Our small family sign business has been in operation since 1908.  While the sign industry has witnessed tremendous change in these last nearly 100 years, our shop's commitment to quality has remained constant. Please visit my ebay store for more unique signs produced here in the USA by the third generation of our ongoing family affair. http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Signhappy Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:41:22 -0600 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.squidoo.com/themercuryretrograde Let me introduce you to the best new band you've never heard of. They're The Mercury Retrograde, and they've got what it takes to rock your world. To begin with, "we don't sound like anybody else," says lead guitarist Kevin Brennan. Indeed, when these four musicians take to the stage, "They are," as one music business insider commented, "a breath of fresh air."  Creatively, these young players are breathing new life into the Columbus, Ohio rock scene, with their fresh take on a classic rock vibe. Kevin Brennan, Remy Brommer, Ethan Schiff and Daniel Zabludovsky are blending their unique interpretations of rock to produce one of the most compelling and memorable rock catalogs on the scene today.  Carrying on the great traditions of rock and roll  From the start, the band has been more focused on doing their own music than on playing covers.  Remy and Daniel write the songs; Kevin and Ethan lay in the guitar and drum tracks. It's a group effort that has produced results as good as any band in the business.  Plus, they put on a great gig. As a group, and individually, they're cool, smart and funny, and they pull the audience in with their humor and genuine accessibilty.  There's no doubt that they're having a great time when they lock into a groove on stage. And so is the audience. An audience which is interestingly diverse. Not just in a multi-cultural sense, but also in a generational dynamic. Sure,  they've attracted the expected following of kids their own age, but their fan base has a diverse range of rock lovers, from the college crowd to baby boomer geezers. What unites the audience is an appreciation for a kind of musicality that reflects the sound of the band's influences: The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and others. Then they ratchet it up a notch or two, infusing the sound with their unique sense of timing, harmony and lyrics, killer riffs and amped up guitar licks. Like many great bands before them, they have built on the traditions of rock, but made their sound their own. The result is a sound you can't get out of your head after a show, a song you find yourself singing in the car until it drives you nuts. They're that infectious. And they pull you in quickly; they grab you right away. You hear it once and you're hooked.  To quote the classic rock anthem "White Rabbit", these songs "feed your head."  From grimy campus dive bars, to the legendary Newport Music Hall, their fans have grooved to the sound that consistantly delivers it's promise of driving, climatic rock.     music Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:12:54 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/centuryofsigns A gift for your father can be tough to find. Does your Dad really need another shirt or sleeve of golf balls? It's difficult to find something different. So don't overlook a resource that's right at your fingertips: the internet. Besides the convenience, there are just so many more items to choose from. For example, one option for a unique gift that will put a smile on his face every time Dad pulls into the garage, or plops down into his favorite chair, is a fun, slightly sentimental sign. Remind him all year long how much you appreciate everything he does for you. Century of Signs Family Sign Shop is an Amazon store that carries unique, high quality gift signs. A small family business that has been in operation since 1908, the company began selling signs on ebay in 2005, and  steadily built a good clientele there. Now they've moved their store to Amazon. The company uses high quality aluminum, not plastic, backgrounds, and high performance vinyl lettering to creat their copyrighted designs. All signs are made in the shop in Columbus, Ohio. Many of their designs are one-of-a-kind, found no where else. shopping Sat, 14 Jun 2008 08:08:47 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/swim-team-gifts All over America young swimmers are donning their caps and swimming their hearts out for their school or community rec centers, as they dive into the pool in the frenzy that is a swim meet. It's great fun on a hot summer afternoon to dive into the cool water while Mom and Dad and Grandma cheer you on. But how about those swim team practices where the coach is wearing sweatpants and a jacket, the jet stream's delivering an artic blast from Canada, and the last place anybody wants to be is in the pool, indoors or not. These are the moments that require a bit of encouragement and a show of appreciation. A unique gift sign might be just the inspiration your swimmer needs. Check out my ebay store and find a great sign to inspire your great kid at <ahref=www.stores.ebay.com/Century-of-Signs-Family-Sign-Shop.  sports Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:03:30 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/teenandtweengifts Searching for a gift for a teenager or "tweenager" is not easy. Clothes are tough-is it the style, size or color they'll like?  Music or DVD's-do they already have it? Books-have they already read it? Purses, perfume, make-up--it's too dangerous to even hazard a guess as to what they're in to. After a few days in the mall, eliminating ideas one by one, it starts to feel impossible. "I'll never find anything special that they'll really like." And we've all experienced the consequence of not finding the right gift, because who is less interested in faking enthusiasm than a teenager. It only takes a second to gauge the look on their face to know whether or not the hours you spent going deaf at Hollisters paid off.     shopping Sat, 21 Jun 2008 10:19:44 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/SteveWinwood It was pouring rain. It was chilly. My wet jeans were shrinking onto to my legs, my feet were covered in mud, and they wouldn't let us bring our chairs into Blossom Music Center, so we sat on the soggy grass. It was A BLAST! A downpour did absolutely nothing to diminish the excitement of seeing Steve Winwood on Sunday evening, June 22 at Blossom Music Center near Cleveland, Ohio. Even in drenching rain, he sounded superb. The set list was a combination of new stuff from his fantastic recently released CD, Nine Lives, and the old hits. Winwood has one of the best voices in rock, and the new songs are instantly pleasing. He's done it again. Of course, it was the old favs that gave me chills (not the rain). He played all the hits--Can't Find My Way Home, Higher Love and even the Spencer Davis great Gimme Some Lovin'. But it was hearing him play Dear Mr. Fantasy live that made my dreams come true. Seeing Steve Winwood at Blossom was a cure for the blues I felt when I couldn't make one of the three nights last winter, when Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton thrilled fans in Madison Square Garden at a sold-out show that was a rock music lover's fantasy come true, For those of us not lucky enough to be in New York that week, we could only dream. We did, however, have a chance last summer to watch this dynamic duo onstage. The Chicago Crossroads Guitar Festival in July 2007 gave us a preview of coming attractions. Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton, former bandmates and friends from the early rock scene in the UK, wowed the festival audience. Winwood then answered our prayers and played a riveting solo of Dear Mr. Fantasy. So there is a consolation prize for all of the Winwood fans who couldn't make the New York gig, or Crossroads 2007, because this summer, Winwood is touring with rock legend Tom Petty, a lineup that's a concert goer's dream come true. Coming this summer to a town near you. music Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:25:06 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/cornholegifts First, let's take a brief trip down memory lane. It's a cold and rainy day, and your first grade Phys ed teacher has set up a bean bag toss in the gym because it's too muddy outside to play dodgeball.  Thanking the Almighty, you happily toss the musty beanbag. Even the dorkiest of dorks can toss a bean bag. You're golden.  At least until you hit Ashley Parker, the coolest girl in the class, right smack in the eye; an eye which immediately turns an  inhuman shade of green. Uh-oh. Now, fast forward twelve years. Did you keep practicing your bean bag tossing skills as Ms. Gulch suggested when she marked your report card with a glaring "Unsatisfactory" for hand-eye coordination? Let's hope so, because if you did, your time has come to shine.     sports Sat, 21 Jun 2008 10:09:42 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/collectingvintageandantiquesigns Just how hot is the vintage sign market? Click on ebay, and you'll see old signs, especially porcelain signs, going for prices from $200. and up. The interest in vintage signs and advertising graphics has exploded in the last decade. Collectors are recognizing the skill, craftsmanship and artistry that were part of the sign production process before the computer age.Collecting vintage and antique signs is rewarding on so many levels. First, it recognizes and preserves the talents of the graphic artists who created the signs.  In addition, the nostalgia factor is huge-so many signs advertised products from days gone by that are now hotly pursued by collectors in a specific field-brewery signs, petroleum signs, farm equipment signs and the like. And finally, collecting vintage and antique signs is rewarding just because of the decorative value of the signs themselves. Colorful, eclectic displays of signs add excitement and interest to any room.       diy Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:40:27 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/ElsietheCow Limpid brown eyes framed by luscious, endlessly long lashes and a radiant complexion, she's a familiar all-American beauty with a daisy chain necklace and a ready smile. Of course, she is a cow. But only in the best and truest sense of the word, because she's Elsie, our favorite bovine beauty. And her rise to stardom is quite a story. So just how did a gal from the farm end up a an American advertising legend? entertainment Thu, 29 May 2008 21:17:21 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/thenodietweightlossplan Starting a new diet is a sure way for me to gain weight and be miserable. It wasn't until I copied the eating habits of my skinny friend Ellen that I finally lost the weight I wanted and stopped obsessing about food.  health Thu, 29 May 2008 21:09:50 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/thriftstoreshopping It's the last Wednesday of the month, and a visitor to the Ohio Thrift Store in Columbus, Ohio might assume that a bomb went off in the store today. There are clothes everywhere; scattered on the floor, falling off of hangers, draped over racks. The harried staff can't keep up with the melee. The staff is exhausted anyway, because since the doors opened this morning it's been like the Oklahoma Land Rush, with frenzied shoppers running for carts and staking their claim to every manner of old coats, shoes, sweaters and pants that they can grab. The last Wednesday of the month is half price day at the thrift store, and every smart shopper in town has come to get their fair share. Or have they? Is it the smart shoppers who have come today to stuff their shopping carts full of as much junk as they will hold? Not on your life.  Because smart shopping is about more than low price. It's really about value; about using the dollars you spend to acquire something of quality. So how does a shopper on a short budget get high style at a thrift store? Years of thrift store shopping have taught me to follow these rules: Rule number one, don't buy something just because it's cheap. Probably the hardest to adhere to, but the most important. Otherwise, like our Wednesday sale maniacs, you will end up with cart fulls, and eventually house fulls, of clothes, shoes, coats and pants that don't fit, aren't your color and have broken zippers that you'll never fix. It's exciting to see a shirt from the Limited at a low price, but that alone is not a sufficient reason to buy. You must also: Make sure it's your size.  Resist the temptation to buy something that is a bit to small or that you'll be swimming in. At a normal store, finding your size is a no-brainer, but at the thrift store, with it's limited selection, it is more difficult, and you'll be tempted to stray up or down a size. Resist. You will not wear the pants that come up to your chins. You will not wear the shorts that hit your chins either. A word to the wise about the size!  Remember that in the US, sizes are getting bigger. In other words, what used to be a size 12, is now called a size 10 or even 8. This will affect a thrifter quite a bit. Since you're buying generally older items, you may need a size bigger than you would wear in a current item. Examine each item with a critical eye.  Remember, there is a reason someone gave away that Ralph Lauren shirt. Like that it has a big hole in the back. Look for broken zippers on pants and jackets. Look for moth holes and pilling on sweaters. Look for missing buttons on shirts, and look for stains on everything. Buy good brands that you could not otherwise afford.  A thrift store is not the place to buy cheap brands. The price difference between new and used on cheap brands is not great enough to compensate for the difference in convenience. If you want a cheaper brand, go ahead to K-mart and Walmart and get it there, where you can try it on, and return it if neccessary. One lesson learned from thrift store shopping is that good quality materials hold up over time.  At a thrift store, look for better brands that will hold up and retain their value. Consider the color and style-are they flattering to you?  Like the size, the color and style rule may be one you'll think of bending just because the selection is so limited. But stay firm. If you look terrible in lime green, you won't wear it. And the money you spent on the "great buy" lime green blouse will be a total waste. Shop when you have time and energy.  Thrift store shopping is much more time-consuming than a department store. Most are arranged by type and color, rather than size. So you need to look at whole racks of clothes rather than small sections. Shop at the beginning of the season. The best selection, and the nicest items will be found at the start of the season. As the season wears on, the clothes are picked-over, and there is not much to replenish the supply. Clothes are generally donated at the end of a season, and not during the midst of one. Try on as much as possible. Some thrift stores have dressing rooms, many do not. And even fewer will allow returns. So be prepared. Wear stretch leggings so that you can slip pants on over them for a quick fit check. Try on coats and sweaters for sure. Wear a tight fitting t-shirt so that you can slip into a blouse. It's a bit embarrassing, but will save you lots of money. Shop, or at least browse, in regular stores and catalogs too.  That way, you will be able to recognize a real value. Otherwise, you may assume that the thrift store price is a bargain, when a much better item may be available elsewhere for the same or similar price. Thrift stores are in business to make money, and as they have become more main-stream, so have their prices. Watch out for overpriced knock-offs.  It's not that likely that a genuine Prada or Gucci bag ends up at a thrift store, so when you see high-end designer pieces, often displayed as "showcase" items, be suspiscous.  Most of the time, these items are knock-offs, but the thrift store may label it as real and treat it like the crown jewels. So please pass on the "Gucci" purse with the stiff plastic lining and the polyvinyl leather, so matter how it's labeled. Check on ebay. The staff at thrift stores relys on ebay to set the price, but sometimes the thrift store is much, much higher. The thrift store staff, with their mounds to junk to sort through and price, are not very careful in comparing quality and condition to the ebay item, and so it's not unusual for a piece of junk to end up priced too high. Example: I saw a Royal Worchester juicer at the thrift store for $49.99.  The same juicer, in perfect condition, sold for $12.99 on ebay. I've seen Coach purses marked at $99.00 that were so worn and torn an ebay seller wouldn't touch it. I've seen Gibson China teapots with broken spouts marked at $40.00 at the thrift store, and the same item selling on ebay in mint condition for $6.99. Stick to this criteria faithfully, and you will save money at the thrift store. You can bet on it. shopping Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:03:13 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/guitarherogifts If your special guy loves to play the guitar or watch his favorite band rock the night away, you can be sure that he is passionate about two things: you, and music. A musician friend of mine, a guy who's been around rock since the 70's, partied with George and Ringo and toured with Joni Mitchell, once told me "When you're playing with a band and the house is rockin, there's no bigger high." shopping Sat, 14 Jun 2008 08:23:47 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/cheerleaderathletes Cheerleading is an athletic endeavor that rivals any other sport for endurance, coordination and skill. Today's cheerleaders spend long hours, both in conditioning and practicing their routines. Gone are the days when a cheerleader's primary aim was to be on the sidelines, cheering on the athletes. Today a cheerleader is as athletic and strong as the player she or he is encouraging on the field. Cheerleaders are expected to be in top condition, and spend hours at the gym to achieve the strength, tone and flexibility they need to execute challenging routines, pyramids and formations. sports Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:02:28 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/frankhdesch When we visualize the "turn of the century," meaning the early 1900's, we see rosy-cheeked young women in big picture hats or charming pastoral landscapes of babbling brooks and flower-filled meadows. This impression is the legacy of a generation of talented and prolific illustration artists and painters, such as Frank H. Desch, who worked hard to visually represent an idealized American way of life.   During the period from 1895 to 1945, known as the "Golden Age" of illustration, artists were commissioned to produce commercial art reflecting an ideal America. As Americans moved from rural settings to cities, they looked back nostalgically to the past and the farm for comfort from the harsh realities of mass production and urbanization. The lovely pastoral scenes were a distraction from the gritty, dirty city life people were now experiencing. In addition, the demand for calendar art, magazine covers, book illustrations and advertising pieces exploded as improved printing techniques made the reproduction of paintings and pastels more affordable and attractive.    arts Sat, 07 Jun 2008 19:11:20 -0600