Canvas Painting: Creating the Right Candid Moment

By Mary Kissidle

Taking a candid picture taken may not seem as tough as it is. Such photography focuses on capturing the subject in the midst of spontaneity rather than the techniques. With a good candid shot, it will be the marvelous candidate for your own custom oil paintings.

Many instances, the perfect children and pets photography comes from simple candid shots. Such special moments ought to be treated specially and nothing beats more than turning them into beautiful oil paintings. But first, we need to be able to take a good candid shot. Here are some useful pointers:

For a start, ensure that you always have a digital camera with you at all times. Besides making people around you feel at ease, you have to be prepared to capture candid moments at all times. You will not know for sure when one will arrive! Having a camera phone might come in handy as well.

It is nice to have a high quality, high resolution photo for converting into an oil painting. Nevertheless our artists are capable of turning a poorly lit, low resolution or blurry picture from a camera phone into a beautiful painting.

It is best that the people are unaware of camera. You might observe a change in behavior if they realized that they are being filmed. Such reaction occurs deep in the subconscious level of humans and even animals!

The goal of candid photography is have something unposed, and unplanned. Once you step into your subjects' personal space with a camera, their interactions will no longer be as spontaneous.

Try to fit into the surroundings as much as possible and not appear to be too obvious. You can do so by using the zoom function of camera while keeping a distance from the subject. Turning on your flash light is a big No. You don't want to risk making your subject feel uncomfortable.

If it is not possible to be outside of their personal space, keep taking photos for an extended period of time. Even if the subjects are aware of the camera, after a while they will take their focus away from it, and resume what they were doing before. This leads us to the next point:

Take as many photos as possible! You don't have to save on film if you are holding a digital camera. So just keep snapping away even if it's the same moment you are taking! Having multiple shots allow you the option of choosing the most well taken photo out of the many you took!

If your camera has a continuous shooting mode, or can take pictures in burst, take advantage of that feature, as it will increase your chances of capturing that perfect moment.

Mixing up the angles and perspectives creates more exciting and interesting photos too. One way is to shoot from your hip level. This not only makes shooting less obvious, it also render new perspectives. You can crouch down or stand on an elevation as well. Just let your creative juices flow!

It will be good if the picture is taken when the subjects are interacting with each other or in activity. Since they are in the midst of doing something, their focus will be on their activities and not you.

Their interaction also makes the photo more interesting since they are adding the element of their action to the story of the photo. The activity of the subjects will give more energy to the image and make it more alive.

When you take a live action photograph, there is a big difference between a posed one, and you can capture emotions and feelings a lot better.

Now you are all ready to create your own candid shots. Remember that unique moments need to be treated specially. And a portrait painting is all that you need to cherish those precious moments. - 31411

About the Author:

Once you have captured that special moment on film, you can then go to Paint The Moment at www.paintthemoment.com and get your beautiful portrait painting made. The quality of the paintings that they make are unmatched, and it is still at reasonable prices!

Things You Should Know If You Want to Collect Baseball Memorabilia

By Dan Anderson

You have no doubt heard the phrase, "as American as mom, baseball and apple pie." It has been around for ages and aptly describes how many fans feel, especially when it comes to baseball. This undoubtedly makes any piece of baseball memorabilia, such as a baseball that has been autographed by a favorite player, a favorite among fans.

Perhaps the most popular items are autographed baseball memorabilia; especially from the revered players who have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Quite frequently, the worth of a particular signed piece of memorabilia will increase in value through time, similar to the collections of baseball cards.

There are many different types of baseball memorabilia that fans can collect, with the most popular being the autographed baseball; but there are also jerseys, baseball gloves and even the baseball cards. Pretty much anything that is related to the sport can be signed and then purchased or given as a gift; you may even choose to sell it to another fan or collector.

If you are not able to attend a baseball game to get your own autographed memorabilia or you are trying to find some uncommon or valuable items, then there are several ways to go about finding and obtaining what you wish for. You can look in your local telephone book under sports memorabilia dealers or you can go online and do a search for the same thing. Another option is to take a look at Ebay, as they always have a variety of items with respect to a broad array of sports; not only items related to baseball but autographed footballs as well. However, there are some things that you ought to remember if you are purchasing items such as these online, or anywhere else for that matter.

When you are attempting to determine if a signature that you have on a piece of baseball memorabilia is real, the experts tell us that there are some things that you should look for in the signature. One of those is the consistency of the ink. If it looks too consistent, then you may want to exercise caution. When a person signs their name there will be differences in the color of the ink due to the different amount of pressure and different angles that are produced. To be sure that you are purchasing an authentic piece of sports memorabilia, you may want to consider having it professionally assessed by one of the top two sources available; PSA/DNA or James Spence Authentic (JSA). - 31411

About the Author:

Sports fans love to have memories of their favorite player or team, particularly autographed sporting collectibles. It doesn't matter how old or how new the item is, sporting collectibles will always find a home.

Give Your Loved Ones the Perfect Gift- Precious Moments Figurines

By Craig Shinney

When you search for Precious Moments figurines, you are able to find them in a variety of different stores online, and in stores locally. Find an assortment of poses, and sayings at affordable prices for your wallet, and make sure the person gets a wonderful birthday gift.

For the one year old in your life, you can purchase them a toddler figurine in a high chair, either boy or girl. This allows them to save their day, and remember it through the figurine. These can be bought either in boy character, or girl character depending on the birthday person.

Little girls are sure to love the princess figurine. You are able to purchase other birthday figurines for the little girl on your list as well. They are able to show it off to their friends and family. This can be sure to be a collector's item they will keep.

If you are looking for a more universal outlook for birthday figurines, you can purchase a figurine with the age the person is turning. You are able to choose the figurine that goes along with the birthday number. Giving you the choice to personalize it with the age of the person, as well as the figure you choose.

Little boys need something to remember their birthday by as well. You are able to find sports, or train related figurines to match their taste. If you prefer a gift set which allows them the benefit of a figurine as well as a picture frame, and collector's box. You are also able to purchase these for girls.

There are also birthday Precious Moments figurines with animal characters. This allows the animal lover to get a figurine that they love. Match the animal with the age the person is turning to customize the perfect birthday gift, and collector's item that they can cherish for a lifetime.

If the birthday person is not a child, you are also able to purchase them a figurine for their age. You can choose from an assortment of poses, words, or animals. When choosing a Precious moment's figurine, there is something for everyone available.

Precious Moments not only offers birthday figurines, but they offer various figurines for every other occasion and for just because. Find figurines with inspirational words, or get well meanings. - 31411

About the Author:

Craig\'s wife owns more than 1000 Precious Moments ornaments and collectibles. Click to find out more about used Precious Moments figurines.

Twilight Dolls - The Jacob Barbie Doll Set To Rival Edward Barbie Doll

By Freddy McCandless

If you don't know what Twilight is (the movie not time of day) then the chances are you don't have a tween/teenage daughter (or son) or maybe you don't keep your finger on the cultural pulse. Twilight is the super successful sequence of novels and corresponding movies.Well, the Twilight buzz is bound to go up another few levels in the next couple of months with the release of the Jacob Barbie doll. You may think this is a bit over the top but hear me out.

In brief, Twilight is a love story between a teenage girl, Bella and a handsome but slightly aloof teenage boy Edward (turns out he is a vampire and 117 years old). In the first novel/film most of the focus is on these two lead characters. Jacob had a small role in the first book/movie. He is Bella's friend and helps her settle into her new school when she first arrives at Forks.

With the release of the second movie, Jacob gets a whole lot more exposure. The second book/movie, called New Moon, imore heavily focused on Jacob. Although the love story between Bella and Edward continues to bubble under the surface, we gain an insight into Jacob's life and much of the plot focuses on the deepening relationship between Bella and Jacob. The movie was released late last year so I won't give anything away but as part of the marketing of the movie, people where asked to choose between Edward and Jacob (much like Bella has to do in the movie ?)

You where asked if you were on Team Edward or Team Jacob. Plenty of fans opted to go with Jacob. Besides this 'commitment' to the character fans were charmed by the strong performance given by the actor who plays Jacob (Taylor Lautner), which endeared even more fans to the character. Therefore since the release of New Moon, Twilightiphiles have been eager for memorabilia from the film and of characters.

Heaps of memorabilia was already there, including many twilight dolls. There were Edward and Bella barbie dolls and Edward, Bella, Jacob and Alice Cullen NECA action figures but no Jacob Barbie doll. Mattel, the makers of Barbie eventually divulged that they would be releasing a Jacob barbie doll in early March 2010.

The Jacob Twilight doll looks very similar to the character in the movie and Mattel has been fairly accurate in modeling him. He has a similar appearance of Taylor Lautner with short dark hair, the ripped abs and muscular torso and the tell tale face. In terms of the outfit, the doll wears the cut off jeans and a pair of sneakers as seen in the film. The doll also has a tell tale tattoo on the shoulder similar to the character in the movie.

For passionate fans of the Twilight story, and the Jacob character in particular, this is a must have collectible item. Plenty of people have a passion to collect Barbie dolls. They keep their value as a proper collectible item should do and fans adore being around memorabilia that reminds them of their heroes. To this extent I think the Jacob barbie doll will be very popular. - 31411

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Order your own Twilight New Moon Dolls Barbie Doll Jacob

Classic Car Care Tips And Tricks

By James Ferrell

Vehicles need the right maintenance--be it, classic automobiles or not. That is the reason why it is just mandatory that auto owners know enough info to keep their cars in tip-top shape. These tips can help the classic car owner in you : The outside of your classic auto is the one part that folk notice first. It is for this reason that paint and other outside furnishings must be on top of your priorities. Bird droppings have acid contents that may devastate your car's's bodywork. With this in mind, you need to start to avoid parking your classic automobile under the shades of trees.

A classic auto is defined by the office of Motor Vehicles - each state's office may classify classic cars at different years, but often, if a vehicle is 20 years of age or older, it's a classic. Cars are generally catalogued as antiques at 25 years. Most classic cars were made of metal. Since metal can rust, the classic car owner must keep the paint in good shape. Washing at least every two weeks and monthly waxing helps to keep the paint in good shape.

Classic automobiles frequently have a lot of chrome - the wheels are often chrome, as are the air cleaner and diverse brackets on the engine ( they're O.E.M parts, added for beautification ). Chrome must be polished at least bi-monthly in order to keep it from becoming pocked. Once chrome becomes pocked, it will rust out. The only way to fix pocked chrome is to have it re-chromed, which is sort of expensive. To scrub extremely dirty chrome, you may use carburetor cleaner to clean it, but it will not polish the chrome. Once the chrome is cleaned, be certain it is totally dry, then wax it with a top-end car wax.

The interior of classic autos, whether made of leather, suede, fabric or vinyl, due to its age can crack or tear easily, should you continue to have the original interior. Care must be taken with keeping the sun from baking the interior of the automobile in order to preserve the numerous material surfaces within the car. If not kept in the garage, be certain to use windshield screen on the car.

Check for used vehicle insurances that would work best for your classic car. Good cover would let you sleep soundly at night. Remember that you should consider getting insurance since the spare parts of classic cars are often expensive or difficult to find. - 31411

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You can easily find affordable and alfa romeo convertible top for any make and model.

The Wonderful History Of The Teddy Bear

By Lee Reid

Everyone had a favorite stuffed toy as a child and fond nostalgia makes some adults become collectors, especially in the case of Steiff stuffed animals.

The original animals can demand high prices at auctions and fairs these days, particularly the bears.

The Steiff stuffed animals history begins in the town of Giengen an der Brenz in Germany, around 1880.

A wheelchair bound seamstress called Margarete Steiff started a hobby and made toy animals from her own designs.

She created mostly cats, pigs, elephants and dogs.

The Steiff stuffed animals that we know of today began when Richard Steiff, a nephew of Margarette, created the first toy bear with jointed limbs in 1902.

This bear rapidly became popular in the US and around the world, as it won first place at the World Exhibition in St. Louis in 1904.

It later became known as the teddy bear, named after President Teddy Roosevelt.

The company is known for its high quality Steiff stuffed animals, which are still made in the town of Giengen.

Today, Giengen is the location of the Steiff factory and Adventure museum, and the town is a mecca for those who are fans and collectors of stuffed animals.

The Adventure museum details the history of Steiff products, and has a gift shop that sells bears, replica bears, historic catalogues and porcelain creations.

The Classic range by Steiff is considered the top of the line, featuring Steiff stuffed animals that are hand made.

A majority of the creations date back to the early 1900's up to the 1920's.

You can even see the special Valentine Bear, with a stitched on heart. It is a wonderful and romantic gift idea.

The range also includes characters from the Beatrix Potter stories, including Peter Rabbit and the Mrs. Tiggy Winkle hedgehog.

Another children's favorite is available in Paddington Bear, with his trademark blue hat and red duffel coat.

The majority of Steiff baby animals are created with babies and toddlers in mind.

They are made from durable materials and include teddy bears, kittens and lambs.

The Cosy Animal selections by Steiff are machine washable. Other products in the line include clothing, bags, keyrings and gift sets made especially for children.

The Limited Edition Steiff stuffed animals contain pink and gray replica versions of the 1908 teddy bear.

There is also a Grizzly Bear, a Moon Bear that has a white stripe and a black and white Pierrot Bear.

This range also has a stuffed Rupert Bear, another favorite character from story books.

However, the teddy bear will continue to be the toy that is most associated with the Steiff Company. - 31411

About the Author:

Looking for Steiff Stuffed Animals? Visit our site for more information.

Getting the Most Out of Your Precious Moments with an Indoor Sculpture Garden

By Craig Shinney

Most people marvel at the wonder of outdoor sculpture gardens, but Precious Moments collectibles and birthday figurines obviously aren't suited for the elements. Creating an indoor sculpture garden, rather, can prove a useful pastime that the extended family can enjoy. The positive side effects: learning the value of and fostering appreciation for each piece individually.

Not everyone intrinsically understands the basic principles that make collectible figurines so valuable. By highlighting the details in craftsmanship and artistry of each item, an indoor sculpture garden can not only transform a home but also transform the thoughts of a house guest viewing the collection.

The natural collector in you will gravitate toward giving birthday figurines and other collectibles to friends and family, even youth. While encouraged to do so, remember that children especially may need some support in learning how to display and care for a gift that celebrates one of their life's precious moments. Offer to help them start their own indoor sculpture garden or invite them to take a look at one you've created-it just may teach a worthwhile lesson in art appreciation.

Although seasoned collectors already understand the importance of keeping a figurine's original packaging, even for collectibles taken out for display, youth will need to be shown this skill. Each package is unique and helps to maintain the integrity of a collectible, just as adding your own personalized note within the box will preserve the context and sentiment surrounding the original purchase of the gift. Keeping a product's package and notes handy when creating your sculpture garden will help keep important details about each piece in the forefront while crafting display ideas.

But, like memories, most collectors want to fully display their items rather than keeping them hidden behind the walls of a packaging. With packages safely stored, design ideas can begin to flow freely. Having a good plan before starting to place figurines on shelves will help streamline the process and create a more theme-oriented display. Consider grouping collectibles by similarities like color or size to create an aesthetically-pleasing indoor sculpture garden.

If nervousness persists with the collectibles out of the packaging and multiple kids playing about, creating your indoor sculpture garden within the confines of a curio cabinet might prove the best option. Enhanced with lighting, mirrors and accessible heights for dusting, you may enjoy the look of your Precious Moments collection behind glass windows, and the security of Grandma's personalized 100-year birthday figurine locked in a case may help you breathe a little easier.

Over time, your indoor sculpture garden may experience many design changes, but the overall treatment and storage of each piece should persist: take care to keep pieces in dry places. Just as the memory of life's precious moments can be priceless, each piece can continue to recreate those memories for generations to come if cared for and displayed properly. - 31411

About the Author:

To find out exactly how I know so much about Precious Moments figurines and collectibles, visit my website about used Precious Moments figurines.

Step Into The Past by Purchasing Old Star Wars Figurines

By Ben Burr

You won't have any problems acquiring Star Wars toys if you are looking for them. Having been a franchise for going on 33 years, there have been toys a plenty. But don't be fooled by the fancy toys of today when you can really appreciate some vintage Star Wars toys and take a walk down memory lane at the same time.

You are unlikely to find a fan base quite as considerable as that of this franchise. People have dedicated their lives to finding the rare and unknown in terms of collectibles. For many, this is a chance to get a piece of their childhood back, as so many children found joy in playing with some of these vintage Star Wars toys when they weren't vintage.

But what are the best toys for you to get? Well, that all depends on the purpose of the purchase. You see, if you are looking for these vintage toys on a basis of resale, then there are specific models and figurines you want to seek out. If you are just looking for a bit of nostalgia, than you need to find what made a difference in your childhood. Perhaps it was a Luke Skywalker, or maybe it was R2D2 and C3PO.

I could go into a lot of detail concerning the collectibles. There are so many different internet sites that have devoted a good deal of time and effort to telling you what items are going to reel in some serious dough. You might start with these sites if resale is your primary focus, then a search of these sites could be quite helpful in your cause.

Most of us just want to play with another Millennium Falcon, or pretend to use the Force as we take our X-wings to destroy the Death Star. If this is you, than I can give you an idea of where to look for some of these portions of your past. If you don't have an idea of where to start looking, it might be difficult for you to find anything that you really wanted.

While internet sites are likely your best direct source to the toys you miss, you might also find success through other avenues. For instance, many have found success through various yard sales and garage sales. More so, people have seen a good deal of success by shopping at massive flea markets. In addition there are toy trade shows specifically for Star Wars toys, but the figurines here can get rather pricey.

This is what you need to know about vintage Star Wars toys. There are plenty of places that they might be, the question is: what are you trying to relive? Good luck with the hunt, but with the vast array of Star Wars toys, it won't be long until you find what you are looking for I'm sure. - 31411

About the Author:

Getting vintage Star Wars toys can be hard unless you know where to find them. You can find the best Star Wars toys easy and quick when you visit today!

LEGO Imperial Flagship 10210 Has Many Pieces

By Peter Brando

The LEGO Imperial Flagship 10210 is coming to a store near you so keep an eye out. This new LEGO ship will be available on January 1, 2010. The ship has three sections that are removable and is realistic. This is an amazing new LEGO creation.

With telescopes, windows and doors that actually work this new toy should be a hit. After building the ship you can use the 9 included figures to play pirates. Your figures are completely assembled and ready to play with.

The Flagship is available for children over the age of 14. This is probably due to the fact there are over 1600 pieces to this LEGO set. This makes it dangerous for small children to play with. The ship comes with cannons, soldiers, fully equipped kitchen, sharks, and a working anchor.

You can open the front deck doors and play inside the ship. There are sails so the ship looks completely real. With so many ways to play with this ship you will have hours of fun. You can assemble the entire thing into the Flagship or just part of it to make a raft.

You can build the ship using many different pieces. Even though there is things to do with this LEGO set the price is a little expensive. Your flagship can be built onto with by purchasing more add ons.

Additional items are a fort, other ships and an island. When purchased you ship grows into a huge playing area. The set back is that there are so many pieces you have to watch where they go. Finding a safe place to assemble and play will help you keep up with the pieces.

The ship will not float but you can play with it in the water. Your ship won't rust but the pieces can get caught in the pipes of the tub so be careful. It is best to play with the ship on table or somewhere you can find the pieces easily.

You may need the instructions to follow and an adult to help you assemble the ship. It is because there are so many pieces that can go in different places. But once you have put it together you will be able to again with no problem. - 31411

About the Author:

The new LEGO Imperial Flagship is in stores now and ready for you to buy. Pick it up now and get the included LEGO mini figures.

Get a Guarantee of Authenticity on Autographed Sports Memorabilia

By Dan Anderson

Knowing whether or not your piece of autographed sports memorabilia is in fact an authentic autographed memorabilia item is quite possibly the most important aspect of collecting sports related souvenirs. It is never easy to identify fakes from originals and many people have no idea what they should look for before making a purchase. Unfortunately, the only absolutely certain way to ensure that a piece is authentic is if you personally witness the athlete writing his or her name. However, there are some steps that you can follow to help ensure that you are purchasing a genuine item.

First and foremost, if there's no printed certificate of authenticity associated with the signed baseball, football, jersey or sports card memorabilia, then you should probably not purchase it and find another merchant. There are a number of reliable retailers that confirm all kinds of memorabilia and collectibles, including collectibles that are sports themed. Some of the organizations to look for are Upper Deck, Tri Star and Steiner Sports; because they actually have contracts with the athletes to come in to their place of business and autograph items.

There is another good third party authentication company called Online COA. The company is not into buying or selling any kind of sports related memorabilia, so you do not have to worry about buying an item that this company has authenticated. They will only authenticate autographed sports memorabilia that they personally see athletes sign, making them one of the most reliable and reputable companies in the business.

Another thing to look for when collecting signed sports collectibles is whether or not the business that's selling the items provides a guarantee. If you purchase an item and later determine that it's not genuine, then the company or individual ought to be willing to ensure a full refund.

Be ready to spend a little bit more money for authenticated, autographed sports memorabilia, especially if you find something online when checking out different sites, such as www.ebay.com. Yet if you see an item that is priced way below what someone else is selling the same thing for, then there is a good chance it's a fake. Authentic merchandise is worth something and the dealers or individuals who sell such items know that. If the price is too good to be true, then buyer beware. Educate yourself on what certain items sell for, which will alert you to phony rip offs. - 31411

About the Author:

Sporting collectibles can instantly take you back to your childhood, a special game or simply a favorite player. The best part is with so many websites selling collectible sporting memorabilia, you should have no problem finding great deals.