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Archive for July, 2010

Sometimes tying a quilt seems like the very last resort to getting a quilt finished.

While hand quilters love the look of a skillfully hand quilted quilt, and machine quilters appreciate the beauty and complexity of fine machine quilting, tying a quilt can be equally rewarding. And those ties don’t need to be simple yarn knots with tails tied every 6 inches.

For example, take a look at some of the particularly ornate Crazy Quilts from more than 100 years ago. These gorgeous Crezy Quilts were tied, but it isn’t obvious how they were tied, since you can’t see the ties on the front; thus didn’t distract from the exquisite embroidery stitches.

On the back side of these quilts there are simple double thread tacks holding the quilt together. To achieve this, the patchwork quilt top was sewn to a foundation fabric, securing the top to the inner layer.

The backing layer is also attached to the foundation fabric in the center of the quilt, but the ties do not come through to the quilt top. By carefully pulling the needle and thread through only the backing and the foundation, the double threads could be tied on the back.

Extra work, to be certain, but clearly worth the effort in order to preserve the quality and beauty of the Crazy Quilt top.

But, What About the Patchwork Quilts of Today?

Everyone agrees that tying a quilt is much faster and generally easier than either machine or hand quilting.

Basically anyone who can hold a needle can tie a quilt and get a sense of accomplishment. All members of a congregation are invited to tie a knot in the prayer quilt, no sewing ability needed. Yarn, perle cotton or embroidery thread tied in a simple knot is perfect for that kind of quilt. When the quilts are made, the quilters place the ties in the quilts, and then the members of the congregation finish the quilts by tying the knots.

As the world of fashion evolves to include men, many males have also become fashion conscious and even fashion forward. Aside from the trendy clothes that appear on runways and men’s fashion magazines all over the world, men have also become very aware of the added attractiveness that comes with wearing jewelry.

This year, the trend for clothing in men is turning to the more subtle and neutral colors like gray. Since the palette (men’s clothing is already a palette for style, just like women) is somber, the jewelry that would be the trend this 2009 is neutral and simple as well. Accessories for men take on a dignified look, which can be worn with work clothes as well as with clothes for nights out with the boys.

A major trend in jewelry for men this year is ID bracelets. Although the ID bracelet has been a fashion fixture since the 80′s, it is possible only now that the trend will pick up where it left off. These tags are unlike the ones that you might have on your mind they are very stylish and does not in any way resemble tags in hospitals or tags for luggage. A wearer can choose from a variation of embossed information on the bracelet; you can choose to have your name on it, or your girlfriend’s or evens a quote that you live by. ID bracelets can be bought in silver, platinum, gold, white gold, or steel.

Necklaces are also fast evolving for men’s jewelry fashion. Before, men chose to wear necklaces that are thin, almost invisible, and are much understated pieces of accessories. This year, men’s necklaces include pendants that are almost akin to “blings.” While the chain itself would not be as thick as women’s, the trend is that the chains would go outside anonymity and create a statement all on its own. Pendant choices include discs that may be embedded with wood or precious gems or even solid gems at that. Crosses are also fast becoming popular, ranging from the traditional Christian designs to the more elaborate Celtic designs.

If you can believe it, men can also wear pearls and diamond on their ears. The simple ear studs of the 80′s have graduated to bolder designs that include stones and gems previously only worn by women. With rings, men can choose to wear larger designs that come in silver or gold, but only as stand alone. Popular designs include skulls, barcodes, and spirals that are usually worn on the thumb. Rings for men have thick bands and come out in very stout pieces this year.

Of course, we cannot strike out from this article the jewelry that is used for various body piercing. If your supervisors do not mind facial piercing, then you would have a heyday choosing from the many new designs that have come out this year. Nose and emerging favorite – smaller lip rings include designs that have small diamonds or even precious gems like turquoise.

Throughout the decades, the social significance of black hairstyles has remained a relevant part of black history. Unlike other American cultural trends, black hairstyles represent a significant history and pride amongst black women. Where else does one’s self worth and self image play such a high role in society? When black women enter the salon for a new hairdo, many times they must look at the “whole picture”; considering the social message that they will be sending when walking out of the salon and into black society.

Since the 1400′s, when slaves were brought to the “New World,” they were made to change their hairstyles to more traditional European standards. This included the use of herbs and botanicals that relaxed their coarse hair, giving the appearance of finer hair. Throughout slave times, black women grown accustomed to their European counterparts wore their hair straightened, combed, and parted. Since that time, black women have often been ridiculed for their choices regarding their hair.

In modern day times, black women must choose to conform to Western society and their hairstyles or go for the more natural look. During the late sixties, the “Afro” and more traditional ways of wearing one’s hair made a debut. The image of freedom and pride led the movement for the El Natural look. But it was just that, a trend, that came and went; and in the near future; will most likely come again. However, since that time, more black women have opted for hairstyles that are “Americanized” and project the societal views of beautiful hair. Nothing is more evident of this trend than the huge amounts of money spent yearly on black hairstyles at various salons.

Today, a black woman may spend hundreds of dollars at a salon every week, striving to achieve that perfect hairstyle. Even in the poorest of neighborhoods, hair salons and barbershops that cater to black hair are still thriving. So are these black women abandoning their cultural history and giving into the white man’s ways? Most black women say “no”, it’s not a matter of history or culture, but a matter of looking good and feeling good about one’s self.

Dedicated photo printers differ from all-purpose printers as they are designed to print photos only, as opposed to text or graphics documents in addition to photos. They are generally compact in size and lightweight, and some models even feature batteries that allow you to print without the need for an outlet.

Most photo printers, including dye-sublimation (or dye-sub) printers, are built around a thermal dye engine, though there are a few that feature inkjet technology.

For many years, dye-sublimation printers were specialist devices used in demanding graphic arts and photographic applications. The advent of digital photography led to the entry of this technology into the mainstream, forming the basis of many of the standalone, portable photo printers that surfaced in the second half of the 1990s.

The term “dye” in the name refers to the solid dyes that were used in the process instead of inks or toner. “Sublimation” is the scientific term for a process where solids (in this case, dyes) are converted into their gaseous form without going through an intervening liquid phase.

The printing process employed by true dye-sublimation printers differs from that of inkjets. Instead of spraying tiny jets of ink onto a page as inkjet printers do, dye-sublimation printers apply a dye from a plastic film.

A three-pass system (featuring solid dyes in tape form on either a ribbon or a roll) layers cyan, magenta, yellow, and black dyes on top of one another. The print head on a dye-sub printer uses tiny heaters to vapourise the dye, which permeates the glossy surface of the paper.

A clear coat is added to protect the print against ultraviolet light. Although this method is capable of producing excellent results, it is far from economical. Even if a particular image does not need any one of the pigments, that ribbon segment is still consumed.

This is the reason it is common for dye-sub printer compatible paper packs to contain a transfer film capable of producing the same number of prints. In addition, dye sublimation inks need a paper that allows the ink to remain on the surface of the paper.

Nowadays, a number of inkjet printers on the market are capable of deploying dye-sublimation techniques. The cartridges in such printers spray the ink, covering the page one strip at a time. The print head heats the inks to form a gas, controlled by a heating element that reaches temperatures of up to 500° C (higher than the average dye sublimation printer).

Over the centuries, hairstyles have changed. Even though we think of some hairstyles as old-fashioned or dated and today’s hairstyles as modern and trendsetting, today’s new hairstyles began with hairstyles from previous decades. New hairstyles can be new for the individual or they can be new, trendsetting styles in the fashion world. In either case, a new hairstyle is like getting a facelift. There is just something about it that gives an individual a fresh beginning.

Hairstyles help you express your personality to the outside world. If you are looking for a new trendy hairstyle, it always helps to look at how celebrities are styling their hair. At the moment, many fashionable women are styling their hair in a short bob just below their ears. You can add some wispy bangs to the bob, and you can feel really up-to-date. For the very brave woman who dares to go real short, the pixie is very much in style with hardly any bang at all. If you truly want to be part of a trendsetting group, choose the emo which usually has a long bang swept to one side. The emo is a new modern hairstyle that allows you to put your own personality into the styling.

If your hair is medium to long, there is a good chance your style falls into a more classic style. Curly or wavy hair swept to the side is a more traditional look. The medium to long length enhances the natural waves or curls. It is a style that can be found in the fashion magazines decades earlier, but with wispy bangs it can have a modern look. The rockabilly is another recycled hairstyle from the 1930s, but has become popular again. It is characterized with a large curly bun in the front or back.

Whether the hairstyle you prefer is recycled from the fashion magazines of days gone by but updated with a new twist, or it is a modern new hairstyle like the emo, one thing is certain: it will give you a facelift and a whole new outlook.

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Do you have a favorite piece of art but you’re not sure how to display it in your home? You have a couple of options to choose from. Don’t settle with simply hanging the piece of art on the wall. Choose from one of these creative ways to display the art instead.

Use Ribbon to Hang Art on the Wall

Rather than simply putting a nail in the wall, use ribbon to hang the art from the wall instead. Carefully choose your ribbon so that it adds to the art and complements it well. There are two ways to attach the ribbon to the back of the art piece, using a hook or a screw: either in the middle of the piece or from both sides. Then hang it from the wall, using a hook or a small nail. Just be sure that the piece of art is hanging evenly, particularly if you’re using more than one ribbon to hang it by.

Place Artwork on a Decorative Shelf

Another option is to use a decorative shelf to display art in your home. There are all types of decorative shelves and ledges available that will add to the beauty of any piece of art.