Display Cabinets and Shelves for Trophies

Any individual who've collected trophies and other awards over the years are proud of their achievements. May it be an academic or sports trophy, it deserves the right place in your home or office. Shelves and cabinet tops are the usual places to find trophies. But as time passes, many people tend to ignore them and leave them unclean for a long time.

A better way to keep your trophies clean and organized is by putting them in cabinets with glass doors, or on top of shelves particularly made for these items. If you have collected quite a number of awards, it is best to keep them tidy and organized in a place where you and your guests can see them. Why? Because they can be great conversation pieces or part of the design of your study room or any area in your home.

One particular piece that you can purchase or have a carpenter customize is a display cabinet. This is like any other cabinet with glass doors and sides, but they can be made especially for your trophies. Taking the size and height into consideration, you can order these cabinets online or offline. You may also talk to your local carpenter and have the work done right there in your premise or in his workshop.

You can also choose the design, style, and color of your cabinet or shelf. There's always a couple of catalogues lying around the carpenter's workshop or you can print out the design you'll find online. It is also best to keep the design similar and complementary to your home's interior. If you are going to place this piece in your study room, make sure that it will not overcrowd the space. Have the carpenter measure the dimensions of the room first before deciding on the final size and style of the cabinet or shelf.

Another good tip is to refurbish old cabinets or shelves. You may purchase them from flea markets or garage sales, or from a specialty store. You can save more by doing this since it will only take you a few hundred bucks or less in paint, glass [if needed], and labor. If you are quite artistic, this can be a good DIY project to start with.

Don't just leave your trophies on top of almost any shelf or inside a cabinet, because no one will ever know that you're good at a lot of things. Being proud of your talents and skills can be best presented through a collection of these items and more. But without proper presentation and organization, they're just vessels for dust and cobwebs as time passes.

Framing and Mounting Medals on Your Walls

Medals are symbols of achievement - may it be in sports, academics, and all sorts of competitions. For a very competitive individual, it isn't impossible to see quite a number of this item in his or her abode. The problem with some individuals is they fail to organize and flaunt their 'achievements' properly.

You might come across a friend who just lets his medals hang on whatever is accessible or available in his home - a coat hanger or available hooks and tacks where other framed items are mounted. It is such a waste to see medals lying around or hanged carelessly. It may be years ago when you've won that quiz bee competition or champed the badminton tournament in your area, but the medals you've garnered are timeless testaments to your exceptional skills and talents.

Many people have found that framing medals before mounting them on their walls is a good idea. Though not a very unique way, but putting these items in frames does not only protect them, but also keeps them organized. You don't have to worry much about the cost because you can purchase ready-made frames from both offline and online frame stores. The choices will depend on how many medals you have and how you wish to organize them in your home.

One good idea is to organize medals by the year. Some may prefer organizing by the type of competition they've joined and won. Another tip is to keep your frames uniform in terms of style and size. You may also go for styles that will complement the room's overall look and feel. So, if you will hang the framed medals in your study area, make sure that the designs will jive and not clash.

You may also find in homes larger frames that hold medals for each of the children in the family. This is also a great way to organize according to every person's achievement through the years. The medals are usually arranged per year or competition.

Laminated frames are also one of the most common methods of framing medals with diplomas. You may apply this method collectively instead of just laminating one item in one frame. As mentioned, it will depend on how you would like to organize.

Keeping your medals neatly organized in your home shouldn't be a difficult task. It can be a fun way to remember your past achievements during your school years. And it is also a cool and subtle way to flaunt your awards and enhance your walls at the same time.

The History Of Chess Sets And Boards

The majority of historians believe that chess is the oldest game of skill in existence. There are written records of chess being played all the way back in the 6th century in what is now modern Afghanistan and India. This was the Persian Empire, and so the oldest chess sets and boards were Persian-made pieces used in the game they termed "chaturanga." Unfortunately, no known pieces from the first few centuries of Persian chess sets remain in existence. Maybe someday an archeological dig will be fortunate enough to discover a few pieces, or maybe even a whole set, of this early version of chess.

The Persian Empire was enormous, and it was famous for being one of the most prolific trading empires. There was no corner of the empire that these traders did not reach, and they brought chess with them. The early version of chess quickly spread throughout the empire. These early chess pieces were made from many different materials throughout the Persian Empire, depending on the means of their owners.

Very cheap chess sets and boards were made from bone in the early days of the game. More extravagant pieces were often carved from hardwoods such as ebony and rosewood. The very finest early chess sets were carved from ivory, which was favored by craftsman for its ease of carving and ability to polish to a fine shine.

Luckily, examples of some of these early ivory chessmen still survive today. Pieces were discovered in modern-day Uzbekistan, and they are in very good condition. Seven pieces were discovered in all, two pawns, an elephant, a horse, a vizier, a chariot and a king.

The next-oldest chess set in the world was found in India, and it has been radiocarbon dated to around 900 AD. These pieces were the older style chessmen that were found in the Persian Empire's version of chess.

More modern, European chess sets that players are familiar with today date from not too long after this. The earliest example of these European chess pieces were preserved in a monastery in Ager, Spain. These Ager pieces date from 1021. They are made from rock crystal that has not survived the ravages of time very well, and only a few of the pieces are in good enough condition to determine their use. The legend told by the monks that preserved the pieces over the years is that the set was originally carved for Charlemagne.

The oldest chess pieces that can be combined together to form a full set date back to the 12th century. These pieces, known as the Lewis Pieces, contain 96 individual pieces that came from four separate sets. They were made in Norway out of ivory formed from walrus tusk and whale teeth. They are in phenomenal condition, and look as if they would be fine to use in a game today if they weren't under glass in the British Museum.

European-style chess sets all had the same pieces, but there were many different competing designs for specific pieces. This led to conflicts in matches, when players would refuse to play each other due to the unrecognizability of certain pieces. A standard design for competition chess sets, called the Staunton, was constructed in 1849 by Nathaniel Cook. It is still the design used in chess competitions around the world today.

How to Throw Darts: Technique, Grip, Stance and Throw

The following article explains the basic grip, stance and throwing techniques used in the game of darts. There are also tips on discovering what works best for you and how to develop your own style.

Basics of the Grip

Aim and Direct: The chief objective of your grip should be to keep the end of the dart pointing up in each throwing stage.

Solid and Relaxed: Your grip should be stable, firm and should not put tension on the muscles of your fingers. When your fingers become white or you have difficulty releasing the dart due to excess muscle tension it is an indication that your grip is excessively tense. Keep in mind that Darts is a not a game of force, but rather touch. To keep your touch, grasp the dart just tight enough so it will not slide and you can maintain control when speeding up for the throw. The most common error is gripping the dart too firmly rather than too loosely.

Use at Least Three Fingers. Using more fingers will provide more regulation and control of the dart when gathering speed, but it makes the release more difficult as you will have to coordinate more fingers together. Finger coordination is an important aspect of release in your grip.

Shape of Dart Barrel. Not all types of grips will be suitable or functional on different barrel types. Longer barrels require the use of more fingers, while shorter barrels may require fewer fingers. Not only do you need to discover the right grip for you, but you need to discover the barrel that's right for you as well.

Say No to a Fist. The fingers that are not included in your grip should stay comfortably spread apart from the fingers that are included. For example, if you are using four fingers when holding the dart and your smallest finger joins the other four, it will cause strain on the muscles of the other four fingers and will result in a poor release.

Stance and Throw

"Right Foot Forward" Stance. To better understand the stance, examine the position of a good player while they are aiming. Players set their eye, the dart and their target in a line. When a player makes a throw, he must try to maintain the movement of his arm in a plane of two dimensions. This decreases error by eliminating sideways movement of the arm.

Distribution of Your Weight. Your weight should rest chiefly on your forward foot while your rear foot holds adequate weight to thoroughly balance your posture. Keep in mind that, regardless of which weight distribution you use, your posture should be very firm and unshakable. The forward foot should constantly remain on the ground or floor.

Leaning. The more you lean your body forward, the closer you are to the board. Conversely, the farther you lean the more physically demanding and unbalanced your throw will become. If you bend forward excessively, it will result in back strains in the long run. Practice and try to find your own best position for throwing.

Balance. Lifting your leg when throwing is discouraged. Always keep your feet on the floor.

Torso. Your posture must ensure that your body is kept still during a throw.

Dart is a game of skill that requires constant practice on your part. You have to discover your own individual grip, stance and style of throw. Put it in your mind not to merely imitate the style of other dart players. You must discover your own style by yourself.

Try out the grips, stances and throwing styles of different individuals for the purpose of comparing and finding out which aspects are appropriate for you. Trying out various styles will also help you learn the technical connections between grip, stance and throw and enhance your skill. However, you should still find your own style, the one wherein you feel most comfortable and which results in improved playing. Achieve this through constant practice and keen observation of other accomplished or professional dart players. Look into their style of play and if you can use it with ease and comfort, then incorporate it into your own style.