Merry X-mas

Harry Potter - The book you should read with you're child

I remember picking the book up out of curiosity, and then putting it down--several hours and some 300 pages later. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was perfect.

That's not to say that you have to be in pain to enjoy the adventures of Harry Potter. There are lots of good reasons why you should treat yourself to what are sure to become literary classics:

• Fun is good. The first, and possibly best, reason for reading the Harry Potter books is because they're fun--and funny. If you sometimes have a hard time remembering the last thing you did simply for sheer amusement, you're probably like 90 percent of the today's hard-working parents. Fun and a little downtime is important.



• Know your child. When a series like Harry Potter captures a whole generation of young readers, you know that it really strikes a chord. If your child is a Potter fan, reading the books may help you figure out what's so meaningful to him. And when you do that, you'll know your child better.



• Get with it! Harry Potter is more than a series of books, it's a cultural phenomenon. In the books, muggles are non-magical people who simply carry on with their humdrum daily lives, oblivious to the magic that's all around them. These unfortunate creatures are not unlike the many grown-ups who don't have a clue about what the Harry Potter excitement is all about. You don't want to be a muggle, do you?



• Take a trip with your child. Reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is like going to a foreign country. If your child were going on a trip, you'd want to know where, and you'd probably want to go along. The same holds true for virtual trips to fantasy land.For a child, going somewhere fascinating and new is even more fun when you can share it with your mom or dad. Besides, these books are complex and the characters wrestle with some thorny moral dilemmas and disturbing situations. Your child might need a guide-or at least a sounding board-along the way.
• It's never too late to read aloud. Reading aloud is really important in the early years before your children head off to school, but it's still a good idea even after they're adept readers. By listening, children can enjoy literature that would be too hard for them to read on their own, and reading aloud gives you wonderful high-quality time together. If you take turns reading to each other (for example, maybe you read three pages for every one page your child reads), it can be a powerful learning experience.



• You don't have to read. There is a really terrific set of Harry Potter books on tape, unabridged and read brilliantly by Jim Dale. They're fairly pricey at the bookstore, but you should be able to get them from your library if you don't mind waiting in line. Great for car trips!



• Younger children get scared. The Harry Potter books are perfect for children who are Harry's age or a bit younger--that is, 9 or 10 for the first book, and slightly older for each book that follows. Go much younger, and the chances that your child truly will be terrified by the scary parts go way, way up. After watching or hearing a frightening story, many children have nightmares for several days. If you're reading aloud, however, and you see your child getting scared, you can stop and talk about it, or you can skip over the parts that are too scary for him. Better yet, save Harry Potter until your child is old enough to really be able to tell the difference between reality and fantasy--usually age seven or eight at the earliest.



• Good children's literature is good literature. Period. Good children's literature isn't silly or lightweight. Look closely at enduring classics such as Charlotte's Web and you'll find a complex work of art, every bit as interesting and rich as an adult novel. Even a children's book as seemingly simple asGoodnight Moon is in reality a subtly beautiful poem that speaks to the deep longings and fears of both children and adults. (If you don't believe that Goodnight Moon is poetry, try writing something like it yourself. My attempts, at least, were hilariously bad!)



• Don't stop with Harry Potter. If you love the Harry Potter books, help your child--and yourself--to the many other wonderful writers of children's fantasy, and other genres, too. Reading literature with your child is a terrific way to share one of life's greatest pleasures, and to grow together.

For more good books and other news regarding books releases please visit Love Reading

How to draw using only a pen

Drawing with pencils is rewarding and relaxing. Start out by drawing simple interesting shapes. When you're just starting to draw, it is important to master the circle, cone, square, triangle and rectangle. You'll need a few basic supplies and several grades of pencils for beginner drawing projects. A pencil that has a B grade has a softer lead for shading, while the H pencils are hard leads. The HB pencil is an in-between lead, and is the most commonly used pencil.(If you don't have one of this pencils you can get one at : 'The Pen Company') Drawing paper, art erasers and a blending tool will aid in the learning

Instructions

1. Hold an HB pencil in your dominant hand and use a circular, waving or even motion to make a round shape or a curved or straight line. Practice making circles, curves, triangles and straight lines.

2. Select a line drawing, coloring page or item to copy in

a drawing.

3. Sketch the shape of the item to be drawn. Use a straight edge as an aid to create even lines. For instance, look at a photo of a daisy. Notice the shapes in the flower. Sketch the round circle center. Lightly pencil in the oval petal shapes that encircle the center. Shapes are the foundation of an item.

4. Hold a 2B pencil between the tip of th

e thumb and the four fingers. Place the index finger tip near the end of the pencil and lower the soft lead point to the paper. Gently rub the lead to shade in areas of the daisy. Set the pencil aside and rub the stump blending tool over the surface to blend the soft lead bits into the paper. Practice shading and blending. All drawings are shades of light and dark shadow colors.

5. Draw crease lines in the petals with the HB pencil. Erase any lines that are too dark. Use the kneaded eraser to carefully erase areas of the object that have light shining on them.

6. Define areas of the object with simple dots, lines and marks. Compare shape and proportion with the photos or actual objects.

MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS EXTRA SPECIAL WITH UNIQUE HAND-MADE CHRISTMAS CRACKERS

Designer Crackers - specialists in hand-made crackers, table top bombs, and confetti launchers. Add some pzaz to your party with our Christmas crackers and bombs!

CHRISTMAS

Christmas parties are joyful gathering of friends, family, great food, and shared memories. There are lots of things that go into your Christmas parties such as preparing food, having a good music selection, sending out invitations, and Christmas table arrangements.

We recommend you for this special evening a few crackers to light up the atmosphere, like :

STANDARD CRACKERS

All crackers contain a snap, hat, motto and quality gift.

The standard foil crackers have a selection of our

pre selected gifts.

Parties, corporate events and weddings are our speciality,

individually tailored for exclusive groups

LUXURY CRACKERS.

Beautiful boxes of luxury crackers. .

Adult or Family contents.

All crackers contain a snap, hat, motto and quality gift.

Crackers have a selection of pre-selected gifts.

Jumbo party bombs to match crackers if requested.

Note, decorations & ribbons on these crackers may alter

PREMIER CRACKERS.

The most elegant box of six crackers and also our most popular ones.

Many designs to choose from, with a matching Jumbo Bomb if required.

Finest quality pre selected gifts (see photo on the right)

Note, due to the hand-made nature of our crackers, decorations and ribbons may alter.

Party Bombs

Add some sparkle in the proceedings with Designer Crackers' table top bombs. These indoor table fireworks combine a selection of party goods including streamers, confetti and rocket balloons in one.By lighting the fuse this will shower guests with a flickering shimmer of confetti and stars. More importantly they deliver that satisfying 'BANG' the pleasure of which will not be wasted on anyone who ever fooled around with bangers as a kid!

3 Sizes to choose from, with a great selection of fillers.

Note: ALL BOMB WRAPS MAY VARY IN DESIGN!

NEW YEAR

When we are young it’s the cake, presents, and the party favors that get us going, but as we get older we typically just look forward to the social aspect, and hopefully some great food. You are never too old to have a great time at a birthday party, no matter what the theme may be and even who the company is.

And for the biggest party of the year we recommend you:

PARTY BOMBS / TABLE TORPEDOS

Add some sparkle in the proceedings with our table top bombs. These indoor table fireworks combine a selection of party goods including streamers, confetti and rocket balloons in one. By lighting the fuse this will shower guests with a flickering shimmer of confetti and stars. More importantly they deliver that satisfying 'BANG' - the pleasure of which will not be wasted on anyone who ever fooled around with bangers as a kid!

CLASSIC PLAIN PARTY CRACKERS

Wow your guests with a cracker at your next party. All crackers contain a snap, hat, motto and quality gift. Crackers have a selection of pre-selected gifts, Family Content is shown in the photo.

Note, decorations and ribbons may vary.

GIFTS AND ACCESSORIES.

Like :

1. Flashing glasses

2.Party in a box

Tub of 48 Rocket Balloons 4.FOR GIRLS a Fabulous bag of 10 presents or stocking fillers

Much more crackers and other party stuff you can check out at:

Designer Crackers ,

Until than we wish you happy holidays and a happy new year!!!

Buy Hot Christmas Toys at 'The Outdoor Toy Company'

With the holidays fast approaching, check out this press release to know where to find the best Christmas toys.

It’s already September and Christmas is fast coming up. If you want to avoid the shopping rush, you have to buy gifts as early as now especially for your loved ones. This is especially true for your toddler if you want to buy him the best toys that

you can buy. Waiting until the holiday rush will drive the prices up and there’s also a good chance that choices for Christmas toys will dwindle.

Fortunately, there are places where you can buy these toys as early as now. For example, you can check out The Outdoor Toy Company and you’ll see hot holiday toys that you can buy for your kid all throughout the year. Prices are competitive because of the company’s guarantee that they have the best online prices. If you can find the same toy on a different site with lower prices, they’ll match it.

You’ll see Christmas toys like kids’ pianos, bikes, and a lot of other popular toys given during Christmas. Best of all, you can shop anytime you want. Just browse around the extensive collection of toys and you’ll find the best options available for your kid. You don’t have to drive to the mall only to play tug of war with another parent who has her sights on the toy that you want for your kid. In only a few clicks, you’ll be able to buy the toys that will light up your kid’s face on Christmas morning.

You will also avoid the Christmas rush. If you’re still saving up for the toys, you can wait for a few more months because The Outdoor Toy Company is not going anywhere. You won’t have to jostle for position even if you’re going to buy the Christmas toys on December. The site has user-friendly options so you’ll be shopping as if you’re in a big shopping complex alone. You can take your time and read around the site first so you can check out all the options. This will give you the chance to really study the toys and find the best one.

The Outdoor Toy Company did a lot of research to make sure that their featured Christmas toys are the hottest holiday toys. The season is special and your kid will probably be looking forward to it. This is why you have to make sure that you’ll buy the best one that your money can afford. Fortunately, the company has a wide range of prices in addition to its lowest online prices guarantee. This way, you will be sure to find a toy that your kid will love no matter what your budget is.

You can buy Christmas toys now or save for a later purchase. But feel free to check out the site now and study your options. You have a legitimate chance to paint a smile on your kid’s face on the most anticipated holiday for kids. You can do it by buying the toys from The Outdoor Toy Company.

This is brilliant

25 Beautifully Illustrated Thought-Provoking Questions

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