Make A Family Reunion Flier

Make a Family Reunion Flier

Planning and organizing a family reunion starts with the flier to inform family members about the event. Whether it's a simple pot-luck luncheon or a three-day weekend full of activities, the family reunion flier conveys the important basic information to family members. Organize your flier in a simple, concise manner so family members clearly understand the events. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Gather information and buy supplies. Select a date, time and location for the family reunion. Estimate how many fliers, stamps and envelopes you need to send.

2. Add text to the family reunion flier. Center the title of the event near the top of the page. Choose a font that stands out and select a font size to make the title look bold. Skip down two lines and start entering the important information for the family reunion such as the date, time, location and RSVP information. Center this information, using a smaller but readable font. Provide an estimated cost per person, planned food and activities at the bottom. Include a contact name, number and email address for further information.

3. Select a picture or graphic. Add a picture from last year's family reunion under the event's title. Play with the design. If you don't like this layout, try inserting the picture elsewhere on the flier. Insert graphics along the side of activities occurring during the family reunion such as volleyball, horseshoes, a picnic or barbecue. Consider adding a family crest or coat of arms if one exists.

4. Check spelling and grammar. Use only the most important information in a clear, concise manner. Extra information clutters the flier, making it difficult to read. Insert a second page in the mailing with nearby attraction, projected itinerary, map and hotel information. Increase or decrease your font size to fit the remaining space. Select a bold, easy-to-read font color. Add a border to your page if space allows.

5. Print a copy of the family reunion flier. Check to make sure the margins and text are properly aligned. Review the family reunion flier for readability. Correct any layout errors and print the family reunion fliers.

Tags: family reunion, family reunion, reunion flier, family members, concise manner, date time

Homemade Tropical Party Decorations

Leis add a tropical touch to your party decor.

A tropical party can bring the beach into your home at any time of the year. Homemade tropical party decorations can help to express your theme and show a personal touch at the same time. Does this Spark an idea?

Types

Homemade tropical party decorations bring a touch of the island to your party. A number of simple craft projects work for tropical party decorations. Fishbowls filled with sand and home-grown flowers are both easy-to-make tropical centerpieces. Homemade leis made from real or silk flowers will add a tropical touch to your party decor as well.

Time Frame

You can create homemade decorations for your tropical party just an hour or two in advance of your event. For example, potting tropical flowers to use as centerpieces should take less than 15 minutes per centerpiece, so the total amount depends on how many centerpieces your party requires.

Size

You can create homemade tropical party decorations in a range of sizes. Large floral centerpieces work well for round banquet tables. Wrapped tropical chunk cookies are small enough to sit at place settings or toss in a colorful, tropical-themed basket.

Tags: tropical party, party decorations, your party, create homemade, Homemade tropical party

Choose A Retirement Cake

Retirement is a significant phase in one's career and life and such a big step calls for a celebration. Any good celebration deserves cake and the right one can make both add to the festivities and honor the retiree. From casual to elegant, there are many retirement cake options available to tie in with your party theme and make your it one to be talked about long after the dishes are cleared away.

Instructions

1. Consider any dietary restrictions your guests may have. If a reasonable number of your guests are not able to eat sugar, opt for a sugar-free variety of cake as well as a regular version. Sliced fruit with a sugar-free cream sauce can also be laid out next to a regular cake so all your guests may enjoy the dessert portion of the meal.

2. Consider what kind of party you are going to have when choosing a retirement cake. If the affair is formal, then a more elegant cake is needed to match the surroundings. If a certain kind of flower is used for the party decoration, perhaps a cake iced with matching flowers is appropriate. Or, if the party is being hosted by a company, a tasteful design matching the company logo may be called for. Don't be afraid to use other kinds of desserts to stand in for a traditional iced cake.

3. If the retirement party is semi-formal or casual, then consider a cake that reflects the interests and hobbies of the retiree. For instance, if the guest of honor is an avid hiker, a cake shaped like a mountain can be used. A budding writer might appreciate a cake decorated like a book.

4. A retirement cake can also be used to represent the retiree's career. An airline pilot might receive a cake decorated as a plane or a cloud, or a teacher might be pleased by a cake shaped as an apple or a chalkboard.

5. Use the cake as a space to write general good wishes or inside jokes. Some generic well wishes include: "Good luck in your new life," or "We'll miss you." The cake should represent the retiree as well as tie into the theme of the party, so coordinate accordingly whether you are tying in colors or the festive theme.

6. Consider adding a personal touch by making a retirement cake. There are many online options that will show step by step tutorials on what kind of tools you will need and frost your cake with everything from butter cream to fondant. If you are less handy in the kitchen, bakeries and caterers have a large selection of retirement cakes for you to choose from.

Tags: retirement cake, your guests, cake decorated, cake shaped, represent retiree, what kind

Decorate A Pig Birthday Cake

Pig Birthday Cake

Pigs are frequently featured in children's literature, from Wilbur in "Charlotte's Web" to "Babe," the sheep-herding pig. A pig birthday cake will be a big treat for a child who is fond of these characters or who simply likes barnyard animals. The pig cake is easy to make if you can pipe on icing. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1. Create the basic shape of the pig birthday cake by placing the cooled round cake on the serving platter or cake board. This will serve as the body of the pig cake. Crumb coat the round cake with a thin layer of buttercream icing.

2. Center the cooled domed cake on top of the round cake. The domed cake will be the head of the pig birthday cake. Crumb coat the domed cake with a thin layer of buttercream icing.

3. Place two of the cupcakes at the bottom of the round cake pan to form the legs. Cut another cupcake in half for the ears. Place the ears on the opposite end of the round cake from the legs, and make sure the ears are touching the head. Place the final cupcake on top of the domed cake as the pig's snout. You may wish to crumb coat the cupcakes before you put them in place on the pig cake.

4. Tint the buttercream with the pink food coloring. Place the pink icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Cover the entire cake, including the pig's legs and ears, with the pink icing.

5. Use the candies for the eyes, nostrils and mouth of the pig birthday cake. Or tint icing the appropriate colors and use it to pipe in these features.

Tags: round cake, domed cake, birthday cake, with thin layer, buttercream icing, cake Crumb

Cook Pigs In The Ground

Pigs are cute and awful tasty, too.

Pit cooking is often associated with holiday gatherings or special occasions because of the labor-intensive and time-consuming nature of the project. The typical barbecue pit requires placing a pig on top of layers of hot stones and leaves and covering it with dirt and wet burlap to seal in heat and moisture. Whole pigs should be cooked for about 20 minutes per pound and reach a final temperature of 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1. Dig a hole 2 to 3 feet deep and 5 to 7 feet wide. The diameter of the pit depends on the size of the pig, but should be wide enough to accommodate the whole animal.

2. Line the bottom of the pit with rocks. Be careful not to use shale, which can burst when heated.

3. Place your firewood over the rocks and light it. Hickory, maple, beech or ironwood are the preferred timbers for pit cooking. It will take approximately two hours for the fire to die down to ash and embers.

4. Place smaller rocks directly into the fire. These will heat the inside of the pig later.

5. Season the pig as desired. Make slits under the legs that will accommodate the smaller stones. Place the pig onto the chicken wire.

6. Soak the burlap in water.

7. Remove the small stones from the fire with tongs and place them inside the slits and cavity of the pig. Only do this once the fire has died down to glowing embers.

8. Tie the front legs together with twine, then the back legs. Wrap the pig in the chicken wire so that it can be lifted out of the pit once cooked.

9. Spread embers out evenly over the rocks with the shovel. Cover the embers with a layer of grass trimmings, leaves or corn stalks. Aromatic herbs also can be added to the trimmings to enhance flavor. Do not use all of your trimmings; they will need to cover the pig later.

10. Lower pig into pit. Cover with a generous layer of trimmings, leaves or stalks. Lay wet burlap over the leaves. The burlap will hold in the steam and the heat.

11. Cover the burlap with a tarp or canvas. Shovel dirt or gravel on top.

12. Cook pig for 20 minutes per pound.

13. Remove the dirt, tarp, leaves and canvas covering the pig. Using oven mitts or rags carefully pull the pig out by grabbing the chicken wire.

14. Cover a table with newspaper and set the pig on top. Unwrap the chicken wire and pull away from the pig.

15. Carve meat off of pig and serve.

Tags: chicken wire, minutes pound, over rocks, trimmings leaves

Hotels Inside Disney World Orlando

Stay at a hotel in Disney World.

Disney World is currently the world's largest amusement resort, according to the London Times, and is less than 40 minutes southwest of Orlando. This resort encompasses 47 square miles and features four theme parks. On-site hotels at Disney World are within walking distance from all the roller coaster rides, shops and restaurants in the theme parks. Also, guests who stay at a Disney hotel have complimentary shuttle service to Orlando International Airport via the resort's monorail system.

Walt Disney World Dolphin

Located in Disney World's Epcot area, Dolphin is a Westin hotel that features amenities such as five outdoor swimming pools, including one with a water slide and waterfall; guest laundromat; car rental services and a fine dining Italian restaurant, Il Mulino New York Trattoria, which serves dinner every night of the week. Mandara, the hotel's spa, offers massage therapies and facial treatments. Each of the 1,509 guest rooms at Dolphin include a satellite television, work desk and one king-size or two double-size beds. Some of the rooms have a private balcony and dining area. Golfing enthusiasts who stay at Dolphin are less than 20 minutes from Disney's 18-hole Palm, Magnolia and Lake Buena Vista golf courses.

Walt Disney World Dolphin

1500 Epcot Resort Blvd.

Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

407-934-4000

starwoodhotels.com

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

Animal Kingdom Lodge is an African-style hotel located in Disney World's Animal Kingdom theme park, which features a 43-acre wildlife reserve. This hotel offers amenities such as an exercise center, spa that includes massage therapies, baby-sitting services and an 11,000 sq.-ft. swimming pool with water slide. African-themed restaurants, which include Boma and Jiko, are also on the hotel's property. Guest rooms at Animal Kingdom Lodge include a king-size or queen-size bed, refrigerator and satellite television. Private balconies, living room areas and kitchens are featured in some of the hotel's rooms. The hotel is within walking distance to the Animal Kingdom wildlife reserve, which features animals such as the greater flamingo, sable antelope and reticulated giraffe. Animal Kingdom Lodge is also near shopping areas that include the Mombasa Marketplace.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

2901 Osceola Pkwy.

Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

407-938-3000

disneyworld.disney.go.com

Disney's Polynesian Resort

Disney's Polynesian Resort is a South Pacific-themed lodging in the Magic Kingdom theme park and provides hotel amenities including two outdoor swimming pools, three beach locations, guest laundromat and a marina area with boating facilities and bike rentals. Two on-site, tropical-themed restaurants, Kona Cafe and Ohana, serve island and Southeast Asian cuisine. Guest rooms at the Polynesian Resort include a king-size or two queen-size beds, refrigerator, satellite television and ceiling fan. Two-bedroom suites are available, as well as rooms that include balconies and living room space. The hotel is a short monorail trip from the Grand Floridian Spa & Health Club, which features an exercise center and offers massage therapies and facial treatments.

Disney's Polynesian Resort

1600 Seven Seas Dr.

Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

407-824-2000

disneyworld.disney.go.com

Tags: Disney World, Animal Kingdom, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kingdom Lodge, Buena Vista, Lake Buena, Lake Buena Vista

Make A Skirt At Home

Skirts are a versatile wardrobe essential that work with all kinds of outfits. Pattern catalogs offer a variety of skirts you can make at home, including mini skirts, skirts for the office, long, flowing skirts, poodle skirts and cheerleader skirts. You can even make a long skirt from fancy fabric and wear it with a jacket instead of an evening dress. You can also find skirts with pockets, decorative elements and pointed or diagonal edges, such as handkerchief hems. Most skirts are easy to sew, especially those with few pieces. Skirts with elastic waistbands are generally easiest of all, since they don’t require a zipper and they don’t have to be exactly the right size to fit.

Instructions

1. Choose a pattern for the type of skirt you want to make.

2. Buy fabric for the skirt, following the guidelines on the pattern envelope for how much fabric you need and what type to use. Cotton and denim work well for casual skirts, while poly-blends and wool work well for the office and fancy fabrics such as satin work well for evening skirts.

3. Buy any other notions you need that are listed on the pattern such as elastic, a zipper, buttons, trim or matching thread.

4. Cut out the pattern pieces for the skirt. Since most patterns have several size options, make sure to use the cutting line for the size you need.

5. Smooth out the patterns. You may even want to iron them with a cool (low-temperature) iron to get out the all the wrinkles and make the patterns more accurate.

6. Follow the cutting guide in the pattern directions to pin the patterns to the fabric and cut out the pieces.

7. Follow the directions that came with the pattern to sew the pieces of the skirt together. Try on the skirt before adding a zipper or the elastic to make sure it fits. Adjust the skirt as needed.

8. Try on the skirt before hemming it to make sure it’s the right length. Trim the skirt if needed, and complete the hem.

Tags: make sure, work well, pattern pieces, pattern pieces skirt, pieces skirt, skirt before

Do Your Hair For A Luau

Luaus are a Hawaiian tradition.

A luau is a Hawaiian custom, celebrating the abolition of gender segregated meals in Hawaii. Typically a lavish celebration, there are abundant amounts of food, drinks and decorations. Usually, women wear skirts or dresses and leis around their necks. While many women choose to wear their hair down with a floral accessory, there are no strict guidelines for wear your hair. You can embrace the carefree essence of Hawaii, and the celebration of a luau with several different hairstyles. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Relaxed Luau Style

1. Wash your hair and let air-dry.

2. Part your hair with a comb in a zigzag pattern wherever is comfortable. Use short "zigs" and "zags" along your part to create a line that appears messy or accidental. A straight part will look contradictory to a natural, messy hairstyle.

3. Spray a saltwater-based styling product in your hair to encourage carefree waves.

4. Pull a small section of hair away from your face, to the side of your head, in line with the corner of your eye. Add a floral clip to hold your hair in place.

Simple French Twist Updo

5. Brush your hair back into a ponytail near the nape of your neck. Hold the ponytail in place with your hand.

6. Hold the ponytail a few inches from the base; twist it clockwise as you pull the ends so that they face up. This will create the French twist.

7. Hold the base of the twist to your scalp as you fold the ponytail in half, down toward your neck.

8. Curl the ponytail slightly so that there is a small space between it and your scalp. Push the top of the folded ponytail down into the space; continue folding your hair in this manner until the ponytail forms a neat, twisted roll.

9. Pin bobby pins that match your hair color at the bottom of the twist where it meets your scalp. Continue pinning up the roll to create a seam.

10. Pin any loose parts and spray with hairspray.

Messy Low Ponytail

11. Add texture to your hair with a curling iron. If your hair is naturally smooth, wrap 2-inch wide sections of hair around a hot curling iron; hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Continue until you have curled all of your hair.

12. Run your fingers through the curls to separate them and create texture.

13. Sweep your hair to one side, at the nape of your neck.

14. Use a hair tie to secure the ponytail.

15. Separate a piece of hair from the back of the ponytail, and wrap it around the hair tie. Secure it with a bobby pin; spray with hairspray.

16. Use a brush or comb to tease the ends of the ponytail to make it messier.

Tags: your hair, your neck, your scalp, base twist, curling iron, hair with

Design Beer Bottle Labels

Include the name of the beer and an insignia on your beer label as a custom touch.

If you brew your own beer, the next step to customize your brew is to design custom labels. If you have a graphic design program such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw or Paint Shop Pro, and a bit of graphic knowledge you can design your own labels. If you don't have special label paper you can print the labels on regular printer paper and adhere them to bottles with a liquid glue stick. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1. Pick a size for your label. If your design program is "label aware" you can create a new document that is of standard label size (for example, Avery Label #5146.) If your program does not offer this feature, you can create a new document of any size you want. Just make sure whatever size you choose fits your bottles.

2. Design the label to fit within the border. If your program is "label aware" it will automatically show you the border of your label. If your program is not designed for labels, simply draw a box to act as your guideline. You can delete the box later or leave it as part of the design.

3. Complete the design for your label using your program's text, fill and other design tools.

4. Create a new document that is 8 1/2-by-11 inches. Copy your label design and paste as many labels onto one page as you can. This will be your master print document.

5. Insert the paper of your choice into your printer. You can use paper with an adhesive back or even just regular paper. Print out the master document and cut your labels out. They are now ready to be adhered to your bottles.

Tags: your label, your program, border your, bottles Design, create document

Design Invitations Using Gimp

Design Invitations Using GIMP

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) software is a full-featured image manipulation program, nearly equivalent to Photoshop. What sets it apart, however, is the fact that it is completely open-source and free to use. This fact makes the GIMP an excellent choice for those running on a low budget--for example, an about-to-be-married couple looking to inexpensively design invitations for their wedding. No matter what the occasion, GIMP software can ease the process of creating attractive invitations.

Instructions HSV Noise") and blur it ("Blur > Gaussian Blur"). Add a new layer (Ctrl-Shift-N) and add fog texture ("Render > Clouds > Fog") of a darker tan than your base color. This should give you a mottled, parchment-like look.

3. Give the parchment torn edges. Create another layer and use the rectangle select tool to select a large box, leaving only a small margin on each side. Invert the selection (Ctrl-I) and open "Select > Distort" to give the selection a jagged edge. Use the bucket tool to fill the selection in white, and press Ctrl-Shift-A to deselect everything. This jagged, white border will make the parchment appear to have a rough edge.

4. Add the invitation text, using the text tool. Type your message into the dialog that appears after clicking on the image where you want the text to begin. Use the options in the Toolbox window to adjust the text to your desires--you may wish to give the text a center alignment, or give it a larger, elegant font. Colored text works well, too; just be sure it shows up well against your parchment background.

5. Print your invitations (Ctrl-P), using the Print Preview feature to make sure the printed invitations will be the right size, first.

Tags: Design Invitations, Design Invitations Using, Invitations Using

Make A Homemade Pineapple Cheesecake

Pineapple is a refreshing addition to cheesecake.

Making a homemade cheesecake can seem like a daunting task. But in reality, it is a simple dish that must be made ahead of time, making it a perfect dessert for your next get together. Make a simple graham cracker crust, fill with cream cheese batter, bake and chill. Adding pineapple to the basic cheesecake recipe makes it a refreshing summer dessert or, if you serve it in the winter, it will remind you of warmer days. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Make the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Using your hands, press the crumb mixture -- it will stick on its own -- onto the bottom and up the sides of your springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes and let cool while preparing the filling.

2. Make the pineapple puree. Place the pineapple, pineapple juice and lime juice in a small saucepan. Cover and cook about 20 minutes. When finished, the pineapple will be very soft and the liquid will be reduced. Puree until smooth and chill until cool to the touch.

3. Beat the cream cheese and remaining 1 cup of sugar using an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time. Next, add the pineapple puree and vanilla. When combined, pour into your prepared crust. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until the middle is set. Cool on a wire rack and then transfer to the refrigerator for at least four hours or up to overnight. Serve as is or garnish with crystallized ginger or guava coulis.

Tags: Bake minutes, cream cheese, graham cracker, pineapple puree, until smooth

Decorate For A Wedding Reception

Decorating for a wedding reception doesn't have to break the bank.

A wedding reception generally takes place after the ceremony in a rented hall or at someone's house. Sometimes the reception is held outdoors. Regardless of the location, decorating for the reception is an important part of preparing for the big day. The reception is a celebration of the new couple and their commitment to each other. The joy of the day should be reflected in beautiful and festive decorations at the reception.

Instructions

1. Choose a color theme. Having a color or colors in mind will make the decorating plans go more smoothly.

2. Buy or make centerpieces for tables. These are often flower arrangements in the wedding colors.

3. Rent colored glassware. It will add style to your tables and will coordinate with the centerpieces to add impact to the decorations.

4. Set up tables for eating, a gift table, a cake table and buffet tables as needed. Decide whether you want assigned seating for guests. Regardless, have a wedding party table set up for the bride, groom and their attendants. A special table for the parents and grandparents of the wedding couple is also a nice touch.

5. Purchase balloon arrangements. They are easy to match to the wedding colors and add an element of fun to the decorations. Consider purchasing a balloon arch for the entrance to the reception and balloons to use as part of the table centerpieces.

6. Cover the tables with white linens for ease and expense reasons. The white tables also make good backdrops for the colorful tableware and centerpieces. Simple white chair covers can be rented to add elegance to folding chairs. Add a pop of color to the chairs by tying a wide ribbon in a wedding color around the back of each one.

7. Place a favor at each place setting. If you will have assigned seating, a name card is necessary as well. Coordinate these to the color theme.

Tags: assigned seating, color theme, wedding colors, wedding reception

Choose A Hawaiian Island Vacation Spot

The Hawaiian Islands are America's paradise. Each island, however, offers a slightly different experience. For instance, Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, is known for its nightlife and big-city attractions. Conversely, Kauai is known for its secluded beaches and spectacular scenery. Knowing which island is best suited to your tastes is the secret to getting the most from your Hawaii vacation.

Instructions

1. Choose Oahu for nightlife and shopping. Oahu, the most populated of the Hawaiian islands is home to the capital of Honolulu. It's also where you'll find Waikiki Beach, the dramatic peak of Diamond Head and the solemn Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Visit Oahu for nightlife, a variety of restaurants and some of the best shopping in the islands, both for luxury goods and products made in the islands.

2. Pick Kauai for scenery, beaches and romance. Kauai, the "Garden Isle," is lush and tropical--and relatively secluded. It was here that the movies, "South Pacific" and "Blue Hawaii" were filmed. Poipu Beach, on the south side of Kauai, is one of the best beaches in Hawaii.

3. Vacation in Maui for outdoor sports. Maui offers a little bit of everything. However, the most popular activities on the island are sports. Here you can ride down the slope of Mount Haleakala on a bicycle at dawn for a dramatic view of the sunrise. You can snorkel with dolphins just off shore, and you can play some of the best--and most beautiful--golf courses in the world.

4. Live it up in luxury on Lanai. Lanai, once filled with pineapple plantations, is home to a pair of high-end resorts, both run by the Four Season Hotel--Manele Bay and the Lodge at Koele. There isn't much on the island outside of the resorts. Don't expect a vibrant nightlife or lots of shopping.

5. Stay on the island of Hawaii for variety. The island of Hawaii, the largest of the Hawaiian islands, offers something for particularly every taste. There are black sand beaches, orchid farms, cattle ranches and championship golf courses. You can also visit an active volcano at Volcanoes National Park and go skiing on the same day that you relax on the beach.

Tags: island Hawaii, Oahu nightlife

Make A Fruit Centerpiece Using A Pineapple

You can make an interesting and edible fruit centerpiece with a pineapple base covered in bite-sized fruit. This centerpiece resembles the crown of a pineapple by design, but the fruit-covered skewers are festive, colorful and delicious. For convenience, you can prepare the fruit a day ahead of when you plan to make the centerpiece. Prepare extra fruit skewers so you can replenish the ones your guests eat. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Peel and cut the cantaloupe, honeydew melon and one of the pineapples into small, bite-sized chunks and refrigerate.

2. Wash the strawberries, grapes and cherries. Remove the individual grapes from the stems. Leave the greenery on the strawberries and the stems on the cherries.

3. Skewer the cut and cleaned fruit onto the 10-inch skewers. Insert the skewers straight through the center of the fruit pieces, alternating the different types of fruit along the skewer. Leave three inches of open skewer at the pointed tip so you can insert the fruit skewer into the sides of the pineapple. Leave enough room open at the top of the skewer so you can insert a strawberry or a cherry over the end for a more finished look. Plan to use between 15 and 20 fruit skewers at a time, depending on the size of your whole pineapple.

4. Insert the fruit skewers into the whole pineapple. Stand the pineapple upright and begin inserting the fruit skewers around the base at an angle. Leave two inches between each skewer and make a row around the pineapple. To begin working your way up the pineapple, insert fruit skewers between each of the skewers on the first row, about 1/2-inch higher on the sides of the pineapple. Continue to insert the skewers in rows between the skewers on the previous row, gradually working your way up the pineapple until it is covered.

5. Pick up the covered pineapple by its crown and place it on the table as an edible centerpiece. As your guests take the fruit skewers, replace them on the pineapple.

Tags: fruit skewers, between each, insert fruit, open skewer, sides pineapple

History Of Nine Mens Morris

Nine Men's Morris is one of the oldest games in the world. Also known as Morris, Merels or Mill, this sophisticated Tic-Tac-Toe has a resume that begins in an ancient Egyptian temple and ends online in the 21st century. In between, its history travels from Sri Lanka to Rome to Shakespeare in England---and even across the ocean to the American Civil War.

The Game

In Nine Men's Morris, two players compete, each with nine pieces. Players try to get three in a row, while preventing their opponent from doing the same. Each time a player achieves this, she takes one of the opponent's pieces. The loser is the first to have only two men, no longer able to get three in a row. The board has three nested squares, each with eight places for the pieces to rest. Two versions of the board have been found--one with diagonal lines through the corners of the squares and one without. What makes it different from its younger sibling Tic Tac Toe, is that pieces may be moved to adjacent spots as the game progresses, allowing for strategic moves.

Ancient Times

The oldest example of Nine Men's Morris was discovered carved into the roof of the Temple of Kurna in Egypt, which was built in 1400 BC. Other versions have been discovered in ancient manuscripts and tombs, as well. Boards were discovered in Ceylon, Sri Lanka, circa 10 A.D., and a game was found cut into the deck of a Viking ship from 900 AD. The Romans, too, entertained themselves with Nine Men's Morris. Versions have been found etched in their buildings.

Bronze Age Ireland

According to GamesCrafters, a UC Berkeley website, the game was discovered scratched in the ground of Bronze Age Ireland. GamesCrafters claim the Celts considered the game sacred and the board symbolic with the center square named the Cauldron or Mill and representing regeneration. The four diagonal lines stood for the four compass points, as well as the four winds and the four elements.

Medieval England

Though it's not clear when the game reached England, it has also been found etched into English cathedral choir stalls. Furness Abbey's stairs were not spared an etching, nor were tombstones in the Isle of Man, Norwich, Dover or Scarborough Castle. The game reached the height of popularity in the 14th and 15th centuries, according to Gamescrafters. It often came on the back of a chess or backgammon board.

Shakespeare's Times

William Shakespeare writes of the game boards that were dug into the village greens with a trowel. In "A Midsummer's Night's Dream," he writes: "The nine-men's morris is filled up with mud; And the quaint mazes in the wanton green, For lack of tread, are indistinguishable." (Medieval literature from France and Germany also mention the game.) Around Shakespeare's time, the game became known as Merels, from the Old English for boundaries. One might simply chalk Merels onto the table in a tavern and challenge another patron.

American Civil War

Versions of the game appeared in the southwestern United States among the Kere, Tigua, Tew and Zuni tribes. During the American Civil War, soldiers used pebbles and twigs for markers, scratching the game board into the dirt. A letter from soldier Charles Wickesburg, written to his family from a U.S. Army Hospital in 1863, explains that Nine Men's Morris is among the many games he can get from the hospital reading room. Later, the real-life trench warfare of World War I led to the creation of a new version of Nine Men's Morris called "Trencho."

Today

Today, multiple websites offer game boards for sale or online versions of the ancient game. Players can walk in the footsteps of the ancient Celts or match their strategy against a computer.

Tags: Nine Morris, American Civil, have been, been found, been found etched

Make A Cupcake Tree

A cupcake treee saves time and money.

What is a cupcake tree? A cupcake tree is a fun and creative way to display beautifully decorated, or even regularly frosted, cupcakes. More and more people are using cupcake trees in the place of cakes at baby showers, bridal showers, birthday parties, anniversaries and even weddings. They can have three to seven tiers and can hold anywhere from 23 to 200 cupcakes. At weddings, the top layer is often used to hold a smaller cake for the cake-cutting ceremony.

Instructions

1. Find a cupcake stand that is made of cardboard, metal, glass, plastic or wood to act as the tower. Check at your local bakery, cake decorating store or crafts store to buy one. You can also find a cupcake stand or tower on Craigslist or eBay relatively cheap.

2. Make your cupcakes. Use your favorite cupcake recipe, whether it's made by hand or from a box. Add extra cuteness by selecting paper cups based on a theme (for example, soccer balls for a soccer party). The best way to decorate cupcakes is if they don't crumble when you go to decorate them. The trick is to make the cupcakes and then freeze them without any decorations or frosting. Wrap each cupcake in foil or plastic wrap and place them in a container in the freezer. Take them out and decorate them when you are ready to use them.

3. Decorate your cupcakes any way you choose. Use only the frosting (decorating with a knife), perhaps adding sprinkles on top. Or, use cake-decorating bags and tips to make your cupcakes look even fancier. Frost them and add decorative picks. Frost your cupcakes different colors (red and green for a Christmas theme, for example). For a child's party, write the first letter of each child's name on a cupcake and hand it to the child when it's time to eat the sweet treats. The ideas are endless. Search online for more decorating ideas.

4. Cupcake trees save you time and money. Not only are cupcake trees decorative and creative, they also save time and money. You save time by not having to clean up as much afterward. There is no need to throw away plates or silverware or wash them because people don't need plates and silverware to eat cupcakes. You save money by creating them yourself as well. There's no need to pay someone else to make the cake because you can make the cupcake tree and have it look just good.

5. Be proud of your work. You will feel a sense of accomplishment once your cupcake tree is put together. Watch how fast the cupcakes go. Eat up and enjoy!

Tags: your cupcakes, save time, time money, cupcake stand, cupcake tree, cupcake tree

Carve A Wood Stump

Carving tree stumps can create an attractive centerpiece in your garden.

Wood stumps can be unsightly in your backyard if you don't have the resources to have it removed. Turning the stump into an interesting backyard feature for your home can allow you to avoid having to remove the stump completely. Small, handheld electric chain saws make the process of carving the stump easier, as you can use them to quickly remove the negative space from your carving, leaving you to carve the remainder of the stump using wood chisels.

Instructions

1. Draw the outline of the stump on a piece of paper with a pencil and plan the front, sides and back of the carving. While you won't be able to transfer the plan to the stump, having a plan in place makes it easier to flesh out the design.

2. Cut away the negative space of the stump using the electric chain saw. The negative space is the large clumps that will be removed from the design in preparation for the detail work that is to be done with finer carving tools. Use the plan that you drew up to determine where the negative spaces are in the design. If you are carving a face, you will use the saw to create the rough shape of the head.

3. Carve away the details of the design using the wood chisels and a mallet. Follow the plan you drew carefully to ensure that the design comes out as you want it. If, for instance, you are carving a face from the wood stump, you will be using the chisels to form the facial features such as the nose, lips, ears and eyes.

4. Carve the stump's final features using carving knives. Being the finest tools, these are used to impart the finest details to the carving. In the example of a face, you would produce the face's skin texture, eyelid details, lines around the mouth and other details that would not be possible to produce using either the chisels or the chainsaw.

Tags: negative space, carving face, electric chain, stump using, using wood, using wood chisels

Homemade Hawaiian Invitations

Whether you need invitations for a Hawaiian-themed wedding, backyard luau or birthday party, create your own cards to convey the event's time, date and place. Choose colors, objects and accents to generate the feel of the islands. Then customize the invitation style to suit the formal, relaxed or whimsical tone of the festivities.

Use Postcards

If you have access to a stash of new or used postcards from Hawaii, turn them into quick homemade Hawaiian invitations. Write the party information on the back of the postcard and mail "as is" or in an envelope. Recycle used postcards by printing party details on a piece of card stock that you can trim and adhere over the old message on the postcard or simply affix the used postcard to the front of a blank card as an easy invitation. You can also print party specifics onto a piece of translucent vellum paper and attach it over the postcard photo with small brads for a more formal look.

Incorporate Sand

Evoke the atmosphere of relaxing Hawaiian beaches by incorporating sand onto your Hawaii-themed invitations. Make a border for the front of the card by applying strips of double-sided tape around the edges or using glue to create wavy lines across the bottom. Sprinkle the areas with real sand and press the grains slightly to help them adhere. You can also add sand to segments of palm tree, shell, bottle or beach stickers on your invitations by applying a thin layer of glue with a paintbrush before coating with sand.

Make Decorative Shapes

Create shaped Hawaiian party invitations to represent the theme of the party. Try objects such as a sun, palm tree, conch shell, flip-flop, tiki torch, tropical flower, waves or sunglasses. Design your own card bases by folding a piece of card stock in half and tracing a stencil, large cookie cutter or die cut so one edge of the design rests along the fold. Trim the shape and then adorn the front of the card with stickers, rubber-stamped images or markers and add party details inside.

Go Dimensional

Although you'll need to pay additional postage, consider creating Hawaiian party invitations out of dimensional objects. For example, write the party information on a deflated beach ball with a solvent ink pen that won't smear on slick surfaces. Design your own message in a bottle by printing specifics on a piece of vellum and rolling it to sit inside a small plastic bottle. You can also print details on a colorful card stock tag and attach it to a pair of inexpensive flip-flops, a paper flower lei or plastic sand shovel.

Tags: card stock, also print, Design your, front card, Hawaiian party

Make A Fabric Flower Pin

Fabric flower pins can make fun decorations for hats, bags, skirts and sweaters. You can make a simple fabric flower from scraps of colored fabric. You’ll also need a pin back, or a pin with a flat top that you can hot glue to the fabric flower. You can find pin backs in a variety of sizes in most fabric and craft stores. Most pin backs come in packages of a dozen or more, so you may need to make several fabric flowers to use them all.

Instructions

1. Cut two squares of fabric, about 4 inches wide or the size you want for the base of the flower. The flower should be slightly wider than the pin back.

2. Cut two squares of fabric 1/2 to 1 inch smaller than the first squares. Cut two squares of fabric 1/2 to 1 inch smaller than the second squares.

3. Fold each square of fabric in half, then fold it in half again. Trim the unfolded edges of the fabric into a rounded or scalloped shape to make the petals.

4. Unfold the fabric, then cut slits between the rounded areas, without cutting the petals all the way apart.

5. Apply anti-fraying gel to the cut edges of each petal if you want to prevent the fabric from raveling.

6. Place the two largest flower pieces on top of each other. Glue the two largest flower pieces together using a small dab of hot glue in the center.

7. Pull the petals of the lower flower up through the slits between the upper petals to make the flower petals fluffier.

8. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 with the pair of medium flower petals, and then the pair of small flower petals.

9. Stack the flower petal pairs on top of each other, with the largest petals on the bottom and the smallest petals on the top. Make sure the petal pairs are centered. Glue the layers of fabric petals together with a small dab of hot glue in the center.

10. Place a row of hot glue over the top of the pin back. Glue the back of the fabric flower to the pin back. Allow the glue to cool thoroughly.

11. Glue a button to the center of the flower if you want a finishing touch.

Tags: flower petals, squares fabric, each other, fabric inch, fabric inch smaller

Identify The Date Of Manufacture On Smith & Wesson Pistols

Identify the Date of Manufacture on Smith & Wesson Pistols

The Smith & Wesson company was formed in 1852, in Norwich, Connecticut. The company's first offering was a lever-action repeating pistol. Moving forward from those beginnings, Smith & Wesson shaped innovations in the manufacturing of modern handguns. As of March 2011, Smith & Wesson offers approximately 110 different pistols of varied designs and features.

Instructions

1. Examine the barrel of the Smith & Wesson pistol. Locate either "Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts" or "Smith & Wesson; Houlton, ME" stamped on the barrel. This identification proves that the handgun is an authentic Smith & Wesson pistol.

2. Locate the serial number on the left side of the pistol's frame. The standard location for the serial number is above the trigger guard. Some serial numbers are located underneath the frame in front of the trigger guard. Others are on the rear of the frame, above the gun's grip.

3. Look up the pistol's full serial number -- including all letters and numbers -- in the back section of the "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson" book. These listings inform you of the pistol's date of manufacture, based on the serial number.

Tags: Smith Wesson, serial number, Date Manufacture Smith, Identify Date, Identify Date Manufacture, Manufacture Smith