These two Incredible Hulk Party Games will make your party just a little bit more interesting for the guests. Not that it isn’t already fun, but it never hurts to have to have an extra game or two on hand.

The first Incredible Hulk game is called ‘Famous Last Words’. Its just a simple word game for the guests to play when everyone runs out of energy but you’ll end up with some pretty good results and a couple of laughs. Before the party take the time to write down the names of more memorable characters from the Incredible Hulk series on several slips of paper. You can repeat names if you want to ensure that ou have enough slips to go around. Have all the players draw slips of paper with the names of the characters from the Incredible Hulk series from a hat or a bag. Then they must come up with the famous last words for each character. You can give out prizes for the best last words if you like. Or the most creative or just the most unusual.

The second game is a little more involved. Its called ‘Tough Guy’ and each player will try to prove they can be as strong as the Incredible Hulk. You’ll need to get several newspapers for this. Have each player stand one and a half arms lengths apart from each other. Then have them hold up a sheet of newspaper in each hand by their thumb and index finger at arms length to their sides. At your go, each player trys to crumple each sheet of newspaper into a tiny ball without moving their arms. It’s a lot harder than it looks. As they complete their newspaper balls they raise their arms above their heads. Give a prize to the first tough guy or gal to finish. You can also give prizes to the second and third place winners

La Quinceanera Party Games are almost as important as that first boy/girl slow dance for your young daughter’s big 15th birthday party. So here are a couple of La Quinceanera party games that out to keep the guests laughing.

The first game is called ‘Rhyme Round’. It’s a good La Quinceanera party game to play with the adults who may be tired out after a long day of celebrations. It’s a rhyming round of conversation to keep the small talk at the party fun. Have everyone sitting at a table play.

You can start this La Quinceanera game by turning to the person to your left and asking them a silly question. Then this person turns to the person to their left and asks another silly question, but the first word of their silly question must rhyme with the last word of your silly question and so on. For example; you ask ‘How’s the duck dance going pal?’ and that person says ‘Sal, we duck’s don’t dance, haven’t they got two left feet?” to the person to their left. This style of rhyming continues around the party table. If anyone falters or messes up a rhyme they have to drop out of the game. Be sure to give a La Quinceanera party prize to the last person talking.

The second game is called, ‘Ping Pong Blow’ and it’s a test of everyone’s lungs at the La Quinceanera party. For it you’ll need two ping pong balls, a couple of baskets and a long table. The players will start with their balls set on one end of the table and try to get them to the other side of the table and into the baskets on the floor by only using their breath. This can be a crazy game because the ping pong balls tend to go any which way they want. The first to get their ping pong ball into the basket is the winner. If the ping pong ball falls off the table at any time and not into the basket you will place at the end of the table, the player owning the ball has to start from the beginning of the table again.

The calendar pages are turning. There is a birthday, anniversary, or special event coming up. Out comes the wallet and off the store you go in that awkward search for something affordable but special, unique but available, heart felt but not too sentimental. On the other hand, you may be a wood turner and the whole story changes.

An opportunity has arisen for one of your special pieces to find a new home. Somewhere on one of those shelves at the back of the work shop or in a box under the work bench, resides a wood turning for a friend or relative.

Most turners go through a progression of giving. The first attempts are amazing only to people who are surprised you could make anything at all, something like the dancing bear in the Russian circus. It is not so amazing that the bear dances well but that the bear dances at all. Everyone needs to keep a few of those first turnings for the sake of humility or at least later to realize how far you have come.

Then come turnings with reasonable lines, good sanding and an adequate finish. Some of these are given or sold to co-workers or are snatched up by spouses and children. There may be a phase of pen turning or the making of other small craft in the thought that this hobby might make money. However, after buying a new tool or so, it begins to feel like work and more esoteric turnings start to come off the lathe. A couple of craft shows sell a few pieces but most realize that full time turning is hard work.

So the pieces start to pile up. How many salad bowls does a family need, after all? Boxes hide some great turnings with wonderful lines and amazing patterns. Then Christmas makes its way around the yearly corner and you get together with your spouse and say things like, “Well, one of the kids might like this one.” or “Does this piece of oak burl not remind you of Ed’s nose? He has to have it.” One by one, off go the pieces to new homes.

I think of this as the hidden returns of turning. First there is the satisfaction of having made a nice piece. Second comes the knowledge that the piece fits the person who receives it. Third is the knowledge that this unique gift is handmade in a world that does this less and less. Fourth is the financial reward of the unsold piece. For instance, ignoring birthdays and such for a moment, think of giving five turnings each year for five Christmases. Assume those turnings took the place of gifts averaging fifty dollars each. That is one thousand, two hundred fifty dollars earned by the hobby less expenses. Even if the expenses reached an unlikely two hundred fifty dollars, this is still a one thousand dollar profit. This is not bad for hours spent having a lot of fun.

One of the things that we have seen change in the wood turning world over the past decade is the growth industry in small or “mini” lathes. While there is some debate over what would make a lathe a “mini” there is some agreement that any lathe that could make a bowl no larger than ten inches in diameter or turn a spindle no longer than twelve inches long is indeed a “mini.”

These are not toys although they are a lot of fun. They are quite sophisticated machines capable of great precision and finely made. While they suffer under the usual buyers caveat of “you get what you pay for” a mini lathe is quite a bit less in cost than its older brothers. Also the tooling tends to be smaller and thus less expensive as well. Much of it can even be made at home for even greater enjoyment.

With all of that, it may not be the cost that is the underlying factor in a person deciding to purchase a mini lathe. Instead there are two alterations in the modern industrial world that make the mini lathe a great deal. First there is the need to have a hobby and to create. Many of us are busy at work in jobs that have set scenarios that stifle individual creativity and we need to break out in our off hours. While painting or music work for some, they are not for all. Wood working is a hobby choice that appeals to many.

However, there is the accompanying idea that wood working requires a large workshop with noisy machines and a lot of mess. Today many of us live in small apartments with perhaps an empty room that has no space for large work benches, table saws and the like. Besides which the neighbors are only a cinder block away and they really do not want the scram of large machines at 2:00 in the morning or for that matter at 3:00 in the afternoon. Surely, in some areas space could be rented but that means going our again after work with all the additional hassles not to mention the expense.

Enter the mini lathe. Typically, these are quiet little instruments no louder than a sewing machine, yet they can make all manner of beautiful objects. Items such as writing pens, candlesticks, tea lights, personal tool handles, jewelry, ornamental mushrooms, Christmas ornaments and small bowls are just few of the possibilities. In these sizes many exotic woods now become affordable and the beauty of the world is at your finger tips.

A mini lathe can be set up in almost any room and are even small enough that a portable work bench is an inexpensive stand that can be moved anywhere. Tools, accessories and finishes are easily stored in a small box. Yet, from this simple space comes a work of creation, beauty and wonder. Truly this is a solution for the stress and creative needs of the modern world.

Do you have vintage dolls from your childhood that you would like to identify? Have you found a doll at a yard sale or thrift store, and would like to know more about her? Some dolls can be identified by their maker’s mark. Others are more difficult to identify; not all dolls were marked, and some companies sold their molds to other doll manufacturers, creating a host of "look-alikes."

Marked Dolls

Many of the well-known doll manufacturers marked their dolls, so the first thing to do is look for markings. Most markings are on the back of the doll’s neck, right underneath the hairline, or on the doll’s back. However, some dolls may have marking on the inside of their arms or the soles of their feet.

If the doll has her original clothing, that should be checked for identifying marks, too. Many doll manufacturers sewed tags into their doll’s clothing, stating who the doll was or what company made her. Other dolls’ clothing had the doll’s name embroidered or silk-screened directly onto the fabric, such as some Madame Alexander Maggie and Cosmopolitan Miss Ginger outfits.

Even once you find a doll’s markings or a tag in her clothing, you may need to research the marking before you can find out anything about the doll. For example, many American Character dolls were marked simply "A.C." If you don’t know much about dolls, you may not know what that means. And even if a doll is marked more legibly -- i.e. Madame Alexander dolls were frequently marked "Alexander" or "Mme. Alexander" -- you will still need to do some research before you know which doll it was.

Unmarked Dolls

Unfortunately, many vintage dolls were not marked. Identifying these dolls require a little more work to identify them.

Research the doll. There are many doll reference books on the market, many of which provide detailed color photographs and descriptions of the different dolls. Search every one of these books you can get your hands on, comparing your doll to the pictures and descriptions.

Use online resources. You can also research your doll online, as there is a host of websites that can help you identify your doll. Many collectors who are passionate about their hobby have set up sites about vintage dolls and collecting. In addition, eBay provides an excellent resource, where you can view pictures of dolls as well as their prices at auction.

Ask an expert. If you’ve searched and searched and just can’t identify your doll, it might be time to ask an expert. You can take your doll to a doll hospital or store and ask if they know what it is. Doll shows and sales can be a valuable resource, as you’ll find many people there who know and are passionate about all kinds of dolls. You can also have the doll appraised, and hope that the appraiser can tell you something about your doll.

Persistence Pays Off!

If you are trying to identify a doll, there are many resources available to you. No matter what your doll is, there is sure to be someone who knows something about her. Be creative and persistent, and your efforts will pay off!

The 1950s is often seen as an idealistic era, and the dolls and toys produced during the decade were no exception. Children’s dolls tended to be high quality, and as a result, many of the dolls of that era are now highly collectible.

#1: Madame Alexander Cissy
There is nothing quite as exquisite as a Madame Alexander Cissy. Released in the early 1950s, Cissy stood 21 inches tall, with a womanly figure and stylish clothing. There are many collectors who are very passionate about this doll. As a result, a "mint" Cissy can command several thousand dollars at auction.

#2: Vogue Ginny
There are few dolls that have attracted the kind of following that the Vogue Ginny inspires. Outrageously popular when she was introduced around 1950, this doll is an eight-inch "toddler doll," meaning that she has the chubby figure and adorable face of a toddler. Today, Ginny is incredibly popular with collectors.

#3: Madame Alexander Elise
Fashion doll collectors know that the early Madame Alexander Elise, introduced in 1957, is a very unique doll. The 16-inch tall Elise had jointed ankles, and as a result she was frequently dressed as a ballerina. However, she also came in highly fashionable street dresses, pantsuits, and formal gowns. Today, Elise’s street dresses and formals are the most highly desirable of her outfits.

#4: Nancy Ann Storybook Muffie
Muffie has a face unlike most other eight-inch toddler dolls, with eyes spaced wide apart, sultry lashes, and full lips. Although she was one of Vogue Ginny’s competitors, she is more than just a knock-off; she has earned her own place on collectors’ shelves, and generally commands as high a price (or higher than) as Ginny does.

#5: Madame Alexander Cissette
A miniature (and more affordable) version of the glamorous Cissy, Cissette boasts a beautiful wardrobe of street dresses, opera dresses with matching coats, formal gowns, and stylish pantsuits. Her size may be small -- a mere nine inches -- but she has an abundance of appeal to collectors!

#6: Madame Alexander Wendy/Alexander-Kins
First known as Wendy, and later renamed Alexander-Kins, this doll is Madame Alexander’s answer to the toddler doll craze of the early 1950s. These eight-inch dolls have china complexions, pouty lips, and hundreds of different outfits to keep collectors busy.

#7: Madame Alexander Maggie
Perhaps Madame Alexander’s most beloved face is that of Maggie, the face that was on many "pre-teen" dolls during the 1950s. Maggie wore a variety of outfits, from classic 50s costumes to brides’ and bridesmaids’ dresses, but almost every Maggie made has become an instant favorite.

#8: Arranbee Nancy Lee/Nanette
Few dolls during the 1950s could compete with Madame Alexander’s superior quality, but Arranbee was one of them. With their sweet expressions, "puppy tail" hairdos, adorable school dresses, and beautiful formal gowns, Arranbee Nancy Lee and Nanette dolls are beloved by many collectors.

#9: Ideal Miss Revlon
Perhaps one of the best-known fashion dolls of the late 1950s is Ideal’s Miss Revlon. Miss Revlon spawned many look-alike fashion dolls, such as Horsman’s Cindy, American Character’s Toni, and dozens of cheaper knock-offs. For many collectors, however, Miss Revlon is the quintessential pre-Barbie fashion doll.

#10: Cosmopolitan Ginger
Although she is often thought of as a "Ginny knock-off" and therefore commands only a fraction of the price of a Ginny doll, Cosmopolitan’s Ginger has developed a following in her own right. Ginger dolls can be just as high quality as Ginny or Muffie, and are known for their sweet faces and detailed outfits.

The 1950s was a decade of beautiful, high quality dolls. Although there are many exceptional dolls that are not listed here, these are the ones that most 50s doll collectors strive to represent in their collections.

Layering is a basic technique for applying highlights to a model that are both more precise and cleaner looking than your basic drybrushing. While drybrushing certainly has its benefits, when applied to an entire model it gives the model a dirty look and is hard to control exactly where you want the paint to go. With layering, you decide where the highlights will be. Some basic things to remember before you go ahead and start painting them:

1) Determine both the starting colour and the final colour that you want to aim for. Don't be upset if the final colour comes out a bit different however, that is normal. Choosing the colours you want to start and finish with will help with choosing highlight colours.

2) Determine where your light source is coming from. This sounds like a silly thing to worry about but it is actually very important. A model that is lit by noontime sun will be highlighted substantially different than one that is lit by the sun from behind at dusk. Personally, I like to do my layering as if lit by the sun from directly above as it is easier :)

3) Decide on just how many layers you want. For quicker painting on models you just want to look decent on the table, 2 is enough (not including the base colour) but for models that you REALLY want to look impressive, you are going to need far more. I tend to paint everything with at least 4+ layers but that is just me.

For the Steel Blue

50/50 FolkArt Metallic Sequin Black/DecoArt Metallic Ice Blue 3-4 layers of Metallic Ice Blue mixed with increasing amounts of Mithril Silver

For the Gold

Tin bitz base
50/50 Tin Bitz/Shining Gold
Shining Gold
50/50 Shining Gold/Mithril Silver for the extreme highlights

Cloth

Vermin Brown
3-4 coats of vermin Brown with increasing amounts of Bleached Bone
50/50 Bleached Bone/Skull White
Skull White (extreme highlights only. Will look fine without this step as well)
The design on the tabbard is done in pure Ultramarines blue iirc

Hoses and gun clip/basic metal parts

Boltgun Metal
Black Ink wash (no water added, straight Ink)

Eyes

FolkArt Lime Yellow
50/50 Lime Yellow/Skull White

Gems

Blood Red
Blazing Orange
Skull White (dot)

Barbed Wire

Vermin Brown base
Boltgun Metal heavy drybrush coat. just shy of a wet coat actually

In order to paint with layers, you simply start with a darker colour of what you want to end up with and add more and more of a lighter highlight colour to the mix in order to continue the progression from dark to light. Each time you go a step lighter you paint a smaller area within the previous one. Depending on how many coats you want to do and how smooth you wish the transition from dark to light to be, you can paint successive layers either very close to the outside edge of the previous colour or you can go smaller and leave a fair bit of the previous colour showing. Going fairly close to the edge of the last colour will result in a smoother looking blend of colours but takes a lot more layers than leaving a larger amount of the previous colour. However, leaving larger layers is perfect for tabletop quality minis and requires much less time. Seems like a ton of work but it really isn't as more often than not, you are going to be adding just a bit more of the lighter colour and doing another coat immediately after the first so it goes fairly fast. I will use the steps for the Steel Blue as the basis for this article.

In this case I use a 50/50 mix of Metallic Sequin Black/Metallic Ice Blue to achieve the initial colour. This is then painted on the entirety of the surfaces you wish to be the colour you are going for. Don't be afraid to get paint on other surfaces at this point as you can simply clean up these ares with your black/white bascoat when you are done. Keeping the paint you have just used, add a small amount of Mithril Silver to the mix and paint the next stage in a slightly smaller area than the last coat. Repeat this step 3 or 4 more times, adding in more Mithril Silver as you go until you reach the desired effect. A good spot in the pic here to see the separate layers is on the loincloth. You can see the dark first layer and the next few layers within each other fairly clearly. This method can be applied to any mini with any colour and once you get the hang of it is extremely easy to do.

If you work in stained glass you must have spent some time repairing, or attempting to repair, a copper foiled panel. Here is an easy way to do it.

Cut the top and bottom off of a soft drink or beer can. Then cut the can into strips, varying the sizes from 1/4" to 1" wide. Cut them the entire length of the can. I have found kitchen scissors work fine for cutting this thin aluminum.

Starting on either end of a solder seam, run off as much solder as possible. You can do this by fluxing the seam, then holding the panel upright and slightly tipped forward. Slowly run the soldering iron along the seam allowing the hot solder to drop onto a newspaper placed under the panel. Do this on both front and back of the panel. Be very careful so that hot solder does not drop on you. This is not a time to be wearing sandals or open toed shoes. (Sometime, I'll tell you how I know about hot solder and sandals!)

If you are removing an edge piece, lay the panel flat, with the broken glass, you want to remove, sticking out over the edge of your work bench. While holding the soldering iron on the seam, slide an aluminum strip between the two pieces. It's easiest to slide it in just behind the soldering iron.(Hold the strip with a gloved hand...it gets hot). Slowly move the soldering iron along the seam and at the same time slide the aluminum strip behind the iron. It will open up the seam for you, and the glass should be easy to remove.

When the piece is on an edge piece do the same preliminary steps as for an edge piece. Then, heat the solder at any given point and, using a narrower piece of aluminum, poke it into the melted solder and wiggle it between the two pieces of glass. It works best if you hold the soldering iron on the back side while pushing the aluminum in from the front. Then you can slowly work it around the piece as described above.

Once the piece of glass is out, run the soldering iron around the surrounding edges to make sure there is no solder left. Cut a new piece of glass, check for a good fit, foil it, and put it in place.

Since the rest of the panel is already soldered, the new piece will lay lower than the other glass. To get around this problem, place pennies under the new piece of glass before you solder it. The pennies will raise it up to the right level. Now you are ready to, solder, clean and patina your newly repaired panel.

Once in a while this method won't work, especially if the glass is a really tight fit, but it is worth trying first, before going to other methods of repair.

Qiviut (pronounced kiv-ee-ut) is the extremely fine underwool of muskox and is one of the finest and warmest fibers on earth. Qiviut is not easy to get hold of but muskox yarn is prized by many experienced knitters and spinners who appreciate its unique fiber properties such as fineness, warmth, softness and non-shrinkage.

Muskoxen are native to Arctic regions in Alaska, Canada and Greenland. During the 1850s they were hunted to extinction in Alaska, however a small herd from Greenland was re-introduced and they are now flourishing. Each year, this remarkably tough animal grows a dense layer of Qiviut over its entire body, protected from wind and precipitation by an outer coat of dark brown guard hair. The fine, dense underwool helps insultate the muskox from tempratures that can go as low as -50F. Each Spring, the muskox naturally sheds it coat so, unlike sheep, no shearing is necesaary to remove the fiber. Because shedding is fairly synchronous, large fleecy sheets of Qiviut can be combed from the shoulder and flank areas of animals.

Qiviut is a speciality yarn and isn't widely available, however, if you make the effort you can get hold of Qiviut yarn from small specialist farms and suppliers in both Alaska and Canada. One such small family-run business is Windy Valley Muskox Yarn. The farm is located in the Matanuska River Valley of Alaska and the family specialize is producing Qiviut and other speciality yarns such as Suri Alpaca and Pima Cotton in a stunning array of natural and unique dyed colors.

Characteristics of Muskox Yarn

What makes muskox yarn so special? Well, it blooms beautifully, swelling and becoming softer and warmer the more it is handled. Both the Lace weights and the Fingering weights can be considered lace weights by most standards. The Sport weights can be considered fingering weights by most standards. Because muskox yarn blooms so well these fine weights can be worked on needles much larger than standard lace weight fibers. Also Qiviut yarn is incredibly soft it is non-irritating. However, before you consider using Qiviut yarn for your next project you should be aware that 100% Qiviut yarn tends to sag and it doesn't retain its shape that way that wool does. The good news is that many producers of muskox yarn, such as Windy Valley Muskox Yarn, produce Qiviut/wool blends; so you get the softness of Qiviut with the elasticity of wool. Knitted items like scarves and shawls are ideal for 100% muskox yarn. Qiviut does not shrink; in fact Qiviut tends to stretch by up to 10% when washed.

Garments made from muskox yarn is nothing new. Russian, American and European women brought their knitting skills with them to the far north and soon starting using yarn made from muskox underwool. The indigenous women of the far north, like the Inuvialuit, learned knitting skills from the new-comers, and today are some of the most accomplished knitters when it comes to making beautiful, handcrafted, hand-dyed garments made from muskox yarn.

If you're looking for a new type of yarn for your next knitting project maybe you could try using muskox yarn. Thanks to family run concerns like Windy Valley Muskox Yarn, Qiviut can be purchased throughout the United States and beyond. Once you feel the fineness and softness of muskox yarn, and what a pleasure it is to work with, you'll be finding more excuses to use it for your future projects.

Stained Glass Patterns Can Be Simple or Complex

Basically the beauty of a stained glass pattern is often its simplicity. When too complicated, the lead lines take away from the color. A butterfly pattern is a popular one for stained glass. Florals and lifelike intricate details are popular traditionally.

You Can Design Your Own Stained Glass Pattern Using Coloring Books.

When designing your own stained glass pattern, be sure to make extra lines. To do this simply imagine what it would be like to have a large piece of glass in the design. Remember, to cut stained glass is tedious enough without too many round edges. Add extra lines to compensate for this obstacle.

Geometric Stained Glass Patterns

As time has marched on we have shifted from the more literal stained glass patterns to adding geometric patterns. Geometric patterns are beautiful on foyer palladium windows as well as on bathroom windows over tubs. They compliment the modern decor styles often with the symmetrical beauty of the traditional styles.

Abstract Patterns

Abstract stained glass patterns can be very grand indeed. They tend to flow with great energy and connection in spite of being seeming disconnected minus the symmetry. This is for the modern day style home decor. It can be very regal as well as the other types of styles and designs.

Finding a Stained Glass Pattern that is a Perfect Fit

Finding a stained glass pattern for an odd sized or shaped window can be a challenge. In this case, simply take a part of the design instead of using the entire pattern. Then you will have an original design you can be proud of.

No matter what the project, stained glass windows are a sight to see. One can hardly take their eyes off stained glass when looking through a stained glass window into daylight.

A topiary tree is a small decorative tree, used to decorate rooms. They are often used in corners (or arch-ways), of halls or rooms, to help "finish off" the room. They are frequently used at special occasions, because they add a lot of glitz and glamour to the room. (In particular, topiary trees are very common at weddings).

Topiary trees don't have to be a plant- you can often make them based on a theme. For example, at my wedding, I used two candy topiary trees, and placed them near the bridal party.

These were a lot of fun to make, and doubled up as my wedding favors as well! I did this to make things easier on myself- it saved me wrapping up 93 gifts for people!

Topiary trees are simple and easy to make, and are great for almost any event. In the past, I've used topiary trees at childrens parties, birthday parties, dinner parties, and other special events.

To make a topiary tree, you will need:

* A foam ball.
* Some candy of your choice.
* A pot (the size you need will be based on the size of foam ball you use).
* A piece of dowel.
* Colored patty-pans.
* Some plaster-of-paris (for filling the pot).
* Some pebbles (for decoration).
* Curling ribbon.

To get started on the topiary tree, push the foam ball on the piece of dowel, so that it makes a hole in the ball. Make sure that you push on it enough, so it will stay once the candy and other things are added.

Once you have made the hole, remove the foam ball as it is easier to work with ball on a table, rather than when it is on the dowel.

If you are using chocolates or hard lollies, then wire them, or attach them to a skewer.

Turn your patty-pans inside out, so that you have the colored sides showing. Push your lollipop sticks through the patty-pans, and then into the ball. Continue this process until the whole ball is covered with candy.

Then take some pieces of curling ribbon and tie them around the lollipop, near the head. Use medium-length ribbon so that it will hang down nicely.

If you have gaps in-between the patty-pans, then fill them in with some wired curling ribbon. If you have any gaps near the hole in the ball, you can cover these in the same way.

The next step in making the topiary tree, is to wrap some of the curling ribbon down the piece of dowel. (Or you could paint the dowel).

Place the dowel in the pot, and set it there with the plaster-of-paris.

Slide the ball on top of the dowel.

Place some pebbles in the top of the topiary pot to cover the plaster-of-paris.

That's it! You've made a topiary tree!

As you can see, they are really quite simple to make. You'll find that children will love to help out, and even if they don't, you can guarantee they will help with eating the topiary tree afterwards!

Every weekend there are special event stations on the air, depending what they are representing some are on the air for longer than just the week-end! With all the new Ham Operators that are getting their license, Special Event Stations are a good way to get their feet wet operating, and also good experience. Ham operators that have had their license for some time know that it is a lot of fun, they get to talk to people they usually do not talk to. They probably even learn a little history or facts that they did not know before.

Special Event Stations will send you either a card or something usually on an 8x10 piece of paper that says you have made contact with them on frequency xxx.xxx, on date mm/dd/yyyy, and at what time and it may also include some other verbiage. To get this (it documents your connection) you must send them your QSL card or something with your information, and a self addressed stamped envelope.

Like I said before, this is very good experience for the new Ham. Some stations run on multiple frequencies and modes of operation. They publish in several Amateur Radio magazines a small block of a frequency that they will operate on and what mode they will operate. One of the reasons that they say somewhere in this range is that they may have to move up or down a couple of KHZ to avoid another station, noise, or a net that may be on that or nearby frequency. Some of the Special Event Stations publish several different frequencies such as 10, 20, 40, 70/80 meters along with the blocks of KHZ that the Special Event Station will operate in. The modes can be upper sideband, lower sideband, or some digital mode. Some have even been known to operate RTTY and Morse Code!

Amateur Radio Operators have used their contact with these Special Event Stations for years to hone their radio operating skills. With the flood of new Amateur Radio Operators coming into this hobby, contact with these stations will give them a chance to operate on different frequencies, as well as experience operating in different modes on their new radios.

Simply put, a craft fair is an organized event where exhibitors display their crafts for sale. Even though the number of people selling products at craft fairs both full-time and part-time seems to be increasing, it can be tough to decide whether or not craft fairs are for you. There is profit to be had at craft fairs, but you should do your homework before you jump in.

A good way to decide if you should sell your creations at a craft fair is to go to a few in your area. Visit small craft fairs. Visit large craft fairs. Check out both open air markets and indoor exhibitions. See what kind of traffic they have. See what people are selling and what consumers are buying.

These are important items to know when considering selling products at craft fairs yourself. You can find out what craft fairs are coming to your area by checking websites like http://www.artandcraftshows.net, http://www.festivalnet.com, and http://www.crafters.db.com. You can also get this information if you belong to a craft guild or subscribe to a trade journal. Seek out the opinions of your fellow crafters or friends that have participated in craft shows to find out which are the best.

Once you find a show you would like to show at, you should get as much information as possible. You may want to ask about fees and how booth space is assigned. When considering the cost of the craft fair, be sure to include the cost of travel and supplies. Find out what the attendance was last year and what the expected attendance is this year.

Do you need a special license to sell? All sellers will need a sales tax certificate as most states require you to collect sales tax. It would also be good to know what kind of crafts will be displayed, in other words, the style of the show. How many competitors will you have there? Do you know what their average price range is? Also find out what the contingency plan is for bad weather, especially if it is outdoors.

When getting started at craft fairs, keep it simple. You’ll want to start small and build up a reputation. On the other hand, selling a high number of cheaper items is not always best. Be sure that your offerings include a range of basic, or less expensive items, and a range of more personalized, detailed, or larger items that are more expensive. You want to present a small, but accurate, picture of who you are and what you can do. Also, make sure that your prices reflect the work that you have done. Try not to overprice your items.

Here is what you should bring to a craft fair, other than your creativity! Invest in a credit card machine and remember to bring it with you. Not many people are going to pay cash, especially for higher priced items. Bring a friend – someone that can help you carry things, talk with customers, and sell. Bring any supplies for your booth not provided by the show promoters.

While you are at the craft fair, try to share information. Meaning, get your company name, logo, website, and other contact information out there, and try to build up your potential customer list. Give aways and sign up sheets are great ways to get email addresses that you can use to promote your newest creations when you are away from the craft fairs. This can also help you build a loyal customer base and establish a good reputation.

You can be successful selling your products at craft fairs, if you have the energy, the drive, and the dedication!

The collection of antiques are a passion that has been around for decades. There are many collectors who look for rare and valuable items, creating their own miniature galleries, libraries, or museums in their homes.

There are many reasons why antique collectors have a fondness for the art. On one end, vintage items are usually artistic and beautiful, so there is an aesthetic appeal to this hobby. For others, it is a mark of wealth and affluence, as certain extremely rare and valuable items can only be obtained from specialty collectors and require vast amounts of time, money, and effort to locate.

Then of course there is the practical approach of the resale value of vintage items. With proper care and maintenance, antiques can fetch huge sums of money from other collectors willing to buy them. The best part about vintage items is that, properly maintained, their value only appreciates over time.

One type of antique collection that can be considered a time-honored art, right alongside stamp collection and vase collection, is the collection of antique wine bottles. This hobby evokes images of earlier times and a past era where nobility had their own collection of rare fine wines in their cellars, bringing out their best vintages to entertain only their most honored guests.

The collection of wine bottles today is not quite restricted to the nobility as such. More and more people have gotten into the craft of setting up small wine cellars in their homes, ranging from tiny racks running behind home-made bars, to larger staggered racks housed in their basements.

The best thing about this hobby is that wine's taste and quality also appreciates with the passage of time, so this increases the value of even recently bottled wines. Some collectors specialize in speculative wine collections, focusing their purchases not on established vintage labels, but rather on modern wines which are much easier to locate and purchase.

The reason for this is that they can then wait a few years for the currents in the wine markets to shift, and once those labels they've purchased are no longer in production, they can, after a few more years, be considered vintage labels which will drive up their monetary value considerably.

The more traditional collectors scoff at this approach, tending instead to acquiring rare wines from the past centuries. These people will admittedly wind up spending far more for their purchases than those who collect recently produced labels, but the rewards are far more satisfying as well. Aside from the affluence that comes with such a purchase, there is also the fact that these items are so difficult to find that even reselling one bottle of them can bring in thousands of dollars.

Beside the financial aspects of reselling old items, this hobby can educate you with new information about wine. You can build impressive collection of wine bottles, that can turn any event with your family or friend to a big happy party. Remember keeping the most valuable bottles for special occasion or special moment that it be worth it.

Here's a project for just about everybody. Why not make a photo album of local birds. All you need is a camera, some patience, a fair amount of time and a photo album. Let's get started.

You'll need to know how to operate a camera or digital camera. Ask a parent or you grandparents to show you how to use the camera. Some schools even have a photo class that you could take..or you can pick up the skills on your own. One of those throw away camera is ideal. They're inexpensive and most take very good pictures.

PHOTOGRAPHING BIRDS

Birds are kind of shy. Like, they don't like people to get too close to them. Therefore, you often have to let the camera do the work. If your camera has a telephoto lens, you often can get a closer shot. If you do not have one of these camera don't let that hold you back. If you sit in one area, like in your back yard for awhile, birds will often come closer. Try to be quiet and quickly snap the picture.

Another way of photographing birds is to sit by a window inside. Often a bird will come close to the window and you can often get a good picture that way. Make sure the flash is off. If not, you'll often get just a glare off of the window.

After you have taken the pictures, you can download them on your computer or send the film away for developing.

The fun part of this project is you don't have to know a thing about birds. When you get the pictures back, you can go on the web, look through books and find out what you photographed. You can make the project complicated or simple as possible. It's fun for all ages

YOUR PHOTO ALBUM

When you get your bird pictures back, take a pencil and lightly mark on the back of the photo the: name of the bird (if known), where you took the picture and the time and date.

When you are ready to put you beautiful pictures in the photo album, write the information from the back of the picture to your photo album. Make sure that you allow enough space for your picture above your writing. A ruler will help you center and organize your pictures.

Some photo albums allow you to just put the pictures under the plastic cover. With others, you may need to glue the photos in the album. If in doubt, ask a responsible adult for assistance.

This is a project that can be appreciated by other folk and it can be a delight for years. The web can help you with questions you have about birds, photo albums and the like. I just wanted to get you started on a fun project. Good Luck!

Imagine the world at your fingertips. The power to see as far as the imagination can see but only this time it is not a daydream. The experience is brought to you through your own two eyes! How can this be possible you say? Well, through the Optical Telescope, the things that seemed like dreams become reality.

For many, investing in a telescope is the next big step when you have outgrown your binoculars. It was one thing to see so many things magnified from a distance with the binoculars but the Optical Telescope brings you to another level of closeness.

With its larger proportions the Optical Telescope's capabilities can be as far reaching as outer space such that the planets and stars no longer look like a twinkle in the sky but rather masses of land with textured surfaces.

Before you get onto enjoying the experience the Optical Telescope brings, it is important to determine what kind of telescope is best suited to you. Considerations are money, size, space where you will mount it and purpose.

Perhaps a place to start is with a test-drive. Contact several retailers or clubs and try the binoculars out. Ask questions about size, the types of lenses that are available and costing. The purpose of this exercise is to gain an understanding on the qualities of telescopes available and be able to ascertain where the value is added or removed when the prices, brands and size of the telescope differ.

At the end of the day, you need to keep your sights firmly focused on what you want to get out of having a telescope. Examining the features of all telescope is on thing however quite pertinent is the reason you want or need one. When you stay true to your values you will find the right telescope for you.

Often trying to find the proper type of coin collecting storage can be one of the most important tasks to be faced by the everyday coin collector around the world. They need to find storage that will ensure the value and quality of their coins as well as keeping them maintained. So in order to do this they should be stored in both a secure and safe place.

Today you will find that are various kinds of storage facilities available that will not only let you store but also display your coins as well. You have many choices including albums, or folders or even plastic tubes and holders to store your coins in.

My personal choice is almost always the coin-collecting album. Below we will look at albums in particular for use for coin collecting storage and why they are particular good.

1. Viewing Two Way Image Using an album allows the collector to see both sides of their coins (which often gives them more satisfaction rather than just being able to look at one side). Also it means that you are handling the coins less as no longer do you need to remove it from its album in order to view both sides of the coin.

2. Improved Protection These types of albums provide better protection against the coins becoming damaged especially against the more destructive elements in the atmosphere that can accelerate the deterioration of an old and valuable coin. The plastic covers that each coin slots into ensures that not only are they protected against all of the natural elements, but they are also protected against scratches.

3. Hold the Coins Better An album has pockets that have been specifically designed for holding and storing coins and will even provide good protection for those extremely worn (dilapidated) coins that you may have. Because the pockets on these albums have been specifically designed to hold coins of any shape or size then they are less likely to fall out of them.

4. Cost of a Coin Collecting Album The prices of coin collecting albums can vary from album to album but usually start at about $20 and cost as much as $40. Although these may seem expensive they do offer the best protection to your coin collection.

So when looking to purchase a good quality coin collecting storage product then you should not look any further than buying a coin collecting album.

Need a great top that can been worn in the office with a blazer and in one quick change turn into a exciting evening wear that will have the eyes focused on you when you walk into the room?

Here is your answer! And best of all, you can brag that you made this great top.

(Front/Back View- Picture at Angelica's of New York Boutique)
(Hand & Machine Instructions)

Material: 5 balls Micro Spun Black – Lion Brand Yarn or you can use Sport Worst weight yarn.
6 Gold Rings
1 Jewelry Component of your Choice.
1 Memory Wire Necklace Gold

Body
Cast on 78 stitches. (One size fits all, except for XL or XXL)
Row 1-60 Knit across the row.

Shaping the under arms
Row 61- k2tog, k2tog, knit across the right side. (Start decreasing by knitting two stitches together)
Row 62- k2tog, k2tog, knit across the wrong side. (Start decreasing by knitting two stitches together)
Row 63- k2tog, k2tog, knit across the right side. (Start decreasing by knitting two stitches together)
Row 64- k2tog, k2tog, knit across the right side. (Start decreasing by knitting two stitches together)

Upper Chest Area
Row 65- K across the entire row.
Row 66- K across the entire row.
Row 67- K across the entire row.
Row 68- K across the entire row.

This will make the split in the neckline.
Row 69- Transfer 25 stitches into a hold position and knit the remaining 25 stitches.

Right Shoulder
Row 70- 118 K across the entire row.
Bind off.

Left Shoulder (Now for the other side of the shoulder transfer the holding stitches back onto your needles.) Row 70-118 K across the entire row. Bind off.

Finishing
Single crochet around all edges of this halter. You will need to turn the top of the shoulders over about ½ inch and whip stitch the edges together. Then you need to whip stitch on the three gold rings for the ties onto each side of the halter, one at the top, middle, and bottom. Do the same for the other side. Now crochet in single 130 chains for a tie ( or whatever length you desire.) Take the memory wire 5" ring and slip it through the neck line. To attach the jewel set, cut a piece of 26 gauge craft memory wire the length of 6 inches. String on the beads. Center the wire in the middle of the neck ring and begin to wrap the wire, side-by-side, around the ring and continue the other side the same way.

My name is Tony Asef and I start my own sewing machine business 21 years ago with little knowledge of repairing sewing machine at that time. I remember very good when I was looking for someone to teach me all trick in sewing machine repair business. But unfortunately no books were around! After 21 years in this business I decide to write all my knowledge and trick in this step-by-step book to teach other people how to do their sewing machine repair at home for themselves or as a business.

As we know Sewing Machine repair is one of the fastest growing businesses in the world today. Newspapers, women’s magazines, dry-goods stores, high schools and colleges are going all out to encourage the millions of American women to do their own sewing, not only to make their own clothes, but also slacks, suits, shirts, sweaters, etc. for their husbands, sons, or boyfriends. Statistics also show that the number of women who now make their family wardrobe has grown tremendously. Now is the time when a sewing machine specialist can write his or her own ticket. Never before have the money-making opportunities been so great in this field, if you know what you're doing. This is also one very prestigious occupation. The latest figures show that over 89 million American women, because of high costs of ready-to-wear garments and undesirable workmanship of store-bought clothes, are now making almost all of the clothes for their families.

That is not all. Most of these women find true enjoyment and satisfaction in making the family wardrobe on their own sewing machine. So it is only natural that the demand for excellent service on these sewing machines is on the upswing and growing by leaps and bounds. Think of it! Eighty-nine million or more sewing machines, not including another 10 million sewing machines in schools of all sorts, such as grade schools, high schools, colleges and universities across the land, schools for the deaf, the handicapped, the children’s homes and old folks’ homes, just to name a few. Plus, the sewing machines in hospitals, prisons, homes of correction, tailor shops, women’s shops, and the list could go on and on.

All of these sewing machines need service at least once a year and quite possibly four or more times each year. I'm well aware that some women are forced to return their sewing machine to repairmen time after time trying to get it fixed properly. Not all, by any means, but many so-called sewing-machine specialists simply do not have the knowledge or the know-how to set up, adjust and retime the modern sewing machine. I've seen sewing machines come out of a repair shop in worse shape than they were when they went in, and I am sure that thousands of women could say "Amen" to that statement. So for the above reasons, I decided to write a complete guide to sewing-machine repair and teach people how to repair their own sewing machine at home. On the very first day, you will find that our simple training method is amazing. I assume that you have had no previous experience with the repair of sewing machines. However, if you have had experience, you will learn how to use your knowledge to the best advantage. Your training will be practical from the first page on through to the end of the book. It is based on proven methods of top sewing-machine technicians.

I will teach you everything you need to know. Admittedly, the book is predominantly about sewing machines with just four of the 70 pages pertaining to. I have gone to great lengths to include along with the copy clear, sharp pictures of many different sewing machines, sewing-machine pails, proper adjustments, cleaning, and timing, etc., so there is no need to flip pages back and forth in order to find the picture that goes with the text. It's clear, and it's simple.

Building model airplanes or flying radio control airplanes is a popular hobby. It is something educational, and can give you a feeling of intelligence and accomplishment. There are also people who are just avid airplane fans and like to collect handcrafted mahogany airplanes, which are a little more expensive, but worth it to those are really interested in Model Airplanes. Mahogany is a fine type of wood that the planes are designed from. Many types of nice furniture are designed from mahogany. According to Webster’s Dictionary, Mahogany is wood “of any of various chiefly tropical trees (family Meliaceae, the mahogany family). When people are discussing mahogany crafts, they are most likely discussing Webster’s second definition “the durable yellowish brown to reddish brown usually moderately hard and heavy wood of a West Indian tree (Swietenia mahagoni) that is widely used for cabinetwork and fine finish work.” At any rate, mahogany is a nice type of wood to build furniture or model airplanes.

Mahogany model airplanes are hand crafted. Each plane is carved individually from mahogany wood. An is nice models for display. You can keep them on your desk in your office, your bedroom, or in the living room of your home. They are excellent for decoration. Anyone who loves airplanes or model airplanes will love mahogany model airplanes. Mahogany airplanes can be used for toys for kids, as well, albeit expensive toys. They could be a nice decoration to your child’s room or dresser though, if they love model airplanes. Mahogany model airplanes are a luxury brand of model airplane designs.

Mahogany airplanes can come in many sizes. I have seen many people with a miniature on their desks in their offices. A miniature mahogany model airplane can add to the personality of one’s office. It can add a sense of excitement to the office or work space, rather than just surrounding yourself with work related material. You can have that little plane sitting there, reminding you of better things. It can keep up your moral, and get you excited.

At Variety Access, an online hobby store, you can find a variety of mahogany model airplanes. Variety Access sells airplanes manufactured by Aircraft Models Corp. Aircraft Models Corp. does all of the hand craft designs and paint for all of its planes. At Variety Access, you can find hundreds of selections of model aircraft in categories including World War I era planes, World War II model airplanes, civilian aircraft throughout the twentieth century and current civilian aircraft, commercial aircraft, and world record aircraft. They also have miniature mahogany aircraft that accentuate a home or office. You could even hang them in your car if you like. There are aircraft models and sizes to satisfy any interest or personality.

Collecting model aircraft, especially high quality, hand crafted mahogany model airplanes, can be a fun, interesting and constructive hobby that anyone can enjoy. Whether you are interested in just hand craft wood objects, airplanes in general, or history, model airplanes may be the hobby for you. Model airplanes can show the history of our world with planes from every era of the twentieth century; planes that fought in every war; planes that someone you know fly in or have flown in. I personally like the big civilian aircrafts the most; the large commercial Boeing model airplanes. I would also be interested in collecting world record aircraft models, from the first flight, to the first flight across the Atlantic, to the fastest flight and finally, the space shuttle flights into space.