Ikat Fabrics and Hand-Screened Prints from India Add Art to the Craft of Weaving and Printing


Kennett Square, PA (PRWEB) June 18, 2012

Ikat fabrics may be a hot trend in home designbut there are very few genuine ikats actually used to create those looks. “That’s no longer the case,” states Lori Cropp, merchandise manager for the Calico Corners Calico Home stores across the country. “We’ve introduced a rich assortment of hand-tied and dyed ikat fabrics at Calico, all created in weaving villages in south India.

Pronounced ee-kat, the process involves tying sections of the vertical warp yarns in a set design, binding them tightly with strips of rubber so that the dye bath will not penetrate those areas. This is done over and over, tying off different areas of yarn, then dipping the warp or weft in various color dyes to create the designs or motif. “These fabrics are incredibly labor intensive to dye and weave,” says Cropp. “When you see the process, it’s absolutely amazing that Calico is able to retail them for less than $ 50 per yard.”

The true beauty of ikat is that it’s not a print, notes Kiran Singh, who began importing ikats from his native India 30 years ago. “Since each motif is individually hand-wrapped, no two motifs are exactly alike,” he explains. “It is this subtle variation in the motifs that gives the fabric its rich, organic look.” Every inch of fabric has been created by the hand and eye of the weavernot by a CAD system or a high-speed loom.

Working with wife Laura, the Singhs have built a wholesale fabric business weaving in India, and sell to the Calico stores, among others. They have revived the craft of ikat and hand-block style prints, finding that “the thrill for us lies in bringing contemporary colors and shapes to this ancient textile process,” notes Laura.

Hand-Screened Prints

For many years, the Singhs collected antique wood blocks that were used to print fabrics. The challenge of printing with carved blocks is that the repeat and color are a bit inconsistent because of the varying pressure applied to the blocks on the fabric. The solution was to base new designs on the old blocks, and to cut the pattern into a larger silk screen that didn’t have to be delicately pin-matched, like wood blocks.

The fabrics are hand-screened, but with more consistency of color and design. “I love the versatility of these patterns,” notes Cropp. “The colors are soft and appealingand can work in every room in the house.” Of course, they’re perfect for bohemian or ethnic style d

HealthCompare Health Insurance Infographics Help Educate Today’s Consumers


Orange, CA (PRWEB) June 19, 2012

HealthCompare has generated infographics to hep consumers make health insurance decision. Infographics are unique graphics that are growing in popularity across the web are known for utilizing images and colors to help make complex data from scientific reports, demographics, and studies to make them more easily understood by the casual reader. Reports such as the ones used in scientific studies often use jargon and unnecessary language that makes deciphering results difficult for those without the background for these terms. Infographics compress and compile numbers and meanings into aesthetically pleasing arrangements that illustrate rather than tell. They can also functionally layout arguments for debates, complex concepts or any other topic that could otherwise be considered difficult to understand.

These new graphics explain hardships that can effect consumers when it comes to medical coverage. HealthCompare is nationally recognized for caring about patient knowledge and choice. They want consumers to understand as much as possible when it comes to making decisions regarding coverage that suits their needs.

The infographics released in this series are:

Not All Health Insurance Comparisons Are Created Equal – Designed to illustrate how ineffective a poorly prepared quote and comparison can be

Why Is Health Insurance For Self-Employed Necessary – Designed to explain why self-employed people cannot afford to skip health insurance

Individual PPO Vs. Traditional Policies – Designed to illustrate the differences and similarities between PPOs and traditional policies

Where Can Consumers Find Affordable Medical Insurance – Designed to explain how to find affordable medical insurance

What is Private Health Insurance – Designed to educate consumers on what private health insurance actually means

Other infographics can be found here.

HealthCompare, a nationally recognized health insurance comparison site, is releasing new tools in their attempt to help Americans who are in search of health insurance. HealthCompare, who consistently displays concern for consumers, asks visitors that come to their site to ask themselves a series of questions before attempting to find health insurance coverage. These questions are designed to help shoppers decipher what type of coverage is best for them in terms of cost and type of policy.

The questions that HealthCompare encourages consumers to ask themselves are:

What are the consumers current health care needs? Do they currently require medication? Does the consumer have a pre-existing condition? Or are they seeking to start a family in the near future?

Does the financial state of the shopper allow for a lower deductible, thusly giving them a higher monthly premium? Or would having a high deductible (and therefore lower monthly premium) be more beneficial?

Is the consumers physician a factor? If they prefer to continue seeing their doctor of choice, HealthCompare helps them decide what policies allow that.

Are there any other health insurance options for the shopper, such as spouse or parent plan?

Once consumers get their quotes, HealthCompare then helps them narrow their decisions by prompting them to ask further questions, like:

How much will the policies being compared cost them from their pocket when considering deductibles, co-insurance, and co-pays?

What will the policies being compared offer in terms of maximum out-of-pocket expense?

Will the consumers office visits be covered?

Do any of the policies up for comparison offer maternity?

Is prescription drug coverage an option?

How much will the consumer pay for emergency services and ambulances?

Will the current primary physician and local hospitals be accepted under any of the policies being considered?

Health insurance costs are much more involved than mere premiums and buyers must carefully consider all out of pocket expenses to understand what their policies will ultimately cost them.

About Health Compare: HealthCompare was launched in 2009 to work with brokers and carriers to help individuals and families easily research, compare, buy, and enroll in the right health insurance plan at the right price. Based in Orange, Calif., it delivers accurate, customized, health insurance quotes for the country’s diverse population.

Through a unique partnership with its sister company, CONEXIS, HealthCompare has the ability to quickly reach thousands of COBRA-qualifying consumers and provide them with COBRA alternatives at the moment they become eligible for COBRA benefits. This provides these consumers with an opportunity to enroll in individual or family plans and potentially save hundreds to thousands of dollars on COBRA premiums and, at the same time, rewards referring brokers with referral fee income for the life of each policy.

For more information, visit http://healthcompare.org/ or call 888.748.5152.







Academy of Art University and Berghs Launch First of Its Kind International Summer Program


San Francisco, California and Stockholm, Sweden (PRWEB) June 18, 2012

Today, the Academy of Art University, the largest private school of art and design in the United States, and Berghs School of Communication, based in Stockholm, announced the launch of an international collaboration that provides students from both Universities with a unique opportunity to work on real-world creative projects with industry professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area this summer. The program brings together students from multiple disciplines, including Graphic Design, Advertising, and Web Design/New Media, and provides them with a unique opportunity to learn about all aspects of the creative process directly from industry professionals. The program starts today in San Francisco and will conclude on August 10, when students will exhibit their completed projects from the session.

Academy of Art University President Elisa Stephens said, This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for students to work together with their peers around the world on real projects with guidance from industry leaders. Not only will students leave this program with hands-on experience, but they will get a real feel for the pressures and challenges that creative firms and executives face everyday in meeting deadlines and producing impactful work. We are very excited about partnering with the prestigious Berghs school and welcome their students and staff to the great city of San Francisco this summer.

A class of 25-30 students, half from Berghs and half from the Academy, will be divided into teams of five, where each student will have a specific role as a Project Director/Manager, Strategist/Planner, Copywriter, Art Director, Web Designer, Interactive Designer, or Graphic Designer, depending on project needs.

The semester is broken into two projects with the first focusing on international marketing, planning, and cultural diversity and using a real-life communications case for a local start-up as a base for learning. Students will make a real agency pitch and create strategic plans for an international communication challenge targeted at a diverse audience. The second project, which involves technology industry leader Adobe, covers the entire communication spectrum from insight and strategy to execution and presentation, following a five-step model from real-life agency work. The students will work on a real-life project for Adobe and at the end present their solutions before their client and instructors.

We are thrilled to provide our students with an opportunity to learn from the industry leaders right here in San Francisco, said Camilla Wallander, CEO of Berghs School of Communication. We have always believed that teamwork and collaboration leads to the most creative work and we are looking forward to seeing what students from thousands of miles away come together and produce this summer.

For more information on the summer program, visit http://www.berghs.se/content/berghs-co-academy-art-university.

About Berghs School of Communication

Berghs School of Communication offers strategic and creative educational programs within marketing communications at several levels and formats. We offer Professional Diploma Programs and an International Bachelor Program for full-time studies, more than 80 part-time courses, and customized programs for corporate clients. Every year about 3000 people study at Berghs in one type of program or another, either in Sweden or abroad. An additional 3000 guests attend our inspirational seminars. Berghs School of Communication is located in central Stockholm, Sweden, and is owned by the Norwegian corporation Anton B. Nilsen, which also runs several other schools, among them Westerdals School of Communication and NITH University in Oslo.

About Academy of Art University

Academy of Art University, the largest private university of art and design in the United States, is educating students for the art and design jobs of the 21st Century. Established in 1929, the Academy is an output-based higher education model that provides open admissions to all students, but imposes a rigorous curriculum that requires the students to produce a portfolio of work that demonstrates a mastery of their field in order to graduate. Students are taught by a faculty of professionals from the existing marketplace, which provides them with an understanding of what it takes to succeed in todays business environment. The Academys hands-on curriculum produces graduates that possess great artistic and design skills — and equally as important, the ability to put those talents to work immediately after graduation. As a result, Academy graduates are ready to compete for and win the jobs of the 21st Century in the fields of Acting, Advertising, Animation & Visual Effects, Architecture, Art Education, Fashion, Fine Art, Game Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Interior Architecture & Design, Landscape Architecture, Motion Pictures & Television, Multimedia Communications, Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media, Photography and Web Design & New Media. Academy of Art University is accredited by WASC, NASAD, Council for Interior Design Accreditation (Formerly FIDER), (BFA-IAD), and NAAB (M-ARCH). Visit http://www.academyart.edu for more information.

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31 Day Fat Loss Cure: Show Off That Beach Body With Confidence


Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) June 18, 2012

The 31 day fat loss cure review released by AloeVera.com highlighting the fact that fast fat loss is high on the agenda for and increasing number of people looking to get the beach body they want and enjoy the summer months with confidence.

With summer here the 31 Day Fat Loss Cure is attracting dieters in search of a natural, healthy diet and workout routine during the hot summer months. According to a new report published in the International Herald Tribune, doctors say eating light, healthy foods will not only help people obtain their desired body weight, but will also aid in keeping the mind and body cool when the mercury rises.

That’s welcome news for anyone considering purchasing the 31 Day Fat Loss Cure, a diet based on exercise and a no nonsense nutritional program.

Check out all the details here.

One of the aspects that really stands out about this diet, developed by fitness guru Vic Margary, is the short workouts and fast results being reported, who says just because summer is already here, doesn’t mean it’s too late to get that beach body.

Former Army soldier and accomplished personal trainer Vic Margary designed the diet for fast results and efficient workout routines. It isn’t about spending hours at the gym doing tedious cardio workouts – it’s about maximizing the efficiency of the time spent on workouts. That’s how the Army does it and Vic’s system uses many of the same secrets the military employs to get soldiers into shape fast.

The 31 Day Fat Loss Cure includes a 68-page manual that walks dieters through the process of burning fat quickly and sculpting a beach body that is sure to turn heads. For the inexperienced dieters, or those who have been duped by fad diets with hefty promises and dismal results, Vic is throwing in plenty of extras to help put people on the right track toward healthy weight loss and a more toned body.

There’s actually multiple levels of exercises to help anyone from a beginner to a seasoned fitness guru get the right routine to active their fitness goals. With this program, Vic Margary didn’t leave anyone out and created a workout and diet that works without any questionable supplements or mystery diet pills.

For those who want to check out the the official site go here, Vic has posted a video where he’s offering a few tips and diet secrets from his program for free. Anyone interested in the diet can take a look and learn the basics right away.

For access to the ebook, videos, nutritional guide and plenty of other extras, visit this page.