Ezine Article

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Scrap Work of Art – How to Make a Tin Can Toys


Scrap Work of Art – How to Make a Tin Can Toys
By: Noel N. Villarosa


People who are born with artistic talent can spot a probable art out from scrap that was disposed of. Roaming the street while walking or jogging is where a greater chance of finding the would-be art to build and to enhance. The scrap we trampled every day could be our diversion from being idle into being ingenious.


Every day people used to consume different kinds of drinks: bottled or canned drinks, but there is one thing you could not ignore, these things aside from the refreshing feelings we get from drinking it, but also the designs that come along with the container.


The easy to mold tin can is a conceivable material. It can easily cut into desired shapes and sizes. The canned drinks have many colorful designs that you can classify according to its color to have a uniform background as its design. We can design any toy out of tin can. Preparing the following materials will help us to build the desired design:

  1. Tin can
  2. Tin snips (to cut sheet metal)
  3. Gloves (to protect your hands when working with raw cut edges)
  4. Cutter (to start a small cut to allow scissors’ pointed blade make the starting point cut)
  5. Super glue or Steel Epoxy

The canned drinks like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Mirinda and many others would splice to form a great artwork. You can visualize the body parts of a toy car.


Preparing the wheels. The bottom part of a tin can will be cut--you need two tin cans to be able to collect two bottom parts--what you need to do is to overlap the two bottom parts to create its wheels--so for this, you need to have 8 tin cans to create 4 wheels.


Preparing the axle shaft. The leftover from the cut-out tin can that we used in making wheels will be used as the axle shaft. We will cut again to the middle to stretch it, and cut a smooth edge on every corner. Fold it in horizontal circular shape to make an axle shaft (you need to join its end by using super glue and to maintain its circular shape). Then for each end, try to cut a petal form and flatten it to stick in the middle of the wheels by using a super glue (press it, up to 10 seconds to stick hardly). You do not need to fix the other end of the wheels until you insert the part of the axle inside the rivet ring of the tin can, which you are going to use as the steering knuckle.


Preparing steering knuckle. You need to have a suspension component to hang the axle shaft at the chassis of the toy car so the wheels will move freely. What you need to do is fix a two ring-pull tab (from the canned drink) at the chassis of the car--to fix this, you need to cut a two separate small opening (maybe 2 inches apart) to fit the ring-pull tab (use super glue to stick it inside the cut). Leave the rivet ring to expose and push inside the axle shaft. This time you have to fix the other wheels like what you did with the first wheel attached to the axle shaft.


Molding the car body.  Have a picture of your model car that you would like to copy. Cut the desired shape of the body and piece by piece connect it to form the desired design of the body, you can use the super glue to stick the pieces, and do whatever jazzing up you want to put into your car is not impossible.


The piece of artwork that you will create from this tin can is worthy of admiration and wonder, as the artistry is done with strict patience and dedication. This is also a unique gift to give your child before he succumbed to the electronic gadgets.

Manila - A Smiling Place To Visit



Manila - A Smiling Place to Visit
By: Noel N. Villarosa
30 December 2012


Aside from the beautiful scenery, enticing foods, and the exciting long trip to a place--nothing would hold back the longing to set your foot in the same place you have visited because there is something that you treasured most.

Manila, the capital city of the Philippines--with a few remaining old facades resembling landmarks of great history is still intact to mesmerize you on remembering the good old days. Now highly urbanized with many skyrocketing buildings and malls to prance in--the big advancement will transport your curiosity to know more about this place.

Manila if not the most charming destinations in Asia is nestled attractively on the eastern shore of Manila Bay flanked with expressways, main roads and streets, and Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The dazzling attraction of this place can widely be seen with the people’s accommodating smile, eagerness to help when somebody is looking for a place, and leaving no baleful scheme, and a generous trust that you will partake in when these people are talking. Makati is one of the cities of Metro Manila and the financial center of the Philippines, known also for its cosmopolitan culture because of relationships among individuals marked with diversity in their beliefs. Moreover, its major shopping centers, condominiums, financial hubs, hotels, and entertainment hubs reconcile these differences. What makes it more appealing is the Greenbelt Chapel at the center of its busy shopping mall. Preserved with its dense green forests and the remarkable sculptures you will find in every corner. This chapel is included among the top ten things to do when visiting Manila.

Who will not be entertained with the wonders brought while visiting Rizal Park, also known as Luneta Park, in the heart of Manila, made known as historical because it was the place where the famous National Hero (Dr. Jose Rizal) was executed thru a firing squad. The place is next to the old walled city of Manila, known today as Intramuros.

Luneta located along Manila Bay has been the favorite spot for socializing; fortifies family bonding by making it as their house extension for an open-air sharing of foods, talking, and a chance to visit the Museum of the Filipino People, Japanese Garden, National Library of the Philippines, Rizal Monument, and enjoy the music from the concert at the park. It is home to various groups with common goals in life.

The marvel architecture of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, which is located in Pasay City, has been the flagship venue for various local and international performances and exhibitions. The Tanghalang Pambansa (National Theater) is its headquarters. Designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin, its design has been qualified to be an important cultural landmark.

The fascinating simple lifestyle of the people attracted many tourists to revisit this city. The trademark smile of the people will greet you from the very first day of your stay up to the day of your departure. Come and experience the best accommodations that simply offer you the best food and a soothing relaxation point. Manila City where the fun begins from its busy streets and into every place that you come across will leave beautiful memories to your heart.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Jack and Jill with Incredible Hulk (Fictional Story)



By: Noel Nicolas Villarosa

Once upon a time, there lived three good friends: Jack, Jill, and Incredible Hulk. Jack and Jill were loyal friends to the Incredible Hulk. One day, Incredible Hulk heard a story of the magic well at the top of the hill that whoever washed from the water will take away the curse on him. He heard that it was on top of the monkey’s hill. Incredible Hulk thought to himself that he could not go out and let other people be scared of his image; so he thought of sending his two best friends (Jack and Jill) up the hill to retrieve the magical water for him. Therefore, he called for Jack and Jill. He told them to go up the hill and fill the pail with water. Being as loyal as they were, Jack and Jill went up the hill and filled the pail with ease. Just then, as they were walking down the hill, little by little-- the water in the pail was leaking out and was emptying its content.

Jack and Jill hurriedly gave the pail of water to Incredible Hulk and hoping that a drop of the water from the magic well will break the curse, and will restore his normal image as a person. What they didn’t know was that it should be fully filled and be showered down to the whole body of Incredible Hulk, while that little water left in the bucket was not enough to take away the curse of Incredible Hulk. Therefore, what Jack and Jill did was to replace the bucket with a new one with no hole in it, so that water will not leak and could bring a bucket full of the magic water. The two went up again, while the two take long in climbing up the hill, Incredible Hulk could not wait for so long and he got angry and start smashing the ground, and because of the shaking of the ground that caused the two friends (Jack and Jill) on tumbling down without bringing a pail of water from the magic well. From that day on, Incredible Hulk did not see them again as they were buried under the ground. Incredible Hulk remained as a monster and could only express his heartfelt sorry to Jack and Jill by singing this song:


Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of magic water
because I smashed the ground
That caused Jack to fell down
and Jill came tumbling after


The pail of magic water did not reach the ground
Up to this day, I remained a monster
A lesson to remember, how to hold my anger
Now I’m holding a broken crown they dropped from falling down

La, la, la, la, la, la, la

THE END.