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Top 10 Selling items in Arts and Crafts Shows

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Arts and crafts fairs are great venues to showcase your creativity and make money at the same time. There is a wide array of products, which can be showcased. Listed below are the 10 types of items that are very popular and generally sell very fast in an art and craft show.

1) For the Kids

Kids are priority always and parents are happy to buy things for them. It is good to encourage your kids creative talent and taking them to various art and craft shows is good way of boosting their talent. You can find many items for children aged 0 to 12 in crafts shows to catch their attention. Items like painting tools, paper crafts which the children can do by themselves, or which children and their parents can do together.

2) Limited Edition Crafts

Giving a timeline for an item is also eye-catching. When you make an announcement or put a tag on your item that it will only be available, for example, on that day because of limited stocks perhaps, then people tend to give attention and take advantage of its availability, like art collectible dolls, cards, home ware items etc.

3) Crafts with themes

Crafts items with theme also catch interests. For example, you may sell items for pets such as dog collars, leashes and pet clothes like dresses and sweaters.

4) Unique Items

Products that cannot be seen and bought easily in public places like malls or even online, gain attention too. Browse ebay.com or etsy.com for unique crafts items and you will find a new shape candle or design, or embellishments, which can also be customized.

5) Environment friendly

Recycled products made from organic materials are also a hit. This is because there are a lot of people now concerned about the environment. Examples are home displays made from used papers, sculptures from broken glass or paintings from coffee beans.

6) Jewelry

This may be a regular product in arts and crafts shows but it has never lost its touch. You may blend uniqueness in style so that each item would look like it’s personally crafted for the buyer. This difference will give the items an edge from the others selling jewelries too.

7) Glass products

Making glass items like vases, or mirrors with beautiful frames is not a common skill. Showing these types of items in arts and crafts shows also showcase the superior talent of the makers because this skill is really difficult. People who appreciate this kind of talent will show their appreciation by buying the glass items.

8) Items for women

Women make up a great proportion of any country’s population. Most consumers are the homemakers too. You can get their interest with items such as bags, knitted or crocheted tops, cross stitch items or homemade perfumes and scented candles.

9) Products for laptops and the like

Laptops, mobile phones and other products help people communicate are used by all these days. Feature items like laptop bags and covers and mobile phone holders or cases are also great selling craft items these days..

10) High Quality items

Quality is always essential for any product. Making sure your item may it be big or small has top quality will also ensure your buyers will buy and even comeback or refer you to other buyers even if the product is just a regular one.

Creative talent is always great to have. You can either pursue it as a hobby or can also make living out of it if you are really good at it. Take the time to research items will sell in arts and crafts shows so that you can earn maximum profit out of your creation.

Greatest Martial Arts Movies Of All Time

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After hundreds of movies, thousands of eye-popping fight scenes and millions of punches thrown…which ones are the best? Which ones have I been missing out on my whole life? Which ones must I have in my collection in order to not bring shame upon my family name?

We’ve scoured the internet. Reviews. Forums. Amazon. Postings. Bulletins. And this list is what we’ve come up with as the greatest Kung-Fu movies of all time and why you should watch each one. Pay attention to movies involving Yuen Wo-Ping as either director or action director, there’s a reason why half this list is movies where he was involved!

If you want to watch trailers of these movies, go to: http://www.experiencemartialarts.com/articles/movies.html

(you can also get directly to these movies in http://Amazon.com from this website)

#1 – Way of the Dragon (1979)

This is the only finished film to be written and directed by Bruce Lee. (Game of Death is the other one but is unfinished) We could write a lot about the plot, characters or fight scenes…but all you really care about is watching Bruce Lee fight Chuck Norris in the final battle.

Martial Artists: Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris
Director: Bruce Lee

#2 – Shaolin Temple (1982)

Depicts the amazing history of the Shaolin Temple, the focal point for Chinese Martial Arts. Think of the Shaolin Monks as Jedi Knights (an elite group of fighters) and the rest of China as the messed-up universe that Star Wars takes place in (people who are afraid of the elite fighters and want to take them out of power). Much work to do, you have, young Jet Li. *picture Yoda’s accent on that one* Define Irony: A movie shot at the site of the Shaolin Temple, telling a story about the fall of the Shaolin Temple, sparks so much public interest that the temple was re-opened shortly after the movie released.

Martial Artist: Jet Li (His debut movie)
Director: Chang Hsin-Yen

#3 – Ong Bak (2003)

Raw action without wires, Tony Jaa brings a new martial arts style to the big screen and does so in style. Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) is stronger and more direct than the Chinese styles you’re used to seeing with Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, giving a new look to how a martial arts movie can be done. You’ll be seeing more of him…guaranteed.

Martial Artist: Tony Jaa
Director: Prachya Pinkaew

#4 – Iron Monkey (1993)

Doctor by day, thief by night…Iron Monkey is your classic Robin-hood meets Kung Fu. It’s an action packed flick that can’t go 5 minutes without an excellent fight scene. It all comes down to a battle between Iron Monkey (ie Robin Hood) and an ex Shaolin Monk (remember, these guys are like the Jedi Knights of Chinese martial arts…they’re elite). Remember that guy Yuen Wo-Ping I mentioned? Well he’s the director in this one, so you know it’s good!

Martial Artists: Yu Rong-Guang, Donnie Yen
Director: Yuen Wo-Ping
Action Directors: Yuen Cheung-yan, Yuen Shun-yi

#5 – 5 Deadly Venoms (1978)

No room form “martial arts beauties” in this one, there’s so much blood and action that they only cast male actors. Exit the traditional elaborate costumes and enter the muscular, skin-bearing, bloody martial arts style that would become a trademark for director Chang Cheh. Each cast member is trained in an art resembling one of 5 venemous creatures (Scorpion, Snake, Centipede, Gecko, Toad) with the 6th cast member being trained in all 5. Six main martial arts actors = LOTS O’ ACTION

Martial Artists: 6 Martial Artists (yes, 6 main characters)
Director: Chang Cheh

#6 – The Seven Samurai (1954)

One of the greatest classic kung-fu movies of all time and arguable Kurosawa’s best work. Some Samurai of the time were down on their luck (homeless) and willing to do anything for a meal. A village under attack by bandits recruits a group of seven such Samurai warriors and asks them to help defend their village. The movie is about the Samurai teaching the village how to fight and culminates in a massive battle between a village and almost 50 attacking bandits. The acting is superb, the emotions run high and Kurosawa keeps you hooked from beginning to end.

Martial Artists: 7 Martial Artists (all names you won’t know since this movie is so old)
Director: Akira Kurosawa

#7 – Legend of Drunken Master (1994)

Some will say this is the greatest martial arts movie of all time because of it’s balance between plot-line, comedy, drama and amazing kung fu sequences. Probably Jackie Chan’s best martial arts performance. You’re going to love the final scene where you learn what Drunken Master really means. We’re talking box-splitting, fire-spitting craziness!

Martial Artist: Jackie Chan
Director: Lau Kar-leung

#8 – Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000)

Based on a Pentalogy (yes, that’s 5 books) written by Wang Dulu, this movie covers mostly the 4th book. Critically acclaimed to cross international borders with it’s amazing character development, intricate plot, martial arts ideals, stunning special effects and quicker-than-the-eye fighting scenes, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon set a new standard for martial arts movies. Telling Zhang Ziyi (the lead female character and an amazing martial artist) to get back in the kitchen would likely cost you 50 punches to the bags. Be ready for subtitles, cuz turning on the English track is like watching…uh…like watching a kung fu movie in English.

Main Martial Artist: Chow Yun-fat
Other Martial Artists: Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, Chang Chen, Cheng Pei-pei
Director: Ang Lee
Action Director: Yuen Wo-Ping

#9 – Kill Bill vol. 1 (2003)

You’re going to want your home theatre room for this one. It’s tough to beat beautiful women beating the crap out of each other in fast-paced, action-packed, make you cringe, bloody, gory, cut-’em-up (more buzz words go here) movie jam packed with as much martial arts death as possible. Tarantino expertly uses every camera angle and a plethora of special effects to deliver a better-than-real visual experience that gives this blood-and-guts thriller an artistic feel you’ll appreciate at the end. Did I mention is has Uma Thurman in it?

(Kill bill vol. 2 brings closure to the set, but hey…we had to choose one movie. Say Five-Point-Palm Exploding Heart Technique 5 times fast.)

Actors: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah, Vivica A. Fox
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Action Director: Yuen Wo-ping

#10 – Fist of Legend (1994)

A classic story of Chinese vs. Japanese martial arts, Fist of Legend is actually a remake of the original Bruce Lee movie, Fist of Fury. If Bruce Lee is like the original James Bond, Jet Li is the Pierce Brosnan. He’ll never be the original, but the modern film-making and larger budget bring the entertainment value just a hair above the original Fist of Fury. (The ghost of Bruce Lee is probably going to strike me down for writing that) The Yuen Brothers are known for amazing action choreography, and they totally deliver on this one. (Casting Jet Li may have helped them a little too.)

Martial Artist: Jet Li
Director: Gordon Chan
Action Directors: The Yuen Brothers

The fun doesn’t stop there.

We tried to stop at only 10…really, we did. But we just couldn’t control ourselves.
“Once it hits your lips, it’s so good!” – Will Ferrell in “Old School”

To see the movies that deserve “Honorable Mention”, go to http://www.experiencemartialarts.com/articles/movies.html

Whether you enjoyed this list or think we snuffed your favorite movie, we’d love to hear what you think. Post your comments at: http://www.experiencemartialarts.com/blog/archives/16

Martial Arts Tattoo Weakens The Fighting Spirit Of Ufc Gladiators

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That a Martial Arts Tattoo could indicate who would win an MMA match is nothing short of surprising. Yet, it seems to be the fact. To be sure, this is a quite unscientific survey, yet the results seem to be fairly predictable.

The project first began a couple of weeks ago, when this martial artist/writer was spending an exciting night perched in front of the tube. Exciting, because it was man to man contests of pure savagery: the mayhem and mania of grown men pounding one another to bloody pulps. At some point during these fights the question was born: do martial artists with tattoos adorning their bodies win more, or lose more?

A balance sheet was kept, results were tallied, and the results gave a decided advantage to the uninked ones being more victorious. Mind you, there was some confusion to be sorted out. After all, the bodies being tallied had to be compared for tattoos.

Two fighters had designs swirling across their torsos. Which one used more ink? Which artwork covered more flesh?

Regardless of proportions of ink and flesh, the martial arts fighters with less ink won more times than their inkier brethren. Actual statistics were between 70 and 80 per cent. These statistics held true for later tabulations, actually leaning even more in favor of the unmarked Mixed Martial Artists.

One factor that was of interest, but proved too difficult to keep track of was whether the type of tattoo had any effect on the proportions. The speed of the matches, the motion of the fighters, it was difficult to tell whether the contestants had a Karate tattoo, or a Bruce Lee Tattoo. The only specific tat noticed by this author was in conjunction with a victory by a Latin fighter with Heysoos emblazoned across his body.

Comes the question: why would a tattoo make a difference in a fight? Various theories were considered, theories having to do with the amount of ink having an adverse effect on the ‘breathing’ of the body. Or whether ink could have an effect on the musculature under the skin.

In the end, no theory held for all the facts, one could only reach the conclusion that fighters who cared more about image were not as concerned with punching power. That fighters who cared about how they looked, were not as serious about building the unique fighting willpower that is crucial to the successful gladiator. That a Martial Arts tattoo could very well weaken the fighting spirit of a man.

KC Performing Arts Hotel – Accommodations in the Cultural Center

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Kansas City is a great place to visit, whether you are in town for a business trip, vacation, or other special event. When you want to be at the center of all the activity and excitement that the city has to offer, reserve your accommodations at one of the well known hotels near the Kauffman Center, which provides some of the most celebrated cultural events in the region. Famous symphony orchestras, dance companies and vocalists, and theater companies all perform at the center.

When you stay at one of the upscale, boutique hotels in proximity to the Kauffman Center, you can expect amenities including tastefully decorated suites and rooms, a hotel restaurant that serves excellent regional cuisine and has an extensive wine list, and a fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment to keep you fit during your stay. Banquet and meeting facilities make it convenient for you to attend corporate meetings, conventions, or conferences while enjoying the comfort of a luxurious, Kansas City hotel. The professional staff at the hotel can also assist you in planning special events for your church or civic group, or special family events including anniversary or graduation parties, and wedding receptions.

Business guests who are staying at one of the hotels in the elegant Country Club Plaza region, will find that they will not only be able to work productively while staying in a boardroom or business suite, but will find the atmosphere conducive to relaxing after a busy day. Suites for corporate guests include oversized desks, making it easy to keep all your important documents at your fingertips. Data ports are included as amenities. Many suites provide 2 telephones with voice mail service so you do not miss important messages. Wireless, high-speed internet is complimentary in suites, so you can work uninterrupted.

Among the additional amenities which are included at boutique hotels near the performing arts center are flat screen TVs with cable, combination radio/alarm clocks with docking stations for an iPod, along with a CD player, and climate controlled thermostats in rooms and suites. Hairdryers and complimentary toiletries are provided in bathrooms. In most hotels, coffeemakers are provided with gourmet tea and coffee. Many rooms feature mini refrigerators, and in some cases, microwaves. Some hotels will provide microwaves for guests if requested. For guests who do not want to carry valuables or excess money with them, hotel safes are available. Additional guests may be accommodated on sofa beds in the rooms and suites.

Martial Arts Benefit – Self-discipline Improvement

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Self-discipline is perhaps one of the most difficult traits to cultivate not just in others but especially in ones self. Children naturally find it harder to learn self-discipline because they lack the experience and maturity to fully understand its value. But if you enroll your child in a martial arts school, self-discipline and a lot more positive traits are his to conquer in no time!

Why Its Important for Kids to Learn Self-Discipline and Self-Control Early
While it is certainly your duty as a parent to teach your children how to differentiate right from wrong, its also important to train them early to make such decisions for themselves. If you allow your child to grow up depending on your authority and other external factors to determine the proper thing to do, he shall find himself helpless and incapable of doing whats right even as an adult, much less care about the consequences of his actions.

When you teach your child self-discipline early, they take their first steps to growing up and taking responsibility of their actions. They begin to understand about the things they have to do not just because theyre told but because its right. They will understand, for instance, that homework, house chores, and even eating broccoli, are things they have to do, even if its somewhat unpleasant.

Self-control is naturally intertwined with self-discipline. It is impossible for one to exist without the other. Whereas self-discipline governs ones ability to make decisions, self-control governs ones control over his mind and body.

With self-control, your child learns early that its not right to let their angers rule their thoughts. They also to learn to exercise their will and use mind over matter.

The Benefits of Having Self-Discipline
Once your child attains self-discipline through martial arts, youll be surprised at positive impact it can have in his life.

More Self-Confidence
Greater self-discipline is equivalent to greater progress in martial kids. And with kids, their self-confidence tends to grow every time they move another level and the color of their belt changes.

Better Health
Youll find self-disciplined kids easier to guide when it comes to proper nutrition, too. Your kids will be more willing to listen and obey once you explaining to them the benefits of eating lots of greens and avoiding too much junk food.

If they are struggling with weight problems, youll also find it easier to maintain the proper diet and exercise regime for them. Their martial arts sessions will naturally help in keeping them physically fit as well.

Improved Social Interaction Skills
Self-discipline also helps children develop positive social interaction traits. They become friendlier and although they may become more competitive, they also understand the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, and equality. They also become more understanding of other childrens differences with them and avoid bullying or ostracizing other kids because of those differences.