Good hay provides necessary fiber and protein for your horse. Testing for quality hay requires several procedures that take little time and effort. These on the spot tests help in determining what's good or bad hay before it's fed to your horse.
Instructions
1
Look for hay containing a green to light gold coloring. Yellow or brown hay mixed in might not have all of the nutrients, but it is still safe.
2
Check for more leaf matter than stalks and mature seed heads. Protein comes from leafs while fiber is in the stalks.
3
Pick up a bale higher than your waist then drop it. Good hay bounces when it hits the ground. There should not be more than a little bit of dust when it hits the ground.
4
Test the hay's odor by smelling it up close. Obtain best results by digging into the hay, toward the middle of the bale. Sniff out a sweet odor for good hay while passing up any that smells moldy or musty.
5
Watch and smell for dust or mold when moving it around. Dust looks like little particles that float through the air while mold looks more like smoke wafting through the air.
6
Rub and squeeze the hay for sturdiness. Bad hay crumbles easily. Good hay remains flexible.
7
Get an analysis of the hay by taking samples to a certified lab. Contact your local farming authority or association for procedures.
Good hay provides necessary fiber and protein for your horse. Testing for quality hay requires several procedures that take little time and effort. These on the spot tests help in determining what's good or bad hay before it's fed to your horse.
Instructions
1
Look for hay containing a green to light gold coloring. Yellow or brown hay mixed in might not have all of the nutrients, but it is still safe.
2
Check for more leaf matter than stalks and mature seed heads.
. Protein comes from leafs while fiber is in the stalks. 3
Pick up a bale higher than your waist then drop it. Good hay bounces when it hits the ground. There should not be more than a little bit of dust when it hits the ground.
4
Test the hay's odor by smelling it up close. Obtain best results by digging into the hay, toward the middle of the bale. Sniff out a sweet odor for good hay while passing up any that smells moldy or musty.
5
Watch and smell for dust or mold when moving it around. Dust looks like little particles that float through the air while mold looks more like smoke wafting through the air.
6
Rub and squeeze the hay for sturdiness. Bad hay crumbles easily. Good hay remains flexible.
7
Get an analysis of the hay by taking samples to a certified lab. Contact your local farming authority or association for procedures.
The holiday season signals a time when the kitchen mixers come out and the house fills with the aroma of baked goods. Another way to improve your holiday is to make a gingerbread house. To complete the structure, you can add a sidewalk, stained glass windows and a magnificent door. Here is how to make the sidewalk to your edible house.
Instructions
1
Choose the pavers. Choose neutral colored Necco candy for a slate look, speckled halved jelly beans for a pebbled sidewalk or brown sugar for a dirt sidewalk.
2
Color the royal icing the same color as the pavers. This will disguise the bright white royal icing used to glue the pavers into place. Add a light brown food coloring to look like mortar for a brick path. Or add a brown sugar color to blend in with the "dirt."
3
Apply a small amount of royal icing directly to the work space. Place the pavers into place. Continue Steps 3 and 4 until your sidewalk design is complete.
4
Wrap the workspace in aluminum foil, place the gingerbread house on top of that and then the sidewalk. Design the sidewalk on the foil using a toothpick. Then follow the design pattern with the above steps.
The holiday season signals a time when the kitchen mixers come out and the house fills with the aroma of baked goods. Another way to improve your holiday is to make a gingerbread house. To complete the structure, you can add a sidewalk, stained glass windows and a magnificent door. Here is how to make the sidewalk to your edible house.
Instructions
1
Choose the pavers. Choose neutral colored Necco candy for a slate look, speckled halved jelly beans for a pebbled sidewalk or brown sugar for a dirt sidewalk.
2
Color the royal icing the same color as the pavers. This will disguise the bright white royal icing used to glue the pavers into place. Add a light brown food coloring to look like mortar for a brick path. Or add a brown sugar color to blend in with the "dirt."
3
Apply a small amount of royal icing directly to the work space. Place the pavers into place. Continue Steps 3 and 4 until your sidewalk design is complete.
4
Wrap the workspace in aluminum foil, place the gingerbread house on top of that and then the sidewalk. Design the sidewalk on the foil using a toothpick.
Jennifer Hudson shot to stardom almost instantly and has become a good role model for girls with her confidence and sexy look accentuating her curves. She always looks sleek, sophisticated and ultra feminine. Use these tips to dress with confidence the way Jennifer Hudson does.
Instructions
1
Flatter curves and make the most of what you've got with the right undergarments. Get a good, supportive bra that fits perfectly by getting measured for one at Victoria's Secret. Wear a body slimmer to get a smooth silhouette, especially when dressing up.
2
Choose clothes that are made from beautiful, luscious fabrics. Jennifer is often photographed in sensuous, soft silks when on the red carpet and soft cashmere sweaters and shiny, silky button-ups when dressed casually.
3
Keep lines simple. Jennifer's clothes are usually simple, classic and no-frills which make her look sophisticated. Her clothes are not overly complicated and are elegant in their simplicity.
4
Show off an hourglass figure with belts. Jennifer often wears a thick, chunky belt over short dresses and long sweaters so that she looks feminine and not frumpy.
5
Wear layers. Jennifer often wears tailored waist or hip-length jackets with jeans, or long coats or sweaters left unbuttoned to create long vertical lines that are slimming over short dresses.
6
Dress down with stretch jeans and boots. These will show off your assets. Draw attention to your curvy behind with embellishments like embroidery or rhinestones on the jeans.
7
Dress up with long gowns that have deep V-necks and empire waists. The V-neck creates vertical lines that are slimming, and the empire waist accentuates the thinnest part of the body.
Jennifer Hudson shot to stardom almost instantly and has become a good role model for girls with her confidence and sexy look accentuating her curves. She always looks sleek, sophisticated and ultra feminine. Use these tips to dress with confidence the way Jennifer Hudson does.
Instructions
1
Flatter curves and make the most of what you've got with the right undergarments. Get a good, supportive bra that fits perfectly by getting measured for one at Victoria's Secret. Wear a body slimmer to get a smooth silhouette, especially when dressing up.
2
Choose clothes that are made from beautiful, luscious fabrics. Jennifer is often photographed in sensuous, soft silks when on the red carpet and soft cashmere sweaters and shiny, silky button-ups when dressed casually.
3
Keep lines simple. Jennifer's clothes are usually simple, classic and no-frills which make her look sophisticated. Her clothes are not overly complicated and are elegant in their simplicity.
4
Show off an hourglass figure with belts. Jennifer often wears a thick, chunky belt over short dresses and long sweaters so that she looks feminine and not frumpy.
5
Wear layers. Jennifer often wears tailored waist or hip-length jackets with jeans, or long coats or sweaters left unbuttoned to create long vertical lines that are slimming over short dresses.
6
Dress down with stretch jeans and boots. These will show off your assets. Draw attention to your curvy behind with embellishments like embroidery or rhinestones on the jeans.
7
Dress up with long gowns that have deep V-necks and empire waists. The V-neck creates vertical lines that are slimming, and the empire waist accentuates the thinnest part of the body.
Three years ago I started what is one of a handful of arts incubators in the United States, and quite possibly the only one that is a for-profit entity (I believe in walking the talk) in a warehouse in Portland Oregon. The gallery emerged about 16 months into the business, and is just about 650 square feet. The Working Artists Gallery (WAG) is now in its second year, with gallery attendance, and sales, soaring for the emerging artists we exhibit there!
In this article I hit the highlights of the lessons I learned that may lead you to success in establishing your own gallery. If this is your passion, use what is offered to help you fulfill on your dream!
Instructions
1
ART U LOVE, ART OTHERS LOVE. Decide what kind of art you want to exhibit, then brainstorm who will be likely to attend exhibits of that type of artwork, and purchase the work. Write out a statement about the art you will show in your gallery, the kinds of artists your space will represent, who will attend the openings, and who will buy the work. If you are a visual person, go through arts magazines you enjoy and cutout images that help you describe the above. When you've come close to a final decision about the art and artists you wish to represent in your gallery, and the people you believe will be interested in and purchase their work, make a list of all the people you know, or can find through research, who fit both these descriptions.
Then get in touch with a number of them and ask (for artists) about their work, what inspires their art, learn about the materials they use and why. And for collectors learn about their collecting habits, ask what kind of art they collect and why, find out how long they've been collecting and what started them.
Also see who else has a gallery similar to what you're proposing, find out where they are, who they represent and more.
2
GALLERY BIZ BASICS. Purchase, read and use the following books that I used to guide me in my own successful gallery work: 1) Art Office Second Edition by Constance Smith and Sue Viders - 80+ Business Forms, Charts, Sample Letters, Legal Documents & Business Plans for Fine Artists; 2) Fine Art Publicity by Susan Abbott; 3) Corporate Art Consulting by Susan Abbott; 4) The Artist-Gallery Partnership: a Practical Guide to Consigning Art by Zella Jackson. Every basic thing you need to know about opening gallery, working with artists and collectors, etc. is contained in these books.
Take notes, mark in the margins of the books, practice with the forms, do any of the exercises suggested. And use the books in a way that works for you.
3
WRITE A PLAN OF ACTION. Now, taking all that you've learned in Steps 1 and 2, you are ready to write down a simple and brief plan for getting from today to the day your artists are THE artists whose work represents the ideals and aspirations of your gallery's mission, and sell like hotcakes in your market!
Write a statement about what kind of gallery you intend to open; the type of art and artists it will serve and why; the people who will be interested in seeing and buying this work and why. Remember to refer to your interviews and research materials to back up your thinking. Then write out all the actions you know you will need to take for the following "chunks" of the business:
1) location and building information. Include lease and purchase information, business and building requirements by your city, including insurance and ADA requirements, cost of operations, personnel (if any);
2) recruiting the artists whose work you want to exhibit and represent including the steps in the process of recruitment. Some things to think about are who will be curating the exhibits, are they juried or open calls, how often will the exhibits rotate, what will you provide at the openings, what percentage do you take, etc.;
3) marketing strategy and plan for getting the news to the right people about your business and the art you sell.
Once you have as many to-dos as you can think of in your lists, transfer the To-Dos to small Post-Its, organize them along a time line (draw a long line on a sheet of butcher paper, or some other paper on a roll), PLANNING BACKWARDS from the day you sell out a show to today.
"How the heck do you plan backwards?" Good question.
Think of a successful outcome (ART SHOW SELLS OUT!)and then answer one question - "What had to happen in order for this outcome to be achieved?". So, if your successful outcome is an 18 piece exhibit selling out, the outcome could be written as EXHIBIT CLOSES, SHOW SOLD OUT. Then ask, "What had to happen in order for this outcome to be achieved?" Answer with another outcome such as 8 PEOPLE CAME TO THE OPENING AND BOUGHT 12 PIECES, 4 PEOPLE CAME DURING THE MONTH AND PURCHASED THE REST. Ask the question again, and answer it with an outcome. INVITATIONS WERE FOLLOWED UP BY ME ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE OPENING. And keep going until you get to today.
Remember to attach a budget to each of the actions/items that need money spent in order for the step to be achieved.
4
DO THE TO-DOs. Follow the steps on your plan. Go shopping for the perfect gallery space. Begin recruiting artists. Book them. Talk to a banker or other money lender (for micro-loans visit MercyCorps, or recruit family and friends). Begin writing your press releases and developing personal relationships with the press folks. Hire a graphic design student to design your logo, business cards, website. Recruit friends and people in the arts community to pitch in with the remodel work. Get quotes for remodel work that must be done by a licensed and bonded professional, insurance, electrical work from at least 3 sources for each part of the project. Sign the lease. Hire the contractors. Transform the space into your gallery. Promote the first exhibit. Install the show. Throw a fabulous opening. Sell lots of artwork. Deposit the money. Pay the artist. Pay your Curator (if you have that kind of an arrangement). Promote the next exhibit and do the process all over again.
5
LOVE THE LIFE YOU CREATE. If you are like me, opening a gallery, and being involved in the arts, is a lifelong dream. I worked in a plethora of other industries over a 30 year period, and I can tell you that this work I do, and the resultant life I lead, IS THE BEST THING I'VE EVER DONE FOR MYSELF HANDS DOWN! So come on - take the risk to follow your passion - and LOVE YOUR LIFE. To Art, and all the wealth it brings in so many different ways!
Three years ago I started what is one of a handful of arts incubators in the United States, and quite possibly the only one that is a for-profit entity (I believe in walking the talk) in a warehouse in Portland Oregon. The gallery emerged about 16 months into the business, and is just about 650 square feet. The Working Artists Gallery (WAG) is now in its second year, with gallery attendance, and sales, soaring for the emerging artists we exhibit there!
In this article I hit the highlights of the lessons I learned that may lead you to success in establishing your own gallery. If this is your passion, use what is offered to help you fulfill on your dream!
Instructions
1
ART U LOVE, ART OTHERS LOVE. Decide what kind of art you want to exhibit, then brainstorm who will be likely to attend exhibits of that type of artwork, and purchase the work. Write out a statement about the art you will show in your gallery, the kinds of artists your space will represent, who will attend the openings, and who will buy the work. If you are a visual person, go through arts magazines you enjoy and cutout images that help you describe the above. When you've come close to a final decision about the art and artists you wish to represent in your gallery, and the people you believe will be interested in and purchase their work, make a list of all the people you know, or can find through research, who fit both these descriptions.
Then get in touch with a number of them and ask (for artists) about their work, what inspires their art, learn about the materials they use and why. And for collectors learn about their collecting habits, ask what kind of art they collect and why, find out how long they've been collecting and what started them.
Also see who else has a gallery similar to what you're proposing, find out where they are, who they represent and more.
2
GALLERY BIZ BASICS. Purchase, read and use the following books that I used to guide me in my own successful gallery work: 1) Art Office Second Edition by Constance Smith and Sue Viders - 80+ Business Forms, Charts, Sample Letters, Legal Documents & Business Plans for Fine Artists; 2) Fine Art Publicity by Susan Abbott; 3) Corporate Art Consulting by Susan Abbott; 4) The Artist-Gallery Partnership: a Practical Guide to Consigning Art by Zella Jackson. Every basic thing you need to know about opening gallery, working with artists and collectors, etc. is contained in these books.
Take notes, mark in the margins of the books, practice with the forms, do any of the exercises suggested. And use the books in a way that works for you.
3
WRITE A PLAN OF ACTION. Now, taking all that you've learned in Steps 1 and 2, you are ready to write down a simple and brief plan for getting from today to the day your artists are THE artists whose work represents the ideals and aspirations of your gallery's mission, and sell like hotcakes in your market!
Write a statement about what kind of gallery you intend to open; the type of art and artists it will serve and why; the people who will be interested in seeing and buying this work and why. Remember to refer to your interviews and research materials to back up your thinking. Then write out all the actions you know you will need to take for the following "chunks" of the business:
1) location and building information. Include lease and purchase information, business and building requirements by your city, including insurance and ADA requirements, cost of operations, personnel (if any);
2) recruiting the artists whose work you want to exhibit and represent including the steps in the process of recruitment. Some things to think about are who will be curating the exhibits, are they juried or open calls, how often will the exhibits rotate, what will you provide at the openings, what percentage do you take, etc.;
3) marketing strategy and plan for getting the news to the right people about your business and the art you sell.
Once you have as many to-dos as you can think of in your lists, transfer the To-Dos to small Post-Its, organize them along a time line (draw a long line on a sheet of butcher paper, or some other paper on a roll), PLANNING BACKWARDS from the day you sell out a show to today.
"How the heck do you plan backwards?" Good question.
Think of a successful outcome (ART SHOW SELLS OUT!)and then answer one question - "What had to happen in order for this outcome to be achieved?". So, if your successful outcome is an 18 piece exhibit selling out, the outcome could be written as EXHIBIT CLOSES, SHOW SOLD OUT. Then ask, "What had to happen in order for this outcome to be achieved?" Answer with another outcome such as 8 PEOPLE CAME TO THE OPENING AND BOUGHT 12 PIECES, 4 PEOPLE CAME DURING THE MONTH AND PURCHASED THE REST. Ask the question again, and answer it with an outcome. INVITATIONS WERE FOLLOWED UP BY ME ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE OPENING. And keep going until you get to today.
Remember to attach a budget to each of the actions/items that need money spent in order for the step to be achieved.
4
DO THE TO-DOs. Follow the steps on your plan. Go shopping for the perfect gallery space. Begin recruiting artists. Book them. Talk to a banker or other money lender (for micro-loans visit MercyCorps, or recruit family and friends). Begin writing your press releases and developing personal relationships with the press folks. Hire a graphic design student to design your logo, business cards, website. Recruit friends and people in the arts community to pitch in with the remodel work. Get quotes for remodel work that must be done by a licensed and bonded professional, insurance, electrical work from at least 3 sources for each part of the project.
. Sign the lease. Hire the contractors. Transform the space into your gallery. Promote the first exhibit. Install the show. Throw a fabulous opening. Sell lots of artwork. Deposit the money. Pay the artist. Pay your Curator (if you have that kind of an arrangement). Promote the next exhibit and do the process all over again. 5
LOVE THE LIFE YOU CREATE. If you are like me, opening a gallery, and being involved in the arts, is a lifelong dream. I worked in a plethora of other industries over a 30 year period, and I can tell you that this work I do, and the resultant life I lead, IS THE BEST THING I'VE EVER DONE FOR MYSELF HANDS DOWN! So come on - take the risk to follow your passion - and LOVE YOUR LIFE. To Art, and all the wealth it brings in so many different ways!
Turn an ordinary glass jar into a whimsical Santa Claus, and you have an adorable candy or cookie jar for the Christmas season. Making a jar snowman is so simple and inexpensive that you can make several and share some Christmas smiles.
Instructions
1
Slice about 1/2 inch off one side of the Styrofoam ball so the flat side can sit on the jar lid. Glue the ball to the jar lid.
2
Cut a small piece of orange felt and shape it for the snowman's nose. Attach it to the snowman's face with craft glue.
3
Glue two small black bead eyes to the snowman's face. Glue five or six black beads in the shape of a smile for the snowman's mouth.
4
Poke a twig arm into each side of the Styrofoam ball.
5
Tie the piece of fabric into a scarf around the top of the jar and secure it with a few drops of glue. Put the scarf so the jar can still be opened.
6
Attach some buttons to the front of the jar with glue, or cut some buttons from felt and attach them with glue.
7
Glue the craft store hat on top of the snowman's head and screw the lid onto the jar. Glue a miniature broom to one twig and a miniature shovel to the other twig.
Turn an ordinary glass jar into a whimsical Santa Claus, and you have an adorable candy or cookie jar for the Christmas season. Making a jar snowman is so simple and inexpensive that you can make several and share some Christmas smiles.
Instructions
1
Slice about 1/2 inch off one side of the Styrofoam ball so the flat side can sit on the jar lid. Glue the ball to the jar lid.
2
Cut a small piece of orange felt and shape it for the snowman's nose. Attach it to the snowman's face with craft glue.
3
Glue two small black bead eyes to the snowman's face. Glue five or six black beads in the shape of a smile for the snowman's mouth.
4
Poke a twig arm into each side of the Styrofoam ball.
5
Tie the piece of fabric into a scarf around the top of the jar and secure it with a few drops of glue. Put the scarf so the jar can still be opened.
6
Attach some buttons to the front of the jar with glue, or cut some buttons from felt and attach them with glue.
7
Glue the craft store hat on top of the snowman's head and screw the lid onto the jar. Glue a miniature broom to one twig and a miniature shovel to the other twig.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is a competition that involves several martial arts, and has become extremely famous in the US. Watching a UFC event with a group of friends is a great way to enjoy an evening and a great excuse to throw a little party. Here are some tips for organizing your next UFC Watch Party.
Instructions
1
Send invitations out to your invited guests at least three weeks ahead of the UFC event. Indicate an RSVP date of at least one week prior to the party so you can plan the amount of food you will need to purchase.
2
Plan on serving food that can be easily accessed and eaten on while guests are sitting down to watch the UFC event. Fingers foods and appetizers are a good choice as these can be munched on throughout the entire party.
3
Arrange your furniture in the room that you plan on watching the UFC event in so that your guests are comfortable and have unobstructed access to the viewing screen. Oversized pillows and bean bag chairs can be utilized if you don't have enough chairs or couches for your guests to sit on.
4
Give your guests a little gift as a way for them to remember the fun they had at your UFC party. Gifts can include custom-made T-shirts with the UFC event number on the front and something like "Watched at Joe's House" on the back.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is a competition that involves several martial arts, and has become extremely famous in the US.
. Watching a UFC event with a group of friends is a great way to enjoy an evening and a great excuse to throw a little party. Here are some tips for organizing your next UFC Watch Party.
Instructions
1
Send invitations out to your invited guests at least three weeks ahead of the UFC event. Indicate an RSVP date of at least one week prior to the party so you can plan the amount of food you will need to purchase.
2
Plan on serving food that can be easily accessed and eaten on while guests are sitting down to watch the UFC event. Fingers foods and appetizers are a good choice as these can be munched on throughout the entire party.
3
Arrange your furniture in the room that you plan on watching the UFC event in so that your guests are comfortable and have unobstructed access to the viewing screen. Oversized pillows and bean bag chairs can be utilized if you don't have enough chairs or couches for your guests to sit on.
4
Give your guests a little gift as a way for them to remember the fun they had at your UFC party. Gifts can include custom-made T-shirts with the UFC event number on the front and something like "Watched at Joe's House" on the back.
Art galleries are always looking for the next best creation that can help boost their reputations and introduce a creative artist. These days, art galleries accept work either for an in-house exhibition or their online programs. In both cases, use the following steps to submit your work for consideration.
Instructions
1
Pick out galleries where you want to submit your artwork. Check the local phone book or gallery association for listings. Search the Internet to identify galleries in various locations. Read the classified section in the newspapers to find galleries that are accepting submissions.
2
Consider a series of art galleries that display different genres of art. Make a list of galleries that closely meet your line of work and follow their submission process.
3
Show your background and talent in the field of art. Make images of your artwork on computer accessible discs. Include proper contact information in the package.
4
For mail-in submissions, send your portfolio and curriculum vitae or resume to the gallery. Explain the idea behind your artwork and your goals.
5
Go to local art galleries and talk to the manager. Take samples of your work and try to work out a schedule with the gallery to display your art in the next exhibition.
Art galleries are always looking for the next best creation that can help boost their reputations and introduce a creative artist. These days, art galleries accept work either for an in-house exhibition or their online programs. In both cases, use the following steps to submit your work for consideration.
Instructions
1
Pick out galleries where you want to submit your artwork. Check the local phone book or gallery association for listings. Search the Internet to identify galleries in various locations. Read the classified section in the newspapers to find galleries that are accepting submissions.
2
Consider a series of art galleries that display different genres of art. Make a list of galleries that closely meet your line of work and follow their submission process.
3
Show your background and talent in the field of art. Make images of your artwork on computer accessible discs. Include proper contact information in the package.
4
For mail-in submissions, send your portfolio and curriculum vitae or resume to the gallery.
. Explain the idea behind your artwork and your goals. 5
Go to local art galleries and talk to the manager. Take samples of your work and try to work out a schedule with the gallery to display your art in the next exhibition.
