The Gifts:

The Stationery (offered in EML Format packaged into ZIP to decompresses to any directory you choose and regular EXE format that will decompress to your Outlook folder on your hard drive) includes an original scrolling bordered background, and a midi. The Wallpaper is a matching piece for 800x600 screen settings, also best viewed in high color of 16-bit or better. Graphics for both Stationery and Wallpaper gift are original creations made with PSP 7 (used various tubes and filters for effects).

If you are new to EML format Stationery, read the EML Help section for further instructions.

* PLEASE NOTE: Gifts are only for actual subscribers (available for 5-7 days with each issue) and not for visitors to the newsletter archive at the website.

*** NOTE*   I use Zip Magic to compress Stationery and/or Desktop Theme files into EXE format. If you ever get a password prompt during installation... ignore it and proceed. They are not password protected! For more help with installation(s) visit the Help section at either Stationery, Theme Help, the Hotbar Skin Tutorial, or the WinAmp Skin sections.

*** PLEASE READ IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT LINKS ***

Desktop Enhancements (Wallpaper):

I found a few more websites that offer some very nice and/or unusual wallpaper. Thought you might enjoy them as well:

• The K-Wallpaper offers their site in both English and German. Wallpaper here is outstanding and some very unusual stuff here as well. I looked through the Misc section and then went to Art & Fantasy. The majority of the wallpaper offered here is for screen settings of 1024x768, but they also offer a few that are smaller and some that are much larger. Categories include Babes, Misc (3 sub categories), Games, Music, TV & Cinema. Very nice collection here and well worth a visit.

• Wallpaper Magic is another German site, (no English version available though should hardly matter, since we all know how to look at pictures and download them *smile*) with some very unusual wallpaper for mostly 1024x768 screen settings. Categories include SciFi (sorted by movie title), Fantasy (sorted by Artist name), Movies, Games, Comics & Cartoons (some are adult oriented), and Diverse (includes Animals, Ocean life, and miscellaneous).

• Wallpaper HQ is a French/English 'mega' wallpaper site, offering well over 14,000 wallpaper on all sorts of topics and sub-categories. Seems as though you can also email someone a wallpaper, and/or leave comments about any of them as well. You could spend days here without coming up for air. *smile* Please be aware that, some wallpaper here is not suitable for children and there are no warnings posted as to where these are located.

  Apophis' Wallpaper offers some nice graphics for your desktop. Here too, most pictures are for 1024x768, but will fit most other screen settings as well. Site includes 15 main categories to include Bikini, Sports, Airplanes, Cars, Scenery, Animals, Movies (mostly older movies), just to name a few. Make sure to check out the 'Art' section where they included pictures by Kristijan Petrovic called the 'Angular Vision' collection... awesome stuff!

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  The Cricket Cage is not really a wallpaper site, but rather a showcase of 3-D graphic art work. The sizes of the pictures are less than 640x480, but due to the high quality of the pictures can be set as wallpaper with the 'stretch' setting (go to desktop properties and choose 'stretch' in the drop-down menu of your 'Background' tab, then click Apply) enabled with up to 800x600.

Cross Stitch:

Years ago, before the age of computers, I use to do a lot of crafts (wood, tole painting, etc.) and cross stitch. Had even thought about developing a section with Cross Stitch patterns, but then I got side tracked with a lot of other stuff. Anyway, in this issue I will show you a few good sites for Cross Stitch and/or Needlework fans and next issue I will discuss other Craft sites:

• Well, let's start with some basic tools first. All stitchers know that the most popular yarn and/or thread comes from DMC. Here you will find color charts, projects for kids, accessories, and also some very nice free patterns for Cross Stitch and other needlework. Follow the link for 'Project Central' and then pick the Cross Stitch archive, to get to over 30 free patterns. You will need a free program called PC Stitch Pattern Viewer to be able to view and/or print these pattern (most sites use this program for their patterns).

• Abbey Lane Designs offers a mix of newsletters, columns on the topic of needlework and of course a whole array of free Cross Stitch patterns. I especially liked the 'Monthly Teapot' series, but there are many others that are quiet enjoyable as well. Patterns are small enough to be finished in one day.

• Vermillion Stitchery offers charts and kits for sale (Cross Stitch and Machine Embroidery), but feast your eyes on the International Teddy Bear series for Cross Stitchers. These bears (patterns are offered for free... toward the bottom of the page) are just adorable, one for each month for the year 2000 and the first three for this year so far.

• EMS Designs also offers Cross Stitch & Machine Embroidery charts for sale with an online catalog. However, here too you will find a huge variety of original and very nice free patterns. They offer their free charts in various formats, to include the free PC Stitch Pattern Viewer. Check out all the patterns... you will be glad you did. *smile*

• Offe's Cross Stitch Designs offers also a large variety of all free patterns in eight categories of Angels, Animals, Borders, Christmas, Fantasy, People, Samplers and Mixed. The patterns are offered as small pictures (colored squares indicate the colors to be used) in GIF format and are simple from the design, however nice for beginners and/or as small projects.

• Kitty and Me Country Craft Designs has charts for sale that are also available at local stores and all proceeds go to charity... nice idea. *smile*. Free charts include 'The Millennium Cats' and a few other cat designs in PDF (Adobe Acrobat Reader) format. A must see for any cat fan or if you know someone who is and you would like to surprise them with a small stitch project. *smile*

  Told in a Garden is a website that informs you of what new charts are available in local stores (their designs I think), but they also offer free Christmas Angels that are really gorgeous. The free patterns here are in PDF format, but also in TIFF and GIF format (both are picture file formats).

• Last but not least, visit this online Crafters Community where you will be able to find anything and everything on the topic of crafts. Links to other websites of interest, live chats, projects for holidays, online shops, supplies, free patterns, help and tutorials... you name it they have it here.

*** IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT URL's (LINKS), PRIVACY AND/OR MAINTENANCE ***
This Newsletter and/or its Author are not responsible for the Maintenance and/or the Privacy Policies of websites listed within the Newsletter Issue(s)! At the time of publication, all listed URL's (Links) for websites and/or programs are in working condition and are accessible. The sudden unaccessibility of a website and/or program may be due to sudden traffic increase and/or other temporary causes I have no control over. Try the URL (Link) for any given program and/or website again at a later time.    Thank you!

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On the Lighter Side of Life -:)

Lone Ranger & Tonto