Shopping online is a simple way to save time and money and free yourself from the hassles of traffic and parking, but certain purchases are easier to make online than others. Some folks don’t like to buy clothes online, since they can’t try them on, and buying rapidly perishable items, like milk or ice cream, for example, just makes no sense. Buying furniture online, however, is entirely practical.

Purchasing tables and chairs, accent pieces, or even a full bedroom set over the internet will save you a lot of money, while simultaneously maximizing your selection, if you’ll just focus on a few key points:

1. Images — Are there high resolution product images available for you to view? You’ll need something better than a 2″X3″ fuzzy blur, if you’re going to make a purchase decision online. If the webstore owner doesn’t care enough to post decent photos of his products, he probably doesn’t care much about his customers, either.

2. Materials — Everything looks like solid wood and real leather in a staged photo. Be sure to read the fine print and find out what the products are actually made of. And while you’re doing that, consider your intended use of the product–do you really want white leather upholstery in the family room, where the kids do their art projects and the pets sneak up on the couch when you’re gone?

3. Dimensions — Again, photos can be deceiving, especially when it comes to size. Check the product’s weight and dimensions on the website, so you don’t end up with „The Media Cabinet that Ate New York“ in your living room. One trick is to take cardboard boxes and stack them up to the dimensions listed in the article description, so you can visualize exactly how the item will fit into your space.

4. Delivery — Clarify delivery details before you push that „Buy“ button. Will you have to assemble the item? Will the shipper bring it inside, if it’s a heavy item, or leave it on the porch? How long before the product ships out? And make sure the vendor will provide you with a tracking number, so you can be at home to receive the item and not have it sitting outside your door in the rain.

5. Tax and Shipping Charges — For large purchases, sales tax and shipping charges are a big consideration. Make sure you take the store’s tax and shipping policies into account when shopping for these high-ticket items, as they could easily double the price. Many vendors pad shipping prices to make up for bargain product prices, while others compensate for higher product prices with low- or no-cost shipping deals.

6. Return Policies — No one wants to think about returns when they’re still in the selection process, but with large, heavy items that are expensive to ship, you must. Look for the shipping and return policy pages on the store’s website. They should tell you up front what the time limit is for returns due to factory defect or simply changing your mind. Find out who pays the return shipping, and if there’s a re-stocking fee (common for these type of items).

An informed consumer is a happy consumer. As long as you know what the policies are you can’t be caught off guard, and you won’t face disappointment in your online furniture shopping experience.

Following the boudoir line of design „the pajamas, transparency seems a very natural interpretation of the ultra-feminine tendency of this season. If in the fall the designers became puritans covering the womens silhouettes and using creativity in a more conservatory and Spartan style, for spring 2009 they totally spin it around 180 degrees. The creations are effectively a poem written for the female body-or even better a libertine tribute in its honor.

Transparent tops, daring cut dresses, sheer overalls and pants, pellucid skirts leave no room for imagination, and the breasts, hips and legs are boldly presented on the catwalk. From New York to London almost every designer like Erdem, Derek Lam, Roksanda Ilincic, Nina Ricci, and Cavalli inspired different transparent forms.

The romantic but in the same time minimalist idea of getting rid of the excess was used by the designers not only in order to attract attention on the body but also to make a statement against recession. Interpreted in fashion the message goes like this: Life is short, feel free and love your body.

Another current in this springs fashion is sporty style, definitely coming back in designers agenda with the proposition of some new rules. Sport outfits become day outfits, with a bit of re-invented chic involving a touch of luxury inside the casual shapes and acid colors. The specialists in this industry come with trendy names for the lines such as sport couture or utilitarian sporty style.

With zippers showing proudly, very casual cut, parka clothes, short cyclist tights, Bermuda style shorts, comfortable overalls, large pockets, juicy colors and high tech fabric joining denim, every outfit comes with too much glamour for a simple visit to the gym.

Some designers use their creativity to bring back into attention the so very American sporty-chic style in a very well elaborated merger between androgenic and feminine , fresh and urban at Matthew Williamson, DKNY, Brian Reyes ,Diesel and Isabel Marant ,an exotic touch at Sportmax and a note of glamour at Gucci.

There are also designers, who prefer to bring value to the feminine side. That is why they introduce sporty dresses like Max Mara, Lacoste and Michael Kors. At the very opposite pole there is the new collection from Adidas by Stella McCartney bringing the a very classy performance sport style.

Art has continually had a distinct role in human lives, and with time passing, this human self-expression has found new ways of showing itself. As quick progression in new technology has changed our lives as a whole, it has also had its impact on art. This form of art has made a transformation, by the virtue of computer technology, to something even more spectacular: Computer 3D animation.

An application of Digital 3d graphics, 3D Animation is the art of creating moving images with a three dimensional photo realism on a 2 dimensional screen. 3 Dimensional Animation holds its distinction from 2D animation due to its depiction of stunningly realistic animated pictures. Digital 3d graphics animation is used in motion pictures, special effects, computer games, simulations, architecture, models and in any other way it can be used to illustrate a message or an idea.

Three Dimensional Computer Animation consists of an elaborate process of 3D modeling, texturing, animating and rendering. 3 Dimensional Modeling is the construction and wire-framing of any item or environment in its 3D representation through special software. Texturing gives a realistic shape to the 3D models, which makes it possible for the audience to relate to an object or a person, or even a location in a 3D Animation. It is much like painting on a sculpture and gives the model its finished look.

The central principles of animation making the creation of the illusion of motion possible generally remain the same in one form or another as in traditional animation. They have been transformed into Key-framing and Motion Capture techniques, which are digitalized, efficient and thoroughly automated animation techniques. Key-framing involves setting up two frames or key positions representing a unit of animation. The illusion of the movement is created by the computer by automatically filling the gaps in between the frames.

The fundamental idea behind the Motion Capture method is to portray the emotions, expressions and movements of a 3 Dimensional animated character as realistically as possible by recording of movements of real actors and models, and translating them into a digital 3d model. 3 Dimensional Animation uses a much faster frame rate than the 2d animation, which are about 25 frames per second, in order to sustain the realism of movement and to create a dramatic impression.

Computer Animation is an exciting and challenging career. Before you begin some significant professional work, it is always helpful to study in quality institutes that offer animation courses. You should focus on schools like Vancouver Institute of Media Arts and Vancouver Film School, to really have a substantial foundation to your career. However, attending small courses will do you no good as this way you will only learn to work with different software, which is not enough to become a good 3 Dimensional Animator.

To transcend as a 3D computer animator, if you are capable of original and creative work. You should be mastering essential design programs like Photoshop and Flash. You should have a good understanding of Three Dimensional Modeling and should be able to master the function of Avars, or Animation Variables,, the fundamental structures that make up life-like 3d models in an animation.

You must master the basics of composition and must have a deep knowledge and understanding of how colors work. You will be constantly playing with them for the rest of your lives. You must have a good sense of light and shade, which actually sum up the basics of all visual artists. Apart from the technical knowledge, it is your sense of film-making and story-telling which will help create an outstanding animation.

But what if you are not a professional animator? That still does not stop you from benefiting from it. A number of 3D Animation programs exist to help you out. Motion Builder, SideFX Houdini, Lightwave, Softimage XSI and Cinema 4D are very good but complex software, and top choices of professional animators. Although some of them are accommodating to novices, you could find yourself more at ease with simpler software like RealSoft 3D, Art of Illusion and Effect 3D. You should research carefully before purchasing one of them, as you would want all the features and tools you need from a single package as per your requirements.

If you prefer to use 3D animation as the content of your web page, you could settle for software with simple features and an easy and accessible user interface. 3D Animations have become an effective communication tool of our age and can be a potential source of traffic enhancement for web designers as computer software have brought this possibility into their access. This technology allows you to explore new horizons on whatever front it can be utilized. It is up to you to make the most of it.

Boxer-type underwear for men come in all shapes and sizes as you well know. Or perhaps you don’t know. Boxers, as they are called, resemble the trunks that boxers typically wear, hence the name.

There are some significant differences between what men wear and what fighting boxers wear. First, the style of trunks that fighting boxers wear are much longer, often touching the knee (and this style for fighting boxers has changed over the years). They are extremely loose and baggy. The undergarments men might wear only go down to the mid-thigh. Yes, the shorts are loose (yet not as loose as Boxers trunks). the Boxers are made so that nothing inside the shorts are tight. And that’s an intentional design.

One significant requirement that sportsmen boxers have (that regular men don’t have) is the need for their shorts to stay on their hips during a long and sweaty match. The boxing trunks cannot even accidentally slither over the waist even a little (you see Boxers try to pull them up if they do and it’s an interesting sight when they try to do it with their boxing gloves). The boxing shorts are reinforced at the waist with heavy elastic or a tie-string. Boxer-style underwear, conversely, rarely use a tie-string to keep them from sliding down. Instead those shorts rely on elastic, a comfort designed specifically for the boxer underwear.

The similarities between what amateur and professional boxers wear and what normal men wear is that they are made from many types of material: silk, cotton, or a combination of the two often are purchased.

On a quick sidenote, I have also seen boxer shorts made from a fishnet type of material. I suspect the Boxing world has pretty much rejected that impractical material because then it would show the protective gear that boxers wear during a match. Mesh/Fishnet material for boxer shorts are found in novelty stores.

Obviously the mesh/fishnet type of boxers are not designed for comfort or practical purposes; they’re aesthetically pleasing and geared toward the romantic side of the equation.

Boxer shorts, then, are similar to what fighting Boxers wear in physical material (especially the silk and cotton varieties), but differ in length and whether or not they have a drawstring to hold them up. Another major difference is cost: boxing shorts are more expensive than boxer underwear. Specialty boxers, on the other hand, can be more costly initially, but may very well be worth the added expense.

One of the noticeable things that has dominated Hip Hop Culture in the West has been the sagging shorts that Hip Hoppers wear. That’s a given. But what’s not so apparent is that normally the underwear that shows when their shorts are hanging over the middle of the rear end is Boxer Shorts. That’s where I come in.

I should say that I really don’t understand the need for Hip Hoppers to run around with shorts that sag so far down past their hips. Occasionally I hear stories of those who rob places trying to run away and falling flat on their faces because those shorts slid down their legs and tripped them up.

In my countless observations, I’ve seen plenty of plain-colored boxer shorts. I haven’t run across a lot of fashion and design in that area. Why haven’t boxer shorts retailers capitalized on that fact and marketed Hip Hop fashion for the boxer shorts. Perhaps I can start a movement towards that end. A little variety could go a long way.

One thing I see when those shorts sag low is that most of the boxer shorts are made of cotton. Silk doesn’t seem to be a good option as it would produce unnecessary slippage. Nothing’s worse than having your boxer shorts slip when you’re trying to have a friendly political and motivational discussion with friends.

Of course, discussing boxer shorts that Gangsta Rappers wear would not be complete if I didn’t at least address the subject of Hip Hop belts. I know it’s not politically correct or fashionable to suggest it, but it sure would seem like a pragmatic thing to purchase when thinking about a fashionable designer hat ($20-30) turned sideways on your head, having tons of bling gold necklaces dangling around the neck, and a twenty dollar all white t-shirt (displaying all your bulging and tattooed muscles). Certainly fifteen dollars (and upwards) for a practical belt might go a long way, especially if you’re in the mood to grab some quick extra cash from an unwilling source.

One of these belts could be the difference between $700 from a bank or liquor store and 8-14 years in a Federal Prison. Perhaps I’m in the wrong market completely. Fifteen bucks for a belt or fourteen years in the slammer? Hmm.

I know it seems like I’m trying to change Gangsta, Hip Hop, or Rap Culture. I’m not trying to do that at all. However, I’m trying to encourage a young entrepreneur to create a new multi-billion dollar industry: the Gangsta Rap Belt Industry. Maybe I’m on to something here.

A plain boring house becomes a home only if it is attractively designed and if it reflects the persona of the owner. The image of the residents among other people often depends on the interior design and styling of the house and it is very important to be careful about these things.

It is not a particularly hard job to think of original, pragmatic, and creative ideas about interior design. Help can be taken from published material on this topic and from interior design professionals while undertaking this job. However if you decide to undertake interior designing without any help from professionals then you can benefit from the following suggestions.

The initial step is to select a style which will suit your aesthetic inclinations. Try to concentrate on a theme that you consider to uniquely reflect your persona. Two major options that you have are a smart modern style in order to make use of all the space or an elaborate woodwork design based on a traditional European feel.

The shades should match the theme. It is better to make use of lighter shades if your house is not too large and does not receive a lot of light from outside. If you want to use darker shades then you can develop shadows in your home through covered lamps instead of relying on simple tube lights or electric bulbs.

Furnishing choices for the house should take both your style preferences and the object’s utility into consideration. Ideal furniture for a small house is that which uses less space and can fulfil many needs. If your home is bigger then you do not need to be concerned about the size of the furniture, but keep in mind the functionality aspects.

Accessories such as drapes, floor mats, tablecloths etc must fit the overall style of your home. Remember that you should always be cautious and considerate in decorating your house as otherwise you would risk forming a negative impression on your guests.

If you’ve ever thought about getting into interior design, pick up interior design computer programs and with a few clicks, you may decorate your whole room in the blink of an eye. An interior design program makes decorating easy. This is a very helpful learning tool. The program will actively allow you to mix and match, attempt different things, and all that without ever handling real cloth or furnishings. You will be able to alter the color of furnishings, apply color to a black and white image, or even set up a presentation.

AutoCAD and Photoshop are the number one and two applications used in the home fashion industry today. There are some applications for interior design that are quickly becoming standards in commercial academies. These are even replacing PowerPoint. Therefore, if you want to try something new at interior decorating, and you’re not sure if it’s for you, pick up an interior design computer software program today and decide if decorating is for you.

Just Like the Experts When you use interior design programs, you’re embellishing just like the professionals. Either most decorating is done on paper or on the computer screen before it’s actually carried out. This saves money and time and allows the decorator to see how an idea will actually look. Sometimes, a decorator may genuinely believe an idea will look good until they actually do it and see that it doesn’t. This is why interior design software is perfect. They allow the decorator to play around with materials or colors and see how they’ll look before actually carrying out the plan. This includes things like kitchen layouts to window drapes.

Very User Friendly Your interior design program is user friendly. That means that you simply load the program onto your computer and in no time you’ll be up and running. You may design a room or an entire house, the choice is yours. Using the interior design program is fun. Therefore, if you like decorating, and you’re thinking of doing it for a living, or you’d just like to have it as a hobby, interior design software will provide you with what you need for starters.

You may not be certain which programs are correct for you. Try to find some product reviews. Magazine reviews in such publications as PC Magazine often highlight the more recent offering with a type of rating for consumers. Alternatively, you might ask an actual interior designer. Designers are similar in nature, and they will give you what you require to begin. Therefore, pick a program up and start your project today.

You’ll be amazed at what you come up with when you begin to decorate your first room, and you’ll be glad you did. That latent skill within you, the one you never knew was there could awaken just by working with your very first interior design program. Numerous types of application software offer things out there for you to look at in very diverse ways.

It is imperative that a house should look just as good on the outside as well as on the inside. This seems to be the main rationale why numerous homeowners do not waver to expend a lot of money to employ the best architects, engineer, contractors and interior designers in town just so they can make their dream homes into reality.

This means that the house location should be carefully thought of, the blueprints carefully made up and the decors meticulously chosen. The household theme is selected to fit the judicious needs of the owner as well as his eclectic personality. Truly, a house is an accurate reflection of the owner’s current state of well-being.

It is common knowledge that every person has a unique taste when it comes to his comfort zone. Depending on his inclination, the individual will go towards the area that makes him feel at ease. Many pick the bathroom as the first choice to relax in after a hectic day at work. Usually, this is where one recharges his energy. Due to the soothing effect of the shower spray which also act as a cleanser after the thick layer of dirt and dust has settled on the skin, it has become a habit of many people. A Jacuzzi is also a great way to simply while the time away especially if one indulges in a lush bubble bath. This will surely take away the migraine headache caused by a meeting with unreasonable bosses or demanding clients. It sounds like a wonderful idea, right?

An extra bathroom is the perfect solution in a household where there are plenty of occupants. If you have a growing family, chances are you always have arguments and disagreements regarding the use of the bathroom. Since everyone gets up at the same time to leave for the office or school, it is unavoidable to have conflicts on who goes first.

Parents would reason out that they must go ahead because they need to punch in on time so that the Bundy clock won’t register them as latecomers, thereby deducting an amount from their salary. On the other hand, kids will claim that they need to present at school before the bell rings or else the teacher will place them under detention.

So if you want to settle the issue, the best answer to the problem would be to construct an extra bathroom. Yes, it may require some amount of cash to install a new bathroom in the abode. However, since the benefits far outweigh the possible cost, you have no other choice but to take the plunge.

Also consider if you have the plumbing system that can support an extra bathroom. If you don’t have enough connecting pipes, it might pose as a big problem. There are two possible solutions to choose from. The first one is you can install new pipes. The second is transferring the location of the bathroom. Select which is affordable and convenient.

Third, focus on the color and room design. Add interesting details like intricately printed tiles. The right choice of color will also pull together the entire bathroom’s look.

Lastly, take steps to ensure that all the bathroom fixtures, including the showerhead, sink, faucet and drainage system are working well. Seek help from the plumber if ever you encounter any difficulties so that the sooner the problem is fixed, the lesser expenses you will incur.

Custom built garden sheds are enjoying a bit of a renaissance. I’m not sure what the trigger was but we are being contacted regularly by customers that are looking something a little extra when it comes to their garden shed. The old ubiquitous stand by sheds that are sold by the dozens in hardware stores don’t seem to be cutting it this year.

This year our customers all want to put their own personal touches on their shed. In years gone by I would get calls about putting together pre-purchased garden shed kits for clients. The calls would all be the same. The clients just wanted four walls and a roof and a door that could be padlocked. The calls I’m receiving this year couldn’t be more different.

Some of my clients want to make their garden shed into a design element that carries on an old English garden cottage theme, some want a rustic hunting lodge theme, others are looking for a zen garden contemporary style. On the other end of the scale are clients who want to install a totally green eco shed, made with recycled materials, and customized to take advantage of all off-grid components possible – a solar panel and backup batter to run the lights, and a multi barrel rain water system to collect runoff from the sheds roof and gutter system.

One woman asked if I had seen a popular reality TV show featuring a family with eight children. I had not. She went on to explain that in a recent episode a carpenter built the children crooked houses as play houses. She wanted a crooked house theme for her garden shed. She said it was both practical and whimsical and it would make me the most famous shed builder in the area! She is trying to locate a copy of that episode for me.

Other special requests are for customizations specifically designed towards the gardener. For example, useful customizations include adding hooks and shelves suited to garden tools, and a parking spot for the wheelbarrow or push mower. Some clients even want a potting table with a sink and a water hookup to allow for easier re potting and clean-up. And of course, along with this, extra storage for potting equipment and supplies also needs to be built-in.

Regardless of what you need a backyard shed for, whether it is to add a bit of extra outside storage space, or whether you need a garden workshop, remember that you shouldn’t be limited to a plain looking press board shed reminiscent of the 80’s. As people discover their outdoor spaces once again, backyard decor has become as important as interior design. Put some thought into the style of your garden shed and you will have a great focal point to base your garden design on.

Whether you are designing a fun game for your friends or family, or you are interested in moving forward and pitching a game design to a major company, you will find that designing a board game can be an excellent challenge and test of your abilities. When you want to make sure that you can design the best board game that you can, and when you want to make sure that you are creating a game that will entertain everyone, take some time to look at these important points.

Know your audience. A game that is intended for those in their twenties will not be the same as a game intended for six and seven year olds. But it is even deeper than that. The classic board games usually appeal to everyone of all ages, such as games like Clue and Monopoly.

How specific of a target do you want your game to have? There are great games that are intentionally designed for horror fans or for fans of improvisational comedy. It is very important to have a good idea about who is going to enjoy your games.

What speed is your game played at? When you are designing your board game, remember that while there are some games that are ideal when you want to while away an evening, other games are meant to be played relatively fast.

Board games tend to take longer than, say, card games, so take a moment to think about how long a round will last and how long a game will last. How long should it take people to reach the goal and win? What kind of complications can set them back and do you want them to be able to finish the game up inside of twenty minutes?

Get players to test your game. It doesn’t matter what audience you have the game geared towards; if you don’t have play testers, you will inevitably run into an unfortunate obstacle the first time the game is trotted out. When you want to invest into a good board game, it is critical to create the prototype and then spend a lot of time breaking it!

Definitely get helpers to assist and constructively criticize your game. Take time to think about what your options will probably be and see who you can get to help you. The more play testers that you have around to catch errors and awkward game playing moments, the better.

Make sure your game has good art. When you are inventing a good board game, remember that it should be visually enticing. Even if you are inventing a game simply for personal use, finding an artist to assist you with board game characteristics like layout and good coloring is very essential. You don’t want a board game that gives you a headache when you look at it for too long. The visual appeal of a board game is a extremely important.

Take some time to really think about designing your board game. The more effort you put into it, the more rewarding the game will be to you and future players. It really is that simple.