieces on the different color fabrics. Make sure to place with the shiny side of the paper down. Iron the sections onto the fabric. Make sure your iron does not burn the fabrics. You will then need to cut the design pieces out leaving a 1/16" additional edge border around each piece. Don't cut the pieces flush or you will not have enough lead fabric and overlay fabric.

Now that all your pieces are cut, you will need to remove the paper backing. Place the patches on the fusible area of the interfacing. You will want to use the traced out lines for positioning. Partly overlie the appliqué sections a little. You do not want to leave any openings to have better looking stained glass quilts. Once this is complete, you will use a pressing sheet to iron the appliqué sections to the interfacing. Make sure to check the manufacturer's instructions when doing this part of the process for this part of your stained glass quilts.

Set the pieces out and pin them onto the foundation fabric. It is recommended to baste around these so that the pieces will not shift when you sew on the bias tape later. You will now to stitch down the edges with bias tape so that the edges of the bias tape are completely covered with the other sections that are laid down. You will want to use thread that matches the bias tape. Use the backstitch to lock the starting and ending portions of the bias tape. Be certain to trim the thread ends close to the surface for a neater appearance on your stained glass quilts.

You are almost completed with your project. Cut away the extra foundation fabric and continue to add the other pieces. A nice addition is to add additional bias to the border pieces. With stained glass quilts, you will have leading at any area the glass is a different color or piece. It is important to quilt on both areas for the bias leading in order to make the leading extra noticeable.

Following these general guidelines should have you creating beautiful stained glass quilts with confidence. You might find the fabric calculator helpful for when you purchase your foundation fabric and stained glass fabrics for your stained glass quilts.

By: Jan Myers
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Add Bead Embroidery to Your Quilt

The delightful aspect of quilting is the ability to add bead art to your quilts. Bead embroidery is a craft where you actual create a design or picture using beads. It is a step above adding decorator beads to your quilt. This part of quilting takes a great deal of patience. Practice on small project before actually adding one to your quilt.

The first step in bead embroidery is to select your pattern. Choose a design that will match the theme of your quilt. For example, if you are doing an angel quilt it would be best to select an angel picture or perhaps a small halo depending on the size and design of your quilt. Make sure that the design size will fit into the section of the quilt when making your selection.

Once your design is chosen, it is time to transfer the pattern onto the quilt section or your practice fabric. For transfers you have several options. You can use chalk to trace your pattern. You can also use tracing paper or transfer paper. Stay away from permanent markers or pens because these can bleed and ruin your quilt. Keep a clean copy of your bead embroidery pattern to follow while you're creating the section.

The majority of bead embroidery designs will need 11/0 seed beads, 3/0's charlotte beads, and 15/0's tiny beads. It is really up to you which type of beads you think will look nice in your design. Select the colors of beads that you will need. It is recommended to purchase more beads then you think you'll need for this part of the project since they can always be added as singles throughout your quilt later on if you end up with extras. Take your pattern with you to the store and use it to determine if the bead sizes will fit nicely across the design. This will also help you in matching colors.

One more step is needed to before sewing your beads onto the quilt section. You will need to back the section with substrate fabric piece or with a heavy starch spray. This will keep your quilt section from puckering later. Once the fabric is slightly stiffened it is time to frame it. You can use a traditional embroidery frame to actually sew the bead embroidery design together. The key is to not pull the fabric too tight in the frame. The material should be pulled enough to allow the beads to lie side by side but not so tightly that when removed the piece will cave in on it.

Now you are ready to attach the beads to the design to create your bead embroidery picture. The key is to have the beads lie flat in individual rows between the pattern lines. You can either sew the beads individually in rows or you can load your needle with up to four beads at a time. Recommended stitches are the lane stitch, for multiple beads and the back stitch, for single beads or multiple beads. Line beads on the pattern, load to the needle and attach to design one row at a time. Do not try to work your design like paint by number because you will be switching rows, which will cause the fabric to pucker or the beads to not lie flat.

When your bead embroidery is completed, you will have a gorgeous design or picture for this section of your quilt. You can add the additional beads to other areas of your quilt or set aside for another bead project in the future. Many quilters find that the bead embroidery sections are great for the centerpiece or one along each inside edge of the quilt. They take time and patience but can be a wonderful addition to your quilts.

By: Jan Myers
Credit:www.superfeature.com