Some More Articles

Make these lovely mood lights for your bar or dining room; make them for gifts; or make them to sell. I sell mine for $30.

Materials:

Empty wine bottle and cork

Square cardboard jewelry box (to form base for lamp)

String of battery pack Christmas lights + batteries

Plastic grape cluster

Raffia

Black spray paint

Multi-purpose strong glue like Household Goop or E-6000

Directions:

The base will be made from the cardboard jewelry box. Normally the top fits over the bottom of the box and forms an overhang. To create a smooth profile for your base, measure and cut off a strip from two of the top’s sides so that the top fits snuggly inside the base.

The bottom of the jewelry box becomes the top of your lamp’s base. Position the battery pack in the corner you have just cut two strips from. The side of the battery pack with the on/off switch will be flush with the edge of the lamp base so that the light can be easily turned on and off.

Trace the outline of the battery pack onto the other part of the box and cut the opening. Refer to the picture above. In front is the cut box ready for assembly. In back is an assembled lamp base with the on/off switch accessible through the opening.

Spray the outsides of the two box parts with matte black paint. Allow to dry. Glue the battery pack in place and let dry. Then snap the lamp base together.

Glue the wine bottle on top of the base. Snake the light string into the neck of the bottle. Try to get the lights to spread out as evenly as possible. It helps to turn the lights on when you do this.

Take several strips of raffia and tie them around the top of the grape cluster. Then tie the raffia and grapes tightly around the neck of the bottle (making sure to go under the light string). Tie raffia in a bow and arrange the raffia strands. Trim the ends to desired lengths.

Leave a little slack on the wire to make changing batteries easier. Insert cork.

[Photos available at http://www.theartfulcrafter.com/mood-light.html]

Weaning your baby from the bottle can be a very stressful time for both your and your child. If you’re fortunate enough to be reading this before its time to wean your baby, you’ll hopefully have an easier time of taking away the bottle and moving to solid foods exclusively.

I learned this tip from my own mother, and it worked so well that it took the stress and frustration right out of weaning. In fact, I hadn’t even realized that my daughter wasn’t drinking from a bottle until two days after she was fully weaned. She never fussed or asked for her bottle once during the transition from formula to solid food.

So, without further adieu, here’s my number one tip. Starting today, don’t let your baby hold the bottle. That’s it - that’s the magic formula. It worked wonders for me and if you start early enough, I know it can work wonders for you too, and here’s why.

By letting your baby hold and play with their own bottle, they associate it with things other than feeding. This isn’t a bad thing, but once you try and wean your baby from the bottle, they’ll miss it as a toy or source of comfort.

During the period from 6-12 months of age, your baby will gradually be eating more solids and drinking less formula or breastmilk. If they only use the bottle as a source of food, they won’t miss it once its time to wean because they’ll be eating plenty of solid foods to satisfy them.

I held my daughter’s bottle for her since day one. I had been dreading her first birthday because I assumed she would turn ornery every time she expected her bottle instead of solid food. To my surprise, she had transitioned from formula to solids so easy that I wasn’t even aware the weaning process was over. By using this tip, I hope you will have the same experience as well.

Invitations are some of the most difficult things to perfect when it comes to parties. The biggest thing that some people don’t realize when they get invited to parties is how much the kind of invitations used tells about the celebrators. One look at an invitation will tell the potential guests what kind of party they’re being invited to, what kind of people are inviting them (social class, creativity, personality traits), and how well-planned that specific party is. So now I guess you won’t take that invitation planning lightly, will you?

So how should you go about planning your invitations for the upcoming baby shower you’re about to be having? Of course with the perfect invitation. So what item of all best brings us thoughts of new life into the world and marital bliss? Why the baby bottle of course! One of the best symbols that you can have is the baby bottle. So what can you do with the baby bottle that’s definitely going to make an impression on your guests? Why turn them into invitations of course!

First what you have to do is buy several bottles, equal to the amount of guests on your list. And then what you do is take strips of paper with the names of your guests and the party details contained in them. After this, you can roll them up with a ribbon and insert them in the bottles. And when you’ve done all that, you can get some adhesive paper, where you’ll write down the name of the recipient and stick it one the bottle in the best place you can. And voila! You have yourself a very artistic and unique invitation.

Most of the antique collectors are confused about how to determine antique bottle values. If you are an antique collector, this comprehensive guide helps you to know how to determine the antique bottle value. Let us check this topic in detail.

According to antique colleting experts, one can determine the antique bottle value by checking the following factors. All these factors are not sufficient always to make an antique bottle valuable. Antique bottle value is determined by checking whether the bottles have one or more of these value factors.

Given below are the main factors which determine the antique bottle value:

o Demand and supply

o Age

o Condition

o Rarity

o Size

o Color

o Category

o Design and embossing

o Esthetic appeal

o Historic significance

o Individuality

o Locale

Demand and supply of the antique bottle

Demand and supply of antique bottle is the first factor which determines the antique bottle value. For example, milk bottles as well as soda bottles with beautiful labels, mostly built after the turn of the century, has become a favorite collectible antique item recently. The main reason for the increase in the antique bottle value is the demand and excellent supply of these items antique bottles of different types.

Age of the antique bottle

Age of the bottle is an important factor which determines the antique bottle value. Collectible antique bottles are mainly divided into different periods to determine the value. The ‘Open Pontil’ bottles are considered as the earliest in America, which are made between 1600 and 1850. The ‘Iron Pontil’ bottles are generally built from 1840 to 1865. ‘Smooth Based’ bottles are those which were created after the American Civil War and before the World War I. While all those bottles which were created ahead of the turn of the century are completely or partly hand made and shaped. Generally after 1914, the bottles were made by machines.

Condition

Just like any other hobbies, antique bottle collectors also need items in the original condition. Bottles which are in their original condition have good antique values. Generally chips and cracks will decrease the antique bottle value. Bottles with wrappers, original labels, and boxes will help to raise the antique bottle value.

Rarity

Rarity also determines the antique bottles value. Rarity alone will not make an antique bottle valuable - it is seen that there are numerous rare bottles which are not as expensive as there is no demand for them. So if you are a novice antique collector, it is better to consult antique specialists or other collectors to know about the rarity and demand of the antique bottles.

Size

Size is another factor which determines the antique bottle value. Even though the size is less important when compared with the other factors, it influences the price of the bottle. Large sized antique bottles bring more money when compared with small antique bottles. For example, large cathedral pickles, large sized Pontil medicines, large bitters, and half gallon jars have high antique bottle value.

Color

The color of the bottle also determines the antique bottle value in various ways. Antique bottles boast a wide variety of colors for which attracts the collectors. Antique bottle value will be high for those bottles with rare and remarkable colors. Some of the popular antique bottle colors include amber, aqua and a wide range of greens (such as olive green, blue green, teal, and emerald). One of the rare colors for antique bottle is cobalt (blue). Hence antique bottles of cobalt color are highly expensive.

Design and Embossing

Without beautiful embossing and design, a bottle with common color will not get any demand. That is, the antique bottle value will be less for these types of bottles. But there are some exceptions - if the bottle is very old, rare or have any historic value, then it will have high antique bottle value. Embossing will add valued to antique bottles. The place where embossing is done is also significant. For example, if the embossing is on the center and can be seen from the front view, then the antique bottle value will be high.

Esthetic Appeal

Esthetic appeal of an antique bottle is entirely subjective. Generally antique bottles which are beautiful in shape, design, or color will yield more demand. Labels with eye-catching graphics or color, neural fancy panels, and crudity can increase the demand of a bottle which results in the antique bottle value.

Historical Significance

The historical significance of a bottle can increase the antique bottle value. That is the combination of age, rarity, color and historical significance can increase the antique bottle value.

Individuality

As antique bottles are generally hand made, most of them have less uniformity when compared to modern bottles. For example, some antique bottles are crudely made, while others feature numerous bubbles on it, some have ‘whittle marks’ etc. These types of individuality can increase the antique bottle value.

Locale

The geographical area of origin of a bottle can increase the antique bottle value. For example, Hawaiian and Alaskan bottles have more antique bottle value than similar bottles from other areas.

Even though these are major factors which affect the antique bottle value, antique bottle collectors from various parts of the country shows varying interests. For example, Western state collectors are much interested in early whiskey bottles, Hawaiian sodas are popular antique bottles in Hawaii. That is, the interests of the collectors tend to change in different places. Therefore, the antique bottles value can also change in different places.

When cleaning your baby’s bottles, have you ever wondered why you should sterilize them? It’s actually really important to properly sterilize your baby’s bottles to keep him or her healthy. Most people assume that bottles just bought from the store are clean. They’ve never been used, why wouldn’t they be clean? They actually aren’t clean, because during the process of making the bottles and nipples, they are coated in all types of different chemicals. After that, they are packaged by people, sent to stores, and then stocked on the shelves by people. Who knows what these people may have touched before they touched your child’s bottle?

Another important reason to sterilize your infant’s bottles properly is bacteria. Have you ever forgotten about a bottle in the diaper bag, or had to leave one in there dirty until you got home to wash it? Well, here is something that is going to terrify you. Bacteria can grow in these bottles very easily, due to the milk particles left in the bottle, the warmth inside of the bottle, and the dampness inside. If you just give these bottles a quick wash before feeding your child, there is a chance that your baby could develop a bacterial infection. Aaaaghhh! All from a bottle? Unfortunately, yes. Here are some tips to help you sterilize your baby’s bottles.

Gather all of the bottles you will be sterilizing. Fill a pot about halfway to three fourths full and put it on to boil. Make sure to take apart all the pieces of the bottles, including removing the ****** from the top of the bottle. (Bacteria love it in here!) Wash these bottles in warm, soapy water. Make sure to use a ****** and bottle brush to get all the way in there. After rinsing, your water should be boiling. Make sure you have a pair of tongs or something similar that you can use to remove the bottles when they have been sterilized. Drop two or three bottles and pieces into the boiling water at one time. Allow them to boil for about three to five minutes, and then remove them. You can set them in a strainer or dish drainer to cool, and then dry them with a clean towel or paper towel.

If you’re able to wash your baby’s bottles directly after you are finished with the feeding, you shouldn’t have to sterilize the bottles every time you want to use them. If they have been dirty for a couple of hours, though, it’s a good idea to go ahead and sterilize them. Feeding your baby is a bonding experience and a special time. You don’t want to be wondering if the bottle you are feeding him or her with is truly clean enough! Following these tips will ensure that your baby’s bottles are clean and sterilized, and give you peace of mind!

Sensory bottles are fun and provide lots of opportunities for exploring visual and auditory senses. They used different materials in small plastic water bottles that children can shake, tip, roll, and watch. Use the smooth plastic water bottles- without the ridges- that are around 1/2 liter (the mouth of the bottle has to be big enough to get the items in). Here are some for you to try:

1. The Wave Pool- Fill half the bottle with water and put a few drops of blue food coloring. Fill one quarter of the bottle with baby oil. Drop in a few small plastic ocean animals and seal the lid with packaging tape. Let them shake up the bottle and see the oil and water mix and then separate.

2. The Sand Box- Fill a bottle half way with clean play sand. Drop in a few desert animals and seal with packaging tape.

3. Buttons, Buttons, Buttons- Drop in a bunch of old buttons that are different sizes and colors. Seal the bottle with packaging tape. Let them shake it and hear the noise and see the colors all move around.

4. Gooey Stars- Using a bottle of inexpensive dish soap that is a color. Add in star foil confetti. Seal with packaging tape. Tip this one up and down and watch the stars move slowly through the soap.

5. The Fire Bottle: Using gold metallic temper paint (it only works with metallic paints), fill the bottle about half way. Then add water to another quarter of the bottle. Shake and seal with packaging tape.

There are a lot of options for these sensory activities for preschoolers. You are only limited by your creativity. These bottles work at home or in the classroom. Make sure they are properly sealed so no materials escape. You can also ask your preschooler for more ideas.

Baby formula was originally intended to be a milk substitute for women who couldn’t breastfeed. Today, it is peddled as the next best thing to mother’s milk, suggesting that it is just as healthful as ****** milk, Health care providers often promote bottle feeding by giving free samples of formula to new mothers.

Yet, no man made concoction can duplicate the properties of ****** milk, no matter how many supplements are added to it. Breastfeeding offers many benefits that formula cannot deliver.

Breastfed babies get fewer ear infections and other infections, due to antibiotics in ****** milk. They get less diarrhea, constipation, colic, and other stomach upsets. They have a reduced risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Breastfed babies tend to have straighter teeth and don’t get “baby bottle syndrome” (buck teeth from bottle). Breastfeeding satisfies the baby’s emotional needs and increases bonding between mother and baby. And breastfed babies smell better, from top to bottom, but especially the bottom.

Some benefits to breastfed babies are lifelong. In later childhood, there is a decreased risk of tooth decay, diabetes, and some childhood cancers. As adults, they will have fewer allergies. In fact, it has been estimated that 65% of bottle fed babies will develop a lifelong allergy. Adults who were breastfed tend to have lower cholesterol levels; are less likely to be obese; are less likely to have high blood pressure, and are less likely to have heart disease. They will have a reduced risk of: rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, compared to adults who were bottle fed. The antibodies in ****** milk seem to last a lifetime, as adults who were breastfed are less likely to have ear infection, or other infections;

Breastfeeding also benefits the mother greatly. It helps delay the return of fertility and to space subsequent pregnancies. It reduces the risk of postnatal depression, and helps to develop an emotional relationship and bonding with her child. Breastfeeding helps the uterus contract after birth to control postpartum bleeding. Nursing mothers get more rest than bottle feeding moms, as there is no screaming baby in the middle of the night waiting on the formula to heat up; you can nurse while sleeping. Both mom and baby sleep better. Dad sleeps better to, since he never has to get out of bed to help with feeding. Breastfeeding mothers have less chance of ****** cancer, as well as some other forms of cancer throughout life. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of osteoporosis in later years. Above all, breastfeeding gives you the satisfaction of knowing you are giving your baby the best start in life.

Disclaimer: This article is for entertainment purposes only, and is not intended for use as diagnosis or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional.