Arts and Crafts Idea: Foam Sheet Glasses Case

Are you a camp director, teacher, or homeschool mom looking for a new arts and crafts idea for your kids? Or maybe you are a recreation director at a senior center or nursing home and could use a new project. Either way, this arts and crafts idea will be interesting and fun for all. This glass case can be used, given as a gift, or converted into a necklace purse.

To make the glasses case, you will need the following simple materials: a square of craft foam, plastic or large blunt needles, lanyard lace or thick yarn. Cut two rectangles from the foam, each 3-1/2 inches (9 cm.) by 6 inches (15 cm.). With a hole punch, make holes on three sides of each rectangle, leaving one short side unpunched. Make the holes 1/2 inch apart and allow at least 1/4 inch between the hole and the edge of the craft foam. The holes need to line up so that the two pieces can be laced together. If you are preparing the craft for small children, you should make the holes yourself. Otherwise, the crafters can do this step if you have enough pairs of hole punches.

At this point the crafters can cut decorative shapes from other colors of craft foam, or you can buy sets of ready-cut foam shapes. If you are doing the craft at a special event, like vacation Bible school, choose shapes that echo the theme of the event. For instance, if the Bible school or camp has a cowboy theme, find shapes that fit well, such as boots, cowboy hats, and stars. Let the kids choose the shapes they like and glue on as desired. You might also like to provide beads or sequins to glue on as well, especially if the crafters are a little older.

The next step in this arts and crafts idea is to thread the plastic needle with the yarn or lanyard lace. Yarn might be a little easier to handle, but lanyard lace is shiny and attractive. In a pinch, some teachers of small children use a bobby pin as a needle. It is certainly a safe alternative. Simply loop the yarn through the opening and use the open end of the bobby pin as if it were the point of the needle. The children can now begin to lace the front and back of the glasses case together.

To turn this arts and crafts idea into a necklace purse, simply attach a piece of lanyard lace to each corner making a long handle. Kids will enjoy using this case as a place to store secret notes and small objects. If they'd rather, they can give the glasses case to a parent, grandparent, or friend who wears glasses. Either way, this arts and crafts idea will be interesting for all.

Managing Project Risks: How to Quickly Assess Potential Pitfalls

Author: Adele Sommers, Ph.D.
Copyright 2006 Adele Sommers

Being optimistic is a wonderful thing, but being overly optimistic -- in the face of unrealistic odds -- can sabotage a project's success. Over-optimism abounds when people view every project as a "must-win" effort while failing to flag potential problems. In Part 2 of this series, we identified 10 types of risks related to choosing, estimating, and staffing your projects.

After identifying the potential risks, the next phase entails assessing to what extent the risks can negatively affect your project in areas such as cost, schedule, quality, or features. This article (Part 3 of the series) explains how you can quickly evaluate any risks you've identified to see whether they're likely to overwhelm your project.

Risks You May Have Flagged

Using the ideas in Part 2 of this article series, you and your team may have identified one or more concerns related to a project you're weighing. Ten considerations appear below; you might think of many others. If your answer to any question is "yes" -- or even "maybe" -- in relation to your project, it means that you've flagged a risk:

1) Is the project non-compelling or a bad fit for the project team?
2) Will the project scope entail operating in unfamiliar territory?
3) Are project requirements, such as product features, complex?
4) Are the requirements pitted against an aggressive schedule?
5) Are too few personnel and resources available for the project?
6) Will coordination with many different collaborators be needed?
7) Are the primary collaborators unfamiliar to the project team?
8) Are project team members discouraged from raising concerns?
9) Are there insufficient review and test cycles in the schedule?
10) Are there no standard protocols for managing scope changes?

Assessing the Risks You've Identified -- How Worrisome Are They?

Once you have a list of risks, you can next assess them to find out whether they will be mildly annoying or could wreak havoc on your project. This is a quick and simple process for evaluating them:

1a. Start by giving each risk a name or label.

Example: Imagine that your family has approached you about redecorating your kitchen because your relatives are coming for a family reunion the week after next. Your family believes that several changes are needed, as follows:

Project requirements:

* New faux paint treatment on the walls
* Resurfacing all of the kitchen cabinetry
* Laying new tile on top of the vinyl flooring
* Installing crown molding around the ceiling

Time available: Two weekends (four days) within the next 10-day period. But you don't believe that's nearly enough time to complete the job!

So, of all of the risks you've identified, you might label one of them "Too Many Features/Too Little Time." This means that the project requirements are too numerous, too complex, or both, given the time available.

1b. Next, describe the kinds of problems this risk could cause.

Also ask how likely it is to occur. For instance, if you're concerned that you won't have enough time in the schedule to incorporate everything requested, what problems might it cause whoever will be using the product, system, or solution? Are those chances fairly high? Describing these concerns can help everyone on your team agree on just how serious that potential risk is.

Example: Your relatives might arrive while the work is still in progress, and the kitchen will be unusable. Also, if you bow to the pressure to hurry, the quality of the work may be low. Both of these problems are likely if your family members try doing the work themselves, since they're not skilled in home improvements.

2. Give each identified risk a "potential impact" score or rating.

You can give each risk a High Impact, Medium Impact, Low Impact, or No Impact score, based on simple numbers you can derive easily. One way is to assign relative values to the negative impact a risk may have on the project cost, schedule, quality, and features -- with a different value possible for each of these four areas. For example, a high negative impact might be a 9, a medium impact a 5, a low impact a 1, and no impact a zero.

Example: Your kitchen redecorating project might earn scores like those below.

* Cost - You estimate that by doing the work yourselves, you'll possibly save money (if you don't botch the job). So your "Too Many Features/Too Little Time" risk might have a medium negative impact on cost, for a score of 5.

* Schedule - Since you feel backed into an almost unworkable time frame, you expect a high negative impact on schedule, for a score of 9.

* Quality - Because you expect to rush through the project, you anticipate a high negative impact on quality, for a score of 9.

* Features - Some features probably can't be completed, regardless of how fast you go. You foresee a high negative impact on features, for a score of 9.

The total score for all four areas in this example is 32, very close to the maximum. When you complete the process for any other risks you identified, you can compare this score with the others to see which risks are of greatest concern. You can then determine the priority order in which to mitigate them.

When you are finished with this phase, you'll have a set of named and assessed risks. Following this, Part 4 in the series will explain how to brainstorm ways to avoid, eliminate, work around, or otherwise mitigate each risk.

Garden Art...from trash?

Author: Jane Parr-Whitehead

Garden Art… from Trash?


April begs me to do something outdoors! How about you? The weather is about right all over the USA for gardening. Besides planning what to put into your garden as far as plants, you need to think of the special additions that make a garden unique.

Gardens need "bones" to ground them. No pun intended! Garden sculptures, hedges, specimen trees, and shrubs all help make good bones!

Now what about those extra touches that make your garden distinctively yours? Below is a list of ideas that you can use with your own twists to create all kinds of garden goodies for your own garden, or to give as gifts!


Broken plates-don't throw away those chipped plates, especially the pretty ones! Stick them into the garden with the chipped parts hidden by the dirt. Alone or grouped, they make a statement! Uneven numbers work best.

Mirrors and Cds-reflective surfaces attract birds and are fun in the sunlight. Make mobiles and hang from tree limbs! With a large mirror, one can place it against a fence, behind the plants and enjoy the reflections of your garden lighting. Our dog uses our big mirror to scope out squirrels without being seen. Funny to watch! She crawls into the greenery beneath the trees and watches in the mirror for any unsuspecting squirrel to enter the bed. She hasn't caught any yet but she sure likes to chase them!

More mirrors!-broken mirrors can be found in the trash and snatched for use in your garden. Glue with mirror adhesive to fences, garden sheds, and anywhere you want to make a space look larger. Use the pieces in a loose mosaic form and you have a one of a kind piece of art!

Rusted metal anything-the rusted look is very "in" now and metal can be found easily. Use your imagination and use large rusted metal car parts, old gates, iron grates from demolished old homes, and any metal you can get your hands on to create unique garden elements. If you cannot cut or weld these yourself, try finding someone who can and offer to trade a piece of garden art for their work.

Fabric-how about an old beach umbrella that you strip down to the bare spokes and cover with silk greenery and tiny Christmas lights? Inserted into the ground where light and a bit of fun are needed, the look is very "partyish"! Even better if you drape tulle, chiffon, netting, etc. over the umbrella! Swagged like you were draping a scarf over your shoulders. If it is to be a permanent fixture, use it as a trellis! Wonderful with lights!

More fabric-these same fabrics can be used to make "tent like" areas for the private enjoyment of your family. While not usually found in trash bins, the fabric can be had very inexpensively in close out bins at fabric stores. Bamboo poles make the structure. Even more dramatic beside a pool. An informal cabana!

Pottery-broken pottery is found at garden centers and nurseries. Sweet talk them into letting you have some! Large broken pots look great as is, or can be faux painted to look as though they are centuries old. Or try smaller pieces glued together to make a sculpture all your own. Paint, glue mirrors or tile pieces to make a mosaic, or leave as is. Make this large enough to make a "statue" in your garden! You can add the necessary "works" to make this a fountain!

Lamp stands-old lamps taken apart, tall stands of any kind, and anything that you can add that is tall and slender can be weatherproofed to make a grouping of candle stands for the garden. Again, three, five, or seven work best. With or without candles, these are attractive and catch the eye! Especially among low growing flowers. Or you can line your driveway with these for a luminary look!

Fence Posts-an old, tall, but sturdy fence post makes a great pole for use as a flag hanger. Just screw the hardware into the post. Mine has plant hangers and a small lantern hung from it also. A welcoming sight!

Potpourri of Ideas-Are we there yet? Are your creative juices flowing? Here are some off the wall ideas. Do you have a broken box fan? The square grates are wonderful for painting and hanging as faux gates, wall decor, or wherever your imagination takes you! Snip out a design from the grate for an even better look. Have an old touchier lamp? It too is great for painting and "planting" in the garden, decked out with plants on the top. Bury the bottom to keep it from tipping, or you can add concrete to the base. Look around the house and garage and see with new eyes. Check out the dumpsters and the neighbors trash! Old TV tables can be cut out for plant pots to sit down in. How about window frames? Old pool balls, golf gear, fishing gear, boat parts and oars, wooden anything! Some of these things need to be painted with clear or colored outdoor spray paints to keep them looking good, whether the look is "old" or new.

A note: Always think about this...in some places, taking something from someone's trash or going through a dumpster, is illegal. Please check local ordinances before you take a chance. And, another thing to keep in mind...sometimes you may find people with "not so nice" intentions hanging around dumpsters. All I am saying is...always be careful! Happy Decorating!





About the Author:
Jane Parr-Whitehead has been a professional Home Decorator for over 15 years. She now offers “Home Decorating via the Internet” from her site. Editor of a Home Decorating Newsletter, once a month, enjoy reading about Home Decorating, Decorating Childrens rooms, Animal Print Decorating, and much more. Visit her site at http://Decorativeartsbyjep.com/

Faux Painting Finishes

Author: Kathleen Wilson
Faux and Decorative Painting
Sponge painting

Sponge painting is great because it is easy, fast, requires little paint and materials, and did I mention it was easy? It can be used on walls, furniture, and accessories, and can give instant facelift to dull objects.

Don’t let anyone convince you that you have to go buy an expensive sea sponge to do this. I’ve used plastic grocery bags, cloth diapers, even old clothing…(Ok, now it’s called ragging, same technique, more subtle look.) But you can use a plain old kitchen sponge, and here’s the secret….tear away all the hard edges of the sponge, even tear chunks from the center to give it an irregular appearance.

Now choose your paint, and sponge! Remember to sponge sparingly at first, you can always add more later. Also, dab the paint off on your plate first, you only need a little paint on the sponge, or it will be too gloppy. Practice first on a paper bag, and remember to change the direction of your hand occasionally, the idea is not to get a pattern going.

Try combining sponge painting with stenciling or decorative painting, tape off a border and use it just there, you can even sponge paint over glassware with the new glass paints available at your craft store.

Marbelizing

There is a very simple technique to marbleizing that is popular in the home decorating world today, and you won’t believe how easy it is until you try it.
Simply choose two to four colors of paint within the same color scheme, one light, one medium, one dark.

Using a regular paintbrush, dip the brush into all the colors. Now simply pounce the paintbrush over the surface to get a mottled effect. It might help to keep a picture of a piece of marble nearby to refer to. Use the different colors to add shading, or tone down an area you think is too bright.
When finished with the surface, take a small artists liner brush, dip it into either the lightest or darkest color you used, (thin with a little water, if necessary) and paint veins by dragging the brush over the surface, wiggling it as you go. Don’t go overboard on the veining. Remember also to bring the veins over the edges for a realistic finish.
I think sealing it with a gloss clearcoat or polyurethane gives the most authentic look of polished marble.

Crackling

Crackling is very popular as aged finishes have become so much a part of showcasing warmth and history in our homes. It can be done without purchasing expensive crackling kits.
Crackled finishes are a simple chemical reaction. All you need are two colors of latex paint, one a base coat that will peek through, and one a top coat, that you will see the most of, and household glue. That’s right, direct from your kid’s art box.
Sand and prime your piece if necessary, then paint with your base coat. Remember, this will be the color the will just peek through, so it’s best if it contrasts with the top coat. Let dry.
Now mix household glue with equal parts water, and brush onto your base coat. This can be done easiest with a foam brush. Allow the glue to dry until just tacky, about 30 minutes.
Now for the reaction part. Brush on your top coat directly over the glue coat. Don’t brush over any one area more than once, you will ruin the crackle effect in that area. You should start seeing the crackling take place within a minute or so. The size of the crackles has a lot to do with your technique in applying the top coat, so experiment a little first. Long, smooth strokes tend to produce larger more dramatic cracks than short strokes, and

if you really want a subtle effect, try sponging or ragging on the final coat. Allow to dry overnight.
If you wish to further antique your work, simply dab or brush it with some wood stain, then wipe off. Repeat until you get the look desired.
You can seal with polyurethane or clearcoat, or coat it with common furniture wax.





About the Author
Kathleen Wilson is the Editor of a free ezine called The Budget Decorator, dedicated to the "budget impaired" home decorator. Visit her at http://www.thebudgetdecorator.com for more free projects and ideas, and for info on her workshop.

Faux Painting

Author: Kathleen Wilson
Faux and Decorative Painting
Sponge painting

Sponge painting is great because it is easy, fast, requires little paint and materials, and did I mention it was easy? It can be used on walls, furniture, and accessories, and can give instant facelift to dull objects.

Don’t let anyone convince you that you have to go buy an expensive sea sponge to do this. I’ve used plastic grocery bags, cloth diapers, even old clothing…(Ok, now it’s called ragging, same technique, more subtle look.) But you can use a plain old kitchen sponge, and here’s the secret….tear away all the hard edges of the sponge, even tear chunks from the center to give it an irregular appearance.

Now choose your paint, and sponge! Remember to sponge sparingly at first, you can always add more later. Also, dab the paint off on your plate first, you only need a little paint on the sponge, or it will be too gloppy. Practice first on a paper bag, and remember to change the direction of your hand occasionally, the idea is not to get a pattern going.

Try combining sponge painting with stenciling or decorative painting, tape off a border and use it just there, you can even sponge paint over glassware with the new glass paints available at your craft store.

Marbelizing

There is a very simple technique to marbleizing that is popular in the home decorating world today, and you won’t believe how easy it is until you try it.
Simply choose two to four colors of paint within the same color scheme, one light, one medium, one dark.

Using a regular paintbrush, dip the brush into all the colors. Now simply pounce the paintbrush over the surface to get a mottled effect. It might help to keep a picture of a piece of marble nearby to refer to. Use the different colors to add shading, or tone down an area you think is too bright.
When finished with the surface, take a small artists liner brush, dip it into either the lightest or darkest color you used, (thin with a little water, if necessary) and paint veins by dragging the brush over the surface, wiggling it as you go. Don’t go overboard on the veining. Remember also to bring the veins over the edges for a realistic finish.
I think sealing it with a gloss clearcoat or polyurethane gives the most authentic look of polished marble.

Crackling

Crackling is very popular as aged finishes have become so much a part of showcasing warmth and history in our homes. It can be done without purchasing expensive crackling kits.
Crackled finishes are a simple chemical reaction. All you need are two colors of latex paint, one a base coat that will peek through, and one a top coat, that you will see the most of, and household glue. That’s right, direct from your kid’s art box.
Sand and prime your piece if necessary, then paint with your base coat. Remember, this will be the color the will just peek through, so it’s best if it contrasts with the top coat. Let dry.
Now mix household glue with equal parts water, and brush onto your base coat. This can be done easiest with a foam brush. Allow the glue to dry until just tacky, about 30 minutes.
Now for the reaction part. Brush on your top coat directly over the glue coat. Don’t brush over any one area more than once, you will ruin the crackle effect in that area. You should start seeing the crackling take place within a minute or so. The size of the crackles has a lot to do with your technique in applying the top coat, so experiment a little first. Long, smooth strokes tend to produce larger more dramatic cracks than short strokes, and

if you really want a subtle effect, try sponging or ragging on the final coat. Allow to dry overnight.
If you wish to further antique your work, simply dab or brush it with some wood stain, then wipe off. Repeat until you get the look desired.
You can seal with polyurethane or clearcoat, or coat it with common furniture wax.





About the Author
Kathleen WIlson is the editor of a free ezine and newsletter called The Budget Decorator, dedicated to the "budget impaired" home decorator. Visit her at http://www.thebudgetdecorator.com for more free ideas and projects, and for info on her workshop.

Decorative Wall Painting Techniques

Author: Niall Roche


Do your walls seem dull and uninviting? Do you long for a cozy, welcoming room? Consider decorative wall painting techniques, such as sponging, ragging, stenciling or stamping. Even if you have no experience, you can brighten even the dullest room quickly and cheaply with one of these easy decorative wall painting techniques.

Before painting your room, pick out a color scheme for your walls. When you chose your paint, remember that many painting techniques use two shades of one color. If you are using one of the techniques that does use two shades of color, you can pick a darker color than you normally would chose for your base color, since the lighter top color will make the final result much lighter.

To sponge or rag a wall, paint on your base color and let it dry thoroughly. Then, dip your sponge or rag into the lighter paint color and sponge or drag the lighter color over the base coat until you are satisfied with the effect. If you are unhappy with your final result, you can repaint any areas that you don’t like with the base coat. Once the repainted area is dry, repeat the faux painting technique.

If you are considering using a decorative painting technique such as stenciling or stamping, you may just want to create a wallpaper effect by stamping or stenciling a simple design over your base coat. However, you may want to go a step further with your project and use stencils or stamps to create a faux brick or stone wall. You don’t need to be an artist to create one of these faux finishes. Just follow these simple steps. First, paint the walls with the color you chose for the mortar between the bricks or stones. Once the base coat is dry, stamp or stencil your bricks or stones over the base coat. Once the brick or stonework is dry, spatter a bit of the darker color over your faux art to give it depth and make it appear more realistic.

Creating faux effects such as making your walls look like they are made of plaster or suede can also really make your room stand out. You can easily learn how to create these seemingly difficult finishes at your local paint store. Paint bases that automatically give a suede or textured effect to the walls are a shortcut that even artists use to create fun finishes.

Finally, no matter which decorative wall painting technique you choose, remember that it is just a few layers of paint. You can always redo the finish on your walls as you learn more about the art of decorative painting.

This article was provided courtesy http://www.interior-painting-ideas.com where you can find tons of information on faux painting and interior painting ideasand techniques.


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Clay Pot Crafts

Clay pot crafts are a cute way to make home decorations. In clay pot crafts, clay flower pots can be crafted into a variety of decorative things that appeal to gardeners. Usually, the crafter begins with new pots. The pots are often decorated with paint as well as being tied together with rope or cord to create things.

Pots for clay pot crafts can be purchased in many different sizes, from tiny ones not more than 2 inches in diameter, to huge ones over a foot across. For a beginning project, start with smaller pots. The beginner should also choose clay pot crafts that don't use too many pots in too elaborate a design.

An example of a good craft for someone new at clay pot crafts is to make a bell from two clay pots. Buy one pot that is about five or six inches in diameter, and another that is very small. You will use the small one as the clapper for the bell. You will also need some decorative cord, two large wooden beads, and paint in desired colors. You may also wish to purchase some glue-on jewels to decorate the bell. The bell makes a nice decoration for a front porch.

Cut the cord two feet (60 cm.) long. Fold the end over 3 inches (8 cm.) and tie in an overhand knot, making a loop. This loop is for hanging the bell from a hook or a nail. Now turn the larger clay pot upside-down. Pass the loose end of the cord down through the hole in the pot. Lay the pot on its side and slide one of the large wooden beads up the cord until it is about 10 inches (25 cm.) from the loose end. Now tie the cord around the bead so that the bead cannot slip from its position on the cord. If you have done this correctly, you can lift the pot by the loop. In clay pot crafts, the beads must be large enough to stop the cord from going through the hole in the bottom of the pot.

On the loose end of the cord, you are going to attach the small pot in the same way. Slide the small pot up the cord to make it easier to tie the other large wooden bead on the end of the cord. Now when you lift the entire arrangement by the loop, the smaller pot should hang freely inside the larger pot, making a pleasant sound when it claps against the larger pot.

Decorate the outside of the larger pot with paint as desired. You may like to paint it in black and white patches for a Holstein cow theme. You may also like to decorate the top of the bell with silk or dried flowers and greenery and a ribbon bow.

For a variation on this craft, make three of the bells and hang them from a horizontal piece of driftwood or other interesting piece of natural wood. When making hanging clay pot crafts, always make sure the beads are large enough and are tied tightly in place, because the clay pots will break if they fall to the ground.

Other clay pot crafts include making a large doll or scarecrow of nested pots strung together and painted. The doll can sit on a chair or a step of the front porch. Paint his face to look like a scarecrow, a jack-o-lantern, a gnome, or a child. Clay pot crafts are especially suited to being displayed outside.

A Medieval Story for Valentine's Day, Bonne & Charles

Author: Barbara Nell


The general word on the Internet is the first Valentine card was sent in 1415. It’s not accurate and it’s not true. The particular Valentine was written in mid-February of 1416; it was on vellum, not card stock; it’s not the first Valentine card; and no one knows if it was sent.

Charles, Duke of Orleans, who was in London, England, wrote the Valentine that all of the Internet declares, and that fact is true. He had a wife, Bonne, who was in Paris, France or somewhere in France. If it was sent to her, it traveled a far distance on foot and on horseback and on ship. Pagan Valentine’s Day had been celebrated in Western Europe for centuries, and romantic, oftimes coded erotic, messages, had been exchanged for about 100 years by then between educated men and women who ran in the same crowd and lived in close proximity. So much for general information on the Internet...More specific information was found on special websites dealing with Medieval times.

Here’s what I found:

It is possible that Charles was lonesome for Bonne, while he was in London. He had just been captured (on October 25, 1415 specifically) by the English on French soil and was being held prisoner in London or in the London countryside. Charles was one of the lucky ones. Just about every other French aristocrat was killed in the Battle of Agincourt during the 100 Year War between the English and the French for land in France dowered to Eleanor of Aquitaine (former Queen of France) when she married Henry II, the English King. Charles and Bonne hadn’t been married long, about 5 years by 1415. He had been soldiering a lot during those five years, so they didn't see much of each other. A 100 Year War preoccupies a lot of generations of men folk.

There are three curious things, though, about these two you should know: (1) It was an arranged marriage whose purpose was to avoid further bloodshed between their families; (2) Bonne was 11 when she was engaged to Charles, who was 16; and (3) his father-in-law, Bonne’s father, had assassinated Charles’ father, Louis.

Maybe they loved each other; maybe not. I don’t even know if they ever lived together as man and wife, for she was only 11 when they married, 16 at the time he wrote the verse. In any event, Charles penned a poem on Valentine’s Day in 1416 and it has been retained for almost 600 years. You may not know that a Duke is a Prince, and noble, highborn prisoners were prized when captured in battle. They were ‘cash cows,’ held for ransom by the opposition, until their families could raise and pay the money for their release. At that time, although most men folk fought for the French King, France wasn’t exactly a country, then, and the King didn’t assume any responsibility for ransoming his patriotic nobles or aristocrats. (No one cared much for non-nobles or non-aristocrats, except their families. But, they were never captured and held for ransom. More often than not, they were killed. They're the enormous body counts in battles of old, the serfs and servants.) This ransom was up to the noble or aristocratic prisoner’s family, if they wanted their relative back home. (And they did want their men folk back.) His ransom in today’s money could be as much as $500,000 ($US). The actual amount in Medieval English crowns was 150,000 crowns. This sounds like an enormous sum. What with the French losing the war, their King’s reoccurring madness, Joan of Arc’s triumph, then ignominy, a subsequent economic depression, the Black Plague, and Charles’ family having to pay his upkeep all those years, (plus lots of other things) it took his family 25 years to get the money and treaty agreement together to turn him over.

Bonne died while Charles was held prisoner in England, and they had no children. (She falls from the written record because she did not produce progeny, and no one knows exactly when she died or where she was when she died. Actually, no one is exactly sure where she was living and with whom while she was married to her incarcerated husband, Charles. It's probable she was transferred to Charles' family estate at the time of the betrothal and raised by Charles' family until the wedding, remaining there until she died. There’s one more tidbit about poor Bonne, and that is this: Bonne may not have been her name. It’s really an adjective in Old French, and merely means “good girl.”)

A manuscript of the poem is in the British Library. I don’t know if it’s the original. It’s named by the scribe, Harley, in the archive, and scribes’ copies were often rewritten and rewritten and passed around for years and years amongst wealthy families. If it is the original, it was not unusual for scribes to assist in Valentines, for they made a living writing fancy script and making pretty pictures. (Apparently, Charles’ family sent him enough money to pay the scribe, so he didn’t live too badly while he was held prisoner.) How the manuscript got to the British Library after 600 years was by bequest, but I was unable to check out the provenance. The BL was willing to describe the manuscript: There’s a Cupid image and a 3-part verse. The verse is in Old French, not English. There is no version of the poem on the Internet.

I was able to find a description by A.E.B. Coldiron, who says it’s an appeal to Cupid with Charles as a servant of Cupid (Lust imagery, I think.) but no one is named and there is no heading. Charles says he admires this person (Bonne?) and despairs of seeing her again. He is frustrated (which is what all noble men were required to express in Chivalric code), but Coldiron doesn’t say what he’s frustrated about. He promises to be faithful and praises her beauty, virtue, and honor. He may describe intimate moments they’ve shared, a custom in Valentines, but I suspect not. She was simply too young to have been expected to cohabit with her groom and when she was old enough to cohabit, he was away fighting battles, then captured.

A non-academic source has published the following verse on a website, http://www.homespunpeddler.com and has attributed this verse to Charles in a collection called “Romantic Valentines.” It doesn’t read anything like Coldiron’s description, so I doubt if it’s the one he wrote to Bonne. I offer it to you, so you know what a translated from Medieval French into modern English 15th century Valentine would read like.

"Wilt thou be mine? dear Love, reply

-- Sweetly consent or else deny. Whisper softly, none shall know, Wilt thou be mine, Love?

-- aye or no? Spite of Fortune, we may be Happy by one word from thee. Life flies swiftly -- ere it go Wilt thou be mine, Love?

-- aye or no?"

Frankly, the above verse is not that terrific, is it? I would call it doggerel. Maybe something is lost in the translation. If not, I think he could have done better. He had a lot of time on his hands.

I’d like to believe that Charles and Bonne did love each other, but don’t know for certain. (The glimmer of hope I entertain that Charles loved Bonne is an anecdote about him reading a love poem he composed to her at their wedding ceremony. Some scholars believe he was showing off his poem prowess, but some scholars are without a scrap of romance in their souls.) Things were different six hundred years ago: love and marriage didn’t intersect amongst nobility and aristocrats. Children were pawns and shuffled around to do smart things for their families. Duty to family superceded love and children dutifully married other children. Romance was in the chivalrous code, hence, unrequited. Sexual congress was for procreation, a duty, and family lineage promulgation was its purpose. Lust was with wrenches, when they could be found. If Bonne and Charles loved each other, it’s a sad story of 2 children from good families. If they didn’t love each other, it’s a jailhouse reverie of a young man who burns. I don’t want to leave you on either note. So, I’ll go for this: go get some vellum (stretched goat skin), pen a personal message of your feelings to your love, make it pretty and fancy all over, and hand it to your love. Maybe your message will be memorialized until 2605, when someone like me comes around to figure what happened then.

Barbara Nell, publisher of "The Perspicacious Woman OnLine," a bi-monthly fashion e-zine in its 10th year of publication, has been a closet bug on history all her life.

The History Of Valentine's Day

Author: Katy Luck
Why We Celebrate Valentine's Day..
The oldest Valentine card still in existence was sent in 1415 by Charles Duke of Orleans, at the time a prisoner in the Tower of London, to his wife. The Valentine’s card is now preserved and displayed in the British Museum.
However, the origins of Valentine’s Day lie in ancient Rome. Over the years the ever expanding Roman empire became more difficult to police and there was an increasing shortage of soldiers. Believing that married men were too attached to their families and unlikely to sign up, Emperor Claudius II banned marriage, thinking this would increase the number of quality recruits.
The story goes that a Christian priest by the name of Valentine, seeing the unhappiness and trauma that resulted, secretly married couples in defiance of the new law.
It wasn’t long before Emperor Claudius found out about Valentine’s actions and the priest was imprisoned and eventually executed on February 14th, 270.
Whilst in prison, Valentine was befriended by his jailer, a character called Asterius. Asterius had a blind daughter and the jailer asked Valentine to cure her, which he did. Shortly before his execution, Valentine asked for writing implements and signed a farewell message to the jailer’s daughter “From your Valentine”, a phrase that has lived on, much to the delight of modern day florists, rose growers and card companies!

5 Ways To Having The Happiest Valentine's Day Ever! (Even When You’re Alone)

Author: Marla Sloane
The thought of Valentine’s Day conjures up romantic evenings, a candlelight dinner, and long walks with your loved one. It is, without a doubt the most romantic day of the year. So how could you possibly be expected to enjoy Valentine’s Day when you’re alone? Well, while it might not be all hearts and flowers, you can still spread the message of Valentine’s Day: Love.

Over the years, I’ve interviewed numerous people and asked them what their favorite Valentine’s Day memory was. Surprisingly, very few couples actually mentioned a gift or a special night out. In fact, most of the people I interviewed remembered their special Valentine’s Day by things they did for others. Gifts they gave, whether they were store bought or home made that gave them the feeling of joy and happiness.

A heartwarming Valentine’s Day for Jacque from California, was when she was in charge of bringing little treats for her daughter’s 3rd grade class. After agonizing on what to do, she decided to make the extra firm red Jell-O, and cut them into heart shapes. After running to the store to get more mix, and spending a lot of time cutting out the heart shapes, she was frustrated and wondered why she ever signed up for the job in the first place. Was this a big mistake? When she passed out the treats in school, the kids’ eyes lit up, and their sweet little voices filled the room with laughter and excitement. All the kids loved it! Jacque remembers feeling incredible that day. Her heart was glowing with happiness to see how much those kids loved her little treats.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our daily chores, that we often forget that children need to be remembered too. Teenagers often feel left out on Valentine’s Day, but a handsome Colorado man gave two giggling teenagers a Valentine’s Day they will never forget. Geoff was working on a resort property trimming trees, and noticed there were two smitten teenage girls sitting on the balcony watching him while he was working. Geoff knew he would be finished on February 13th, and thought he would he would surprise them with a dozen red roses on Valentine’s Day, and signed it, the tree trimming guy. The girls were thrilled to get flowers on Valentines Day, and were still talking about it four years later! Geoff ranks that day as his all time favorite Valentine’s Day!

Making someone happy (especially when it’s unexpected) has a euphoric effect on you too. It’s happiness shared twice. Is it possible to have a happy Valentine’s Day even when you are breaking up? If you have a sister like Linda, you can. Linda’s sister was going through a divorce in February, and she was heartbroken and distraught. On that Valentine’s Day, Linda secretly sent her flowers at her office, and signed the card, “From your Secret Admirer.” As soon as her sister received them she called Linda and said, “Oh my God, you will never believe what just happened, I got these beautiful flowers today, but I have no idea who they are from!” Linda had all she could do to keep from laughing, and giving away her little secret. Linda’s sister went on to say that the entire office was trying to figure out who her secret admirer could be. Linda was happy that she could give her sister a happy Valentine’s Day even when she was facing unhappy times.

Yes, it is possible to have a great Valentine’s Day, even when things are looking a little dismal. Here are a few ways you can share your love this holiday.

5 Ways to the Happiest Valentine’s Day Ever!

1. Send a heartfelt Valentine Card to someone who has really inspired you and tell them how much they mean to you.
2. Make a homemade Valentine Card and send it to your favorite relative you haven’t seen in a while.
3. Send flowers or candy to someone who doesn’t have a sweetheart, and sign it anonymous.
4. Make a Valentine’s Basket and send it to a family that has gone through a difficult time and sign it, From Your Guardian Angel.
5. Take your little niece, nephew, or cousin out for ice cream.

Giving is the fastest way to feel good about yourself. It doesn’t have to be expensive, even a single hand picked flower will do. Anything coming from the heart will surely be felt and appreciated. It’s two gifts in one. One is for the recipient and even a bigger gift for you.




About the Author
Marla Sloane Ph.D. is a successful author and speaker. Her Daily Positive Affirmations subscribers have reached world-wide proportions, and her book, “The Masks We Wear and How to Live Without Them” is at the heart of her teleclasses; Live Your Best Life. Marla has also produced, Trilogy of Meditations, for your Mind, Body, and Spirit, which is distributed nationwide, and in Europe. You can visit her web site at: www.marlasloane.com

Print Shop Deluxe Empowering Users To Do Publishing

Author: Granny's Mettle
Professional and business-looking cards have become so tedious that I have been trying to get other programs to help me create cards and albums without feeling that it's a lot of work for me.

Broderbund's "The Print Shop" has been doing that for its clients, particularly users who need a quick, easy and affordable way to do basic publishing activities.

Now comes another version of the popular Print Shop program that lets you design or adapt over 11,000 templates of everything--- from greeting cards and photo albums, to signs, banners, and even calendars.

The Print Shop Deluxe 12.0 is for kids, as well as for those kids-at-heart, who love the idea of churning out fun projects. Aside from turning regular banners and greeting cards into great works that ensures attraction, the newest edition of the 16-year-old printing and desktop publishing program includes a photo editor and tools that can help users produce simple paper products from menus to other marketing products. It also has easy-to-use interface, and a great online support.

Print Shop 12.0 is easy to use, never mind that the program has six CDs of clip art. One review even stated that you might need to find enough drive space for the whole "monster program". The review even said that even if one should stick with the minimum installation option, the program still needs 670MB of drive space. On the other hand, if one should decide to just keep the extra clip art CDs handy, swapping them every time you need an image may be a time-consuming alternative.

But as I've said earlier, never mind the number of CDs. The huge collection of clip art and images will blow your mind. With more than 134,000 images and 11,000 layout templates, you'll have more than enough for the next decade of publishing, I think.

With its easy-to-use interface, the program is definitely simple and functional. Print Shop 12.0 has menus with scores of commands and toolbars easy enough to manipulate. One artist even boasts of its large open space in the center of all those icons and toolbars-- the better to design your work.

The program also boasts of 5,000 more templates than the previous version. Just choose a template from one of the many categories, do the easy instructions, then customize the text and art and your on your way to creating your very own greeting card, or banner, or whatever marketing material you need at the moment.

The new Color Set Creator also helps users change the Color Set on the background. With just one click, users can try different colors for their project.

With a user-friendly manual, even a kid can handle its features. The program's help file is complete and clear.


About The Author


Granny's Mettle is a 30-something, professional web content writer. She has created various web content on a diverse range of topics, which includes digital printing topics, medical news, as well as legal issues. Her articles are composed of reviews, suggestions, tips and more for the printing and designing industry.

Her thoughts on writing: "Writing gives me pleasure… pleasure and excitement that you have created something to share with others. And with the wide world of the Internet, it gives me great satisfaction that my articles reach more people in the quickest time you could imagine."

On her spare time, she loves to stay at home, reading books on just about any topic she fancies, cooking a great meal, and taking care of her husband and kids.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.ucreative.com

articles@ucreative.com

Cute Kid's Valentine Craft

This will make a great Valentine gift (or for any other special occasion) that your kid's can decorate themselves with markers.

How to Make Cards.

Author: Debbie Luker Some nights you may not feel like taking out all your scrap supplies and pictures but you still want to create something. A good solution is to make some cards. Cards take less thinking and time then doing a scrapbook page. And you can often get a whole bunch done in one sitting.Cards are used for all occasions; birthday, thank you, anniversary, etc. Everyone enjoys receiving a card especially if it is hand made and it looks like the person spent time making it. To make a card, cut a 8 1/2x11 piece of paper in half so it measures 5 1/2x8 ½. Use a scoring blade to score at about 4 ¼. Then fold in half. Use scrapbook supplies you would use while scrapbooking to decorate the front like patterned paper, stickers, die cuts, just to name a few. Another great tool to use is a quote book. Find a quote to go along with the subject of the card and include it either in the outside or the inside of the card.It is nice to make more then one of the same card so that you won’t have to make one every time you need one. It’s good to have a supply. A way to organize your supply of cards is to get a shoebox and place dividers in it with all the different card titles (i.e. birthday, anniversary, etc.) Also, keep the appropriate size of envelope in the box so that they are always on hand.Card making can be just as fun as scrapbooking. If you get one great idea for a card, you can make a lot of the same cards. And you can even take that idea and change it to do another subject, just change some of the elements. Try card making one night instead of scrapbooking and see what you come up with!