Bring Out the Comforters for Back to School – Home-Improvement
Bring Out the Comforters for Back to School
If the weather is turning chilly it must time for the kids to go back to school. Bring out the comforters, flannel bed linens, quilts and stadium blankets. As in all bed linens and comforter sets, they come in different sizes to fit the bed you own. You probably have a king or queen size bed, and your kids may sleep in loft beds at home or at the dorm. A twin comforter will be just the right size for the kids away at school. Flannel bed linen comes in a lot of colors, patterns, and prints. They are great for young and old providing the right amount of warmth and softness next to the skin.A comforter is generally filled with down and is one of the most popular choices of fill. It is light weight and incredibly warm. I feel that you can have warmth without weight and you never feel too cold while sleeping. There are many different kinds and qualities of down for every comforter. The least expensive is a combination of down and feathers, while just goosedown is the most expensive. Check the label for the "fill power". This will tell you how many ounces of down are in the comforter so you can determine how warm it will be. You can also choose a baffle pattern you like, the more tightly the feathers are held together, the warmer it will be as the feathers do not fall to the end of the comforter. Silk is another option for fill as well as a silk covering for the comforter. It is extremely warm, adjusts to your body temperature and is very lightweight. It is comparable in price to a high quality down comforter, and is also dry clean only. It is smart to do a little research before investing in something. Most comforters come in white, but you can purchase a duvet cover to match your d
10 Slam-Dunk Crafts For Little Kids — And Bigger Kids Too!-Hobbies
10 Slam-Dunk Crafts For Little Kids -- And Bigger Kids Too!
Crafting with young children really isn't about creating something in particular. Most young children don't have the foresight to see what a project is going to be.For young children it's more important that they have the opportunity to play and experiment with art. Kids need to use as many of their senses as possible to get the most out of crafting. This allow them to try new sensory experiences, as well as learn causal relationships.These are my 10 favorite crafts for little kids based on all that AND the 'fun factor.'1. Finger painting: Finger painting is a wonderful activity for kids. It lets them 'feel' the craft as well as be creative. You don't have to have finger paints to do this activity with kids. You can finger paint with homemade paint, watercolors or even mud. You can also experiment with adding
other things to the paint such as sand or glitter.2. Yarn Painting: Dip pieces of string or yarn into paint and then drag it across the paper to paint with it. It's a good experience to paint with something other than a brush and you can just throw the yarn away when finished.3. Q-Tip Painting: Use Q-tips to create a painting. There are lots of ways to use a Q-tip - scrub, dot, or use it like a brush. It's a good coordination exercise because Q-tips are small around, but it also provides a lot of interest for the child.4. Glue Art: Draw squiggle lines on a piece of paper or let the child use their finger to make random glue spots or patterns on a piece of paper. Experiment with adding different objects to the glue. Sand, glitter, cotton, yarn, feathers, and tissue paper all work well.5. Salt Dough Sculpture: Make a batch of salt dough and turn the kids loose with it. You don't have to worry about them eating it (it's safe and tastes terrible) and clean up is easier than play dough. If you want to keep their creations, let them dry overnight and then paint them the next day.6. Toe Painting: If it's a warm summer day, put on the swimsuits, put some finger paint into pie tins, lay out large sheets of poster paper, and let them 'paint' all afternoon. They will have a ball and all you have to do is hose them off when they are done (that's my kids' favorite part actually!)7. Found Object Art: This project is always a sure thing because kids love to 'discover' things. Let your child gather up leaves, sticks, flowers, etc. and then glue them onto a piece of paper. When they are done, let them tell you about their collection.8. Peanut Pictures: Every kid loves to play with packing peanuts -- but it makes such a mess. Let them create pictures with them instead. Kids can draw on them, glue them to a sheet of paper, or glue the peanuts to each other to make a sculpture. The kids will love it!9. Sticker Play: Turn your child loose with a bunch of stickers, markers, and a sheet of paper and let them create. It's good for little ones to work on their coordination, and it's fun!10. Stamping: Kids love to use any kind of stamps. My favorites are the self-inking stamps or the double-sided markers with the stamps on one end. This may sound like pure play, but is also teaches young children cause and effect.Chris Yates makes it Easy to craft with Little Kids and
Create a little Magic Time with Hundreds of Project Ideas. Visit Little Kid Crafts Now!
Gift Ideas for Bird Lovers-Gardening
Gift Ideas for Bird Lovers
Some of the best gifts you can give to a bird lover are those that have to do with birds! 
Here are a few favorites of all bird lovers:* Bird HousesYou can find a wide variety of bird house designs and styles. Usually anyone that really loves birds also really loves different types of bird houses too. Also, when shopping for a bird house, keep in mind that some bird houses are made for specific types of birds, and others can be used by multiple types and sizes.* Bird Baths and FountainsThese also make wonderful gifts for bird lovers because they tend to attract more birds to the yard. Birds love to play in water as well as drink and bathe in it. So these make fantastic gifts for bird lovers. Something to know when buying bird baths and fountains though: Birds are easily scared. So try to avoid any bright colors - especially red - and try to avoid shiny things that reflect the sun.* Bird FeedersAnother nice gift for bird lovers because this also tends to draw birds in from miles around. Birds also remember their feeding spots over the winter... and when they come back to their feeding spot the following spring they're likely to bring more birds with them.