If you were to look in any given “junk drawer” you would probably find at least one kind of adhesive tape such as cellophane tape or masking tape. Most people own several different kinds of tape because we use different types for different jobs. Tape as we know it has been around for decades-masking tape was invented in 1925. You may own duct tape, electrical tape, basting tape (for sewing) and even floral tape. Adhesive tape has really become a part of our every day lives. We use it for everything from repairing a book to medical procedures. So, let’s take a closer look at what is old-and what is new, in the world of adhesive tape.

History

Although people have been using natural adhesives like beeswax for centuries, it was not until the mid-1800’s that American inventor Henry Day invented the first tape-like product. In the twentieth century, with the proliferation of synthetic materials like nylon, cellophane, and other products, there are now dozens and dozens of kinds of tape used for every type of task and in nearly every aspect of our lives.

A Touch Of Humor

There is a bit of “adhesive tape” humor associated with the invention of masking tape. Auto workers were looking for something that they could mark the paint lines on cars that would not damage the paint when it was removed. A scientist named Richard Drew was charged with the responsibility to invent a tape to fill the need. He made an adhesive tape that had an adhesive that was not overly sticky, but that would hold enough to do the job. The problem was that, in order to save money, the manufacturers only put the adhesive on the two edges of the tape and not in the middle. The auto workers complained loudly about this “Scotch” tape in a reference to the Scottish reputed reputation for frugality. The adhesive tape soon had adhesive applied to the whole surface.

Scotch Tape

Richard Drew invented another very popular adhesive tape as well-cellulose tape-which is also called “Scotch” tape for obvious reasons. It now comes in many different styles, finishes, sizes and even colors. You can get a matte finish, which seems to “disappear” when applied, and glossy, you can even get some with decorative designs to spruce up packages or envelopes. It even comes in a double-sided variety with adhesive on both sides. It comes in disposable dispensers, rolls that you can put in permanent dispensers, and now, even handy dispensers which allow you to take one small piece of adhesive tape at a time.

What’s Its Use?

Some job specific tapes include electrical tape which is used for repairing frayed wires or taping off ends of wires. Basting tape is an adhesive tape used by seamstresses to hold a hem or a seam when they are prepping an article for sewing. Medical tape can be used instead of stitches to allow physicians to seal an incision so that they can go back in if necessary-or to hold a cut together so that it can heal.

By Margarette Tustle. Learn more adhesive information from duoadhesive.com

Then one day, someone comes along who offers to make your precious object like new, raising its stature to a beautiful objet d’ art and creating a vision of hidden spot lights and alabaster pedestals in your living room. I am such a person. I have rescued neglected mandolins, violins, near-Tiffany lamps from the teens, rare wind-up toys from Japan, delicate three-tiered bird houses from China, and a nineteen thirty nine rich child’s tricycle. Some things have been found in a garage sale, others entrusted to me by friends or neighbors.

My most recent project involved the dismantling and restoring a nineteen thirties Japanese boat compass. This sixteen pound relic was personally carried home by a neighbor’s husband who was killed in World War II in a plane crash. Made of solid brass so as not to rust on the high seas, no expense was spared in the hand-made manufacture of this compass. A beveled plate glass window provided access to a blued steel floating compass. A rear glass window offered additional viewing, lit by a built-in oil lamp on the side. Someone had painted the whole thing with dark green shutter paint which by this time had half peeled off. The cracked and peeling white paint inside did not deter the family of spiders living there. One week later, my hard earned scuffed knuckles produced a shining new boat compass. The widow almost cried when she saw it and immediately found a place of honor in the living room.

Buoyed by this success, the lady supplied me with a new and exciting project in the shape of an nineteen twenty two original wall telephone. Complete with speaker microphone and ear piece, this Western Electric gem even retained it’s original matching telephone book shelf. The metal parts are made of nickel plated brass, the speaker and ear piece of Bakelite and the case and shelf carved from durable oak. Pictured in my mind were the pre-electricity folks chatting on this Early American Party Line invention. I plan to spend three weeks enjoying the restoration of this beauty and collecting the reward for my hard labor — the huge smile on the face of the owner.

The satisfaction may not be instant, but it’s real.

Night in Jamaica
[Peruvianism: 1810]

It was a rainy night they say
When don Simon Bolivar
Slept in the arms of beautiful
Luisa Crober
(of Jamaica); thus an
Assassin missed his mark
When he stabbed Major Amestoy
Sleeping in the dark
In Bolivar’s hammock!…

#719 6/7/05

2.

Sacred Something

Love for love
curse for curse
what you plant
(in the furrow):
is what you
get tomorrow.

6/8/05 #720

3.

Epitaph in El Dorado

Ride high, ride high
The shade replied
Over the mountains
To the valley

There upon a cliff
You’ll see
A placed called
El Dorado

His madden brain
Was sick with pain
Beholding to the shadow
But he found the gold
And then was told
You’ll never leave
The valley…

And so it was
That he grew old
Sitting there in the Valley
Counting gold
Eating toads…

And
I’m sick of this poem
But it needs an end
So my friend, I must say
This epitaph was is his story.

6/9/05 #725

4.

Epitaph of a Shoeshine Boy
[A Macabre poem]

I cannot sleep, I cannot sleep
In moon struck ebony,
My ghostly hands upon my knees
The dead are dead you see.

The earth is warm under my feet;
As seasons come and go.
I am, am neither wise nor bold,
But cold, am I you see.

I cannot sleep, I cannot sleep
I look upon a bed
I must still love the living best:
Who hate the ghostly dead?

Whereas, I walk alone again
Wandering, aimlessly
I was a shoeshine boy, you know
But who remembers me (?)

Note: When I was a boy of 11 to 13, I used to go from bar to bar in St. Paul, Minnesota and shoeshine (l958-61). I made money that way, until I was 14-years old, at which time I worked for what is now the “Fitzgerald Theater”; where Garrison Keillor (whom I met twice) has his show, “A Prairie Home companion.”

5.

Lyric Rain

[A Minnesota Poem]

Ah! Last night it was a night

A night of lyric rain

The trees were swaying, swaying

Every which-way…

I so love the wild rain

Un-refrained

Its cool breezes, sharp fangs,

Fangs, and empty-eyed;

Replenishing earths strains

Washing away all the grime

And secretly, nurturing

This rhyme…

Note: It rained out last night (a storm), in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA; 3:30 AM. My mother used to be frightened by such storms, but I cherished them it seems; odd are we not, so different in what we value. #721 6/8/05

In Spanish

Cinco poemas Mixtos, con apuntes

1.

Noche en Jamaica

[Peruanismo: 1810]

Esta fu una noche lluviosa ellos dicen

Cuando don Simn Bolvar

Dormido en los brazos de la hermosa

- Luisa Crober

( de Jamaica); mas un

asesino fall su blanco

Cuando apual al Comandante Amestoy

Durmiendo en la oscuridad

En la hamaca de Bolvar!…

#719 6/7/05

2

Algo Sagrado

Amor por amor

maldicin por maldicin

lo que usted planta

( en el surco):

es lo que usted

conseguira maana.

6/8/05 *720

3

Epitafio en El Dorado

Alto al Paseo, alto al paseo

La sombra contestaba

Sobre las montaas

hacia el valle

All sobre una roca

Usted ver

Un lugar llamado

El Dorado

Su cerebro enfurecido

Estaba enfermo con dolor

Contemplando a la sombra

Pero él encontr el oro

Y luego dijeron

Usted nunca se marchar

del valle …

Y entonces fu

Que él envejeciera

sentado all en el Valle

Contando oro

Comiendo sapos …
y

Estoy harto de este poema

Pero esto necesita un final

As mi amigo, debo decir

Este epitafio era, es su historia.

6/9/05 *725

4

Epitafio de un Limpiabotas

[ Un poema Macabro]

No puedo dormir, no puedo dormir

En locura golpe el ébano,

Mis manos fantasmales sobre mis rodillas-

Los muertos estn muertos usted ve.

La tierra est caliente bajo mis pies;

Como las estaciones vienen y van.

Soy, soy, ni sabio, ni valiente,

Pero fro, soy yo, usted ve.

No puedo dormir, no puedo dormir

busco una cama

Todava me debe gustar vivir mejor:

Quién odia la muerte fantasmal?

Mientras que, ando solo otra vez

Vagabundo, sin rumbo

Yo era un limpiabotas, usted sabe.

Pero quien me recuerda (?)

Nota: Cuando yo era un muchacho de 11 a 13, sola ir de bar en bar en Saint Paul Minnesota y lustraba botas (l958-61). Gané dinero de esta manera, hasta que yo tuve 14 aos, en el cual trabajé para lo que es ahora el ” Teatro Fitzergerald “; donde la Guarnicin Keillor (con quien me encontré dos veces) tiene su espectculo, ” A Praire home companion”

5

Lluvia lrica

(Un Poema de Minnesota]

Ah! Anoche esto fue una noche

Una noche de lluvia lrica

Los rboles se balanceaban, balanceaban-

por todo lado …

As me gusta la lluvia salvaje

inrefrenado

Sus brisas frescas, colmillos agudos,

Colmillos, y mirada -vaca;

Rellenando tensiones de tierras

lavando toda la mugre-

Y secretamente, nutriendo

Esta rima.

Nota: llovi afuera anoche (una tormenta), en Saint Paul, Minnesota, EE. UU; a las 3h30. Mi madre sola estar asustada por tales tormentas, pero yo los abrigue eso parece; extraos somos nosotros , tan diferentes en lo que valoramos.

Poet Dennis Siluk http://dennissiluk.tripod.com the book, “Spell of the Andes,” is almost ready for the public, got a note today saying it is going to press…this is the best of Dennis’ poems on Vietnam and Peru, and Copan, Honduras Rosa

Realty can easily be found anywhere in the world at present, unquestionably the swankiest area being property available in Dubai. It should be quite easy to determine the wonderful real property available for sale in Dubai, one argument for picking real estate here being the houses and apartments available for sale and the sensational chance of being able to live amid this energetic populace. This is one of the truly popular markets at present, and in view of the beauty and the agreeable weather surrounding you here, how could you say no! Realty in Dubai is rich in history, this geographical region has a long tradition as a home to a number of indigenous nations.

Property Index is an online platform that gives buyers access to thousands of properties www.propertyindex.com. Property in Dubai is currently booming so browse the range on offer at Property Index.

About twenty years ago there’d be just a small number of English people keen on real property in Dubai. Ask everyone who has chosen to remove to Dubai and they’re likely to tell you the same. Quite a few people would tend to see it as a temporary trend and others tend to see it as a that’s more or less an infatuation… People that will actually transfer here may range from young urban professionals looking for a new challenge in life to older generations who intend to enjoy themselves and settle down. Note, however, that you may well encounter a few perplexities when attempting to acquire real property abroad — you’ll find there are a million differentiated, sometimes not very transparent, steps be it when budgeting, touring or completing. If you miss out on just a single minor action that could easily generate comprehensive perplexities plus, critically, loss of money.

Naturally, as is to be assumed with this fashionable region, real property might well be rather upscale in this place and this, of course, is absolutely caused by the steep market demand. Despite this the real estate buyer is spoilt for choice in a destination so richly blessed by fair setting. It truly has all anyone might possibly fall for, and more.

The translation says: Woon je in Hattem of Korendijk en hebt u BKR verleden. Lenen met een BKR registratie is nog nooit zo eenvoudig geweest. Haal snel een nieuwe auto met minikrediet 10 minuten, 108626 euro is geen obstakel om te lenen. Van Meerlo-Wanssum tot Maassluis, financieren met een BKR notering gaat hier altijd.

1) Use only high quality balloons like Qualatex. I’ve also heard that some people have used Bellatex and Tilly balloons with some success. Quality makes a huge difference.

2) Avoid using latex balloons whenever possible. After a few days outside, we have seen them completely disintegrate when touched.

3) Qualatex’ Polyurethane Duo balloons are designed for outdoor use. They will last longer and look better for extended outdoor use than any latex or foil balloon. They are a bit more pricey but can really take away the headache of shrinking and disintegrating balloons. For larger Duo balloons like 18″, it may be cost effective to rent them. The Duo balloons can also be used to leverage small latex balloons. Underinflate your smaller latex balloons and use the lift power of the big balloon to raise them.

4) Always underinflate to allow balloons to expand when absorbing heat. We’ve found the method that works best is to over-inflate the balloon and then release air until the balloon is slightly underinflated. This helps the balloon to breathe and expand more easily, and it is not as brittle. Underinflating does little good unless you overinflate first.

5) Use balloons two sizes larger than you would normally use.

6) Inflating balloons with the same temperature air as they will encounter outdoors can actually help to retain their shape better.

7) Helium does not work well outdoors in the heat. If you need to use helium-filled latex, try to use large balloons like 24″ and inflate to only around 16″. Over- inflate with air first, release the air and then re-inflate with helium. You don’t want to waste your helium when you pre-inflate.

After your balloons are inflated, consider applying a product called “Balloon Shine.” It can protect your latex balloons from the sun’s UV rays. It’s best to experiment with this days before to see if it will work.

9) While Hi-Float is used to make balloons float longer, it is not generally meant for outside use. If you want your balloons to float longer outside, you should plan on doing daily touch-up work to your balloon arrangements. Be sure to include this in your budget.

10) Balloons simply will not last outdoors overnight. As the cold air shrinks the balloons and then they expand in the sun the next day, they will pop like crazy. This can be avoided by simply bringing all balloons indoors in the evening.

11) Use white balloons as much as possible. They reflect the sun and fade less.

12) Avoid darker balloons. They will absorb heat and pop faster. If you need darker colors in your balloon decor, use ribbons to accent in a darker color.

13) Keep in mind that extreme heat speeds up the balloon leakage process. So, in temperatures close to 100 degrees, the helium will escape much faster, drastically reducing float time. If you can find a way to shade balloons, it can slow the process, somewhat.

14) Do not use water to cool down balloons. As the water dries on the latex, it becomes slightly sticky. Balloons can stick together causing them to pop as balloons they expand in the heat.

15) Mylar foil balloons last longer outdoors than latex. Just allow for normal expansion and shrinkage. The downside is that in the hot sun the foil will not hold its color or sheen. There will be a noticable difference by the end of the day.

16) Whenever possible, use some kind of framework to give your balloon decor structure that can withstand wind and heat. This can also be helpful for helium-filled balloons that will lose float time in the heat.

17) We’ve found that if balloons are going to pop in the heat and sun, the will usually do so within the first hour. So, you’ll have a pretty good indication of whether it will work if you set up early.

While it can be difficult to do balloon decor outdoors in the heat, it is certainly not impossible. Just use the above tips to greatly improve your odds.

Passionate about advertising balloons, Kathryn Parisse is editor of The Balloon Newsletter. Subscribe and get answers to all your balloon decor, twisting, and advertising questions at aBalloonaDay.com.

It mattered not if you brewed your own beer - made your own wine - or
distilled your own spirits, or whatever, the back shed was a secret blokes place where real men got down to business. Many hours, sometimes days could pass by without notice, such was the intense nature of the back shed project business.

Many great inventions have evolved from the midnight oil burning sessions spent in the back shed, crikey, what would mankind do without the inventive nature of the back shed tinkerer, it is such a lot of fun when
you gather a shed full of tools to make all kinds of things from wood or metal.

Are you one of the new breed of real blokes who’s rediscovering the
wonders of the back shed? Oh, how I pity some of those blokes couped up in high rise luxury pens where all they have to look out on is the thousands of other lost souls couped up in hundreds of other high rise luxury pens.

I wonder if some of the men living there wouldn’t wish for a backyard
shed to tinker in, but then again, it’s a bit hard to walk out to the back
shed after the evening meal when your living twenty floors up, isn’t it!

Still, I guess they have the expensive hi-fi gear to listen too, or the super
wide plasma on the wall to look at, but is that really enough, do not they
have an ounce of creative practical genius in them?

Could they not apply their hands to simple tools to bend and shape
metal, or to cut and shave timber? Working with tools is one of life’s
simple but very rewarding pleasures, just ask the blokes that already do
this; they are amongst the top ten percent of happy satisfied people on
earth, simply because they have a creative outlet for their inner talents
and desires, not to mention the wonderful practical things they make
using simple hand & machine tools and equipment all housed in the
ordinary blokes back shed.

If you ever have the urge to try your hand at creative metal work, then let
me introduce you to hobby metal casting, of course you’ll need a back
shed before you even begin to gather your tools & equipment, but the
personal rewards and satisfaction go way beyond the doing.

It is derived from the fact that you are creating with your mind - your hands - and a few simple tools… it may not sound like much, but ask
anybody who creates stuff in the back shed, and you’ll soon begin to
understand why.

Every weekend, right across the globe there are blokes hard at work
creating - building - fabricating - casting, and making things for all kinds of projects. Want to give it a try? Then may I welcome you to the blokes shed domain.

Col Croucher has a life long interest in working with metal, visit the web site to learn more about hobby metal casting.
http://www.myhomefoundry.com
This article may be reproduced in ezines -blogs or web pages, as long as the resource box and web link remains.

But it’s more than just that …

Scent is one of the biggest memory triggers. It’s mood enhancing. It can set the whole tone of your day.

But you don’t always want something with an open flame … sometimes a scented candle isn’t what you need. Certainly not ’round the clock. I guess there’s always those scented oil plug-in things … somehow they just miss the point for me.

So here’s the solution I’ve come up with.

What You’ll Need

You’ll need the following supplies (makes 22 pieces … enough to last 2 months +/-):

3 Scented Candles (I use natural wax votives)

1 Double Boiler
2 Plastic Candy Mold Trays

Making Your Scented Candle Melts

I take my favorite scented votive candle. Make sure it’s one that holds its scent to the bottom and also when liquid. Actually I use three because then my melted wax fits exactly into two small peanut buttercup mold trays. I like to use the kind of wax that cleans up with soap and water.

• Remove the wicks from your scented votives.

• Melt your votives in double boiler (a pyrex measuring cup in a pan of water will do in a pinch).

• Spoon or pour into candy mold.

• Wait until firm enough to move.

• Slide into the freezer for 20 minutes (give or take … this isn’t rocket science after all)

• Remove from freezer and turn tray over.

• They’ll pop right out!

Using Scented Candle Melts

Okay so now you’ve got your scented candle wax just the way you want it. What to do with it??

Well, when you use a high quality scented candle, they work really well as sachets (bag in tiny Ziplocs to protect clothing in drawers) and also as car air fresheners…. be sure and set them out of the sun.

You can also melt them. There are these things called “Tart Warmers” available at the store. And also online. Ask if you need help finding a good one.

Working With What You’ve Got

But wait, if you’re like me, and have an electric heat source, you might already have what you need available at home to make your scented candle melts.

Here’s what I do (and remember … only use wax from scented candles that will clean-up with soap and water … otherwise you’ll have a real mess on your hands).

Find a small plate or saucer that you’re willing to dedicate to melting your scented candle wax in. You can find them for next too nothing at yard sales. You need one that is heatproof. They’ll say “oven safe” on the bottom … or any old fashioned piece of pottery/ceramics will do. After all, they’ve been fired in a kiln, right?

I take my saucer and set it on my heat source first. BEFORE turning it on. This is very important.

You know how when you have a glass that’s cold and you pour something hot into it, it cracks? Well, you’ve got the same challenge here. If you “Heat Shock” your plate, you’ll crack it. Warm your plate up slowly and everything will be okay.

Place your plate on a cool electric burner (a woodstove works well too), add a couple of your new little scented candle melts, heat till the wax is halfway melted … then turn the burner off. Repeat occasionally to re-release the scent.

That’s all there is to it - Your whole house will smell great!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the Author

Andrea S. Goodsaid has been a full-time crafter and small business owner since 1987. Today she mentors and trains others in their own home candle (and other) businesses for free. Visit her candle business training site on the web where she offers a free interactive eCourse: http://www.RichCandlesTeam.com

Carefully cropped and sized photographs, on the other hand, enhances the overall look and feel of your scrapbook.

There are two ways to solve these problems.

The low tech way to solve these problems are to manually crop and shape the photograph using a pair of scissors or an exacto knife.

If you are manually cropping and cutting pictures, make sure that you mark the outline you want with chalk (or eye shadow if you don’t have chalk) before you cut.

Remember the old saying, measure twice and cut once.

To manually change a distracting or cluttered background simply cut out the background and replace it with a with a new paper background. This allows the eye to focus on the people instead of the clutter behind them.

The high tech solution to your photograph woes is to use modern computer programs such as Photo Editor.

Using these programs, photographs can be magically darkened, brightened, sharpened, enlarged, and cropped without ruining your original photograph.

Some programs even allow you to change the background of the photograph.

Mia LaCron is the founder of 101-scrapbooking-tidbits.info - http://www.101-scrapbooking-tidbits.info - devoted to helping individuals record, store, and preserve their most cherished memories via the art of scrapbooking.

I never met a man, who could smile so easy, real honest.

I never met a man, who could make my dark soul, fill with light, by merely standing with him, in conversation.

I never met a man, who could come by honesty, so cleanly, so believably solid.

I never met a man, who could capture my soul, with the stories of simplicity, and sincerety of his youth.

I never met a man, who could live so modestly, so humbly, so simply, and be so very happy to live.

I never met a man, who could toil in the garden with his wife and find riches in the earth, riches which I could never see.

I never met a man, with a beard, so natural, so manly, that I just wanted to give it a little tug.

I never met a man, who was lacking in height, but, huge in stature.

I never met a man, who could wear clothing, tattered, worn, freyed, and look so regal, though, he would not understand that, at all.

I never met a man, who could tell you a story with his eyes, eyes with depth so bottomless, that, words were sometime inappropriate.

I never met a man, who could bring children into this world, who could be just as kind, and loving, and warm, as he. I call it “drinking out of the same cup” if you will?

I wandered around this big world, looking deep into the souls of individuals, here and there, seeing much of me, in them, nothing special there.

I never met a man who could make me feel the sadness, which I felt today, upon learning of the passing of Lester Graybill. The world will truely be a lesser place without him.

Goodbye my Dear Friend