Create Canvas Art Works from Your Kids Paintings, Drawings! - Under $20

Do you have boxes and boxes of your kid's paintings, drawings, scribbles etc, stored away because you just can't part with them and don't know what to do with them? Well here is your solution - Create a canvas wall art collage that's original, creative, cheap to make, and a fun activity that you and the kids can enjoy together. They also make great Christmas presents from the kids to the Grandparents - A guaranteed winner your kids will be proud of.

The basic idea is to glue your kid's art directly onto the framed canvas in an overlapping collage style, similar to the method you use for decoupage or making paper mache items. All items you'll need can be found at any bargain store. This is the best way to keep the costs low; however you'll also get all you need from an art supply store. Canvas sizes vary so just get one that will suit the wall you want to hang it on, and some smaller ones to keep as future presents.

\"Canvas Wall Art \"

What you need -

Create Canvas Art Works from Your Kids Paintings, Drawings! - Under

  • A large ready framed canvas and some spare smaller ones for leftover art (available from any bargain store or art supply store).
  • A bottle of white PVA or woodwork glue.
  • A packet of mixed size foam brushes (bristle brushes are fine if you already have them).
  • A pair of scissors.
  • A collection of your kids' paper artwork.
  • An old bed sheet or plastic sheet (do not use newspaper as this will stick to the canvas).

Let's Start -

  1. Get a large plastic bowl and squeeze into it approximately one cup of glue and half a cup of water, mix thoroughly.
  2. If necessary cut off the excess blank areas of paper on each of your child's artwork, this will reduce bulk.
  3. Lay the canvas onto your sheet or plastic. Using a large brush apply a thick layer of the glue mix all over the canvas, including the sides.
  4. Begin laying the sheets of artwork randomly or orderly if you prefer, onto the canvas.
  5. Make sure to overlap each layer as you go, and brush each piece down with the brush so it sticks. Continue this until the canvas is completely covered with your child's art.
  6. Apply another layer of glue all over the canvas and allow to dry for one hour in the sun, or two hours indoors.
  7. When the canvas is dry check to make sure all the layers of artwork are glued down and edges are lifting up. If they are then apply more glue under the lift piece and again over the top.
  8. Apply a final coat of glue all over the canvas, remembering to paint the sides as well. Allow to dry completely again, but this time indoors or in the shade outside.

When the canvas is dry it's ready to hang in your kids' room, or anywhere in the house. A great idea is to hang it somewhere at work where you can be reminded all day long of just how wonderful and clever your kids are!

If you have any artwork left over, make another one with smaller canvas' you bought and give them away to family as presents - they'll love it!

To see a finished example of the artwork click here http://makinartworx.com/ezinearticlesimages.html

Create Canvas Art Works from Your Kids Paintings, Drawings! - Under

Monique Arrighi is an Australian artist, photographer and the proprietor of MakinArtworx.com. At Makin Artworx they digitally create contemporary & original WINDOW ART BLINDS and CANVAS ART from your photos and theirs. Window Art Blinds are pull down blinds with their artwork or your photos printed on them. All blinds are custom made to your window size and are available in a see through mesh or block-out style fabric.

Please visit the website to view the Window Art Blinds & Canvas Art, or to subscribe to their Art & Decorating Ezine –

http://www.makinartworx.com

Decorating Your Bathroom With an Ocean Theme

When you think of the ocean, you are usually drawn to thoughts of peace and tranquility, from the beauty and vastness of the water itself, to the laid back, easy going pace that seems to be the standard there. That peaceful ambiance is perfect in your bathroom. There are several simple ideas you can use to achieve this look, and all without breaking the bank.

One of the easiest ways to pull an ocean theme into your bathroom is by the wall treatment you use. There are a lot of different choices in paint color, wallpaper border, and the actual design used on the wall. Using a cute shell wallpaper border will bring a light-hearted edge to the room, reminding you of hours spent as a child, looking for the perfect shell. An ocean mural with some crashing waves and a laid back beach chair will automatically give you the feeling that you can relax and stay a while. If the thoughts of a mural are too daunting, add some simple beach prints in shell frames, dropped against a soft blue ocean hue. Try using paint in an interesting way. A simple sponge treatment will echo waves crashing against the sand without you needing any artistic inclination.

\"Canvas Wall Art \"

Another way to incorporate a cool, breezy ocean theme is by using a great little area rug. While almost everyone loves the beach, the sand between your toes, in your bathing suit and towels, is something you probably don't look forward to. However, a soft, plushy area rug will make you feel welcome the moment your toes touch it, and if you find one with a beach towel design, or seashells, it will bring the room together even better. And the best part is it will keep your feet warm on chilly winter mornings, reminding you of warm sunny days by the ocean. The right choice of area rug in your bathroom can make a huge difference.

Decorating Your Bathroom With an Ocean Theme

No room is complete without accessories. These are found in your window coverings, shower curtain and bath accessories. This is where you can make a room really belong to you, so go for it. Be creative; think outside the box. I saw a great bathroom in which the owner bought a pack of seashells at a local craft store, and glued them around the bath area, on the light switches, and pretty much everywhere else. It definitely feels like the beach when you walk into that bathroom. Find your own way to make the room pop. Decorate your soap dispenser or toothbrush holder; use a fabric paint to decorate your shower curtain. If you are not creative in those areas, there are countless products you can buy that will achieve the same effect. If you have a large bathroom, consider a potted palm in the corner. The possibilities are endless; just find the right combination for your bathroom. Then you will be able to sit back and enjoy the restful, relaxing place you have created.

Decorating Your Bathroom With an Ocean Theme

Home Design experts all agree that it is essential to use rugs in your room. One of the most sought after collections are these black rugs.

Christmas Gift Ideas 2012 For Her

Christmas is just around the corner the race to find the perfect gifts has now begun. However, there is a certain group that usually like to join the race late... men! Fear not though, as help. I have compiled a list of Christmas gift ideas for her to help the men of the world shop for the perfect gift this Christmas.

iPad Mini

\"Canvas Wall Art \"

Every year Apple bring out a gadget that fast becomes the must have bit of tech, leaping to the top of everyone's Christmas wish list. This year its the iPad Mini, a more compact and more importantly, cheaper version of the iPad. So what does the iPad Mini offer?

Christmas Gift Ideas 2012 For Her

To begin with, the iPad Mini is, as the names suggests, a lot smaller and compact than the iPad but still manages to boast a wonderful 7.9″ screen which delivers an impressive 1024×768 resolution for a crystal clear, sharp image. It uses the iSight camera technology featured in its bigger brother allowing you to take ultra crisp 5 mega pixel photos and shoot incredibly detailed 1080p HD videos.

Powering the iPad Mini is an A5 processor chip, allowing it to deliver breathtakingly smooth graphics. In terms of connectivity you can buy two types of Mini; one that connects to the internet via Wi-Fi and another that connects both via Wi-Fi and through mobile connectivity, allowing you to browse the internet anywhere in the world. You may think all this means that the battery life must be short and unimpressive but you'd be wrong. It has an impressive 10 hour battery life, so it will always be there when you need it throughout the day. The iPad Mini is available in a choice of two colours, white and black.

This is going to be an extremely popular gift this Christmas, put a smile on your loved ones face this year with a new iPad Mini.

Jewellery

Diamonds are a girls best friend, and a man can never go wrong if he gets his lady a beautiful piece of jewellery. Problem is with so much jewellery out there, how do you buy your loved one the right piece. Well to help you all out I will simply list 3 brands that are guaranteed to put a smile on your loved ones face. These are links of London, Tiffany's and Gucci. Buy anything by these three brands and you are guaranteed to be in your ladies good books for a very long time.

Some tips when buying jewellery are; look at what she wears on a daily basis, if she wears a lot of silver guess what? she likes silver over gold so don't buy gold. Look at her current jewellery look at styles of earrings act, are they large, do the hang, are they small more studded? By simply doing a bit of research into the tastes of your lady, then you shouldn't have a problem picking up something that will make her day and year!

Kindle Fire HD

Here's another tablet device, this time from the team at Amazon. As you may be aware, Amazon have lead the way in the E-Book market with their Kindle E-Book Readers for many years. Now they are stepping into the tablet market with the Kindle Fire, and what a big step they have made! The Kindle Fire HD looks like your average tablet device, but boy does it pack a punch. The screen boasts a 1280×800 HD resolution complete with polarising filter and anti-glare technology to ensure vibrant colours and clear display even in the most challenging of light settings. Dolby provides the sound behind this awesome bit of tech, with dual-driver stereo speakers producing awesome sound, great for films and games.

The Kindle Fire HD is perfectly designed for films, tv shows, music and books. The 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor that powers the Kindle Fire is more than enough to ensure a smooth operation and performance at all times. It is also the first tablet device with dual antenna, dual-band Wi-Fi allowing for ultra fast downloads and HD streaming. I have left the best for last, the Kindle Fire HD not only delivers a wide range of functions, but it does it at a ridiculously low price, just £159.00!

Canvas Print

If you are looking for a much more personal gift, then why not get her a Canvas Print of one of her favourite photos. Canvas prints are great gifts and can be completely customised in order to transform your best snaps into magnificent pieces of Canvas Wall Art. There are many companies in the UK that offer canvas printing services and creating your canvas is extremely easy and can be done online!

Sunglasses

It may not be the right time of year for them, but according to a number of online polls and surveys, one of the most wanted women's gifts this Christmas are designer sunglasses. Choosing the right pair of sunglasses for your loved one is really down to the shape of the their face. Some people can get away with wearing large framed glasses,whilst others are better suited to thinner more petite styles. The thicker framed, larger lensed glasses are very much the "in-thing" in the fashion world so you are probably best going for something along these lines. There are loads of top designer brands to choose from, but when it comes to women's sunglasses, for me, there are two main contenders, Ray Ban and Dolce & Gabanna. Both these brands make very stylish and highly desirable glasses that are guaranteed to make your lady feel like a million dollars!

Christmas Gift Ideas 2012 For Her

How Often Should Bed Linen Be Changed - Tips To Keep Your Bedding Fresh

I get questions from my customers about how to best take care of their bed linens. You may have been wondering about this too. How often should be linen be changed to maintain your linens for years of use. You might also wonder how often to change linen if you have an allergy sufferer in your home.

Let's get into then-

\"Canvas Wall Art \"

How often bed linens should be changed depends on several different things. Every person sheds skin every day and every night, resulting in bits of dead skin to be on bed linens after a night's sleep. It would be very nice to have bed linen changed daily for completely freshness, but for most people this is impractical and virtually impossible with a busy daily schedule. Probably the only people who have a housekeeping staff can enjoy the luxury of fresh sheets and pillowcases being replaced daily.

How Often Should Bed Linen Be Changed - Tips To Keep Your Bedding Fresh

In general, a good homemaker changes bed linens at least once per week. However, if experiencing night sweats or hot flashes, it may be best to change them more frequently. Assuming that the people who sleep in the bed shower before bedtime, that they do not eat or drink in bed and cause spills, or that the bed linen becomes dirty more quickly for any other reason, weekly linen changes are normally sufficient.

Some people prefer to change their bed linen twice weekly to ensure their sheets always feel fresh and snuggly. This can be very useful during the warmer months, especially if you keep your home warmer to save energy. In winter, these same people often prefer to allow the sheets to stay on the bed a few more days since body perspiration is less likely.

Anyone who has allergies should change their bed linen as often as possible. Dust mites and other allergens collect on bed linen and can aggravate the allergies causing runny noses, stuffed sinuses, and other problems that last all day long.

In fact, some people with the most severe allergies are forced to change bed linens each day to prevent suffering after sleeping on day-old bed linens. So, the answer to the question of how often should bed linens be changed really depends on your lifestyle, your health, and your personal preferences.

However, you should never leave bed linen on the bed longer than one week. It's usually best to own at least 3 sets of bed linens. One for the bed...one in the linen closet and one in the laundry.

How Often Should Bed Linen Be Changed - Tips To Keep Your Bedding Fresh

Pat Bowlin is a writer and researcher who just loves to help you create your perfect bedroom sanctuary with hundreds of FREE, helpful ideas, advice and tips on bedding of all kinds- from pillows, comforters and blankets, to kids bedding and baby bedding