Colorado Springs, CO (PRWEB) February 13, 2014

After 50 plus years of use, the tile in the football team showers at Minnesota State University Moorhead was worn and dingy and the concrete floor was badly discolored. The facility was unattractive to both the team and to visiting recruits. To fix the problem the university was faced with removing and replacing the tile and resurfacing the floor.

Faced with budget constraints, Jeff Goebel, Moorheads Physical Plant Manager, needed an affordable solution as the estimated tile replacement alone would run in excess of $30,000. and this didnt include any costs for unforeseen problems once demolition started. We all know that it can get pretty ugly once you start taking tile walls down, according to Goebel.

Goebel turned to Miracle Method Surface Refinishing and their process of refinish existing surfaces to update the showers without expensive and time consuming removal and replacement renovation. Miracle Method performed the work over the 2013 Christmas break, completing the project in just seven days vs. an estimated three weeks for new tile and floor work. Refinishing saved the university nearly 75% of the replacement estimate. By using Miracle Method well be able to upgrade more showers and bathrooms in a shorter period of time and for less money. Were very pleased with the results, adds Goebel.

Miracle Method provides innovative, affordable and durable solutions for colleges and universities in the US and Canada. Visit http://www.miraclemethod.com/commercial or call 800-444-8827 to learn more.

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Miracle Method Updates University of Minnesota Moorhead Team Showers

Feb. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, a Republican, speaks about government response to a potentially historic winter storm that threatens to coat the state with ice. Deal speaks at a news conference in Atlanta. (Source: Bloomberg)

Edward Spearman, his Atlanta-based tile import business shut down by an ice storm yesterday, did about the only thing he could do. He plopped down on a cushy sofa in front of a warm, split-wood fire with his 5-month-old son in his lap and answered e-mails -- in between tickles.

Dit, dit, dit, dit, dit, Spearman, 46, dressed in sweats and a long-sleeve t-shirt, said to the cooing baby after setting aside his device for a moment.

He wasnt at home. Spearman was part of an exodus Tuesday night to hotels like the Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead, metro Atlantas swank business epicenter. They were fleeing what were expected to be mass power outages from ice-encased tree limbs crashing onto electric lines.

Geoff Meacham, 43, a biotechnology equities analyst for JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), took a lounge seat at the Ritz and ordered an egg-white omelet to go. He was headed next door to his office to get some work done. With three children ages 4 through 7 at home, he found that hard to do during the last storm Jan. 29.

Its just a really busy time of year to us, with the earnings season and a lot of deals, said Meacham, who had driven his wifes Land Rover SUV.

More than 100,000 Georgians had lost power by late morning yesterday in the states second major winter storm in two weeks. The last storm left people stranded on the interstates for more than 20 hours and made national headlines, as residents blamed poor planning by state and local officials. Residents also recall winter storms in 2011 and 2000 that trapped people in their homes for days.

Snow plows clear downtown lanes on Interstate 75/85 on Feb. 12, 2014, in Atlanta.

Snow plows clear downtown lanes on Interstate 75/85 on Feb. 12, 2014, in Atlanta. Close

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Atlantas Ritz-Carlton Turns Refugee Center in Ice Storm

Folk weave tile work
Custom marble, ceramic, and glass bathroom.

By: bannon shatto

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Folk weave tile work - Video

It was an interesting blend of historical narrative and knowledge on contemporary conservation work for all those who assembled at the Humayuns Tomb, a world heritage site, on Saturday morning.

A group of people from different walks of life were explained the rationale behind certain architectural design patterns and gardens of the Mughal era. Most importantly, they were updated about the significant restoration work undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, which has also improved the socio-economic conditions of people living in the Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti.

Part of The Hindu Lit for Life, the event aimed at shedding light on the Mughal era was thankfully not a monologue but an interactive one as curious heritage lovers bombarded with questions AKTC project director Ratish Nanda, who spearheaded the restoration work of the Humayuns Tomb. Mr. Nanda succinctly explained the work done so far by his organisation.

The participants were first taken to the Isa Khans Garden Tomb, which pre-dates the Humayuns Tomb. We are standing within the large Humayuns Tomb complex. It is an ensemble of the 16 Century garden tomb. How many of you have read the Baburnama? In his memoir, Mughal emperor Babur was critical of the lack of enclosed gardens in Hindustan. Isa Khan was a noble in the court of Sher Shah Suri. It is the only octagonal tomb surviving of that period, said Mr. Nanda.

Reconstruction of the collapsed portions of the gateway, restoration of the finial on the dome and structural repairs to the garden retaining wall have been undertaken as part of the conservation work at the Isa Khans Garden Tomb.

While explaining the significant work carried out, Mr. Nanda was critical of the nasty reconstruction work undertaken during the past 150 years. He said using inappropriate construction material such as cement had led to deterioration of heritage buildings.

Pointing out that Aga Khan offered to restore the garden of Humayuns Tomb on the 50 anniversary of Indias Independence, the AKTC project director said cement concrete laid in the tomb during the 20 Century to prevent water ingress was removed from the roof.

As cement plaster was accelerating deterioration, we had to apply lime plaster. The conservation work was carried out to restore the architectural integrity. There were lightning conductors in canopies. The dome was leaking. So we had to fill the joint with limestone.

As part of the conservation work, master craftsmen from Uzbekistan trained youngsters from the Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti in the art of traditional tile making which had been lost in India.

During the interactive session, Mr. Nanda revealed that Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar had taken refuge at the Humayuns Tomb thinking the British would not dare to intrude inside.

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A walk through Indias rich heritage

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S TAN Pursell's first and last days in the world of work could not have been more different. The 79-year-old began his working life doing odd jobs at a garage, and ended it jetting around the globe.

The retired tool-making manager at H&R Johnson, who lives in Dairylands Road, Church Lawton, left school in December 1948.

"I was one of the first pupils to be caught up in the change of the leaving age from 14 to 15," he says.

"I started work that same month in the commercial garage of Newcastle Motors.

"The working week was 47 hours, 8am until 5.30pm from Monday to Friday and 8am until 12.30 on Saturdays, for which I received the princely sum of 24 shillings and sixpence.

"There was one week of annual holiday, plus five bank holidays.

"I worked in all parts of the business and was enjoying my work but then, while I was still in my first year, the Labour government nationalised road transport."

Stan's employers were not selected as a repair depot and the commercial lorry side of the business began to falter.

"After cleaning up different parts of the garage I was sent home each day at lunchtime, without pay of course.

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Way We Were: Retired H&R Johnson tool-making manager shares...

A brief daytime break from freezing temperatures is breaking pipes across the Sound.

In Kenmore, restoration crews were prepping to pull out insulation and ceiling tile from three spaces that flooded Thursday evening.

"There's like a 6-inch wall of water throughout 50 feet of space there that came rushing out." Said James Mahar, who has a chiropractic office a few doors down. He was at work when the manager of an empty space found a pipe, broken in five places, was flooding the building.

"I've been in this building 20 years and I've never seen anything like that." He said.

Daniel Wright has. This is the sixthcall out for his cleaning and restoration crew this week.

"It can be tens of thousands of dollars. It's a lot of money." Said Wright.

Water in a pipe freezes and expands to a diameter wider than the pipe itself, causing it to break. When temperatures thaw out, the water rushes out.

Residents were close to a catastrophe at an Issaquah home where the exterior pipe to a garden hose froze. Weld marks show where the pipe was fixed the last time it burst. This time, the plumbers were called in time to flush the ice out.

"This more than a success on the customer's part. No damage was done." Said Kris Jones, with Steves Plumbing.

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Frozen pipes flood spaces

Photos by L. L. Angell On the Sebastian Art Studio Tour, artist Suza Talbot beside Emergence.

Painter and sculptor Geoffrey Myers in dining room with Gibson Girl.

A member of the Sebastian Art Studio Tour, Marte McMurry creates silver and gold jewelry and tile mosaics.

Rita Bernstein adjacent to a large silk painting is part of Saturdays Art Studio Tour in Sebastian.

Artist Mary Segal holds prize-winning painting Autumn Garden in her Sebastian studio.

SEBASTIAN SEBASTIAN -- The Sebastian Art Studio Tour presents the chance to see first-hand 12 artists creative spaces for a closer look. Happening Saturday, Feb. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., this tour is free and fun.

The star line up of professionals: Suza Talbot painting and sculpture; Richard Ramirez ceramics and painting; Diane Mieres ceramics; Toni Hill photography and mixed media; Rita Bernstein silk art; mixed media and aromatherapy; Marte McMurry silver and gold jewelry and tile mosaics; Kristen Knudsen jewelry; Mary Segal -- painting, mixed-media and monotypes; Robert Johnson sculpture; Roy Woodall watercolor, wood carving and prints; Geoffrey Myers sculpture and painting and Stouthouse stained glass and oils curated by artistic director Quentin Walter in honor of the late Weldon Stout.

Lifelong artist, Suza Talbot left Gainesville for Sebastian in November 2013 to be closer to her daughter and grandchildren in Melbourne.

I love the house and I love Sebastian, says Talbot.

Filling the two-story cracker farmhouse with her work and converting the porch into a sunny studio, she plans to teach small workshops there.

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Step inside the artist's studio

Blackburn mum's pottery thats Miles better

11:00am Monday 3rd February 2014 in News By Diane Cooke, Feature Writer

JULIE Miles vowed when she became a ceramicist that she would make art her full-time career.

With my family moving to Lancashire from the Potteries when I was 14 it makes me a bit of a ceramic clich as I come from a long line of pottery workers from brick makers to tile painters, she says.

So I suppose its in the blood, but when I went to art college I wanted to be an embroiderer. I turned to clay as it was a material I could use to create outdoor work and also play with fire.

And Julie, 43, of c has not stopped working since. Based at Higherford Mill, in Barrowford, she works relentlessly for a mixed economy creating everything from stunning ceramic vases and jewellery through to huge brick landscape projects whilst working in local schools as an artist in residence.

Julie believes people are attracted to her work because they want a unique piece of art in their home. Its satisfying to know the background of an artist and the history behind a piece, she says.

Inspired by landscape and nature, she incorporates individual leaves and flowers into her clay, picked from her own and other people's gardens. Her pieces delicate vases, tealight holders, vessels and decorative flowers are available in galleries around the country, and she accepts one-off commissions via her website.

Or people bring things to me they want their garden captured in a piece. She even preserves wedding bouquets in porcelain.

I'll make anything as long as it's white, she jokes.

Read more from the original source:
Blackburn mum's pottery thats Miles better

Casey Deng paints tiles

Casey Deng, 4, of Fargo, decides which color to choose next as she paints one of two clay tiles she created Saturday at Kid Quest at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo. One tile is for herself and the other will be given to a patient of Hospice of the Red River Valley. Dave Wallis / The Forum

FARGO The Plains Art Museum held a Kid Quest activity Saturday and more than 200 children took part in the days theme of Clay for a Cause.

The children were asked to make a clay tile for themselves and at least one tile that will be given to a patient of Hospice of the Red River Valley.

Each tile gift will also come with a personal note of encouragement.

Maya Wyganowska was concentrating on making a clay figure for her tile when she was asked if her project might end up brightening someones day.

Yeah, I hope it does, said the 9-year-old, who along with her siblings has been attending Kid Quest sessions for a number of years.

Sometimes, I bring my friends along and they really like it, she said of the activities, which are held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. the first Saturday of each month, starting in October and continuing through April.

Mayas mother, Joanna Wyganowska, said she appreciates that her four children get the chance to enjoy the museums artwork while dabbling creatively themselves, all at no cost.

What I like about the program is that each month theyre discovering something different, they play with a different medium, Joanna Wyganowska said.

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Plains Art Museum event helps kids create 'Clay for a Cause'

As far as transformations go there is more than meets the eye for Eisenhower.

When Robert Stevenson and Steven Taylor were sophomores the Eagles struggled mightily. The program lacked competitiveness and lollygagged its way to five victories.

Stevenson and Taylor are seniors now, and thanks to second-year coach Mark Patton everything is different. The Eagles are district champions.

Eisenhower defeated visiting Alief Taylor, 53-39, on Friday night to clinch at least a share of the 18-5A title. Taylor is three games back of Eisenhower (24-5, 10-1) with three games left in the regular season.

It is the Eagles' first district championship since the 2008 team won 30 games. Before Patton took over last season Eisenhower it had not had a winning season since then.

After going 5-28 as a sophomore, Stevenson said he wondered if he'd ever experience success in his high school career.

"I was just trying to keep my head up two years ago," said Stevenson, who scored 10 of his team-high 14 points in the fourth quarter on Friday. "I didn't think we'd be here now, but we're here."

The Eagles have arrived thanks to Patton's program overhaul.

He changed the culture by emphasizing hard work and discipline. Patton said the Eagles needed to learn how to compete at the Class 5A level. A large part of that was putting individual gain aside in favor of teamwork.

It worked like a charm in his first season. The Eagles went from five victories in 2011-12 to 25 wins in 2012-13. They placed third in district play and made the playoffs.

Originally posted here:
Eisenhower claims district tile with win over Alief Taylor