The Dart Maker Blog

It is time for your hard working feet to take a break.

Whether your feet need a boost before going summertime bare or your pedicure is a gift you give to a loved one’s tired toes, pedicures are easy to do at home.

Whether you are doing it for yourself or someone else, the procedure is the same, although it’s easier to massage someone else’s feet than it is to completely massage your own.

To start, you will need a footbath or large, wide bowl. Choose from a selection of bath and essential oils, foot scrubs, or fizzing bath bombs. Organize toe nail clipper, emery board, nail buffer, spongy toe separators (if planning to polish toenails), nail brush, and follow-up scented foot lotion. In addition, you’ll need towels for catching spills, and drying freshly washed feet. If you have nail polish on your toe nails, remove polish thoroughly before starting the pedicure.

Take the bowl or footbath and fill it with warm to hot water. Give yourself the hottest water your feet can take for optimum softening of the tough heel skin, and to promote relaxation. Toss in a fizzing bath bomb. Most are made with scent and Epsom salts, and, when added to water, turn a simple bath, or in this case, a simple footbath, into a bubbling, tickling massage. Add a drop of your favoring essential oil - lavender is a relaxing choice.

While feet are wet, use a foot scrub to soften the calluses built up during everyday exercise and ordinary tasks. Be gentle. If the tough skin on your feet has been building up over a few years, realize that it may take a few weekly pampering pedicures to bring your feet back to softness.

Rinse foot scrub off feet in the cooling footbath. Feet can soften in the footbath for a total of about five minutes, or until water is too cool for enjoyment.. Gently dry off feet with an absorbent towel.

While skin and nails are soft, take a few minutes to gently push back toe nail cuticles with an angled cuticle stick. Use big toe nail clippers to cut toe nails straight across. A caution: do not clip them too short for this can cause problems with ingrown toe nails as the cut nails grow back. Grab the nail brush and scrub across the tip of nails and on the top of the nails. This is a safer way to clean out gunk under nails than to poke a stick underneath the tip and down the side of nails.

Now for the foot massage. If you are giving yourself a pedicure, don’t skip this step no matter how awkward or difficult it may seem. Massaging feet increases blood circulation, relaxes muscles and relieves aches and pains. Any lotion will do but using a peppermint oil foot lotion brings added benefits: the peppermint also promotes blood circulation in the foot, and overpowers lingering foot odor. You can start at either end of your foot, but make sure the entire foot receives the benefit of the massage.

Pour a quarter-sized dollop of lotion into your hand and start at the heel, rubbing repeatedly with a light touch, softening skin and soothing stresses. Move up the foot, rubbing lotion in the bottom of the foot. Use thumbs to make small circles as you work your way over the sole. Pressure can be increased anywhere it feels good. In fact, ticklish feet prefer a firmer hand; it’s the light touch that tickles most!

Pay extra attention to the toes. Rub between toes, using a gentle touch. Finish by rubbing each toe individually. Give both feet equal care.

Finish with the toe nails. File any jagged or sharp edges and shape the toe nail. Even if you do not want to polish the toenails, use a nail buffer to smooth nail ridges for a clean, healthy look.

If possible, use a nail buffer that has three separate finishes. Start with the roughest surface first and give each nail 20 strokes. Give each nail 20 more strokes with next surface, and finish with 20 buffing strokes with the finest surface on the nail buffer. Use that goofy looking sponge toe separator. This tool keeps polish from smearing as toes bump together.

When polishing toe nails, keep in mind the beating your feet take during the day. Start with a clear base coat of polish to prevent the yellowing on the toenails resulting from dark polish painted directly on the nail. Two coats of color will help the nails stay attractive for up to two weeks. Finish with two sheer coats of a protective top coat to keep your pedicure looking great.

Now that your feet look and feel festive, take those pampered toes out on the town.

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Before setting the bird into its ” lodging ” you should do something else

Never the less that the bird cage is new , and the perches are ecologically clean , they should be disinfected carefully . I call this operation “carbonation “, because as a “disinfectant” gas for burning is used , and gas for cigarette lighters can be used but it can be quite expensive .

How to proceed :

Wash both the bird cage and the wooden sticks with soap and hot water.

Leave them dry well especially the sticks because they soak with water and drench.

Prepare the gas and a cloth with which to put the gas over the perches and the bird cage. It is compulsory to put gloves ( surgery or household for washing plates ), otherwise you hands will smell awful.

Slightly damp the cloth , but not to drop gas from it , and carefully rub the bird cage everywhere and the perches . Now the bird cage and the perches are absolutely ready to be completed and to put the bird inside .

The disinfection is very useful for the bird because when it steps on the ” carbonated ” perches , a part of the gas gets soaked into its legs and then when scouring themselves it goes on its feathers.

It is good at least once or twice to clean the perches with gas and to change them. That is why I told you in the beginning to provide yourselves with wooden sticks .

To clean the bird cage with gas is more difficult , because you are supposed to have a spare ” lodging ” for the bird, where to put it temporarily . Nothing prevents you from cleaning the bird cage periodically with a cloth damped with gas without washing it with soap .

Geomil Georgiev is owner and editor of www.birdscomfort.com where you can find information on every type of pet birds. BirdsComfort provides detailed information in decorative, large, custom, acrylic, antique, wooden, and discount bird cages sale, as well as cage covers,bird cage playstands, bird perches, bird toys, bird swings and bird foods

It’s odd what makes us all so different. We are all human, after all, and you would think we would have more similarities than differences.

And, of course, we do. We all eat, sleep and yearn for relationships. We all communicate with each other, pay taxes where appropriate and generally try to get on in a difficult world. Those that don’t conform are singled out for punishment.

Photography is no different. Most of us have similar views on why we take photographs and we try, where possible, to conform to the “laws” of image taking.

But if we are all so similar then why are we so different?

Whereas I enjoy action photography, my mate across the street prefers still life. I use natural light where possible but my camera club pal never sets foot out of the studio. I enjoy people but a person I know only takes landscapes.

I like digital but my father likes film.

And so it goes on. But it gets even more weird - do you know of people that use image editing programs to make images that bear very little resemblance to the out-of-camera shot? It is entirely different to what photography was all about when I first started yet the results are superb.

And the variation in approach is also superb. It helps to fill the various niches in the photographic world and keeps things “ticking over”. Moreover, it keeps the fire burning in imagery - each time we delve, however superficially, into the work of others we take something away with us which we may very well use in the future.

And, hopefully, those that share our world will also take something away for their own use.

Keep snapping.

Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com

A home equity loan allows you as a homeowner to get a loan by
using the equity in your home as your collateral. The equity
here consists of whatever funds you have invested in your
property in order to own it or improve it. Since it is a debt
against your own property, which you are in actual possession
of, a home equity loan is a secured debt. The property can be
required to be sold if you are unable to pay the money back that
you have borrowed.

Home-equity loans typically have fixed rates and give you five
to 15 years to repay. Home-equity lines of credit usually have
variable rates and a 10-year period during which you make only
interest payments, followed by a 10- or 15-year period during
which you must pay off the debt.

Why Should I Consider a Home Equity Loan to Pay for Repairs?
Repairs and maintenance are part of the routine costs of owning
a home. Such expenses ideally should be paid out of your current
income. Some years you’ll spend less, but other years you’ll
spend more, and it can be handy to have some cash saved up for
bigger repairs. If you don’t have the cash but need to make the
repairs to preserve the value or safety of your home, then a
home-equity loan or line of credit can be a good alternative.
The interest rates on home-equity borrowing tend to be low, and
your interest payments may be tax-deductible.

When you’re using home equity for repairs, though, you should
try to pay off the loan as quickly as possible. Unlike home
improvements, repairs don’t add much value to your home, so it
doesn’t make sense to stretch out the repayment.

Tax benefits of home equity loans

A home equity loan is also beneficial because the home equity
loan rate charged is usually tax deductible, as the loan is used
for its primary functions. You can check on various home equity
interest rates with a home equity loan calculator and decide
what the best rate is for you. This is not the case with other
forms of consumer credit, like credit cards and auto loans.

Do Your Homework

Contact several lenders–and be very careful about dealing with
a lender who just appears at your door, calls you, or sends you
mail. Ask friends and family for recommendations of lenders.
Talk with banks, savings and loans, credit unions, and other
lenders. If you choose to use a mortgage broker, remember they
arrange loans but most do not lend directly. Compare their
offers with those of other direct lenders.

Be wary of home repair contractors that offer to arrange
financing. You should still talk with other lenders to make sure
you get the best deal. You may want to have the loan proceeds
sent directly to you, not the contractor.

Comparison Shop

Comparing loan plans can help you get a better deal. Whether you
begin your shopping by reading ads in your local newspapers,
searching on the Internet, or looking in the phone book, ask
lenders to explain the best loan plans they have for you. Beware
of loan terms and conditions that may mean higher costs for you.
Negotiate with more than one lender; don’t be afraid to make
lenders and brokers compete for your business by letting them
know you are shopping for the best deal. Ask each lender to
lower the points, fees, or interest rate. And ask each to
meet–or beat–the terms of the other lenders.

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