Stay...just a li'l bit longer...

Stay...just a li'l bit longer... by RhixY featuring rose jewelry
gold, black and hints of red...never goes out of style!

Santa Baby

Santa Baby by RhixY featuring quartz jewelry
inspiration: red dress and off-white belt I've bought last week for the post-Christmas engagement party that we have organized...

Home Projects: Silk-Ribbon Looped Tassel

A simple white tassel can serve as a decorative accessory for a drawer-pull. Figure A Figure B Figure C Figure D Figure E Figure F Figure G Figure H Figure I Figure J Figure K This fancy tassel adds a nice accent to a floor lamp.

Q: I love to use tassels in my decorating. Can you show me how to make a ribbon tassel?

A: (from DIY decorating expert, Nancy Golden) Tassels make great decorating accents, and they're fun, inexpensive and easy to make. Here's how to do it yourself. 


Silk-Ribbon Looped Tassel 


Materials:

Decorative ribbon
Scissors
Cardboard for template
Floral wire
Straight pins
Tacky glue
Appliqued, beaded or print trim-ribbon



Steps:

1. Decide the length you want to make your tassel, and cut a cardboard template to that length (figure A). 
   
   
   
   
   
2. Wrap your ribbon lengthwise around your cardboard template. Keep wrapping until you've looped it around the cardboard (figure B) enough times to create a tassel in the thickness that you want. For thicker tassels, use more ribbon. If you're using thick ribbon material or yarn, you may need to wrap fewer times. For sheer ribbon, you may need to wrap more. 
   
   
   
   
   
3. Once you have an ample amount of ribbon wrapped around the template, tie it off at one end of the loop with a piece of matching ribbon (figure C). This will create the top of the tassel. 
   
   
   
   
   
4. Once tied off, remove the looped ribbon from the cardboard and form the top end -- which includes the loop that will be used for hanging the tassel. Do this by holding the gathered ribbon tightly in your fist, pinching the top end firmly and wrapping floral wire tightly around the top end to create the top loop (figure D). This completes the main body of the tassel. 
   
   
   
   
   
5. To conceal the floral wire, select a decorative trim-ribbon that complements the ribbon used for making the tassel. For our demonstration, we selected a trim ribbon with small satin roses (figure E). 
   
   
   
   
   
6. Attach the end of the decorative ribbon to the wrapped wire using crafting tacky glue (figure F). 
   
   
   
   
   
7. Wrap the decorative trim around the neck of the tassel several times (figure G) and attach the other end using the tacky glue. 
   
   
   
   
   
8. Secure the wrapped trim using a straight pin (figure H) until the glue dries. 
   
   
   
   
   
9. Once the glue has dried, you can remove the end of the ribbon loop you tied in step 3 by simply cutting it off. Once you've removed the excess ribbon, the tassel is finished. This design results in a tassel with the ends looped (figure I).

Tassel Variations 

• Be creative and come up with your own design combinations. Other variations include creating a fancy tassel using black rickrack adorned with either black yarn or wood-bead trim (figure J), beaded fringe or a leopard-print trim wrapped around the top. 
  
  
  
  
  
• For a daring, funky look, try creating a chenille tassel with beaded trim (figure K).

RESOURCES :
The Splendor of Ribbon
Model: 1567993974
Author: Ellie Schneider& Ellie Joos
(March 1997); 128 pages

Source: http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/lr_accessories/article/0,2041,DIY_14069_2275951,00.html

Diet and Exercise Tips

Excessive body weight contributes to snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, in addition to being a major influence on general health and well-being. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs in about 50-60% of those who are obese.

A recent report from the National Center for Health Statistics concludes that seven of 10 adults don’t regularly exercise, and nearly four in 10 aren’t physically active. Lack of exercise can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. About 300,000 people in the U.S. die each year from diseases related to inactivity.

Proper diet and exercise are the mainstays for a healthy lifestyle, although many Americans turn to costly fad diets and exercise programs that fail to provide weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. The basic tenets to gradual weight loss and good health include developing healthy eating habits and increasing daily physical activity.

Self-Help Guidelines For Healthy Activity

• Consult a physician – men over age 40; women over 50; people with (or at risk for) chronic health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, or obesity.
• Start out slowly and build up activity gradually over a period of months. This will help avoid soreness and injury.
• Try to accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity cardiovascular activity each day.You can do all 30 minutes together or through short bouts of intermittent activity(e.g. 10 minutes at a time).
• Add strength-developing exercises at least twice per week.
• Incorporate physical activity into your day (walk to the office or store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk or jog at lunch time, etc.).
• Make leisure time active – garden, walk, ride a bike with family and friends, participate in an exercise class, join in a sports activity.
• Select activities you enjoy, find satisfying, and give you a feeling of accomplishment. Success leads to increased motivation to be physically active.
• Be sure your activities are compatible with your age and physical condition.
• Make it convenient to be active. Choose activities that are readily accessible(right outside your door) like gardening, walking, or jogging.
• Try “active commuting.” Cycle, walk or in-line skate to work or to the store.
• Make your activity enjoyable – listen to music, include family and friends, etc.

For those who are already regularly moderately active, increase the duration and intensity for additional benefits.

Weight Loss Tips:

• Take in fewer calories than you expend. Few people understand this basic, simple concept.
• Eat smaller meals 3-5 times per day.
• Eat nutrient dense foods such as whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables.
• Eat slowly, and wait 10-15 minutes before taking second helpings.
• Don’t eliminate everything you like from your diet. Eat those things in small amounts (pizza, candy, cookies, etc.)
• Prepare healthy snacks that are easily available (cut carrots, apples, etc.)
• Avoid buffets.
• Drink plenty of water, especially immediately prior to meals.

The Healthy Weight Approach To Dieting:

• Enjoy a variety of foods that will provide essential nutrients.
• Three-quarters of your lunch and dinner should be vegetables, fruits, cereals, breads, and other grain products. Snack on fruits and vegetables. Eat lots of dark green and orange vegetables. Choose whole-grain and enriched products more often.
• Choose lower fat dairy products, leaner meats and alternatives, and foods prepared with little or no fat. Shop for low fat (2% or less) or fat-free products such as milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Eat smaller portions of leaner meats, poultry, and fish; remove visible fat from meat and the skin from poultry. Limit the use of extra fat like butter, margarine, and oil. Choose more peas, beans, and lentils.
• Limit salt, caffeine, and alcohol. Minimize the consumption of salt. Cut down on added sugar such as jams, etc. Limit beverages with a high caffeine content (tea, sodas, chocolate drinks) and caffeinated coffee to two cups per day. Minimize alcohol to 1-2 drinks per day.
• Limit consumption of snack foods such as cookies, donuts, pies, cakes, potato chips, etc. They are high in salt, sugar, fat, and calories, and low in nutritional value.
• Eat in moderation. If you are not hungry, don’t eat.

Source: http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/dietExercise.cfm

Easy-to-do 15 Minute Fixes!

Believe it or not, in the time you spend just thinking about getting the sticky window unstuck, dusting the glass chandelier, or tamping down a curled corner of wallpaper, you could actually get the job done. Whatever your household bugbear, chances are it's not such a beastly problem after all.

With a little know-how and a few readily available materials, your 15-minute fix could begin right now. So get up off that couch (with its sad, sagging cushions) and turn a little bit of downtime into an upgrade. Today the chandelier; tomorrow -- who knows?

Problem: Scuffed linoleum
Solution: Rub the spot with white toothpaste and a dry cloth or with an eraser. Or spray WD-40 on a towel and rub lightly, making sure to degrease the area afterward with liquid dishwashing soap and water.

Problem: Dry cutting board
Solution: Revive your board by gently warming a bottle of pure mineral oil (available at drugstores) in a bowl of hot water, then wiping the oil onto the surface with a soft cloth. Wipe off the excess four to six hours later.

Problem: Stuck sliding windows
Solution: A little silicone spray lubricant (sold at hardware stores) will grease the skids. Spray it onto a rag, then wipe along the tracks, whether they're metal, wood, or plastic.

Problem: Flattened down cushions
Solution: Put them outside in the sun for a few hours, flipping them halfway through. (Be careful -- leaving them out too long may fade the fabric.) The sun will help evaporate the moisture that gets into the filling over time, and the cushions pshould lump up nicely

Problem: Dirty decanter
Solution: Fill the decanter halfway with hot water, a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap, two tablespoons of white vinegar, and a cup of uncooked rice. Swirl the rice around for a few minutes to remove the residue, rinse with hot water, and air-dry.

Problem: Tangled extension cords
Solution: Cowgirls and sailors alike know the benefits of storing ropes neatly coiled. Follow their lead and keep extension cords tangle-free and contained inside a large plastic bucket when they're not in use.

Problem: Peeling wallpaper
Solution: With a knife, smear wallpaper paste onto a piece of writing paper. Rub the paper against the underside of the peeling section. Press the wallpaper against the wall. Slide the writing paper out and smooth away bubbles with a clean cloth.

Problem: Worn caning
Solution: A little sagging over time is natural but reversible (insert Joan Rivers joke here). To tighten caning back up, use a sponge to wet the underside with warm water. Let dry slowly overnight. Repeat if necessary.

Problem: Dusty chandelier
Solution: Allow the fixture to cool. Wear a pair of white cotton gloves -- one dry, one dampened with glass cleaner. (For crystal, use one part rubbing alcohol to three parts distilled water.) Wipe each prism with the damp glove, then the dry one.

Problem: Hard-to-remove decals
Solution: Spray the decals and the surrounding areas with WD-40, lifting the edges to get underneath, if possible. Let sit, then gently scrape away the decal with the edge of a credit card. Degrease the tub with liquid dishwashing soap.

Problem: Hard-to-remove bulb
Solution: Press the center of a foot-long strip of duct tape onto the middle of the bulb. Fold each loose end in half so it sticks onto itself. Gripping each end between your thumb and index finger, give a counterclockwise twist to loosen the bulb.

Problem: Stained tub
Solution: Combine equal amounts of cream of tartar and baking soda with enough lemon juice to make a paste. Rub the mixture into the stain with your fingers or a soft cloth. Let sit for a half hour, then rinse well with water.


Source: http://www.boomj.com/articles/12966