Holiday Outdoor Decor: Points And Thoughts

Putting up holiday outdoor decor is definitely not always the easiest thing, but with the right tips and advice, next Christmas seasons you will be able to move through the holiday outdoor decor setup process quicker and easier than ever before, and are definitely going to appreciate it. Whether you like rustic outdoor decor or any other type, here are a few tips that will be very helpful.

Get Organized

The best way to start your holiday outdoor decor experience is to make sure that you have everything organized. Sort all of the items into separate boxes. For instance you will want to have all your Christmas lights in one box, your outdoor pieces such as Rudolph and Santa in another, smaller decorations in another, and so on.

You may even want to write on the outside of each one, so that once they are closed up and packed away you will still be able to remember what is in which box next year when you go to do your holiday outdoor decor again. Another tip is to test everything before going to all the work of having to actually set it up.

After all, you don't want to string the Christmas lights all the way around the house only to find out once you are done that a few lights are not working, because it will throw the whole thing off. It will just take a minute before to check and make sure that everything is working fine, and it will be well worth your time, that is for sure.

Also, asking for help is a great idea and you should never feel embarrassed by doing so. Ask people in your life to come over one night and help you decorate. This way you will not only be able to get it done faster, but more importantly have someone there to help you when you are doing dangerous tasks like climbing up the ladder in the snow to put the Santa's sleigh on the roof.

Now that you see how easy it can be to set up all of your holiday outdoor décor, you really should never get frustrated and flabbergasted ever again. These are just the most basic tips, so if you really want to get the best advice, talk to your family and friends. See what sort of ideas they have for decorating around the holidays, because you can really take all the advice that you can get here.

Source Tkceramics.com

in reference to:

"Holiday Outdoor Decor: Points And Thoughts"
- http://www.tkceramics.com/event-detail/538.html (view on Google Sidewiki)

Garden Decor Tips: Adding Wind Chimes and Rain Chains

Among the styles of wind chimes available commercially, the tubular ones are likely the most common, and most familiar to consumers. These are the wind chimes that start with a main ring at the top, to which are attached the strands that will thread through the tubes. First, the strands pass through a disc or other shape that will separate them to allow for space and movement between the tubes.

The number of tubes in a set of wind chimes will vary, and the number used will vary in length and diameter. This is because according to the metal utilized in their construction, tubes vibrate and bend in various directions when they are struck by an object, or against each other. Where tubes are all the same length, the ones with a greater diameter, will produce the higher tones. However, the longer the tube, the lower the frequency of the sound.

Not all wind chimes are made from metal. Virtually any substance that is attractive to the eye, and makes a pleasing sound when struck, can be used in making these delightful additions to your home décor.

A favorite material is glass, which resonates with many different tones, according to its thickness, and composition. Another choice is ceramics, which like glass, produces a range of tones based on the size of the chimes, their density, and the flexibility of their composition.

Wind chimes are not necessarily basic shapes such as tubes, squares, circles, or diamonds. They come in fun and decorative styles too, including a fish wind chime that has moving body sections, a pinecone wind chime with moving scales, or a moose and bear wind chime where the animals literally rub limbs with evergreen trees.

For the person who finds hard substances strike too sharp a tone for their ears, you can purchase bamboo windchimes that produce a soft, brushing sound as they move against each other, replicating the natural sounds of bamboo in the wild, bending before the wind.

Alternatively, you might enjoy the soothing sounds produced by rain chains. These are chains of several feet in length that hang from an eave, or other surface that rain runs off. They were first used in Japan, hundreds of years ago, as an open water flow system, long before eaves trough was invented. Today, they are primarily an item for outdoor décor, and feature a decorative figure that is repeated at intervals along the chain, either channeling the water along, or providing surfaces over which the raindrops must pass and drop, to create a variance in the sound. While you enjoy the beauty of the rain chain and the relaxing rhythm of the rainfall, you can collect what drips off in a bowl for watering your garden, later.

Whether you have sunny weather or the skies have opened up and it pours, there is always something in your outdoor décor bag to delight in.

Source searchwarp.com

in reference to:

"Garden Decor Tips"
- http://www.tkceramics.com/event-detail/560.html (view on Google Sidewiki)

How to Paint Ceramic Wizards

Unpainted ceramic models are a great way to enjoy three-dimensional artistic expression even if your talents lie more in the two-dimensional art of painting. Ceramic wizard models are an enjoyable fantasy art offering, usually featuring plenty of interesting details which give you lots of opportunity to make creative decisions about how to design the model's final appearance.

Step 1

Give the model a thorough look-over to take stock of all the different sections you will want to paint. Take plenty of time to notice where the delineations occur between different objects and identify what every shape is. If the model is particularly intricate, you may want to make a list of all the various sections to be painted (e.g., different articles of clothing, skin, hair and accessories).


Step 2

Decide what colors you want to use for each of the items on the model, then mix or pull these from your paint collection. Do a sample palette with spots of all the colors you want to use on a piece of scrap paper to make sure you like the way they look together and that none of the colors clash.


Step 3

Paint the largest color section of the model. This way, you won't have to worry about accidentally getting paint on the smaller pieces, since you'll be doing them later. (On most wizard sculptures, the largest section will be the wizard's robe or cloak.) Let the paint dry fully, including any second coats you want to apply.


Step 4

Apply color to the other sections of the model, moving from largest to smallest. As with the robe, apply paint to a section, let it dry completely, then move to paint a different section. If you make any mistakes, use a clean, damp brush to wipe away the paint from the wrong area.


Step 5

Use metallic enamel paint, if you like. If the wizard is holding any metal objects, like weapons or gold, this will give the model an added layer of realism. You can also use metallic paint to add designs to areas of the wizard's clothing, such as stars or accents on the hem.

Source ehow.co.uk/Lauren Vork

in reference to:

"Black Clay products"
- http://www.tkceramics.com/event-detail/559.html (view on Google Sidewiki)

A Number Of Interesting Facts On Ceramic Painting

The concept of ceramic or ceramic tile painting can be dated back thousands of years. As a matter of fact, they have been discovered at a number of most erstwhile ruins. The term “ceramic” is derived from a Greek word that means pottery. Nevertheless, ceramic art work has been used prior to the time of olden Greece.

Inception

As soon as human being started out constructing dwellings and civic facilities, he made up his mind to invigorate the space somewhat. Ceramic painting turned into an effective technique to embellish the interior of a house. It was employed on patio walls, roofs, floorings, inside murals and even on outside walls. This particular theme of beautification is so ancient that ceramic tile prints have been recovered at the remains of Babylon, prehistoric Egypt and Greece. The most antique artworks were obtained in Babylon and are reckoned to be 4,000 years old.

Evolution of Techniques

Hardly any practices were ever acknowledged all through the past record of ceramic painting. They were communicated by word of mouth from father to child or from master to pupil. It is apparent that the tiles themselves were manually constructed of clay. The most former tiles were built of clay bricks that were crushed and formed by hand. Subsequently, they were dried out by the sunlight or baked. Afterwards, tools made of wood were employed to give shape to the clay. After the physical structure was formed, the tile was blazed in a kiln. If the tile was not having a shiny coating, it was blazed only once. If it was glazed, then it was blazed two times in the furnace. In the period from 1840 to 1849, artists started to recreate the art on ceramic tiles and made bricks with a dust pressing technique. This technique involved squeezing the brick between two metal blocks.

Enhancing Techniques & Color

Tiles without shiny coating were left uncolored and continued with the shade of the clay. A very old method of adornment was sgraffito. Sgraffito is a practical method where the body is wrapped up with thin potter’s clay and then knocked off to shape a figure. A lucid glaze made by pounding white lead, flint (a form of silica), porcelain clay and china stone simultaneously revealed the coloring of the clay or of the paint used over the clay. This shiny finish permitted artists to paint freely on the clay and rendered the paint capable to remain on the clay. The early Greeks heavily contributed to a manner of ceramic painting known as mosaic. This technique implies cutting off painted tile pieces, then assembling them to make an image or design.

Forms of Decoration

Three forms of embellishment were applied on ceramic. The foremost form of design, used in olden periods, was the tile image. Every brick comprised a piece of an image, and then bricks were set up as one to create one big picture constituted of tiles. The bricks were normally dyed in color and shiny. Single motifs were said to be tiles with one separated design colored upon them. Ceramic was also found with paints of geometric figures.

Source articlesbase.com

in reference to:

"A Number Of Interesting Facts On Ceramic Painting"
- http://www.tkceramics.com/event-detail/556.html (view on Google Sidewiki)

How to Drill Holes in Pottery Planters

People use pottery planters for container gardening all over the world. Their surface is porous, and every inch is meant exclusively for planting. These planters require drainage holes at the base, which you must drill if they lack them.

Step 1

Touch the surface of your planter to determine whether it is glazed or unglazed so you know what kind of drill bit to use. Glazed pottery planters have a thin film of glaze covering them that is so hard it can actually scratch metal. Such planters have a smooth texture and shiny surface. Unglazed planters are the terra cotta planters commonly used for gardening. This unglazed earthenware is red clay that is low-fired and easy to drill into.

Step 2

Turn the planter over and mark drainage holes on its base with a marker or pencil, spaced at least 6 inches apart.

Step 3

Insert a carbide masonry bit in an electric drill if the planter is unglazed. Wear your earplugs and protective goggles and place the tip of the bit directly over the hole mark.

Step 4

Press the trigger of the drill so it starts puncturing the surface of the pottery planter. Avoid applying too much pressure as that may break the planter, but keep a steady hand and work at a slow pace until your drill bit comes out from the other side of the planter surface. Blow on the surface to remove any residue, and make the other holes the same way.

Step 5

Insert a drill bit specifically meant for drilling through glass or tile if making holes in glazed pottery planters. Such bits have a special tip specifically meant for aggressive drilling but without the pressure, and these are available at most hardware stores.

Step 6

Apply a layer or two of masking tape over the marker or pencil mark on the glazed surface to prevent the drill bit from slipping off the smooth surface.

Step 7

Position the tip of the drill bit over the masking tape, press the trigger and drill at a slow and steady pace, until the tip comes out from the other side. Repeat the procedure for drilling other holes on the planter.

Source gardenguides.com

in reference to:

"How to Drill Holes in Pottery Planters"
- http://www.tkceramics.com/event-detail/557.html (view on Google Sidewiki)

The Right Kinds of Pottery to Collect For Your Home

When it comes to home decorating, there doesn't seem to be too much rhyme and reason anymore: most people's styles are eclectic, and they fill their homes with different types of accent pieces. However, when choosing pottery to accessorize your home the rules are a little different.

Something as distinctive as a vase or ornamental plate is bound to attract more attention than your color scheme! A stand-alone piece of pottery is truly an accent piece, especially if it is valuable and of high quality. Here are examples of the right kinds of pottery to accessorize your home.

Native American Pottery

A Zuni pot from New Mexico will probably seem out of place in a home decorated in French Country: it just will. Native American pottery pieces are striking, but they are naturally on the rustic side and are best suited to either southwestern-style homes or minimalistic modern homes. If you absolutely must display that antique Navajo bowl you fell in love with on vacation, do not place it among your Royal Doulton collection!

English Pottery

Speaking of Royal Doulton, antique English pottery looks exquisite just about anywhere. Be careful when buying such pieces if you care about authenticity. Learn about pottery "marks" that help to identify authentic Wedgwood or other types. All English pottery comes in a wide range of styles and colors, so there is truly something for every home. Keep in mind, however, that most English pottery is extremely formal in tone.

American Pottery

For true eclectic tastes, it's hard to beat American pottery. It is colorful and fun, and created using a myriad of glazing and firing techniques. Roseville and Rockwood are some of the best-known lines of antique American pottery, but there are dozens to choose from. Some of the most unusual pieces were made during the Art Deco period of the late 1920s and 1930s. If you are really, really lucky you might just discover one at a garage sale! But for reliable authenticity, it's best to purchase from legitimate dealers.

Choosing a style of pottery that will suit both your home and your individual esthetic takes time and patience. Spend plenty of hours doing research and determining what you really like before making a commitment.

Source ezinearticles.com

in reference to:

"The Right Kinds of Pottery to Collect For Your Home"
- http://www.tkceramics.com/event-detail/555.html (view on Google Sidewiki)