Flowers In August

Limited Time Offer Flowers In August For any event, nothing says “I love you” or “I’m sorry” like flowers. Whether there’s a special event coming up or you just feel like doing something nice, flowers say it all. That’s why PresentHut is proud to announce a special promotion for our customers “Flowers in August”. From now until August 31st, buy a dozen red or mixed roses and get another six FREE! We will also throw in a free vase with every qualifying purchase. All US orders are delivered in 1-2 days.

12 Red + 6 FREE   12 Mixed + 6 FREE

Car That Runs on Air

Tata Motors, India’s largest automaker will built Air Car that will run on compressed air-power. The Air Car is developed by ex-Formula One engineer Guy Negre. The cars are developed for manufacturing by Moteur Development international (MDI). Thousands of Air Cars will be on streets of India by 2008. The CityCat model will clock out at 68 mph with a driving range of 125 miles. Refueling is simple and cost of a fill up will be approximately $2.00. People can plug into the electrical grid and use the car’s built-in compressor to refill the tank in about 4 hours.

With the incorporation of bi-energy (compressed air + fuel) the Cat vehicles have increased their driving range to close to 2000 km with zero pollution in cities and considerably reduced pollution outside urban areas.

They are already working on hybrid version that would use an on-board, gasoline-powered compressor to refill the air tanks when they run low. That technology could easily squeeze a cross country trip out of one tank of gasoline.

Of course, we won’t be able to see this car in USA because its light weight construction might not do so well in our crash tests.

Batik for Beginners

Batik is an ancient craft newly revived, results in the creation of beautiful and decorative fabrics through the use of resist substance and dyes.

Throughout civilization, mankind has been interested in self-adornment. One manifestation of this interest is fabric decoration, which has played a significant part in the history of various peoples. Wall paintings and tablets have told the story of cloth dyeing and embellishment. Indeed, archaeological evidence of this craft dates as fa back as 5000 years.

Although the discoverers or originators of the batik process remain unknown, fragments of decorated fabrics which have been resist dyed have been found in many places in the world. In Roman writings, wax, flour paste, clay resists and dyeing have been described in historical accounts. It is assumed that the techniques were brought to egypt from India, because tools and blocks for fabric decoration dating from 3000 B.C. have been found in India. And it was trade with India which also introduced wax resists to Indonesia and Java, where the world’s finest batics are still produced. (In Javanese, tik means light dots or points against a darker background.)

Basic Equipment And Supplies

The materials used for batik are readily available in most communities. Many of the materials and supplies can be purchased in grocery, drug, variety, department and hardware stores. Some equipment is available in the home. The following is a basic list: (1) an appliance for heating wax, such as an electric skillet, fryer, hot plate, or double boiler; (2) a table or other large working surface; and (3) a frame (stretcher, embroidery hoop, or other type of frame used to hold cloth).

Basic supplies include: (1) fabric (about three yards of 100% cotton – especially muslin is excellent for the beginner); (2) wax (one or two pounds of paraffin and some beeswax, available in grocery stores and candle shops, among others); (3) household or fiber reactive dyes (the former are available in drug and variety stores and the latter can be bought from batik craft suppliers) of the following colors: lemon yellow, yellow scarlet, magenta red, blue and turquoise brown and black are optional; (4) cleaning fluid; (5) contact paper and (6) common salt, soap and vinegar.

TOOLS AND OBJECTS

1. Brushes. One wide bristle brush, one narrow bristle brush, and one pointed brush for application of waxes and dyes.

2. Tjanting. A tjanting is a drawing tool for holding hot wax and is used for designing line patterns; available at craft shops handling batik supplies.

3. Stamps and blocks used for printing designs with hot wax on fabric. Such objects include cookie cutters, metal tools, or cardboard tubes.

Basic Procedures

The batik process is basically a resist method of producing images and designs on cloth or paper: designs are planned, the cloth is washed, hot wax is applied to it, and the cloth is dyed. The areas covered with wax resist the dyes and remain the color of the cloth. Unwaxed areas are the dyed color. Batiks can be planned for one-, two-, or three-color sequences-some designers use as many as 20 colors. After the last dye application, the wax is removed and the cloth is finished.

Batik is fun and satisfying but the process is a time consuming one that requires patience on the part of the beginner. Designs need to be drawn carefully so the eventual placement of waxes and dyes is clear.

FABRIC

Very fine, 100% cottons are best for batik. Because most new fabrics are treated with sizing, preparation of the cloth requires washing, preshrinking, rinsing, and pressing. A think starch solution or spray starch will help in pressing fabric smooth and in keeping the hot wax from spreading into the fabric.

The cloth should be stretched tightly so that waxing tools can glide freely, allowing the hot wax to penetrate easily.

WAX

Paraffin,  the most inexpensive wax for batik, produces a crackle or vein-like webbing in the design pattern. Because using paraffin alone can result in the wax not clinging to or penetrating the cloth, a small portion of beeswax should be combined with the paraffin. Beeswax may be more difficult to obtain. Some art supply companies sell a batik wax which is a combination of beeswax and paraffin – an ideal wax contains equal amount of each.

DYES

There are many kinds of dyes available to the batik craftsman. For the beginner, there are enough household dyes, direct dyes, and fiber reactive dyes to choose from to achieve excellent and successful results. Basic colors for developing a wide color range are lemon yellow, scarlet, and ultramarine blue. Other colors that would add to color exploration are magenta red, deep yellow, turquoise, brown and black.

COLOR

The one-color process is an excellent way for the beginner to start batik. In using one color at a time, there can be dramatic contrasts of dye color to the white or light background color-trying a dark or intense color will bring the designs out even more. An experiment for the beginner follows.

Begin by waxing out all areas that are to remain the original color of the fabric. Then wet the fabric and immerse in a red dye bath. Rinse the fabric and let dry.

Once this process is mastered, plan a design using the following four-color dye bath process. Wax areas that are to remain the original color of the fabric, wet the fabric, and immerse it in a yellow dye bath. Rinse and dry. Next, wax out areas to remain yellow and rewax white if necessary. Wet the fabric in plain water and then put into a red dye. Follow the dyeing procedure the rinse and dry. Now wax areas that are to remain orange, wet the fabric, and immerse it in a brown dye. Rinse and dry. Wax out any area to be left brown and rewax other areas if necessary. Wet the fabric and finally put it into a dark-blue or black dye. Iron out wax between newspapers until fabric is as free of wax as possible (there will still be dark wax outlines left). Dry clean to remove all remaining wax.

Because dyes are transparent, one needs to think about color and experiment with it. Remember that red over yellow produces orange; blue over yellow produces green; and blue over red produces violet. It is always a good idea to have some small pieces of fabric available as test pieces and to keep a record of successful combinations. In this way one accumulates information and acquires an expertise in working with dye colors.

Once the batik method is learned, cloth design becomes a uniquely personal form of artistic expression.

Reference: LeeWards Illustrated Library of Arts and Crafts

For home decoration ideas, please visit www.homegoodsrus.com

HomeGoods”R”Us – Perfect Place to Shop Home Decoration

Decoration requires taste and everyone has unique taste. That is why we provide wide selection in every category.

From Pillowcases to Bed, we provide matching selections to match your bedroom surroundings to the impulse of your imagination. With wide variety to choose from, you can find bedding matching your bedroom wall paint and furniture. Please visit our Bedding section in Home Decor for Bed Pillows, Bed Skirts, Bed in a Bag, Blankets, Comforters, Duvet Covers, Pillowcases, Pillow Shams and Bed Sheets.

                             

 While wall sconces are being increasingly popular everyday, traditional lightings like Ceiling Fixtures, Floor Lamps, Chandeliers can be added to your decoration to match your imagination. Aside from being great source of light, lighting fixtures add to the the look of your room. We feature wide variety of lightings to match your living, bedroom and kitchen. Most of the time you can find lamps with designs that match wall paint & furniture of your room.

                              

 Wall sconces are increasingly becoming popular in lighting category. Wall scones are type of fixtures affixed to a wall. It is supported by wall. Usually sconces are mounted on the wall between floor and ceiling. Usually in the middle. Traditionally sconces are used in hallways or corridors to provide both lighting and a point of interest in a long passage. But now sconces are frequently being popular as a part of home decor. With over 120 items to choose from, let us help you find perfect wall sconce for your home.

                                

Mirrors are important part of your room decoration. We provide large selection of mirrors to match your unique taste. We carry mirrors in various shapes including round, square, oval, polygonal and more. We also have mirrors with different designs to suite your interests including animals, romance, religion and natural scenes.

Vases are the simplest way to decorate your house. We have wide variety of vases available that will fill your home with beauty. We carry Asian vases that can match your Asian theme to shine your home. Collectible and gold plated metal vases can add to your unique style. Pottery and Glass vases can be added to your theme to match the traditional look of your home. With almost 100 different items to choose from, let us help you choose part of your decoration.

                                 

We also carry Capodimonte porcelain Arte for your home décor. Each handcrafted Capodimonte piece is imported from Italy for your home decoration. Capodimonte means “the top of the hill”. We carry Capodimonte Centerpieces, Vases and Clocks. So whether you are looking for home décor, gift or collectibles, you will find it here.

For More Home Decor Items, Please Visit, www.HomeGoodsRUs.com

Protocol for Selecting Right Gift

One of your relative’s birthday is coming and you don’t know what to give her/him! Everyone has been there. You keep thinking and thinking and still can’t figure it out because you don’t know person that closely. Or you have been only few months in relationship and you are not sure what that person’s hobbies and interests are. Or whatever you want to give her/him, s/he already has it. Go figure right!

Well easiest solution is gift card. You get off easily and s/he can buy whatever s/he wants and everyone is happy. But is it the same thing as a well thought out gift? Obviously not. If you put enough thoughts in selecting gift, figuring out her/his ideas and interests and then select one yourself, that is totally different feeling for the persons at both ends.

While so many things available in the market today, it is not easy to find perfect gift. But why don’t we try together and see if we can come up with a protocol.

First of all you have to find about person’s interest. Is the person up to date with today’s technology? Some people don’t like new technology and want to stay away from it. In that case you have two options. One, try to get a gift with new technology and see if they like it. Second, stay away from technology and go with general gift ideas. It is safer to go with second option here because why to risk money trying to get someone to like something new. If they like it, that is great. But what if it never gets used? It is waste of money and effort.

Now if you decide not to go without technology, you still have to consider few things. What is the person’s age? What person does to spend his/her extra time? What are his/her hobbies and interest? If person spends great deal of time cooking then you should go with gift related to cooking. There are so many new cookwares available in the market. If person spends great deal of time decorating and cleaning the house, then you can select gift from decorative collectibles or home decor. There are so many choices available for home décor including vases, sculptures, statues, carvings and mugs. If person likes gardening then go with gardening equipments and plants. Or you can go with general gifts like Fragrances.

But if person likes technology, then in today’s day, you have lots and lots of choices. You can go ahead with usual choices like MP3 player if person likes to listen to music, DVD player and recorder if person likes to watch movies, Digital cameras if person is interested in photography, Binocular or telescope if person is interested in space, GPS devices or Handheld units.

If person is young, you still have lots of choices. Usual ideas like above are great because young usually like new technology. You can also go ahead with sporting goods like baseball and softball equipments, surfboards etc. Sports memorabilia are also a good choice for young. If the person is very young, you can give gifts in toys and hobbies. Especially educational games and puzzles are great for young developing kids. He is going to get many video games from other people but anything related to education will make you happy for great choice.

How about some unusual gifts? That will make you stand out from crowd but can prove awkward too. You can choose from self defense gadgets like stun gun, stun gun with alarm, personal alarm, pepper spray or air taser.

Hope this article is helpful. Good luck selecting right gift!

 For more gift ideas please visit us at, www.presenthut.com

No easy task to decorate your house

Everyone has different taste when it comes to decorating their own home. There so many options available in today’s market. Some go with usual flow with current fashion while others want to make it unique.  

Let’s start with walls. Some want to keep walls empty. If you have a nice color combinations for walls, that might look very attractive.  But for others it’s totally different task. Selection of paintings or prints is most difficult task as they have to match themes of your walls as well as furniture within the room. Most important, it has to match your taste. Some people want to have painting with flowers, some want to show their nation or state or town in old times like their hometown in 1870, some want to have paintings from famous artists while some want to have drawings on their walls. As paintings are expensive, you have to spend great deal of time to find perfect painting or print for your walls. 

Decorating rooms is no easy task either. Big decorative pieces are required if you have lots of space around your furniture. But if you have very little space left in the room, you have to settle with small decorative pieces. You can start with artificial plants. They do a great job at filling the space and producing a natural environment. Also end tables with flower vases are great. They are so many different kind of vases is available these days so that you can fulfill your desires. If your budget is higher you can opt for hand painted vases. There are some metal vases are available with unique designs. If you have high budget, you can opt for gold trimmed vases. They are unique and also available in pair. Two similar vases on both side of sofa will give your room a unique look. 

Sports fan have some extra choices for decorating their room. If you have a space on wall around your television, banners of your favorite teams on both sides of television would give a great look. Signed photographs and sports souvenirs also help depending on your taste.  

It is also necessary to try out different things to see if that satisfy your taste and desires. Once you decide what you want and where, shopping is fun.

 

To find ideas about decorative collectibles and collectibles please go to www.presenthut.com

Protect Yourself When Shopping Online: What You Need to Know

By: Jamie Jefferson

Shopping online allows us to research and find just the right product at the best price, anytime of the day or night. But how do you maintain your safety and privacy in the online environment?

Here is what you need to know to protect yourself when online shopping.

1. Purchase only from reputable companies.
Just about anyone can get a merchant account online and ask for your credit card number. Your best bet is to do business only with reputable online merchants that have established privacy and return policies. These policies should be easily accessible from the main page of the website, and the Privacy Policy should indicate the type of information that the site collects and how it uses that information.

2. Guard your personal information carefully.
It is always a good idea to give as little personal information as is required by any website. Fill out required fields only, and do not give your personal information unless you are comfortable with the policies listed on the site.

Sometimes, when you make an online purchase or even when you are simply registering as a customer at an online merchant, you will see a checkbox that will allow you to either opt in or opt out of certain mailings. Read these offers carefully. A merchant may be asking for your permission to share your contact information with other companies.

3. Look for browser clues and safe shopping logos.
Before you enter your credit card number, make sure that the https code appears in front of the URL in your browser. Also look for the symbol in the lower right corner of your browser that indicates a secure connection. (Depending on your browser, this is typically a padlock or a key). Also look for the “VeriSign” logo or “Hacker Safe” logo on the website. And never email your credit card number to a merchant.

4. Protect your passwords.
When you create a password on any site that contains personal and/or financial data, make the password unique. Instead of your birthday or your telephone number, for example, use a combination of letters and numbers. Write down your passwords, keep them in a safe place, and do not share them with anyone.

5. Charge it.
Use a credit card, instead of a debit card. When you make a purchase with a credit card, you are protected under the Fair Credit Billing Act, which means that you have the right to dispute charges and even withhold payment for charges that were made without your authorization. When shopping around for a credit card, check for additional online security benefits or protection offered by cards.

6. Go with your gut.
If something does not feel right to you, do not hit the “submit” button. Back out of the transaction by erasing the data and closing the window.

7.Beware of Phishing scams.
Phishing involves emails or popups that appear to be from authentic websites or financial sources asking you to update your account information. These are becoming increasingly sophisticated. The best bet is to avoid clicking on links in an email, even those that appear to come from respected and established sites, such as paypal, ebay, or your credit card companies. Instead, type the company website address directly into your browser. When contacting a company in regard to your personal and financial information, use the URLs, telephone numbers, and mailing addresses located on your account statements (not those that appear in an email).

8. Beware of free offers.
Companies may use a sweepstakes offer or freebie to entice you to submit your personal information. Again, its best to share personal information only with reputable, established sites, and to read the privacy policies on these sites and in association with these free offers. If you do enter your email address in this kind of promotion, use a separate email address, such as those provided by yahoo or hotmail.

9. Protect yourself from spam.
Phishing scams often come in the form of unsolicited bulk email, or spam. Check to see if your Internet Service Provider offers a spam filtering solution, or check into a third party spam filter, such as SpamArrest.

10. Keep your computer updated.
Update your antivirus, malware, and spyware protection regularly, and make sure that your operating system is set up to automatically download and install the latest security patches, as well.

You can enjoy the convenience of shopping online, as long as you are proactive and use common sense in protecting your privacy. According to the 2006 State of Retailing Online report from Shop.org and Forrester Research, online sales are expected to hit $211 billion this year. That is a rise of 20 percent over last year and comes just three years after the industry hit the $100 billion milestone.

As the industry continues to grow, respected online merchants will continue to strive to ensure you have a safe, satisfying, and enjoyable experience on the Internet.

Article Source: http://www.articlestoreprint.com

 

Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape.com, which collects online coupon codes only from established, reputable merchants.

Doll Making in India

Dolls are the representative of a nation and are the confluence of its different ages, time and culture. The rich cultural heritage through the ages can be vividly depicted through these dolls. Religion, nature and human interaction have been the three basic inspiring forces for artists down the ages, although the medium of expression has diffused from stone and canvas to cloth and celluloid.

From ancient times, dolls of various types fascinated men, women and children all over the world. Children in particular have found great fun and delight in dolls, which also help them to develop their intellect and imagination.

The history of India from ancient times to modern is recounted in a series of dolls. The simple folk of India find a place in dolls that project rural life. The vividly colorful Indian dances – be it Kathakali, with its complex grammar, or Bhangra, with its vigour and exuberance are also well depicted through dolls. Dolls act as cultural ambassadors reflecting 5,000 years of Indian civilization.

The Indian people have a very special affection for dolls. They are part of a tradition Indians have grown up with. At one time dolls were given away as wedding presents to the child bride. Today, dolls not only provide a diversion but also a colorful canvas for depicting Indian life in its plethora of cultural beauties.

Each region is known for its typical dolls and toys. Assam and West Bengal fashion toys out of pith. In the eastern terracotta belt, the theme of “mother and child” models, are popular. Varanasi, Lucknow, Mathura and Vrindavan are reputed for their brightly painted wooden dolls and toys, Tirupati for its dampati (man-woman) dolls. Rajasthan makes dolls of unbaked clay. In Madhubani, dolls are made of sikki, a grass. Kondapalli in Andhra Pradesh makes some of the traditional dolls and toys out of a mixture of cowdung, sawdust and clay and covers them with lustrous pigments.

From early times, various materials have been used to make toys and dolls. The oldest toys date back to 5,000 years ago, from the sites of the Indus valley civilization. Harappan art goes back to 3 millennia B.C and shows a high degree of proficiency, which suggests much earlier development. The perfect modeling of human and animal figures at Mahenjodaro and Harappa are testimony to the technical skills of craftsmen who could cast images in metal using the (now rare) wax process. They could cast in clay and chisel in stone with ease, creating an art, worthy of these great centers of civilization.

Metal Dolls

Copper and bronze were the earliest non-ferrous metals which man shaped into tools. References to the casting of bronze images were found in ancient texts like the Matsya Puarana. China has the oldest continuous civilization in the world. Bronze working was perfected during 1700-1122 B.C. and kaolin (pure white clay) was discovered by Chinese potters. Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh in the north India, and Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in south India, are known for their bronze and copper items. In solid casting of icons, the mould is made by giving several clay coatings on prepared wax models, but with a different clay each time. These convey the contours of the model to the cast-image and are therefore important. The molten alloy is then poured in a thin and even stream into the mould made red-hot. When the mould is broken, care is taken to see that the head of the icon is brought out first, as a good omen.

The Dokra work, using the lost wax-method from the region now divided into the states of Orissa, West Bengal and Bihar, is well known. Dokra is a tribal art and derives its name from the semi-tribal nomadic blacksmith craftsmen who use the technique known as Dokra kamars. These artists produce a large variety of articles of outstanding artistic value, especially images of Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

Wooden Dolls

Workmanship on wood has flourished in India over the centuries. Dolls made from wood are very popular. Sikkim is known for its carved objects and dolls. Traditional designs are carved on wood and then painted over giving the whole object a rich effect. In Tripura tribal figures and masks form part of the repertoire in wood. The Konyak tribe of Nagaland is known for its wooden figure carvings. Craftsmen from Orissa use Gambhari wood to sculpt exquisite mythological pieces. Orissa offers choicest varieties of wooden dolls blended both in folk and classical forms, which provide an aesthetic appeal with a freshness and charm of their own. Wood carving is a traditional craft of Orissa to be found in Puri, Cuttack, Bargarh, Sambalpur and Khandapara. But Puri is the principal center of this craft, whose history is stretched over centuries. Kashmir produces a number of articles from walnut wood. Dolls made from walnut wood come from three parts of the tree – the branches, the trunk and the root. The branches have the palest colour of wood and the trunk the darkest. Branches have no veins, trunks have the strongest marked veins. As walnut is a soft wood, it takes carving very well. Tribal traditions have been kept alive in wood carvings of the Bastar district (Jagdalpur) of Madhya Pradesh. Gujarat is rich in structural wood carving. Madurai in Tamil Nadu is known for its rosewood carvings. Tirupati is noted for its rakta chandan (blood-coloured sandalwood) figurines. Karnataka craftsmen specialize in carvings on sandalwood. Dolls and other items made of sandalwood, rosewood, walnutwood and ivory are of artistic excellence.

Clay Dolls

Makers of clay doll in India usually follow two separate schools – one called the Terracotta school, in which the figurines after being prepared, are burnt to make them last longer. The second school does not involve the burning process for the figurines, and is more prevalant in Kumartulli and Krishnanagar in West Bengal.

Terracotta is the most ancient and original form of expression of clay-art. Terracotta figurines in India, ranging over a period of 3,000 years, belong to times both before and after the use of stone in sculpture. Though it is fragile and disintegrates quickly, a continuous stream of art throughout the different stages of civilization can still be found. Some of the famous terracotta temples are found in the Birbhum and Bishnupur districts in West Bengal.

Pottery in India has deep religious significance. Figurines of Gods and Goddesses are made of clay during festivals like Durga Puja in Bengal and Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharashtra. Also popular are the gram devtas (village deities) regularly created by local craftsmen. Delhi is known for its blue pottery which is almost translucent. The Jaipur blue pottery is even more unique with its arabesque. Alwar, in Rajasthan, makes paper thin kagzi pottery. Pokhran, in Rajasthan, has pottery in different shapes with red and white etchings. Khurja in Uttar Pradesh to this day has pottery as its main activity. Natural white wares are the speciality of Vidi, a small village in Kutch. Saurashtra has a clay called gopichand because it resembles chandan (sandalwood). Kashmir gives its pottery a glazed surface. Kangra in Himachal Pradesh has mainly black and red wares. Goa has figurines of earthen ware with a velvety finish. The black and red pottery of Vellore of Tamil Nadu are painted over with yellow substance.

 

Dolls made of Stone

 

Orissa was traditionally known as “Utkal“, land of excellence of art, because of the vast commmunities of painters, potters, weavers and other artists who were attached to the major temple complexes. In a land where the finest of the country’s temples have been sculptured, some of the best handicrafts are based on stone sculpture. Human figures in pink, pitted sandstone are highlights of the crafts of this region. Though heavy, these are excellent and bring to bear the skills of the forbearers of the traditions of their art. Dolls made of stone bear testimony to the magnificent craftsmanship of the east. In fact the art of stone carving in Orissa dates back to the Kalinga (previous name of Orissa) period. Stone carving is carried out on sandstone, Nilgiri stone, soft stone (Kochilla) and serpentine stone. Popular themes include the images of Hindu gods and goddesses, and dancers. Makrana in Rajastan produces fabulous marble dolls and figurines.

 

Papier Mache Dolls

Papier Mache is a comparatively new craft in India, which has caught on very well in many parts of the country, since the raw material is easily available and inexpensive. The craft of making objects from papier mache is an ancient one. Soon after the Chinese discovered how to make paper, about 2,000 yeas ago, they began to experiment with ways of molding it by tearing it into pieces, mixing it with glue, and shaping it into useful and attractive objects. The interest in this craft declined for hundreds of years until the French revived it in the 18th century. They called it papier mache, literally meaning, ‘chewed up paper’. Uses for papier mache were far more limited then they are today, since the invention of epoxy resin which makes the papier mache object much stronger and more durable than traditional water-soluble glues and pastes. Epoxy resin can also be used as a surface finish. To make papier mache dolls, paper is soaked in water till it disintegrates. It is then pounded, mixed with an adhesive solution, shaped over moulds, and allowed to dry and set before being painted and varnished. Paper that has been pounded to pulp has the smoothest finish in the final product. When the pounding has not been so thorough, the finish is less smooth. The design painted on objects of papier mache are brightly colored. Gold is used on most objects, either as the only color, or as a highlight for certain motifs. Varnish, which is applied to the finished product, imparts a high gloss and smoothness, which increases with every coat. Kashmir is famous for papier mache craft. Kashmir produces some of the most beautifully handcrafted papier mache items. Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh makes papier mache toys, while in Ujjain figures of popular deities are made of this material. Jaipur (Rajasthan) and Chennai are also famous for their papier mache crafts.

Shola-Pith Dolls

Figurines of Shola pith are another popular form of handicraft in certain parts of India. Shola pith is a herbaceous plant growing wild in marshy and water-logged areas. This material is used in West Bengal for making figurines, artistic decorations and headgears for deities during festivals. Craftsmen of Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu make remarkable reproductions of well known temples in pith.

Glass Dolls

 

It was the Mughals who discovered the decorative potential of glass – the fact that when it is cut, it has the opalescence and the glitter of a myriad diamonds. Glass engravings from India, exported to Europe till the 16th century, are said to have influenced the Venetians. Today this art has declined but glass items are still part of the everyday scene. Saharanpur of Uttar Pradesh makes glass dolls and toys filled with coloured liquid called panchkora.

 

 

 

 

Cloth Dolls

The cloth doll has been in existence for almost as long as cloth itself. Dolls were made of cloth in ancient Egypt and cloth-dolls have been made ever since. They have been more popular in some periods of history than others, but they have never been forgotten. The main reason for this is that cloth is the easiest of all materials for a woman to find. A mother could always use at least an old rag to fashion a doll for her child. Aside from the fact that it is always available, cloth is easy to work with and requires practically no tools. These two reasons were the basis for the selection of cloth as the material for costume dolls. Another reason was that even though it is simple to make a doll from cloth it is not simple to make a realistic one. Cloth dolls have a basic simplicity and charm, which sets them apart from other dolls, which are usually made to be realistic in appearance. From a child’s point of view, no doll feels as good as a cloth doll.

Even though most cloth dolls over the world lack sophistication and realism, our site showcases cloth dolls, made by the award-winning artist, Madhuri Guin, which portray human life as realistically as dolls made of other materials. The cloth body parts are stitched and stuffed with synthetic cotton, with a metal frame providing the body structure. The faces also are made of cloth with synthetic cotton stuffing. Facial features are painstakingly painted by hand. All limbs, fingers, and toes are stitched separately, to provide for more realistic depiction of gestures. Clothing and accessories are also stitched or prepared by hand.

These cloth dolls are paragons of beauty. Somewhere you can see a harmony of solo rhythm and somewhere a collective wild rhythmic movement. One can feel as if a stone sculpture from an Indian temple has come to life. The combat between Bhima and Duhshasana (mythological characters from Mahabharata, the great Indian epic) in Kathakali style (a classical dance form of India) will take you to the age of the Mahabharata. Radha-Krishna (Krishna is a Hindu God and Radha his consort) in Manipuri dance style (another Indian classical dance form) brings rhythm from the Geetgovindam (scriptures in praise of Lord Krishna). Through our collection of dolls, you can acquaint yourself with the art and culture of each state of India through the bridal dresses, dresses of rural India and common folks.

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This article was written by:
Ansusekhar Guin

This article was taken from:
www.dollsofindia.com

10 Marketing Tips for Success

By Shelley Lowery  

1. FREE… I got your attention, didn’t I. Offer a free report, e-book or “how to” course. Information is the top selling product online. You can use this to your benefit by offering free information.

- As a sample of your information product (teaser)

- To identify a problem and promote your products or services by providing a solution

- To bring traffic to your site

Providing free information is a great way to build a targeted list of contacts. Pick up free autoresponders at the following sites:

- SendFree – http://www.sendfree.com/

- GetResponse – http://www.getresponse.com/

- Fast Facts – http://www.fastfacts.net/

- MyReply – http://www.myreply.com/

- AutoBot – http://www.autobot.net

For more information about creating an e-book read the article entitled, “How To Create An E-book & Drive Massive Traffic To Your Site By Giving It Away…” (http://www.web-source.net/ebook_creation.htm)

2. Newsletter (e-zine) – Start your own newsletter and begin creating your online community of contacts. Visit any of these sites to create your list, free.

- Onelist – http://www.onelist.com

- Egroups – http://www.egroups.com

- Listbot – http://www.listbot.com

3. Write Articles – There are thousands of online publications looking for quality content. Writing and distributing your articles will provide you with free massive exposure. After you’ve written your article, subscribe to these publications to assist you in getting published.

- Article Announce – An article announcement list providing free content to hundreds of ezines, newsletters, magazines and web sites. Writers announce your articles free.

Subscribe – mailto:article_announce-subscribe@egroups.com

- Writers and Publishers Connection Newsletter Where publishers announce their article needs.

Subscribe – mailto:Writers98@aol.com with subscribe Writers and Publishers in the subject.

4. E-zine Advertising – The best form of advertising available online. Reach thousands of targeted potential customers very inexpensively. Ruth Townsend of Lifestyle Publishing offers a complete listing of publications, ad costs, circulation and more in “The Directory of Ezines.”

- http://www.directoryofezines.com/

5. Classified Ads – Continuously place classified ads. People DO read the classifieds. This is very time consuming and you may want to purchase an auto posting software.

- BeCanada – http://www.becanada.com/

- Classify 98 – http://www.trellian.net/classify/index.html

For a listing of some of the top classified ad sites, visit: http://www.web-source.net/web/Classified_Ad_Sites/

Free For All Link sites – Continuously submit your link to free for all sites. This can also be very time consuming so may want to use a software program.

You can download FFA Blaster free of charge. This software will instantly submit your link to 100 Free For All sites. An upgrade is available which will post your link to over 8,000 sites.

- FFA Blaster – http://www.submitad.com/

6. Press Release – Write a quality press release about your product or service and tell the world! For more information on press releases, visit any of these sites:

- IdeaMarketers.com http://www.ideamarketers.com/

- Press Promoter http://www.presspromoter.com/

- PRweb http://www.prweb.com/

7. Networking – Create a network of like-minded marketers to help promote one another, provide recommendations, exchange prominent links, etc., Note: Be cautious when selecting your networking partners and making recommendations as your reputation is on the line. Only network with individuals you truly believe in.

8. Newsgroups – Post to appropriate newsgroups. For a complete listing, visit: http://www.deja.com/

9. Discussion Lists & Boards – Subscribe to appropriate email lists and visit discussion boards to participate in online discussions. Although blatant advertising is not permitted, signatures are acceptable. Visit Web-Source.net for a listing of some of the top discussion boards.

- http://www.web-source.net/web/Discussion_Forums/

Visit List Universe for a complete listing of email discussion lists.

- http://list-universe.com/

10. Offline Promotions – Advertise in newspapers, magazines, on the radio, TV, etc., Visit these sites for complete listings.

Copyright © Shelley Lowery

About the Author:

Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design course, Web Design Mastery. http://www.webdesignmastery.com And, Ebook Starter – Give Your Ebooks the look and feel of a REAL book. http://www.ebookstarter.com Visit Web-Source.net to sign up for a complimentary subscription to Etips and receive a copy of the acclaimed ebook, “Killer Internet Marketing Strategies.” http://www.web-source.net

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