Introduction of 2010 China World Expo Pavilions I - United Kingdom Pavilion

UK Pavilion at 2010 World Expo: Building on the Past, Shaping Our Future

Theme: Building on the Past, Shaping Our Future

National Pavilion Day: September 8

Pavilion Area: Around 6,000 Square Meters

Location: Within Zone C of the Expo Site


Pavilion Features:

The first World Expo came about in the United Kingdom and was then known as the Great Exhibition, held in the Crystal Palace at Hyde Park. This majestic metal-and-glass edifice was not only home to the extravaganza display of products from all over the world, but was also the iconic symbol of the world fair, being considered one of the most beautiful structures in the world until a fire destroyed it half a century ago. Now, the United Kingdom has brought to Expo visitors a new version of the Crystal Palace – a dazzling cube formed by more than 60,000 slim and transparent acrylic rods containing seeds of different plants.


Highlight 1:

Green Cities Visitors will travel through four UK's capital cities from west to east - Belfast, Cardiff, London and Edinburgh. Large "green maps" of the cities are on display. The best way to show how green British cities really are is to "erase" all the buildings and streets, leaving only the green spaces.


Highlight 2:

Seed Cathedral Visitors will be invited to watch, touch and recognize seeds of different plants as the core exhibition of the UK Pavilion. They will be surrounded by the seeds in a 20-meter-high hollow cube-like structure with the seeds embedded in the walls and ceilings. The "Seed Cathedral" is itself an object formed from 60,000-plus transparent acrylic rods containing seeds. The seeds demonstrate the concept of sustainability, the diversity of nature and the potential of life. During the daytime, each of these 7.5-meter-long rods will act like fibre optic filaments, drawing on daylight to illuminate the interior. At night, light sources embedded in each rod will allow the whole structure to glow.


Highlight 3:

Olympic Corner UK Pavilion offers a preview of the 2012 London Olympics by incorporating an "Olympic Corner" in its display. The area features a large "green map" of the 2.5-square-kilometer Olympic Park in Stratford in East London, which will be turned into the largest city park in Britain.

Next series of 2010 World Expo: Danmark Pavilion

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

Happy 51 Labor Days!

51 international Labor Days call 51 sections, May 1 in every year.It is the whole world labor common festival of the people.

As for "51 causes of the section"s are such:

This stanza comes from the worker’s big strike of American Chicago.On May 1 in 1886, Chicago of 20 in order to fight for practicing eight hours to work to make but hold the big strike, many ten thousand workerses pass by hard of bloodshed conflict, acquired the victory finally.

For memorial this time the socialist that the worker’s one who exercise, July 14 in 1889, from all countries Marxist call represents the conference, Parisian solemn and impressive open in France.On the conference, attend meeting to represent the consistent approval:Common festival that May 1 settles for the international proletariat.This resolution gets the international community, the worker responds to actively.

On May 1 in 1890, the working class of Euro-American all countries leads off to go into the street, holding the grand demonstration and holding a meeting, fighting for the legal rights.From now on, every time round this international community labors the people to all want the catcall, parade, to show to celebrate.

At last, wish all my friends Happy 51 Labor Days!

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

I wish you Know More about The coming World Expo. in Shanghai,China

China Gallery at Shanghai Expo.

A: The philosophies of Shanghai Expo are understanding, communication, togetherness and cooperation.

B: The secondary themes of Shanghai Expo are: multi-cultural integration, the promotion of city economy, technological innovation, the reconstruction of city communities, and the interaction of urban and rural sectors.

C: The mascot of Shanghai Expo is “Haibao”, which in Chinese means the treasure of the ocean. It’s designed to resemble the Chinese character for “human”, which corresponds to the theme of the Expo.

D: The emblem of Shanghai Expo looks like the Chinese character for “world”; it is also combined with the numbers “2010” in an elegant way that resembles a celebrating family. It expresses the philosophies of Shanghai Expo: “Understanding, communication, togetherness, and cooperation.”

F: The main site of Shanghai Expo can be summarized as "one Axis and four Pavilions", these are: the Expo Axis, the China Pavilion, the Theme Pavilion, the Expo Center, and the Expo Performance Center.

G: Oct 1, 2010 is the grand opening day of the China Pavilion. The Pavilion is designed to express the philosophy of China, to show the culture of the Chinese people, and to facilitate friendly international communication and improved cultural exchange between other nations and China.

H: Shanghai Expo tickets will be sold by the government, appointed agents, appointed travel agencies, etc. Up-to-date ticket information can be found on www.expo2010.cn or the Expo hotline: +86-21-962010.

I: Shanghai Expo will be a feast of city life, a symphony of innovation and integration, and a dialogue of human civilization.

J: The service hotline of Shanghai Expo is 962010, you can call directly for any information you need.

K: The Expo Site spans both shores of the Huangpu River, between the Nanpu Bridge and Lupu Bridge. The Expo Site covers a total area of 5.28 square kilometers, with 3.93 sq km in Pudong and 1.35 sq km in Puxi. The area encloses 3.28 sq km.

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

The Horoscopes of This Week - Aries (3.21-4.19)

Aries (3.21-4.19)

Your knowledge and good sense will help more than you think. Try to ease any disappointment by making amends. Your depressed mood has been hard to shake. Use your charm to get your own way.

Your lucky day this week will be Tuesday.





* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

Bamboo Carving Art in China

Bamboo sculpture, also known as bamboo carving, as described by Zhao Ruzhen in the "Antiques Guide - Bamboo Carvings": "bamboo carving is carvings on bamboos, the artworks are same as paintings and calligraphy, just to use knife to replace brushes, and use bamboo to replace papers”, this summary is concise and comprehensive, and quite finespun and exquisite.

Bamboo Carving - Fisherman

China is the first country in the world that began to use bamboo products, so in China bamboo carving is also has a long history. Carved a variety of decorative patterns and words on bamboo utensils, or carved bamboo roots into a variety of ornaments and furnishings. Bamboo carving become a form of art since the Six Dynasties, and accepted and loved slowly by mass people until the Tang Dynasty. When bamboo carving developed to the prosperous times in the Ming and Qing dynasty, the exquisite techniques of bamboo carving had exceeded to previous generations, and bamboo carving become a unique and attractive art form in the history of Chinese arts and crafts.

Bamboo Carving in late time of the Ming Dynasty - Pen House

In earlier times, bamboo carvings were usually palaces, figures, landscapes, birds and flowers and so on decorations carved on utensils, and bamboo carving artworks survived in the world are very rarely, mostly are artworks created in the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Bamboo carving products in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the exquisite carving skills has gone beyond the previous generation for a long time. Most of bamboo carvings created in the Ming dynasty is simple and vigorous, full composed and deep carved, as well as have powerful lines, usually the carved patterns will coved the whole body of utensil. While bamboo carvings created in the Qing dynasty were descended from the art style of the Ming dynasty, but has more rich and varied performance ways, carving techniques as relief carving and bas-relief are used simultaneous.

Bamboo Carving in the Qing Dynasty - Coins

Some bamboo sculptures and carvings are carved concisely, simple and generous, and some finespun and exquisite, some have dense and rich patterns, and ever-changing . The main carving methods of bamboo carving there are shade lines, positive carving, round carving, engraved carving, deep and shadow relief or high relief and so on.


* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

Make a Valentine's Day Card Yourself with Super-Love

Hi, as the sweet Valentine’s day is just around the corner, so has everybody prepared for your special Valentine's Day gifts? Maybe you will think sending a Valentine’s greeting card is a very old-fashioned thing, but imagine that, if you received a luxury greeting card handmade by your lover, does your heart will throbs or not?

Fine, maybe your heart will throbs not just once, so follow me and study the special tips for how to make a luxury greeting card yourself…

If you know a little basic crochet, the rest of this project is fairly easy. If you don't know how to crochet, this is a fairly easy project for learning, or you could make the center heart from paper (or any other medium you want) and follow just the paper steps in the second half.

Step 1. Thread and hook

Use a fairly small hook, such as 0 or 00, and thin string or yarn. It doesn't have to be microscopic, just slender enough to look elegant. Use a hook size that is comfortable for your yarn or string.

Step 2. Chain six

Make a slip knot and chain six.

Step 3. Single crochet five back across the row.

Single crochet back across the row (sc5). Chain one as a turning chain (first row).

Step 4. A total of five rows.

Repeat for a total of five rows of single crochet. Don't forget the turning chain between rows. You should now have a small square of crochet, five stitches wide by five rows high.

Step 5. The first semicircle.

Chain one, turn,and double crochet into the center stitch (the third of five) of the previous row. Repeat this chain one and double crochet five more times, for a total of six sets of (ch1, dc) into the same center stitch. This leaves you with a semicircular shape. Slip stitch into the corner of the original square.

Step 6.

Make a second semicircle into the middle of the adjacent side, exactly the same as the first: crochet six sets of (ch1, dc). Work into the center of the next side of the square. Since you are now working into the side of your work, there won't be a specific stitch. Just pick a spot in the middle and work into it.

Step 7. Slip stitch.

Slip stitch back into the corner of the original square to join.

Step 8. The basic heart.

Block the shape into a heart. Pull gently on the edges until it's fairly flat and even.

Step 9. Add a decorative border, if desired, or stop at the basic heart. One easy border is a picot stitch

1.Single crochet.Work this stitch by doing a single crochet (sc).

2.Chain three.

3.Single crochet back into the same spot.

Single crochet again back into the same spot. Slip stitch or single crochet around the edge to the next place where you want a picot.

4.Picots.

Work the picots in locations so that they complement the heart shape and so that they are in about the same place on both sides.

Step 10. Tie off and sew in the ends.

Step 11. Making a template.

Cut paper hearts. You can fold a piece of scrap paper in half (this is the side of a junk mail envelope) to create a pattern. Size them to your crocheted heart.

Step 12. Small paper heart.

Cut one paper heart a little larger than the crocheted heart in a strongly contrasting color. It will help if this heart is out of fairly stiff paper or card stock.

Step 13. Larger paper heart.

Cut the other a little larger than the smaller heart in any coordinating color.

Step 14. Poke holes

Align the crocheted heart to the smaller paper heart so that it is centered. Use a push pin to poke holes where you will sew the heart to the paper. If you locate them evenly, it can help to flatten the piece and make it symmetrical.

Step 15.

1) Stitch on the crocheted heart.

Stitch the crochet heart onto the smaller paper heart. Use the same thread as you used to make the heart so the stitches are concealed.

2) Leave an open space in the center.

Leave an open space in the center on the back, to give yourself a place for the glue.

3) Stitching at the tips of the picots will help the heart lie flat.

Step 16. Mark the test fit.

Do a test fit of the paper hearts on the card without gluing them down yet. Mark the locations of the points, top and bottom, lightly in pencil.

Step 17. Decide what you want the card to say.

You can letter on the front or the inside, or both.

1.If calligraphy is not your strong point, you could also use a computer printer or stamps to letter the card. Or, leave the front blank and write in your own handwriting inside.

2.This is a great opportunity to use a calligraphy pen, fancy fountain pen, dip pen, brush, or other artistic tool.

3.Practice the lettering on a piece of scratch paper if you need to. Get the size and spacing about right for the card. It's especially important to practice if you're writing with anything you don't often use.

Tips:

- Draw guidelines lightly in pencil for the letters. You can even trace the letters lightly in pencil to help you get the spacing right.

- Write the letters. This is a handmade card, so don't be afraid to go for a handmade look.

- Wait for the ink or paint to dry thoroughly, then erase the guidelines. Repeat for the lettering on the inside.

Step 18. Glue the larger heart.

Apply glue to the back of the outer heart. Align it carefully on the card and smooth it down.

Step 19. Cut out a tab.

Cut a rectangular tab out of a piece of stiff cardboard, such as a cereal box. Score it and fold it in half.

Step 20. Mark the test fit.

Glue one side of the tab to the small heart.

Step 21. Glue the tab.

Apply glue to the other side of the tab.

Step 22. Glue down the smaller heart.

Align the smaller heart in the center of the larger one and glue it down.

The tab makes it pop up a bit. If you'd rather it didn't, glue the two sides of the tab together or use a single thickness of cardboard for the tab. The tab helps compensate for the thickness of the string you used to sew on the heart.

Step 23. Wait for the glue to dry.

Weigh the whole thing down with a heavy object until it dries.

Whew! The education finally finished ~! is this a very hard time for you? You could spend five dollars on a Valentine's Day card for the person you love, or you could take the time to make something that is truly special. …Actually this material is really is very detailed. So, try to make a Valentine card step by step, it will be very interesting …

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China