Momiji Dolls - Collect Them All!

Momiji dolls are one of the hottest Japanese-style doll collectables currently on the market. The adorable 8 centimeter dolls were devised by a British company. You can give Momiji to friends and family as gifts or you can collect them all yourself.
Japanese Kokeshi dolls served as the inspiration for the Momiji. It is believed that Kokeshi were first made during the middle of the Edo period (1603-1867) in northeastern Japan. That area of Japan is well-known for its hot springs and the Kokeshi were sold at spas for visitors to bring back as gifts. A Kokeshi doll has an overly large head and a cylindrical body without arms or legs. The faces are simple in design with just a few thin lines to define them. Traditional Kokeshi have red, black, or yellow floral designs painted on the body.
While Kokeshi are carved from wood that has been seasoned outdoors for 1 to 5 years, the Momiji dolls are made out of a hard plastic resin. Momiji bodies are more oval in shape than the Kokeshi-style bodies, but they still lack arms and legs. The addictive little Momiji dolls are hand painted in vibrant colors. If you turn one over, on the bottom of the doll you will find a little slot with a secret message tucked in side.
What makes Momiji dolls highly collectable is the uniqueness of each doll. are grouped into collections. Each doll in the collection has a name, things she likes, and a one sentence message. These dolls are only available for a certain amount of time. The makers are constantly retiring old dolls to make room for a new generation. It is quite a challenge to create a complete Momiji dolls collection.

The Dog Days of Spring in Nova Scotia

Today I was pried out of my office chair by Mike who insisted I needed to go for a walk! The truth is, I DO need the exercise. Winter has been long and hard on me this year! Mike told me to get a flu shot, I didn't, and guess what... need I say more. After 10 weeks I am now feeling human again, and the warmth in the sun and the slow miracle of life outside the window that is Spring has been calling to me.
It was a glorious day here in Nova Scotia, the snow has almost all gone, and our favourite walking trail, which was once a railway line, is now ice free and full of spectacular vistas. There are great granite outcrops and hills deposited during the last ice age, now covered in trees and lichen, babbling brooks and roaring rivers and many fabulous fishing lakes. The railway line was cut into this landscape back around 1910 and it was no easy task. The tracks were ripped up about 90 years later when the line had become abandoned and turned into a walking trail. It is also a great place to exercise our two energetic English Springer Spaniels!
Our dogs named Hunter and Britney, are brother and sister, born in a cosy den in our basement 10 years ago to a mother and a grandmother before them, also born in our basement. We do not bred dogs to sell, but bred only to propagate our own line of cherished pets.
Hunter is a rambunctious lad with a heart of gold. For a Springer, he is very calm and would have made a wonderful hospice dog. He's a big lad with huge feathered feet, a perfect blaze down his nose and a penchant for running. As a pheasant hunting dog he's a disaster as he is always a number of counties over from where he should be, and no good to the hunter at all. He also will go where 'no other dog has gone before'. Head shaking really!
Britney is the timid one and was slated as the family non-hunting pet. A beautiful petite dog with a big heart, delicate paws and a breathing problem - she snorts. In fact, she sounds just like a pig! She also seemed on the down side of the scale when God dished out intellect. Lack of luster is what we called it! But both dogs were trained to follow voice, hand and whistle commands and she did quite well.
When Hunter was officially retired in disgrace for disobedience from hunting at the tender age of 5, Mike decided to take Britney with him in Hunter's stead - more to give 'Little Missy' some exercise than anything else. Who would have thought that she would excel in the field - certainly not us! The light switch was flicked on in her brain, her eyes started to shine, and Britney suddenly realized there was a lot more to life than being the pampered pooch. She yipped with delighted excitement and became the almost perfect little huntress, perhaps the best hunting dog Mike has ever had.
How dogs know they are going for a walk is beyond me! You can walk out of the house to the car 10 times and they will be quite happy to go with you and settle on the deck. But the moment you leave the house to go for a walk, they start yipping/snorting with excitement and roiling around your feet. Once in the car they squirm with excitement and constantly 'talk'. Little squeaks and whines - yes, and snorts - which increase in volume the closer we get to the walking trail. They know each and every bump on the road and should we not turn into the designated parking lot, there is total consternation!
The doggy crowd of hikers seems to walk mid afternoon and we have got to know many other pets by their first names. Their owners on the other hand, go nameless as probably do we. Most dogs are allowed the luxury of running loose and are only leashed when other dogs or people are coming their way.
Hunter loves to run and once given the command will take off at a high rate of speed down the banks and into the countryside hoping to flush a pheasant. If he's successful he will follow it, tree it and then get very frustrated when the bird sits there on the branch mocking him. Britney on the other hand, will walk at heel and does not venture far. Should she pick up the scent of a pheasant, her nose will go down and she starts to track it, yipping and snorting as she goes. There is a great deal of excitement all around and it is wonderful to see these dogs work. They are absolutely and completely in their element.
At this time of year the little streams and ponds are still ice covered, but the ice is rotten and crumbling away. One of our biggest fears with the dogs is that they will go running out on the ice and fall through. When there is dense bush around, the recovery would not be easy, if not impossible, so we tend not to let the dogs range too far and are constantly calling Hunter back.
You can just see him plotting his escape as he walks along the trail and although told to go left or right, he leans in the direction he'd like to take, giving us his unintended warning. He will eye the escape route and then pretend to ignore it hoping we have not noticed, then before you can blink an eye, he's gone!
Down the bank he goes like a bullet into the undergrowth, all you can hear is the breaking of twigs, branches and the tinkling of a bell. Hunter now has a bell attached to his collar so that we can monitor his movements - kinda! If he is in pursuit of a pheasant, nothing on this green and rocky earth will stop him. Dad pipping on his whistle is totally ignored. This is considered very bad doggy behavior and unfortunately now becoming a fairly regular thing.
This afternoon he did just that. Mike and I were watching him knowing that he was going to try and bolt and then the moment we let our guard down, he was gone. All we could hear was the breaking of branches and the tinkle of the bell which grew fainter as the distance got farther. Then we heard the ice break!
The countryside stood silent, Mike and I looked horrified, and Britney stood at our feet wanting to get on with the walk. What started as little pips ended up being frantic blows on the whistle - but to no avail. There was nothing we could do but listen as the vegetation was too thick to follow the dog. Silence reigned!
Then, out in the far woods, in a totally different direction came the sound of a bell. It was a long way off but coming in our direction. A couple of minutes later Hunter appeared on the trail a hundred yards away looking very pleased with himself. He was literally smiling from ear to ear! Stern words were uttered to the pooch by both Mike and I. I must admit to having been overjoyed that he was safe and sound and my stern words didn't really mean much. Hunter was put on a leash and his venturing was over for the day.

The Top Five Best Southern Rap Groups of All Time

When it comes to the South as a whole, there are many different dimensions and regions to consider. Especially when you're talking about rap music. Most rap fans know very little about the rap groups from the south, outside of Outkast. So let's take a look into the eyes of the South and see what's cooking. In no particular order, these are my picks for the best southern rap groups of all time.
1. UGK- This group from Port Arthur, Texas really needs no introduction. If you know nothing at all about the Underground Kings (UGK) know this. They are your favorite rappers from the South favorite group. With six studio albums and many guest appearances under their belt, Pimp C (Rest in Peace) & Bun B by far has had more influence on the South than just about any other southern rap group period. With classic albums like 1996 Ridin Dirty & 2001 Dirty Money, this popular underground rap duo let it be known why they are the Underground Kings.
2. Outkast- The ATL's finest and best product of to date is one of the best groups in hip-hop period if not the best ever. Name one rap group that has accomplished what Outkast have? From movies, to six Grammy Awards, to over 25,000,000 albums sold in the US. Their track record alone for making hits and going against the grain makes them in my humble opinion the greatest that ever did it and got away with it. Enough said.
3. MJG & 8Ball- Hailing out of Memphis, Tennessee this group has been on the scene since 1992 and has been nothing short of impressive. With eight studio albums and several solo projects, MJG & 8Ball have shown us throughout the years that they are about as consistent as you can get. This was the first rap group that put Tennessee on the map as far as hip-hop is concerned. From the days of 1995's Space Age Pimpin, to the days of 2010's Ten Toes Down. This group has steadily held it down for the South.
4. Three 6 Mafia- This group also started out of Memphis, Tennessee in 1993 with DJ Paul, Juicy J & Lord Infamous. Formerly known as the Back Yard Posse, Three 6 Mafia took the South by storm with their 1995 classic Tear Da Club Up, and went on to launch the carriers of Project Pat, Gangsta Boo, La Chat & Crunchy Black. But the icing on the cake for this group was when they made history by becoming the first black music group to win an Academy Award for Best Song for the movie soundtrack Hustle & Flow. They also was the first hip-hop artist to perform at the Grammys. Eighteen years later this group has shown us all that they are here to stay.
5. Geto Boys- Bushwick Bill, Willie D, & Scarface took the world by storm with their 1991 smash hit "My Mind Playing Tricks On Me" and the rest as we know it is history. This group originally formed in 1988 with original members Prince Johnny C, The Slim Jukebox, DJ Ready Red, and Little Billy, who later became known to the world as Bushwick Bill. The original group members broke up in 1989 and the new members, Scarface and Willie D later reformed the group with original member Bushwick Bill. With eight studio albums under their belt. The Geto boys is the one group that every OG in the game can take their hats off to as not only being memorable, but making a every lasting impact on the minds and hearts of the South and hip-hop fans alike.

Mel Bay - The Most Incredible Jazz Music Guitar Player Ever!

Jazz guitar player Mel Bay was born on February 25, 1913 in the small Ozark Mountain town of Bunker, Missouri. He bought a Sears guitar at the age of 13 and several weeks later played his first "gig." He recalled playing right up until his fingers were raw! Mel took up the tenor banjo shortly thereafter and continued to master both instruments. Throughout his teen years Mel played with a wild assortment of bands and characters in rural Missouri. Perhaps no "gig" was as unusual as the job he landed with, in Mel's own words, "a snake oil salesman." This flamboyant peddler would pull his ostentatious Pierce Arrow automobile, complete with steer horns installed on the grill, into the center of a small, rural town. Mel would sit on the car and play up a storm on the tenor banjo. Soon after a crowd gathered, the peddler took over and started extolling the miracles of his "wonder elixer."
In 1933 Mel Bay moved to St. Louis and commenced his professional career. He performed with a lot of local and traveling bands. Additionally, he landed staff guitar employment on various radio stations. Mel fronted his own trio (piano, bass, guitar) and played steadily for 25 years! He was equally adept on most fretted instruments and played mandolin, uke, Hawaiian guitar, tenor and plectrum banjo professionally.
Whilst Mel was actively pursuing his playing career, he continued to tutor as many as 100 students a week. He decided to commence composing instructional books of jazz guitar tabs and jazz guitar tablatures owing to the problem encountered by guitarists at performing great sounding chord forms in rhythm sections and due to the mediocore note reading ability prevalent amongst guitar performers.
Soon after World War 2 Mel was asked to publish instructional tutorials on guitar for soldiers wanting to learn music under the GI Bill. In 1947 Mel formed his own publishing company and authored his landmark initial book titled "The Orchestral Chord System For Guitar". This book is still in print and continues to be one of the best rhythm guitar chord books available! His "Modern Guitar Method" was authored soon thereafter. For many years Mel traveled from town to town talking to guitar teachers and players and showing them his publications. At one time Mel claims to have known virtually just about every guitar teacher in America on a first name basis! The guitar and Mel Bay's publications caught on in a big way in the 1950's. Things have continued to grow ever since.
Mel also used to retail D'Angelico jazz archtop guitars. At any given time he would have 5 or 6 "lying around the house." Mel played professionally on his D'Angelico New Yorker Model but his favorite guitar was the original Mel Bay Model constructed as a present for him by John D'Angelico. This well-known guitar had all of the main features of the New Yorker but was a "cutaway" model and had a somewhat thinner neck. This same instrument has been pictured on the Mel Bay "Modern Guitar Method" for decades.
Someone once calculated that sales of guitar publications written by Mel Bay have exceeded 25 million copies. When asked, Mel usually explained that he quit counting long ago. Sales of his "Modern Guitar Method" have alone passed the 7 million mark! It is safe to say that Mel Bay is one of the pivotal figures in the world of guitar music and instructional materials in this or any other century!

Guitar Speakers - How to Choose Speakers for Your Six String

One of the most important components for any guitar setup is a great set of speakers. Axe players need a good set in order to properly hear the music they're playing, and purchasing the wrong ones can lead to less than stellar sound. Players say a guitar is only as good as its speaker, and if you're not going to buy an adequate speaker bundle, then there's no point in purchasing or owning a professional six-string.
If you're unsure of where to begin in your search for six-string sound, talk first with fellow guitarists, especially veteran players. Their years of experience can be instrumental (no pun intended) in your quest. They might be able to tell you about great deals. Another way to begin is to do some research either online or by perusing guitar magazines. These will give you the latest trends in guitar tech, so you can figure out which direction you want to take. Doing your homework early in the process means you won't regret an extravagant purchase that does nothing for you.
The best way to purchase guitar speakers is to buy them when you buy your instrument. You can then test out the speakers on location, rather then buying them and discovering they don't work. If you do wish to purchase ones you haven't tested, then make sure the sale is coming from a trustworthy source.
Remember that different ones produce different sounds and tones, so take this into consideration if you want to focus on a specific form of music. Some speakers were better than others when it comes to special sound effects. Even two guitars which may be used to play the same kind of sound will have somewhat noticeable audible differences when jacked into different amps. If you're looking for less bass in the sound, then 10 inch speakers are what the experts recommend. Twelve-inch speakers are the most noted selection for use in driver cabinets and combos. Thinner cones will give a more distorted sound, while lighter cones break up quicker.
Whether they're from a bricks and mortar store or an online retailer, you'd want to first look at buying a brand new set before used ones. You'll have no idea how long the used sets have been played, and will not know how much life they have left. You won't be able to tell if they have been repaired, which may have not been properly done. Give serious thought to spending extra money on a new set so you don't have to shell out more money down the road.

Indian Actress Aarti Chhabria Biography and Hottest Pictures, Bollywood-Tamil Kannada Actress Aarti Chhabria Filmography-Pics

Aarti Chhabria is an Indian Actress, She was born on 15 November 1982. She is a actress of Bollywood, Tamil and Kannada film industry movies. She is very famous for bold and hot roles in these Indian Industries. Aarti was also presenter of ICL (Indian Cricket League).


Filmography
Debut Film: Tum Se Achcha Kaun Hai
Famous Movies: Shaadi No. 1, Ssukh, Aham Premasmi, Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo, Raja Bhaiya, Awara Paagal Deewana, Tumse Achcha Kaun Hai, Lajja, Akanksha
Latest Movies: Shaadi No. 1
Upcoming Movies: Kisse Pyaar Karoon, Jeet: Feel the Force, Milenge Milenge