Ever heard of the saying “the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?” Funny how that works out as the best chefs are mostly men (and that is said without bias to the superb female chefs out their). The only point is how ironic the saying is, considering that cooks come from different ages regardless of gender. It is safer to say that the best way to a person’s heart (regardless of the individual being male or female) is through the tummy. Food, generally speaking to include ice cream in its state of coldness has a magic of warming the heart. The stomach when filled with food has a way of making the brain remember not only events but emotions that come with those events. Food sets and changes emotions in an instant. And taste is everything. The food you see may look palatable but if it doesn’t taste right then presentation is nothing. Fine dining though, or what others call Gourmet Dining. calls for extra preparation as presentation is the key to making the food look palatable.
The intricacies placed in cooking food for Fine dining entails sumptuous meals being made entirely from impeccable ingredients and from scratch. No premade meals. No microwavable meals. No takeouts. Sounds tedious? Not really, Fine Dining is not only for the experts nor should be afforded extravagantly in top notch restaurants. Fine Dining may also be done at home with ingredients available for daily cooking and even frozen products. Lets us make wonders and attempt to make ordinary meals and common food to gourmet foods without getting into the intricacies of Hospitality Courses.
Our first pit stop is pastry dough. Creating pastry dough is not only time consuming but also expensive if you need lots of butter to make them. If you are in need of pastry dough for baking pies then it is less expensive and time consuming to use ground graham or any crackers of your choice folded in with melted butter. This makes excellent crusts at minimum time. If you’re looking for the flaky layers effect then keep filo dough and simply fold extra butter into it. The mixture can then be used to make pot pies and tarts. Leftover salmon, roasted vegetables and cheese wrapped in this dough mixture gives you an elegant new dish.
Next stop is STOCK. Gourmet dishes often require stock to be used for everything braised to stews, soups, and sauces. You can make your own stock with the flavors you like and set it aside in your fridge till you are ready to use it. Most stocks can be kept for a maximum of one week. Best stocks are made from simply boiling the meat (white or red) to include the bones for about 40 minutes. Drain the stock, let cool and refrigerate. Flavors can eventually be added depending on what you want to do with it.
Going to Organic Vegetables doesn’t mean having your own garden like the real chefs do or purchasing vegetables and fruit daily to ensure that they are freshly picked. The trick is to know what you have and what you want to do with it. If you like to serve steamed asparagus then the fresher it is the better. When making soup, asparagus found in your freezer would work out. Frozen fruits when handled well would be the same like those freshly picked if you reheat or defrost them just enough for them to maintain their texture and flavor.
And our last pit stop would be substitution. Gourmet cooking and recipes in Hospitality Courses usually include ingredients that are either time consuming to make or not readily available in your spice rack or your kitchen. Here are some helpful hints of what may be substituted for what when you either ran out of them or they are not available. A cup of stock we mentioned earlier can be substituted with diluting a bouillon cube, or an envelope of broth based powder in one cup of boiling water. Allspice can be substituted with cinnamon combined with ground cloves. Apple pie spice can be substituted with cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom; Arrowroot with flour and cornstarch; Buttermilk with yogurt; coconut cream with whipping cream; corn syrup with brown sugar and water; cornstarch used for thickening sauces with all-purpose flour and granular tapioca; garlic with garlic powder; garlic salt with garlic powder and salt; honey with water and sugar; ketchup with tomato sauce, brown sugar and vinegar; lemon juice with vinegar; Pumpkin pie spice with cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg; and Worcestershire sauce with steak sauce.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
A Short Introduction to Grape Growing
Thinking about grape growing? Grape growing is synonymous to thinking about water, sunshine and soil. All three of nature’s elements are needed to ensure that you get the best out of your grapes whether you're planting to get raisins, Sauvignons or Shiraz.
You may wonder how all three affect the grape produce, yet, in a nutshell, too little or too much rain affects the intensity of the wine more so when excessive water is offered to the vine during harvest and fertilization. Rainfall during the fertilization stage affects the grape cluster from developing. Rainfall during harvesting, on the other hand dilutes the intensity of the wine. It can also puncture the grape skin causing it to rot or fall off.
Sunshine is good for the grape color as what you see from a Shiraz. Too much sun though dries up your grapes which gives you something edible instead of something to drink. The effect gives you raisins. Grapes are often grown in warm areas but not all warm areas are suitable for grape growing. Ideally the weather has to be in the range of 50 degrees to 95 degrees. Why? Two things: one we all know that plants make food (to include sugars) through a process called photosynthesis. And this process virtually stops should you go about 95 degrees. The second factor is, below 50 degrees your grape vines would not bear quality grapes or would at times remain in slumber and never wake up. Photosynthesis if further explained in other Horticulture courses as grape growing is part of this course.
The soil affects the water consumption and may contribute to the heat that the grapes absorb. Your area may have the ideal rainfall and sunshine yet you may not have the proper soil then grape growing would not be successful nor would you be a successful grape grower at that. Grapevines need major nutrients from the soil such as phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium. Grapevines also need minor nutrients like manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc and boron. The soil should not be acidic or alkaline based as this would affect the vines absorption of these minerals. The type of soil will dictate how you are to train your vines to grow whether they have to be close to the ground of higher up depends primarily on the soil type.
Once you’ve scouted the area and learned that conditions for grape growing from rain, to sun to soil is good for the go then the next step is to find the proper type of grapes to grow. The color green or red is not the only category for which grapes differ. Shiraz comes from red grapes, Pinots from green and so forth. They also grow depending on the soil and region. Be sure to know and find the best grapes suited to the conditions of where you’d like to start planting are for you to have a bountiful harvest and maximum yield.
And speaking of yield, let us talk about quantity and quality. The best wine makers go for producing lesser grapes per hectare. The decrease in the quantity of the grapes produced ensures an increase in the quality of the wine produced. Excellence in wine taste comes not with the quantity of the grapes but with the quality. And how is that achieved? To get the vines to produce lesser grapes merely means you have to religiously prune the vines during the time that the vines are dormant. Pruning dictates how much grapes come out of the vines. You also may take the alternative of removing bunches of grapes when they start to come out. Concentration will be left with the grape bunches you leave to grow thus affecting the wine intensity and overall quality.
To compensate on the quantity, one must be able to plant more vines. Remember, the concentration is dependent on how many bunches of grapes are in a vine and not how many vines are grown in a specific area. Increasing the number of vines to plant also assures the grape grower that the process of grape growing is worth his while. All these and a lot more are part of Horticulture courses that you may want to check out whether you’d like to grow grapes for the fruits, for wine making or even just for raisins be it for personal consumption or for mass production. This courses offer a deeper understanding of what it entails to be a grape grower or even grape growing. Questions you may have would also best answered by more reading.
You may wonder how all three affect the grape produce, yet, in a nutshell, too little or too much rain affects the intensity of the wine more so when excessive water is offered to the vine during harvest and fertilization. Rainfall during the fertilization stage affects the grape cluster from developing. Rainfall during harvesting, on the other hand dilutes the intensity of the wine. It can also puncture the grape skin causing it to rot or fall off.
Sunshine is good for the grape color as what you see from a Shiraz. Too much sun though dries up your grapes which gives you something edible instead of something to drink. The effect gives you raisins. Grapes are often grown in warm areas but not all warm areas are suitable for grape growing. Ideally the weather has to be in the range of 50 degrees to 95 degrees. Why? Two things: one we all know that plants make food (to include sugars) through a process called photosynthesis. And this process virtually stops should you go about 95 degrees. The second factor is, below 50 degrees your grape vines would not bear quality grapes or would at times remain in slumber and never wake up. Photosynthesis if further explained in other Horticulture courses as grape growing is part of this course.
The soil affects the water consumption and may contribute to the heat that the grapes absorb. Your area may have the ideal rainfall and sunshine yet you may not have the proper soil then grape growing would not be successful nor would you be a successful grape grower at that. Grapevines need major nutrients from the soil such as phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium. Grapevines also need minor nutrients like manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc and boron. The soil should not be acidic or alkaline based as this would affect the vines absorption of these minerals. The type of soil will dictate how you are to train your vines to grow whether they have to be close to the ground of higher up depends primarily on the soil type.
Once you’ve scouted the area and learned that conditions for grape growing from rain, to sun to soil is good for the go then the next step is to find the proper type of grapes to grow. The color green or red is not the only category for which grapes differ. Shiraz comes from red grapes, Pinots from green and so forth. They also grow depending on the soil and region. Be sure to know and find the best grapes suited to the conditions of where you’d like to start planting are for you to have a bountiful harvest and maximum yield.
And speaking of yield, let us talk about quantity and quality. The best wine makers go for producing lesser grapes per hectare. The decrease in the quantity of the grapes produced ensures an increase in the quality of the wine produced. Excellence in wine taste comes not with the quantity of the grapes but with the quality. And how is that achieved? To get the vines to produce lesser grapes merely means you have to religiously prune the vines during the time that the vines are dormant. Pruning dictates how much grapes come out of the vines. You also may take the alternative of removing bunches of grapes when they start to come out. Concentration will be left with the grape bunches you leave to grow thus affecting the wine intensity and overall quality.
To compensate on the quantity, one must be able to plant more vines. Remember, the concentration is dependent on how many bunches of grapes are in a vine and not how many vines are grown in a specific area. Increasing the number of vines to plant also assures the grape grower that the process of grape growing is worth his while. All these and a lot more are part of Horticulture courses that you may want to check out whether you’d like to grow grapes for the fruits, for wine making or even just for raisins be it for personal consumption or for mass production. This courses offer a deeper understanding of what it entails to be a grape grower or even grape growing. Questions you may have would also best answered by more reading.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Massage and Reflexology for a Healthy Body
Having a healthy body does not always include proper food we eat and exercise. Food and exercise are the fundamentals and basics for a healthy body but more often than not are no adequate. Vitamins and minerals needed by the body that could not be taken from regular meals are supplemented with herbal medicines or even synthetic vitamins at that. Exercise can also only do so much for the body’s improvement. Massage and Reflexology can complement what food and exercise may not be able to provide the body. Let us take a look at some instances and scenarios where Massage and/or Reflexology could be beneficial for a healthy body as afforded by the Health and Lifestyle courses.
Circulation improves the bodies healing processes or even much so, helps the immune system. Studies show that air massage alone can improve circulation all together.
Cancer patients or even those who have no diseases but reach middle age can go through a stage where they have a different way of thinking and feeling. Self-massage and self-reflexology helps decrease depression, stress, blood pressure, and pain. It similarly to massage increases and strengthens the immune system.
Foot massage is helpful in a lot of ways. To mention one, it is very helpful during the menopausal stage. Foot massage helps decrease anxiety, net sweats, hot flashes and depression during menopause. Husbands, take note of that, when your spouse starts to have mood swings, try massaging her feet. It not only would benefit her but it would benefit you as well. Think about how good she feels and how she would perceive receiving a foot massage from you?
In return, for the wives out there (especially after the food massage) it is helpful to note that while men succumb to high blood pressure at this stage. Reflexology helps in lowering the systolic number on blood pressure. What does that mean? That means a decrease in cholesterol and an improvement of life satisfaction. This is achieved by massaging more on the ball of the foot and around it.
Those are but examples of the benefits of massage and reflexology. What, you may ask is the difference of massage and reflexology? Massage uses long strokes and movements focused on the muscles and superficial layers of skin and fat included. Circulation is improved as oxygen and nutrients flow through the body.
Massage benefits include: relief of muscle pain and tension and increase in mobility and flexibility as it works on muscle pain and stiff joints. Massage improves back pain; improves arthritis conditions and tendinitis as it helps decrease inflammation; lessens migraines and headaches; muscle sprains, spasms and strains are improved and eliminated; improves respiratory conditions; and helps in post surgical and post-injury rehabilitation.
Reflexology on the other hand as the term implies focuses on the “reflex” areas. These reflex areas are found on the hands and feet and have specific organs of the body that they correspond to.
Reflex areas include: the toes for the head; the foot ball for the chest and the heart; the foot arch for the pancreas, kidney and liver; the heel for the intestines and lower back. Applying pressure on these areas promote health as energetic pathways are improved.
Reflexology benefits include: improving stress related conditions; relief for tension headaches; improvement of digestion disorders, insomnia, arthritis, injuries due to sports or accidents, hormonal imbalances, menstrual disorders, and back pain; promotes relaxation, reduces pain; encourages healing and improves circulation.
Massage takes about 40 to 90 minutes while Reflexology takes about 45 to 60 minutes. And relief may be felt as after such time frames. This may be done at home to promote family bonding or even just to ensure that you feel relaxed. Should you want the experts to give you a massage or to give you reflexology therapies be sure to follow these recommendations:
Massage and Reflexology is not for everybody though it is encouraged for the improvement of one’s health, it is always safer to ask the experts prior to indulging in such.
Circulation improves the bodies healing processes or even much so, helps the immune system. Studies show that air massage alone can improve circulation all together.
Cancer patients or even those who have no diseases but reach middle age can go through a stage where they have a different way of thinking and feeling. Self-massage and self-reflexology helps decrease depression, stress, blood pressure, and pain. It similarly to massage increases and strengthens the immune system.
Foot massage is helpful in a lot of ways. To mention one, it is very helpful during the menopausal stage. Foot massage helps decrease anxiety, net sweats, hot flashes and depression during menopause. Husbands, take note of that, when your spouse starts to have mood swings, try massaging her feet. It not only would benefit her but it would benefit you as well. Think about how good she feels and how she would perceive receiving a foot massage from you?
In return, for the wives out there (especially after the food massage) it is helpful to note that while men succumb to high blood pressure at this stage. Reflexology helps in lowering the systolic number on blood pressure. What does that mean? That means a decrease in cholesterol and an improvement of life satisfaction. This is achieved by massaging more on the ball of the foot and around it.
Those are but examples of the benefits of massage and reflexology. What, you may ask is the difference of massage and reflexology? Massage uses long strokes and movements focused on the muscles and superficial layers of skin and fat included. Circulation is improved as oxygen and nutrients flow through the body.
Massage benefits include: relief of muscle pain and tension and increase in mobility and flexibility as it works on muscle pain and stiff joints. Massage improves back pain; improves arthritis conditions and tendinitis as it helps decrease inflammation; lessens migraines and headaches; muscle sprains, spasms and strains are improved and eliminated; improves respiratory conditions; and helps in post surgical and post-injury rehabilitation.
Reflexology on the other hand as the term implies focuses on the “reflex” areas. These reflex areas are found on the hands and feet and have specific organs of the body that they correspond to.
Reflex areas include: the toes for the head; the foot ball for the chest and the heart; the foot arch for the pancreas, kidney and liver; the heel for the intestines and lower back. Applying pressure on these areas promote health as energetic pathways are improved.
Reflexology benefits include: improving stress related conditions; relief for tension headaches; improvement of digestion disorders, insomnia, arthritis, injuries due to sports or accidents, hormonal imbalances, menstrual disorders, and back pain; promotes relaxation, reduces pain; encourages healing and improves circulation.
Massage takes about 40 to 90 minutes while Reflexology takes about 45 to 60 minutes. And relief may be felt as after such time frames. This may be done at home to promote family bonding or even just to ensure that you feel relaxed. Should you want the experts to give you a massage or to give you reflexology therapies be sure to follow these recommendations:
- Eat a light meal before having a massage.
- Do not go for massages if you have an open wound, rash or infectious disease.
- Massages should not be done just after surgery.
- Should you want a massage after chemotherapy or even after radiation treatments, it is best to consult your doctor first.
- If you are prone to blood clots, heavy massage is not recommended.
- Or if you are pregnant, it is wise to consult with your physician first.
Massage and Reflexology is not for everybody though it is encouraged for the improvement of one’s health, it is always safer to ask the experts prior to indulging in such.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy
Did you know that commercial haircolor was introduced as early as 1909? The chemical paraphenylenediamine was used by Eugene Schuller a French chemist to develop haircolor. Hair coloring is but an area covered by hairdressing. Hairdressing covers anything and everything that encompasses beautiful hair to complement the face and the body. With that concept in mind, Hairdressing becomes part of Beauty Therapy as Beauty Therapy ensures that the whole body and the persons well being is always at its best. Both Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy are courses that fall under Hairdressing courses.
Before going back to Hairdressing, let us expound further with Beauty Therapy. Physically speaking, Beauty therapists work on the hair, the skin and the nails. It covers areas like good grooming and personal hygiene. Aesthetics are employed if necessary to make these areas look good if not improve how they already are conditionally speaking that is.
Working with the nails means not only giving the person a manicure or a pedicure but a hand massage and a foot massage too. So remember nail color is merely a part of nail beautification but may in so many ways improve how the nails look.
Working with the skin means knowing the body as a whole to include the human organic and function systems. This is important to understand what time of therapy can and must be used for the person’s improvement in well being. The skin covers all muscles, joints and bones and knowing the right therapy to apply would spell the difference as compared to ordinary massage salons that offer a single type of massage for all their clients. Therapy may include reflexology and at times Electrotherapy.
Having given you a bird’s eye view of Beauty Therapy, the nails and the skin, let us dwell more on the Hair and Hairdressing. Hair is made up of keratin which is the same make up of nails. Color as mentioned earlier (for both hair and nails), add to how they look but beautification does not start and end there.
Let us first take a look at what you use to comb your hair. Combing the hair with the aid of a comb or brush matters as the number of strokes made may add luster and shine to the hair. For those with medium to long hair length, it is recommended that you use several types of brushes and not a single brush. Should you use only a single brush buy one that does what you like to your hair. What do I mean by that? Exactly what I said, brushes have different functions depending on what outcome you’d like to have.
There are what we call start brushes whose function is to remove tangles and condition the hair even when the hair is wet. These types prevent the hair from splitting and from having frizz.
Then we have what they call style brushes whose function is to give your hair curl, extra volume and straighten it. Now, these types of brushes are sold separately depending on each function. You should bear in mind that no single brush can style your hair differently.
Lastly, finish brushes are called so as their function are to smoothen the strands as it adds shine and eliminates static.
Now that we’re done with combing, let us discuss cleaning the hair. Cleaning covers washing and there after conditioning the hair. Have you ever tried washing your hair with regular soap? For those who have not, to satisfy your curiosity, it frizzes the hair out big time. The skin is made up of something else other than keratin which is the hairs major component. Soap was not invented to clean the hair as shampoo does. Shampoos have different components and effects on hair depending on your hair texture. Be sure to read the labels prior to purchasing (and this is so with conditioners too or even waxes, nets, mousse, gels and other hair aids).
Most conditioners often state how long you have to leave them on the hair before washing them out. Some labels state that you can leave them on for a minute or two. Other labels state that you can leave them on till the next time you wash your hair thought the effects last for not more than 24 hours. I mentioned this because, shampoo labels never tell us how long the shampoo has to be on the hair and scalp before you have to rinse or wash them out, do they? Here’s a helpful advice though, if you are the type who has time for bathing and washing your hair, then you can leave the shampoo lather on for about 5 minutes while massaging the scalp. This does not only relax your scalp but it helps prevent scalp problems too.
Should you want to learn more about Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy, try taking up Hairdressing courses.
Before going back to Hairdressing, let us expound further with Beauty Therapy. Physically speaking, Beauty therapists work on the hair, the skin and the nails. It covers areas like good grooming and personal hygiene. Aesthetics are employed if necessary to make these areas look good if not improve how they already are conditionally speaking that is.
Working with the nails means not only giving the person a manicure or a pedicure but a hand massage and a foot massage too. So remember nail color is merely a part of nail beautification but may in so many ways improve how the nails look.
Working with the skin means knowing the body as a whole to include the human organic and function systems. This is important to understand what time of therapy can and must be used for the person’s improvement in well being. The skin covers all muscles, joints and bones and knowing the right therapy to apply would spell the difference as compared to ordinary massage salons that offer a single type of massage for all their clients. Therapy may include reflexology and at times Electrotherapy.
Having given you a bird’s eye view of Beauty Therapy, the nails and the skin, let us dwell more on the Hair and Hairdressing. Hair is made up of keratin which is the same make up of nails. Color as mentioned earlier (for both hair and nails), add to how they look but beautification does not start and end there.
Let us first take a look at what you use to comb your hair. Combing the hair with the aid of a comb or brush matters as the number of strokes made may add luster and shine to the hair. For those with medium to long hair length, it is recommended that you use several types of brushes and not a single brush. Should you use only a single brush buy one that does what you like to your hair. What do I mean by that? Exactly what I said, brushes have different functions depending on what outcome you’d like to have.
There are what we call start brushes whose function is to remove tangles and condition the hair even when the hair is wet. These types prevent the hair from splitting and from having frizz.
Then we have what they call style brushes whose function is to give your hair curl, extra volume and straighten it. Now, these types of brushes are sold separately depending on each function. You should bear in mind that no single brush can style your hair differently.
Lastly, finish brushes are called so as their function are to smoothen the strands as it adds shine and eliminates static.
Now that we’re done with combing, let us discuss cleaning the hair. Cleaning covers washing and there after conditioning the hair. Have you ever tried washing your hair with regular soap? For those who have not, to satisfy your curiosity, it frizzes the hair out big time. The skin is made up of something else other than keratin which is the hairs major component. Soap was not invented to clean the hair as shampoo does. Shampoos have different components and effects on hair depending on your hair texture. Be sure to read the labels prior to purchasing (and this is so with conditioners too or even waxes, nets, mousse, gels and other hair aids).
Most conditioners often state how long you have to leave them on the hair before washing them out. Some labels state that you can leave them on for a minute or two. Other labels state that you can leave them on till the next time you wash your hair thought the effects last for not more than 24 hours. I mentioned this because, shampoo labels never tell us how long the shampoo has to be on the hair and scalp before you have to rinse or wash them out, do they? Here’s a helpful advice though, if you are the type who has time for bathing and washing your hair, then you can leave the shampoo lather on for about 5 minutes while massaging the scalp. This does not only relax your scalp but it helps prevent scalp problems too.
Should you want to learn more about Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy, try taking up Hairdressing courses.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Dressmaking for Fun and Profit
Tired of your old clothes? Or even buying clothes that look almost if not the same with your neighbor’s or your friends? Better still, would you like to earn money or save money using your own clothes? The best answer to all three questions is to alter your clothes. Dressmaking could be Fun and Profitable. Intimidating as it may seem, you need not take up Fashion Design Courses to do so. You just need the right measurements and a pattern and altering the dress or even dressmaking in itself would be a snap.
Take for example sundresses. Traipsing in them could make one feel so comfortable especially during the hot days sad to say though that they are expensive. The good news is, they are very easy to make. Just take your long skirts out of the dresser, or try to make one, attach a blouse that fits well, saw them together and there you have it, a sundress.
Sounds simple enough? Here’s something even simpler to do. Get a large shirt, cut the front from bottom to top, saw buttons on it. After you’re done, cut out the area from the chest lengthwise to include taking of the sleeves. Flip the sides and sew in (try using pins to help you set the folding in place). Then simply attach straps and a belt and you have your sundress.
Imagination, measurement and pattern are the key to dressmaking. The simplest of them all would be sewing baby dresses. Have you ever tried sewing pillowcases? Or tubeless shirts you don’t want to wear? Did you ever notice that the tubeless shirt is almost the same with a pillow case with only one side sewn up? Let’s start altering the pillow case or the tubeless shirt of your choice. For the armhole, you have to make sure that you have a little groove on each sides, this is preferably about a 2 inch cut like an arc.
Sew in a fabric of your choice at the hems or seams to add a little zest and life to the dress. The seams you have at the top should have elastic’s in them to have (this is dependent on the child’s chest measurement). Elastics should be sewn both in front and at the back.
The armholes (the 2 inch cuts we left) should be sewn with biases as nice little straps. Be sure to add extra length for the bias in case you would like to tie it up in a bow.
So far we’ve been through three sundresses made out of clothes (not to mention pillow cases) that apparently may be made into dresses without much effort. Sewing from scratch is more or less the same. The only difference is, you can use your old clothes to make patterns or you simply have to make patterns for designs you have in mind before cutting the fabric of your choice.
We mentioned earlier about bias. For the benefit of the neophyte sewer, let us define it to include useful hints and terms used in sewing. Lengthwise grain is the threads running across the fabric parallel to the edge of the fabric. Crosswise grain is of fabric running perpendicular to the lengthwise grain. Sounds confusing? Lay your fabric down with the top side facing you. The lengths of fabric running horizontally are the Lengthwise grain and the lengths of fabric running against them are the crosswise grains. Now, going to biases, they are the thread lines that have a right angle between the grains. Or just simply cut the fabric diagonally to create a bias. Cutting the fabric in this manner will give the fabric stretching capabilities to be sewn and hang differently from cutting the fabric lengthwise or crosswise. Bias is used of inseams, armholes and areas where piping is needed.
In special cases where you may like to sew a skirt perhaps with a bias grain, be sure to hang the fabric for at least 24 hours before sewing it. This is to ensure that the grains settle after stretching as you don’t’ want them stretching during sewing or even after, right? Bias grains need special handling when attempting to sew them as regular fabric clothes always be sure to remember that else your dresses may seem askew everywhere and you’d end up redoing the full dress. If you attempt to hem it prior to hanging it, the hems may curl and you might be wondering how that happened when your cloth or fabric looks straight enough.
Take for example sundresses. Traipsing in them could make one feel so comfortable especially during the hot days sad to say though that they are expensive. The good news is, they are very easy to make. Just take your long skirts out of the dresser, or try to make one, attach a blouse that fits well, saw them together and there you have it, a sundress.
Sounds simple enough? Here’s something even simpler to do. Get a large shirt, cut the front from bottom to top, saw buttons on it. After you’re done, cut out the area from the chest lengthwise to include taking of the sleeves. Flip the sides and sew in (try using pins to help you set the folding in place). Then simply attach straps and a belt and you have your sundress.
Imagination, measurement and pattern are the key to dressmaking. The simplest of them all would be sewing baby dresses. Have you ever tried sewing pillowcases? Or tubeless shirts you don’t want to wear? Did you ever notice that the tubeless shirt is almost the same with a pillow case with only one side sewn up? Let’s start altering the pillow case or the tubeless shirt of your choice. For the armhole, you have to make sure that you have a little groove on each sides, this is preferably about a 2 inch cut like an arc.
Sew in a fabric of your choice at the hems or seams to add a little zest and life to the dress. The seams you have at the top should have elastic’s in them to have (this is dependent on the child’s chest measurement). Elastics should be sewn both in front and at the back.
The armholes (the 2 inch cuts we left) should be sewn with biases as nice little straps. Be sure to add extra length for the bias in case you would like to tie it up in a bow.
So far we’ve been through three sundresses made out of clothes (not to mention pillow cases) that apparently may be made into dresses without much effort. Sewing from scratch is more or less the same. The only difference is, you can use your old clothes to make patterns or you simply have to make patterns for designs you have in mind before cutting the fabric of your choice.
We mentioned earlier about bias. For the benefit of the neophyte sewer, let us define it to include useful hints and terms used in sewing. Lengthwise grain is the threads running across the fabric parallel to the edge of the fabric. Crosswise grain is of fabric running perpendicular to the lengthwise grain. Sounds confusing? Lay your fabric down with the top side facing you. The lengths of fabric running horizontally are the Lengthwise grain and the lengths of fabric running against them are the crosswise grains. Now, going to biases, they are the thread lines that have a right angle between the grains. Or just simply cut the fabric diagonally to create a bias. Cutting the fabric in this manner will give the fabric stretching capabilities to be sewn and hang differently from cutting the fabric lengthwise or crosswise. Bias is used of inseams, armholes and areas where piping is needed.
In special cases where you may like to sew a skirt perhaps with a bias grain, be sure to hang the fabric for at least 24 hours before sewing it. This is to ensure that the grains settle after stretching as you don’t’ want them stretching during sewing or even after, right? Bias grains need special handling when attempting to sew them as regular fabric clothes always be sure to remember that else your dresses may seem askew everywhere and you’d end up redoing the full dress. If you attempt to hem it prior to hanging it, the hems may curl and you might be wondering how that happened when your cloth or fabric looks straight enough.
Monday, August 15, 2011
An Introduction to Beauty Therapy
When speaking of Beauty Therapy, the first thing that comes to mind are Cosmetology courses which deal on beautification and beautifying people. But, Cosmetology deals more with the hair, the face and the nails (for both the feet and the hands). Beauty Therapy on the other hand, deals with the face and the body. Yet, let’s take a look at Beauty Therapy in a different light, a light that entails both the look and the feel.
When speaking about beauty, people often refer to the line, "if you like to feel good, you have to look good." Looking good and feeling good go hand in hand as one complements the other. Looking good entails beauty secrets that make not only the face look splendid but ensures that the body as a whole looks splendid too. Feeling good on the other hand ensures that while your face and body looks good, you also have a feeling deep in you that makes you say to yourself “it is indeed glorious and gratifying to look good.” Feeling fit therefore is synonymous to looking good. Fitness is taken in terms of food, exercise, and aesthetics to ensure that the total persona looks and feels good.
Treatments are used to ensure that the skin is maintained if not improved. Therapy is aimed at improving body conditions and well being without the aid of a doctor. [Note though that Aestheticians or Beauty therapists know when to refer clients to doctors] The hands are a critical point for which the skill set needed for this course is centered on. Very much like massage, the hands have to know the vital parts for which the aesthetics and electrotherapy would be set on.
As mentioned earlier, unlike Cosmetology that deals with the hair, the face and the nails. Beauty therapy trains individuals touching subjects like: the skeletal system, body functions, weight gain and weight loss, healing, diseases, respiratory system, digestive system, reproductive system, circulatory system, muscles (to include the heart), the hair, nails, reasons for damaged nails, tissues, cells, skin, sweat glands, personal hygiene, skin discolor, skin odor, skin type, skin nourishing, skin care, exercise, food, vitamins and everything and anything to do with the body as a whole. The aging process is studied, as well as ways and means to try to stop if not minimize the process. Personal hygiene includes cleaning, conditioning, moisturizing and care. Food and any intake are vital to the study as they may well spell the reason for the condition of the skin and may play a vital part in improving the skin and general well being. The key to the course is to understand the human body and its functions and from there use the needed therapy.
And since Beauty therapy deals with the improvement and well being of the body, Massage is also a part of the course. Make-up is coupled with facial treatment techniques. Pedicure and manicure is coupled with hand and feet massage. Hair design covers all types of hair concerns including removing unwanted hair. All techniques employ the use of manual application and electronic treatments if necessary.
Since this generation dwells more on the benefits of healthy living, job opportunities for Aestheticians and individuals who take courses on Beauty Therapy have ballooned. Though schools admit students from ages 17 and onwards, this is a course where maturity is an advantage. Three years of experience qualifies one to be a manager in this field. And further studies offer a vast opportunity for employability here and abroad (to include Cruise Ships). The course may also be taken not for career advancement but for additional knowledge that one may be able to take good care of his or her body without relying on others to do so. This means that there is no need to go to expensive salons or spend a fortune to look fabulous. Pampering oneself is the first step to feeling good and looking good. So, why not let it be the reason for you to learn all about Beauty Therapy.
When speaking about beauty, people often refer to the line, "if you like to feel good, you have to look good." Looking good and feeling good go hand in hand as one complements the other. Looking good entails beauty secrets that make not only the face look splendid but ensures that the body as a whole looks splendid too. Feeling good on the other hand ensures that while your face and body looks good, you also have a feeling deep in you that makes you say to yourself “it is indeed glorious and gratifying to look good.” Feeling fit therefore is synonymous to looking good. Fitness is taken in terms of food, exercise, and aesthetics to ensure that the total persona looks and feels good.
Treatments are used to ensure that the skin is maintained if not improved. Therapy is aimed at improving body conditions and well being without the aid of a doctor. [Note though that Aestheticians or Beauty therapists know when to refer clients to doctors] The hands are a critical point for which the skill set needed for this course is centered on. Very much like massage, the hands have to know the vital parts for which the aesthetics and electrotherapy would be set on.
As mentioned earlier, unlike Cosmetology that deals with the hair, the face and the nails. Beauty therapy trains individuals touching subjects like: the skeletal system, body functions, weight gain and weight loss, healing, diseases, respiratory system, digestive system, reproductive system, circulatory system, muscles (to include the heart), the hair, nails, reasons for damaged nails, tissues, cells, skin, sweat glands, personal hygiene, skin discolor, skin odor, skin type, skin nourishing, skin care, exercise, food, vitamins and everything and anything to do with the body as a whole. The aging process is studied, as well as ways and means to try to stop if not minimize the process. Personal hygiene includes cleaning, conditioning, moisturizing and care. Food and any intake are vital to the study as they may well spell the reason for the condition of the skin and may play a vital part in improving the skin and general well being. The key to the course is to understand the human body and its functions and from there use the needed therapy.
And since Beauty therapy deals with the improvement and well being of the body, Massage is also a part of the course. Make-up is coupled with facial treatment techniques. Pedicure and manicure is coupled with hand and feet massage. Hair design covers all types of hair concerns including removing unwanted hair. All techniques employ the use of manual application and electronic treatments if necessary.
Since this generation dwells more on the benefits of healthy living, job opportunities for Aestheticians and individuals who take courses on Beauty Therapy have ballooned. Though schools admit students from ages 17 and onwards, this is a course where maturity is an advantage. Three years of experience qualifies one to be a manager in this field. And further studies offer a vast opportunity for employability here and abroad (to include Cruise Ships). The course may also be taken not for career advancement but for additional knowledge that one may be able to take good care of his or her body without relying on others to do so. This means that there is no need to go to expensive salons or spend a fortune to look fabulous. Pampering oneself is the first step to feeling good and looking good. So, why not let it be the reason for you to learn all about Beauty Therapy.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Heirloom And Organic Vegetable Growing
With so many diseases genetically modified and enhanced by the food we eat, homeowners are starting to grow their very own vegetable garden. Vegetables that are home grown, as well as organic plants are the in thing. "Organic" in this case means that the vegetables you eat are devoid of pesticides and insecticides or whatever chemicals farmers have come across with that make vegetables “look good and last longer.” And what has organic plants have to do with heirloom vegetables? For a new gardener, not much really if you’re unaware that the vegetables you’ve grown has been modified in some way. Then again, ironically, it does matter a lot for growing heirloom vegetables organically in your backyard is like having a treasure chest filled with precious gems. Heirloom and organic vegetable growing is usually considered a part of Agricultural Courses yet one may be able to learn such as part of a hobby or just to ensure that you learn what is appropriate for you to grow in your backyard as a new gardener at that.
We began by defining in general what organic means, now, let us take a look at heirloom vegetables. The first time I came across the term heirloom vegetables I thought maybe these were vegetables that were modified by the companies to make them bigger and look more palatable. Reading on, I found out that modified vegetables are called hybrid vegetables and those are entirely a different thing. And not all organic farming involves heirloom vegetables. Defining heirloom as a simple word, heirlooms are prized possessions handed down from generation to generation and have been kept in the family. Another definition for heirloom is "old". Heirloom vegetables have the same concept. They come from seeds (not modified, not hybrid, nor even patented and sold by companies) that have been handed down from one gardener to the next. In order for that to happen, they have to come from the open pollinated family of plants. Also, heirloom vegetables are "old" vegetables because the breed has been in existence before hybrids were developed.
And what does open pollinated mean? Simply put, the plant must be capable of producing seeds to grow into seedlings that eventually would produce seeds as an endless cycle of multiplying. And like all organic plants, taste spells a very big difference. Taste is also the main reason why the seeds are prized and not sold for mass consumption. And all the more reason for one to be planting heirloom vegetables wouldn’t it?
Taken together, it becomes not just a hobby but an art. Growing Heirloom plants organically is as easy as ensuring that the plants are well taken cared off, are healthy, and free of any chemicals, toxins, fertilizers and pesticides, if possible and if not, at least kept to a minimum. A balance of sunshine, water and care to ensure that the plants are free of pests as well ensures that the heirloom and organic vegetables are healthy and stress free. Checking on the plants regularly also ensures that pests are attended to before they become a problem. Remember, prevention is always better than treatment.
Organic gardening also entails that the soil has to be treated with less synthetic material as possible. Using compost and materials of the like to replenish the minerals depleted in the soil is the best option. Using natural composts may not sound good but is naturally good for the soil and the plant. Always bear in mind that the reason for planting heirloom vegetables is the taste and taste matters and changes depending on what the plants grow on as chemicals may replace natural minerals when synthetic fertilizers are used.
Like humans, when the plants are healthy they have the resources to fend off pests. And pests are the first threat when it comes to vegetable raising so ensuring that the plant is healthy means that you would have less pests to think about. Vigilance is the second key to organic gardening. As mentioned earlier you have to inspect and check the plants regularly to ensure that pests are kept at bay.
So, when starting your garden, ensure that apart from choosing the right seeds to plant, the conditions such as the soil, water and temperature are all accounted for. Diversity in plants is also helpful to ensure that the soil retains its minerals. Getting involved in the garden is like fully participating in the plants' growth. Remember, planting is not simply digging the soil, putting the seeds and coming back when it’s time to harvest. Have time for your garden and your plants, get to know them, take care of them, ensure that their needs are taken cared off and you’ll have a harvest like forward to.
We began by defining in general what organic means, now, let us take a look at heirloom vegetables. The first time I came across the term heirloom vegetables I thought maybe these were vegetables that were modified by the companies to make them bigger and look more palatable. Reading on, I found out that modified vegetables are called hybrid vegetables and those are entirely a different thing. And not all organic farming involves heirloom vegetables. Defining heirloom as a simple word, heirlooms are prized possessions handed down from generation to generation and have been kept in the family. Another definition for heirloom is "old". Heirloom vegetables have the same concept. They come from seeds (not modified, not hybrid, nor even patented and sold by companies) that have been handed down from one gardener to the next. In order for that to happen, they have to come from the open pollinated family of plants. Also, heirloom vegetables are "old" vegetables because the breed has been in existence before hybrids were developed.
And what does open pollinated mean? Simply put, the plant must be capable of producing seeds to grow into seedlings that eventually would produce seeds as an endless cycle of multiplying. And like all organic plants, taste spells a very big difference. Taste is also the main reason why the seeds are prized and not sold for mass consumption. And all the more reason for one to be planting heirloom vegetables wouldn’t it?
Taken together, it becomes not just a hobby but an art. Growing Heirloom plants organically is as easy as ensuring that the plants are well taken cared off, are healthy, and free of any chemicals, toxins, fertilizers and pesticides, if possible and if not, at least kept to a minimum. A balance of sunshine, water and care to ensure that the plants are free of pests as well ensures that the heirloom and organic vegetables are healthy and stress free. Checking on the plants regularly also ensures that pests are attended to before they become a problem. Remember, prevention is always better than treatment.
Organic gardening also entails that the soil has to be treated with less synthetic material as possible. Using compost and materials of the like to replenish the minerals depleted in the soil is the best option. Using natural composts may not sound good but is naturally good for the soil and the plant. Always bear in mind that the reason for planting heirloom vegetables is the taste and taste matters and changes depending on what the plants grow on as chemicals may replace natural minerals when synthetic fertilizers are used.
Like humans, when the plants are healthy they have the resources to fend off pests. And pests are the first threat when it comes to vegetable raising so ensuring that the plant is healthy means that you would have less pests to think about. Vigilance is the second key to organic gardening. As mentioned earlier you have to inspect and check the plants regularly to ensure that pests are kept at bay.
So, when starting your garden, ensure that apart from choosing the right seeds to plant, the conditions such as the soil, water and temperature are all accounted for. Diversity in plants is also helpful to ensure that the soil retains its minerals. Getting involved in the garden is like fully participating in the plants' growth. Remember, planting is not simply digging the soil, putting the seeds and coming back when it’s time to harvest. Have time for your garden and your plants, get to know them, take care of them, ensure that their needs are taken cared off and you’ll have a harvest like forward to.
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