INPUT ARTICLE: Article: What kind of look do you want your journal to have? Lots of this will be determined by what you have laying around. Here are some ideas: You could take extra felt bits and make a pretty design that's sewed or glued on You could use buttons or other small decorative items for flair You could use glitter, ribbon, or other shiny, eye-catching additions Spread your journal out so that you're looking at the front and back covers at the same time. Put it face down on the table in front of you over your piece of felt. Start measuring, leaving 1/4" (.6cm) on all sides. Once you have a piece that's measured and just slightly bigger, cut 'er out. Now you need felt for the inside covers you need something pretty on the inside, too, in addition to the front needing something to attach to. To figure out how big these should be, look at the flexibility of your journal: If your journal is super flexible (as in the two covers can practically touch when bent back), measure out a piece of felt that's the same height as the first piece, but that's about 1 or 2" (2.5-5cm) shorter than half of the original piece. If your journal is not very flexible (the two covers aren't close to being about to touch when bent), measure out a piece of felt that's the same height as the first piece, but that's 2 -4" (5-9cm) shorter than half of the original piece. These measurements are also determined by the size of your journal. A smaller or larger journal will require smaller or larger panels. In looking at your journal, you should be able to tell how large an inside panel your book could feasibly fit into. You didn't do all that planning for nothing. Now's the time to decorate your front (before you attach it to anything else). So get to sewing, gluing, taping, whatever you see fit. And if you're decorating the back, do that side, too. If you're using anything that needs to dry, make sure you give it adequate time to do so before you continue on. If it's not, you could wind up with a mess on your hands while finishing up. With the pretty side of your cover piece facing down, lay on your inside cover pieces (the two smaller pieces that'll be the flaps). They should be touching the outside edges, leaving a gap in the middle. Make sure to line their edges up perfectly, one directly on top of the other. The good side of the flaps should be facing up, while the good side of the cover should be facing down. Starting in one corner, sew with the blanket stitch around the edges of your entire journal. It's easiest to do with a machine, but you could get away with doing it by hand, too. It's just the same basic stitch over and over and over. The beauty of the felt journal is that it has a cozy unrefined-ness to it. If you don't have amazing sewing skills, don't fret. Do your best and if it's loose in places, there's always super glue to the rescue! Your journal cover is officially done. Now all you have to do is slide your journal in and enjoy. If you made it for a gift and now you want to keep it for yourself, just call it your "practice round."

SUMMARY: Plan out your design. Cut out a piece of felt just larger than the book is when it's open. Cut out two pieces of felt for the inside front and back covers, too. Decorate your front. Lay the inside pieces over the larger cover piece. Sew all the way around the edges. Slide your journal in.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: They are odd things, but if they work at it, these types of things can work on top of the therapy sessions, and are something the child will probably *want* to accomplish, and will help them gain muscle functionality. Piano relies heavily on fine motor skills, and also works on the brain. Add to this the self-esteem boost when the child plays a new song, and there's hardly a reason to not do it. These can improve balance, motor skills, self-esteem, and confidence. The teachers can also help with behavioral issues.

SUMMARY: Get your child with CP to hop on one foot, or play with a ball, or other such activities. When the child is old enough, enroll them in a piano course. On top of Piano and common sports, try to get them to do something like Gymnastics, or Karate.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Changes in the condition or appearance of a guinea pig's eyes are often an indication of infection. Conjunctivitis (pink eye), for instance, which is a bacterial eye infection, tends to cause redness and inflammation on the eyelid and surrounding the eye, and can cause oozing or dripping of fluid from the eye. While ear infections are less common than eye infections in guinea pigs, check the ears for pus or other discharge. Also, if your guinea pig appears to be going deaf, is constantly scratching its ears, is walking with a tilt or imbalance, or is walking in circles or rolling, you may be dealing with an ear infection. Guinea pig teeth grow constantly and are meant to be kept worn down to the proper length by the roughage they eat. Due to heredity, improper diet, or another cause, some guinea pigs will end up with teeth that are too long and/or misaligned, which is known as malocclusion. Malocclusion, in turn, can make eating difficult or even impossible, leading to a host of problems, or cause bleeding and possibly infections. If your guinea pig starts eating less than normal, start drooling far more than usual (sometimes called "the slobbers"), or is bleeding from the mouth, have it checked for malocclusion. Most cases can be treated by filing or cutting down the teeth. Pneumonia is the most common cause of death in pet guinea pigs and is usually caused by a bacterial infection. Treatment can be a challenge due to guinea pigs' intolerance for certain antibiotics, but early detection is the best way to increase the likelihood of recovery. Watch for unusual oozing or discharge from the nose; sneezing; difficulty breathing or wheezing; fever; weight loss; loss of appetite; change in attitude (depression); inflamed, crusty, or dull and sunken eyes; or lethargy. Generally speaking, pneumonia should be ruled out any time your guinea pig displays common signs of illness. Your guinea pig's waste can tell you a good deal about its overall health. A lack of frequent urine or stool production is an immediate cause for concern, as is evidence of blood in either. Alternatively, excessive urination or diarrhea also often indicate a problem and should be addressed without delay. While cleaning your guinea pig's living space, familiarize yourself with the typical output and appearance of its waste. Healthy guinea pigs are well-oiled machines when it comes to eating food and producing waste, so take deviations from the norm at either end as evidence of a possible illness.

SUMMARY:
Keep an eye out for infections. Watch for a malocclusion. Be wary of pneumonia. Don't ignore the droppings.