Christian Art in Your Home
June 13, 2008
Christian art is wonderful for inspiring us. Cathedrals and churches, paintings, music, performances, and sculpture have been created for centuries. Now, in our own time, photography, mixed media, and posters are widely available too.
All these forms of Christian art have shaped our understanding of the great stories of the Bible. From the simple Christmas carols we learned as children to the transcendent glory of Handel’s Messiah, Christian music uplifts us. From the Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel to Salvador Dali’s Last Supper, Christian paintings give us something to look at and contemplate. A few minutes spent looking at a piece of art can help center us before a time of quiet prayer.
There is something for everyone, with whatever taste in art, with whatever favorite themes. You could spend a lifetime just delving into pictures of Christ himself, as a child and as an adult. Other specific themes include the garden of Eden, angels, the crucifixion, the last supper, saints, and other Christian figures.
The history of Western art is very largely the history of Christian art, so anyone who loves art can benefit from time spent with the masterpieces of Leonardo Da Vinci, Fra Angelica, and so many other great painters and sculptors.
Building Wood Stairs
June 13, 2008
Building a set of wood stairs is not nearly as hard as you may think. With some basic wood tools and a bit of algebra you can easily build your own. Of course this can get a bit tricky for stairs with several landings but the method is still the same.
This article will cover the steps for building a straight set of stairs. Chances are if you are reading this then you are still learning and won’t be taking on a complex stair anyway.
Now, we will assume that it is from a deck to a concrete pad. The deck is going to be 48″ wide and at eye level from the ground.
Tools you will need:
You will also need:
Find the overall rise
Paving The Way For Californias Asphalt Consumers
June 12, 2008
The California asphalt paving industry is ever-changing and in order to provide the best services, asphalt paving companies are turning to new technologies to stay ahead of the competition.
Asphalt technology in California has been changing since the creation of Hot Mix Asphalt and will continue to change as time permits. Asphalt rubber pavement was introduced in 1991, which shocked many industry experts. Asphalt rubber pavement seemed promising to those in the industry who were ready for a change. On the other end of the spectrum were industry experts who thought that the world wasn’t ready for such technologies to be implemented.
In Tom Kuennens article titled, “Asphalt Rubber Makes a Quiet Comeback” shown in Better Roads Magazine, he describes rubber asphalt as, “a chemically reacted mix of liquid asphalt binder with 15 to 22% crumb rubber. The rubber is obtained from reclaimed tires, and added to liquid asphalt. It’s reacted at elevated temperatures prior to being mixed with aggregate.”
Reduce Your Heating Bills This Winter
June 11, 2008
Imagine leaving a window open all winter long — the heat loss, cold drafts and wasted energy! If your home has a folding attic stair, fireplace or clothes dryer, that may be just what is occurring in your home every day.
These often overlooked sources of heat loss and air leakage can cause heat to pour out and the cold outside air to rush in — costing you higher heating bills.
Air leaks are the largest source of heating and cooling loss in the home. Air leaks occur through the small cracks around doors, windows, pipes, etc. Most homeowners are well aware of the benefits caulk and weatherstripping provide to minimize heat loss and cold drafts.
But what can you do about the three largest "holes" in your home — the folding attic stair, the fireplace and the clothes dryer? Here are some tips and techniques that can easily, quickly and inexpensively seal and insulate these holes.
Attic Stairs
When attic stairs are installed, a large hole (approximately 10 square feet) is created in your ceiling. The ceiling and insulation that were there have to be removed, leaving only a thin, unsealed, sheet of plywood.
Amish Furniture A Piece Of American Pride
June 10, 2008
Over the past several months I have been actively working with Amish Americans. The Amish have a unique culture, and are often called the "Simple People." Amish appear to be caught in a time warp dating back to the early 1800’s. A time when horse power was a term counting the actual number of horses, and instead of E-mail snail mail is the normal means of sending someone a letter. Yes this lifestyle does appear slower, simpler, and not as efficient to the novice eye, however I have found that we should examine the finer points of their simple but industrious culture.
I am Proud to be an American, and so these next few comments hurt me dearly. Americans have lost the war for quality; we all but conceded it to the German’s and Japanese. Americans have lost the war for value, our labor costs, quality of goods, and timely service rates are among the worst in the world. As a result of these great losses American industry has moved overseas and across the boarder. We have come to the point as a labor force where we no longer want to give the best to receive the best. Our own American companies don’t dare ask American employees for what they need to survive; they just close the doors and pack up for some other more profitable location. There are, however, Americans that provide a manufactured product of the highest quality and the best value.
How To Replace The Rollers On Your Patio Door
June 9, 2008
Have you noticed your patio door is getting harder and harder to open? Maybe it’s time to change the rollers on the door. They generally last from ten to fifteen years but they do wear out and its a job that a do-it-yourselfer can accomplish with a little advice and some strong arms to get the door out!
Sliding patio doors are usually aluminum but there are many wooden and vinyl models on the market. All of them use ball bearing rollers to slide easily back and forth. The aluminum and some vinyl doors have a door bottom that is held in place by 2 screws on either side of the door near the bottom. Beneath the screw is usually an open hole in which there is an adjusting screw to raise the roller up and down. The wooden doors often have pairs of rollers due to their extra weight. The adjusting screws are accesible through plastic caps covering holes in the front of the door bottom.
I mention the adjusting screws because you need to check them before deciding to pull the door out and replace the rollers. Slide a big flat blade screwdriver underneath the door on one side and lift slightly to remove the weight from the roller. Use another screwdriver to turn the adjustment screw. See if that makes the door slide better.
Marble Information
June 8, 2008
Marble is any limestone or dolomite that can take a high polish and still be usable. Marble is generally formed from limestone undergoing metamorphism. When exposed to extremes of pressure or heat limestone turns into calcite or dolomite crystals, which are the primary materials in marble.
Marble has a famous history. The ancient Greeks built their architecture, cities, and sculptures often from Pentelic and Parian Marbles, quarried in Greece. The romans later used marble in their buildings as well, quarrying in the Greek spots and finding roman marble quarries of their own. Marble is, in a lot of ways, what the classical and Hellenistic age was built from.
It is still used heavily today in construction, and can be quarried all over the world. The uses for this stone are almost endless. It’s used in flooring, counter tops, pillars, stair cases, colonnades, paneling, and facing stone in architectural structures. It can’t however be used outdoors, since water would corrode its crystalline structure. It is also very smooth and therefore tends to be slippery, which makes it unfavorable to use in high traffic areas.
Unadulterated Truth About Black Mold: What You Don?t Know Is Destroying Your Home And Your Health
June 8, 2008
With today’s new building procedures, our homes are more dangerous than ever before!
Scientific evidence now shows that the air inside our homes is 2-5 times more polluted than the air outside. And because we spend about 90 percent of our time inside, indoor air quality has become one of the top environmental health threats in the country.
With today’s new construction practices, buildings are no longer made to breathe. Pollutants trapped inside our home can cause chronic symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, skin rashes and itchy eyes. Some pollutants may have more serious effects, including asthma and cancer.
While this seemed like a good idea at the time, buildings are now made so air tight that the pollutants produced in the building accumulate and have no way to escape.
On of the major problems to arise in recent years is black mold, and it’s become a nationwide epidemic. It’s now responsible for destroying the lives of thousands of unsuspecting victims. And until we find out how to control this menace, the situation is only going to get worse.
If you want to find out how to wipe out the black mold threat in your home, be sure to sign up for this upcoming no-charge, consumer awareness teleseminar.
Decorating Tips: The Meaning of Colors
June 7, 2008
Colors have many different meanings. Have you ever been in a blue room, feeling calm and relaxed, and then walked into a red room and you began to feel chatty and excited? The change in your mood wasn’t just coincidence - it was an actual psychological and physiological response to the colors of the rooms. When you are planning to decorate your home, the colors of your rooms should be one of your first considerations. You want to choose colors that you’re not only comfortable with, but also colors that will create the right types of moods for both you and your guests in each room.
Let’s start with some of the more common colors: Blue is a calming, relaxing color. The color is good for bedrooms but can destroy the mood in a dining room as it serves as an appetite represent. Combined with green, blue exudes a natural atmosphere in a room. For centuries, green has been representative of life and birth, but on the flip side, it has been known for jealousy and inexperience. Like blue, green is a relaxing color. The color symbolizes a certain harmony both in the world and in life.
Tips For Buying a Whirlpool Bath Online
June 6, 2008
So you’re building the bath of your dreams but find the prices you have been quoted for the Whirlpool Bath way out of your budget.
Don’t despair and settle for a Whirlpool Bath you don’t want!
Go online and save by buying direct from a Whirlpool tub distributor. Here’s how. (more information at http://www.maxsvr.com/Buying-whirlpool-bath-spa-online.html)
There are three choices in Whirlpool baths;
1) Hydrotherapy - Jetted Water Whirlpool Baths
2) Air Bubble - Heated Air bubbles distributed over entire body
3) Combo - Both Hydrotherapy and Heated Air functions combined
Hydrotherapy is the more traditional Whirlpool you have probably experienced. It is great for relaxing muscles, lowering blood pressure, and relieving stress. It is however a hazard to young children and adults with medical conditions, in which case the more gentle Air Bubble Whirlpool bath is suitable.
The Combo gives both whirlpool choices but at an additional cost of course.
Two key factors in choosing your whirlpool are fit and fit;
1) Fit - Whirlpool bath suits your body and ease getting in and out
2) Fit - getting the Whirlpool bath into your house and bathroom!
