The Snatch
The lifter approches the bar, standing with feet hip width to shoulder width apart, centered on the barbell. The feet are placed under the bar so the bar is directly over the balls of the feet. Keeping the back straight, the lifer tilts the torso forward slightly, and bending at the knees, lowers into the starting position to grip the bar with a wide grip. The feet are flat on the platform with bodyweight distributed evenly between the balls of the feet and the heels.
The first phase of the pull
In the first phase of the pull the bar is raised from the platform in a controlled manner. The knees are straightened so the hips and shoulders raise at the same rate. Once the bar passes the knees, the tilt of the torso is reduced to further raise the bar until it touches the upper thighs. At the same time the torso is brought into a more upright position, the knees re-bend slightly in preparation for the second phase of the pull. The feet remain flat on the platform with bodyweight, and the weight on the bar, shifted back slightly as the bar touches the upper thighs. The arms remain straight thoughout the first phase of the pull.
The second phase of the pull
Having completed the first phase of the pull, the lifter is in a power position. From the power position the lifter is ready to enlist the large muscles of the legs, hips and back, in one explosive movement to accelerate the bar. With the knees bent and the torso leaning slightly forward, as if to perform a verticle leap, the second phase of the pull is executed. The legs extend and the hips drive forward forcing the torso upward. The arms are still straight with the elbows out to the side, which transfers the movement of the torso to the barbell. The feet, shoulders and arms further assist in lifting the bar. The lifter pushs off the platform with such force that only the balls of the feet and\or toes remain in contact with the platform. In shrugging the trapezious muscles, the shoulders will rise, which, with the addition of some arm pull, will cause the bar to reach its apex.
Receiving the bar
Using the arms, the lifter pulls the body under the bar and receives the barbell with both arms extented and the elbows locked. Depending on the lifters level of skill, one of two things will happen. The skilled athlete will move into a deep squat position (squat snatch), which does not require the bar be pulled as high, thus allowing a heavier weight to be attempted. The less skilled athlete will bend the knees slightly (power snatch).
The down signal
The final part of the snatch is to stand up and wait for the down signal. If the attempt was a power snatch (a slight bending of the knees) the lifter need only straighten the legs and make sure the feet are side by side. From the squat snatch position the lifter keeps the torso as upright as possible and rises using leg and hip strength.
In some competitions a buzzer sounds for the down signal. The head referee says "down" in local meets.
Some Information About Clean And Jerk
The Clean and Jerk
The lifter approches the bar, standing with feet hip width to shoulder width apart, centered on the barbell. The feet are placed under the bar so the bar is directly over the balls of the feet. Keeping the back straight, the lifer tilts the torso forward slightly, and bending at the knees, lowers into the starting position to grip the bar. The feet are flat on the platform with bodyweight distributed evenly between the balls of the feet and the heels.
The first phase of the pull
In the first phase of the pull the bar is raised from the platform in a controlled manner. The knees are straightened so the hips and shoulders raise at the same rate. Once the bar passes the knees, the tilt of the torso is reduced to further raise the bar until it touches mid-thigh. At the same time the torso is brought into a more upright position, the knees re-bend slightly in preparation for the second phase of the pull. The feet remain flat on the platform with bodyweight, and the weight on the bar, shifted back slightly as the bar touches mid-thigh. The arms remain straight though out the first phase of the pull.
The second phase of the pull
Having completed the first phase of the pull, the lifter is in a power position. From the power position the lifter is ready to enlist the large muscles of the legs, hips and back, in one explosive movement to accelerate the bar. With the knees bent and the torso leaning slightly forward, as if to perform a verticle leap, the second phase of the pull is executed. The legs extend and the hips drive forward forcing the torso upward. The arms are still straight which transfers the movement of the torso to the barbell. The feet, shoulders and arms further assist in lifting the bar. The lifter pushes off the platform with such force that only the balls of the feet and\or toes remain in contact with the platform. In shrugging the trapezious muscles, the shoulders will rise, which, with the addition of some arm pull, will cause the bar to reach its apex.
Receiving the bar
Using the arms, the lifter pulls the body under the bar and receives the barbell on the shoulders with the elbows forward of the bar and held high. Depending on the lifters level of skill and/or age, one of two things will happen. The skilled athlete will move into a deep squat position, which does not require the bar be pulled as high, thus allowing a heavier weight to be attempted. The less skilled and/or more mature athlete will bend the knees slightly.
Recovery from the clean
The final part of the clean is to stand up and prepare to jerk the bar overhead. If the attempt was a power clean (a slight bending of the knees) the lifter need only straighten the legs and make sure the feet are side by side. From the squating position the lifter keeps the torso as upright as possible and rises using leg and hip strength.
Setting for the Jerk
Before attempting to jerk, the lifer may adjust the grip on the bar. A wider grip provides more stability when holding the barbell overhead. The lifter will use the conventional grip for jerking, with the hands relaxed to avoid tightening the forearms.
The elbows are held high so the shoulders provide a secure base for driving the bar upward. Feet hip width apart, the lifter stands with the weight of the bar and the body shifted toward the heels. The chest is filled with air and the and the chin is kept in.
The Dip and Drive
While maintaining an upright position with the torso, the lifter bends the knees and ankles causing the torso and bar to dip slightly. The lifter then drives upward with the legs to propel the barbell overhead. This movement should be performed with the weight of the bar and the weight of the lifter shifted to the heels.
The dip and drive should be performed with quickness. The lifter will drive up on the balls of the feet.
The Split
One foot is moved straight forward and the other is moved straight back when splitting. The forward foot will be flat on the platform while the back foot will have only the ball in contact with the platform. This allows maintaining the upright position of the trunk. The arms push up against the barbell with elbows straight. The knees flex to allow the lifter to sink into the receiving position. The head and trunk are directly under the bar. Should the lifter receive the bar with bent arms and then press until the arms are straight the lift will not pass.
The Down Signal
To recover from the split the lifter moves the forward foot back half the distance of the split. The trailing foot is then moved forward to allow the lifter to have both feet side by side. Holding the barbell overhead and not moving, the lifter waits for the down signal before returning the barbell to the platform.
In some competitions a buzzer sounds for the down signal. The head referee says "down" in local meets.
The lifter approches the bar, standing with feet hip width to shoulder width apart, centered on the barbell. The feet are placed under the bar so the bar is directly over the balls of the feet. Keeping the back straight, the lifer tilts the torso forward slightly, and bending at the knees, lowers into the starting position to grip the bar. The feet are flat on the platform with bodyweight distributed evenly between the balls of the feet and the heels.
The first phase of the pull
In the first phase of the pull the bar is raised from the platform in a controlled manner. The knees are straightened so the hips and shoulders raise at the same rate. Once the bar passes the knees, the tilt of the torso is reduced to further raise the bar until it touches mid-thigh. At the same time the torso is brought into a more upright position, the knees re-bend slightly in preparation for the second phase of the pull. The feet remain flat on the platform with bodyweight, and the weight on the bar, shifted back slightly as the bar touches mid-thigh. The arms remain straight though out the first phase of the pull.
The second phase of the pull
Having completed the first phase of the pull, the lifter is in a power position. From the power position the lifter is ready to enlist the large muscles of the legs, hips and back, in one explosive movement to accelerate the bar. With the knees bent and the torso leaning slightly forward, as if to perform a verticle leap, the second phase of the pull is executed. The legs extend and the hips drive forward forcing the torso upward. The arms are still straight which transfers the movement of the torso to the barbell. The feet, shoulders and arms further assist in lifting the bar. The lifter pushes off the platform with such force that only the balls of the feet and\or toes remain in contact with the platform. In shrugging the trapezious muscles, the shoulders will rise, which, with the addition of some arm pull, will cause the bar to reach its apex.
Receiving the bar
Using the arms, the lifter pulls the body under the bar and receives the barbell on the shoulders with the elbows forward of the bar and held high. Depending on the lifters level of skill and/or age, one of two things will happen. The skilled athlete will move into a deep squat position, which does not require the bar be pulled as high, thus allowing a heavier weight to be attempted. The less skilled and/or more mature athlete will bend the knees slightly.
Recovery from the clean
The final part of the clean is to stand up and prepare to jerk the bar overhead. If the attempt was a power clean (a slight bending of the knees) the lifter need only straighten the legs and make sure the feet are side by side. From the squating position the lifter keeps the torso as upright as possible and rises using leg and hip strength.
Setting for the Jerk
Before attempting to jerk, the lifer may adjust the grip on the bar. A wider grip provides more stability when holding the barbell overhead. The lifter will use the conventional grip for jerking, with the hands relaxed to avoid tightening the forearms.
The elbows are held high so the shoulders provide a secure base for driving the bar upward. Feet hip width apart, the lifter stands with the weight of the bar and the body shifted toward the heels. The chest is filled with air and the and the chin is kept in.
The Dip and Drive
While maintaining an upright position with the torso, the lifter bends the knees and ankles causing the torso and bar to dip slightly. The lifter then drives upward with the legs to propel the barbell overhead. This movement should be performed with the weight of the bar and the weight of the lifter shifted to the heels.
The dip and drive should be performed with quickness. The lifter will drive up on the balls of the feet.
The Split
One foot is moved straight forward and the other is moved straight back when splitting. The forward foot will be flat on the platform while the back foot will have only the ball in contact with the platform. This allows maintaining the upright position of the trunk. The arms push up against the barbell with elbows straight. The knees flex to allow the lifter to sink into the receiving position. The head and trunk are directly under the bar. Should the lifter receive the bar with bent arms and then press until the arms are straight the lift will not pass.
The Down Signal
To recover from the split the lifter moves the forward foot back half the distance of the split. The trailing foot is then moved forward to allow the lifter to have both feet side by side. Holding the barbell overhead and not moving, the lifter waits for the down signal before returning the barbell to the platform.
In some competitions a buzzer sounds for the down signal. The head referee says "down" in local meets.
Clean And Jerk Technique In Weight Lifting
But beyond opinion and personal favorites lies science. And according to science, the clean and jerk is one of the most - if not the most - effective and all-encompassing lifts you can perform. With a floor-level starting position, mid-level "racking position" and an overhead finish, the C&J is rivaled only by its Olympic-lift brother, the snatch, in terms of physical and mental demand. Studies have shown it increases your strength, size, power, speed, coordination, vertical jump, muscle endurance, hormone output, bone strength and physical ability to withstand stress.
The clean and jerk is a very difficult movement to learn, however, so we've broken it down into six exercise components. As you perfect each one, you'll be working your body in a new and highly results-oriented manner. And before long, you'll master the clean and jerk - the true undisputed heavyweight champion of the weight room.
Dead lift
Muscles involved: Traps (upper/lower fibers), lower back, glutes, hamstrings
Tip: This exercise teaches proper pulling position off the floor and strengthens your lower back. As you get stronger and better at this exercise, you may need to use wrist straps to maintain a firm grip.
1. Stand upright with a barbell resting over the bridge of your feet.
2. With your knees slightly bent and feet shoulder-width apart, bend down and grab the bar with an overhand/underhand grip.
3. Keep your back slightly arched by sticking your chest out and pulling your shoulders back.
4. Look straight ahead or slightly up and keep your shoulders over the bar (position A).
5. Keeping your arms straight (pretend they're hooks), "push" the floor away from you with your feet and stand upright (position B).
6. Don't exaggerate the lockout; simply stand erect.
7. Lower the bar to the floor in a controlled manner and repeat.
8. Breathe in before you pull, and start to exhale once the bar is over your knees or once you're standing upright.
Power shrug
Muscles involved: Lower back, traps (upper fibers)
Tip: You'll learn how to shrug your shoulders high and powerfully as you move the bar through the section known as the second pull. Unlike the standard barbell shrug, this is an explosive movement. Don't be afraid to let it rip.
1. Lift the bar off the floor with an overhand grip and stand upright.
2. With your back slightly arched, bend at the waist and knees, allowing the bar to slide down your thighs until it's about two or three inches above your knees (position A).
3. Keeping your feet flat on the floor and your arms locked, thrust your hips forward and extend your knees.
4. As your hips and knees approach lockout, start shrugging your shoulders powerfully toward your ears and allow your heels, not your feet, to come up off the floor (position B).
5. Lower the bar to the starting position and repeat.
6. Breathe in before you pull, and start to exhale once your shoulders are at their highest point.
Hang pull
Muscles involved: Lower back, traps (upper fibers), biceps
Tip: The purpose of this exercise component is to teach you how to get the bar as high as possible before racking it high on your chest and across your shoulders.
1. Repeat steps one through four of the power shrug (positions A and B).
2. Once you reach the top shrug position, pull the bar high with your arms, keeping your elbows pointing outward.
3. Keep pulling until the bar is at neck level, allowing your wrists to bend (position C).
4. Breathe in before you pull, and start to exhale once the bar nears its final position.
Hang clean
Muscles involved: Lower back, traps (upper fibers), biceps
Tip: Racking the bar refers to pulling it to neck height, then flipping your elbows and wrists under the bar so it comes to rest high across your chest and front delts. Technically, this is the most critical part of the clean and jerk.
1. Repeat steps one through three of the hang pull (positions A and B).
2. Once the bar reaches neck level, rotate your elbows under the bar and hyperextend your wrists.
3, This is the rack position; your elbows should be facing as high as possible, or your upper arms should be parallel to the floor.
4. As you rotate your elbows underneath the bar, flex at your hips and knees to absorb the weight (position C).
5. Breathe in before you initiate the pull, and start to exhale once you reach the sticking point or neck level.
Power clean
Muscles involved: Lower back, traps (all fibers), hamstrings, biceps
Tips: From the dead lift to the hang clean, you're now going to put the first phase of the clean and jerk together in one explosive movement.
1. Repeat steps one through five of the dead lift, but when the bar reaches a point just above your knees, slide smoothly into steps one through five of the hang clean (positions A, B and C).
2. Breathe in before you pull, and start to exhale once the bar reaches neck level and you're ready to rack it.
Push press
Muscles involved: Shoulders, triceps
Tip: Unlike what you'd do in a typical press, the objective here is to get the bar overhead in an explosive manner.
1. Place the bar on a squat rack slightly below shoulder level (not shown).
2. Position yourself under the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width and the bar resting high on your chest and across your shoulders (position A).
3. With your wrists hyperextended and your upper arms parallel to the floor, flex your hips and knees slightly (position B).
4. Immediately follow with an explosive extension of your hips and knees, allowing your heels to leave the ground.
5. As you reach full extension, press the bar forcefully and explosively overhead to lockout (position C).
6. Inhale before you initiate the movement, and start to exhale as you move through the hardest part of the upward movement.
Clean and jerk
Muscles involved: All of the above
Tip: You've mastered each component of the clean and jerk; now it's time to put it all together. You're basically doing all of the above exercises one after the other in a smooth motion, like a wave crashing onto a beach. Maintain strict form throughout for maximal muscle involvement and minimal injury potential.
1. Stand in front of the bar with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend down to grasp the bar with an overhand grip.
2. As you bend down, keep your back slightly arched by keeping your shoulders back and your chest out.
3. Bend down until your thighs are about parallel to the floor, keep your feet flat and take a deep breath (position A).
4. With your arms fully extended, elbows pointing out, shoulders over the bar and shins close to the bar, begin to pull by extending your knees and hips and raising your upper body (position B).
5. Keep the bar close to your body, look straight ahead and maintain the arch in your back.
6. As the bar reaches a point just above your knees, thrust your hips forward, start shrugging your shoulders and raise your heels powerfully off the floor (position C).
7. Keep shrugging your shoulders as high as possible, pulling the bar up to neck height (position D).
8. As you reach neck height and rotate your arms under the bar, bend your knees to catch the bar, keeping your upper body erect and your back slightly arched (position E).
9. Come to an upright position, take another deep breath and bend your knees. As you explode upward, locking out your knees, you'll also raise your heels off the floor in a powerful drive of the bar overhead (positions F and G).
10. Exhale as you lock out (position H).
11. Once you lock your arms out, lower the bar to your chest and then to the ground. Repeat.
The workout
Your training for the clean and jerk will be divided into two weekly sessions. Leave at least two days between sessions; during that time, you can rest, or you can train other muscle groups. You're also welcome to do other exercises on your clean-and-jerk days, but be sure to follow these exercises in the prescribed order.
Weeks one end three
Exercise Sets Reps
Day A
Dead lift 3 6-8
Power shrug 3 6-8
Hang clean 3 6-8
Day B
Hang pull 3 6-8
Push press 3 6-8
Weeks two end four
Exercise Sets Reps
Day A
Dead lift 3 6-8
Hang clean 3 6-8
Day B
Power shrug 3 6-8
Hang pull 3 6-8
Push press 3 6-8
Week five
Exercise Sets Reps
Day A
Dead lift 2 6-8
Hang pull 2 6-8
Power clean 4 6-8
Day B
Power clean 2 6-8
Push press 2 6-8
Clean and jerk 4 6-8
How To Spice Up the Wedding Photos
Get inspired
. What are your artistic influences? They can give you a good idea, as spicing up photos of the wedding. You can look at magazines, books and online guides. They should not even be specific for weddings. It is important that you have influence in different styles, perspectives and even genres. Pay attention to color, represents the settings and the like. Keep these and send them to your photographer so that he could have an idea of such a posture and the pictures you want.
Choose a good location. There is a pre-wedding shoot, where you can pictures taken elsewhere. Go to unusual places, because they can give your wedding pictures dramatic touch. Back on the ground that visual appeal, or that have special significance for you and your spouse-to-be. Give me a list of these places to your photographer so that he may consider them in their photo shoot.
The choice of props. You also need to find information that have special meaning or sentimental to you. This can be anything, like jewelry, pets, car, or other things that are important in your relationship. They can also be an event or activity. For example, if you both love sports, you can have a photo shoot in that place, will show this. You can go rock climbing or camping for a photo shoot.
Ask for advice. You're the boss here, but the photographer can be more creative. Ask for advice and materials to the desired pose, points and props. He should have attention to detail, and he should be able to make such a composition, that photo will come out of creative and original. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to photography, but there are some guides that should be considered for the best composition, lighting and creativity.
Publication of these creatively. Do not just stuff your wedding photos in a box and hide it on the shelf. Think about how you can display the finished product. You can create a book, a coffee table. You can also publish his photo on the site. In addition, the creation of handmade album or notes will provide some visual interest and make him look like a labor of love. Since the digital format preferred photographers today, you can create as many copies as you want, and you can work with your photos on your computer.
How To Take Memorable Vacation Photos
Taking Excellent Vacation Photographs
Here are some tips for taking excellent pictures during vacations
Click Me A Story
Since you are going on a trip, it would be a great idea to document the whole trip as it happened, instead of just taking pictures of the destination. Take pictures of the time of your departure to the place, the whole journey, where you stopped in the middle, the arrival, what you did there, what were the places you visited, where you ate, how much fun you had and also the departure to home as well as the journey back home. Remember that the little funny or cute moments are equally important – say when your little one curled up with her teddy bear and taking a snooze; if you were at a place where there was a water body and your children played in the water, make sure to take pictures of that too. There are bound to be a number of funny moments all through the trip, which are practically the highlight of the whole vacation. They will brighten up your web album like nothing else can.
Be Camera Conscious
Because of their handy nature, cell phone cameras are usually the preferred choice for all kinds of snapshots. However, when on a family trip, it is best to carry along with you a quality camera that will allow you to make clearer and sharper prints for your album or scrapbook, since those pictures taken by a cell phone camera will begin to show pixels when enlarged too much. If you are going to spend the day at an amusement park, the thing for you is a versatile camera that can capture fast-moving rides as well as other pictures in still all through the day. This camera should contain the image stabilization function so as to be able to eliminate blur caused by motion. It could be a simple point and shoot camera for other occasions and a super zoom camera with a large zoom value for going to a national park or a wildlife sanctuary. Unless you are going only for taking pictures, there is no real need to carry around a really high end or sophisticated camera. For instance, if you're going to be carrying around a baby or have your hands occupied for any other reason, a DSLR camera may prove to be an extra burden and you may not even be able to use it as often as you would want to. Most compact point and shoot cameras are pocket-sized and easy enough even for the kids to use. If you and your family are spending the day at the beach or any other place at the seaside, you may want to use a disposable camera to protect your "real" camera from sand and water.
Read The Signs And Click Them
You must have often experienced forgetting the name of the place where you took a certain picture, but sometimes signboards and other indicators give valuable information about place with historical, natural or any other kind of significance. In case you run into any such sign, for instance large tablets that talk about the historical significance of the place, click them. They are best for compiling a scrapbook and turning the whole thing into a documenting experience. Signs are all around—from small plaques on the ground to large ones made in the memory of people who lived there to some really funny ones like 'Child Bear' for 'Chilled Beer!' If you want to make your pictures look a little unique, try shooting them from a unique angle, or playing around with the way light falls on your subject or even on an image editing software.
Me Too
In case you have already forgotten about it, you are a part of the whole trip too, and not just the designated photographer—heck you aren't even being paid for it! Have someone else take photos from time-to-time, and if you need, stick your arm out and take pictures of yourself with the sights and scenes.
How To Preserve Photos
Preserving Old Photographs
Light is the biggest enemy of photographs. Not only should they be kept away from light while getting developed, but even when they are fixed into a stable image they can get affected by light. Exposure to bright light can make the photographs to fade. Exposure to bright light accelerates the fading of a photo snap. Fading of photos depends on a number of factors. But, light is one factor from which you need to save your photograph. Make sure to store them in light proof boxes. Avoid placing pictures or hanging them where they can come in direct contact of sunlight.
The life of a photograph depends majorly on the way it got processed. A poorly processed picture carries more damaging chemicals on them which will make them suffer the effects of chemical degradation faster than a properly processed picture. The old photographs can be reprocessed to get rid of the harmful chemicals but this process should be attempted only by experts.
Paper used in making print is another source of causing chemical degradation in old photographs. If the paper used to develop print is too acidic, it may fall apart in time, decaying slowly from within. There are different sprays available which can be used to spray at the back of the photograph in order to slow down the decaying process.
Photos can even pick up injurious chemicals from the environment, the air around them, other pictures and even the material they are stored in. therefore, it is advisable to store and preserve your photos in a safe material designed for archival storage.
Temperature and humidity collectively can contribute towards the chemical degradation of your photographs. Temperature change can lead to the expansion and contraction of all the materials and photographs are no exception. Excessive low or high humidity and temperature can both lead to chemical reactions, hence destroying the photo prints by producing cracks on the image surface. Therefore, photographs should be stored in a place where the temperature is steady and not extreme as in an attic or basement. Proper storage materials will help limit the effects of changing climatic condition on your photographs.
Photographs should also be saved against any physical damage caused to it in human hands. Physical damage to a photograph like bent corners, touch with greasy hands, folds and smudges can all damage the photograph taking away all the sweet memories from you. If left alone, photos can also reach their destiny in hands of children who can scribble on it, fold it or even tear it. Therefore, it is better to store the photographs in a proper place. You can even make ample amount of copies of your special photos and distribute it among your relatives and friends, so that it is available whenever you lose yours.
Keep the photographs away from pests. Any number of pests can attack and damage your memorable collections. Therefore, all your photographs should be kept in a proper way in sealed boxes and in a moderate environment.
How To Preserve The Family Album
Tips For Preserving Your Family Album
Someone rightly said, "A good snapshot stops a moment from running away". Your family memoirs, vintage or new, are priceless and cannot be bartered for anything. Thus, it makes a good deal of sense to treasure these memories and keep your family photograph album spick and span. After all, you wouldn't like to see your treasured memories peel or fade away into yellow. To avoid your photographs from withering away with time, use everything acid-free on it and see your memories outlive generations.
Photographs needs very sensitive handling and should always be stored separately to assure a longer life. You can use sheet protectors to store your photographs separately or just tuck it into acid free sleeves of your photo album. Keep away from sticky or magnetic albums since they tend to be very high on acidic content and cause irreparable damages to your snapshots.
Clicking a moment only makes sense if you can hold on to it for long. Print your photos on 'permanent paper' or paper that is lignin free and pH neutral. Check out with your photo developer and ask for a paper that is suited for long-term photo preservation. The safest bet is to go for the ones that have company name printed on them.
Always use acid-free ink to print your photographs. While most ink-jets bet on acid free ink, there are some printers that do not conform to this thumb rule. Also, choose an ink that is fade resistant. If you are using an inkjet printer and want your pictures to stay vibrant - keep all images out of direct light and away from water or liquids to ensure a longer shelf life.
It is doubly important to store your album in the right place, a place that is environmentally safe. Light, moisture and even too warm or too low temperature can cause serious damage to your photographs. Never store your photos in a garage or cold storage room. A dark closet that retains the same temperature most of the time would be the ideal choice to store your photo albums.
Choose a present for Christmas
Even a little your contribution to a gift makes it special and personalized so eventually brings happiness and joy to one's life. There are some ideas you can use to make Christmas unforgettable and welcome every year.
Even the smallest present try to make unique and devoted only to that person. This personalization shows your thoughtfulness and approach to specific traits of the receiver. Only such a presents you and your friend will remember for years. Of course it is never easy to make an unrepeatable impression every Christmas, but it is always worth your striving. You are wrong thinking that personalization requires some special faculties or imagination – suffice to know a few things about particular person, what he likes and appreciates, or what he is interested in. Sometimes a few words can make miracles.
Remember that flower have been valuable by women all the time and every season a year. You should not think that the tradition of giving flower to your wife or a new girlfriend is old and even uninteresting. Conversely, it reminds that your love is still fresh, elegant and subtle. A little clue should be added about the presents designed for a female gender - no matter what you are going to present – a flower, a salt for a bath, a soap, fragrance, body cream, frankincence or lip gloss – you should exhibit a perfect knowledge about her taste in various odours and colours. But the most important what you must find out is her allergies for particular things and substances.
Now let consider the presents for your boyfriends and husbands. Here are always preferable sporting goods and dominate the same rule as for women – everything should fit to his interests. Even if you select an inadequate rod for his fishing, you efforts won't be unnoticed. Yesterday I have considered idea about buying the present for my boyfriend – he smiled and said that he hope I won't buy him some cosmetics. He claimed it probably the worst present for Christmas. Let's imagine that it isn't so bad sometimes. But he suggested me an interesting idea and now I wonder where I could get such things. It could be named as a construstor – usually it is a pile of small details to create fabulous ships or other objects. These things require a lot of your nicety and I think it's very inspiring, original and funny.
As you know Christmas is the greatest day for children. And here you don't need to wrestle with a problem about present ideas – children always know what they what and as a source of inspiration they can quickly suggest you a lot of things.
How to make tissue paper flowers for party decorations.
Things You'll Need:
tissue paper (an 8 sheet package will make 2 to 3 flowers)
scissors
wire (floral or pipe cleaner work well)
Step
1
Tissue paper package of 8 and opened packages.
First buy your chosen color or colors of tissue paper. Even if you only want to go with one color, I'd suggest you buy two shades of that color for contrast. If you can't find a large package of tissue paper most gift stores, card stores or even the gift bag section of Walmart or Kmart carry an 8 pack of tissue paper. Open the package, and unfold the tissue paper.
Step
2
Tissue Paper cut in half.
Next take the 8 sheets and cut them in half.(leave full size for bigger flowers) Now you have 16 sheets. Take 6 to 8 sheets and lay them on top of each other making sure all the corners match up.
Step
3
Finished folding.
Next take the tissue paper and fold it accordion style folding it over 1/2 inch to 1 inch then folding it back the other way. It should look similar to a fan when you open the folds.
Step
4
One accordion style uncut and the next with rounded off edges.
To make rounded petals and a prettier flower, take a pair of scissors and round the edges at each end. To make petals that look like Dahlias cut a small slit in the middle of the round edges about 1 inch deep.
Step
5
Tieing the floral wire around the middle of the folded tissue paper.
Next tie the middle together with floral wire, pipe cleaners or twisty ties from your garbage bags. =) Keep in mind how you will be displaying them. Are they going to tied to something or put in a vase? If so, you want long pipe cleaners or floral wire. If you are simply setting them on tables a small piece of wire will do.
Step
6
Separating the tissue layers.
Now you are ready to open your flower. Carefully separate the tissue layers. Make sure to separate the left and right side towards the center to make your flowers shape more apparent. Be very careful when separating as not to tear the tissue.
Step
7
Alternating colors...
After you've separated the layers play around with arranging them. Sometimes they need to be fluffed a little. To make the center another color simply make 2 of the 6 or 8 layers a contrasting color and put that color on the top of the pile before you start folding them. Or alternate the colors like the example here...
Step
8
Baby shower for a little girl.
Now you are ready to display your flowers! =) Tie them on the back of chairs, arrange them on tables or in vases. They are super light weight and can go just about anywhere. Perhaps you want to hang them from the ceiling with fishing wire and a thumb tack. The possibilities are endless. Have fun!
Wedding Balloon Decorations
Decorating Weddings With Balloons
All weddings have a theme chosen for the occasion. Make sure that the balloons that you get match the theme chosen for the wedding. If you want, you can use different coloured balloons.
Balloon Columns
To make the balloon columns you will need balloons of different sizes and one giant balloon. You will also need a sturdy support structure to tie the balloons to. To make the column start with tying the bigger balloons to the base of the support structure and gradually make your way up. Keep tying the balloons in layers and make sure that the size of the balloons reduces as you go further up the column. To give the column a more authentic appearance, you can use balloons filled with air at the bottom and those filled with helium as you go higher. To give the grand finale to this column you can attach the giant balloon to the very top of the pillar. Once the pillar is ready you can place it on either sides of the entrance or next to the seats meant for the bride and the bridegroom.
Balloon Bouquet
A balloon bouquet is nothing more than a bunch of balloons tied together. To make the bouquet all you need to do is to take 3 balloons of the same colour and fill them with helium. Once they are filled, tie them together with some nice ribbons and add a fourth balloon to the mix. Let the fourth balloon be taller than the other three and arrange them in such a way that the taller balloon is in the centre. Once the bouquet is ready, it can be used as a centre piece on the tables.
Balloon Arch
Making a balloon arch is a very simple thing to do. All you will need are lots of balloons, an aluminium rod (bent in the shape of an arch) and stands to hold the aluminium arch in place. Once you have collected everything, start by placing the aluminium arch where you want the arch to actually be. Once the stands have been placed and the arch is stable you can start tying the balloons to the arch. Make sure that you tie them really close to the arch so as to not the let them hang loosely. Once the balloons have been tied, make sure that you have not left out any part of the aluminium frame exposed.
The number of ways in which you can use balloons at a wedding are only limited by your imagination. Hence, be open to different permutations and combinations.
Unique Bridesmaid Gifts
Unique Bridesmaid Gift Ideas
Many brides treat their maids with a day at spa before the wedding. However, if you plan something different, show her your gratitude by gifting her a spa pass to her favorite spa so that she can re-energize herself there, if possible, in your company all over again!
Most women appreciate an elegant piece of jewelry gifted to them. If money is not a problem and your bridesmaid's choice is important to you, then nothing else makes for a better thank-you gift.
If your bridesmaid is a shopaholic, and you hardly know her likes and dislikes, give her gift coupons to help her on a shopping binge. If you want to make it special, accompany her so that you can go down memory lane together again.
If your bridesmaid happens to be an ardent reader, a first edition copy of her favorite novel will be a classy gift.
A ticket to a musical or theater will also be apt for a friend special enough to have been your bridesmaid, especially if she is keen on the arts and music.
Nothing can impress your sports loving bridesmaid more than a ticket to her favorite game.
How about a small purse sized camera for your bridesmaid to capture the finest moments of her life with?
A fine piece of artwork is bound to thrill an aesthetically inclined bridesmaid.
A designer make-up bag, of course with the necessary goodies inside, is a nice way to please a bridesmaid careful with her grooming.
You can add a personal touch to your bridesmaid's gift by having her jewelry custom-made.
A photo album with a hand-picked collection of photos from the past can also make a wonderful gift for a special bridesmaid.
You can choose from a variety of other gifts like candles, perfumes or hand painted mugs, all of which will show your thoughtfulness.
If your bridesmaid is a fitness-freak, exercise gear would be just the thing to gift.
For a bridesmaid who's a known foodie, a gift certificate to her favorite restaurant should really make the day for her.
If she admires your cooking, throw a get-together bash at home one evening with treats from your kitchen.
For an outdoorsy bridesmaid, a travel kit makes a good gift.
Wine glasses and bottles of the bubbly, both make for excellent gift ideas, too.
How to Choose a Digital Camera
Step
2
Look for a 100 percent glass lens as opposed to a plastic one.
Step
3
Buy a camera with as much RAM as you can afford. More RAM means the camera can store more pictures, so you won't need to download or erase them as often.
Step
4
Expect zoom to be the feature you will use most. Compare optical, as opposed to digital, zoom capabilities.
Step
5
Compare flash modes, if any.
Step
6
Investigate viewfinders: Look for an optical (through-the-lens) viewfinder as well as an LCD display.
Step
7
Consider autofocus and macro features, shutter-release lag times, and bundled software.
Step
8
Compare additional features you might want: interchangeable lenses, steady-shot, burst mode, auto exposure, automatic white balance, voice memo, variable shutter speeds, manual focus and self-timer.
Step
9
Compare removable media of various types (if you need more storage space for your photos).
Step
10
Investigate batteries, chargers and battery-saving features.
Step
11
Look for additional features you might need, such as USB or IEEE 1394 (FireWire) connectivity (to connect the camera to the appropriate port on your computer), a battery-time-remaining indicator, an AC adapter or video-out connections for outputting to a television.
Nokia X6 full phone specification
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100 - excl. Lat. America & Brazil
Announced 2009, September
Status Available. Released 2009, December
Size Dimensions 111 x 51 x 13.8 mm
Weight 122 g
Display Type TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 360 x 640 pixels, 3.2 inches
- Proximity sensor for auto turn-off
- Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
- Scratch-resistant glass surface
Sound Alert types Vibration; MP3 ringtones
Speakerphone Yes, with stereo speakers
- 3.5 mm audio jack
Memory Phonebook Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall
Call records Detailed, max 30 days
Internal 32 GB storage, 128 MB RAM
Card slot No
Data GPRS Class 32
EDGE Class 32
3G HSDPA, 3.6 Mbps
WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, UPnP
Bluetooth Yes, v2.0 with A2DP
Infrared port No
USB Yes, v2.0 microUSB
Camera Primary 5 MP, 2592x1944 pixels, Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, Dual LED flash, video light
Features Geo-tagging
Video Yes, VGA@30fps
Secondary Yes, QCIF@15fps
Features OS Symbian OS v9.4, Series 60 rel. 5
CPU ARM 11 434 MHz processor
Messaging SMS, MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
Browser WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, RSS feeds
Radio Stereo FM radio with RDS
Games Spore, D Mix Tour, Asphalt4 + downloadable
Colors Blue on White, Red on Black
GPS Yes, with A-GPS support; Ovi Maps 3.0
Java Yes, MIDP 2.0
- Nokia WH-500 stereo headset in the retail package
- WMV/RV/MP4/3GP player
- MP3/WMA/WAV/RA/AAC/M4A player
- Organizer
- Photo/video editor
- Voice command/dial
- TV-out
- Flash Lite 3.0
- T9
Battery Standard battery, Li-Ion 1320 mAh (BL-5J)
Stand-by Up to 420 h (2G) / Up to 450 h (3G)
Talk time Up to 11 h 30 min (2G) / Up to 6 h (3G)
Music play Up to 35 h
Misc SAR US 1.31 W/kg (head) 1.13 W/kg (body)
SAR EU 1.11 W/kg (head)
How to Choose a Laptop or Notebook Computer
Instructions
Step
1
Read through How to Choose a Desktop Computer. The "Before you shop" points and most of "The basics" also apply when shopping for a laptop.
Step
2
Pick up the laptops at the store. (Ask to have them unlocked if necessary.) Choose one that feels sturdy, solid and not too heavy.
Step
3
Try the keyboard. Since you can't replace it (except with the exact same item), make sure you're comfortable with its touch and responsiveness. Test it on a desk and on your lap.
Step
4
Test the pointing device, track pad or track ball, the laptop alternatives to a mouse. Some of these can be hard to master. You'll be able to connect an external mouse, but the built-in device is more handy when you're mobile.
Step
5
Check if the computer's bottom gets uncomfortably hot when it's running--a problem if you actually use the laptop on your lap.
Step
6
Pay attention to screen size and resolution. Current liquid-crystal display (LCD) screens on laptops measure from 13 to 21 inches diagonally. Screen resolution may be as low as 800 x 600 pixels or as high as 1600 x 1200. The more pixels, the crisper the screen image. View the screen in a variety of settings: A screen that looks great in normal room lighting can look terrible in bright or dim light.
Step
7
Choose a laptop with at least two USB 2 connections and at least one Firewire (IEEE1394) connection. USB 2 and Firewire are very popular and fast ways of connecting iPods, digital cameras and some phones to computers.
Step
8
Check to see if the laptop has built in wireless capabilities, most do these days. A wireless network card (also called Wi-Fi or 802.11) will free you from having to be wired to your Internet connection (see How to Network Your Computers). Also, Bluetooth capability will let you share information wirelessly with other Bluetooth-equipped devices, such as your cell phone or personal digital assistant.
Step
9
Check to see if the laptop has a DVD Burner. That makes backing up documents, music files and pictures a snap because of the high capacity of the discs.
Step
10
Get an antitheft device. Hundreds of thousands of laptops are stolen every year. Look for cables that secure the laptop to a desk. Install software that disables a stolen laptop, or better yet, reports the laptop's location when it connects to the Internet.
How to Download Music to iPod Classic 80GB
Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
USB sync cable
iTunes software
Step
1
Launch iTunes. (You can download iTunes from itunes.com. Then follow the installation and setup prompts.)
Step
2
Connect your iPod Classic 80GB player to your computer using the USB sync cable. The larger end of the cable needs to be inserted into the bottom of the iPod Classic. The smaller end can be inserted into your computer's USB port.
Step
3
Wait for iTunes to recognize your device. Once the software detects your iPod Classic, it will list the device name (e.g., Will's iPod) under "Devices" in the left pane of the software interface.
Step
4
Select your device name with your mouse in the left pane.
Step
5
Create a new playlist. Select the "File" menu at the top of the interface. Then select "New Playlist." A new playlist will be added underneath your device name. You can rename the playlist by double-clicking on the playlist name and then typing in a new name (e.g., Hip-Hop).
Alternatively, if you already have a playlist that you want to save your music to, you can skip this step.
Step
6
Select the playlist with your mouse. This will open the list and any contents into the middle pane.
Step
7
Use your mouse to drag your music from your computer and drop it into the middle pane. Alternatively, if you purchased music from iTunes (see Tips), you can drag the song from the "Music" section of your iTunes Library, and drop it onto the playlist name (e.g., Hip-Hop) listed underneath the device.
How to Copy Slides to a Digital Camera
Instructions
Step
1
Construct a support for the slide. Using the small wooden block as a base, drill a hole in the center big enough to insert the 12 inch wood dowel. A dowel is a skinny cylindrical rod often used as knitting needles or supports in cabinet work. Glue the dowel rod into the hole in the wood base. Glue the broad side of the clothes pin handle to the dowel, one inch below the top.
Step
2
Place the 11 x 14 inch white board approximately 10 inches behind the slide support. Attach the board to a wall or to the front of a computer screen using non-marking tape so that the board is vertical.
Step
3
Position the halogen desk lamps at a 45 degree angle to the white board. Place one lamp on the left side and one on the right. Turn the lights on and ensure the light from the desk clamps illuminates all of the board with no shadows. The illuminated board serves as a light source to shine through the slide negative.
Step
4
Clean the slide using the anti-static cloth. Clamp the slide negative with the clothes pin to hold it in place in front of the illuminated white board. There are two sides to a slide. The "front" or the viewing side of the slide is shiny. The non-shiny side is the emulsion side.
Step
5
Attach the camera to the tripod and set the exposure mode to "Program." If you can manually adjust the ISO, set it to a low number, such as 100 to 200. A lower ISO setting will produce better image quality. Set the self-timer to the shortest time, typically two seconds. Using the self-timer will help eliminate camera shake from depressing the shutter button.
Step
6
Adjust the focal length of the lens so the viewfinder is filled with the image on the slide, without any boarder of the negative showing. A macro lens will allow you to place the lens very close to slide and easily fill the frame. Use at least a 135mm lens if a macro is not available.
Kitchen Safety Tips
Basic Kitchen Safety Tips
Here are a few basic kitchen safety tips that you must remember
No Kids; No Pets
It is a no brainer that children and pets do not belong in the kitchen and neither is the kitchen their playground to playpen. The only time when kids should be seen in the kitchen are when they're helping you with the cooking; children younger than seven years should be exempt even from helping you with the dishes. Kids as well as pets are not only a huge distraction, but also highly prone to injuries. They can hurt themselves by getting into raw food, may cause hot pots to fall down, or may cause you to trip while you carry something heavy or breakable. When your kids show an interest in cooking and you'd like to teach them, make sure they learn the most simple recipes first, the ones that don't involve a lot of cutting, heat, or appliances. Never carry your baby or child into the kitchen while you work. Another thing to remember is that the children must be taught to respect the kitchen. It's not a place for horseplay or fighting, which will only cause more accidents and injuries.
Haste Cooks Up Waste
Rushing around the kitchen, trying to get work done is one of the most popular imageries that children have of their mothers. Young girls end up following this example from their mothers and wish to rush around the kitchen too, without realising the potential dangers. Rushing is, by far, the worst practice as not only can it cause you to hurt yourself as you drop a huge cauldron of Sambar, it can also bring to a null and void all the hours of effort you put into preparing food for the family.
No Weight Lifter
Even Karnam Malleswari knows her limits when it comes to weightlifting – you aren't half as strong or trained as her. So if you cannot lift a large vessel, ask for help. It could be a large vessel or even a large appliance. When cooking for a large number of people, which is when you may bring out the largest vessels that you possess, do not shy away from asking for help.
Clean Spills Quick
If you leave unattended spills for too long, they may cause someone to slip on them – you may slip on them yourself. It is best to clean all kitchen spills as soon as you can, to avoid both accidents as well as to have cleaner floors before the spill dries up. Vegetable and plant peels and oil are dangerous because they cause you to fall, but water spilling is a death knoll, especially if you're using electrical appliances.
How To Organise Your Fridge
If you feel that your fridge is not big enough for your needs and you are stuffing things in just so they can be cooled down, then it's high time you organised your fridge. Once you organise your fridge and arrange everything according to a plan, you will realise that it was not that your fridge was too small, but that you needed to rearrange things to make more room. A well organised and properly packed fridge has its advantages. The biggest of these advantages is that a fridge that is at least ¾ full will consume less electricity than an almost empty fridge. Another advantage is that, if your fridge is properly organised, you won't have to worry about food getting spoilt because it got pushed to the back and you forgot about it. Not to mention that a well organised fridge will ensure that you always know what you need to replace or buy more of.
Tips On Organising Your Refrigerator
Organising your fridge will not take too much time and is easy to maintain. So let's take a look at what can be done to organise your fridge.
The Door Of The Fridge
The top most part of the door has provisions to house eggs and should be used for just that.
Use the middle shelves of the door to keep bottles of sauce or soft drinks. You can even keep things like butter here so that it does not acquire the smell of other food kept in the fridge. This section is also good for storing cartons of milk.
Use the bottom shelf of the door for bigger bottles, like a 2 litre bottle of water or some soft drink.
The Freezer
Use the freezer to store only food items, like meat or ice-cream, that need to be kept frozen.
Avoid putting bottles in the freezer.
Most freezers come with special brackets built in to support ice trays. Use these to make ice. Don't put in extra trays if you don't need them.
If the freezer has separate shelves, make sure you keep ice-cream on the top shelf and the meat below it.
The Main Section
The main section of the fridge is divided in to 3 separate parts meant for 3 different purposes.
The top of the main section is known as the chiller and should be used to store things like cream, packets of milk, cheese cubes or chocolates.
Just below the chiller are the main shelves of the fridge. These should be used to keep bigger dishes with food in them.
Make sure you do not put any hot food in the fridge. Let the food come to room temperature before putting it in the fridge.
I you have leftovers then pack them in plastic containers and keep them towards the front of the fridge so that you can see and reach them with ease.
It is best to use plastic containers with lids in this section of the fridge. The lids will ensure that the smell of the food does not stay in the fridge. The lids will also allow you to put one box on top of the other if the need arises.
Below the bottom shelf is the vegetable crisper. The crisper is designed to store vegetables and should be used for just that. Wrap the vegetables in plastic before putting them in the crisper.
A well organised fridge will not only allow you to access the food easily but will also make it easy for you to keep the fridge clean.
