The truth is, however, that this type of mural is rather easy to construct as long as you have tools to do it.

The easiest way to create a jungle mural is to transfer a desired jungle scene, animal or image to transparency film, and then use an overhead projector to display image on wall, which you can then trace out and begin painting.

You will find that transparency film can be purchased from any store that sells computer accessories, business or school items. As for projector, you may be fortunate enough to be able to borrow one from your work place, or your child’s school.

If that is not an option, you can always rent one, or purchase one from a local business store or online.

The best place to look for images for your jungle mural is on internet, simply because your child will be given many more options to choose from, as well as images can be easily printed off on transparency film. When looking for images, a good rule of thumb, if you are artistically challenged, is to make sure that you don’t select images with too much detail.

Try to select those that are two-dimensional. In addition to using transparencies, you can also use stencils for smaller animals such as for any birds that may be in sky or sitting on trees. Stencils can be purchased in craft stores.

Or what about time that your little sister. . .?

Or how about time that your mom was making. . .and burned the. . .?

You probably have hundreds of these stories tucked away in your memory. Perhaps you've even thought that someday you would like to write about them. There's only one problem. "I don't know where to start — I wouldn't know what to write," you think to yourself.

One simple technique that will help you recall those stories and put them into written form is called "clustering," which is featured in a book titled Writing Natural Way by Gabriele Lusser Rico (copyright 1983; J.P. Tarcher, Inc.)

Whether you are aiming for publication or whether you just want to write down your stories for your children and grandchildren isn't important. The technique will help you to recall your life stories.

Materials needed: several sheets of paper; a pen or a pencil.

1. Find a comfortable place that's quiet where you can work for 15 to 30 minutes without being interrupted (kitchen table; desk in your office; easy chair in your living room).

2. Think of a subject that is meaningful for you, such as Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, Easter, New Year's Day. Other possibilities include birthdays, a beloved pet, a best friend, an older brother or sister, a younger brother or sister, a cousin, grandmother, grandfather, your mom or dad, a neighbor who was like a mother/father/grandmother/grandfather. Additional possibilities could include an enjoyable hobby, such as growing flowers, vegetable gardening, baking cookies, baking cakes, making candy, or sewing.

3. Write subject that you have selected in center of one of sheets of paper and then circle it.

4. Draw a line with an arrow from your central word. Put it wherever it feels "right" to you. Up or down. Left or right. At an angle. Fill in point of arrow. Filling in arrow will give your brain a few seconds to make connection to next word or phrase associated with your subject. The basis of whole exercise is to allow your left brain and right brain to work together (to coordinate analytical and creative).