Darts and Dartboards

There are many dart players around the world, some are perfect players others are not and I am among the NOT. I remember trying my luck and I had to start the game with a double by the time I finally hit the double, the game was over.. I admire the players and the game, but my excuse is maybe because I am left handed. Will that suffice? Grin. It was the same when I bowled, I seem to prefer the gutter ball. You only had to say Gutter and voila, I obliged them and threw the ball in the gutter.

Now getting back to Darts and Dartboards, have you ever been interested in the history of darts and dartboards? Well it is believed that the first dart game originated with soldiers throwing short arrows at the bottom of a tree trunk. When the wood dried cracks happened creating sections. Later many woodworkers started making dartboards for local pubs. Traditionally dartboards used to be made of wood ,usually popular or elm. Both were easier for the darts to stick on. The first ones were cut from the end of a tree trunk and believed that the circular pattern of the rings and the way the wood cracked led to the design of the dartboard. By the late 1920s a standardised dartboard was introduced and remains the most popular dartboard today across the world. In 1930 a London company filed a patent for a new kind of dartboard. Made of biscuits of sisal fibre the dartboard was way better than the wooden one. This dartboard also known as bristle dartboard was longer lasting and when the darts were removed from the board the fibre closed the hole. Today wooden ones are very rare and bristle dartboards are seen nearly everywhere that they play darts.

Rumours say that dart games were popular during the reign of King Henry V111 of England. King Henry enjoyed the game so much that his said wife to be Ann Boleyn gave him a set or rich looking darts to win him over. It is also said that the Pilgrims played darts for fun on their voyage on the Mayflower. Today the sport is popular in Britain, Germany ,Scandinavia, North America. In the USA thousands of dartboards are sold every year and millions of Americans play darts every week, Canada is also a great country for darts, they have dart leagues, in many clubs, pubs and bars. So it does look as if dart games are here for a long time. To anyone who has a club, a pub, or a bar, and that caters to darts, here are a few dartboards I would like to share with you. These can all be found in my dartboard folder at

http://www.zazzle.com/allicor*

I would also like to share some of my friend’s stores where you can have a look at their dartboards

http://www.zazzle.com/stineshop?rf=238218562078565840

http://www.zazzle.com/ixodoi_art?rf=238218562078565840

http://www.zazzle.com/kamizzz?rf=238218562078565840

 

http://www.zazzle.com/kahmier?rf=238218562078565840

 

http://www.zazzle.com/crypticfragments?rf=238218562078565840

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For the men who play darts

via zazzle.com

If you are looking for a gift for your special dart player , this is an ideal one.

Is online shopping safe?

First of all a bit about online shopping for the readers who are a bit uneasy about shopping online. In 1990 a Mister Berners Lee created the first world wide web server and browser, it opened for commercial use in 1991. As the years advanced online banking appeared and Netscape introduced SSL  encrypting of data put online which has become essential for safe online shopping. In 1995 and 1996 Amazon and eBay launched their online shopping. So how does this work? Well a customer which would be you must have a computer as you all know and a method of payment. And if you know the right place to shop then you will have no problems. Now this brings you to my store and other stores where it is safe to shop.  My store is run by Zazzle and I shall share other zazzle stores further in this blog. What you do you go to my store or a zazzle store and shop, you click on the item and proceed to check out or continue shopping. Zazzle is 100 percent secure it has the SSL encrypting.  On many products you can personalize your way, change a photo to yours. Zazzle was recognized in 2007 by Tech Crunchas the best business model in its first annual awards, it has been noted by industry experts such as Joseph Pine as easy to use technology. You cannot pay with cash, nor personal cheques, our store takes Visa, Master Card, American Express, Paypal and Zazzle Gift Certificates. Nor does Zazzle take any orders over the phone. When you order something it is delivered right to your door in well packed packages such as padded envelopes or boxes.  I personally have been pleased with everything I ordered, and I returned a tee shirt that was too small and they sent me another one, no charge. School will soon begin again so now is the time to shop , and Christmas gifts can be bought anytime. Here are some of our products, tee shirts for men,women,children,babies,hats, aprons,messenger bags,school bags,gift mugs,plates,wall clocks, playing cards, phone cases,computer cases, posters,postcards,ornaments,badges,keychains,stickers,greeting cards,skateboards,and so much more. Here is one of my products to give you an idea what happens when you click on an item: http://www.zazzle.com/roaring_sea_poster-228028953025861131

My stores can be found at http://www.zazzle.com/allicor*    and http://www.zazzle.com/boot_eek*    ,  I will add some photos of some of them.  But first here are some other stores worth checking into:

http://www.zazzle.com/juststart?rf=238218562078565840

http://www.zazzle.com/kahmier?rf=238218562078565840

http://www.zazzle.com/tdominici?rf=238218562078565840

http://www.zazzle.com/sketchart26?rf=238218562078565840

http://www.zazzle.com/susanmossart?rf=238218562078565840

http://www.zazzle.com/onassa?rf=238218562078565840

 

http://www.zazzle.com/tats2ts?re=238218562078565840

 

http://www.zazzle.com/rokinronda?rf=238218562078565840

http://www.zazle.com/borianag?rf=238218562078565840

 

 

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History of the Playing Cards

A playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic, marked with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing various card games.. Playing cards are typically palm-sized for convenient handling.

A complete set of cards is called a pack or deck, and the subset of cards held at one time by a player during a game is commonly called a hand. A deck of cards may be used for playing a great variety of card games, with varying elements of skill and chance, some of which are played for money. The front (or "face") of each card carries markings that distinguish it from the other cards in the deck and determine its use under the rules of the game being played. The back of each card is identical for all cards in any particular deck, and usually of a single color or formalized design. Usually every card will be smooth; however, some decks to allow blind people to read the card number are in Braille and . The backs of playing cards are sometimes used for advertising.

Playing cards first entered

In Europe   in the late 14th century, with suits (sets of cards with matching designs) very similar to the tarot suits of Swords, Staves, Cups and Coins and which are still used in traditional Italian and Spanish decks. Wide use of playing cards in Europe can, with some certainty, be traced from 1377 onwards.

The Mameluke deck contained 52 cards comprising four "suits,

A complete pack of Mameluke playing cards was discovered by Leo Mayer in the Istanbul in 1939.This particular complete pack was not made before 1400, but the complete deck was matched to a privately owned fragment dated to the 12th or 13th century. It is not a complete deck, but there are cards of three packs of the same style.

The earliest cards were made by hand, like those designed for Charles VI; this was expensive. Printed woodcut decks appeared in the 15th century. The technique of printing Woodcut  to decorate fabric was transferred to printing on paper around 1400 in Christian Europe, very shortly after the first recorded manufacture of paper there, while in Spain the earliest dated European woodcut is 1418.

The primary deck of 52 playing cards in use today includes 13 ranks of each of the four French Suits , clubs (♣), diamonds (♦), hearts (♥) and spades (♠), with reversible Rouennais "court" or face cards . Each suit includes an ace, depicting a single symbol of its suit (quite large often only on the ace of spades) a king, queen, and jack, each depicted with a symbol of their suit; and ranks two through ten, with each card depicting that number of symbols (pips) of its suit. As well as these 52 cards, commercial decks often include two Jokers. In many games the Jokers are not used. The jokers are usually distinguishable by colours look was also to their popularity. such as the

Bicycle Playing Cards

are a popular brand of standard playing original brand  . Since 1885, the Bicycle brand has been manufactured by the United States Printing Company, which, in 1894, became the United States Playing Card Company of cinncinati. "Bicycle" is a trademark of that company. They are popular with magicians and other card enthusiasts.

The typical Bicycle deck (Poker-standard Type 808) is a standard issue deck of cards consisting of 52 traditional playing cards, two jokers, an information card, and a card describing poker ranks. As with most decks, the first standard card of the deck is the uniquely-stylized Ace of Spades. The Bicycle trademark is usually also printed on the Ace of Spades. The type number of a Bicycle deck can be found both on the bottom of the deck box and on the stone of the Joker artwork.

Bicycle playing cards are sold in a variety of decks featuring different cards (such as for use in Pinochle), back designs (including the traditional rider back and older Vintage backs), face designs (including Jumbo Index and Lo Vision cards for the visually impaired, and a "Poker Peek" design on their Pro series decks that simplifies looking at hole cards), and sizes (such as narrower bridge decks, thicker Masters Edition cards designed to last longer, and Big Bicycle cards that are four times the normal card size). Any of the aforementioned are traditionally available with red and blue backs, but other back colors (including black, silver, and even pastel colors) are also available. There is even a "Ghost" deck that is entirely black and white except for red hearts and diamonds on the corners of appropriate cards. Consumer paper versions of the plastic KEM type WSOP decks are sold under the Bicycle brand. In 2010, Bicycle Playing Cards released special 125th anniversary decks which include a redesigned rear side, redesigned Ace of Spades, and 1885-2010 written under the numbers on the corner on each card.

Bicycle playing cards are commonly used as magic cards  and are generally considered by magicians as the best playing cards for most tricks. In addition to specialty decks specifically designed for card tricks (not to mention spin-off brands such as Arcane, Artifice, Sentinels and Propaganda), Bicycle also make other kinds of non-standard card decks, such as a "gaff" deck (contained in a mirrored-art box) with an assortment of unusually-altered cards that can be used with regular cards for jokes.

Magicians such as Ricky Jay, Gary Tinsley, Cameron Hood, Daryl, David Blaine, Dynamo, Brad Christian, Cyril Takayama, Jack Thomas, Chad Nelson, Robby Arcane, Nanuru and many others have all used and performed effects with Bicycle Playing Cards. Bicycle cards can have an 'air cushion' finish which improves the handling of the cards. Arco’s, Tally-Ho's, Aladdin’s, Dan and Dave's Smoke & Mirror cards as well as the other playing cards on this page are ideal for use with magic tricks. Theory 11 also have made some custom decks with the Bicycle name.

When cards arrived in the us in the 1800s their look changed due to popularity, they invented the joker an extra card used in games they invented and small numbers and letters on the corners of the cards to make it easier to sort through the deck. when companies made the playing cards they often depicted political views on the front. They controlled the printing and manufacturing to raise money for King Charles the first, the worshipful co also started a tax on playing cards in the 1920s. Today major printing co are looking for new ideas to make their products nicer

Now Zazzle has brought in the bicycle playing cards for us to create tops for them, so I would love to share some of mine with you. They are a new product so more will be created. You can find my playing cards in my playing card folders at http://www.zazzle.com/allicor* and http://www.zazzle.com/boot_eek*

Here are some of my friend’s stores where you can also browse through.

http://www.zazzle.com/styleuniversal?rf=238218562078565840 ht

h

http://www.zazzle.com/kamizzz?rf=238218562078565840

 

ttp://www.zazzle.com/tat2t‘s?rf=238218562078565840

http://www.zazzle.com/smangieri ?rf=238218562078565840

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Time and Clocks

Did you know that the clock is one of the oldest human inventions? It is an instrument to  co ordinate time. Without a clock or a watch where would be be? We need to know the time to keep our doctor's appointment, to tell us to get up to send our spouses to work and our children to school. None of the first clocks from the 13th century Europe survived but there were mentions about them in church records.

In 1336 Richard of Wallingford made a clock .

Wallingford's clock had a large astrolabe-type dial, showing the sun, the moon's age, phase, and node, a star map, and possibly the planets. In addition, it had a wheel of fortune and an indicator of the state of the tide atLondon Bridge .. Bells rang every hour, the number of strokes indicating the time. The Salisbury Cathedral Clock that was built in 1386 is said to be the world's oldest mechanical clock surviving.

Clocks have been popular for ages, from wall clocks to alarm clocks, to pocket watches and watches. We need a clock or a watch to remind us to take our medications, to be at the bus stop for our children. Clocks comes in many styles, colors and shapes. There are clocks for the kitchen, clocks for the living room and even a grandfather clock for the hallway. But having a different clock than your neighbor, is something to think about. I have a cow clock and when my friends stop by they notice it. So that makes me feel good. An engineer needs to know what time to arrive at his destination. Time is universal, everybody needs to know the time. So I have created some clocks that I will share with you, and I intend on making more of them, so you can find them at two places, first is in my clock folder at http://www.zazzle.com/allicor*  and in my wall clock folder at http://www.zazzle.com/boot_eek*  , Enjoy and  thanks for the visit I do hope you will share my stores with your friends and family. Chow for now. Aline.

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Dads,Fathers,Pop,Papa

Dads,Fathers,Pop,Poppa,Papa are all one of the same, and often they are taken for granted. They are usually the bread winners in the family. They get up early in the morning, a quick good morning and goodbye is said and off they go to work ,eight hours a day mostly, seven days a week. Why? For their families usually. Father's love their children, and their wives and want what is best for them. Now I am speaking about the majority of fathers. They are proud of their children and want the best for them. My Mom told me stories about her father. He worked many jobs , travelled to different places to work, but when he was home, he enjoyed his children, he would take them out on their flooded meadow skating in the winter times, and he helped them with their homework in the evenings, and Mom remembers sitting on the stairs with her siblings, listening to him, quote from his favorite poet Robbie Burns poetry book.  Father's are there if we need a shoulder to cry on, if we need advice, if we need the car (grin). Many of our Father's have passed away  so we should always remember them. Appreciate your Dad if you still have him, show him you love him, tell him you do, a little hug now and then wouldn't hurt either because you are very lucky to have them with you. I wish I could tell my Dad I love you today and I know my son would just love to be able to tell his Dad too. In my heart I hope my Dad and my Gerry hears me. I love you both.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL THE DAD'S OUT THERE.

Ok here are some  of my latest products, now that school is over, I decided to create a few things, grin, better late than never and it is never to early to shop for next fall. You can find all the following in my school folder at http://www.zazzle.com/allicor*   enjoy;

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Jewellery

Have you ever wondered who first wore jewellery? Or why? Well according to wikipedia, the first signs of jewellery came from Africa, they wore bead made with shells. Other people had jewellery made from animal bones.

Around 3000 to 5000 years ago the Egyptians made their jewellery out of gold. Most of these Egyptians were rich, and they even buried with their jewellery nearby. They also made jewellery from gems and coloured glass.

In 1600 Greece started making jewellery from gold and gems, and they used pearls ,emeralds and amethysts. The Grecians only wore jewellery for special occasions, given as gifts or worn by women to show they were rich, or beautiful.

Jewellery has been dug up from years ago, pirates fought for gold and jewellery. So as you can see it has been around for a long time, Rings, brooches, pendants ,bracelets ,etc.

A wedding ring is significant to show love for one another, a ring can be given as a friendship or engagement ring, a necklace is given to a sweetheart, to a family member, or to wear and follow the trends and styles of today.

I remember the cameo was very popular, everyone had to have one. And how many of you remember the charm bracelets, we all had to have one, I had one which I have given to my granddaughter. Some were silver plated, some were stainless steel. Now they have ankle bracelets, earrings, nose rings, that is all jewellery. Remember the hat pins our grandparent wore? Some of these were pretty fancy, would they have been regarded as jewellery? So now jewellery can be give as a token of love or friendship, it is never too early to shop, I even plan on starting my Christmas shopping soon ,even tho we are six months away from it. So here are a few of my jewellery which you can find in my jewellery and Christmas folders at

http://www.zazzle.com/allicor* Enjoy.

 

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