I, along with some others in my family, received radio control airplanes for Christmas. I have long been interested in airplanes and flying. I took ground school while attending college, but did not have the time or the money to complete my flight training. I still intend to complete flight school sometime, however, whenever it is possible for me to do so. I also went skydiving once, just to try it. I wrote my last journal entry to say “goodbye” to everyone the night before I went and jumped out of a plane several thousand feet up in the air. Skydiving was fun, but I think I liked just flying around in that little plane more than jumping out of it. It was relaxing, but exhilarating and exciting at the same time. Anyway, this first flight is not about me flying “in” the plane, but controlling our radio control airplanes from the ground. It is probably good we were not in the plane too.

My brother’s radio control airplane came first, so we got it on Christmas day. My radio control model aircraft arrived late after it was ordered, so I did not receive it until a few days after Christmas. Because my brother’s came first, we decided to take it out and fly it. We went to a large parking lot by a large field. There was a river and a large church building nearby as well. In the field there were a lot of large trees that we had to avoid, and in around the parking lot there were high power lines. Neither of us had ever flown a radio control airplane before, so we did not really know what we were doing and had to figure it out.

My brother took the control first. He increased the power on the control, so the plane began to move forward. It took off very rapidly, and sped away at a nearly uncontrollable speed. I told him to steer clear of the river, but instead he flew out of control in a straight line for probably two-hundred to three-hundred feet right over the river. He suddenly turned and hit a tree, causing the plane to fall into the creek bed. We went running over to it to make sure it did not float down the stream or get destroyed. Luckily it landed near the bank on a rock sticking up.

I took the controls next. I flew the plane in the opposite direction from the river. I pointed it toward the church and the field instead. The plane took off again, cruising over the parking lot. I think part of our control problem was that we had the plane at full power each time we flew it, so went very fast and out of control. It quickly covered the distance of the parking lot and was heading right over the church. I did not want it to get stuck on the roof of the church. I had to make it turn, but there were trees in the way. I tried to turn around the back of the trees, in between the trees and the church building. I turned the plane, but it was hard to control or know when to turn, because we were so far away already. The plane had traveled too fast. The turn was too sharp, and out of control. The plane crashed hard into the tops of the trees.

I was worried the radio control model airplane had busted apart when it hit the trees. It was going so fast and crashed so hard. When we finally got over to survey the damage, the plane was still tightly stuck in the top of the tree, but both of the wings had come off. We found a large pole to hit the plane out of the tree, it took a while to get it out, and the plane was somewhat damaged, but easily fixable. That was our first flight. It also turned out to be the last for that airplane, after our parakeets pecked it to pieces one day. But that is alright, I can always fine another airplane model or radio control airplane at another hobby shop or store.

Model hobbies are things that children or adults can do which can be educational and have a lasting impact. One model that I had when I was younger was the skeleton of a dinosaur. I had to put the skeleton together myself. I also had model cars and model airplanes. The model cars and planes were not self assembled though, we purchased them already completed. After building my dinosaur, I played with it like a regular toy, making it viciously attack and kill the other toys. Later my dinosaur skeleton sat on the book shelf in my bedroom for many years.

A model toy or build it yourself model kit can be both and exciting toy to play with, along with giving someone a sense of accomplishment. Everyone likes to build things, and when you are done your model hobby makes you feel like you have done something constructive. It makes you feel good to know that you have built something or created something. You have made a difference in the world. You are an inventor, a scientist, whatever you want to be.

There are many different types of models that you can build. I have seen model airplanes, model houses, model cars, model animals and dinosaurs, model helicopters, and model shuttles. Whatever you are interested in there is probably a model for it somewhere. If not, you could design your own model from scratch. That would be a good hobby too. Just get some wood and start carving, get some glue and start pasting everything together. Soon you will have your invention, and feel just like the people who first invented the products you are making a model of.

There are also radio control models that you can purchase at the store. Some of these you have to assemble yourself as well. I received a radio control model airplane for Christmas one year, and had to assemble it myself. It made me feel good to assemble it. I felt intelligent, like I was building my own plane or flying machine. I have had radio control cars that I did not have to assemble. Once, however, I did try to make my own changes to a radio control car. I had just recently seen the movie “Back to the Future,” how the car hit the wire at 88 miles and hour when the lightning struck the tower and it sent the car traveling through time. I decided to try it with my radio control car. I plugged the antenna of my control into a plug socket, and drove my car toward the antenna, so that the antenna from the car would hit the controls antenna, just like in “Back to Future,” the car’s antenna hit the wire across the road. Well, my car did not travel through time. There was a little bit of a shock when the antennas touched, and then my radio control car never really worked the same again. It started doing weird things like turning in the wrong direction from where I was turning it. It was like it got a mind of its own. It became a little stubborn to, and sometimes would only go a little bit and then stop. Like Frankenstein, I made my car come to life with an electrical shock.

The point is that everyone should get a model hobby. It is completely natural and healthy for humans to experiment, try new things, and invent things. Satisfy your curiosity or your children’s curiosity with things that are constructive and educational rather than satisfying your curiosity with things that might not be as helpful to one’s long term health and happiness.

Mosaic art is becoming increasingly popular - with a renaissance as an art media, but also in the home improvement industry. Whether you are piecing together mosaic tiles and glass beads for the sheer guilty pleasure of creating a piece of art - or if you are putting your skill to work as a craftsman - mosaic art is certainly a thing of beauty.

For those of you who are just getting started in your mosaic art creations, I have a few great tips to share with you - so you don't have to learn everything by trial and error. Following are 6 things every mosaic artist - or craftsperson - should know:

1.) Weldbond for indoor mosaics - This stuff is a great all-purpose adhesive for your mosaic tiles and glass beads to stay securely fastened to their base. It is water-resistant, but also water based (no bad fumes), and it dries clear so you won't see any nasty residue on your creation.

2.) Seal outdoor mosaics - The sun, wind, rain and all of the other elements can play havoc with both the mosaic tiles and the tile grout that you use in between them. After your grout has cured for 2 full days, seal the outdoor mosaic with tile and grout sealer from your local building center.

3.) Mosaic material is heavy - Try to avoid using lightweight or breakable material as a base for your design. For example, if you have an older glass top table that you want to create a mosaic on, you would be better off using a thin (3/8" minimum) piece of plywood - or another product that is sturdy. You run into two problems with a weak base: first, it can be very unsafe, especially in the case of glass. Second, if the base moves and bends and reshapes itself, the grout will crack and the tiles with break away from the art.

4.) Take proper safety precautions - When you build your mosaic with tiles and glass beads, there is going to be some cutting, scraping and possibly breaking involved. You may even need to use tools that break or snap the different pieces to achieve the shape that you want. It is always best to use glass cutting gloves, and use protective eyewear when you do this.

5.) Use thinset for outdoor mosaics - Thinset is a concrete-based adhesive - essentially a sticky concrete - that is the best for outdoor mosaics. Sometimes the basic adhesives can breakdown with the constant battering from the elements - unlike thinset, which is an outdoor application.

6.) Use Leponitt glass mosaic cutters - Leponitt is the number one choice in cutters for cutting glass mosaic tiles, their cutters makes cutting glass tiles easy. Leponitt is preferred by both the craft enthusiast and the professional mosaic artists.

Those are 6 hints that I can share with you just so you don't have to learn the hard way when you go to begin your mosaic art. Always remember, the only limit you have on your mosaic art, is the boundary of your imagination!

Quilt pattern collecting and history almost invariably uncovers an affinity between quilts and the lives of women that made quilts.Whether inspiration was a result of their environment, their family life, their religious beliefs, political or national commemorative events of their time, women seemed to have told the story through their creative quilt pattern and resulting quilts.

During America's early beginnings, women's humbly built homes and contents where far from comfortable. Food was scarce and their diets were poor. The ordinary colonial woman would have produced patchwork quilts for the primary function of protection from the elements (most probably without any quilt pattern as such i.e. "log cabin" quilts) from whatever scraps of material she could find. She barely had time for labor intensive creative hand quilting as she was always preoccupied with the traditional household chores and looking after her family.

The more affluent colonial woman would have had more time for creative needlework and their quilt pattern and quilting methods depicted styles from their respective mother lands. Quilt pattern for broderie perse style of quilting was popular with these women because availability of richly printed fabrics was low. Quilt makers would turn a small seam and appliqué say, floral motifs (cut from small pieces of printed fabric) to a bed size cloth backing in order to maximise the usage of these fabric scraps.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, printing processes and fabric manufacturing advanced to the extent that fabrics became more affordable for the average American. Fabrics imported mainly from England and France were still expensive, however quilt pattern design and quilt making became popular pastime for a growing number of American women who had time for quilting.This transitional period for quilt pattern design saw quilt styles like the embroidered or stenciled quilt pattern overtaken by the influx of new appliqué quilt pattern designs. The medallion quilt pattern, strip quilt pattern, whole cloth quilt pattern, appliqué and patchwork quilt pattern evolved with the new fabrics.

By this time the tradition among women of naming quilt pattern and sharing quilt pattern was long established; quilting circles and the social implications they had on communities saw to that. Indeed the origin of names given to some of these vintage quilt pattern (particularly friendship or album quilt pattern) is still a source of intrigue today.

Overview

One of the most common adhesives in a woodturners studio is Cyanoacrylate glue, or as it is more commonly called, super glue, or "CA" glue. Super glue can be a valuable addition to the collection of adhesives in your woodturning workshop. Here are a few storage and usage tips for cyanoacrylate glue that will help you get the most out of this versatile adhesive product.

Storing Cyanoacrylate Glues

Most cyanoacrylate glues have an average shelf life of about 6 - 12 months once opened. Unopened bottles can be stored in the freezer for an extended period of time. However, once a bottle has been opened and exposed to atmospheric moisture, different storage procedures are required to prevent premature curing in the bottle.

* Unopened Containers: Unopened bottles should be stored in the freezer for the longest shelf life. Before using, allow the bottle to equalize with the room temperature by allowing the bottle to sit overnight on the bench before using it.

* Opened Containers: Do not store opened bottles without their caps, unless you live in areas that routinely have very low humidity levels year round. Exposure to high humidity can cause premature curing of the cyanoacrylate adhesive in the bottle.

* If you purchase your cyanoacrylates in bulk containers and transfer them into smaller applicator bottles for use, insure that these bottles are manufactured from polyethylene for best results.

* Do not store opened cyanoacrylate adhesive containers near your manual pump accelerator bottle. During the summer months, high heat can cause accelerator vapors to leave the pump spray unit, causing premature curing of any nearby uncapped bottles.

* Do not store opened bottles in the freezer. When removed, condensation may develop inside the bottle causing premature curing of the adhesive.

* For best long term storage results, store opened cyanoacrylate adhesive bottles in a jar with a tight fitting lid and a desiccant pack to absorb any moisture inside the jar. When stored this way, you can usually get every drop out of the bottle and eliminate waste.

Preventing Tip Clogging

It’s a common fact that cyanoacrylate adhesives tend to clog the tips of their applicator bottles if stored improperly. To prevent tip clogging, wipe any residual cyanoacrylate from the outside of the applicator tip and allow the remaining adhesive to return to the bottle before replacing the cap. Do not touch the tip of the bottle onto a surface that has been sprayed with active accelerator, or the accelerator will cure the cyanoacrylate inside the nozzle. If you prefer, you can purchase spare tips at most woodturning suppliers, so you can always have a few clean tips on hand and just swap them out when necessary.

Using Cyanoacrylate Glue To Fill Deep Voids

I regularly inlay crushed stone and other materials into many of my woodturnings. These are secured with either cyanoacrylates or epoxy, depending on the fill used. If you are going to use cyanoacrylates with deep voids, or as a binder for inlay work with crushed stone, you must allow sufficient time for a full thickness cure before sanding the filled area. How long this takes is variable, but it may require up to 24 - 36 hours or longer, depending on the depth of the filled area.

While you can use an accelerator to help speed the overall curing time, nothing can replace time. It's best to let the adhesive cure without any accelerator on deep voids, as over use of the accelerator can result in blooming and frosting. In severe cases, bubbles can form under the cured skin, ruining the look of your inlay.

If possible, use no accelerator and let the piece cure naturally before you begin sanding the area. Not only will your deep filled area look better, it will sand easier when allowed to fully cure before sanding. There is just no substitute for time here. If you try to rush the cure on a deep fill, you may end up damaging the turning, requiring an extensive repair.

In addition, sanding before the filled area has fully cured can present a safety hazard, as the deeper layers of the void may still be liquid, even when the top is rock hard. By sanding too soon, you risk exposing the lower liquid layers which may spray out onto your body, causing injury.

Using Accelerators

If you’ve worked with cyanoacrylate adhesive products before you may have occasionally noticed a white haze, or frosting on the cured surface. This phenomenon is called blooming, or frosting. High ambient humidity levels, or improper use of accelerators can cause violent curing reactions, resulting in frosting or blooming when cured.

To Eliminate Blooming And Frosting

* Use low odor or low bloom products. These are specifically formulated to reduce blooming and frosting. The manufacturer will state on the label if the cyanoacrylate adhesive is a low bloom version.

* Reduce the ambient studio humidity before use. Dehumidifiers should be set to the range of 40 – 50% for optimal results. If you do not have a dehumidifier, choose low humidity days for your cyanoacrylate inlay work.

* Add cross-ventilation to your workspace to dissipate curing vapors, before they can resettle onto previously filled areas.

* Reduce the amount of accelerator used, or eliminate it entirely.

When times get tough our hobbies are generally first to suffer the cutbacks. The list below has just a few ideas to help you save money on craft supplies and you may also find yourself a new creative burst by trying them. Crafts don’t always have to be so expensive and it is fun to improvise.

Paper and card

Newspaper offcuts: A great place to get plain paper, particularly for kids crafts and drawing is a newspaper office. Our local newspaper has always had huge rolls of plain white paper available for around $10 - $15, that is a roll that is over a metre wide and 30cm in diameter. I believe it was over 100 metres of paper, well my daughter has had the same roll for over 5 years. It isn’t great quality but it has tons of uses like as a drop sheet for other projects, making patterns for sewing.
Scrapbooking paper and card: If you are finding the scrapbook stores too expensive try looking in newsagents, office supply stores and department stores for paper and card. They may not have the same range and quality but you may find something to help your supply of better paper last longer.

Op shops and flea markets

Fabric and wool: Second hand clothes found in opportunity shops and flea markets can often be a great source of fabric when you don’t need large amounts. Even when clothes are fairly old there are generally parts that are not faded or worn.
Used knitwear is great for small amounts of wool for wool crafts.
Leather: Look out for old handbags, belts and leather jackets for leather scraps and fittings.
Beading: Op-shops often have old jewelry, which can be reused for findings, beads and pendants.
Buttons, zips and buckles: All types of sewing notions can be found in opshops, the biggest consideration is will be able to be removed easily.
Bears and dolls: Bits and pieces for dolls and bears could be found in opshop toys.

Mosaic
Second hand stores and garage sales are often a great source of plates that can be broken for use in mosaics.

Nature
Mother Nature has an endless bounty of craft supplies for free. Plus you get fresh air and exercise while you are beach combing, walking or fossicking. Shells, sand, driftwood, seedpods, pebbles, leaves and grasses are but a few things that can be used in many crafts.

Wood
Sometimes small timber stores or hardware shops have a bin of offcuts that could fit many uses. Salvage yards and secondhand stores can be another source of wood and old furniture that may be able to be recycled too.

Making your own
Some of the things we use in crafts can be made instead of purchased. For example decent paper glue can be made with cornflour, beads can be made with salt dough and there are ways to make stencils and stamps yourself too.

Thousands of crafters out there are looking for something new to add to their repertoire; and thousands more are just looking for something new they can work on. Mosaic art is catching on and becoming more and more popular every day. Taking simple mosaic tiles and glass beads to deliver artistic creations is like building a puzzle where you get to choose what each piece looks like.

The beauty of mosaics is that they can be applied nearly anywhere, and to a variety of surfaces - for a variety of applications. For those of you who are interested in mosaic art, here are just a few applications you can try, just to get your feet wet in this great crafters past time.

" Birdbaths and fountains - Mosaics are a popular way to line the surfaces of birdbaths and fountains, adding an artistic touch to an outdoor accoutrement that many of us have in our yards. Mosaic tiles and glass beads readily adhere to thinset concrete, over the top of a concrete or ceramic fountain or birdbath base.

" Try a tabletop - You might not want to try the dining room table for your first mosaic art project, but why not the bedside table? A small 24" by 24" top is the perfect place to trace out your design and then begin to put the tiles in - effectively creating a great new surface for your night table.

" Pot pads - Instead of using the tired, torn and scraggly tea towel dangling from the stove to protect the table from a hot pot at dinner time, you can create a simple, small mosaic square pot pad for that simmering stew to sit on. Something that is 8"x8" will take you no time at all to create - and it provides you a little service and some artistic appeal at dinner time.

" Flower pots, vases, and other garden items - Terracotta planters make a great surface for mosaics, and you can also create fantastic mosaic art on your vases and other planters throughout the garden. If you have a solid surface that can handle the weight of mosaic materials, then why not give it a try.

The above mosaic art suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg. Mosaic tiles and glass beads can adhere to nearly any backing with the right adhesive, and you can create any pattern that you want; any design is only limited by your creativity.

As a dealer and collector of vintage finds, I scour yard sales, estate sales and thrift stores several times a week to search for fun and funky treasures. There are certain items that are still affordable, but have been gradually rising in price. Here are five examples of vintage finds that are not yet in high demand, but on the way. They’re value and appeal will only go up in the future. We’re not talking six-figures-Antiques-Roadshow-type of money, but I'll bet that you will at least double your money in three to five years. These items would be ideal for starting a new collection on the cheap, or for dealers who plan to resell their vintage finds. Here are my bold predictions:

1. Floraline Pottery Keep an eye out for solid-color matte planters marked Floraline. The majority are green or white, but if you are lucky, you'll find the occasional pink or aqua. These were made by McCoy in the 1940s and 1960s, primarily for the florist trade. You can usually find them for less than a dollar. There are a few larger styles that demand $25+, but those are harder to find.

2. State/Town Souvenir Plates Find these at yard sales and thrift stores for a buck or two. Start a collection of all of the states you've visited (a great collection for children, too). Look for these three types:

Retro-style center graphics Pink or aqua rims with gold accents
# Blue/white, red/white or brown/white transferware
3. Pink Luggage Look for train cases, round hat boxes and large hard-sided suitcases. Those with floral lining fabric are even more appealing. These brands are the most prevalent: Samsonite, Travel Master and Royal Traveller.

4. Sports & Gaming Equipment Think shabby, rustic & wooden: golf clubs, baseball bats, bowling pins, fishing rods, lacrosse sticks & oars. The decorating possibilities are endless for a family room, game room or a little boy's room.

5. Aprons Vintage aprons have rapidly been going up in price during the last few years, and will continue to rise, partly due to the release of an excellent reference book aptly named The Apron Book, and the many articles that have been published in home decor magazines such as Country Home and Country Living. Despite the increasing cost, aprons are still a great value, especially those that have hand-embroidery or printed floral designs. Most antique stores are selling aprons for less than $10.

If you have a passion for trains and have always thought about creating a small scale replica or prototype of a certain theme or era then the model railroader can help you get started. I personally love trains and every time I get stopped by one, I think to myself of different things I still need to plan for me to simulate my railroad world. I don't know about you but I don't start tripping out or getting all upset waiting in the car for the train to pass. Instead ideals start flowing in my head on different design concepts I would want to create for my own miniature HO scale world.

I think the biggest step as a model railroader is the planning. You have to plan for your bench work, track layout, control system, scenery, building structures, people, vehicles, rolling stock and locomotives you want to use along with all the other aspects of model railroading. You want your locomotives to seem as real as possible with sound and exhaust simulation.

All of this should be considered if you want to simulate the real world as in today or back in time. The most realistic layouts are planned very well with all these points in mind. You should take your time when planning. You do not want to rush the project and then have problems with it all later down the road. To this date, I am still planning my southwestern corridor from Windsor to Toronto located in Ontario, Canada. This is a busy corridor with freight and passenger service.

You should tackle each design concept one at a time so you do not get to overwhelmed trying to full-fill everything at once. Also by taking it with baby steps you will get alot more done in an efficient way. The best way to start is by writing down all your ideals that come across your mind. Start drawing small sketch track layout designs. I recommend using a paper pad that has square grid lines on the page. That way you can scale each square like so, 1 square = 1'-0" or whatever scale you want. This makes things alot easier when estimating the cost of bench work, track and wiring. Make a list of material you will need to start building your bench work. Do the same for all design stages of the model railroad layout plan.

Once you have the different stages written down or drawn you will start to have a clearer picture and more ideals which is always good. Something on paper is always better for you as it gets your creative juices flowing through the brain. Start taking pictures of the trains you want to model or research them using books, magazines and the internet. Have fun with it because if you are not having fun planning you should just give it up now. Planning is just the beginning and a key crucial step towards the rest of your journey designing and building your simulated model railroad world.

The “Island” is the land that accompanies Lethenty Mill. It stretches from its widest part at the Mill to its narrowest about half a mile up the Lochter Burn. It used to be very important to the Mill; water was collected in a long narrow channel leading to a dam near the Mill, and it could be released into a variety of channels under and around the Mill which were arranged to feed the water to the two water wheels or back into the water course (the Lochter) if the system was full and liable to overflow.

Several pages of the title deeds of 1886 spell out the mill-owner’s responsibility to open the sluices when flooding was imminent and there was a risk of neighbouring fields being inundated. It must have been impressive when the system was in operation – the dam water surging into the channel, the mill wheels creaking into life, the grinding wheels rumbling in the ground floor and the various augers clattering away as grain was moved around the building.

The swans on the dam would make for dry land and the mill cats would ready themselves for attack as mice appeared from the most unlikely places. Most of the doors in the mill had holes in them to allow the cats complete access to all the floors.

It’s said that you never completely get rid of the grain in an old mill and it’s true, there are still pockets of oats and barley despite your best efforts at getting rid of them. When I bought the Mill in 1983 the mill wheels were long gone, the water channels had been removed or filled up and the dam and its channel had been filled with hundreds of tons of builder’s rubble and debris. The Victorian system for providing water power was unrecognisable and the swans and cats had moved on long ago. Changes had been made in the century after 1886 - I suppose the Mill became busier and the dependence on water power from the Lochter became more critical. A large steam engine was installed in a new granite building either to back up or replace the main mill wheel, and a chimney towered over this extension. All this is gone now as well.

Then electricity was brought in and an enormous Ransome’s grain drier installed in the 1950s. All this was silent and rusting when I took over the derelict buildings in 1983 and I made a deal with a local scrap merchant – “ Could you remove it and we’ll call it quits”.

We moved from our previous workshops in the Old Brewery, Oldmeldrum and gradually restored the Mill, installing woodworking machinery, continuing to make and sell furniture and a few years later converting one corner into a house on 4 floors.

The “island” or “the site” as we call it has stayed much the same; the trees providing perches and homes for the growing families of birds, from tree creepers to Sparrow Hawks. Robins and Pheasants come within talking distance and it’s still a surprise to see a heron languidly lifting its great sails into the skies.

Now and again deer graze in the rough grass and this is a great privilege, as is the presence of badgers in the river bank even though they undermine the willows which hold the bank together. I saw a black otter slide out of the river one afternoon a few weeks ago and troutlike it sneaked along the bank to disappear. Moles, water rats, frogs and of course rabbits live here and all are welcome except the last ones.

Then there are moths, dragonflies and butterflies in the warmer weather and worms and beetles, etc etc. We don’t use chemicals on the ground and I have always felt that this “island” was a safe haven for local creatures of all kind (except rabbits which help themselves to the garden). I have built a frame to keep the birds away from our fruit and veg – there are wild cherries (geans) and raspberries for them! The garden is situated between the Mill and the Blue Shed and, unlike the Pitcairners, we are grateful for one crop a year.

Unfortunately today it seems as if the woodworking hand tool has very much become the second-class citizen in many tool shops around the world. It seems that more and more people are ready to use power tools such as table saws and band saws for carrying out those tasks that were once only done using hand tools.

Although power tools can be very useful, there is much that can be said for the hand tool as well. In fact one company that seems to keep going even in this world of power mad woodworkers is Stanley Woodworking Hand Tools.

The Stanley Company has been around now for more than 160 years and is familiar to people in more than 130 different countries across the globe. Certainly the name of Stanley Tools has been familiar to woodworkers and homeowners for all this time.

Originally the company was set up by Frederick T Stanley in New Britain, Connecticut to produce door bolts. But since it humble beginnings the company has now flourished into one of the biggest suppliers of locks, woodworking and hand tools that is easily recognizable around the world.

Certainly if you were to look in any good woodworking workshop around the world and not just a professional one you will find that they will have an assortment of various Stanley woodworking hard tools in their tool racks or boxes.

Certainly one of the most successful items that Stanley has ever produced is the Stanley Plane. Since the 1870's Stanley have sold millions of their cast iron hand planes much of which are based on patents that they purchased from Leonard Bailey of Boston, Massachusetts. They so perfected this tool that many modern day plane makers still use a lot of the same principals in their tools.

Since the first plane was manufactured the Stanley woodworking hand tool division of Stanley has purchased many other patents as well as entire plane manufacturing companies and have also continued to improve the design of their planes right up until the first half of the 20th Century.

It is because the Stanley company has been around for so long and are so well associated with the world of woodworking and producing such high quality hand tools that they seem to be able to compete effectively with power tools.

So when you are next considering purchasing some good quality equipment for your carpentry workshop then I would suggest that you look no further than buying some Stanley woodworking hand tools.

Coin collecting as a hobby is enjoyed by thousands of people today and the numbers are growing. This wasn't the case just prior to 1999. Coin collecting as a hobby had been on the decline since the mid-1960s when the composition of US coins changed from having silver content to being composed entirely of base metal. It became increasing harder to find old coins in pocket change so interest waned over time. The 50 State Quarters Program began in 1999 with the issuing of the first of the State Quarters, honoring the state of Delaware. The 50 State Quarters Program is credited with placing the spotlight back on coin collecting and single-handedly starting a grassroots comeback for the now popular hobby.

The reasons for collecting coins are as varied and diverse as the collectors themselves. For example, some collect coin sets that coincide with the birth year of their children or grandchildren, with the intent of giving the collection to the child at a much later date. Then there are those who collect coins with the idea of cashing in once the set has increased significantly in value. They would like to mirror the success of the late Louis E. Eliasberg Sr., who managed to complete his date-and-mint collection of US coins. After his death, his estate sold his collection for an over all total of $44 million.

Perhaps the most common place to start is with date-and-mint collecting. For example, you would collect a Lincoln cent from every year it has been minted and you would collect a coin from every mint that produced it that year. This type of collecting is very popular and because of the availability of coin albums, it is quite easy to get started.

Another popular type of collecting is by coin type. Instead of collecting every year and mintmark you would collect one coin from a series from one mint. For example, you would collect one coin from every series produced by a certain mint for the years 1900 - 1910. Your collection would consist of one Lincoln cent, one Buffalo nickel, one Washington quarter and so on. This type of collecting can be less expensive than date-and-mint collecting. Most collectors use the savings advantage to purchase higher-grade coins than they could have afforded collecting date-and-mint sets.

A very popular type of coin to collect is the mint error coin. Instead of looking for the rare coin in un-circulated condition this collector looks for coins that have been minted with a blemish or error. Some of the more popular errors are double die, date-over-date, mules and coins struck using the wrong metal. The wrong metal coin refers to the 1943 "copper penny" that wasn’t supposed to exist. In 1943, because of the war, pennies were made from zinc-coated steel to save copper. Somehow a few coins were accidentally produced using the old bronze coin blanks and they found there way into circulation. It wasn't until years later that the coin-collecting world became aware of their existence. Many a coin-collecting hobbyist still hopes to find one of these valuable minting errors unknowingly hidden away somewhere.

Are really popular and super easy to make. Grab that brown bag and get your imagination started. With just a few supplies you have around the house you too can create a Paper Bag Scrapbook!

You need to collect the following supplies:

- 2 or 3 lunch size paper bags (or larger, but keep them all the same size)
- cardstock
- scissors
- ribbon
- stapler
- ruler
- hole punch
- a little imagination

How to Make a Paper Bag Scrapbook

1. Determine how many pages your finished project will be. Two paper bags will make eight pages and four pockets. Three paper bags will make twelve pages and six pockets. Four paper bags will make sixteen pages and eight pockets. Five paper bags will make twenty pages and ten pockets. -- Boy, these are getting to be some rather large scrapbooks :)

2. Cut off the bottom of your bags by leaving your bag folded flat and lifting the bottom flap, then cutting straight across. Do this to all the bags used and make sure they are even.

3. Fold each bag in half and set them on top of each other

4. Punch holes on the left side of the stack of bags

5. Use ribbon, lace, pipe cleaners, etc. to tie the bags together thru the punched holes

6. Now it's time to Decorate It! Pull out the button box, sticker box, paint or markers, pipe cleaners, that box of craft odds and ends... the resources are endless. Just use your imagination to set the theme for your paper bag scrapbook.

One of the reasons that people do scrapbooks is because they want to preserve the memories of some great occasion or event. In fact, a scrapbook has long been synonymous with albums because it is primarily filled with pictures and memories. One difference with an album and a scrapbook is the fact that you can put a whole lot more in a scrapbook than just photos.

You can place three-dimensional objects that make the occasion more memorable and meaningful. Below are some occasions that people often create a scrapbook for. Read on and you might get some ideas on how to preserve memories in those occasions into paper.

Coming of a Baby

An ordinary baby album will probably contain the baby's first photos but a scrapbook can contain not only the first photos but also some of the special milestones that the baby will go through in his first year. All the firsts that he will experience in his life can be documented in a scrapbook.

For instance, you can include the baby's strands of hair after he gets his first cut. You can bind these and then place in a piece of see-through plastic. Another first are the nails that were first cut, both from the fingers of the hands and the feet. Parents can also include copies of special documents such as the birth certificate and the baptismal certificate.

Another great idea is to put the baby’s thumbprint, handprint and foot print. Some will also paste a piece of the baby’s first ultrasound photo, his first medical certificate and his first vaccination chart.

Wedding and wedding anniversaries

A wedding scrapbook may contain pictures at the wedding but it can also include wrappers from the gifts of the guests, wishes that the guests gave for the newlyweds and the gift cards that they have put on their gifts. This is one way to preserve the day not only for the newlyweds but also for their guests.

Another good idea is to document not only the wedding itself but also the days or months of preparation for the wedding. Photos can capture events like the bachelor’s party, the bridal shower and even the pre-wedding practice.

The scrapbook may also contain the invitation for the wedding, dried flowers from the bouquet of the bride, a piece of the garter, mayhap even the souvenir if one can manage to paste it on the scrapbook.

Graduation

Another event that is worthy of reminiscing is the graduation. This marks the ending and the beginning of an old and a new chapter in a person’s life. A graduation scrapbook can contain the invitation for the event, the investiture that is usually given to the graduates, some pieces of strings from the tussles, and of course the photos of the graduates.

Corsages that are dried may also be put in the scrapbook if one can find a way to paste it in a flat surface.

If you can, you can also include messages from the graduate’s classmates and friends as well as to his or her teachers. Put the messages in a kind of message board. If there are awards merited, one can put the medals or copies of the certificates in the scrapbook. If the graduate did a special address, a copy of the speech should also be included in the scrapbook.

Like any new form of art, watercolor painting can be difficult at first. It is only with time and practice that one becomes a better painter. Never become discouraged by your mistakes or lack of progress.

To start watercolor painting you will obviously need to purchase supplies. Purchase the best possible materials that you can afford. We all want to save as much money as possible, but if you work with cheap materials, you are not going to be happy with the end result, especially if you spend days or even months on a particular painting.

This does not mean you should go out and spend hundreds of dollars on top of the line supplies right away. Start off buying a small amount of good quality supplies until you become more experienced.

PAPER:

The quality and texture of the watercolor paper you choose will have a dramatic effect on the final outcome of your painting. Watercolor paper comes in several different categories: cold pressed, hot pressed, and rough. Rough paper has the highest tooth of all watercolor papers, giving you the most texture. Hot pressed paper has the smoothest surface available. Cold pressed paper has a slight texture to it and is more versatile. Cold pressed paper is the most popular paper amongst watercolor artists.

Two other things to be aware of when purchasing your watercolor paper are sizing and weight. Sizing is when the fibers of the paper are treated to make them less absorbent. The weight of the paper is the weight measured in pounds of one ream (approximately 500 Sheets). A heavier paper would have a weight of 300lbs or more, while a lighter paper would have a weight of 90 or 140lbs for example. The lighter the paper, the more likely it will wrinkle when wet. Lighter paper should be stretched to avoid this.

You will have to experiment with the different papers to find the one you like most.

PAINT:

Watercolor paints come in both Student and Artist quality. Artist quality paint has a more intense vibrant color. Student grade paints have more fillers in them rather than pigment, which is why they are less expensive. Many artists recommend only using artist quality paints, but it really is a matter of taste. Experiment on your own with both grades to form your own opinion.

Watercolor paint is available in tubes and pans. With watercolor pans, you have to add water to the dry cake in order for it to be workable. With pans, make sure your brush is clean before picking up a new color; otherwise you will dirty your colors. With a tube, the paint is more workable, but be careful not to squeeze out more paint then you need.

Purchase only a few primary colors and learn how to mix your own colors rather than purchasing premixed colors.

When you become more experienced, you can then start incorporating more colors into your palette.

BRUSHES:

Brushes are probably the most important part of an artist's supplies. The watercolor brush should be of good quality, with the ability to perform well under most conditions.

Brushes come in an assortment of sizes and shapes. There are both natural hair brushes and synthetic brushes. Natural hair brushes are more expensive, while synthetic brushes may not perform as well as natural brushes. It is therefore recommended that you purchase a blended brush that is made with both natural and synthetic hairs.

You do not need a ton of brushes to get started in watercolor painting. In the beginning, a few good brushes should do the trick.

You should at least purchase a round brush, a flat wash brush, an oval wash or mop brush, and a rigger or liner brush for fine details.

PALETTE:

You will need a palette for mixing your watercolor paint. The best kind of palette for mixing watercolor paints is a white palette. Since watercolor paint is transparent, a white surface seems to be the best color for clearly seeing your mixtures.

GETTING STARTED:

Now that you have a basic of idea of the watercolor supplies you need, it's time to find a place to setup your studio. You will want a location in your home or elsewhere that is quiet and where you will not be interrupted.

Next you will need a painting table. If you can, invest in a drafting table. If not, you can use a regular table. Whatever kind of table you use to paint on, it is important that your painting surface is inclined to a 15 or so degree angle.

Next you want to make sure you have an organized and clean painting area before you begin. Make certain that you have all the materials you will need within reach for that particular painting session.

Here are some things you should consider having in your watercolor studio:

- A large see through plastic jug to hold water.
- A clean absorbent cotton rag for drying your brushes
- A spray bottle filled with water to keep your paint wet and your palette clean
- Pencils for sketching
- Erasers
- A sketchpad for doing preliminary sketches.
- Container for your brushes

WHAT SHOULD I PAINT?

Many painters often struggle with this question. If you find yourself feeling uninspired or confused about what to paint, simply remember what subject in life that you feel an emotional or deep connection with. When you have this type of connection to a subject, your painting will reflect that passion and you will not lose interest.

You can develop great ideas for subjects in a variety of different ways. If you are a lover of the outdoors and nature, simply taking a trip with a camera can do wonders. If you love animals, you could take a trip to the zoo and snap off some shots or head to an aquarium and do the same. Take your photos back to your studio and find the most desirable subject for your painting.

I wish you the best of luck with your watercolor painting. If you become frustrated or discouraged remember that every artist has been there. The key is to never give up.

Decorative and fragranced candles may be an attractive addition to your home décor, but if used improperly, they can be a serious fire hazard. According to the National Fire Protection Association Journal article, "Candle Fires on the Rise", residential fires caused by candles have more than doubled over the past decade.

In addition to being a fire hazard, improperly used candles can generate a significant amount of soot. This soot can damage the walls, floors and ceilings of your home as well as your personal belongings.

According to a pilot study of candle fires by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), by far, most candle fires were caused by combustibles being too close to the candle. The next most common cause of candle fires was due to the candle falling over or being knocked over by wind, doors, children or pets.

Here are some safety tips:

Keep candles a minimum of 1 foot, in all directions, from flammable and combustible items such as curtains or bedding. Make sure curtains cannot be blown over the candle by wind. Place candles on secure furniture and out of the reach of children and pets. Only burn candles while under constant adult supervision. Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children. Trim wicks prior to each use to within ¼-inch from the top of the candle. Extinguish the flame if it burns too close to the container side. Place burning candles away from drafts and vents. Do not allow candles to burn down to the bottom of their container. Stick candles should not be allowed to burn down below 2 inches from their holder. Extinguish all candles before leaving the house or when going to bed. Avoid burning candles for more than four hours at a time. Avoid walking while holding a burning candle. Do not move a glass container when the wax is liquid. Use a flashlight rather than a candle during power outages. Do not use a candle for light when fueling equipment such as a kerosene heater or lantern as the flame may ignite the fuel vapors. Secure candles in holders made of glass, ceramic, metal or other noncombustible material. Avoid using candles that have combustible materials embedded in them.

Follow this tips and safely enjoy your candle burning!

Beading is becoming a very popular pastime for many people around the globe but why stick to simply stringing beads when you can have so much more? Square stitch beading allows for a lot greater variety in your beadwork and instead of simple creating a string of beads for necklaces, bracelets or earrings, you can now create your own beaded fabrics. In this article we discuss how you can learn square stitch beading and some ideas of what you can make with this beading technique.

Basic Instructions for Square Stitch Beading

These instructions may sound complicated but I encourage you to slowly do square stitch beading as you read through these instructions and you will discover that it is not nearly as complicated as it may sound.

Personally I prefer seed beads for square stitch beading. It can be done with other beads if you prefer but you may not get the same effect. So take a couple of seed beads and a beaded needle and you are ready to begin.

Now take your threaded needle through your first bead and around once more and knot it. This bead will act as a stop bead for your project. Now take as many beads as you want to make your first row and thread them next to your first bead.

Once you have your first row it is time to turn around and do the second row of square stitch beading. Thread the first bead of the second row next to the last bead of the first row and take the thread back through the last bead of the first row and back through the first bead of the second row. When you add the second bead of the second row you will then take the needle again through the second to last stitch of the first row, or as I prefer to do, take it through the last two beads of the first row if you are making a flat shape for a firmer hold. Continue working like this, each time threading the needle through the bead you are working on as well as the one lying next to it on the previous row.

In order to end my square stitch beading on a flat piece I also take the thread through two beads on the last two rows twice and then once through one bead on each row. This helps to give a firm hold.

Square stitch beading is not just for squares

In the basic instructions of square stitch beading above we were mainly dealing with squares; however the same technique can be used to create a wide variety of shapes by decreasing or increasing the number of beads at different places. Basically any pattern that can be created on a beading loom can be created with square stitch beading.

Some basic ideas to get your square stitch beading started

The first item you could create to practice square stitch beading is a coaster for your cups. This is a great starting project because it is just a plain square and you do not need to worry about any increasing or decreasing but can just work on the basic stitch.

Another project you may want to try as a beginner’s project in square stitch beading is a beaded bead. Make a small square or rectangle with square stitch beading and then when you finish it (about five rows or a little more) stitch together the beads from the first and last row to form a cylindrical bead.

You can also use square stitch beading for various other projects and there are plenty of ideas online and in books to keep you busy for many enjoyable hours. Once you get used to working with this technique start creating your own patterns and ideas for even more variety.

In conclusion, square stitch beading is a great new technique to learn as a beginner in beading. This technique allows you to make a wide variety of patterns as well as objects such as coasters, bookmarks, beaded beads and much more. Virtually any pattern you can create with a beading loom you can create using square stitch. Let your imagination go and come up with some great square stitch beading ideas.

Peyote stitch really refers to a number of different beading techniques including flat even count, flat odd count, and tubular even count peyote stitch. In this article we will briefly describe these different techniques but there are plenty of tutorials available which will be able to teach you how to do this particular beading stitch if it is something you would like to learn.

Peyote Stitch Origins

Peyote stitch actually has its origins in Native American roots where the peyote cactus is eaten as a sacrament in the Native American Church. During this ceremony instruments are used which contain a form of peyote stitch and as such we have taken the name from there. Native Americans themselves however may prefer to term this stitch gourd stitch but this would apply more particularly to tubular peyote.

Flat Even Count Peyote Stitch

Flat even count peyote stitch is perhaps one of the easier peyote stitching techniques. You start your first row by going through the first bead twice. Then add on an odd number of beads for the first row plus one to start the second row (each row should be an even number of stitches) After you have been through the first bead of the second row, you will go back through the following bead on the previous row before picking up the next bead of the second row and will continue this pattern row after row until you have completed your beaded fabric.

Flat Odd Count Peyote Stitch

Flat odd count peyote stitch starts in the same way as the flat even count but when you get to the end of the second row it becomes a bit more complicated and there is a fancy figure of eight type stitch which you will need to do in order to complete the second row and start working on the third row.

Tubular Even Count Peyote Stitch

Tubular peyote stitch is done in rounds and creates a cylindrical shape. You will start this technique by adding all stitches for rounds one and two to your thread and then going back through the first stitch threaded in order to get your circular shape. After this you start round three and after threading the first bead of round three you will go through the following bead below it in round two. Continue with this pattern until you have a cylinder the length you want.

The peyote stitch that is used in beading is taken from Native American origins and includes a number of different beading techniques including flat even, flat odd and tubular peyote stitch. This technique can be used to create a variety of objects from beaded fabrics or cylinders.

Do you have hobbies you love doing? Would you like to make money selling your product? Do you feel intimidated to put yourself on the line? Do you wonder if anyone would buy your product? Are you unsure how much you should charge for each item? These are questions that many entrepreneurs starting their own business ask themselves.

Each of you has something you do well. Discover what it is you can do, then market your abilities. The best part is you'll be making money while simultaneously improving your skills. Thereby, making you even more money in the future!

Turning your hobbies into income is not easy but the adventure can be exciting and rewarding. The first thing you should do is make a business plan. You need to start your journey knowing that it will take a lot of time and work. You will not become rich overnight. Many times people going into a boutique for the first time are lacking sleep-their emotions up one minute and down the next. They are putting themselves on the line. If the boutique does not produce as well as they would have liked, they give up. They need to understand that boutiques can be a strange business. What sells well at one show may not do as well at the next, or vice versa. Consistency and dedication are critical to one's success.

The following are three important keys that will help you succeed as a first time vendor at a boutique:

1. Soliciting feedback: When developing your product, ask family and friends for their opinion. Most of the time, they will be your best support. Not only will they be honest with you and tell you what you need to change-they will also share what they think is good. If you have a family member or friend that is excessively critical or judgmental, they are probably not the best one to ask for advice. A great support system can be a wonderful thing when starting your own business.

2. Deciding how to price your items: This is always a hard decision. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself how much you spent making the product? After you have figured that amount, double it. For example, if you have made a floral basket and spent $15.00 in supplies, charge $30.00 for the item. One of the biggest mistakes new vendors make is over pricing the product. Ask yourself, "would I pay that amount for that item?" If the answer is "no", then you have priced it too high.

3. Deciding on a product to sell: Do research on your product. This will help you decide on colors, style and technique. Look around at businesses in your area-they do a lot of research on styles and colors. Go to craft stores and look at their displays. This could give you additional ideas.

Starting a small business based around one of your hobbies can generate income. It is not difficult to earn several thousands of dollars or more each year, doing something you love in your free time. The key is not to let the hobby-as-business overwhelm you. Keep it fun. Do not let it become a chore. Creating your own retail business can be satisfying.

Start out with a smaller show to keep costs down. As you become more confident in your product and your display, work your way up to larger shows. The most important thing is to enjoy what you are doing.

The art of quilting goes back generations; a skill passed from mother to daughter and family to family. A quilt can instantly evoke a wonderful memory or a long-gone loved one; the threads of a quilt can be the threads that bind one time in history to another. Those who quilt do so with an unrivaled passion – and the expert handling of quilting tools to accomplish their task.

The modern quilt maker has the choice of doing so by hand or using any one of the contemporary machines that have given quilt making an easier, more convenient alternative. There is no right answer when it comes to machine versus hand; whichever method is more comfortable for the quilter becomes part of their quilting tools of choice.

Quilting tools are largely dependent on the quilt maker’s personal style. For those who prefer the traditional hand sewing like the quilts of yesteryear, then there a few quilting tools that are par for the course, such as a ruler, sewing scissors, quilting pins, measuring tape, quilting thread in the colors that match or complement your fabric, needles, and for the safety conscious among us – a thimble.

Ultimately, the most important of the quilting tools is the fabric that the quilt maker chooses. The style, color, and texture of the fabric will determine the look and feel of the final product; while traditional quilt makers would choose their fabric based on the scraps they had available to them, today’s quilters choose fabric largely based on the use of the quilt. Soft pastels are often used for baby quilts, bolder colors are often used to complement a room where the quilt will be hung, or different blocks of fabric are used to commemorate special events. The choices are virtually endless when it comes to choosing fabric.

Modern quilt makers find the use of a pattern or template to be an essential part of their quilting tools. Such items help guide novice quilters and provide a bevy of new ideas for experienced quilt makers.

Quilting tools are varied, and ultimately, are very personal to the quilt enthusiast’s tastes and style of working. But, the end result is all the same – a beautiful quilt to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Anyone who is serious about crafting knows – all the supplies that accumulate take up a lot of space. We tend to throw it all together in boxes, containers, or closets to get it out of the way when we aren’t using it. Then when we're at our craft table, in need of a certain something, it is no where to be found! Here are some helpful ways to keep the clutter down and find the craft table that is right for you.

Some are lucky enough to have a craft room with a permanent craft table in it. For those of us that aren't so lucky, the kitchen table usually does the trick. It is not wise to use the kitchen table, however, because of the risk of damage.

When you are using glues, paints, or sharp objects like knives or scissors, your kitchen table can pay the price.

As an alternative, consider using a folding table. You can find sturdy, durable folding tables in a variety of sizes and for a variety of prices. I have even seen a very creative suggestion including sawhorses and a flat-surface door. Use adjustable sawhorses as the legs of your table. Use the door as the top. For added protection, you can seal the door. The advantage to folding tables, or the sawhorse table, is that they can be taken down and stored under beds or in closets when not in use.

When you are purchasing or setting up your craft table keep in mind that certain shapes are easier to work in, a T shape, a U shape, or an L shape. As an example, you could put one long folding table against the wall and put another shorter table or ironing board perpendicular to the end of the table (to make an L shape). Then, you have what you need within close range.

You can also purchase desks or craft tables that are already in an L shape. Another idea for ease of use while working, buy a plastic mat made to go under a desk, and an office chair with rollers. You can glide from one end of your craft table to the other!

You can use empty wall space and extra closet space to store you craft supplies. Take advantage of empty wall space by hanging shelves or peg board. If you hang hooks on the wall in front of your craft table, you can have the tools you need most often within your reach. In the closet, you can install shelves to hold containers, or you can use clothing rods to hang fabrics. When choosing containers, you should always go clear. It will help you find things easily if you can see what is in the container. Permanent or moveable cabinet units can be put under or next to your craft table for added storage.

These are just a few ideas to help you get organized. Whether you have a permanent craft table, or a do-it-yourself craft table, the right organization tactics make all the difference!

Do you own a digital camera? Have you started to make the most out of it? Without really starting the features of a digital camera, one can start using his or her digital camera to take beautiful pictures because of the technology embedded into that small little device.

A digital camera can help movies like me to autofocus I do on a mountain view, or a small little beautiful flower. When I first bought my camera, the salesman was very persuasive. And I quote, all you need to do is point and click. I was instantly sold on getting that wonderful camera.

As the days and weeks go by, I began to be familiar with the digital camera and suddenly digital photography became a passion for me. I wanted to take more than just ordinary pictures! I dug through my old closet and found the manual to this digital camera and started reading it. I learned about quality, that a 300 dpi will produce a better quality than a 72 dpi resolution. If only I have learned this much earlier! I learned about shutter speeds and exposure, white balance and how to remove red eye effects... digital photography is becoming very interesting!

Do you have problem taking pictures through a window? every time I take a picture to a window, there is always a reflection on the picture. Sometimes the reflection is so small I can only is it after I transfer it onto my computer. If only I knew to stand closer to the window, I would have reduced the reflection that reflects on shiny surface of the glass.

Have you tried to take pictures in the dark? if you try to use the flash with the camera, the picture could look too bright. Especially if you use it in a jungle, you will scare away most of the animals. There is a way to use the camera to take pictures without flash in the dark. That is to increase your light exposure. You can control your shutter speed by decreasing it. By decreasing the shutter speed, you allow more light to go your camera and brighten up the dark picture.

In addition to the light present, the amount of light that is reflected from the image is then absorbed into the shutter. The longer the shutter close its lead, the high exposure and brighter the image.Have you wonder how cats can see very well in the night? Their eyes are so sensitive to light, a candle in the dark can lid up a whole room for them. It takes some practice for you and I to learn about the shutter speed. Experiment and testing is crucial to know what is the correct speed.

As digital camera is getting cheaper and cheaper these days, digital photography is being picked up by many amateur Digital photographers. The younger generation to be able to pick up on softwares in many leading pictures past digital photography is a growing hobby.

As you probably already know a mint is a facility which manufactures coins for currency. In the United States, the US Government Mint facilities are responsible for creating enough amounts of currency to be used by the population. There are of course multiple facilities located in the country. The main facilities are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York and other places. They are all responsible for maintaining a stable economy.

The Us Government Mint as multiple functions. His first of course consist of distributing money both in paper and coin for various businesses and the general public. But it is also responsible for the security featured on the currencies that needs to be re-issued. The US Government Mint is also responsible for bringing in old money that congress has recalled. A recall for money occurs generally when the government see a problem that has not been made clear.

Another aspect is the quantity of gold and silver distributed as coins. The US government mint need to make sure it as a good hold on it. There is one type of coin that you can find in gold and silver and these are the American eagle group of coins. You can only get them through authorized coin dealers by the US government mint.

This facility is highly guarded and is accessible by authorized people only. It is important for this facility (value of $100 billion) to be under protection because the government sometimes rely on its reserve of gold and silver. The US government mint is the legal issuer of all the money printed in America.

We have all heard of Fort Knox! It is one of the other facilities under the control of the US government Mint. As you probably know Fort Knox is known to be one of the most secure places on earth. As such we could say that the US government Mint is also the keeper of the nation’s economic wealth.

For more information about the US government Mint you can take a look at their website. You will find a great quantity of information regarding its different functions and more. All those to help the country develop itself even more.

Stamp collecting can be a fun activity not only for older people but also for kids. A person can have a pleasurable experience collecting a variety of stamps that he may find in plain binders or get through the mail. Many people find it to be a very interesting hobby. For someone starting out, he might like to compile an assortment of stamps from his album until he sees that he could concentrate on collecting these stamps.

It can definitely be an enjoyable hobby because a person can have fun and learn all kinds of information from collecting stamps. A stamp can show everything that someone can think of from people, locations, events in history, sports, cars, and much more. He may find it satisfying later on for having enough information and albums where he may showcase his collection.

He might find that he can make a profit from these items. Some stamps are very special and may highlight a famous person or event. The premium on these important stamps can be very high but it depends on how rare they are and if there are a small number of releases. They can be like other commodities where a collector may locate a dealer that can give them an estimated price of a particular stamp.

A finer choice for him to profit more from his collection is to find stamp collectors that are interested in some stamps that he might be collecting. He might advertise his collection in magazines and newspapers that have specific advertisements for unique stamps. The internet can be very useful in getting in on auction sales for his stamps. He may also confirm the most recent market price of the stamp by comparing the internet and the latest advertisements.

The asking price can be different according to inventory and production of the item. The amount of collectors that concentrate on those rare stamps is growing and limited edition stamps may provoke him to be more aggressive when trying to locate these items. The high demand relates to an increased price value.

Regardless, they are more than just profiting and earning. A majority of stamp collectors believe it to be an enjoyable hobby. The pleasure he feels from locating the stamps he likes may be incomparable. People collect stamps for many reasons. In addition, one important reason they may give is that it is fun and it is very satisfying to accomplish something.

It encourages a person to learn about different things. Many stamps give insight into a country's history and its landmarks. This is a primary reason why it is very attractive compared to other collections. A person can never get over the excitement of discovering and learning new things. If he wants to go after this hobby of being a stamp collector, here are some things to keep in mind.

1. He should be aware of which items interest him. He might begin looking for collections that can be important or special to him. He may have the choice of deciding from simple stamps that he might get from mail and postcards from binders.

2. He may go to groups and gatherings to collaborate with people. He could interact with people that are collecting things as well. He may question the person that may have some collections associated with these stamps. In this situation, he may be able to swap some of his stamps for a particular stamp.

3. He needs to make sure he uses his time wisely. He may locate places that he might find stamps with the particular theme that he collects.

4. He may find sites on the internet that will give information on how and where to locate those special and rare stamps.

5. He may pursue this hobby for as long as it is enjoyable to him. There are a wide selection of topics and themes to pick from. A collector does not limit to a particular topic.

A stamp collector should constantly think back to the significance of the things that makes him happy and gratified. He should properly take care of his collections. Stamps are very delicate. They are just pieces of paper but they have considerable value and significance.

Many aspects have been covered in this article so that you can bring in from an wide research.

Coins are for the most part gathered by diverse individuals because they look good. There are other mint collectors who accumulate these coins because there is some economic value that they can get from the coins. There are certain coin values that are located on the coins before these coins can be bought or sold by mint collectors and coin dealers. The coin values are based for the most part on the diverse strike grading systems that are currently used.These coin values must be looked at cautiously before any cost is fixed for the coins. The best way to control that you are acquiring a good deal is to therefore have enough info about coins and strike collecting known.

In addition if you can read books that deal with strike scaling and coin values you will have a pretty good idea of what traits and marks are looked at by strike dealers before they purchase any coins from you.Once you have understood the versatile info that you have found you should take your strike collection to a coin shop and ask for a strike appraisal. These mint appraisals are an highly good way of finding the coin values for the versatile coins in your mint collection. Since strike appraisals are based on the knowledge that is known by the value you will need to have several coin appraisals carried out.Of course you should translate that the coin values are based on the tangible condition of the coins. For this ground if you get any coins that seem to be polluted or in poor condition then you should not attempt to clean them. This is because the cleansing process can cause damage to the coins. As an alternative you will need to take them in their as-is state and let the pro numismatist see what the
Since the mint market is always ever-changing you should leave your mint collection’s selling prices intact until you are satisfied that you have found the best possible coin values for your current mint collection. Knowledgeable the coin values will help you to decide if you are going to bargain some more coins for your collection. The various coin values that you will see are indications if the coins are going to be able to be sold as you want.

I desire you enjoyed reading material this article and found the selective information useful and interesting.

The history of dollhouses is one that has led to the delight of children as well as adults. It is believed that the origin of the dollhouse can be dated back over 400 years, although true documentation did not begin until much later in the 1800’s. Regardless of when the dollhouse was first introduced, the history is rich with the stories of the children and adults who have been swept away by the magic of the dollhouse.

1) It is believed that dollhouses originated as early as the 1500’s. At this time, it was only the children of wealthy aristocrats who were given such a spectacular toy. These dollhouses were not often designed based on the mansions and castles of the aristocrat’s homes, but were certainly more ornate than the houses of commoners. At this time they were used to provide the children with entertainment and nothing more.

2) It wasn’t until the 1800’s in Germany that dollhouses began to be manufactured on a large scale. While the houses and furnishings were still handmade, they became more elaborate thanks to newer and more intricate tools that were available. These dollhouses were made for the masses, so that not just children of the wealthy could own them. While they were still out of reach of those children with little money, families with some means were able to give their children a beautiful dollhouse.

3) Throughout the years, dollhouses have silently taught children about family life and growing into adulthood. They have also provided a creative outlet for the imaginations of generations of children. Dollhouses are often passed down from generation to generation. This allows for families to spend time together and even play together. It can be a wonderful experience between parent and child.

4) At some point, although a specific time is unknown, dollhouses transcended from a child’s toy into a valuable possession and collectable. Dollhouses were played with less and displayed more behind glass. Each ornate piece became more valuable as time went on. This still continues today. There are an abundance of dollhouse museums that showcase the true beauty of these collections and also the history behind them.

5) Children today are not left without the magic of the dollhouse, but it has changed dramatically over the years. Barbie introduced the world to her “Dream Home” and since then, most children are presented with dollhouses made of plastic. While these make wonderful toys, there is certainly something lacking from the beautiful wooden dollhouses of years ago. These dollhouses come complete with furnishings and dolls. This takes a bit of the adventure out of finding new treasures to place in the dollhouse.

The history of the dollhouse is not very complex, but neither is the joy that these “toys” can bring. The dollhouse has given children endless hours of entertainment and adults the chance to create a beautiful collection of miniatures. Regardless of where the future of dollhouses goes, it is sure that dollhouses will be beloved by all.

In days gone by, yarn was obtained locally. It was usually hand-dyed, of high quality and unique. Things changed, and knitters bought branded yarns that were chemically dyed, of regular though unremarkable quality and were the same the world over. Thank heavens things are changing, and fast! Today, we are seeing the resurgence of unique and beautiful yarns. What follows is a tiny selection of what's now available.

No matter how long you've been knitting for there is always something new to learn or yarns that you haven't yet tried. If you're looking for a yarn that's different you're spoilt for choice. And, you don't have to go to craft fairs, knitting workshops or join specialist knitting groups to get hold of these beautiful, traditionally made yarns. Many yarn suppliers and yarn stored now stock these unusual yarns and, thanks to the Internet, you can even buy these yarns online.

Filaro Yarn is an exciting yarn fiber from knitwear designer Anna Gratton. Anna runs a yarn boutique and mill from her farm in Waituna West on the north island of New Zealand. She's been raising her own stock of colored Corriedale sheep since 1976. Corriedales produce merino wool of truly exceptional quality and softness. The silky soft fleece is in the 27 - 30 micron range. Filaro Yarn also produce a funky fiber called 'Mohair Sparkle'. It is a wonderfully soft brushed mohair boucle yet with a strand of lurex glitter that shimmers and glimmers without any scratchiness; just perfect for a complete knitted garment or for adding that something special to a garments edge.

Another anitpodean, Margaret Stove, is renowned as a fine spinner and designer who is generous in passing on her knowledge. She's been spinning her own yarn for over 25 years using only the finest materials. Margaret Stove Lace Yarn is a two-fold New Zealand merino wool, which is known the world over for its quality and softness. You can buy Margaret Stove lace yarn from many approved retailers. All Margaret Stove lace yarn is hand-dyed and are available in 900m and 300m skiens. You can also get Margaret Stove lace kits; her escarf kits are very popular with knitters of all abilites.

Rainbow Mills Yarn has a well-deserved reputation among knitters who appreciate quality yarn. Rainbow Mills Yarn is based in Philadelphia and makes handspun, hand-dyed yarns. The company produces different types of yarn but a particular favorite is 'Candy'. It is handspun, hand-shredded and hand-mixed before being spun. It is then spun over rayon, and twisted again with rayon after being spun. Candy from Rainbow Mills Yarn is artist hand-dyed in colorfast aniline dyes and the colorways produced are simply devine.

Twisted Sisters Yarn come about when Lynne Vogel and some her fiber-loving friends got together in Oregon to produce yarns of exceptional quality, feel and color. For well over ten years Twisted Sisters Yarn has become internationally known for producing one-off, hand-dyed yarn. The color blends produced from from each limited edition of Hand Paints makes every garment made from Twisted Sisters Yarn something that is unique and personal. But Twisted Sisters Yarn isn't just about producing traditionally dyed yarn, they also produce modern, stylish classics like their Elektra and Roxanne yarn collections.

The above are just a brief overview of the new and unusual yarns that are now widely available. Other unique yarns come from the likes of Windy Valley Muskox Yarn and Artyarns Yarns. For those who want to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind creations the availibility of unique and exquisite yarn has never been so good.

I hope that the next article will help you to better understand this topic.

When somebody becomes concerned in collection coins they look for places and people who will be able to sell, and in some cases advise them about, coins. The best people to look for when you want to buy coins for a coin collection are coin dealers. These people are also interested in coins but their interest does not inevitably breed into collection these coins.

A strike bargainers will actively look for diverse types of coins. They will make sure that the character of all the coins that they are thought of purchasing is of a high quality. The grading of coins that is exploited will be looked into as well before the coin dealers agree to purchase any coins. These coin dealers will also bargain the coins only at the current market prices as coins are valued at the time of inspection.

When the coin dealers have found the versatile coins that they feel will be of good value and interest to coin collectors the coin dealers will make sure that they have the info about their new stock noted down. This selective information will admit the country of origin, the year that it was minted, the condition of the coin, the current market price and a brief history of the coins if it can be found.

All of these items are of rate to the coin collector because it helps them to realize the time value of the various coins that they are concerned in buying. Coin dealers unremarkably purchase their coins from rare coin auctions, internet coin shops, coin collectors who are interested in marketing their coins for a take in and fairs where coins are sold in packets. From these places the coin dealers have a good chance at selecting good rate coins that they will be able to sell to mint collectors who are interested in those coin types.

Would you like to earn money with your arts and crafts? Are you tired of working for someone other than yourself? Would you like to build a business with your own creativity? Do you wonder how to make your craft marketable?

Below are five tips that will help you make an income with your own arts and crafts.

Build a business foundation: When building a business to earn money with your arts and crafts, make sure your product is in demand and a marketable craft. When picking your foundation products, make sure they are not seasonal items. You need to pick products that can be sold year round, then add a few holiday crafts throughout the year. If you choose to produce crafts that have a shelf life, try to pick just a few items to sell in addition to the foundation product. By adding a large variety of products to your display you will draw the attention of many different customers.

Arts and Crafts that are in demand: Look for items that are needed such as:baby items, home decor, personalized gifts, holiday crafts, jewelry or other personal items. The list could go on and on- your opportunities could be endless. One approach to help you make a decisions on products is to visit boutiques, craft suppliers and other retail stores in your area. By doing this and researching what sells effectively in your area, you can make those very important decisions.

Determine necessity: The best-selling crafts are the ones that are needed by consumers, not ones that are simply wanted. If you are making something like beautiful baby quilts, they are far more likely to sell than something like a higher priced wood carving.

Make your arts and crafts target your demographic: Where will you be selling your product? Are you selling it at a Craft Boutique? Then perhaps, you should not make a hunting related product, save that for a Hunting and Camping Expo. Instead, make something like a wooden home de'cor product.

Don't follow trends: Trends in crafts come and go. Don't base your business solely on what's hot right now. It's okay to sell trendy and hot items, but make sure you also have a variety of other items for when this trend is no longer popular.

By using these five easy steps, you should be ready to choose the arts and or crafts you would like to create for your business. You should start out slow-only making a few of each item until you see what is going to sell. This way you are not going to be left with hundreds of left over products that you just did not market well. The most important thing to remember when starting your own retail business is to have fun with it, and to learn from your mistakes. You will make mistakes, but that is the way a good business is built.

Sensational New Handprint Crafts are Safer and Take Less Time to Complete than Ever Before.

Traditional handprint crafts are a fun way to preserve memories of your baby. All you need to make traditional handprint crafts are some easily available craft items and loads of imagination. Crafters have used these methods and variations of them for centuries.

You can put your 's handprints on ceramic tiles, clay, fabric or paper.

You can use colored paper to make traditional handprint crafts. For this you need paper plates or bright yellow and orange colored paper, scissors, gum, markers and wobbly eyes or nose if you so desire. Cut out the inner circle for the sun and trace the 's hands on to the colored paper for the rays of sunshine. Trace the handprints a number of times on the yellow and orange paper, cut them out, and then stick them alternately on to the inner circle. Make a face with the marker, stick the eyes, and nose to complete the face of Mr. Sunshine.

To Make traditional handprint crafts on ceramic tiles, you need an unglazed tile of 4" or 6" depending on the size of the hand, a soft brush, a pot of ceramic under glaze in a dark color, a container of clear glaze, sponge, and tissues to clear the mess. You can get all these materials at your local hobby center and order the tiles beforehand, as they may not be available singly.

Clean the tile with a wet sponge and wash the 's hands with soap and dry well. Paint a single coat of glaze across the palm and keep the fingers apart so that the fingerprints appear on the tile. Ensure that the hands are steady and then gently press the palm and fingers for the full hand impression. To commemorate this event, paint your 's name and date of birth alongside the handprint. Next, you must let the tile dry and then fire it before you put a coat of clear glaze. Your traditional handprint crafts are now ready for display.

Other traditional handprint crafts include casting the 's handprint in plaster. For this smear, some oil on the 's hand so that the plaster does not stick to the skin. Next, put the hand in the plaster in a container or a tray and press it gently so that the full imprint appears. Remove the hand and clean it thoroughly of plaster.

You can carve in the 's name and birth date in the wet plaster before it sets. Use your creativity to beautify the traditional handprint crafts with accessories. You can insert a straw in the wet plaster so that you can insert a ribbon and create a wall hanging out of your 's handprints. Once the plaster sets remove it from the container and it is ready to put on show.

Traditional handprint crafts can add a twist to your Halloween decorations. You can trace out the handprints on green paper and cut them out. Make them more frightful by adding pointy fingernails or a blood trail. Stick them behind doors to scare your friends. You can use other variations of this idea by using glitter and other dreadful colors. Thus, traditional handprint crafts can make a great memento for your child when he grows up.

R/C hobbies can have a wide variety of models, and kits. I recommend starting out small at a beginners level vehicle. Something that is not so expensive. Then as your experience grows with interest you can work your way up to the more expensive vehicles. I would not want to see you buy the most expensive airplane and then crash it 5 minutes into your first flight. So make sure you think it through before your first purchase.

R/C hobbies most popular models are trucks and cars. Their are many different types of these vehicles. Some come in kits ready to run. Others need to be fully put together. Also they have two types of power choices. There is electric which all you have to do is charge your battery packs and plug and go. There is also the gas powered. Which has a lot more work involved in running the vehicles. It involves buying fuel, and also involves keeping the motors in tune. Gas requires more experience in keeping the motors running properly. Also when the temperature and climate changes you have to keep tuning the motors to keep them running properly. But on the other hand electric is more simple for beginners. I highly recommend starting out electric powered vehicles.

Also you must take in consideration what you want your vehicle for. Are you planning on using it on or off road. If you are up to a bit bigger challenge you could purchase a airplane or helicopter. From experience I have found that the helicopter is a bit more of a challenge to fly than the airplane.

So hopefully after you read this article you will be able to make a better choice on your purchase of R/C vehicles.

Whether your store your antique sterling silver or put it on display, you must first clean and give it a fine polish. For this you need a flannel cloth, a 100% cotton cloth, a special sterling silver cleaning cloth or a soft bristle brush, such as a horsehair brush or a baby's toothbrush. Silver is a very soft metal and it can thus be easily scratched or pitted so it needs to be lightly rubbed or polished. Make sure that whatever cleaning implement you use is completely cleaned as left over dirt from previous cleanings can also cause pitting or abrasions on your antique sterling silver.

You can merely use a small amount of laundry detergent mixed with one half cup of warm water as your cleaning agent for doing a light cleaning for things like dust, dirt, or fingerprints. Then get a soft polishing cloth and give your antique sterling silver piece a nice polish. After you have completely air dried your cleaning implement, store it in a zip lock bag.

If there is a whole lot of tarnish you'll need to use a silver paste cleaner or a silver polish spray. You should never clean or polish with circular motion as this can cause scratching, instead your rubbing motions should be lengthwise. You can remove that creviced tarnish on antique sterling silver use a very soft brush but some people actually leave the tarnish in the crevices of a piece to give it “character”.

Remember to wear gloves when touching your antique sterling silver. There are salts, fats, and oils within your skin that can tarnish. In fact, fingerprints can become veritably etched into sterling silver. After you clean your antique sterling silver with a cleaner, use a clean cloth to take away any residue of the cleaner. It is now ready for storing or displaying.

If you are placing your just cleaned antique sterling silver into storage, wrap them individually with buffered and acid-free tissue paper, well-washed cotton, linen or silver cloths. Do not use felt, newspaper, wool or chamois leather as a wrapper medium. These materials can cause extensive tarnishing to your antique sterling silver

If you are going to display your precious antique sterling silver collection, consider a cabinet of wood with a glass-enclosed display space for putting these pieces on display. Unvarnished shelves in a wooden case omit damaging gaseous vapors so make sure that the wooden shelves are well varnished. Glass shelves are good but make very sure that they are strong enough to support the total weight of your antique sterling silver.

To fight tarnishing place camphor blocks inside the cabinet, but you cannot let them actually touch the antique sterling silver pieces. There are also specially made papers and cloths that prevent or minimize tarnish buildup utilizing silver salts or activated carbon.

Never use cotton, felt, wool or velvet as the clothes upon which your antique sterling silver pieces rest. The sulfides within these materials will eat away at the metal. While sunlight does not cause tarnishing, it can accelerate the chemical processes that bring on that film so don't have your display case directly in the path of sunlight.

Not only do you want to use soft cloths like flannel or all-cotton or very soft brushes like horsehair brushes when you do you’re cleaning of your sterling silver, especially your displayed sterling silver, but wearing white gloves is also a good idea. Why wear these gloves? There are salts, fats, and oils within your skin that can tarnish the sterling silver pieces, that's why. In fact, fingerprints can become veritably etched into sterling silver. Prevent this with the wearing of gloves when handling.

Why should I or anyone for that matter get involved in crafting? Well...first things first, have you noticed how prices just keep getting higher and higher? Who can afford to give a decent gift to anyone nowadays? But...if you make the gift yourself it can be done for a fraction of the cost, not to mention the fact that everyone admires and wishes they could do the crafting themselves.

Well you can! All you have to do is try. Crafting is one area that creativity itself is often inspired by necessity. And amazingly enough new crafters usually find that they fall in love with crafting. Many people start out crafting because they have no choice, they needed something to give to someone or they could not afford to buy ready made things for their own home. In the process of learning how to save money they discover this amazing person inside of themselves, this creative and talented person that they never would have believed they could be.

You too can become more creative. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and each and every one of us has our own concepts of what is beautiful. Each of us has hidden talents just waiting to be accessed. Once you get started you will be amazed at how quickly your mind will become flooded with ideas for things you can make. Anything you see was crafted by someone. Why not you?

Where do I start?
Well, what do you need? Once you know why you need a gift then you can look for something to fit the person you want to make the gift for. I needed a gift for my friend who had just bought her first home and I wanted it to be something special as a housewarming gift. She has always used tons of candles in her home so I found a log that had an interesting shape and cut it so that it was about six inches high by ten or twelve inches around. I cleaned the wood and sanded it top and bottom then carved out an area in the middle to pour the wax, that I had colored in green to match her new living room. The wax was a green apple scent and I poured it into the area I had carved out of the center of the log. A little polish on the top and I had a gift that I was proud of and she really enjoyed it also.

Crafting is anything you make yourself! And there are all kinds of crafts that you can choose to do. There's needle work such as embroidery both hand embroidery and machine embroidery, crochet, cross stitching, smocking and knitting just to name a few.
There's jewelry making such as beading, wire twisting and silver smiting (silver smiting is not as hard as some people think).
There's wreath making for all kinds of holidays.
Candle making can be even more creative than you think.
Painting both with oils and water colors.
Then there's the junk art that has become so popular and is made from things you find in and around your own home.
There are many more forms of crafting that have not been mentioned here and I'm sure even more are being created as we speak, so have a great day and happy crafting!