Animal Golf Figurines

I classify a figurine as an object under 12 inches in height which can be called a statuette also. If a figurine is above 12 inches in height I would classify it as a statue. Statues and figurines are two different types of Golf Figure. Other types of figures include sculptures and models.

Animal Golf Figurines can be very entertaining. They can cheer you up when you are sitting at your office desk. Highly collectible, they are very enjoyable to own if you have young children. These types of figurines are popular with, not only collectors, but casual buyers who might be purchasing a gift. They make very good gifts for children, because children love animal figures of any kind. It can also expose children to the game of golf, giving them knowledge that this wonderful game exists.

There are different kinds of Animal Golf Figurines. There are the actual figures, and there are the Animal Figure golf club covers that go over the ends of golf clubs to protect them from damage. This article is about the former type; the actual figurines that are animal representations.

Well known animals that have Animal Golf Figurines designed in their likenesses include Winnie the Pooh, Elmer, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Pluto, Peanuts Snoopy and Woodstock, Garfield, Paddington Bear, and Tigger (also from Winnie the Pooh).

Animal Golf Figurines have been made of bears, teddy bears, dogs, penguins, tigers, ducks, giraffes, horses, turtles, pigs, frogs, elephants, bees, and mice among others! But they are usually based on animals that children especially like, such as ones they are familiar with around their homes. Dogs, and teddy bears feature highly!

The materials used to make Animal Golf Figurines are usually plastics, but metal and resin have also been used. Because these figurines have a fun aspect attached to them they are not usually cast in bronze (which makes a figurine more expensive). These figurines are a cheaper kind of figurine if purchased new.

There is an active market for trading in Animal Golf Figurines because of collector interest and there are a few different places online where collectible figurines can be bought and sold. There are also good places to buy the figurines new.

Bill Rutherfurd is a keen collector and writer on Golf Figures and especially Golf Figurines. Please visit his web site at http://www.golffigure.com. Be sure to check out the different types of Golf Figures that are displayed on this web site now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Rutherfurd

What is it About Plush Toys We Like So Much?

Have you ever asked yourself why do we like plush toys so much? The market for stuffed toys is huge. They are sold not only in toy stores, but also in upscale gift shops, chain drugstores, department stores and in supermarkets- let's not forget about all the places online where you can order them as well for any occasion.

They are good promotional tools for companies big and small. They are a constant, adorable reminder of the company. They can be school mascots, or a gift to commemorate an event. They can be sold for charity, and be a fundraiser tool.

They are popular gifts for birthdays, holidays and anniversaries. They are a fun addition to flowers, chocolate and balloons. Who doesn't like receiving a wonderful smelling bouquet of flowers snuggled in the cozy arms of an adorable little teddy bear or other seasonal favorites?

And some are the creation of your imagination. You can make a plush toy of one of the characters in a children's story book that you made up, or you might have a brilliant design that you believe can sell.
The excitement of holding a toy of your own creation is almost too much to bear.

We love them because they are soft, cuddly and warm. These toys are probably connected in our minds to the toys we had as infants, when the world was one big discovery after another and it felt so warm and secure. They are colorful, imaginative, and mood lifting. They are fun to hold or to put on a shelf to be looked at. Many people collect them and line their rooms in their homes with the cuddly cuties.

The internet has been a big booster of plush toys. People are selling their own creations through their websites, or sell their toys to internet companies that specialize in selling stuffed toys. They are made by many companies that have connections in China where most toys are manufactured to cut down on cost. Made in the USA plush toys are on the expensive side, since the cost of labor in the US is much higher than in China.

When you want to make your own plush toy it is important to choose a reputable company that has been in business for many years and knows the ins and outs of the plush toy business. A company that is solid and well respected, will make the experience of going from design to creation a pleasurable one.

Making your own plush creation is a complicated process that is better left to the professionals and not to the fly-by-night companies that are there only to make a quick buck. Someone who loves this side of business, and respects the creative process can be a big asset when you embark on this exciting road to creativity.

Rob E Bishop invites you to bring your stuffed toy invention idea to his website at CustomPlushToys.com where you can learn how to design, create and sell your own stuffed toy idea. Download his free report "Don't Get Ripped Off" to discover the secrets of how to navigate the dangers in making your toy idea successful.

Click Here

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_E_Bishop

Swoopo Scam Revealed

Swoopo is not a scam. Swoopo is very controversial because for every auction there is only one winner and everyone else who bid forfeits their money

It looks like Swoopo is making a lot of money and doing anything illegal would simply be stupid. They can make a good profit without resorting to cheating. If they were cheating and were found out, that would drive people away fro m their golden goose. They do not have an incentive to cheat.

They have a brilliant business model which is very enticing to the human psyche. People like competition, an element of chance, and adore getting deals. Swoopo combines all this into one experience. By the nature of the site, most people do not win and may feel they were scammed. They have spent their own money, and did not get the deal that they wanted. In fact, most people do not win an auction and do not get to purchase anything from the site. They are bitter and call the site a scam.

Perhaps these people did not understand the rules, or simply had different expectations. Maybe they thought that by spending money on bids and bidding they are somehow guaranteeing themselves a win. Maybe they are just suspicious, given the general element of distrust in recent times. Whatever the cause of their dissatisfaction, they come up with the conclusion that Swoopo is a scam and yell it loudly in Internet forums. Maybe they are correct, but unless they know something that no one else does, they have no basis for their argument. They are simply bitter that they did not win anything.

Swoopo is Like a Carnival Game

Swoopo is like a carnival game. You pay $1 and get three balls. With these three balls you have to knock down three pins off a pedestal. If you succeed, you win a huge teddy bear worth a lot more than a dollar. Most of the time, however, you will not succeed. You have spent one dollar and the bear is not yours. However, you did get some kind of enjoyment out of the process. Otherwise, people would not participate.

Have I played? Sure. Have I won the huge teddy bear? Never. Do I think carnival games are a scam? No. The rules are set up so you are not likely to win, but knowing the right strategy you can increase your chances of winning the bear.

Swoopo: a Skill Based Game

There is definitely a strategy that can increase your chances of winning on Swoopo. Many people are lured by the catchy Swoopo ads and get very excited about the opportunity to get amazing 98% off deals. They place bids randomly and do not win anything. They spend a lot of their money and complain that Swoopo is a scam.

Swoopo is a game that requires skills. You go up against people you already have some idea how to play. If you do not follow simple rules you are going to waste your money and your chances of winning an auction will be significantly smaller.

There are several rules no one should break. Never bid before last 15 seconds of the auction. BidButler triggers after last 15 second of the auction, so if anyone has a BidButler set up for the given amount you wouldn't even know that. Also there are people who do not understand this rule and bid ahead of time just loosing their money. There are websites that give you free Swoopo tips. You should definitely do your research before you start bidding on Swoopo. There are websites that offer free Swoopo strategy advice.

Swoopo Scam Revealed

Swoopo is not a scam in the sense that they cheat you. They definitely have the ability to cheat their users. They could hire people to win every auction so not only they would get the money from the bids but also keep all the products. This is a possibility, albeit an unlikely one. I do not believe they are doing that. I think their business model is so brilliant that they do not have to do that. By doing so, they would risk their reputation and with that their clientele. It is not worth to it to be a scam

People are certainly calling it a scam, but in a different sense of the word. This is the same way someone might call your state lottery a scam. Your buddy might say, "Don't play the lottery, you will never win. It's a scam." Now everyone knows that a lottery is not scam. The rules are laid out clearly. The chances of winning are extremely slim. It is perfectly legal and no one is cheating.

Andrew Ross You can read the full article about Swoopo scam on my website Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Ross

Baby Shower Diaper Cakes - A Gift & Centerpiece All Rolled Into One!

When you are looking for a unique and creative baby shower centerpiece, consider either buying or assembling your own baby shower diaper cake. Not only will you have an unforgettable and beautiful centerpiece that will be the talk of the party, but you'll also have a great practical gift that the mom-to-be will love. Baby shower cakes are simply non-edible cakes that are assembled from diapers and other small baby items such as toys, rattles, pacifiers, teething rings, bibs, booties, baby powder, etc. The cakes can be accessorized with colorful or personalized receiving blankets and beautiful ribbons as well. What new Mom couldn't use a few more diapers to stock the nursery?

These days diaper cakes come in a veritable buffet of different sizes and themes. Baby Gifts & Gift Baskets offer cakes that range in size from petite cupcakes all the way up to an extra large 4-tier masterpiece. If you aren't throwing the baby shower, be sure to coordinate with whoever is planning the party so that you can choose or make a cake that will match the rest of the décor perfectly. The most popular theme cakes for boys are the Little Prince, All-Star Sports and the Need Milk? designs. For girls, the Little Princess, Lady Bug and Ballerina diaper cakes are the best-sellers. You can also find cakes designed for twins as well as personalized cakes that feature receiving blankets embroidered with "Baby Smith" for example or the baby's name if known. Cakes generally range in price from $20 to upwards of $175 depending on what size cake and what theme you choose. If you'd like to save some money, you can always visit Wikipedia.com for great instructions on how to construct your own diaper cake. Whatever route you decide to go, the Mom-to-be will surely love the diaper cake!

Don’t have time to make your own diaper cake for the next baby shower? We have a huge selection of Baby Diaper Cakes available online. With multiple size and personalization options, they are suitable for any budget. We have designs for baby girls or baby boys, including sports, ballerinas, teddy bears, Baby Einstein, Sesame Street (Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird), Precious Moments, and more. Visit Baby Gifts & Gift Baskets for your next Baby Shower Gift.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janice_Kremer

Tips on How to Grow Sunflowers From Seed

The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is a fascinating plant to grow, especially for children. Whether growing for competition or pleasure, exercising the following advice will help provide your sunflowers with the best conditions for good growth and health.

Selecting A Sunflower Species To Grow

The first step in growing sunflowers is deciding on the species you wish to grow. There are 67 species of sunflower across the world with single or multiple stems, growing heights, head sizes and colours. Read through the details of each popular species below to help make an informed choice on the sunflower you plan to grow.

Music Box is what's know as a dwarf variety, growing to a maximum height of 28 inches, making it suitable for container growing.

Teddy Bear species of sunflower smaller than Music Box, growing to around 12 - 18 inches.

Italian White sunflowers, also a small variety but with an attractive cream coloured flower.

Autumn Mix unlike the above, normally grows over 6ft in height with yellow and rust coloured flower head, 5 - 6 inches in diameter.

Largest Sunflower Species such as the Russian Giant grows in excess of 15 feet tall with a large head diameter up to 20 inches. Obviously, larger sunflower species will demand more space than the other species mentioned previously. Great fun if you have room to grow them though.

What's The Best Location For Growing Sunflowers

Grow sunflowers in soil exposed to direct sunlight and sheltered from wind. Protect your sunflowers by supporting the stem with a bamboo stake as soon as the sunflower reaches 1ft in height. This will help the stem grow straight and protect the sunflower from wind damage.

When the sunflower matures, the heavy weight of the head on the tall stem leaves the sunflower vulnerable to wind damage. Because wild sunflower only grows between 2 and 6ft in height, the risk of wind damage is far less than that of the domestic sunflower.

What's The Best Soil For Growing Sunflowers

Plant your seedlings in good quality soil such as my personal favourite - Miracle Grow potting mix which has good water retention, enriched with plant food. Always ensure soil is kept moist and prevent it from drying out completely. Consider adding manure to the garden soil where you intend to plant your seeds or seedlings.

Tips For Germinating Sunflower Seeds

If you prefer to germinate your sunflower seeds before planting in soil, layer at least 10 sheets of absorbent kitchen roll paper towel placed on a plate then soak with water. Sprinkle seeds evenly over the wet paper towel before placing them in a warm space such as an airing cupboard. The more sheets of paper towel you use, the better the water holding capacity, meaning less frequent watering will be required.

Checking seeds with regular watering will prevent the paper towel from drying up, especially common in warm environments or direct sunlight. When your sunflower seeds begin to germinate, plant into potting compost mixed with manure into your garden at a depth of 2 inches, spaced 1 - 2ft apart.

Sowing Sunflower Seeds In Pots

If you're germinating your sunflower seeds in pots, sow a single seed in each pot at a depth of 1 inch in 3 inch diameter pots. Use good quality potting compost such as Miracle Grow potting mix, before covering the top of the pot with clear cling film.

When green leaves appear above the soil after germinating, remove film and place pot near a window that gets the most sunlight throughout the day if possible. Turn the plant pot 180 degrees in the morning and again in the evening, checking to ensure the soil is kept moist.

If the pot was too small or the sunflower has been left in the pot too long, there will likely be a heavy build up of roots around the walls of the pot. Because sunflowers have long taproots capable of growing 4ft deep, allowing the plant to reach this stage in pots will severely hamper growth.

Overcrowded roots can be safely removed by cutting off no more than 1/3 with a sharp knife. Break away and discard dead soil surrounding the roots of the sunflower before planting in the garden. Remember to take care not to damage the remaining healthy roots in the process.

Sowing Sunflower Seeds In The Garden (Recommended)

Sowing seeds directly into the garden is my preferred method in which I have had the most success. Sow your sunflower seeds after the last winter frost has passed and night temperatures have raised to over 5º or 10º Celsius. Sow in loose soil at a depth of around 50mm (2 inch) spaced 1 - 2ft apart. Water seeds regularly until 2ft high when the second set of leaves appear. Liquid fertiliser should be added to the water for feeding from this point forward.

Sunflower Facts

1. The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is a fascinating plant to grow, especially for children. Sunflowers can grow up to 12ft high with a head diameter of up to 30cm (1ft).
2. The head of the sunflower, often erroneously referred to as a flower, consists of 1000 - 2000 individual flowers. The petals surrounding the head are ray flowers.
3. Sunflowers are one of the fastest growing plants in the world, growing up to 30cm (1ft) per day.
4. A fascinating characteristic of the sunflower is its ability to track the direction of the sunlight by pointing the sunflower head towards the sun. This behavior is referred to as heliotropism.
5. Wild sunflowers have smaller seeds, growing several branches and/or stems with more than one head. It is only through hundreds of years of careful, hand-picked seed selection is the domestic sunflower much larger with a single stem and flower head.
6. The sunflower is the state flower for Kansas, USA and the national recognised flower for Russia.
7. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the tallest sunflower ever grown was in 1986 by M Heijms in Oirschot, Netherlandsat a height of 25ft 5.5 inches (776 cm).
8. The largest sunflower head ever recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records measured 32 1/4 inches (82 cm) in diameter, grown by Emily Martin from Maple Ridge, Canada in the hot summer of 1983.
9. Although native to America, 60% of the world population of sunflowers are grown in Europe and Russia. Popular species with sunflower growers starting with the tallest: Moonwalker, Pastiche, Velvet Queen, Russian Giant and the smaller Teddy Bear and Big Smile species.
10. Sunflowers are very effective for attracting butterflies, bees and birds.
11. Sunflowers are used to produce sunflower oil. As a seed, they are used for bird feed and as a healthy snack for children and adults.
12. Sunflower seeds have a 50% polyunsaturated fat content and are rich in Omega-6 which has been proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Sunflower seeds are rich in calcium along with a number of other vitamins and minerals.
13. The scientific name for sunflowers; Helianthus derives from two Greek words, Helios meaning sun and Anthos meaning flower.
14. Sunflowers are perennial plants that grow each year.
15. Sunflower seeds are toxic to grass so distance them from your lawn which would be killed by falling seeds.

Sunflowers: An Excellent Choice For Kids

Sunflowers are an excellent choice of plant for children to grow. They are visually appealing, attract a range of insects such as butterflies, bees and birds in addition to being easy to grow.

You may be able to encourage friends or neighbours to compete with, seeing who can grow the tallest sunflower. I personally have fond memories of being a 9 year old child, competing with my next door neighbour. If my memory serves me correctly, I managed to grow three sunflowers at a height of about 6ft. Although being so young, everything seems bigger at that age, so I may well be wrong. I know, I shouldn't boast, but naturally I did win.... naturally of course.:) Sorry!!

The BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council... phew) have produced a sunflower growing activity ebook for young children to grow their very own sunflower, whilst learning how plants grow.

Sunflower Plant Care

Sunflowers need plenty of watering and sunlight, taking approximately two weeks to appear and 90 days to fully grow. If using chemical weed killer, make sure it is suitable for use on sunflowers or pull weeds out by hand. Over-watering sunflowers will likely damage flower heads, particularly 20 days before or 20 days after full bloom.

Pour around 2 gallons of liquid fertiliser solution each week around the roots of the sunflower, taking care not to pour the solution over the stem as this has been found to cause sunflower stems to rot.

Try to position your sunflowers so they spend as much time in the sun as possible, preferably 6-8 hours or more. If heavy winds are forecast, put off watering until the wind has passed to prevent the sunflower from getting blown over.

Original article: Tips On How To Grow Sunflowers From Seed [http://www.gardengrower.co.uk/tips-how-to-grow-sunflower-seeds] @ Garden Grower Blog

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_A_Bartlett

Adorable Plush Toys - A Quick Guide

Stuffed toys, soft toys, cuddly toys; they all mean the same thing: a child's delightful companion, buddy, or playmate. Remember those days when you couldn't bear a minute away from your favorite toy, eat, play, or even sleep without it? Hey, welcome to the world of plushies or plush toys!

They have continually remained a great hit as far back as you can think. Even before the era of modern civilization and factory production, these adorable pieces were handmade by parents for their children. Today, it's a billion dollar industry-it's that serious a business! Just in case (a very big one though!) you are wondering, a plush toy is simply put... plush! Okay, seriously, a plushie is a toy sewn from textile materials and stuffed with cotton, straw, plastic pellets and other similarly appropriate material. Get it?

Perhaps the mascot of these toys is the evergreen teddy bear, but don't be misled, plush toys come in a variety of characters including: action figures, cartoon figures, game figures, dinosaurs, dragons and even humans. Popular ones include, Garfield, the Ginger bread man, Rupert, Elmo, and Mario plush toys. But of course, the most popular ones still remain the animal shaped plushies.

The success and popularity of these toys can be traced to a number of factors. First is their appealing and cuddly cuteness which can be described as second-to-none. Another reason is the 'comfort' role they play-teddy bears are actually given to kids in crisis situations by an arm of the police known as teddy bear cops. Thirdly, plush toys can be subjected to a lot of indignities and still remain durable. What's more, they are usually machine washable giving room for easy maintenance. These reasons should suffice for now.

Baby plushies are perfect toys for newborns because they are safe, easy to cuddle and help stop them from crying. Some even come with matching blankets, rattles and squeakers. Ensure however that you purchase your stuffed toys from reputable brands that can be trusted to follow the international safety standards. Some of them include Ty, Steiff, and Disney plush toys.

These toys are also used as display pieces or collectibles, gifts on birthdays or Valentine's Day or as a means of expressing thoughts and desires-by adults. Wondering what to get her? Try a plush stuffed toy and you might just blow her mind!

We have all given and received plush toys as presents throughout our lives and we all love them, don't we? They can be the most memorable gifts for either a child or an adult person no matter whether it is small or giant plush toys. I don't know about you but I completely adore plushies! Make the right choice for your loved ones by following my tips!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julia_Walters

Development Of Fine Motor Skills In Babies And Toddlers - Fun And Educational Activities

It is a well known and research-supported fact that development of fine motor skills in babies and toddlers is directly linked to many important and complex brain functions such as, for instance, language skills. This is why it is so important to monitor how those skills are maturing and whenever possible help the child along by playing games and doing activities that help to develop them.

Here are some of the activities you can do to improve and develop fine motor skills by simply playing with your baby or toddler.

Games with dry beans, peas, lentils and other large grains

Many parents are reluctant to let their babies and toddlers play with small objects because everything tends to end up in the mouth. But playing with small objects is essential for developing flexibility and strength of those little fingers. If you supervise your child while they are playing with small objects (and generally that simply means that you are playing alongside your baby or toddler) you will always be able to catch the object before it lands in the mouth.

When buying beans and lentils pick the multicolored variety to make it more interesting. Things you can do:

• Place all the beans in one large container (you can use a large cooking pot). Get your baby or toddler to fill up other smaller, different size containers and plastic bottles with beans using their hands or a spoon.
• mix some other small objects (like large beads or marbles) with the beans and then get your baby or toddler to find the objects among the beans, take them out and put them into a separate container.
• play the cooking game: pretend that you are making soup, porridge or anything your baby likes to eat. Get them to stir the "food", pretend to taste it, then put some on plastic plates and have a pretend dinner with dolls and stuffed toys.

Magic Sack

This is such an easy game to make and it can be lots of fun. All you need is an average size sack, even a small pillow case will do the trick. Now fill up the sack with anything interesting you can find around the house. The objects should be preferably small and should vary greatly in shape and texture. And of course, you have to make sure that all objects are safe to touch, nothing sharp or easily breakable.

Here are some of the objects that you can put in the sack:

• reel of thread
• cotton wool ball
• sponge
• building blocks
• marbles
• toy car
• key
• small plush toy
• rubber ball

...and anything else you might find around the house. The more objects are in the sack, the more interesting the game will become.

The first and the easiest stage of the game is to sit with your baby on the floor, get them to reach inside the bag and take out one of the objects. Let the baby hold and play with the object for a while. If it is a round, hard object like a marble try rolling it between your baby's hands. If it something soft, like cotton wool, stroke the baby's hand with it. While you are examining the object with your baby ask questions like "How does it feel?", "Is it smooth?", "Does it feel soft?", etc.

The next stage of the game can be played with children who are a little older and are beginning to talk. Again, get the child to reach for the object in the bag but before they take it out they have to guess what the object is. After they take it out ask some questions about the properties of the object (e.g. What shape is it? What color is it? What do we use it for? How do we use it? etc.).

Finger Play

Here is where you can exercise fingers and hands as well as your imagination.

Nursery Rhymes

The famous Itsy-Bitsy Spider is a wonderful game for exercising little fingers. There are also many others like Open, Shut Them, This little piggy, and so on.

You can also make up your own games

Pretend that the the index and middle fingers are a little person, draw a road on a piece of paper and try to get your toddler to walk with their fingers along the road. Show them how the person can "dance" and "jump" and try to get them to repeat it with their own fingers. You can even put some music on to make it more fun.

Finger Painting

Finger painting is another easy and fun activity you can do to exercise little fingers, you can buy finger paints in any educational toy shop.

Play-doh

Play-doh is an enjoyable and educational activity for all ages. Play-doh is very versatile and most importantly, so much fun! There are so many things you can do with play-doh but here are some activities that will help strengthen and exercise those little hands while playing:

• Pick only 2 or 3 colors (preferably primary colors) when playing so that you can learn and play at the same time
• Pretend that play-doh is bread and get your baby to pinch little pieces of it to feed stuffed animals
• Mix some large beads and buttons into the play-doh and get your baby or toddler to pick out the objects
• Show them how to roll play-doh between their hands or on the desk
• Spread play-doh on a piece of paper using fingers

Buttons

To button and unbutton a shirt is a skill that is not easy to master! Let your child try to button and unbutton their own shirts or dresses that have buttons. It's a good exercise even if they get frustrated at first and you have to complete the task for them.

You can also make a play rug with lots of buttons of different size and shape. This is what you need to do if you want to make one:

Cut out a fun shape out of some thick material like felt and sew on some buttons of different shapes and sizes. Now cut out smaller shapes (use your imagination and maybe a stencil) and make one buttonhole in each shape. If you are using buttons of different sizes make sure that the buttonholes fit the buttons, otherwise the toddler will get very frustrated. For the smaller shapes you might want to pick out material which is a little less thick so that it is easier for the toddler to handle.

Clothes Pegs

Take a small sand bucket and some multi-colored clothes pegs and get your child to try and decorate the edges of the bucket with the clothes pegs. Learning how to manipulate clothes pegs is a great exercise.

Peg Art

This is a creative mosaic game which consists of small multi-colored pegs and a pegboard - it can be purchased at some educational toy shops or even on-line stores (try Googling it). It is intended for creation of different mosaic pictures, usually displayed on the box, by inserting the little pegs into the holes of the pegboard. Whereas this is a great activity for older kids, babies and toddlers would not have the skills yet to grasp the small peg using a pincer grip (ability to hold objects between the index finger and the thumb). Some toddlers would have already mastered that skill but pushing the pegs into the board is still quite difficult. What they might enjoy doing instead is pushing the pegs out by turning the board over and pressing on them from the inside. The pegs can also be used to play other games, similar to those described in the Playing with beans section. Remember, any games where your baby or toddler is grasping, manipulating and holding small objects will be very beneficial for developing fine motor skills.

Lace-up games

You can buy these games in educational toy shops or you can make one yourself. The ones you can buy in the shop are usually made out of wood, they come in different shapes and sizes but the idea is always to pull a lace through the holes, kind of like sewing. If you wish to make one yourself it is really easy. All you need is a thick piece of cardboard and a single-hole puncher. Cut out a fun and interesting shape from a piece of cardboard (e.g., a teddy bear, a big flower, a star, etc.). You can make an activity of coloring in the shape together with your toddler or even gluing some bright paper cut-outs to it to make it look more interesting. After you finish and the glue or the paint dries punch the holes in various places of the cardboard shape, do not try to space it out evenly, make it random. Now all you need is a long shoe lace.

Making necklaces

This is a great exercise which will help develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and even concentration. It requires lots of patience and skills from the child but the parent has to be patient too. Try and resist that initial urge to help if the child is finding the task difficult at first. Kids can feel helpless and less in control if their efforts are always interrupted and the task is completed by the parent. If they cannot do it at first come back to the task next time, they will get it eventually. The idea is in trying. Necklaces can be made out of different materials and they can even be edible. The best thing to do is to decide in advance who the necklace is for (grandma, toy giraffe, a friend), this will give the child a sense of purpose in what they do and make the whole exercise much more meaningful.

What you will need:

• a very long shoe lace
• large multi-colored beads
• pasta shapes with wholes in them
• round-shaped cereal like cheerios

There are many other activities you can do to develop strength and dexterity in those little hands but whatever you do, remember that baby and toddler learning should always be fun and never a chore.

Slava Prakhiy is the creator of Bright Tomato Publishing http://www.brighttomato.com.au where fun, colorful and educational products are created by a real mom and tested by real babies and toddlers. Check out our "JUMBO Reading Cards", suitable from 3 months of age.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Slava_Prakhiy

Decluttering Your Playroom - Ideas For Playroom Storage

A designated playroom is a great way to give your child plenty of room to play, but playroom storage that looks attractive and still allows easy access to toys can be hard to find. The best playroom storage options offer simple ways to organize toys so your child can easily find what he is looking for without pulling out a million other toys. Ideal playroom storage also makes it easy for your child to return toys to their proper place so the playroom doesn't have to hide behind closed doors!

There are a lot of creative ideas for functional and versatile playroom storage. Many storage ideas are also creative decorating ideas! A simple section of garden trellis can be refinished in any color or design. Add wooden pegs or drawer pulls before hanging it on the wall. This is a perfect storage area for dress up clothes, especially purses and hats. A few simple hanging coat racks can serve the same purpose.

The right storage for small toys is usually a very difficult decision. A simple divided bookshelf is perfect for storing much more than books! Separate the shelves into a variety of different sizes and use colorful and unique containers to store small toys, like doll accessories, toy cars, or blocks. Remember to label toy containers with pictures and words to make it easier for your child to clean up.

Hanging shoe holders make great playroom storage tools! These versatile holders can hang over the door and work well on the outside of closet doors, or may hang on a nail anywhere on the wall, depending on the selected style. Shoe holders can be used to store small doll accessories, collections of race cars or small stuffed toys, or even arts and crafts supplies.

You can create a special area just for arts and crafts and use the table as storage for the supplies. Hang fabric that matches your playroom around the edges of the table, reaching to the floor. Keep your supplies in plastic containers and stash them under the table for a simple and attractive playroom storage option.

Try storing bigger toys in homemade playroom storage boxes. Let your child decorate sturdy, oversized cardboard boxes with paints, markers, wrapping paper scraps, stencils, etc. When the boxes are finished, use them in the playroom as toy boxes for dolls, stuffed animals, or big cars and trucks.

Stuffed animal collections often grow quickly and are usually rarely played with, yet it is hard to give away cherished teddy bears from the infant years. There are several toy storage ideas [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/toy-storage-solutions-20] to keep stuffed animals out of the way. Mesh laundry baskets can hold several stuffed toys and can be hung from a peg on the wall to keep them out of the way. Toy hammocks that attach to the corner of the wall are also a cute way to store stuffed toys. Outgrown cribs, toddler beds, or playpens can become home to all these beloved friends as well.

Gary Clay is an expert on Playroom Storage [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/furniture-and-storage-18/storage-solutions-20] and owner of stylish kids store MonkeyShine a retailer of quality toybox [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/furniture-and-storage-18/storage-solutions-20/four-friends-toy-chest-95.html], bookshelves, clothes hooks and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Clay

Party Games Using Stuffed Animals

My daughter recently celebrated her birthday and, in honor of turning six, she wanted to have a party with her friends, her stuffed animals, and her friends' stuffed animals. With her friends bringing their own favorite plush toys, there would be plenty of stuffed animals for everyone to play with together. I realized that this was a great idea, but needed to come up with some games to keep everyone happy and involved.

I made sure to have some extra teddy bears and other plush animals on hand, since, with all of the guests, I knew that somebody would forget their stuffed toy and leave it at home. This proved prudent, since a couple of the girls did forget their toys. One girl left her plush cat in the car when she came to the party and another one simply forget her favorite teddy bear, which was still in her bedroom. Having extra toys on hand prevented anyone from crying or getting too upset. Below are some of the games the kids got to play at the party. You can use these if you wish to hold a party with a similar theme.

Pin the Tail on the Monkey

This game is a simple variation on the classic party game. My daughter has a cute stuffed monkey that gave me the idea for the game. The monkey was as big as any of the girls. I made a big Velcro tail to stick to the back of the monkey and placed the monkey on a hassock facing the wall. The hassock was soft enough so that no participant would wind up with a bruised shin. Each girl was blindfolded and they took turns trying to pin the tail on the stuffed monkey. This game may be played in teams for larger groups or individually. The team that pins the tail on the monkey most often wins. The winner, or winning team, can get a prize. Keep the prize simple so that no one gets upset over losing.

Get ready for the party! Stack up on teddy bears, stuffed puppies and many other stuffed animals on sale from KCPlush.com. Find a teddy bears heaven and a kids' dream collection!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Corina_Volegna

Ten Classic Kids Party Games With a Twist

The most exciting part of a kids party is the party games, and why not start with the classics? We've all played musical chairs, pin-the-tail, and limbo. But have you played them like this? Learn how to give each classic child party game idea its own unique twist to fit your party theme.

BEAN BAG TOSS/FEED THE MONSTER

Draw a monster face on a piece of poster board or heavy cardboard and cut a hole in the box where the his mouth would be, large enough for the bean bags to be thrown through easily. Lean the monster face against a chair and place it 6-8 feet away (depending upon the abilities of the guests).

Everyone takes a turn tossing three items of "food" (use beanbags, cloth balls, rolled socks, or other small objects such as squeak toys for dogs) into the character's mouth. After each child's
turn, retrieve the "food" and hand it to the next child. Every time a child successfully "feeds" the monster, he gets a small prize such as a sticker or wrapped candy.

Twist: Use a character which relates to your party theme instead of a monster: T-Rex for Dinosaur party; Clown for a Circus party; Gorilla for a Jungle Party

DUCK DUCK GOOSE

Gather your guests to sit in a circle and let the party child begin as the "Goose." He/she walks around the circle tapping each child lightly on the head, saying "Duck" with each tap. At any time, the party child can choose the next person to be the Goose, by saying "Goose" when tapping that person on the head. That child gets up and chases the birthday child around the circle.

If the new Goose does not tag the birthday child before he/she makes it all the way around the circle and sits in the open spot, then the new Goose becomes "it." If the new Goose tags the birthday child, then the birthday child remains "it" for the next round and the game continues.

Twist: Buzz, Buzz, Sting for a Bug Party; Tick, Tick, Tock for a Pirate Party

GUESS HOW MANY?

Before the party, fill a jar with candy or small toys. Count them before you put them into the jar. As your guests arrive, have each one guess how many toys or candies they think are in the jar. Write down each person's guess. At the end of the party, the person who guesses the closest number is the winner and gets to take home the jar.

Twist: Small plastic insects for a Bug Party, black and orange jellybeans for a Halloween party; small plastic dinosaurs for a Dinosaur Party

HOT POTATO

Played like the classic Hot Potato game. Children sit in a circle and pass an item around while an adult leader plays music. The child holding the item when the music stops is out. Last player left not holding the item is the winner.

Twist: Pass a big hairy toy spider for a Halloween party; rubber snake for a Western Party; teddy bear for a Teddy Bear Party

Another Twist: Cold Potato - Kids throw a water balloon back and forth across the circle. The player holding it when it breaks is out. Last player left dry is the winner.

LIMBO

Two adults hold a pole, mop or broomstick at child's height. Start the music (Caribbean is best). Children must walk under the pole without touching it. After each round, the adults lower the pole an inch or two. When the pole gets very low, children may bend backward and shimmy under, or even crawl. If a player touches the pole, he is out.

Twist: Pirate Limbo - adults hold a play sword; Halloween Limbo - adults hold a witch's broom; Fairy Party - adults hold a magic wand

Another Twist: Water Limbo - Have an adult point a stream of water for kids to limbo under. Great for a pool party!

MEMORY

Place about 10 to 15 small items or toys such as a pencil, watch, comb, spoon, toy car, etc. on a tray and cover with a cloth. Have guests sit in a circle with the tray in the middle. Remove the cloth for 60 seconds while guests try to remember as many of the objects as possible. When time is up, replace the cloth.

Now, each person has to name an object on the tray. The first person to fail to name an object, repeats an object or names something not on the tray is out. The tray is then removed and some or all of the objects replaced, and the game re-started with the person following the one who is out. If the game is too easy for the group, add more objects or reduce the time.

Twist: Use whatever objects relate to your party theme: construction trucks for a Construction Party; make-up items for a Dress-Up Party

MUSICAL CHAIRS

Set up one fewer chair than the number of guests at your party. Start the music and have the children walk in a circle around the chairs, until you stop the music. When the music stops everyone tries to sit on a vacant chair. (Only one person per chair) The person who doesn't find a chair is out. One chair is taken away and the game continues until only one person (the winner)is left. This game can also be played with pillows or cardboard pictures placed on the floor for kids to jump on.

Twist: Musical Anthills for a Bug Party; Musical Islands for a Pirate Party; Musical Webs for a Spider Man Party

PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY

When it's time to play the game, mount your poster on the wall and place a piece of tape on the back of each object the children will be pinning on the poster. Blindfold each child, spin them around, and point them toward the poster. The child who pins their object closest to the designated spot, is the winner!

Twist: Pin the nose on the clown; Pin the Tooth on the T-Rex; Pin the Spider on the web for a Bug Party; Pin the X on the treasure map for a Pirate Party

SIMON SAYS

Children stand in a group in front of the leader. The leader says, "Simon says, 'Do this,'" as she taps her head, claps her hands, turns around, etc. The children must follow the leader's actions, but only if she begins with "Simon says..." If the leader just says "Do this," the children must do nothing. If a child makes a mistake, he is out. The last child "in" is the winner.

Twist: Change "Simon Says" to a character relating to your party's theme: "Blackbeard Says" for a Pirate Party; "Spider Man Says" for a Spider Man Party; "Cinderella Says" for a Princess Party.

SPIN THE BOTTLE (for opening gifts)

Direct guests to sit in a circle holding the gift they brought. The birthday child spins a soda bottle and opens the gift of the party guest at whom the bottle is pointing when it stops. If it stops at a person that has already given a gift just go left until you find someone that hasn't had the gift they brought opened. A calm and quiet way to open gifts without all the pushing and shoving.

Twist: Spin the Spyglass for a Pirate Party; Spin the Ruler for a Construction Party; Spin the Barbie for a Barbie or Princess Party

Copyright 2005 Kids Party Paradise All Rights Reserved

Patricia B. Jensen is a mother of three and kids party enthusiast. She is the webmaster and owner of Kids-Party-Paradise.com - a complete resource for kids party ideas including invitations, cakes, decorations, games, costumes, favors, and food.

For all the latest party news, read her Kids Party Blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patricia_Jensen

The Worst Dogs For Kids You Should Avoid

When considering a new dog for your children, there is a lot more to look at than just the size of the dog. You should also think about the breed of the dog. Different breeds have dissimilar dispositions and personalities. Some breeds do not make good child pets. Here are some of the worst dogs for kids.

Although Pit bulls are known to be fun loving pets for some people, the amount of accidents from these rambunctious beasts is off the scales. It is so bad that some states require pit bull owners to own dog insurance. Although, the problem may not be the breed itself but the people who raise them, I still would not chance having this type of dog left alone with my children. They are known for going for the throat and locking their jaws. These dogs could kill in seconds if not properly trained.

Another one of the worst dogs for kids is the Chow chow. Although chow chows may look like a big cuddly teddy bear with a black tongue, they are sometimes aggressive and territorial. They are known for bullying and their quick temper. They can be a very strong-willed dog and require an owner with good firm training skills.

Rottweilers can be an aggressive breed if not trained properly. They need a lot of socializing and exercise to suppress aggression. Since most people don't have the time it takes to give this breed the proper training, it is not a good dog choice for children.

Although Dalmatians are pretty with there white and black coat, they are not one of the best dogs for children. These dogs require a very calm trainer who does not abuse their pets. Any type of mistreatment to these animals could lead to physical aggression. They are also known for going death, which could lead to a flighty dog in the wrong environment.

The final dog from the worst dogs for kids list is the Chihuahua. Don't think just because they are small, they would make a good kid dog. This is so far from true. Chihuahuas are territorial and known for nipping there owners. Also, children may be to ruff to play with this type of breed. The Chihuahua is a very delicate breed. If they get dropped on their head, they could die.

Just because you own one of the breeds from the worst dogs for kids list, does not mean that you have a bad dog. Understand that most dogs are bad because of bad training not the breed itself. With good training, discipline, and love any breed could be a good dog for children.

Author Lucinda Pryse enjoys writing about various topics, including sports, health, and education. Visit her latest web site at http://www.puppetsforsale.org where she shares tips about buying puppets for sale.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lucinda_Pryse

Celebrate Big Birthdays in Style

Big Birthdays

When you're young, apart from Christmas, your birthday is just about the most exciting day of the year. In fact, my kids usually start planning their next birthday before they've finished eating the cake from their current one. Actually, at one point my eldest had planned how he was celebrating his 8th, 9th and 10th birthdays - before he'd even turned 7!

Unfortunately, as we get older, our enthusiasm for birthdays can sometimes wear off as the numbers start to climb. And to make matters worse, just when you're least expecting it, along comes a big birthday to remind you how quickly the decades are passing.

Now the first couple of big birthdays that come knocking on the door aren't too bad, 18th and 21st parties are great fun, but then you hit the 30s, 40s, 50s... and it starts to become a bit scary.

Yet, love them or loathe them, your birthday will happen once a year - or twice if you happen to be the Queen.

So our advice is, don't fight it. Use it as a great excuse to be the centre of attention for the day. Let your friends and family spoil you rotten and enjoy every minute of it.

And when it comes to a big birthday then celebrate in style. Use the philosophy of the bigger the birthday, the bigger the celebration and at least you'll have a fantastic time to look back on.

Celebrating the occasion

It's all very well celebrating your own big birthday but how do you go about celebrating your mum's 60th, your friend's 30th or your granddad's 80th.

Our advice is to plan in advance. Throwing them a surprise party can be a great idea, but this will take a huge amount of planning to pull it off properly.

It's also not a good idea if the person in question likes to be in control and detests surprises. In this case, you're better off approaching them to see if they'd like you to help them plan their birthday.

But there are always ways around this. Why not throw a party that the birthday boy or girl knows about, but then add an element of surprise to spice it up?

You could book some entertainment that you know they'll enjoy or arrange for the 'magical' appearance of a long lost friend or relative. Alternatively present them with an amazing gift that you've all clubbed together to buy. The options are endless, but just make sure that the guests know how to keep a secret. It's also a good idea to nominate a capable friend as the photographer, so that they can be on-hand to capture that look of shocked amazement on the birthday girl or boy's face.

It's also a thoughtful idea to circulate a guest book - preferably at the beginning of the evening while everyone is still sober enough to write. At the end of the evening you can then present them with a record of their friends' personal messages.

Even if a party isn't their style, most friends and family will be touched by thoughtful, private surprises. Bake them a birthday cake or suggest that you both indulge in lunch or mid-morning coffee and cake on the actual day of their birthday.

Perhaps you could treat them to something different, like a day at the races or a relaxing spa day - speaking from experience, this is a fantastic idea if they have kids!

Gift ideas for special birthdays

For family and close friends it's nice to buy them something that they can keep or something that they will remember for years to come. While weekend trips to New York might be out of most people's budgets, there are plenty of other ideas that can be equally special.

Jewellery or watches are usually cherished gifts. Especially if you go that step further to make them personal, perhaps by having the watch engraved or choosing jewellery that features their birth stone.

If your budget is low, why not club together with friends? If the birthday boy or girl has always had a burning desire to do something wild, then an experience gift might be the answer. It's not unknown for first time skydivers to be drawing their old age pension.

Whatever you choose, plan in advance to make sure that you can present them with their gift on the day of their birthday. And always remember, professional gift-wrapping can turn a great gift into a fantastic gift.

If you're still stuck for inspiration, why not check out our other Gift Ideas articles. We've some great ideas for special gifts, including:

• Gift ideas for friends and family
• Classic gifts that always work
• Gift ideas for women
• Gift ideas for dads

Celebrate in style

Our final piece of advice is to have fun and embrace your birthday with open arms. At the end of the day, they're just like our big birthday balloons - they'll jump out and hit you between the eyes anyway... and if you let them, they'll put a great big smile on your face.

Sophie Baxter lives in the UK with her husband and two children. She runs http://www.bigfatballoons.co.uk and online shop that sells helium balloons, teddy bear gifts and chocolates.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sophie_Baxter

Unique Holiday Gifts For Christmas

The holiday season is rapidly approaching, which means it is time to get out there and find some great gifts for your friends and family. Many people have already begun their trek by starting the day after Thanksgiving on the popular Black Friday. However, some like to avoid the swarms of people and the sales simply because most of the items are picked over by the end of the day and were hand chosen by the store as the best present to buy- a sure sign that everyone will have one. To avoid buying your family and friends presents that everyone else has, try to do a little more searching for something that is unique to that person's personality. There are tons of unique holiday gifts out there that no one else will have within a 50 mile radius, and even more, that will make the special person in your life feel your gift was truly thoughtful.

Finding unique holiday gifts is not as challenging as you might think. There are tons of websites out there that either offer these items, or can point you in the direction of retail stores that sell them. In doing some research, I was able to find you a few unique holiday gifts to get you started on your exciting journey.

For Anyone: Gift Baskets

I know a gift basket can sound like a boring, run-of-the-mill idea, but trust me, there are so many things you can do with a gift basket that with a creative mind even the toughest guy would love one. For example, you're probably accustomed to seeing the baskets with ribbons and bows on them; they're normally filled with cheese, crackers and sausage rolls, things people eventually (or immediately) throw away. But now you can find personal basket makers who will put anything in them.

I knew a woman who was excellent at creating these unique baskets. If you gave her about a week's notice and a list of items, she would arrange them uniquely in a basket, wrap clear plastic paper around it and charge you for the cost of the items plus her own labor charges. I found, however, that if you have a little creativity and patience you can do the same thing yourself, and even come out cheaper because you can find items at a price you're comfortable with and not have to pay for labor.

Think about it; if you want to create a gift basket for your daughter or a young girl, you can find little barrettes and hair accessories, a couple of charm bracelets and necklaces, one or two small dolls, some lip gloss and fingernail polish, a little candy and one big teddy bear or plush animal for the centerpiece and make a fun basket she'll cherish. And if you want to create a basket for a man, you can find his favorite items, like cans of beer and nuts for Football Sunday, some cigars, or even new tools or Xbox games - whatever you know this person loves and will use on a daily basis. Gift baskets are fun because they provide the opportunity to throw a lot of functional items into one place while still being able to present other gifts individually, so I recommend you add them to your list of unique holiday gifts.

For Children: Zzz Animals

This is one of the unique holiday gifts no one will be able to resist. If you or someone you know loves cute puppies and kittens then you need to add Zzz Animals to your list of gifts to buy this year. These little critters look like exact replicas of real sleeping animals and are great as cute additions to your child's assortment of toys, or even as a collectible item for an adult.

The Zzz Animals are unique in that they look like they are breathing while sleeping - their small midsections rise and fall in time with normal breathing - giving them the appearance of being a real pet. They also come with their own collar, bed, pet carrier and adoption certificate to make them seem even more real. But the best thing of all is that they're not real. So you don't have the task of cleaning up after them and entertaining them with playtime and morning walks. And of course, the absence of buying food, taking them to the vet and cleaning up you-know-what helps a lot.

Zzz Animals come in a variety of breeds including Golden Retrievers, Chocolate Labs, Tan/Black Pugs, White/Brown Shih-Tzus, Beagles and Schnauzers for puppies, and Orange Tabbies and other black and white kittens - and they are simply adorable. They are offered by a company called First Street and are very reasonable at under $40. Check them out!

For Adults: EZ GPS

The EZ GPS is another item to add to your unique holiday gifts list. With navigation systems becoming more popular (and necessary with highways under construction all over the country), the EZ GPS system is a great gift to give a person who always claims they were late because they "got lost."

It is a small-in-size and easy-to-use Global Positioning System with pre-loaded street level mapping for all of North America - this stops you from having to download maps from your computer or use CDs to upload data. The screen is 5 inches wide with a brightly lit screen and turn-by-turn voice instructions; and if you are trying to find a specific point of interest but don't know the exact street it sits on, the EZ GPS has millions already pre-loaded. By getting this gift for a friend or family member who is chronically late, you will know the "got lost" excuses will come to an end.

Finding unique holiday gifts for everyone you love is just as easy as using your imagination and utilizing a few easy online sources if needed. So don't stop at these unique holiday gifts - keep In the end, you'll be happy you took the time to be a little bit more thoughtful, especially when you see the joy on your loved one's face.

Jeffrey Meier of Jam727 Enterprises at http://www.Jam727.com offers information articles on a wide variety of subjects including Personalized Gifts at [http://www.jam727.com/gifts/Personalized-Gifts.php]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffrey_Meier

Get Ex Back - What to Do If She Wants to Be "Friends?"

If you're getting mixed signals from your lover is it over? Or are you her best friend but she doesn't like you "that way?" A woman wants a leader now a days it seems like men have been so sissified by the media and government regulations (you gotta have a license to do just about anything) that we've forgotten our basic programming. Since you've given her the idea that your a teddy bear rather than a Big Bear she wants to cuddle not get serious.

As a Big Bear you take control of the situation, you have to take her by the hand so to speak, say "I really like you and and I want us to go onto the next level" she'll say "lets be friend's I don't like you in "that" way, but I like hanging with you" etc etc.. she is telling you that she has already made up her mind and she doesn't want to be blunt. She is not interested in you as a lover so you have two choices, you can "always be there for her" of you can say "nice to know you, if you ever change your mind give me a call".

The "always be there for her" approach will give her pretty much total control of your life because your hoping against all hope that she is going to wake one morning to realize she has been making a big mistake. Probably will never happen. You will get to hear all about all her new boyfriends and what creeps they turn out to be and how she wishes all men could be like you and a bunch of other tommy rot. She doesn't want men to be like you or she would be with you. She wants someone to lead her who she can look up to, someone who is just a little or a lot out of her control.

Which leads to option number two "see ya wouldn't want to be ya", look unless you like to torture yourself get away and do it now. Don't call, don't for any reason text, don't drive by her house, don't go where she goes. Just assume that she's not the one and start looking. An interesting thing has happened to more than one guy who finally grew a back bone and walked away, she calls and wants to get together or go hang out.

What if she calls after a few days or weeks and wants to go out? Be calm be cool and collected and say "that is a great idea, unfortunately I'm busy for the nest few days can you call back next weekend?" Shine her on and she'll be thinking in the back of her mind that she just might have made a mistake. Because you are now unobtainable you become valuable, desirable, and she begins to see you not as the friend or the some time thing. You were getting mixed signals or the "just friends" treatment because you were not willing to man up and walk away. Amazingly once you show your willingness to drop her like a hot stone you become more manly to her less "friendly"

So show her some leadership say "later" and get on with your life there is a good chance you can get her attention that way.

I'll take you by the hand and show you exactly what to do and what to say to get your ex lover back in your arms- Especially if you are the only one trying http://howdoikeepmyrelationshipfrombreakingu.blogspot.com/

Find out how to have your ex come crawling back to you: http://getexbackprovenstrategies.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Dominal

17 Ways To Determine If A Beanie Baby Is Counterfeit

You should always buy Ty Beanie Babies from reputable dealers or from sellers who you know how to contact. These dealers and sellers should also have many references and/or feedback from other people they have done business with.

Most counterfeit Beanie Babies are easy to spot if you know what to look for. If you don't know what to look for then you will probably have a hard time telling most counterfeit Beanie Babies from authentic Ty Beanie Babies.

Beanie Baby shows are a good place to check out expensive Beanie Babies. Try to handle them if you can. Get to know the feel of the fabric and their overall appearance.

Some counterfeits are excellent reproductions, but regardless of how good the counterfeits look, they usually have many mistakes. It is never just one mistake.

If you are buying expensive Beanie Babies, then you should educate yourself on the counterfeits or at least know where to find the information when you need it.

Most of the mistakes on the counterfeits can be found on the tags. Become familiar with the different generation hang tags and tush tags or know where to look to find this information.

Below are 17 ways to determine if a Beanie Baby is counterfeit:

1. Many of the counterfeits have spelling errors on the tags, but keep in mind that so do some of the authentic Ty Beanie Babies. So you usually have to look for other mistakes beside just this.

2. Check the tag dates and the addresses to make sure they are correct. Many of the counterfeits have the wrong date on the tush tag.

3. Compare the tags of the suspect Beanie Baby with the tags of another Ty Beanie Baby that you know to be authentic.

4. Is the type on the tags too light or too dark? Is it the right typeface?

5. Compare the tags to an authentic Ty Beanie Baby's tags and determine if the tags are smaller or larger than the authentic tags.

6. Compare the stock color inside the hang tag to another hang tag. Is it too white? Authentic tags have an off-white color.

7. Are the color of the hang tags identical? Or does the red and yellow on the hang tag look muted or too light or too dark? The hang tag should be blue red and not orange red.

8. The yellow star on the hang tag should be a bright sunshine yellow, not a mustard color.

9. Some of the counterfeit Beanie Babies have a yellow star on their hang tag that have points that are too "pointy." The points of authentic hang tag stars are slightly rounded.

10. Check the gold edge on the hang tag. It should have a nice clean line and be a light bright gold color. It shouldn't be brassy.

11. Check the overall size and shape of the Beanie. Some of the counterfeit Ty teddy bears have ears that are either too small or too large or perhaps the legs or arms are too short or are shaped strangely.

12. Is the teddy bear's head too large or overstuffed?

13. Check the eyes to see if they are too close together or too big or too small.

14. Are the eyes a solid color? Some Beanie Baby eyes are a solid color and some are not. Humphrey the camel has solid black eyes but most of the counterfeit Humphrey have eyes that are two-tone.

15. Check the fabric and see if it is rough or if the color is too dark or too light.

16. Does the fabric nap look right? Is the fabric rough, stiff or the wrong color?

17. Most authentic Beanies have nice plush fabric that "flows" in all directions and doesn't get "wrinkly."

One place you should avoid buying expensive Beanie Babies that are not authenticated is online auctions like eBay. Odds are that if you buy enough of these expensive Beanie Babies that are not authenticated, that you will eventually end up buying some that are counterfeit.

Reference: Mary Beth's Counterfeit Update

Barry Stein has been a Beanie Baby dealer since 1997. You can visit his website at http://www.BarrysBeanies.com, where he sells Beanie Babies retail and wholesale.

You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your e-book or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author bylines are included with an active hyperlink to the BarrysBeanies.com website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barry_Stein

Deal With Cold Weather - I Don't Like This Country Because it is Cold There

Look, I've heard this sentence so many times that I've decided to write an article about it. Being myself from Spain but living in Sweden I can say I get a taste of what cold weather is, and I can promise that to deal with cold weather is not something to do with physical or mental preparation. It's just clothes.

"Dani, I couldn't live up there in Sweden like you. It's so cold in the winter...!"

Let's analyze this sentence. What does this person mean when saying it is sol cold in the winter? It actually means that in the way this person is normally dressed in their home country, they would be feeling cold in Sweden. Wow! Impressive discovery, huh? Not definitely, but many people fail to see that part.

In fact, and being terribly sincere with you, the real problem in this world is not about how to deal with cold weather, but the opposite. How to deal with hot weather? No way, because the further you could take away is just your skin. But that'll probably kill you, so you would feel nothing at all. Does not seem like an adequate solution. Opposite to this, when you are in a country where it is really cold, you can alway use more clothes on.

On a more jokingly side, some people say that having sex in Sweden is like peeling an onion, because you really need to extract tenths of levels of clothes until you reach the real meat. Even if this guys are completely right, i think this can be taken as adding some more intensity to the moment. You really need to fight to get what you want, and there's nothing like discovering step by step what you have in front.

Whatever cold country you are going to visit as a tourist, take into account that to deal with cold weather is nothing but common sense again. If you are cold, put more clothes on. Are you still cold? Don't worry, there are more clothes you can put on. the important thing is that you have a good amount of warm clothes in your baggage. Ugh, that's a problem, I have now too much baggage! Well, in this case probably you should leave the suitcases where you keep that big teddy bear and the other one with the TV inside. You'll need more the clothes I promise.

Planning a trip to Europe or somewhere to hang around in the world? You'll get some help at Travel to Europe

If you look for 80-90% discounted hotels at your destination, you'll find the deal at Free Travel Certificates

And for hot travel deals, tips and tricks, Travel Addicts is your place.

Dani Alonso

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dani_Alonso

Is it a Good Idea to Give Your Ex Girlfriend Gifts?

Broke up with your girlfriend? Want her back but don't really know what to do? Many men think all it takes to get back their ex girlfriends is buy them a teddy bear with a big heart saying "I love you" and they will run back to them. If you are one of them, planning to do the same I really recommend you read this article carefully before making a BIG mistake.

I can tell you from my PERSONAL experience that giving gifts/flowers to your ex girlfriend just makes her more mad at you. Although you might not mean it that way at all she will interpret it as if you are trying to buy her love back through these gifts.

You also have to realize that she broke up with you because she didn't like something about your or your relationship. So if you want her to come back to you, you will have to find out what went wrong or what she didn't like about you or your relationship and change it. You have to show her you understand that you messed up but that you learned from your mistakes and you will try to watch out for them in the future. And not buy her a teddy bear and continue doing the same mistakes as before.

Men who want to give a "make-up" gift to their ex girlfriends also usually don't realize a very important thing. They think that getting back their ex girlfriend is a matter of few days. Sorry to disappoint you but it doesn't work this way.

It took me 8 weeks to get back my ex girlfriend but I didn't mind this one bit because I truly love her. If this fact discourages then you might as well reconsider your relationship and how much you really want your ex girlfriend back. If you truly love her you won't mind waiting for months.

Now we also come to another point which is determination. You have to be determined to get your ex back no matter what it makes. Because girls really value men who are not embarrassed to show them how much they mean to them, and not only by empty words but also through actions.

Believe me that determination and patience will really pay back when getting back your ex girlfriend.

As I said I was once in the same situation as you. I lost my girlfriend which I deeply loved. I tried many common tips and methods on getting her back (including buying her gifts) but they all failed. After weeks of trying I was fortunate enough to find a great, working method which helped me to finally get her back. We have been together since then and our relationship is stronger than ever before.

Please click HERE to read my own true story of How I Lost My Girlfriend and what I did to get her back in 6 weeks.

I wish you Good Luck and I honestly hope you will get Her back.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Huggens

Why it Sucks to Be a Nice Guy

Have you ever heard of the term "nice guys finish last?"

I know, I know . . . I think I have an idea on what's going on in your mind right now, you're probably thinking "No, that's not entirely true, I don't agree with that. Women LOVE nice guys. Women love men who opens doors for them, takes out seats for them and treats them like a queen. Jerks might win their heart in the beginning, but then nice guys always get the girl in the end . . ."

Well for the record . . . YOU'RE WRONG.

I don't know what rock you've been living under for the past five years, but this is the 21st century my friend! I do agree with you on one point though, women do LOVE nice guys. They love them as friends, or as best friends, or as big brothers, or as cousins, etc. . But unfortunately, women would very RARELY like a nice guy to be their boyfriend.

Now before I get any violent reactions, let's talk about the term "NICE". What would qualify as a nice guy?

Here are some examples:

1 A nice guy is a guy who appears to be so weak that it seems as if even Hanna Montana can beat him up.
2. A nice guy is a guy who is needy, clingy and revoltingly insecure. He's so concerned with winning a woman's attention that he'll do ABSOLUTELY anything for her.
3. A nice guy is a guy who's too damn available ALL the time.

4. A nice guy is a guy who apologizes all the time even though he didn't even do anything wrong.

5. A nice guy is a guy who hangs onto every word you say and then agrees with every point you make.
6. A nice guy is a guy who is simply just TOO MUCH. He's the type of guy that would bring flowers, chocolates and a big teddy bear on a lunch date.
Now do you know how women respond to nice guys who are simply just too much? Here's what they tell their friends about them:

"He's so nice . . . but . . . I'm BORED."

Or

"He's so nice . . . but . . . I don't think I deserve him."

Or

"He's so nice . . . but . . . there's just no sparks between us."

Hard to accept isn't it? I know, I know it hurts . . . why don't you come over here and cry it out on my shoulders sweet pea . . .

I'm assuming that you probably got your "super nice guys get the girl at the end" mentality from your dad and your Vietnam war veteran granddaddy. I hate to bust your bubble here bub, unfortunately that's not how it works in this day and age.

Let's take a look at four of the most significant notions you have to be aware of when it comes to attracting women:

1. The heart is IRRATIONAL.

We can't CHOOSE who we FALL for. I know it sucks, but that's just the way life works so you just have to DEAL with it. Attraction can just happen in an instant without warning, you can't really direct your heart which direction to go and you can't CONVINCE her heart to choose you either so don't even bother trying.

2. Beautiful women have PLENTY of options.

Beautiful women have hundreds of options, that's common sense right? She gets hit on in clubs, in libraries, in shopping centres etc. She also has a number of close friends who are just "pretending" to be close friends but in reality, can't really wait to "get it on" with her. They pretend to be the BESTFRIEND yet what they really want is to be the BREASTFRIEND though. That's why for any beautiful woman, every look, every good deed, every sweet word is in one way or another is deemed as INTEREST. Maybe not all the time, but most of the time that plays on her mind because almost every guy she's been in contact with has shown interest at some stage.

3.The heart is ILLOGICAL. It doesn't follow any rules.

When you think about the concept of attraction, it only makes absolute sense that women should be drawn to nice, polite, well educated, honest gentlemen right? But then why do so many women fall for Jerks and Bad boys? Where's the logic in that??

There's NO LOGIC period.

4. Women crave for SECURITY and STATUS.

I know that this might seem unfair, unfortunately women are almost BY NO MEANS attracted to men of "lower status" than them or whom they feel can't give them any security. This is why particular stereotypes exists, such as women not liking men with no jobs and no future, and women not liking men who looks and sounds like Steve Urkell. They want a MAN not a LADY-BOY.

Now, if I had to describe the one massive blunder that men make with women, the one that causes the most heartache, then I'd have to say that it would be . . .

BEING A NICE GUY, AND EXPECTING HER TO FALL FOR YOUR "NICENESS."

Have you ever pursued a woman with flowers, chocolates, and expensive gifts, only to have her say "she doesn't know what she wants right now" and needs "time to think". . . which eventually led to her to seeing you as "just a friend"?

Have you ever met a woman and given her a nice compliment, only to have her look the other away and show signs of boredom?

That's what happens when you're too nice. Bottom-line? NICE GUYS don't spark off ATTRACTION.

Too much of a nice guy is BLAND. They're too needy and clingy that it's nauseating.

Now, the first reaction most guys usually have when they hear this is shock and awe because being nice is what their mommies taught them ever since they were a little kid. So when they hear this disturbing piece of news they say things like "But I don't want to be a jackass" or "I like being a NICE guy" or "I'm just trying to be MYSELF that's all . . ."

Don't worry, I feel you Dawg.

Well here's the thing, you don't need to be a "jackass" or be "mean" to women, you just need to learn how the concept of attraction works and to STOP being too damn nice.

Do you know what really attracts women?

GENTLEMEN with a hint of BAD BOY swagger.

Yes that's right, you heard me, if there's one thing that triggers the attraction switches of an attractive woman, it's the guy's ability to be a gentleman but still retain a hint of cocky and arrogance. Someone who's not really up himself, but instead, knows how to tease his way into a woman's heart.

I still strongly advice opening doors, lending a jacket when the woman feels cold, walking on the outside of the curb, and pulling out chairs. You know, the usual knight in shining armour stuff. Men hardly do that anymore in this day and age, so it'll make you stand out. Being a gentleman is a great quality to possess indeed, however, you need to let her know that you can be a "BAD BOY" sometimes as well. For example:

You can pull out a chair for her and then say something like "This whole gentleman thing is a very rare occasion ok? So you better make the most of it whilst I'm still in a "nice guy" zone."

Or you can also pretend to dust off her seat before she sits on it and then say something like "there you go your highness" and then flash a teasing grin afterwards.

Or you can also spit out implied compliments like "now don't go acting all high and mighty with me just because you're cute ok?"

Get it??

Most men don't understand how a woman's mind works, that's why they get shocked to their core whenever jerks steal their women from right under their very noses all the time.

Let me share with you some basic facts about men and women:

Most women by nature play the "coy" angle. They play hard to get and they want men to chase them. Men on the other hand are strong, dominant and aggressive by nature. Most men are generally considered rough and tough, they're supposed to be SOLDIERS by nature.

But then here's the punchline:

Most men don't ACT like men when they're in the company of a woman that they are interested in. Instead, they act too damn nice and too damn pathetic, kinda like a LADY-BOY.

Guess what?

It's not "hot", it's not endearing and it's not desirable AT ALL. It actually FRUSTRATES women!

About the author: Chris Fox is a real-life dating/relationship expert and dating advice columnist for StarCentral Magazine. If you're reading this right now, and you'd like to learn more about how to get more dates, and have more success with the opposite sex in general, then I'd highly recommend that you click on the link below:

http://daily.starcentralmagazine.com/category/advanced-dating-101

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Robert_Fox

Fun Ways To Announce Your Pregnancy

Whether you just found out you are with child or you have known for a few months, then announce your pregnancy to relatives and friends can be a lot of fun. Some may want to hold on till a trustworthy period during their pregnancy, while others desire to call right after finding out themselves.

Announce your pregnancy for The Father

Have a romantic dinner for two with candle lights, it may be your final stretch for a while, between sunrise sickness and propagation your little one. Serve up, babe in arms carrots, kid back ribs and anything else you can think as baby. At the end, pour apple fluid instead of wine and hand him a existent. Contents the Existing you can maintain a little toddler bib that says, "I heart My Daddy" or a couple of baby booties.

If you can't tell the father right away, because he's away on affair, or deployed, try sending him a care package to announce your pregnancy. Inside the box a few baby items, everything in blue and pink, and a baby naming book in the center. Place a note on top of the book, which saying, "I miss a good name, I'll be here by June." Or whenever the baby is due.

You can also see how large it takes him to figure it out. Go to the dollar stock and hand-pick up a bunch of small baby items, a bib, rattle, fiasco, booties, etc. For a week, leave an item laying around the house, where he is usually to find them. At the end of the week if he hasn't figured it out yet, prepare the big gift. Have a Teddy Bear sitting at the dinner table in the place next to him, make sure there is a bib wrapped around the Teddy Bear, and maybe a sign that says Hi Daddy.

Announce your pregnancy for Family and Friends

Show up to a family event and wear a shirt that announces your situation. These days there are a ton of shirts out there with text sayings, "Baby on Board," "A Bun in the Oven," or something common to the parenthood. The moment you walk in or take off your jacket all will know your situation, without you ever having to say a word, you will announce your pregnancy. Now, get ready for the tears and excitement. You will be ready to answer a ton of questions.

If you already told family you may wish for to call the grandparents up, and tell them that the next Christmas, they may want to add one new family member to the list.

If this is the first grandchild, you may wish to get a bracelet connector for your mom that reads, "#1 Grandma" or grandparent t-shirts. This will not alone be a great moment for them, but something they will remember and love forever.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No matter when you announce your pregnancy, it can be a lot of fun, reasonable think originative, and let the pieces fall. You may even want to try catching all of it on DVD, so fantasize ahead and prepare for the BIG minute, and we are not meaning the childbirth.

About The Author

Morten Hansen has been working with the Pregnancy area for several years and is mainly writing about subjects, that make it easier for people to learn about Pregnancy. For more useful Tips about Pregnancy Subjects visit our site www.PregnancyTips4you.com [http://www.PregnancyTips4you.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Morten_Hansen

Top 3 Reasons Why Your Kids are Fat

I love kids. Especially fat kids. They're like big teddy bears, nice to hold and hug. If I ever have kids, I wish all my kids are chubby and cute.

However, no matter how cute fat kids are, the reality is fat kids are better off losing their excess weight. Much have been written about the dangers of obesity in a child. As responsible parents, you should do whatever it takes to help your child lose the excess weight, or prevent her from getting fat in the first place.

Isn't it great if you could prevent your child from getting fat, or reduce her risk of obesity?

To prevent your child from getting fat, first you must know the reasons that make a child fat. Once you know the reasons, you'll be in a better position to take preventive measures that will reduce your child's risk of getting fat.

Here's the top 3 reasons why a child gets fat. The reasons are based on a study performed on Spanish children.

1. Watching too Much TV

If your kids watch too much TV, they'll get fat. It's not the TV watching itself that makes your kids fat, but the activities associated with TV watching like snacking. So, if you restrict your child from watching too much TV, you'll reduce her risk of getting fat.

2. Family History of Obesity

If you're fat yourself, your children will probably be fat too. Obesity seems to run in the family. If you're fat, you should lose weight. Set an example your fat children will follow.

3. Consuming too Much Sugar-Sweetened Beverage

If your kids drinks too much sugar-laden sodas, they'll get fat. You should monitor your child's fluid intake and ensure that they do not consume too much sugar-sweetened beverage. Be especially stern when you take your child to fast food outlets.

According to the study, there's one most important factor that prevents a child from getting fat - the time spent on physical activities during leisure time.

A child who engages in physical activities like exercise and sports protects herself from getting fat. You should encourage your child to exercise or take up sports. Even better, you should join your children in their physical activities. Not only you're setting an example to your children, you also keep yourself fit and healthy.

Interestingly, the study finds several factors that bear no relation with your child's risk of getting fat. They are:

1. Breast-feeding
2. Birth weight
3. Time spent sleeping

In summary, to prevent your child from getting fat, you should restrict your child's time spent on watching TV, restrict her intake of sugar-sweetened beverage, set a healthy example your child will follow, and increases her physical activity.

Do you know that 95% of all diets fail? Do you want to be in the successful 5%? Find out how at http://burnfatreview.com where former model Ruby Lee reviews current fat-loss programs like Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle and the South Beach Diet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruby_Lee

Everyone Loves Jumbo Stuffed Animals

Jumbo stuffed animals are large, life-like toys created especially for animal lovers and for those who love to buy them as collectibles. Stuffed animals can also be called playthings, but then again it depends upon how each individual would want to treat it. But it's true that with the new age definition of toys, stuffed animals find their place easily under both categories i.e. toys and collectibles.

Jumbo stuffed animals can be gifted to children, and adults too. If they are animal lovers and like one particular animal, then you don't have to think twice to pick up that huge life size stuffed animal as a gift for them. One can compare the jumbo animal toys with an Ashton Drake doll that are again considered more as collectibles than toys. Of course it's a different aspect though, that those collectors can be children and adults both. Ashton Drake Dolls and Jumbo stuffed animals are similar in the manner that both are life sized and are meant to look real or at least close to real and both fall in the category of toys as well as collectibles. However these collectibles are mostly used as show case items and they are bought in pursuit of a hobby and interest.

It's true that every child wants at least one life size stuffed animal in his or her collection of toys. Mostly children prefer huge stuffed teddy bears in various colors and forms. Though you can find jumbo sized stuffed toys in a toy shop it's unlikely that you will see all the available variety under this category. If you are planning to buy a big life size stuffed animal and you want it be special then exploring the websites of the manufacturers of stuffed toys would be a better option. You can look at the available range and moreover, you will also have the convenience of the toy being shipped to your place.

Though initially these large stuffed animals were limited to few wild animals like teddy bear, pandas, tigers and lions, they have now outgrown your imagination. You name it and you have it, the available variety in the market now include Jumbo sized stuffed farm animals like horse, sheep etc, aquatic animals like whales, sharks, frogs etc, pet animals like cats, dogs etc.

In case you don't find what you are looking for, then there are shops and manufacturers that can custom make the animal you want. Here the charges can be a little extra as it requires special ordering and designing but, at the same time, you also have the advantage of customizing the animal to your requirement or taste. You can choose the color, size and also the position (i.e. sitting or standing) of the animal. It's ideal to go for a custom make jumbo stuffed animal if you would want to buy it as a once-in-a-lifetime collectible for yourself or a special toy for your child. Even if you would like to gift it to an animal lover, say a shark lover, then custom made stuffed animals would be a great idea.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about kids toys, stuffed animals, and dolls. You will find the best marketplace for kids toys, stuffed animals, and dolls at these sites for kids toys, jumbo stuffed animals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Epand