Beauty Tips – Natural Health Care Tips

Damage to oil paintings come into several categories. The canvas may be torn or punctured by holes; or, if the painting is on wood, this may have split. Alternatively the varnish may have discoloured, mildewed or crazed, or the paint blistered or cracked.
An oil painting is composed of a number of layers. First there is the canvas made of linen, which is stretched and tacked round a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas is primed with a seal, made up of gesso or glue and water. Sometimes a coat of white lead paint is then applied. The picture itself is painted with pigments ground into a thick cream with linseed or poppy oil. This may be thinned further with more oil. Finally the picture is coated with varnish, which intensifies and protects the colours.
A painting on a wood panel is generally built up in a similar way but, whereas blemished canvas can be renovated wood which is split or damaged can only be repaired if you are skilled at retouching. Unfortunately for the restorer some artists do not work in a traditional fashion. All painters hope that they are working for posterity, but few are convinced that this is a definite possibility. Consequently, most tend to concentrate on the immediate demands of their subject and some use unconventional techniques in the process. In other words you cannot always know what has gone on between the canvas and the final coat of varnish. If the painting is intact, clean the grime off the surface of the varnish. There are many lubricants and solvents recommended for this but avoid linseed oil because it darkens, hardens when dry, proves completely insoluble when you want to clean it off and inconsequence, can only be picked away bit by bit. Use turpentine or white spirit only with the greatest caution because although these will lift dirt and grease, they dissolve some varnishes and if this happens, the original paintwork may be disturbed. Preferably, use a proprietary cleaner such as CRP or wipe the picture with a swab of cotton wool dipped in a cup of cold water containing ½ teaspoonful of ammonia. Your painting may be satisfactorily freshened by this treatment although the surface and colours still look dull. Either wipe a little wax polish over the finish and rub gently to a shine later or brush on a coat of synthetic resin varnish, which will not yellow with age.
DEALING WITH MILDEW- Due to being hung or stored in a damp atmosphere some pictures are mildewed. The fungus should be wiped off and a sheet of thick cartridge paper soaked in a 5% solution of sanobrite should be inserted between the canvas and the back of the frame to discourage further attacks. Pictures should be hung in a room, which is neither damp nor too dry. Keep them away from central heating and the heat from open fires or stoves, etc.

The leather must be cleaned by gently dusting with a soft cloth or feather duster. If it seems very dirty, clean with slightly soapy water (not detergent) and a soft cloth, or better still saddle soap (sold in a can and worked to a foam with a small damp sponge). Oily spots can previously be removed with a few drops of dry cleaning fluid, lighter fluid, Sal ammoniac, or a mixture of equal quantities of vinegar and warm water.  Old leathers crack, peel, split and powder as they dry out, so the restorer’s chief job is to replace the natural organic oils.  

Apply lanolin or castor oil with a soft cloth, first warming the oil in a glass over a pan of warm water. Let the oil soak in for 24 hours, then buff with a soft cloth and repeat. Neatsfoot oil will not produce sheen unless mixed equally with one of the other oils. Use it mixed with petroleum jelly on light-colored leathers and patent leathers, but is warned: it has a tendency to become rancid. If leather is very brittle spray or paint on lanolin mixed in equal quantities with petroleum spirit. Warm leather and emollients to room temperature before applying.      

PUTRID AND DECAYING LEATHER- Cover the object with a solution of dilute denatured alcohol (methylated spirits) adding a small quantity of carbolic acid. Leave for ten minutes. Follow by immersion in a bowl of melted Vaseline, which should restore the suppleness and sheen. If it still looks in bad condition dip it in melted paraffin wax, which will act as a preservative against further decay.

Looking at punctuality and regularity from a health point of view, no one will deny that in the serving of our meals they are essential. To the healthy, irregularity is dangerous; to the delicate, it is absolutely injurious.

It is known that a certain time should elapse, sufficient for digestive purposes, between our meals; but when that time has passed, and in waiting for a meal we lose the appetite for it we should have served it in time, so much good food is wasted, and a certain amount of harm done to our system.

It may take some time and trouble to so far plan out the time for meals so that, as far as possible, they are convenient and suitable for all; but when once this is done punctuality in serving them should be insisted upon, with a corresponding insistence on the punctuality of those for whom they are served.

According to the occupations and ages of those for whom meals are prepared so must the hours for them be arranged; but there are two golden rules concerning them: namely, that there should be sufficient time allowed for them to be partaken of without hurry, and that they should be punctually served. Of little use is it having a dainty breakfast ready for the master of the house ten minutes before he has to start for business, or a well cooked good dinner for the members of family return home in evening after a long busy day. Better is it to allow a little extra time than to run the risk of people having to bolt their food or go without it. There  should always be a clear half- hour allowed for breakfast, and this should not be a meal that, as in many houses, runs on from eight to ten o` clock.

This is fatal to the regular house hold routine; nor can breakfast be served comfortably and properly for different members keeping different times, unless it be in large households where there are many hands for the morning. Children should also have an early breakfast, or there will be too long an interval between that and their tea of the day before.

Where there are little one` s and, wives and several servants a lunch must be served in the middle of the day; but it is generally necessary to have some cooking done later when the master of the house returns. Most men who value their health prefer to have only a light luncheon during working hours and return to dinner late, and this is certainly more economical than dinning away from home.

We would advise young housekeepers not to make a trouble of this meal and to be ready to partake of it with their husbands. Many think it impossible without one or two servants to have a late dinner or what now often takes it place, a high tea; but in reality there is no work attached to it` s preparation than that of an ordinary tea and it` s following supper, and the late dinner is served and cleared away long before a supper could be. If the latter meal be taken, it should be moderately early, and then we cannot see that it is more injurious than a very late dinner.

Do you believe in luck?  Many people have their own set of superstitions and lucky charms that they claim brings them good times, happiness and prosperity.  However, there are some time-tested ways to create your own good luck.

You don’t need a four leaf clover or a lucky rabbit’s foot when you can tune into your own gut feelings and trust that the universe will take care of you.

Plus, it can be very empowering to learn how to control your future and look forward to a happy and prosperous life because you created it!

START CREATING YOUR OWN GOOD LUCK!

CREATE GOOD LUCK #1:   LISTEN TO YOUR GUT FEELINGS

When your mind is telling you something, take the time to listen.  Many of us don’t give enough credit to our gut feelings or ‘instincts’ and wait for physical proof before we believe something.  However, our gut feelings are often based in truth; learn to trust yourself more often and tune into what messages your subconscious mind is sending to you.

CREATE GOOD LUCK #2:  STAY POSITIVE

Maintaining a positive attitude no matter what the circumstances may be can help you think clearly and focus on what you want. Staying positive allows you to tap into the power of the “Law of Attraction” so you’re only focusing on what it is that you really, truly want. By doing so, you start to eliminate negative energy in your life naturally so that luck and success are a natural outcome.

CREATE GOOD LUCK #3:  GO WITH THE FLOW OF LIFE

An old saying says that “If everything is coming at you, you’re in the wrong lane.”  Resisting the present moment and focusing on things that are outside of your control often leads to stress, anxiety and frustration. Inevitably, things will happen throughout your life that will disturb your equilibrium most temporarily, some times more permanently, but if you can organize your priorities around the things that matter to you and recognizing what you want to achieve, have the courage and confidence to pursue your aims, you will be able to regain your balance and come out on top. Practice states of calm and relaxation where you just allow things to be; reduce your reactions to everything and take a more powerful position where you just let things be as they are and choose how you want to respond.

CREATE GOOD LUCK #4:  DON’T BE AFRAID TO CHANGE

Change is hard. It’s unsettling, stressful, and may even make you ask difficult questions.  However, change is an important and necessary part of life that can bring you great rewards when you learn how to accept it and move your life forward. Flexibility is crucial. Learn it by practicing it. Don’t’ be afraid to let go of things or people that no longer serve a purpose in your life, brush aside the cobwebs of habit from time to time by getting up at a different hour, taking a different route to work, reading a paper you would not normally read, seeking new interests, going away on holiday at a different time of year and to a different place and be carefree about your future.  Focus on the positive things you have in your life, and set goals that you can reach so you have something to look forward to in the future.

CREATE GOOD LUCK #5:  ADOPT A RESILIENT ATTITUDE

Resilience is a natural side effect of being able to accommodate for change.  When you’re determined to get through a difficult time and focus on the positive no matter what, you develop resilience.  When you persist in reaching your goals or accomplishing something despite your current circumstances, you develop.