Abstract: A method for both wrapping a floral arrangement and removing the wrapping material from the floral arrangement, comprising a sheet of material having a pull tab and pull indicia thereon, the pull tab sized to be easily graspable, a bonding material disposed on the sheet of material near the pull tab. A floral arrangement is utilized, the floral arrangement being wrapped in the sheet of material, the sheet of material being crimped about a portion of the floral arrangement.

Abstract: A plant packaging system comprising a combination of a protective sleeve portion and a decorative cover portion having a base and skirt for packaging a potted plant. The protective sleeve can be detached from the decorative portion of the package system once the protective function of the sleeve has been completed, thereby exposing the decorative cover and allowing the skirt portion to extend angularly from the base. The protective sleeve and decorative cover components may comprise a unitary construction or may comprise separate components which are attached together by various bonding materials.

Abstract: A microscope slide having a glass plate, a marking surface coating on an area of the glass plate, and indicia formed by etching away portions of the marking surface coating. The marking surface coating may comprise an epoxy resin material, a ceramic material, or any other substance capable of being affixed as a layer onto a glass surface. The indicia may include machine-readable indicia, human-readable indicia, or both machine-readable and human-readable indicia. In order to produce accurate, high-quality indicia, a laser directed by a computer controller may be used to etch away the portions of the marking surface coating.

Abstract: An article forming system for forming at least one sheet of material into an article, such as a decorative flower pot cover for example, and a novel article formed utilizing such a system. The article forming system includes a male die, a female die and a platform having a support surface and an opening extending through the support surface. The female die is disposed generally within the opening in the platform with the upper end of the female die being disposed near the support surface. The article forming system includes means for slidingly holding portions of the sheet of material generally against portions of the support surface while permitting such held portions to slide on the support surface during the forming of the article for cooperating in forming a decorative border on the decorative flower pot cover type of article which flares generally away from the flower pot object when the decorative flower pot cover article is applied to the flower pot.

Abstract: A method for both wrapping a floral arrangement and removing the wrapping material from the floral arrangement, comprising a sheet of material having a pull tab and pull indicia thereon, the pull tab sized to be easily graspable, a bonding material disposed on the sheet of material near the pull tab. A floral arrangement is utilized, the floral arrangement being wrapped in the sheet of material, the sheet of material being crimped about a portion of the floral arrangement.

Abstract: An article forming system for forming at least one sheet of material into an article, such as a decorative flower pot cover for example, and a novel article formed utilizing such a system. The article forming system includes a male die, a female die and a platform having a support surface and an opening extending through the support surface. The female die is disposed generally within the opening in the platform with the upper end of the female die being disposed near the support surface. The article forming system includes means for slidingly holding portions of the sheet of material generally against portions of the support surface while permitting such held portions to slide on the support surface during the forming of the article for cooperating in forming a decorative border on the decorative flower pot cover type of article which flares generally away from the flower pot object when the decorative flower pot cover article is applied to the flower pot.

Abstract: An exercise device for exercising an individual's hand and forearm while grasping an object is provided. The exercise device includes a resilient body member dimensioned to be compressively gripped with the hand of the individual and having a bore extending through the resilient body member and a slit extending from the bore along the length of the bore such that the resilient body member is selectively movable between an open position and a closed position. The diameter of the bore is dimensioned such that the resilient body member frictionally engages the object when the object is positioned in the bore while permitting sliding movement of the resilient body member along the object when the resilient body member is in a noncompressed condition and such that the resilient body member frictionally engages the object and prevents slidingly movement of the resilient body member along the object when the object is positioned in the bore and the resilient body member is in a compressed condition.

Abstract: A wrapping material for wrapping a floral arrangement, comprising a sheet of material having an angle cut, the sheet of material having tick marks to indicate where to dispose a floral arrangement thereupon. The sheet of material has a bonding material disposed thereupon. A floral arrangement is utilized, the floral arrangement being disposed on the sheet of material generally in the area designated by the tick mark, the floral arrangement being wrapped in the sheet of material and being substantially surrounded and encompassed therein. Methods of using the wrapping material to wrap a floral arrangement.

Abstract: A self-standing livestock feeder for holding salt, minerals, grain, and the like. The livestock feeder includes a plurality of leg members constructed of a polymeric material, a circularly-shaped trough constructed of a polymeric material, and a feed storage bin constructed of a tubular polymeric material. The trough and the feed storage bin are supported on the legs by a polymeric support ring. The feed storage bin has at least one feed dispensing opening disposed through the feed storage bin at the lower end thereof to permit gravitational flow of feed from the feed storage bin into the trough via the feed dispensing openings whereby such feed is accessible to livestock.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing and bagging decorative grass, such as Easter grass. The apparatus includes an extruder, a godet, a slitter, a cutter, a bagging assembly and a programmable logic controller. The extruder produces a continuous sheet of material, which is fed by the godet into the slitter and cutter. A thickness gauge is provided between the extruder and slitter to measure the thickness of the sheet of material. The slitter has a row of blades which slit the sheet into a continuous length of slitted material. The cutter includes a rotatable blade which transversely cuts the slitted material into a number of individual filaments. The sheet of material is urged through the slitter and cutter by the godet and an air flow produced by a blower. The blower then forces the filaments to the bagging assembly, which has a rotatable turret, an inserter and a bag handler. The turret has a number of magazines for receiving from the cutter and for discharging the filaments into bags.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a ribbon assembly having a decorative ribbon formed on a support member wherein an elastic member having a stretched condition and an unstretched condition extends between a piece of material and the support member for substantially automatically forming the decorative ribbon.