Beachcombing Art II

It is difficult to put an exact date on the beginning of beachcombing, but the suspicion is that it started when the first boats hit the waters.

People soon discovered that parts of sunken boats, its cargo and/or its equipment would eventually wash up on the shores. It even occurred that some of the cargo was deliberately thrown overboard to lighten the load and prevent the ship from going under during a storm and ended up on the beach.

The finds on the beaches were either applied for personal use or trading and the word 'beachcomber' referred to those who made their living with it.

The word has another meaning as well and would also refer to a criminal, drifter, or bum. Most 'beachcombers' however were sailors without a job, or who decided to stay on land for a while, after returning from a voyage.

Nowadays, beachcombing pertains solely to the pleasurable activity of finding stuff on the beach, although there are still people who have made a profession out of this leisure time.

I can totally understand why; you never know what surprises may come rolling in!

True Craftsmanship

Even though I am pretty much a Jack of all trades when it comes to creating all kinds of different art and craft projects, I have never tried my hands at jewelry making. I am not sure why, but for some reason it reminds me of needlepoint and I simply don't have the patience for that.

It is a good thing others do and some gorgeous works are created concerning both needlepoint and jewelry. Just take a look at this celtic jewelry for women and check out the intricate designs and fine details. It takes a lot of craftsmanship to end up with such fine results.

I have seen several people who had jewelry making as a hobby and even though their creations were unique and very pretty, they didn't come close to the many pieces of celtic jewelry for women. It could well be due to the fact that they just didn't have the right materials and equipment handy for crafting them.

It is often a matter of 'give us the tools, and we will finish the job'; without the right equipment, it is almost impossible to bring a creation to life. I am glad some people have it and I can resort to simply buying celtic jewelry for women without having to go through the frustration of trying to make it myself.

Even with my imagination I couldn't come close!

Beachcombing Art

Visiting the beach almost always will lead to a lot of fun, but besides swimming, splashing around in the water and building sand castles, you don't have to wait for a warm, sunny day to go there.

If you live close to the beach, you may want to decide to take a stroll down there, even when it is a cold, windy day.

Maybe you should go specifically on those days, because the waves rolling ashore can carry a lot of little treasures with them and leave them on the beach for you to find.

Beachcombing is an exciting pastime and you never know what you are going to find. It can be shells, sea glass, unusual rocks, driftwood, fishing lures and maybe even some long lost treasures.

All these little trinkets can be used for art. Whether you glue them separately on a background and frame them as wall art, or create figurines out of them, you are ensured of ending up with a beautiful and unique piece.

There are a few more applications for the treasures you bring home from the beach; large pieces of driftwood can function as the base for a coffee or in-table. Shells can be used for crafting figurines or wind chimes.

If you don't want to take it home, or are not looking forward to being creative, then take pictures of them, print them out and frame them.

There are as many options as there is sand on the beach. Well, almost. Grin.

See also:
Beachcombing Art II
Beachcombing Art - Materials and Equipment

Potato Art - Materials and Equipment

Potatoes are around all year long and you can have your pick at the grocery store or farmers market between all kinds of sizes and several colors.

Stamps are easily made and require just the use of a pairing knife and/or cookie cutter to outline the shape and form of the desired figure. By pushing a cookie cutter in to one half of a potato and cutting away the excess, you are ensured of a quick, easy and sharp outlined stamp which can be used many times.

Some tooth picks are needed for making figurines when using the entire potato and ink, marker or paint and brushes are needed if you like to give the potato an entirely new appearance.

There are some art projects for potatoes circulating on the Internet, but most of this craft is left to your own imagination and creativity. That shouldn't be so difficult and certainly is no reason to drop this hobby like a hot potato!

Potato Art II

The potato finds its origin in the southern region of Peru and was first grown for consumption between 8000 and 5000 BC.

From Peru, potatoes made it to the Canary Islands in 1567 where they were grown for the first time outside Central and South America. Sailors brought the potatoes to Europe when they used them for food during the trip back to Spain.

The leftover tubers were planted and spread across Europe as food for the Spanish army where the potato was taken up as new crop by peasants and after 1600, the potato spread quickly to Asia and from there to China. During the 1750s the potato became an important staple crop in northern Europe.

In the 19th century the potato literally and figuratively gained ground throughout Europe, mainly due to the fact that it was cheap, nutritious, filling and didn't spoil so easily. The US followed quickly and in 1838 potato plants could be found in Idaho and the production has increased ever since.

As creative as we are, we found all kinds of other uses for potatoes, besides cooking them; fries, chips, mashed potatoes, soups, etc., are some of the examples.

Yeah, potatoes sure left their mark all over the world, which reminds me; they lend themselves very well making stamps!

Potato Art

As versatile as potatoes are and/or can be in the kitchen when preparing a tasty meal, as many uses they can have for creating some great and unexpected works of art.

Beautiful figurines can be carved out of potatoes and even though discoloration will occur, that can be taken advantage of and will even ensure your creation is never boring and always offers something new to look at.

With a few toothpicks, you and/or your children can already fabricate some cute potato figures without having to use a knife at all.

Select a few small or weird shaped potatoes and leave the rest to your imagination. You will be surprised what all you can come up with.

An even simpler way is drawing a face on a potato with a marker. As the potato ages, it will shrivel and sprouts will appear. Imagine the fun you will have as you see the face grow older by the day, develop more wrinkles, but instead of loosing, growing hair.

Don't drop this hobby as a hot potato; see the possibilities and keep in mind that it can actually be great entertainment for the entire family!

See also:
Potato Art II
Potato Art - Materials and Equipment

Selling Your Art

One of our daughters is real handy with yarn and a crochet needle and whips out some creative, artistic works in no time flat. She is not the type to store them and wait until she has gathered up enough stuff to hold a yard sale, but has come up with some innovating ideas how and where to draw people's attention to it and make a profit.

She has actually become her own Advertising Agency, but she is only addressing a very small part of a market which could be so much larger if she took it a few steps further. The problem however is that with three little ones there is hardly any time to do so and a helping hand would be more then welcome.

I can imagine several of you find themselves in the same position. You may already have started a small business, but you don't know how to approach and/or attract the attention of a broad public. Considering the services of a good Advertising Agency would be a wise idea for accumulating a steady stream of clients.

It requires expertise and know-how taking advantage of all the possibilities of media which are available for advertising and putting them to good use. It is a specific field and it takes an Advertising Agency which has plenty of experience to make the most out of it. Since they know all the tricks of the trade, the number of your customers will grow by leaps and bounds.

It doesn't take rocket science figuring out that means money in the bank!

Tooth Brush Art

Strange, but true, there is hardly any art made with or from toothbrushes. I scoured the Internet and all I found were toothbrush bracelets and one doormat which was entirely made out of old toothbrushes.

Instructions for making the bracelet are online and it doesn't require much equipment; the items you need are quickly found and pulled together in your kitchen.

Already in 3500 BC chewing sticks were used in Babylonia to keep teeth clean. They evolved into pencil size chew sticks from aromatic trees as Chinese records from around 1600 BC show; one end was chewed until it looked like a brush and the other end had a point and was used as a toothpick.

Bristled toothbrushes, made from the hair of the neck of wild boars and fastened to bamboo or bone handles, came in existence at the same time in China as well and found its way to Europe, where the Europeans replaced the boar hair with horse hair, which was softer.

In 1937 nylon was invented by Wallace H Carothers and in 1938 the animal hair in toothbrushes was replaced by nylon bristles.

I don't see why there is no wall art made from oothbrushes; it sure would be some unique work of art. If you come across more tooth brush art, please let me know.

In the mean time, the children can have a lot of fun splatter painting with their old toothbrush!

Horseshoe Art - Materials and Equipment

There is a huge selection of horseshoes available in different styles and materials; some may be made out of iron, others from steel, aluminum, titanium, copper or even rubber and plastic.

The big question would be where to get them and since not everyone has a blacksmith in the neighborhood, the Internet is your best bet for buying them.

You will need welding equipment, a sturdy hammer, pliers, and an anvil could come in handy as well. Several horseshoe art videos, projects, ideas and instructions can be found online and could be of great help getting you started.

This hobby is not for the faint of heart and hand; it does require some strength at times bending and shaping the horseshoes, but the art which will result from all your labor will be absolutely astonishing.

You will not need any luck; you will be holding that in your own two hands!

Learn The Art of Teaching

I have a lot of admiration for teachers; their ability to capture children's attention and keep order in a classroom is truly a form of art.

Many may have aspirations becoming a teacher, but the finances may not reach far enough. There is good news for those who would enjoy teaching science, technology, engineering, or math, because they may be eligible for one of the grants for teachers provided by the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowships.

To complete one of those intensive master’s degree programs at one of seventeen participating universities across the mid-west, you are majored in and/or have a strong professional background in a STEM field and show a commitment to the program and its goals.

You also have to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, have a bachelor's degree or expect to get one by June 30, 2012 and have achieved a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale.

You could receive a $30,000 stipend to cover the costs of the full-time pre-service Master's year and you can also expect that the coursework of this year is spent in a high need classroom under supervision of experienced teacher leaders.

The master's study year will equally be divided between coursework and demanding immersive "clinical" experiences in schools, observing, focusing and working in mainly high-poverty urban or rural schools, three to five days per week.

With no more then 19 other fellows on each campus, you will obtain a teacher certification by the end of summer 2013 in Indiana, Ohio, or Michigan and when you start a three-year commitment as salaried teachers working for school districts, you are assured of the assistance from veteran teachers throughout those three years.

A lot of the universities even offer more financial help to achieve your goal. No, it is not going to be easy, but no art is!

Horseshoe Art II

Horseshoes were invented to protect the hoofs from wearing down and cracking and even though the iron horseshoes came in existence around the 13th and 14th century, ever since horses were domesticated, mankind has come up with ideas to protect the horses' hoofs.

Early on in ancient Asia, the hoofs were wrapped in rawhide, leather or other materials. The earliest records which could be taken as a reference to metal horseshoes dates back to 632 AD, where mention was made in the Koran of "war-horses… which strike fire, by dashing their hoofs against the stones."

Archaeological finds show that the Romans already used some sort of sandal to protect the horse's feet, but the first nailed on iron horseshoe was found in a tomb of a Frankish King at Tournai, Belgium and is said to be from the 5th century A.D.

It wasn't until 1000 AD when cast bronze horseshoes with nail holes were more and more used in Europe. During a time period of a couple of hundred years, the horseshoe was widely used.

By the 13th century, they were made in large numbers and could even be bought ready- made. In the 16th century the art of being a blacksmith was a thriving business, due to the great demand for horseshoes. A horseshoe manufacturing machine came out in 1835 and was patented by Henry Burden.

And now you know the rest of the story! :-)

Cute Pin Art

In my younger days we used to collect pins. Most of them came with a product and we would look for that particular one we didn't have yet, or swap pins with other children to complete our collection.

It was always special and exciting to receive a lapel pins and made a school, business, or product stand out. Even though it was a way of advertisement and boosting sales, it was out of the ordinary and stuck in people's minds.

I haven't seen many of those pins around anymore. Every now and then someone is wearing one, but those occasions are few and far between. That is odd, because a lapel pin could be handed out on many more events like football games, or concerts for instance.

I sure wouldn't mind receiving many of those pins; they could be the start of a nice collection again and each pin would have a sweet and/or enjoyable memory attached to it. Imagine all the great stories you could tell your children and grandchildren down the road.

I hope they will bring more pins back in circulation, because each one of those creative and colorful small items is truly a work of art!

Horseshoe Art

I received an e-mail with beautiful pictures of horseshoe art in it and of course that piqued my interest. I was not prepared for what I found when I did a search and was amazed by so much creativity and all the different applications and projects old horseshoes were used for.

No, this may not be an average hobby where you sit down in your living room and start creating something from scratch. You will need a specific area for it and some tools you may not commonly find in your toolbox.

Once you are set however, the options and ideas are endless. I saw picture frames, a gazillion figurines, brackets for holding up shelves, coat and towel racks, paper towel and toilet paper holders, salt and pepper shakers, napkin holders, tables, chairs, candlesticks, and so much more.

Just take your pick and be assured that it is your lucky day!

See also:
Horseshoe Art II
Horseshoe Art - Materials and Equipment

New Inspiration Within Your Grasp

It is always nice taking a break and getting new ideas and input. You come home energetic, refreshed, and filled with so many new impressions which will stay with you for quite some time.

I can only imagine how a royal caribbean cruise would enhance the fun and excitement. It would certainly add to the relaxation and inspiration, because you would not only be visiting new places, but would also bathe in luxury.

It is almost impossible picturing yourself waking up and knowing all you have to do is get dressed, enjoy meals fit for a king and take part in all kinds of activities the royal caribbean cruise liners have to offer.

It gets even better; you don't have to do anything if you don't want to and can lounge as long as you like. Lay back in one of the deck chairs and soak up some sun, enjoy the view and breathe in the fresh air, while the royal caribbean takes you to your next destination.

It sure sounds tempting, doesn't it? Well, what are you waiting for? Cruises are no longer solely reserved for the rich and famous; they are within everyone's grasp. You don't even need to have any sea legs, because aboard one of these majestic cruise liners you will barely notice you are at sea!

Some More Arty Toothpaste Uses

I found some more arty applications for toothpaste which I wanted to share. I don't know who put their imagination to work, but their creativity is highly appreciated and can be a great and cheap solution to some of the following problems:

- Have your kids gotten creative with crayons and spruced up the walls? Put a little toothpaste on a damp cloth and gently go over the 'artwork' to remove it.

- Toothpaste also is a good silver polish; rub the toothpaste on the jewelry, let it sit overnight and wipe clean with a soft cloth. Use a toothbrush and toothpaste with a little water and brush diamonds for a beautiful sparkle. Rinse well to remove any toothpaste residue.

- Shallow scratches on DVDs, CDs and the glass of your watch will disappear by using a very small amount of toothpaste on a soft cloth and careful rubbing it on to the surface. Rinse or wipe clean afterwards.

- After a while of using your iron, the plate may have developed a burned crust. This can easily be removed by applying toothpaste to it.

- Scrub the inside of baby bottles with toothpaste and a bottle brush and rinse well afterwards. This will get rid of any milk residue and also deodorizes the bottle.

If you have any more tips or creative ideas where toothpaste is concerned then don't hesitate to share!

Keep Plugging Away

I am sure that the home improvement bug gets a hold of everyone at one time or another and that is quite understandable; there is nothing more pleasurable then coming home to an environment in which you feel at home.

It is a waste of effort, time and money though, turning your abode in to your personalized work of art when it is a rental, but with so many houses available on the real estate market it doesn't have to be that way and it is easy to purchase one when you have good credit.

Maybe you already got your eye on an abode which doesn't need many alterations to suit you. Don't pass it up and take advantage of the many excellent credit score mortgages to realize your dream house.

The possibilities and options for all kinds of artistic and creative interior designs and DIY projects are endless, but just like with art and creativity, mortgages and good credit go hand in hand.

If you can't lay your hands on a house at the moment, don't let that burst your bubble; keep plugging away. It is the same as with any craft and/or hobby; practice makes perfect!

Arty Toothpaste Uses

There are more applications for toothpaste, besides cleaning teeth and creating art. You may already have heard a few of them, but here are some which I wasn't aware of and thought they would be of interest and could come in handy at one point.

- Toothpaste is also a good way to clean, shine and strengthening fingernails. You can achieve that by scrubbing the underneath and tops of the nails.

- Gel toothpaste can be used when you run out of, or instead of hair gel. Since it is made with the same ingredients, it will style and hold your hair firmly in place.

- A short scrub with toothpaste will get rid of any smells on your hands. That is good to know after having handled garlic, onions and other foods which leave a not so pleasant scent lingering on your hands and fingers.

- Toothpaste is an excellent stain remover for clothes and carpets. Apply it directly onto the stain and rub clothes firmly until the stain is gone and use a brush for the carpet. Rinse immediately and do not use toothpaste with whitening ingredients; it can bleach the material!

- The same above method is also good for cleaning off dirt and scuffs on leather and running shoes.

These are quite some creative solutions, huh? I haven't tried them yet, but I will certainly keep them in mind!

Toothpaste Art - Materials and Equipment

You would expect toothpaste to come in white, transparent blue or multi colored, but there are many more colors like green, pink, red, orange, yellow, black and more.

An online search will already provide you with many different shades and if that is not enough, try the Splat homepage which I discovered; you will find lots of colored toothpaste there with which you can mix any other colors you may want.

You will not need much other equipment; paper or canvas, paint brushes, a palette or a plate for mixing the colors is already enough to get you started. I would recommend a damp cloth for covering your art when other obligations are calling you away from your art, preventing it from drying out and cracking.

Should you want to make a sculpture, I suspect any materials and equipment you would use for working with clay would come in handy. It will take a little longer sculpting a figurine, because the toothpaste may have to dry a bit before you can achieve the details you are after.

Here is another possibility; stack an amount of toothpaste as high as you want your figurine to be and let it dry thoroughly. Once it is dry, you can use sand paper and/or hobby knives to sculpt your project.

I wouldn't be surprised if the result will take your breath away!

Expanding Craft Space

I have got my craft items scattered almost throughout the entire house, simply because I ran out of space. It means that whenever I want to do some of my hobbies I have to go on a mission, trying to locate what I need.

There is not really a designated place either for creating my art. I usually sit at the dinner table, but that is not very handy and I have to clean everything up when suppertime comes around.

I can imagine someone would be looking for commercial office space for rent, to set up shop and keep all their craft materials and equipment. That is not a bad idea at all, especially if you are used to making larger projects.

Maybe you know some nice commercial office space for rent which is close by your house and/or doesn't take too long to get to. It would be an ideal solution to the problem; you can come and go as you please, without having to worry about stuffing everything back in a closet.

The more I think about it, the better a commercial office space for rent sounds. If I keep expanding my craft materials at this rate, I either have to start looking for one soon, or dispose of some things.

I wouldn't want to do the latter; you never know what it is good for!

Toothpaste Art II

There are already records dating back as far as 5000 BC, which make mention of a powdered mixed of powdered ashes of ox hooves, myrrh, powdered and burnt eggshells and pumice to keep teeth clean.

The Greeks and Romans added crushed bones and oyster shells to it, making the powder more useful to scratch teeth clean. The Romans were also the ones who added flavorful substances to the powder for a fresher breath.

Around 1000 AD the Persians warned against the use of hard abrasives and the dangers of them which prompted a Persian musician and fashion designer to come up with a sort of toothpaste which was "functional and pleasant to taste". How it was used is not known, since no mention was made of any type of toothbrush, cloth, or twigs.

Even though some sort of toothpowder or paste was used to clean teeth, it became more popular in the 18th century when a so called dentifrice became available and was developed by doctors, dentists and chemists. It still didn't consist of the ingredients as we know them today, but it was used with a toothbrush or simply with the fingers.

Toothpaste became more common in the 19th Century when glycerin was added and in 1873 toothpaste was produced in mass for the first time. It came in a jar until 1892, when a Dr. Washington Sheffield of Connecticut came up with the tube as we know it. His company later became more known under the name Colgate.

It wasn't until after WWII when American soldiers brought home the European habit of brushing their teeth daily and was it was widely adopted by the American people.

Mixing Music

Not everyone is blessed with a beautiful singing voice and sometimes people pleasantly surprise you as soon as you hear them sing a song. The actress Katey Sagal, yes the one who is better known as Peggy Bundy from the TV series 'Married with Children', was one of those unexpected, talented singers.

It often occurs that people don't really know what to do with that trait and even though they may try to appeal to as many people as possible by recording a song, it may lack the touch of an expert. An online mixing studio could have made a huge difference in both sound and quality.

We have to do make due with what is at hand and not everyone is in the possession of professional equipment or lives near a recording studio. It is possible though to record a song and run it by the trained ears of the people who work at an online mixing studio and let them mix and match.

Due to their experience and expertise, any recording will sound at its best after the artistic hands of the engineer took your song and controlled the online mixing studio equipment. You will be astonished when you hear how the results have taken your song to an entire new level!

Toothpaste Art

This may sound like one of the weirdest hobbies you may ever have come across, but when you think about it realistically, there shouldn't be anything preventing and keeping us from painting with toothpaste.

It may not have crossed your mind, but you can create some wonderful projects with the same brush strokes as when you would be using paint. It is a lot cheaper then oil paint, but it blends and can be mixed equally as well and I suspect it smells a lot fresher too.

I am not so sure how well it would turn out in the long run, after the toothpaste has dried.

I anticipate it would have to dry slowly in order not to crack, but covering your art with a damp cloth could help slowing down the process and prevent the cracks from occurring.

It wouldn't surprise me if you could even make figurines out of toothpaste. You would probably have to do it in stages and let the figurine dry well before adding on to it. You will also have to take in account that your sculpture will shrink during the drying process.

It is worth giving it a try and if it doesn't work out the way you wanted, you can always use it for your pearly whites or other applications!

See also:
Toothpaste Art II
Toothpaste Art - Materials and Equipment

To Each Their Own

I don't know if you get as much advertisement and junk mail in your mailbox as we do, but most of it disappears in our garbage can almost right away. On rare occasions we hold on to it and I noticed that what we keep are mostly brochures which jump out at us.

It is easy to tell if a business had put some time and effort in their Brochure Printing due to the colorful pictures, logos, the appealing layout and not pinching a penny in order to present their services to the public in an artistic way.

I honestly don't think it is the business owner who is responsible for the end product, but the Brochure Printing service they hired. It shows through when that service has the skills and expertise to take the concept and requirements of their client and turn it into a professional and eye-pleasing work of art.

I would want to try my hands at Brochure Printing, because it would be rather confusing to me, figuring out what goes where and still make it informative, attractive and to the point. I am glad I don't have to; there are craftsmen for that who made a profession out of their hobby.

To each their own!

Johannes Vermeer's Economical Impact

Johannes Vermeer became a famous painter due to his different style and technique during the 17th century and is still ranked as one of the greater Dutch painters at present.

Even though his artwork is not very extensive, it is famous all over the world and can be admired in many museums.

Souvenirs are a huge part of the sales and include books, DVDs, reproductions and all kinds of other items. Johannes has even inspired the movie world and in 2003 a movie was released which was based on Vermeer's painting 'The girl with the pearl earring'.

There is not much known about his personal life and he never painted a self portrait showing his face, but the influence and impact he had on his colleagues and the past and present world of art are unmistakable and his greatest legacy.

Johannes Vermeer's Work

Johannes/Jan Vermeer focused on painting portraits and landscapes and was greatly influenced by the Italian Baroque style and the Art school of Antwerp, which shows through in his early works.

However, during the period of 1660-1669, he developed his own technique based upon the use of the camera obscura discovering new and unique ways of enhancing the difference between the light and dark areas in his paintings, also called chiaroscuro. It was during this period when most of his famous paintings came out of his hands.

It wasn't just the way he portrayed the subjects of his paintings which changed over time, but he also perfected the way of his brush strokes through experiments, in order to make it look as realistic as possible. After finishing a painting, he would cover them with a kind of glaze to protect it and add a glossy shine to it.

Even though Johannes Vermeer had married in to wealth, he accumulated a lot of debt during his life. He didn't find many buyers for his paintings outside of Delft and used expensive paint in abundance like ultramarine, which was made from the crushed gemstone lapis lazuli. He used it as an undercoating for his work and was not stingy with it either, while creating his projects.

His unique painting techniques made his work stand out and distinguished him from all the other painters in his time.

Creative Changes

I suspect the old masters would have a very difficult time painting all those vibrant and colorful outfits our children are wearing these days and it would have taken them a long time mixing and matching in order to come up with the right shades.

In the past, painters had only a limited choice concerning available colors and it was a huge ordeal blending them together and took quite some creativity to achieve the desired and most realistic effect. They would probably throw their hands in the air if they had to paint some of the dazzling, but cheap outfits our kids can choose from at the clothing stores online, these days.

We may not always be aware of how much easier life has become, compared to a few centuries ago. It often took months before the seamstress had finished sewing new apparel by hand, while all our children have to do nowadays is clicking on their preference at one of the clothing stores and it will arrive in no time.

Taking in account that children usually don't like to go shopping for new clothes with their parents and the parents like to avoid unpleasant surprises, these online clothing stores are a great and creative solution; they save everyone time, money and a lot of aggravation.

Yes, times sure have changed for the better!

About Johannes Vermeer

Johannes Vermeer, also known as Jan or Joannes, was born on October 31st, 1632 in Delft, Netherlands. His father, Reijnier Janszoon and his mother, Digna Baltens, were innkeepers and silk weavers in the city of Delft and they had two children of which Johannes was the only son.

There is not much known about Johannes Vermeer's personal life, but he grew up learning about art, because his father was a member of the St. Luke's Guild and traded and sold paintings.

It is not quite certain who apprenticed Johannes Vermeer, but he became a member of the Guild of St. Luke later on and mainly painted biblical and classical scenes in his early years. Since scenes taken from daily life had his interest as well, he preferred painting those instead and never tried any etching or sketching.

Johannes married Catharine Bolnes in April 1653 and they had fifteen children together. Four children died and only ten of the names of their remaining children are known: Maria, Elisabeth, Cornelia, Aleydis, Beatrix, Johannes, Gertruyd, Franciscus, Catharina and Ignatius.

Both Johannes' wife and children are portrayed in several of his paintings and since Catherine was wealthy and belonged to the upper class, her mother introduced Johannes Vermeer to the wealthiest citizens of Delft.

When Johannes had accumulated debts, due to the fact that he couldn't find patrons outside of Delft to buy his work, and had to repay the state, Catharine tried to save as many of her husband's paintings as she could.

Johannes and Catherine's marriage lasted for 22 years when Johannes was believed to suffer a stroke and died on December 15, 1675.

See also:
Johannes Vermeer's Work
Johannes Vermeer's Economical Impact

A Great Way Of Seeing Art

I am not really a huge fan of big cities, due to all the hectic traffic and hustle and bustle which tend to drive me nuts. However, when I would want to see art, those are the places to go; museums and art galleries are usually present in abundance.

Locating all those works of art and finding the best and/or quickest way of getting there are often a huge ordeal and when someone would mention Chicago Bus Tours would certainly not be the first means of transportation for admiring artwork which would pop up in my mind.

It is an excellent option though, seeing all a city has got to offer and being assured of the fact that it includes art as well. There are specific Chicago Bus Tours that will take you from one great masterpiece of a famous painter to another, while all you got to do is sit back and enjoy.

Even though that piques my interest, it would be the stained glass art which would be high on my agenda. I wasn't aware of it, but these pieces of beauty can be found all over the city and with Chicago Bus Tours I would see all of these gorgeous works of art.

I think I would take several tours, just to ensure I didn't overlook any!

Mask Art - Materials and Equipment

The easiest thing to do is buying a simple white mask, which can be done online, and painting and adorning it any way you want or see fit. I don't think those would be very comfortable to wear though, but they are excellent for decorative purposes.

Most rewarding however is making your own mask from scratch. This also allows you to put all your creativity and artistic abilities in it. Shape, form, color, materials; the choice is all yours.

Construction paper is sturdy enough for cutting and shaping it any way you want. With a pair of scissors, elastic bands/strings, glue, and different colors of paper, you can already create a unique face cover.

In case you need some help and/or ideas; there are plenty of examples, workshops, lessons, and instructions online and not just for paper masks, but also for masks made out of other materials.

I can give you some pointers when it comes to the basic equipment: scissors, paint, brushes, and glue, but the rest is up to you and your imagination.

I have no doubt that the fruits of your labor and craftsmanship will show by this unique expression of art!

Prepping for my college exams this semester

Guest post written by Lisa Henderson

One of the things that I'm super worried about when it comes to college is getting to the end of the semester and then realizing that I should have been studying. It happened to my older sister her first semester at college and she reminded me that I don't need to put myself in that position. I'm working really hard to balance fun and studying and I think that so far I'm doing a pretty good job at it.

I've been using my ClearWire Wimax to confirm all of my notes from classes on my class websites. I'm really thankful that I have that tool, but I'm also afraid that my teacher is going to make the exams harder because she's giving us that advantage.

I have my very first college exam coming up next week and am really working hard to prepare myself for it. I think that studying, it's never going to hurt to study too much because that way you at least get a really great grade to start off with and know that your studying skills paid off.

Mask Art II

Masks have probably been used ever since the existence of mankind. The earliest reference to a mask has been found in a cave in the south of France, has been dated to be from as far back as 20,000 BC and is a painting portraying a person wearing a mask of deer skin and antlers.

Throughout the ages, they have been and still are being used in many cultures for all kinds of social gatherings, parties, in theatres and mainly for ceremonial and ritual events.

The importance of masks can be derived from literature and all kinds of artifacts which have been found all over the world and there is no distinction, as far as use goes, between primitive or sophisticated cultures and/or societies.

The only difference can be found in the materials which are being used; those are often taken from the immediate, natural environment and associated with specific spiritual powers when it pertains to rituals and ceremonies.

Nowadays, we have a much broader choice of items and materials at our disposal to create either a simple, or a very delicate and intricate mask.

In case making a mask presents a challenge then let's face it head on!

Diving In

One would expect that there is an art or hobby for and made from or with everything, but low and behold, I just came across one that is up for grabs; there is no art created where it concerns swimming pool covers.

That came as a shock to me, because those large covers would lend themselves excellent for a one of a kind expression of creativity which could be achieved by putting some paint and brushes or spray paint to good use.

With the seasons about to change and the pools going out of commission until next year, it would certainly please the eye and cheer up the entire environment when the Winter Pool Covers would display some colorful art.

I did find some really beautiful and artistic above and in-ground liners and plenty of other cute, unique and/or necessary Pool Supplies, but as far as pool covers go; that art is wide open. It may be something to dive into, huh?

Mask Art

Masks don't specifically have to be for Halloween, Carnival or Mardi Gras; it is fun for children to make one and play with them at any time, but it also is a nice hobby for grown ups and use them as decoration.

These items don't have to be solely created out of paper, wood or plastic; many other materials are very suitable for it as well and may even give the mask a one of a kind look.

One of those materials is yarn. I have seen some really adorable masks which were either done by crocheting, or knitting.

I found this techno mask really creative and a good opportunity getting rid of some excessive nuts, bolts and whatever else hardware you may have lying around.

It may be a little heavy to wear, but it sure would fit in nicely with a modern and/or industrial interior as a decorative piece.

Don't be afraid considering any kind of material for making masks; face off and let the creativity begin!

See also:
Mask Art II
Mask Art - Materials and equipment

A Creative Tool

When you maintain a blog or site, you may have encountered several occasions in which you would and could have benefited from the feedback of your readers. Most people don't bother leaving a comment, but they may be inclined taking a survey.

You could have gotten their opinions if you had offered a free online survey creator on your site. You still can do so, because it is always beneficial gaining knowledge on what needs changing or what your visitors like to be informed about.

I have come across several sites which do offer a free online survey creator and always wondered where and how they got it. I also was under the impression it would be a huge ordeal creating and incorporating one, but I stand corrected: it is real simple and easy.

Since I post about the hobbies and crafts which pique my interest, I assume they catch your eye and hold your attention as well. That doesn't necessarily have to be true and I may take advantage of this free online survey creator and conduct a survey as well.

This could lead to more and/or different quality content of my site. Then again, maybe it wouldn't; it all depends on the outcome of this creative tool. Inquiring minds want to know!