Super Glue vs Miracle Glue

For the last half century or so the conventional wisdom for gluing something together when you really needed it glued now was to go out and buy a small tube of superglue.

Super glue or Krazy glue have been used for repairing a thousand different things - From broken toys, to fingernails, to skin.

But it has had its problems. I?ve heard just about every complaint out there about superglue or krazy glue. Often, it just doesn?t work or, the biggest complaint seems to be that when you are ready to use it there is nothing to use ? it has dried up. My unsubstantiated theory is that is why the containers have gotten smaller over the years. One never gets more than one use out of a tube of super glue because the cap glues shut and you can?t get at the rest of it. So, the manufacturers have now made the tubes a one shot deal.

Approximately ten years ago another product hit the market on this side of the Atlantic - an industrial version of this type of glue that has been marketed mainly through trade shows and events. The main ones available are Miracle Glue, The Last Glue, Pasco Fix and Lighting Bond. You can invariably find these glues being demonstrated at Home Shows and Boat Shows around the country. Most can now be found more easily on the internet.

Technically, the difference is this: The base of all of these adhesives is something called cyanoacrylate. If you move in the hobby circles, it is commonly referred to as CA. The latter, newer glues are far superior. The main difference is in the distillation process ? the number of times the product is distilled. Super Glue and Krazy Glue can be considered your raw form. They are your ?crude oil?. The newer products: Miracle Glue, The Last Glue and the others are the ?refined oil?. They are distilled several times. The solvents are distilled out. Solvents make super glue dry out too quickly and get brittle and discolor once cured.

In application here are some of the differences. The newer glues come in larger bottles which generally last much longer ? a year or two if kept refrigerated or in the freezer. You can get literally hundreds of uses if you take care of a bottle. Because there are no solvents, they will not dry out quickly when exposed to the air. If you forget to put the lid back on for even a couple of hours it isn?t a problem ? as long as you don?t knock it over. They bond extremely quickly depending on the material being adhered. And for the most part once glued the item will stay glued. The better ones dry both clear and flexible. For all the fishermen out there ? you can mend your waders with these types of glue as well. Because there are no solvents, you won?t melt the neoprene. Super glue or krazy glue will eat a nasty hole right through your waders or wetsuit.

So, the next time your are visiting a Home Show, Boat Show and sometimes the state fair, have a look for the person demonstrating the ?miracle glue?. Quite a show! You will be impressed, I?m sure.

Go to the website and you can learn lots more information about the various applications of Miracle Glue.

Embroidery Digitizing Software

Embroidery Magic 2 software is very easy to use to make lettering, it is also easy to learn to use the digitizing part of the program but to digitize a good design takes learning, skill and practice. An example of what I am saying is that - for a artist to paint a picture, all it takes is some canvas, paint and brushes (these supplies and tools are easy for anyone to use but it takes learning, practice and artistic skill to paint a beautiful picture. The EM 2 program is easy to use but to digitize a good design takes learning, practice and skill.

By the way, one of the best ways to actually learn how to digitize a good design (not the same as how to use the software program) is to watch a good design stitch out and see/learn why the digitizer does this and that as the design stitches - we have lots of good designs (learning tools) as you may have noticed or our web site.

Embroidery Magic 2 is a free standing digitizing software program - ie - it works on it's own on your computer and saves designs on/to your computer in the dst format - dst is a standard format that converts well to almost any format or can be used directly by most software that sends a design to an embroidery machine via a memory card, floppy disk or direct connect. Most any software or boxes that send a design to a card and can use the dst format will work. If the software that sends the designs to the machine can use dst then conversion is not required, otherwise the design or lettering must be converted to a right format for the machine so it can be sent to a card or machine. There is a very good conversion program available for free if you need it. Just email us for the link after purchasing the EM 2 software.

Sandy Carter is the author of embroidery articles at embroidery designs by Thread Artist. She has an article about embroidery software for digitizing and lettering fonts at embroidery software. There is free embroidery digitizing Tutorial at this web address - embroidery by Thread Artists

Divide and Transplant Perennials Love Fall Planting

Autumn is approaching and the perennial flower garden is looking kind of bedraggled. Most of the flowers are finished blooming except for the chrysanthemums and Autumn Joy Sedum. Now is the time to begin the fall cleanup of the flower garden to ensure that the perennials are ready for their winter sleep and emerge in the spring raring to go.

Fall is the ideal time to look over the perennials and note which ones are crowded, which are overgrown and which ones are in the wrong spot. Fall is the best time to transplant and divide the plants, as the cooler temperatures put less stress on the plants. Plants moved in the spring are trying to put out new root growth at the same time they are trying to produce leaves and maybe flowers. This puts a lot of stress on the plant, and many simply succumb. By doing the planting in the autumn, it removes this stress. The root system is established in the fall before the frigid winter temperatures come. During mild spells in the winter when the ground thaws, the perennials will continue root growth and when spring finally comes the plant can emerge with fresh vigor, ready to grow and bloom. Fall planting essentially helps you gain almost a full season on establishing new plants.

Division is necessary for many perennials to keep them vigorous and healthy. Veronica, Coneflower, Coreopsis, Lychnis and Salvia are some plants which need to be transplanted fairly frequently to keep them strong. Indeed, some of these may die out after two or three years if not divided and transplanted at least every other year.

Other perennials rarely need transplanting. Peonies, daylilies, heuchera, geranium and astilbe belong in this group. But even these need it occasionally. Dividing the perennials has the nice advantage of giving you more plants either for your garden, or to give to friends for theirs. An established plant should give you at least four new plants, and maybe many more.

Fall cleanup in the perennial garden should always include listing some perennials to divide and transplant. Getting them established in the fall will pay dividends in the spring with bigger, less stressed plants trying to do too much in the spring. The extra plants generated can plug up holes in your beds, or make wonderful gifts for family and friends. So get out the shovel and start digging!

Paul Wonning is a writer for Gardens and Nature.com, a web site about gardening, hiking and other ways to enjoy nature.

What Are Multisystem VCRs?

Multi-system VCR features

Multi-system VCRs are fine for viewing cassettes of any standard but an ordinary multi-system VCR has one serious limitation. While it can play videotapes from all over the world, it cannot convert video signals. A multi-system VCR will not enable you to view PAL cassettes on your NTSC TV set. The solution to such problem is a multi-system VCR with signal converting capability. Such VCRs are ordinarily called a converting multi-system VCR. Such VCRs have an in-built video signal converter that converts alien video signals into compatible ones. Such conversion is also possible with an ordinary multi-system VCR, but there you require an external Tenlab video converter or a multi-system TV, so that in either of these devices, the signals are converted into compatible ones and can be easily read through. As far as modern technology is concerned, multi-system videos are manufactured today with an in-built video signal converter. On the other hand a multi-system TV can play all video formats that may be PAL, SECAM, NTSC, or a combination of any of these versions. The fundamental principles for VCR is just alike the multi-system TVs.

How to view tapes on your TV

Just having a multi-system VCR or for that matter any VCR will not enable you to view tapes and cassettes you desire to view. Viewing requires a TV set connected to the VCR. Such TVs should have either an internal or an external converter that can easily convert the signals into compatible types. Suppose you want to view a PAL standard tape or cassette on your NTSC TV. In such case there should be an in-built converter or an externally attached one through which the signals transmitted by the VCR, will pass to the TV. That device will reconvert them into NTSC compatible signals and you will be able to enjoy. As already mentioned, a number of modern multi-system VCRs, using the latest technology, have video converter installed internally. When you use one of such multi-system VCRs, you will not require to have an external device to convert the signals. While this sounds very handy, there is once again a disadvantage. The picture quality produced by this type of VCR may not be exactly what you expect and where the multi-system VCR does not have an in-built converter; a much better picture quality can be obtained by the use of an external converter connected to the VCR.

The alternative way to view tapes on your TV

Since there are problems with a multi-system VCR, use may be made of an in-built signal converter or an external device connected to the VCR. Other possibilities can be explored. There is the possibility of having a combination of a multi-system VCR with a multi-system TV. While a multi-system VCR will only support the incoming signals without the capability to convert them, a multi-system TV, having an inherent conversion capability, would be a suitable solution. So when PAL signals enter the VCR it will keep them intact, and not convert them. This signal will be sent to your NTSC TV. If your NTSC TV is a multi-system one, it will convert the PAL signals, that it receives, from the VCR, into NTSC compatible signals, and you will then be able to view the tape of your choice. Then why is the multi-system VCR required? It is required because it can play any standard tape, though, cannot convert the signals to a TV compatible standard, if the TV uses a different standard other than the signal received. However, any blessings are never without its corresponding curses and here the drawback is that, converted copies of videotapes cannot be made even with such combination of multi-system VCR and multi-system TV. The plus point is that, there is no degradation of the video standards. One solution of the problem could be a multi-system TV-VCR combo but it is not recommended since they often come with low quality.

Multi-system VCR ? characteristics

Ordinary VCR requires a couple of video heads. One of them is to record and the other is to playback the tape. Sometimes one or two additional heads are also provided for certain special affects like slow motion, freezing, fast forward and such other features. Inventors are constantly exploring the possibilities of modification of video heads to develop the picture quality. In old days VCRs did not have the system of playing a tape from the last stop point and the tapes were going back to the start. Modern technology has made it possible. Most models now have a pre-programmed universal remote to control TV; cable boxes in addition to the VCR provided they are of identical brands.

Choosing between the types

Normally, all VCRs allow you to select between a few different recording speeds. While playback speeds are more or less in-built, others can be manipulative. A VCR that records only on two speeds can play back all three speeds. A tape that moves faster will provide better quality despite its higher speed. Understanding the attitude of many people, recording at the slowest speed at a time-shift pattern, the major companies have developed special 19-micron video heads to address such requirements. Among the leading such companies are Toshiba, Sharp, Mitsubisi, Samsung, and LG. These heads allow improved picture quality with slow play back.

The indexing system

Many VCR records an electronic index code, which is tagged to the start of your recording sessions. When you make an index search, the VCR stops at each index mark and plays back selected seconds of recording. There are also VCRs where you can directly go to a specific index mark starting the play back from there on. The indexing system allows the viewer to search forward or backward through the tape. Such searches may be made at high speed or a comparatively lower speed. A frame-by-frame viewing is possible too.

The clock

New models have their own clock system. The time signal is sent from local PBS station. It is not necessary of resetting the clock time under any circumstances including a power failure. In most of the modern type VCRs the auto clock system is now available.

Recording TV programs with your multi-system VCR

At times you may like to have your favourite TV programs recorded with your VCR. In this case, programming will be important and you will be happy to know that all multi-system VCRs can be programmed at will to record the program you like to watch later. One such basic programming proposal is a built-in clock timer while other complex ones can allow you recording of multiple programs over a period of 28 days or more. There are of course, various claims in this regard, like the one claiming a recording of eight programs over a one hundred year period. There are certain programming operations with which you can record the same program every day or every week. Sometimes the VCR has an option, there-by, you record any TV program using a number listed on the TV/newspaper program guide. Some VCRs with this option, allow change of channels on cable box or TV with a mouse click, or an infrared transmitter, located on top of the VCR.

The Sound system

A specific characteristic that makes most multi-system VCR more attractive is the Hi-fi (High fidelity) sound system. Earlier VCRs had a low-pitched sound, but today a real stereophonic sound is available with these HI-Fi systems. This becomes more appropriate since most of the movies and videos today have hi-fi sound tracks encoded with Dolby Surround system.

Why multi-system VCR

When some one questions that how can you play videotape from anywhere in the world without having their format converted for compatibility, the immediate answer is a multi-system VCR. And where ordinary multi-system VCR does not serve the purpose, there is the converting multi-system VCR since they have the ability to convert one standard to another.

110-220 Volt Electronics - A multisystem TV is a TV capable of receiving and displaying different video systems like PAL, SECAM and NTSC. You'll be able to operate a multisystem TV in 99% of the world. Their dual voltage design allows them to be plugged into either a 110 voltage source or a 220 voltage source. In some cases, the plug on the television will not fit your country's outlet, so an inexpensive plug-adapter will be needed. They can generally be picked up at an electronics store such as http://www.planetomni.com for $1.95. With a multisystem TV, such as a plasma, CRT tube type, LCD or DLP, you'll likely need a codefree (sometimes called region free) DVD player. These exist in many forms. When used with a PAL-NTSC TV you'll be able to see the full 625 lines of resolution available in the PAL system and the full 525 lines used in the USA NTSC system. There exists a converting type of DVD player which is codefree in that it can read all of the world's 6 regions and both standards, PAL and NTSC. 140,000 other products are available here: http://www.planetomni.com Tel. # 800-514-2984

Fireplace Decorating Ideas For Your Home

Does your home have a fireplace that you are currently not using very often? Or are you thinking about adding a fireplace, faux or real, to one of the levels in your house? If so, here are some ideas for decorating your fireplace to bring out its natural beauty and charm.

How you decorate your fireplace will depend in part on the room where it is located. A bedroom fireplace may look quite different from one in the family room or den. Part of your decorating decision will be based on the room and its tone. For example, your bedroom fireplace should have a cozy, intimate look with a d?cor that is special for the occupants of the room. If one or both spouses like cats, use cat-decorated accent pillows with a matching throw for a rocking chair on the hearth. Add a coordinating mantel runner, and you have a total look, especially with a nearby wall picture or two of a related theme.

A living room fireplace can become the focal point of the area. Accompanying floral arrangements sitting in an unused fireplace center or on either side of the hearth add a warm touch. Fireplace tools, like tongs, a brush, and a poker for stirring the embers come in many designs and styles to match the room?s decorating scheme. You can get a Mediterranean, early American, or French provincial style to suit the mood of your living room. Adorn the mantel with period antiques or accents to add color and design.

Some people even have kitchen fireplaces on which they cook or hang decorator pots and kettles. Baskets hanging on the mantel and pewter urns across the top help to make that type of fireplace inviting and attractive. A cat, ceramic or otherwise, adds even more charm.

During the holidays, a fireplace offers the perfect place to hang Christmas stockings or holiday greeting cards. Some families stack gifts on the hearth or arrange Christmas decorations for a magical display area in keeping with the holiday spirit. Children sometimes put out a plate of cookies and a cup of cocoa for Santa. A wreath above the mantel is a nice seasonal touch.

When you arrange a fireplace in your den or home office, it could look semi-formal, with paperweights, books, and quill pens for effect. But it also may have accents like your favorite coffee cup, a planner, and an afghan quilt draped over a nearby rack when you stretch out on the leather sofa for a snooze or to catch up on your reading. Photos or busts of famous people and admirable mentors can round out the various types of d?cor you may want to include in your personal workspace area fireplace.

Your fireplace serves as the heart of any home, and particularly the room that it occupies. Use your creative talents to devise a decorating scheme to make your fireplace a showcase of the things that are special to you, as well as those that make a visitor feel welcome.

Fireplace Decorating Ideas and information of all types can be found at The Fireplace Directory

Free List of Baby Names

A free list of baby names can be a great help if you're expecting. Choosing a name for your baby can be a daunting task if you don't know where to start, but we've made it easy by providing you with a free list of baby names.

But first off, we would like to congratulate you! There is nothing like the thrill of becoming a parent. The news of a new baby is can be exciting, but preparing for its arrival can be a formidable task. You have to buy baby clothes, all of the necessities, and of course set up the nursery. And when the blessed day arrives, you will need a name for your bundle of joy. If you have no idea where to start, we're sure that our free list of baby names will be of help.

25 Popular Boy Names: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Ethan, Andrew, Daniel, Anthony, Christopher, Joseph, William, Alexander, Ryan, David, Nicholas, Tyler, James, John, Jonathan, Nathan, Samuel, Christian, Noah, Dylan, Benjamin.

25 Popular Girl Names: Emily, Emma, Madison, Abigail, Olivia, Isabella, Hannah, Samantha, Ava, Ashley, Sophia, Elizabeth, Alexis, Grace, Sarah, Alyssa, Mia, Natalie, Chloe, Brianna, Lauren, Ella, Anna, Taylor, Kayla.

Copyright 2006 Baby Roll Call All Rights Reserved.

This article has been provided courtesy of http://www.babyrollcall.com where you can find popular, unique, exotic and unusual baby names for boys and girls.

What to Look For In an Apartment

If you?re considering renting an apartment, you?ll need to look for a number of things to make sure it will work for you. It?s different from buying a house, and there are different things you?ll want to think about.

First, make sure to check out the reputation of the complex. You could try talking to an apartment locator - they?ll give you information, but they might also try to put you in a preferred complex that pays a higher fee. You can also check online. It?s very easy to find stuff these days in the search engines, especially if the complex has a unique name. Often there are internet forums where people specifically go to complain about or rate their apartment complexes. You can find out if people have had problems with getting back their deposits, getting repairs, or general problems with the area. Always be sure to get a crime report on the local area. You really just have to go to a local police station and ask about it - they?ll usually be willing to give you a brief description of what crime is like in that area. Often it?s hard to tell just by looking - even relatively nice looking areas could have something bad a few blocks away. All it takes is one seedy hotel to bring the kind of people nearby who will wander into your complex?s parking lot and try to get into the cars. You also can try talking to current tenants. Just don?t sign anything the first time you talk to the complex about an apartment, and go back a few days later and talk to one or two of the tenants. Hang around the mailboxes and you should be able to find someone - ask about whether they get timely responses to maintenance, whether the apartments have any hidden problems or are of poor quality, that sort of thing.

Teve Torbes is an expert owner of a program flea control site, who knows a whole lot about program flea killer stuff. He has also created a valuable program flea medicine resource.

Collecting Royal Doulton Bunnykins Figures

Collecting Royal Doulton Bunnykins is a thriving hobby, with about 400 figures to collect ranging from the common (?10-20) to limited editions (?50-?250). At any one moment there are between 1500 and 2000 Bunnykins figures for sale on Ebay with the rarest figures commanding high prices. The Bunnykins range is cleverly designed to appeal both to the gift market and collectors. Figures with a Christmas or Easter theme are fairly commonly issued, and there is a Bunnykins to represent most trades and professions. To appeal the collector market there are frequent limited edition and collectors club issues.

This article specialises in the Bunnykins figures. Originally six figures were produced in 1939, production ceasing during World War II. These six original figures are very rare and cost between ?500 and ?2000. The six original figures are ?Billy?, ?Mary?, ?Farmer?, ?Mother?, ?Freddie?, and ?Reggie?. Of these ?Mary? turns up on Ebay the most, one recently selling for ?681. Less common figures sell for more, with ?Reggie? recently achieving ?1500 on Ebay.

After the war production was not resumed until Royal Doulton purchased the Beswick factory and the first of the modern figures was produced in 1972. This range of figures is labelled ?DB? and now numbers some 400 figures, varying in rarity and value. Several limited editions have been produced, most notably, Happy Millennium Bunnykins Tableau, of which only two have been produced (one in the Royal Doulton Museum and the other sold at auction in 2000 for ?9,800).

Ebay has certainly driven prices of Bunnykins down, and Ebay auctions for common Bunnykins rarely reach more than half the retail price or book value. However, the limited editions continue to hold prices well especially the limited editions with low issue numbers. To illustrate, the Bunnykins Oompah Band, comprising a sousaphone player, trumpeter, cymbals player, drummer and band major has been issued three times. The first, a red version, was issued between 1984 and 1990 and sell for ?40-45 per figure on Ebay. The second edition, a blue version, was produced in a limited edition of 250, and sells for ?200-300 per figure. Interestingly the 3rd version (green) was also produced in a limited edition of 250 but has not been seen by the author on Ebay.

As well as limited editions prototypes and one off variations occasionally come onto the market. Genuine examples generate high prices on Ebay, recently a prototype of Father Bunnykins, which usually sells for ?15-?20, sold for ?700.

Bunnykins are great to collect and whilst the prices are low they make a good investment. The low prices currently being seen on Ebay are not sustainable in the long term, and it is likely that the number of figures on the market will reduce in the near future prompting a rebound on the prices. So, buy them now whilst they?re great value!

Contact Lance@bunnykinscollector.co.uk, http://www.bunnykinscollector.co.uk

National Home Gardening Club

Do you want to know more about Garden Clubs? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Gardening Club experts.

What's in Store for National Home Gardening Club Members?

The National Home Gardening Club offer many benefits to its members.

It is said to be the largest home gardening organization with paid membership. For a nominal fee, various benefits are available.

If you choose to become a member the National Home Gardening club, you will be entitled to the following perks.

1. Members can enter competitions to win free gardening products such as gardening accessories, tools, and other gardening supplies.

2. A coupon will be given to members to claim a free gardening shears.

3. Members can also access a free trial subscription of the Gardening How-To Magazine.

4. They may be eligible to test and keep gardening tools such as pruning shears. These are some of the products tested by members in the past two issues of the Gardening How-To magazine:

- Honda Harmony Lawn Mower
- Miracle-Gro Garden Weed Preventer
- Sunflower Garden
- Cobra Head Precision Weeder and Cultivator
- Preen 'n Green

See how much you can learn about Gardening Club when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don't miss out on the rest of this great information.

5. Members can enjoy a free directory of public gardens, which contains information about lush gardens, arboretums, and conservatories throughout the US.

6. They can interact and talk about tips, ideas and methods with other members.

7. Members can obtain gardening and landscaping tips and plans for the completion of various gardening projects.

8. They have access to the members-only gardening website.

9. Members can also preview gardening books, gardening videos, etc.

Indeed, the for-members-only benefits are that grandiose. They are all for the gardening enthusiasts to grab.

After the 30-day trial, you can continue your membership for only $1 per month.

Many garden-lovers think this is a small price to pay for all these privileges.

That's the latest from the Gardening Club authorities. Once you're familiar with these ideas, you'll be ready to move to the next level.

Bill McRea is the publisher of Garden Facts also Garden Decor and Landscape Trees Landscaping and Gardening with information and products.

Pit Bull Puppy Problems: Dog Training Tips

There are a few different problems that are seen commonly in puppies who are six months of age or younger. These problems include submissive urination, urination when getting overly excited, and problems with nipping and chewing. If your Pit Bull terrier pup is having problems in any of these areas, don?t worry. I?m about to reveal exactly how to correct it.

If your Pit Bull puppy tends to squat and urinate when you approach him, this is a problem with submissive urination. This behavior shouldn?t be confused with a potty training problem, it is associated with insecurity if you punish your puppy or use negative reinforcements it will more than likely worsen the behavior. Submissive urination occurs when a dog is scared and feels intimidated when being approached by an individual.

To solve the problem of submissive urination, calmly approach your puppy. Try not to tower over him, crouch down so that you?re not as intimidating. If your puppy begins to urinate, try offering him a treat next time. The way to correct submissive urination is to get his focus away from whatever is causing his reaction.

If your puppy has difficulty controlling his bladder when getting excited, it is known as excitement urination. Again, never punish your puppy in this situation as it will only cause problems to get worse.

The fix for this problem is easy. Ignore it. Excitement urination usually disappears as a puppy matures and his bladder control strengthens.

Puppy chewing can be extremely annoying, especially if your Pit Bull is destroying things of high value to you (I?ve lost my fair share of eyeglasses for example). Puppies use chewing and biting as a way to ease teething pain. To solve this problem, give your puppy lots of toys to chew on instead. Kong toys are popular, as are stuffed squeakers.

If you?re having problems in these areas with your new Pit Bull puppy, have patience and take the time to work with your new buddy. He?ll get through these tough times with a little love and understanding.

To learn all about American Pitbull Terriers and how to train a Pitbull puppy, visit http://www.pitbullsrevealed.com/ today.

Social Skills Training and Rewards: Five Tips to Tailor Your System to a Perfect Fit for Your Child

If you want to improve how your kids respond to your behavior change program, you may need to fine-tune your reward system. Here are six key questions to guide you to create rewards to a tailor-made fit to your child's individuality.

1.Do your rewards have enough novelty to keep your child motivated? Even the most fun and unique rewards get old. Keep updated with rewards that propel your children and students to keep working towards a goal. Fine tune and freshen up rewards before their appeal fizzles out.

2.Are you overlooking praise as a natural and easy to deliver reward? Praise blossoms self-esteem. Praise is a compelling motivator. Kids love to hear their parents and teachers be proud of them. Praise the deed. Good job on the clean-up. I don't see a speck of dirt!

3.Are you rewarding for effort? Build success into your behavior program. Make sure your child can count on achievement. If a reward is getting an A, set it up so the child has opportunities to get the thrill of an A.

4. Are your rewards scheduled frequently enough? Remember the objective of a reward is to reinforce positive behavior. That means giving your child encouragement to keep doing the good thing. If the goal is a tougher for your child to achieve, set up your program to give little rewards or partial points along the way for effort or steps taken toward an end goal.

5.Are you keeping the focus on positive behaviors? Play down points not earned. You want your child to keep the thrill of earning in his mind and you do this by keeping the focus on building the points or accumulating the tokens. Allow your child to keep points once earned no matter how the scene may have deteriorated. At times he does not earn his points, that in itself is a penalty so you need do nothing more. Refocus on the positive.

6. Are you following through with your part? Parents, educators and caregivers are busy people and what sometimes is neglected, as a result, is their very vital role. A most common reason that a well-crafted behavior program does not work is because the adults get too busy and those essential and exciting check marks, parent initials or tokens don't get handed out. If it is impossible to be there consistently, let the tracking system be self-administering, where your child is on the honor system. You might be delighted by how he or she honors the agreement. It is okay to commit only to what you comfortably can do. And you will see, the time you give up now will pay off dramatically in the time and relief that will be your reward.

For more on rewards in your behavior change program, see companion articles:

Social Skills and Rewards: Five Tips for Tailoring your Behavior Change System to a Perfect Fit for your Child

Social Skills and Your Behavior Change Program: Troubleshooting When the Rewards Aren't Working

Ellen Mossman-Glazer M.Ed. is a Life Skills Coach and Behavior Specialist. She is the author of two on line e-zines, Emotion Matters: Tools and Tips for Parents, Educators and Caregivers and Social Skills: The Micro Steps. Subscribe for free and see more about Ellen at http://artofbehaviorchange.com/ You can take a free mini assessment which Ellen will reply to with your first action step. Over her 20 years in special education classrooms and treatment settings, Ellen has seen the struggle that children and adults have when they feel they don't fit in. Currently she works in private practice helping parents, educators, caregivers and their challenging loved ones find the tools to thrive.

Pampered Pets Get Bling Therapy From Ms. BB

Daahling, Ms. BB knows that your precious pet is a star ~ a natural diva. Your dog or cat begs to be groomed and petted and showered with treats. She lives for your attention and all of the pampering you give her each day to keep her looking beautiful.

However, most humans understand that beauty is more than skin deep. Just like people, dogs and cats need to be taken care of on the inside, as well as the outside. Pets have feelings and emotions that their owners often neglect ~ not because they do not care, but simply because they are unaware. Even when one is aware, they may not know that there is a solution to the problem.

Probably more often than we realize, our poor little animals feel physically or emotionally ill. It is, indeed, unfortunate that they are not always able to communicate their distress to us. Ms. BB would like to take this opportunity to make you aware of something that will not only make your little doggie or kitty look beautiful, but may also help them overcome many of the emotional and physical problems with which they might be suffering.

Yes, Daahling, you guessed it ~ it is Bling! Imagine Ms. BB's delight to find that Bling not only makes her little FiFi look stunning, but keeps her healthy, too!

Ms. BB has learned from Michael Katz, author of GEMSTONE ENERGY MEDICINE, Healing Body, Mind, and Spirit, that after years of study, practitioners of alternative medicine and complementary health, as well as acupuncturists now recognize Gemstone Therapy as a legitimate healing art for pets as well as their owners. It is a form of energy medicine that is on the cutting edge of health care.

In a time when we are all looking for a cure, and realizing that many of the traditional treatment methods are not only laden with side effects, but simply do not work, gemstone therapy is certainly worth a try for us, and for our precious pets as well.

The colorful assortment of stones used in gemstone therapy not only look lovely, but can help comfort your pet and even relieve pain. Some of the colorful gems can improve your pet's emotional and physical stability and strengthen the connection between the two of you. Remember that your pet has feelings and memories, too ~ just like you.

Before she walked that red carpet in your life, your star may have had painful experiences that she is struggling with now. You can help her deal with it all much easier by placing healing gemstones around her neck. They will not only make her look and feel pretty, they could make her emotionally and physically healthier!

Nearly all therapeutic gemstone necklaces are suitable for animals, and treat a variety of ailments. Below you can find some of the ones most often recommended by Gemisphere, recognized world wide as the finest therapeutic gems.

Carnelian ~ Carnelian's rays encourage the mind, emotions, and cells to release disharmony and disease, and supports positive emotions.

Bloodstone ~ Bloodstone helps the body fight infection, removes toxins, and helps the cells absorb nutrients.

Dark Green Aventurine ~ Dark Green Aventurine purifies the body and vital organs

Mother of Pearl ~ Mother of Pearl repairs deep wounds and brings a feeling of love and comfort to frightened or nervous pets.

Onyx ~ Onyx works through the root chakra to ground and stabilize your pet physically.

Rhodonite ~ Rhodonite works at rebuilding a more solid emotional foundation and is good for calming and long-term emotional healing.

Lavender ~ Lavender aligns the body, helping to relieve pain and promote healing.

Light Green Emerine? ~ useful before and after surgery to soothe and relieve pain.

Citrine ~ Citrine relaxes inner tension and promotes flexibility in the body, including the cells and organs, to encourage the body to become better aligned.

Sodalight ~ is useful for post-traumatic stress.

Remember, Daahling ~ be extra nice to a pet wearing Bling ~ you might want to borrow it sometime!

Roxanna and Ms. BB have created http://BlingSpa.com featuring Gemstone Therapy, an alternative method of treating disease without harmful side effects. The Bling Spa also features exclusive Bling makeovers for you, your pets, and your home.

Also visit Ms. BB at http://BlingBlingMarketplace.com ~ where the In-Crowd shops.

Remember Daahling, A Bling A Day Keeps The Shrink Away

Please note: The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for consultation with a licensed healthcare professional.

Create a Baby Website for Your Baby: Part II

In Part I of this article we discussed the options available to you if you wish to create a custom website or baby blog for your baby. The conclusion reached in that article was that it is best to go with any online service like babyblogger.com, which lets you build a custom web site for your baby. In doing so, you get a complete customizable baby website with great features:

• Custom Baby Home Page - share the latest baby photos, journal entries and email alert sign up
• Baby Journal - online diary or baby blog all about your baby
• Baby Photos - unlimited albums for your digital baby photos
• Baby's Vitals - baby's height, weight, birthday, first steps, first words, etc.
• Baby Guestbook - your invited guests leave their thoughts and wishes as often as they like
• Email Alerts - friends and family sign up to be notified of new baby photos or journal entries
• Password protection security
• Custom features and professionally designed templates
• Advertising free
• Prices as low as 50? a week
• No special computer skills required -- point and click simplicty

Buyers Beware

If you decide to go with an online service for creating your baby website, remember that all baby website services are not created equal. Here are somethings to look out for:

• FREE Baby Websites - like the old saying goes, You get what you pay for. Many *free* offerings are insecure, poorly designed and lack any real features, like unlimited photo albums, password protection, etc. These *free* offers typically have ulterior motives:
• Bait & Switch - the free site is to get your attention, but you'll pay to upgrade for unlimited photos, email alerts, and no advertising.
• Shell Game - the free site is often a promotion (distraction) to sell some other baby product or service.
• Ad Game - see next item!
• Advertisements - many services which offer web sites for babies will run ads on your baby's site. If it is a free service, you can almost guarantee it. They have to make their money some how. If you don't mind subjecting your family and friends to an unrelenting barrage of ads across your baby's site, then it shouldn't be a problem.
• SPAM - unsolicited email is a major problem that just about anyone with an email address can relate to. Beware of any baby website offer, especially the free ones, which require that you and your guests enter your email address, but don't offer a privacy policy or opt-in/opt-out option. It is very likely that in addition to your free baby web site, you will get spammed without mercy.
• Security - websites which leave your baby website open to the public cause several problems. First, you may not want millions of strangers and search engines finding thoughts and photos of your baby. Second, if your site has a guestbook and/or contact page, you are likely to have negative experiences. Unfortunately, there are people who have nothing better to do than leave unwanted comments in your guestbook or use your contact page to send spam.

Conclusion?

Shop wisely when looking for a web site for your baby, and be aware that many services place their advertising concerns above the security of your baby's site, features you receive, and ease of use.

Michael is an expert-level web designer and Internet marketing professional. His baby website creation is called

2 Ways to Safely Transplant Rose Bushes of Any Age

You will occasionally want to move a rose bush from one location to another, but fear shocking the bush too much and having it die. However, here are two effective ways to minimize the shock to the bush so you can successfully move it to another, more suitable place in your flower garden.

The first, and simpler way, is by driving a spade down vertically to its full length of blade about twelve or fifteen inches from the bush and repeating the process in a circular form until all lateral roots have been cut. This should be done in June or early July and the bush should be moved two or three weeks later.

Dig a sloping hole leading to the vertical spade-cuts on one side, remove some of the surface soil round the bush to reduce weight, drive the spade under the plant, and gently lift it in a ball of earth. The ball can be made more adherent by wetting and dabbing the outside of it. Slide it into its new hole by way of another sloping cut, fill the spaces round the ball with friable soil and water it heavily. The bush must be pruned and all leaves carefully clipped off to reduce loss of moisture and consequent shrivelling.

You see, by cutting any strong root at a reasonable distance from a plant, it forces the growth of many smaller ones of the feeding type. Roots feed only through their terminal points, and so the greater the number of small fibrous roots the better a bush can feed from the soil.

The second, and less simple way, is to prepare the rose for the move by digging a trench in early spring in a semicircle round the bush at a radius of a foot, or slightly more, from the stem, depending on the size of the plant. This will cut the roots in that part. Fill the trench with loam that is of good quality but does not contain fermenting manure of any type. A network of fibrous secondary roots will form and permeate the rich new soil. After three months, about Christmas time, complete the circle in a similar manner. In the autumn, about four months later, the bush can be lifted with a good ball of earth held together by a mass of fibrous roots.

The rose bush has been safely root-pruned in either method of transplanting, and will reduce shock ensuring the plants survival. You may be wondering why you would need to use that second, more involved method, when the first method is so simple. Well, the only time it is necessary is when moving a very large old rose plant.

So now you have 2 great methods for successfully transplanting rose bushes. Although you don't want to do it very often, feel free to get your flower garden just the way you want it! Happy planting.

FREE information, articles and tips on how you can grow
better roses than everyone else can be found at Sir Jon
Weaver's web site How to Grow Better Roses. It's FREE!
Click here: http://www.HowToGrowBetterRoses.com

Sewing With Leather

Sewing leather and fur do not differ too much from sewing other types of material. The key to sewing leather is to always try your stitch on a piece of scrap before you start the actually sewing and then make sure you have your pattern accurate for the piece you will be sewing. The reason this is so crucial is that once you have stitched leather, if you make a mistake and need to undo the stitch, the leather will be weakened and you will be left with holes.

Stitching

Another tip is that depending on the thickness of the leather or fur, you want to lengthen your stitch to three or more. Obviously, the thicker the seam will be, the longer you need to make the length of the stitch. If you make your stitch too small, what happens is that the leather is punctured too close together, causing tears.

Another important tip is that you should always leave long threads at both the start and end of the seams so you can tie them off by hand. The only time you would use a backstitch is when the seam will be encased or crossed over by another seam. You can keep the seams together simply by placing a very small, strong in the seam allowance when sewing leather.

As you work with patterns, you will discover that leather garments have the same interfacing in the same locations just as you would find with other types of material. If you need to fuse your leather, an excellent product on the market called Leather Fuse is made specifically for leather. With this solution, the leather is fused quicker and at lower temperature settings, as not to damage the leather.

Now keep in mind that if you need to press an area of a pattern down, you can by using a small amount of steam. Since leather goes through a quality tanning process, there is no need to worry about shrinkage. Just be sure you place a brown paper press cloth in between the iron and the leather and never leave the iron sitting on the leather for very long.

If you are sewing leather with thick spots, you can use a rubber mallet to pound them out. However, you will need to protect the leather by covering it with paper or cloth to ensure you do not scratch or dent the leather.

If you are sewing leather that is more casual, you can use lapped seams. Simply topstitch to hold the seam allowance and then with a single-hole throat plate, you can stitch, which will keep the stitching nice and straight.

As you are sewing leather garments, you might experience skipped stitches. If this happens, do not stop stitching, just keep going. What you want to do is when you have finished all the machine stitching, go back, and stitch over those skipped areas by hand. Start by anchoring the needle between the layers of the garment and then bring it up through the first skipped hole.

Now, pass the needle over the thread of the floating thread that was skipped and then pull the needle back through the hole. Be sure you pull the stitch tight and do this for each skipped stitch. This way, you keep the integrity of the machine stitching in tact while providing reinforcement.

Materials

If you are interested in sewing leather clothing, crafts, or upholstery, you will need specific items that include the following:

Presser foot

Leather needle for the machine and Glover?s needle for hand stitching

Thread that is 100% polyester ? do not use cotton or cotton blend because the chemicals in the leather from the tanning will cause the thread to rot

Rubber cement or two-sided adhesive tape

Rotary cutter to cut clean edges

Wax chalk to use for marking

Cold tape

Rubber mallet

Patterns

When sewing leather, you do not need a special pattern. You can simply choose a fabric pattern that you like and use leather instead of other fabric. Just be sure you choose the pattern carefully since some patterns will have multiple seams that do not work well when sewing leather.

Additionally, if the pattern has large pieces, chances are you will have to do some custom work in that the leather pieces will probably not be as large as the pattern. For example, if you were sewing leather pants, you would have to piece two hides of leather to create one pant leg. Now this can be done but just keep in mind that depending on the pattern you choose, you might need to get creative when sewing leather.

Always keep in mind that when sewing leather, muslin is crucial. The reason is that once leather has been stitched, letting out seams or making alterations is very difficult since the original needle hole will still be visible. By using muslin, once the alterations are complete, you can take it apart and then create a new pattern using a heavy type paper.

Sewing leather is not really that difficult but most people feel a little uncomfortable with it. If you want to create something using leather, you can always start with a small project first. Rather than starting out with a pair of pants or shirt, choose a simpler pattern such as a sleeveless vest. Once you have accomplished that, you will feel more confident and be ready to try making something a little more involved.

Skins

When sewing leather, choosing the right skin is very important. Be sure the leather is soft and supple. Each type of skin will vary somewhat as you will see below.

Cowhide

Since this type of hide is typically large, you will find that they are most often divided in two pieces called Sides. Because the hides are so large, they make a great choice for many patterns. The only drawback is that cowhide is tough by nature and therefore best suited for outerwear.

Pigskin

Pigskin is another type of leather that is typically found in larger pieces. With the leather being a good medium weight, this makes a great choice for many pattern types.

Lambskin

For lambskin, the leather is smaller and therefore is best used with smaller patterns. Because the leather is very soft and lightweight, this makes a great choice for skirts, jackets, and tops. The only thing you need to remember is that because lambskin is lightweight and thinner, it can tear and rip so use care when using it for sewing.

You will find that skins sold for sewing are pre-measured and sold by the square foot. For price, it will depend on the type of skin you choose as well as the tanning process used. Typically, a supplier will lay out a number of skins, sorting by color, texture, and size. If you visit a supplier in person, you will be able to choose leather skins that match best.

Additionally, when buying in person, you have the opportunity to look for damage caused by thin spots, tears, holds, folds, flaws, and so on. If you do buy from an online supplier, chances are you will receive quality leather. However, just to be on the safe side, it would be best to always buy from a supplier that offers a refund on uncut skin should you find it does not match or is damaged.

If you are not sure how much leather to buy, you can use the following formula to convert the traditional 45-inch fabric measurement:

Take the yardage required for the pattern and multiply it by 1.25 Then, add 15% for waste. If you are not sure you are buying enough, ask the supplier what their rule of thumb is.

Cutting / Marking

The way leather works is that the grain runs along the backbone of a skin. If you buy whole skins, you will find this grain running in the center of the skin. If buying a side piece of leather, then the grain would be located on the cut edge.

It is important to remember that the lengthwise grain of leather is not the same as with other fabric. For one, it will not stretch as much but it will be stronger. Therefore, be sure you always place the center fronts and backs along the grain. When you lay out your pattern, be sure you work with the finished side of the skin, facing up.

By using masking tape as a way of attaching the pattern pieces, you avoid poking unnecessary holes in the skin. Then with a rotary cutter, you will get a nice, clean edge. Just be sure you do not leave the masking tape on the skin for very long, as it can take off some of the finish.

For the markings, they can be transferred easily. For instance, for the notches and darts, clip very tiny pieces into the seam allowance. Then to mark the hem allowances, darts, pockets, buttonholes, and so on, simply use wax chalk, testing it first on a piece of scrap.

The dart points should be marked on the wrong side of the skin, piercing the pattern with a pin. Be careful that the pin does not go through the leather skin or you will have an unwanted hole. Now, gently lift up the pattern, make your marks with the chalk, and then draw the dart line for stitching with chalk and a ruler.

Notions

If you are working with a soft type of leather, you can use an invisible zipper to create a clean look. Just be sure you use a narrow piece of fusible interfacing as a way of securing the zipper. Rather than baste seams closed, you can tape them together and then just baste the zipper using rubber cement before you do the top stitching.

Another great idea for sewing leather is to use covered buttons. Often, by using an exposed button, the leather can be scratched. Choose a metal toothed button so that as you stretch it over the skin, it will grip and hold. Then to sew the buttons on, you can use dental floss, which will stop the button?s metal shank from cutting through regular thread.

Once you have completed your first sewing leather project, you'll be amazed at how fun and easy it is. The key to success is working with the right type of skin, using the right type of tools, and taking your time so holes and tears are avoided.

*** Hey! Want To Make Something Out Of Leather? *** Discover How To Make Leather Crafts for Fun and Profit Click Here ==> Sewing Leather Crafts

Homemade Lawn Fertilizer: A Great Alternative

You may not be aware, but using homemade lawn fertilizer is an effective alternative to store-bought mixtures.Not only will it save you money, homemade lawn fertilizer helps protect the environment and your family. Let?s take a closer look.

Like Green? It Will Cost You

One thing is for sure, regardless of whether you hire a professional lawn care service or whether you tackle lawn care yourself. The green lawn that most people desire comes with a pretty high cost. Lawn care has become a multi-billion dollar industry and through massive advertising efforts, consumers have been led to believe that using chemical-laden lawn fertilizers, fungicides, pesticides and herbicides is the only way to keep their lawns green and healthy.

But this is far from the truth. Heavy dependence on these products is costly and a large number people believe such widespread use is beginning to damage the environment. That?s probably why use of homemade lawn fertilizer is becoming popular among those individuals looking to lower costs and better perserve the environment while still gaining the benefits of a lawn that?s the envy of the neighborhood.

What ingredients are used in homemade lawn fertilizer?

The two key ingredients in several homemade lawn fertilizer ?recipes are Ammonia and Epson salts. Epson salts help to aerate the soil and make it less compacted. This also promotes root growth and is better able to absorb important nutrients and water.

There are other beneficial organic ingredients that can be used to make homemade lawn fertilizer such as bone meal, blood meal, seaweed compost and compost ?teas.? Shreded leaves, alfalfa, and compost also lend important nutrients. If the soil is far too acidic, adding ground limestone can aid in bringing it back to proper pH balance.

Along with using homemade lawn fertilizer, it?s a simple task to create safe, non-toxic weed killers. Consider this recipe. Mix two tablespoons of salt and five tablespoons of vinegar into a quart of boiling water and pour the hot mixture directly on weeds. Another one is a combination of milk and water. It acts as an effective natural fungicide. Mix together 1 cup of milk and 9 cups of water and apply with a spray bottle every other week.

These are only a few examples of known methods to make homemade lawn fertilizer and other useful lawn care products. If you need more information on making homemade lawn fertilizer, visit your local library or search the Internet. Get on it now and in no time, you?ll have a yard you can be proud of!

Dennis Frank is an Internet Entrepreneur and Author of many fine websites such as FertilizerSmart Please visit the website for more related articles and information about Home Made Lawn Fertlizer

Orthopedic Dog Beds

Many people consider their dog to be part of their family, and want to ensure his happiness and comfort. As dogs get older, they experience the same problems in their canine bodies as humans do. Arthritis in older dogs, especially males, is quite common, though sometimes hard to detect since your dog can?t complain about the aches and pains he?s experiencing. He?ll slow down when walking and running, he won?t leap for that dog treat as quickly as he used to, he?ll shorten those evening walks and he simply won?t sleep as well on the same bed he?s been using for years.

There are, however, many ways you can help him. The first step is to consult with your veterinarian, who will probably make adjustments to his diet and perhaps even prescribe some medication to be mixed into his food. Your vet may then suggest that you invest a few dollars and buy him one of many orthopedic dog beds to help him sleep better. The more comfort you can give to your dog with this problem, the more he?ll enjoy his declining years.

Orthopedic dog beds are quite common these days, and even if your veterinarian does not know where you can find one in the town or city where you live, he will likely be able to direct you to a number of mail order companies or websites that specialize in them and be able to help you make the best choice.

In general, older dogs, those recuperating from surgery or accidents, or handicapped dogs will get the most comfort from some kind of foam bed, since they are firmer and easier to get into and out of. If your dog likes to ?nest?, (kneading the fabric of his bed before he lies down), a MiracleLoft-filled bed will be the best for him.

Baffle beds, that is, beds designed with polyfil-filled tubes of fabric sewn together, are also an excellent choice, as they tend to be firmer and to provide more support where the dog needs it most. They are designed to create a non-shifting liner, so the shape of the bed does not change over time and the dog can get into a similar position comfortably and easily each and every night. Quilted foam orthopedic dog beds are probably best for dogs with severe arthritis, as the foam is of a medical grade, created for humans with similar problems, and provides the most support for painful, arthritic joints. Take your dog with you if you?re lucky enough to have an orthopedic dog bed supplier in your area and let him decide. After all, it?s his bed now, isn?t it?

Dog Beds Info provides detailed information about small and large dog beds, as well as designer, orthopedic, and discount dog beds. Dog Beds Info is the sister site of Bird Cages Web.

Preservation Of Voice Recorder Sound To Digital

If you have one of those old voice recorders..and it's too late to record the data that you now have. That is, loved ones have gone on and this is all you have..the following may help.

Start with the voice recorder.

First of all, get new batteries. Replace the ones you now have since they are probably about 5 years old. Clean the record and playback head in the cassette recorder with a small amount of alcohol and a cotton swab. The record head is located in the area that opens to put in a cassette. It is the only item in the area that looks like a silver or black box with either a 1 or a 11 looking marks. These marks are actually the record and playback heads.

On the side or front of the cassette player, you will find an input for mic/earphone. You will find it difficult to find an audio output cable to match the RCA phone plug or pin plug input for you digital recorder. If you do, congratulations! You can use this specialty audio cable to plug into you digital recorder.

Otherwise, do this! Build a sound insulation jury-rig. Take a dry wash cloth and surround the front of a standard dynamic mic have placed the cassette speaker against the front of the mic. Carefully wrap masking tape around the entire area about three times. Make sure that the controls, that is, the play, record, rewind, etc. buttons are not wrapped up in the tape. You have to be able to start/stop your cassette.

It is best to be in a very quiet area when recording. The microphone will pick up additional noise, if loud, from the surrounding area.

You are ready to transfer the old, noisy analog tape to the CD.

Plug in the audio cable to your CD. You might want to play a little of the cassette to see if the volume level is satisfactory.

Initial recording. Put in a blank CD. Follow the instructions for your unit for recording. Always start CD before pressing play on the cassette. When finished, follow the instructions to finalize your CD.

Why do this?

Your analog material will just get worser and worser as time passes. The voices of the past will fade. Your efforts will preserve for others what has been.

This is a great project for seniors who are tired of hanging out at fast food malls and for teenages who are tired of hanging out at fact food malls.

Good luck to all of you. Pleasant Memories!

Gene Smith is an E-Zine writer from West Virginia. He has released his second book, a Thriller, Call of the Defiled and is a long time song-writer. He runs his own recording studio and is listed in Who's Who in America, 2005 and Who's Who in Health Care, 2006.

A Mom Grows Up

Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own. Robert A. Heinlein

Our harsh winter appears to have left us for good-at least until November-and the veritable heat wave we're experiencing now has left us with a supreme case of Spring Fever. Folks are outside gardening, children are scootering, and shoppers are-once again-strolling throughout downtown.

And Little League has officially begun.

We are brand new to Little League, my husband and I. We've got the soccer thing down pat, and the basketball, lacrosse, and tennis thing, too. But none of our kids have ever played baseball. My oldest expressed interest some ten years ago-and actually played a season's worth of T-ball-but having never been one to enjoy sitting on hot bleachers while pregnant-as seemed to be the case every other Spring-we never particularly encouraged the sport. But funny how mellow one becomes with the fourth kid. Call it him needing to discover a sport tackled by no older sibling, call it him trying to carve a unique niche in the family. or call it late fortysomething parents who are letting the fourth kid practically raise himself: we have become Little League parents now whether we like it or not.

And what a glorious celebration of the sport we had this weekend! With temperatures soaring into the 60's, blue skies, and none of the rain we've endured all week, several hundred moms and dads arrived at our high school stadium early on Saturday morning to experience Little League's Opening Ceremonies. Kids met their coaches and team managers on the parking lot ramp to assemble into teams; parents made their way into the stadium, finding shaded bleachers to enjoy quick chats with neighbors and friends, their early morning Starbucks and-if they were lucky-a brief read of one section of The New York Times.

In true New England small-town style, we rose for an invocation led by a local minister, patriotically recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and stood awestruck as a Little League mom sang one of the most magnificent renditions of the National anthem I'd ever heard. All in the name of America's favorite pastime.

Teams paraded onto the field, one by one, with coaches' and managers' names announced via megaphone, kids waving to moms and dads in the stands, and parents cheering wildly for their hometown-business-sponsored-kid's team.

But if the kids were cute at the kick-off, they were utterly adorable at their games. These little boys, unable to run upstairs at bedtime, ran quickly and aggressively from base to base as if their little lives depended on it. These same boys, who couldn't run a comb through their hair in preparation for church on Sundays, had their heads all figured out with perfectly situated caps, proudly worn, as if a badge of American honor. Some of the boys, having played for a couple years, handled the ball with finesse well beyond what one would expect from 8-year-olds. Batters hit home-runs, mid-fielders-with mitts facing skyward-caught well-hit balls, and little boys, barely able to recite their times tables, recited the number of runs by each team perfectly.

It was with middle-aged wisdom that I watched dads shouting out commands to their sons. Thumbs up! or Steal to third! screamed the guys next to me. Still trying to get a baseball head on my shoulders, I would only humiliate myself confessing to you my lack of knowledge of the game. Don't get me wrong: when Victor batted a great ground ball, I screamed like every other mom: Run...run! But as an older-O.K., perhaps the oldest-parent in the stands, I brought not knowledge or experience to the game. That I certainly didn't possess. I brought to this fourth child of mine's game the ability-finally-to sit and revel in his enjoyment in playing a sport. In learning something new. With no preconceived notions of how well he should perform. Or how he stacked up to other kids his own age. Of how coordinated or uncoordinated he was. Or of if he'd ever be able to get into college on this.

I brought to this game the quiet resignation that this was going to be my life for possibly the next ten Springs. But I also brought to those bleachers joy previously encumbered by baby's nursing schedules and toddler's nap schedules. Joy that never fully blossomed with my other kids because I was too busy for it.

This weekend I was able to see it exactly for what it was. And allow it to take hold of me. Exactly how it was supposed to.

I brought to my other kids' sporting events exhaustion, frustration, and apprehension. But for this fourth and youngest, I was able to bring pure unadulterated delight. And that, for me, is growth.

Carolina Fernandez earned an M.B.A. and worked at IBM and as a stockbroker at Merrill Lynch before coming home to work as a wife and mother of four. She totally re-invented herself along the way. Strong convictions were born about the role of the arts in child development; ten years of homeschooling and raising four kids provide fertile soil for devising creative parenting strategies. These are played out in ROCKET MOM! 7 Strategies To Blast You Into Brilliance. It is widely available online, in bookstores or through 888-476-2493. She writes extensively for a variety of parenting resources and teaches other moms via seminars, workshops, keynotes and monthly meetings of the ROCKET MOM SOCIETY, a sisterhood group she launched to ?encourage, equip and empower moms for excellence.? Please visit http://www.rocketmom.com.

Potty Training Tips For Girls

Parenting Question

?My older daughter turns 4 in a few days and still has very little interest in potty training. Initially, I was waiting for her to lead the way by showing interest. Her sister was born when she was 27 months old, and I didn?t feel that either immediately before or after the birth was a good time for either of us to start potty training. Time dragged on, until I started finding myself getting angry about changing her dirty diapers just after she turned 3. One day, I decided it was time for her to start using the toilet. The first few mornings, she threw a tantrum about wanting a diaper, but then she accepted wearing underpants. I made up a chart and let her put stickers on it for going in the toilet. There was some success, but as time went by, the success rate declined. She became more and more resistant to reminders to go to the toilet.

Earlier this year, our family decided to move house, and I could see this was causing my daughter some stress. After talking to other moms, I decided to remove the potty pressure?so I asked my daughter whether she would like to wear diapers or underpants. For a while, she chose to go back to diapers. After three weeks, she asked to go back to underpants. I tried be neutral about her decisions and to keep my input low-key and supportive. My husband and I praised her verbally when she succeeded. But the same thing happened.

I know my daughter is very bright, strong-willed, and likes to push my buttons. She is also very sensitive and cautious. She is genuinely afraid of sitting on toilets without a child?s potty-seat on top, but we don?t make her do that if she doesn?t want to. We either take her potty-seat with us to friends? houses, or allow her to choose to wear pull-ups when we go out. Occasionally, we have gotten so frustrated that we have coerced her (for example, no lunch until you sit on the potty)?despite knowing that negativity should never be part of the potty training process.

I did some research and found that the only way of eliminating resistance is to eliminate whatever your child is resisting against. So I've tried being completely neutral about the whole thing and to show no negative reaction to 'accidents'. Maybe I haven?t tried long enough, but the accidents just seem to go on and on. Eventually, I can?t start showing disapproval and getting angry again. This week, she is back in diapers because I am so tired of dealing with the wet and dirty clothes (to be honest, the seemingly pointless resistance bugs me much more than the laundry). Obviously, my behavior is enabling hers and together we are creating this cycle, but I don?t know how to change it. Help!?Mom Seeking Potty Training Tips for Girls

Positive Parenting Tip For Potty Training Girls

Dear Mom Seeking Potty Training Tips for Girls:

Phew! I am tired from just reading about your experience, so I can imagine how frustrated you must be! The good news is that potty training tips for girls are essentially no different from potty training tips for boys.

Firstly, good for you for doing some research on resistance. I do believe your daughter is resisting?but not what you think she's resisting. She's actually resisting growing up. You?ve brought a new baby into the home and, to an oldest child who used to be the only child, this can be traumatic. Your daughter is faced with the fact that she is no longer the baby. When this happens (especially when you have two children close in age and of the same sex), the oldest child may:

? Find a way to continue to act like the baby of the family by wearing diapers.

? Look for ways to keep you and your husband busy with her (and not her sister), including the sticker chart and the back-and-forth resistance you are experiencing with potty training. Negative attention is better than none at all.

Effective Potty Training Tips for Girls Who Resist

Consistently use these five effective potty training tips for girls who are resisting and your potty training situation will turn around relatively quickly. Be patient and plan for things to take some time (especially during the first couple of weeks).

1. Have Faith that She WILL Learn ? No matter how resistant your daughter is to potty training, she will learn (everyone does). Potty training is one of the key skills preschoolers need to learn, and they do learn it?be patient and know that some learn slower than others.

2. Stick with Your Decision to Forgo Pull-ups and Diapers ? As you know, accidents (many of them) will happen. But when kids aren?t given the opportunity to experience the natural discomfort that comes with wet clothes?by using pull-ups that soak it all up?this can prolong the time it takes for potty training.

3. Stay Away from External Reward Systems ? You don't need stickers to reward your daughter for her success. The rewards of potty training should be the internal rewards she experiences from feeling good about learning a new skill that comes with growing up. Continue to encourage her when she remembers to go to the washroom.

4. Get Her to Help Clean Up When Accidents Happen ? Continue to not make a big deal out of accidents. Let go of the many external reminders (verbal and visual) all together. The next time she has an accident, have her help you do the washing and thank her for it. Be consistent with this and allow her to learn from the experience of wet pants.

5. Give Your Daughter More Responsibilities Around the House ? The more your daughter can do around the house to help, the more she'll feel good about her position as ?big sister?. Look for ways for her to help you with the baby and ways for her to help you out with the housework. Then thank her! Give her the opportunity to pass on what she learns to her ?little sister? and your situation will improve even more. All this can go far in boosting her sense of contribution, responsibility and her desire to grow up.

I also suggest finding a way to let go of your own anger around the potting training issue. It appears you have a very strong-willed daughter on your hands who is pushing back. The more anger you feel (even when not outwardly expressed), the more she will resist and push back. Unfortunately, parents who get into this type of emotional tug-of-war lose! If you start to see her accidents as quality time you can have together doing laundry, you might feel a shift. I would also highly recommend reading Chapter 7 (?Secret to Solving Sibling Rivalry Once And For All?) of my book When You're About to Go Off the Deep End, Don't Take Your Kids with You, so you can quickly nip any other future sibling-related issues in the bud.

Kelly Nault, MA author of When You?re About To Go Off The Deep End, Don?t Take Your Kids With You inspires moms to put themselves first?for the sake of their children. She shares time-tested tools that motivate children to want to be well behaved, responsible and happy! Sign up for her free online parenting course here.

You are free to print or publish this article provided the article and bio remain as written and include a link to http://www.mommymoments.com as above.

? 2005 UltimateParent.com - All rights reserved.

Calming Tips for Hyperactive Children

Parents of hyperactive children know the Would you please just settle down?! phrase well, and likely use it on a regular basis.

There are a number of tips to help parents settle their hyperactive child down. These quick tips and relaxation techniques take the same amount of time as yelling and scolding but produce incredibly different results in hyperactive children.

Quick Calming Tips:

Try quick tips to calm a hyperactive child down during temper outbursts or unusually rowdy days. These calming tips are not novel to adults by any stretch. How many times have you heard Take a deep breath and count to 10 or Calgon, take me away. What works for big people works for little people as well. Deep breathing is one of the simplest ways to calm the body. Teach your children to take deep breaths (in through the nose, out through the mouth) when they begin to feel frustrated and out of control. Parents, you do this too!

Draw a warm salt bath or bubble bath to wash away the hyperactive child's stresses of the day.

Take your hyperactive child for a walk or send them around the block on their own if they are old enough. Not only does walking burn off excess energy, the repetitive thump, thump, thump of feet hitting pavement brings the mind back into focus.

Give your hyperactive child a mini-massage. Touch is very important to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder children. Massaging their temples, giving a shoulder rub or lightly running your fingers through their hair can calm children quickly.

Put together a Boredom Box that provides creative outlets for your hyperactive child. Fill this box or plastic storage bin with paint sets, coloring books, crossword puzzles, modeling clay, jewelry making kits and other artistic areas of interest. Hyperactive children bore easily and their fast spinning minds need extra stimulation. In the absence of nothing better to do, hyperactive children will lean on their own devises and you don't want them doing that. Better that they draw than set the cat on fire...

The quick-fix calming techniques work to sooth the hyperactive child after they already became too stressed or active. There are also techniques that parents can teach their hyperactive children to help them get the stuff out before it builds up and explodes.

Create a calming home environment:

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder children have difficulty remaining calm in a hectic environment. Clearing the clutter and taking a less is more approach to decorating can reduce the sensory overload on Attention Deficit and hyperactive children.

The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder child's bedroom especially should be free of clutter. Use plastic bins to organize and store all those precious little plastic treasures (that we adults commonly refer to as junk) and small toys. Open the curtains to provide natural lighting. Keep posters and wall hangings to a minimum. Paint the child's bedroom in calming muted colors instead of bright primary colors.

If you play music in the house, opt for soft elevator music or classical music instead of rock. Try to avoid loud clatters and noises when your Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder child is at home.

Follow a Routine:

All children thrive in homes that provide routines, consistency and structure. Attention Deficit and hyperactive children especially need structure and schedules to feel secure in their surroundings. For these children, a more military approach to routines works better. Waking up, eating meals, doing homework, and bed times should all occur at about the same time every day, with few surprises to upset the Attention Deficit or hyperactive child.

A Place to Relax:

If at all possible, find a space in the house to designate as a relaxation space. It does not have to be a large space but it does need to be away from high activity areas. This little corner (or even a portion of a walk-in closet) can have a beanbag chair and a few books, coloring books or other quiet time activities.

Encourage your child to go to this space when they become angry or out of control, but never make this a place of punishment. This special spot in the house is a positive place where they can go to settle down, sort things out or just hang out when they need to be alone.

Journaling:

For the child who is old enough to write, journaling is an excellent way to untangle frazzled minds and get things off their chest. This technique allows hyperactive children to spill their internal stresses outside themselves and onto paper.

Develop a daily habit of having your child write a page or two, depending on their age, about anything that comes to mind. They can write I hate school, the dog just drooled, the baby's crying is driving me crazy... - whatever comes to mind. Eventually, they will get to the guts of what is going on inside them. Then rumple or tear the paper up and throw it away.

These private internal thoughts are not for you or anyone else to read, ever. Please respect their privacy and let them know they can write anything down without fear of reprimand.

Taking a mini-vacation with Guided Imagery:

Guided imagery is a powerful relaxation tool for hyperactive children that pulls their focus to positive thoughts, all the while encouraging creativity in your child. You can check out books on this technique at your local library if you want further information on the subject.

Last, but certainly not least, diet:

Some parents find that reducing or eliminating sugar from the diet goes a long way in calming the hyperactive child. If your child is a finicky eater, you will need to supplement the diet to make sure your Attention Deficit or hyperactive child has the fuels needed for his body to function well.

Starting the day out with a healthy breakfast balanced with proteins, fats and carbs is important. An egg sandwich, peanut butter toast and fresh fruit, protein shakes and fresh fruit smoothies are great ways to start the day for Attention Deficit and hyperactive children.

Sugar cereals are quick and convenient but should not be used as a breakfast mainstay. Fruit juices are high in calories and sugar and not recommended for children, especially those with Attention Deficit or hyperactivity. Instead of juice or sodas, get in the habit of offering plain old H2O. With plenty of bottled waters that offer fruit flavors and vitamin enhancements, getting your children hydrated is easier now than ever before.

About The Author

Jeannine Virtue is a freelance journalist and mother of an Attention Deficit son. Visit the Attention Deficit Disorder Help Center at http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com for information about treating Attention Deficit Disorder without the use of Ritalin or other ADHD medications.

jvirtue@add-adhd-help-center.com

A Guide to Cleaning Your Bedroom

Keeping a bedroom clean and fresh poses quite the challenge for many people. Some individuals are simply naturally messy individuals when it comes to their living spaces. Yet it is still imperative that these people try to maintain a respectable level of cleanliness in their home and in no room is that more important than the bedroom. Since many of us spend much of our lives in the bedroom, keeping it clean and fresh smelling is a must. Whether this involves a little light dusting every so often or involves a complete overhauling depends on the individual.

A simple fifteen- minute cleaning routine is, in many cases, all that is necessary in order for a bedroom to appear presentable. There are, however, a number of regular cleaning and hygiene tips that one can follow to ensure that the amount of time spent cleaning each week is minimal. Taking dirty clothing from your floor and putting it into a clothes basket is paramount. Allowing dirty clothing to pile up in the middle of your bedroom floor not only looks unsanitary but also contributes to the formation of a foul odor in your bedroom. Odors may become trapped in carpets also and as such vacuuming should almost be compulsory.

Once we have eliminated the source of odors in our bedroom, we can move on to trying to maintain a degree of neatness. Putting things back in their original position once we have finished using them is crucial when trying to preserve a neat living space. If one fails to do so, a neat bedroom can quickly turn into a disaster zone. Things can easily become misplaced also and very difficult to find once you go looking for them. Last but not least, once you have succeeded to this point in the quick cleanup you may notice that your bed is still unmade and in order for the bedroom to look its finest you have to make your bed.

If you need House and Home information or have articles on House and Home issues, visit our House and Home section for more in-depth resources. Free reprint articles

The Basics of Solar Power For Your Home

Solar power is an alternative energy source with tremendous economic and environmental benefits. If you?re considering it for your home, here are the basics.

Sunning Your Home

Put simply, solar power works by converting free sunlight into usable energy. This process involves using photovoltaic tiles or platforms to capture the energy inherent in sunlight. The photovoltaic materials consist of positive and negative slices of material, often silicone, that react to the sun. As the sunlight hits these cells, the energy ?slices? off negatively charged ions. This creates a magnetic field, a form of energy. The energy is then captured in small wires, which forms an electric current. The wires are connected to an inverter. The inverter converts the energy into a usable power source.

The beauty of solar power is it is a free source of energy. Historically, the cost of capturing and maintaining solar power wasn?t cheap, but this has changed dramatically in the last ten years. Systems are now much more efficient, with the total cost usually involved in the purchase and installation. Depending on the system, there is almost no maintenance cost and most systems have a 40 or 50 year life span. Not bad, eh?

Going solar is also more attractive now because of laws passed by numerous states. Initially, homeowners can get a tax rebate for installing solar. On top of this, more than half of the states now mandate a concept known as ?net metering.?

Net metering is all about saving tons of money on your utilities. Essentially, you are now allowed to ?sell? power back to the utility companies at the same price they charge you. With solar power, this means you can simply feed your system into the utility grid during the day and then use regular energy at night. Since your utility meter runs backwards, this effectively means you will dramatically reduce, if not eliminate, your electricity bills. This process alone can save you thousands of dollars a year and $40,000 to $100,000 over the life of the system, depending on your typical monthly bills. With such savings, you can see why solar power is becoming more attractive.

When it comes to solar power, the question isn?t whether you should use it. The real question is why you aren?t using it already!

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies. Visit us to read more articles on solar power and renewable energy.

Weaning Your Baby From The Bottle My Number One Tip

Weaning your baby from the bottle can be a very stressful time for both your and your child. If you're fortunate enough to be reading this before its time to wean your baby, you'll hopefully have an easier time of taking away the bottle and moving to solid foods exclusively.

I learned this tip from my own mother, and it worked so well that it took the stress and frustration right out of weaning. In fact, I hadn't even realized that my daughter wasn't drinking from a bottle until two days after she was fully weaned. She never fussed or asked for her bottle once during the transition from formula to solid food.

So, without further adieu, here's my number one tip. Starting today, don't let your baby hold the bottle. That's it - that's the magic formula. It worked wonders for me and if you start early enough, I know it can work wonders for you too, and here's why.

By letting your baby hold and play with their own bottle, they associate it with things other than feeding. This isn't a bad thing, but once you try and wean your baby from the bottle, they'll miss it as a toy or source of comfort.

During the period from 6-12 months of age, your baby will gradually be eating more solids and drinking less formula or breastmilk. If they only use the bottle as a source of food, they won't miss it once its time to wean because they'll be eating plenty of solid foods to satisfy them.

I held my daughter's bottle for her since day one. I had been dreading her first birthday because I assumed she would turn ornery every time she expected her bottle instead of solid food. To my surprise, she had transitioned from formula to solids so easy that I wasn't even aware the weaning process was over. By using this tip, I hope you will have the same experience as well.

Cassie Germsheid is the owner of BabyTipsOnline where you can find even more tips for weaning your child from the bottle. Don't forget to sign up for the free Baby Tips Newsletter and have tips, news, recipes and parenting advice delivered right to your inbox.

Complying With the OH&S Act by Testing and Tagging Electrical Appliances in Accordance of AS3760

The Occupational Health and Safety Act places a duty of care to provide a safe workplace. Failure to maintain electrical equipment in a safe condition or to use equipment in accordance with manufacturer's instructions may result in injury or death to yourself, employees, or other parties. To meet the duty of care it is necessary to ensure that risk of injury from lectric shock for all people at the workplace is reduced as far as is reasonably practicable. A method of achieving this duty is by testing and tagging electrical equipment, and implementing procedures for use of electrical equipment.

Portable electrical equipment, including flexible cords need to be regularly inspected for wear and mechanical damage, and periodically tested for earth continuity and insulation resistance. Procedures for testing of electrical leads, tools and equipment and the frequency of these tests can be found in: Joint Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZ 3760 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment

Energy Safe Victoria, Regular Checking of Electrical Equipment, September 2005

Inspection and Testing

Electrical equipment needs to be Inspected and tagged on a regular basis. Inspections are to be carried out by a person certified as competent to undertake the testing. Testing and tagging needs to be in accordance with the performance specifications of:

Australian Standard 3760: 2003 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment.

In-Service procedures

Where applicable, in-service testing and inspection shall include:

External inspection of the equipment and the connecting facilities (eg flexible supply cord)

Protective earth continuity tests for Class 1 equipment, power boards and cord sets

Insulation testing, which may be achieved by measuring insulation resistance, or leakage current

Confirmation of the correct polarity of live connections in cord sets with re-wireable plugs and cord extension sockets.

Checks for damage to flexible supply cords that include:

The inner cores of flexible supply cords are not exposed or twisted

The external sheaths of flexible supply cords are not cut, abraded, twisted, or damaged to such an extent that the insulation of the inner cores is visible

Unprotected conductors or the use of banding insulation tape are not in evidence.

Unsafe equipment

To meet your duty of care under the OHS Act and to comply with the Australian Standard 3760:2003, equipment that may be unsafe should be withdrawn immediately from service and have a label attached warning against further use. Arrangements should be made, as soon as possible, for such equipment to be disposed, destroyed, or repaired by an authorised repair agent or competent person. The owner or person responsible for the safety of the site shall determine the choice of remedial action, disposal or other corrective action.

Mark Grech
All Safe Workplace Inspections Technical Director
http://www.allsafett.com.au

All Safe are Melbourne based electrical testing and tagging specialists, servicing Victoria wide, with a range of Occupational Health and Safety services in accordance with Australian Standards AS3760.

Humor for Women What A Mom Wants For Mother's Day

Every year my family asks me what I want for Mother?s Day. Every year, I give them the same answer that I learned from my mother. I say, ? I don?t need anything.? Of course my family knows I?m not serious. I?d be very disappointed if they actually didn?t give me ANYTHING. So I usually end up with some perfume or smiley-face socks. That?s nice but it?s not what I really need.

So this year I decided to ask my family for what I really want. I?ve asked for gift certificates. But I don?t want gift certificates from a store. I want personal gift certificates. Here?s what I want:

Step over Certificate

This would allow me to ignore and step over all socks, jackets, shoes and anything else that gets tossed on the floor. I wouldn?t be expected to pick up anything. And even better, it would mean that other members of the household would actually have to pick up the items they dropped. They couldn?t step over them without seeing them like they normally do.

I Don?t Need to Find It Certificate

Why does my family think I have little treasure maps in my head showing the locations of all the items they misplace? When I hear questions that begin, ?Where are my??, I can just show my certificate. Whether it?s homework, a favorite toy or my husband?s tie, I don?t have to worry about finding them.

First Seconds Certificate

I?m sure you?re familiar with the concept of family hold back. That?s when family members (especially moms) offer extra food to someone else even when they want it, in order to make sure everyone else gets their fair share. That?s fine when we pass around the spinach, but when it comes to chocolate cake, I want to be able to show my certificate and go for seconds before anyone else does.

Whining Certificate

This is a two-for-one certificate. If someone else is whining, they must stop when I give them the certificate. Or I can use it when I feel like whining to make everyone else listen to me (and not roll their eyes or make faces).

Refrigerator Clean Up Certificate

Someone else can have the fun of getting rid of the droopy carrots and little bits of leftovers that I was pretty sure no one would eat but I felt that I had to wrap up anyway. And this has to be done before they become unrecognizable science experiments and start to erode the plastic containers that I put them in.

Days Off Certificate

I just want some days where I can relax and have fun with my family without feeling guilty that I?m not getting anything done. I want someone else to worry about the wrinkly shirts sitting in the dryer or the blobs of toothpaste hardening on the bathroom sink Most importantly I want other people in the family to take care of these things so I don?t have to do twice as much the next day to make up for my day off.

Will I get what I ask for? I hope so, but whether my family gives me a certificate or not, I?ve decided to take a few more days off this year to relax with my family. That will be my present to myself.

Don?t wait for a certificate. You can cut this page out, hand it to your family and use it as a certificate for you to take a few Days Off too. That?s my present to you. Happy Mother?s Day.

This article comes with reprint rights providing no changes are made and the resource box below accompanies it.

Laura Browne is the author of a practical & easy-to-use book for women, Why Can?t You Communicate Like Me? How Smart Women Get Results At Work. To register for her Free Teleconferences on various topics such as: Are You An Invisible Woman? How To Get Heard, go to http://www.inyourfaceink.com (This book is available at the website and at Barnes & Noble online.)

When Laura isn?t writing, she helps women be more successful through WOMEN Unlimited, a nationally recognized resource for cultivating leadership excellence, http://www.women-unlimited.com

(This article was originally printed in Cranberry Magazine.)

After Making Herb Vinegar From Your Herbal Gardens Freeze And Dry Your Herbs

A way to use your amble herb crop from your herbal gardens is to make flavored vinegars. To make herb vinegar, wash and dry your fresh herbs thoroughly then pour warm vinegar, not hot, over them in glass jars. You can use any type of vinegar but distilled. Be sure that the fresh herbs are completely covered by the vinegar. Seal the jar and allow them to sit for a month or two to mingle the flavors. Do not allow the herb vinegar access to direct sunlight.

After the herb vinegar has steeped remove the fresh herbs that you used and add new ones for a fresher look. If you want to add garlic or chili peppers to the herb vinegar, thread them on wooden skewers so that they will stay submerged.

There are no herb vinegar recipes that have strict rules. Use your imagination when pairing fresh herbs to be used in your herbal vinegar. Here are a few that go well together.

Cinnamon Basil and Whole Cloves
Lemon basil by itself
Cinnamon sticks with Whole Cloves Nutmeg and Allspice
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme ?no kidding
Dill flowers with Peppercorns
Basil Garlic and Peppercorn
Hot Peppers alone or with Pearl Onions

When you start to use your herb vinegar, as the level of the liquid goes down take out any of the herbs that are exposed to the air in the jar. If you leave them in the jar they may form a mold. Never use metal tops on the jars, they will rust from the vinegar.

Your herbal gardens have been a success but now you have so many herbs you don't know what to do. You've already made several herb vinegars. Still your herbal gardens have produced so much basil you can't think of any other ways to use it. You've garnished every plate this summer with parsley from your herbal gardens and you still have a bumper crop. It is one dilemma that many herb gardeners have had over the years. There is a fix for abundant herbal gardens.

From your herbal gardens you can freeze herbs or dry herbs easily and by utilizing these methods you will have herbs long into the winter months. A favorite method is to wash and dry the herbs. Put them in the bottom of plastic ice trays, fill with stock and freeze. Anytime you make soups or stews just pop in as many as you wish. Once frozen put them in Ziploc bags and label with the name of the herb. If you were diligent about pinching your herbs back during the growing season you should have a lot of herbs from the herbal gardens. Pinching applies to oregano, chives, basil and thyme. Woody herbs like rosemary should be cut vigorously to keep them from getting too woody.

To freeze herbs without the stock, wash and gently dry the herbs. Put them in a Ziploc bag that can withstand the freezer. As needed you can take out your herbs and chop them for your recipes. The herbs will no longer be of use for garnishing but they will retain their flavor, they just won't be as intense as fresh herbs from the herbal gardens.

To dry herbs is pretty simple. Pick the herbs from the herbal gardens after the dew has dissipated. Harvest from your herbal gardens just before the herbs bloom. That is when the herbs are at their peak flavor. Gather them into a bundle and tie a string around them. Hang them upside down in a room with good circulation and no light. This will take a bit of time. Drying time varies with humidity and temperature of your climate and the item that you are drying. Most of the time about 14 days will do it. To check pull off a leaf, if it crumbles easily it is ready. Once they are dried put them in a tight sealed container away from light.

You could use the microwave to dry herbs. Once again, harvest your herbs from your herbal gardens after the dew is gone. Wash and gently dry the herbs. Put them between two pieces of paper toweling. Two paper towels on the bottom and two on the top. Cook them on high for one minute and then check them. If they are still moist, cook again at twenty second intervals. You must watch this very carefully. Hot spots could occur and the towels catch on fire. Once they are crisp seal in an air tight container in a dark spot. Now you will have dried herbs from your herbal gardens all winter long..

Another alternative is to dry herbs in your oven. Turn the oven on to its lowest setting. Spread the herbs out on cookie sheets, put them in, prop open the door and check in about an hour, if they are not done continue drying, check ever thirty minutes. If possible leave the herb leaves intact. If you crush them before storing they will lose flavor.

When you go to use your dried herbs the rule of thumb for usage is that for every tablespoon of fresh herbs you would use, only use ? teaspoon of dried.

This was to help you use up the abundance of herbs that you grew in your herb garden this summer. Enjoy!

Good Luck and have fun!

Copyright ? 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com http://www.GardeningHerb.com and http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com