Properly forged swords last a lifetime, or at least they should. Unfortunately, properly forged swords are few and far between these days. Sure, a knight could have found one during medieval times or a Samurai could have found one in his local village, but Joe Schmo in the USA of the twenty-first century will have to really search for a well forged sword if he wants one that will last. Thankfully our livelihood does not depend on these weapons of war any more.

While stainless steel might work for forks, spoons, and butter knives, it does not work well for swords. Any sword made of stainless steel does not qualify as genuine because it just will not last. The forging and metallurgical processes that make this sword cause the metal to literally become brittle.

This does not mean that a sword love should completely shy away from this type of metal. On the contrary, many of these swords make for some great decoration in the home. Think about how a pair of Cavalry swords might look in a crossed pattern on that large blank wall in your den. If you love shiny aesthetics, this might work better for you than a painting.

Swords made of 5160 have proven themselves much tougher than those made of stainless steel. We find this type of steel in truck springs, so the steels durability only makes sense. After all, it has the ability to support tons of weight without breaking, so surely it would withstand a few hundred pounds of pressure that accompany a sword swing.

Other types of tough steel exist as well. The form L6 has recently become popular for its durability. Japanese swords often use this with a clay tempering method. Many times the beautiful swords are not the durable ones. Because we no longer need these little weapons, great smiths are a dying breed. While some will opt for metals like 01, D2, or A2, these fall into the steel realm and thus only work well functionally. You wouldn't want to hang them on the wall as show pieces.

The quality of steel will vary as much as the variety of steel. Where a steel sword is manufactured matters just as much as how it is manufactured. For example, many third world countries like India and Pakistan will use recycled steel from the same tough truck springs we talked about earlier. The result often times is not pretty: swords will literally crack under pressure. This does not occur all the time, but far more often than desired. Recycled steel does not always result in a bad sword. Some of the best swords out there come from forged welded cables and Russian anchor iron.

One hobby that may be underrated is that of collecting postcards. Collecting postcards, especially vintage postcards or those from another country can be educational, fun, and financially rewarding as well. You will be amazed at some of the places that collectible postcards may be found. The most valuable of these are those that were made before 1930 which are called “pre-linen” Cards from that time to the mid 1940s are also in demand. One place to find postcards like these is art auctions.

Another time period that features some relatively valuable collectible postcards is the period from the 50s and 60s, many of which were very brightly colored and were the first to make use of what was known of as the “chrome technology” in printing. Surfing was really popular during the latter part of this period and one can find a diverse collection of postcards from Hawaii and California featuring surfing.

Another great category of postcards are those that were sent for holidays which were made back in the early 1900s. These old cards that depicted things like Santa Claus for Christmas and romantic depictions for the celebration of Valentine’s Day. These old postcards often have very detailed and colorful artwork which is why they are in demand as collectibles.

Personally, I like collecting postcards from all over the world. It is so interesting to see how different cultures depict certain things and also the differences in artistic interpretation. As an avid surfer it is fun to me to get postcards from some of the many surf spots we travel to in locations such as Indonesia, Costa Rica, Panama, and of course Hawaii. You can do the same with whatever hobby or interests you may have and collect postcards from countries you visit. Of course one doesn’t have to go to a country in order to get the postcards, you can always pick them up on eBay as well or as mentioned you can find them at art auctions. You may be lucky enough to find some at estate sales or even yard sales.

Unless one is very well versed and trained in the art of collecting postcards they may have no idea of how valuable the items may be and in the case of buying them at art auctions they are usually not even announced as part of the available items for sale. This is great for you if you are knowledgeable since you will be able to reap the benefits of knowing what the postcards are actually worth and potentially pick up a great collection for pennies on the dollar.

When it comes to imagination, there are no right or wrong answers for the most part. Encouraging imagination in children is a vital component to their development and parents play an important role in determining that imagination by encouraging it. When parents do not encourage imagination in their children, they run the risk of hampering the development of many important mental capacities that children develop through the experience of play.

Allowing children to have adventures in their own minds using creative tools, such as dollhouses or other miniature worlds, is an important piece of the child raising puzzle. It is important to encourage children to use their minds in play situations, as this encourages the emergence of rules, regulations, creative thinking, and problem solving. Far too often, children lack those skills upon entering the most basic of life situations because of the parent's desire to have their children become in touch with "reality" as early as possible. This is often referred to as "tough love" and is certainly not suitable for young children.

There are many practices that discourage the use of children's imagination and abstract skills.

Television and Computers

Too often in the modern world, it is common to have passive parenting skills take charge. Parents often park their children in front of the television or computer for hours on end as a result of the busy lifestyle they lead. As a result, the children become engaged in what is largely an inactive medium. This hampers creativity immeasurably.

This passive action takes its place in the form that the children do not need to act in order for there to be action. Instead, action occurs as a result of the simple click of a button. This diminishes children's learning capacity to view the world as an interactive place and can place unrealistic demands on the life experience of children. The passive nature of television or computer games often leads to a lack of physical play in children as well.

Teaching Techniques

Believe it or not, some teaching techniques can stifle the ability of children to imagine and work with their creativity. Rigid teaching systems that teach conceptual skills are often the culprit here, as children learn endlessly from passive workbooks and are not taught critical interaction and imagination skills. This form of learning is common in early-age schoolchildren and commonly teaches children principles through verbal instruction rather than allowing children to learn principles through active participation.

A big part of the problem with this is that nothing is actually actively learned in a physical sense. Children learn from experience, by and large, and rely on life experiences to teach them what they need to know. The universal example of the child touching the stove several times to figure out that it is hot is a clear example of this type of learning style. Children that do not learn by doing often do not learn as successfully as those that learn through experience.

Many people who collect valuables hope that one day their collections will be worth something. Others might build an impressive collection for sheer joy of having that collection, but there is still a small part in each person that secretly wants to know what their collection is worth. While not every collection will yield a fortune, it's still good to know for insurance purposes.

Assessing collections is an art. Many people have taken their hobby to the next level and have become experts on specific items. For the most accurate results, finding one such specialist will help immensely, but there are steps you can take to do some of the initial footwork on your own.

Price Guides

The best place to start to find the value of a single piece in your collection, or the entire collection itself, is price guides. Price guides are generally books with listings for a wide selection of collectibles in different stages of upkeep - fair, mint, poor, etc. Some guides will have several types of collectibles listed in a single source, but you can also narrow down your search with more specific information for a exact item or type of collection.

Find Local Antique Shops or Trade Shows

Chances are, you're not the only one collecting the items you have. The best places to compare the value of your collection to others are at trade shows or antique shops. Keep in mind the market value can fluctuate from the number you may have found on your own. The market value for some items might be high, but that doesn't mean you'll find somebody who is willing to pay that much for it. Other times, an item listed at a low price might bring you twice as much if you find someone willing to pay.

Get Online

Internet auction sites, such as eBay and others are great resources for a quick assessment. You might not find your exact item, but you might find a listing of something that is similar or within the same collection. Auction sites make it easy to keep track of the number of bids and the amount each person is bidding. If you want to sell your item, list it and place a "minimum bid amount." By doing this, you will get at least that amount for your item and possibly even more. Competition is fierce and don't be surprised if the real bidding war doesn't start until the last few minutes just before the auction is scheduled to close.

Check with Dealers and Appraisers

Sometimes the only way to determine the true value of your collection is through the expert eyes of a professional. If you want a general idea of the item's worth, asking for an informal appraisal from a licensed antique or collectible dealer is a good place to start. Once you know if you've got something worth pursuing, you can arrange for a paid appraisal and decide whether you want to keep or sell your item.

When you are going to have a school function, you need crafts that can decorate the school so that it is welcome and that the students will want to come. There are several ways that you can do this. You can enlist the help of a school organization such as the student council or the glee club. You can also make one of the art classes make the decorations. This is really up to you and the dynamic of your school. Still, it's important to do these crafts so that everyone feels welcome. This can be for school dances, pep rallies, or other functions that are held at the school.

The main craft that you should do with any school function is to make decorations with the school colors. For example, if your school's colors are red and white, you should incorporate these colors into the decorations you make. If you put up streamers, they should be in these colors. After all, this is mostly about school spirit. The colors of your school represent that spirit.

Another craft you can do for a school function is to show your school's mascot on the decorations. Let's say that your mascot is a badger. Enlist one of the better art students to draw one or several of these badgers. Then you can place them strategically around the room that you're holding this event. With the right crafts and decorations, your students will feel welcome at the school functions that you hold for them.

Nothing beats the holidays, and nothing beats the crafts that come along with them. Each holiday has its own special character. There are colors that are more prevalent with each holiday, and there are also different themes. If you are into making crafts, then you will no doubt want to make crafts for all of the many holidays that you celebrate.

When it comes to Christmas, the main craft color scheme for this holiday is red and green. When you make things for the occasion, be sure to use these colors. Gold and silver also go well with Christmas crafts. One of the big themes for the holiday is the Christmas tree. If you are planning a party for the occasion, you can make decorative wall hangings by cutting tree shapes out of green construction paper. Make it even better by adding paper ornaments to the trees.

Another great holiday for crafts is Thanksgiving. There are a lot of different motifs that are popular for this occasion. The main color scheme is usually autumn colors like brown and orange. You can't go wrong by using those colors. When it comes to motifs, pumpkins and turkeys are the most popular. You could make decorative wall hangings of these objects if you like.

Easter is a big holiday for themed crafts. For colors, go with pastels. Pastel pink, blue, yellow and green is all very appropriate. For motifs, eggs and bunnies are the best. Then you can make crafts that are perfect for the occasion.

Celluloid is generally regarded as the first modern plastic. It was introduced in 1871 by the Celluloid Manufacturing Company of Albany, NY. The use of celluloid began with the manufacturing of billiard balls and was intended as a replacement for ivory. However, by the late 1800s it was used for all sorts of products from billiard balls to bobbin lace prickers, bracelets, button hooks, buttons, cameo brooches, cameo earrings, charm bracelets, dolls, folding toothpicks, fountain pen bodies, guitar picks, hair combs, hand mirrors, hat pins, knife handles, letter openers, match safes, mechanical pencils, money clips, necklaces, paperweights, pin-packs, pocket mirrors, ring boxes, rulers, shoehorns, stick pins, tatting shuttles, thimbles, toys, vanity boxes and many other items.

The celluloid products mentioned above were made between the late 1800s and 1940s. Buttons were made by the millions for use on clothing and jewelry such as brooches, earrings, bracelets and necklaces also saw wide spread use. Vintage fountain pen bodies made of celluloid are a very popular collectible today.

Some of these products were advertising giveaways distributed by every kind of business all across the United States. The most popular advertising celluloid giveaways were pin-backs and pocket mirrors. The principal producers of advertising celluloid pin-back buttons were the Whitehead and Hoag Company of Newark, NJ, American Artworks of Cochocton, OH, The St. Louis Button Company and Bastian Brothers of Rochester, NY. This same group of manufacturers, along with two others in Chicago, the Partisian Novelty Company and the Cruver Manufacturing Company, used celluloid for the backs of advertising pocket mirrors.

Celluloid was not the best of all materials to use for the prized collectibles, as it was very flammable. Table Tennis balls are the only products known to use celluloid today.

Victorian Trade Cards are described as small cards, similar to postcards, that businesses would distribute to clients and potential customers.

Trade Cards were a powerful advertising medium and were an early example of the modern business card. They were issued by manufacturers of all kinds of products and were given away to potential customers. With the development of color printing trade cards began to be increasingly sophisticated in there designs. As the designs became more attractive and colorful, collecting Trade Cards became a popular hobby in the late 1800s and still is today.

Some Trade Cards, particularly those produced by tobacco companies featuring baseball players, later developed into Sports Card collectibles and lost their function as a business advertisement. Victorian Trade Cards first came into use at a time when a large number of new products were beginning to appear in all retail markets. They were the first type of advertising to be used when inexpensive color printing had been perfected but was not being used in other mediums of advertising. The Trade Card did more than just carry a commercial message. They gave a quick look of the good life, provided amusement, and advice. Some manufacturers put out a series of Trade Cards on a particular subject, hoping to induce collectors to keep returning to the store in order to obtain a complete set. Many collectors who saved Trade Cards would then acquire sets advertising particular products such as tobacco, patent medicines, glue and thread. Also popular are Trading Cards picturing subjects such fire engines, railroad trains and farm machinery.

Most Trade Cards were made of pasteboard, rectangle in shape, on which advertising and illustrations were printed. There are two other types, known to collectors as mechanical and die-cut. Examples of these two types are more desirable than any plain printed card. Mechanical Trade Cards have moving parts and their physical size affects value. Die-cut Trade Cards are usually cut to the shape of their illustrations.

Some collectors look for the work of certain highly regarded printers. Two examples are Currier and Ives and L. Prang & Co. Others look for Trade Cards from Fairs and Expositions such as the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.

Antique iron banks are considered to be one of the most popular collectible of all American Toys. Most of these banks are complex in their design, very rare and are in great demand by collectors. Made between the 1860s and 1930ss, vintage cast iron banks can be divided into two categories, Still Banks and Mechanical Banks.

Still Banks were the first mass produced American toy banks and did not have any moving parts. A coin was merely dropped in a slot. Buildings, animals and people were the most common design for still banks. One of the earliest was a penny bank made to accommodate the first large copper coin minted in 1793 by the United States Mint.

Mechanical Banks appeared during the late 1800s. A patent for a mechanical bank called Halls Excelsior was filed in 1869. The peak of production of mechanical banks was the period between 1860 and 1940. At least four hundred distinct types were made and for each there were usually many variations. When one manufacturer produced a popular bank, his competitors were likely to copy it. Mechanical Banks were toys intended to encourage children to save their pennies by making the process fun. In some, the mechanical action rewarded child with a piece of candy. Essentially the mechanical banks were simply designed for the amusement of children. Their mechanical action would be started by depositing a coin or pressing a lever.

Mechanical banks made of cast iron became popular shortly after the Civil War, when several northern foundries started producing them as a side line to their regular business of casting such items as stoves, plumbing fixtures and tools. The J. & E. Stevens Company of Cromwell, CT was one of the largest. Manufacturers competed to see how complex they could make their banks operate. To perform stunts, mechanical banks relied on various combinations of levers, springs, wheels and other moving parts.

The weight of the coin plays an essential role by moving a lever from one position to another, causing a wheel to rotate activating other parts. The more intricate the outer mechanism of the bank, the more complex the inner mechanism worked. So the sophistication of the mechanism is important. Collectors look for mechanical banks with interesting action as well as historical significance. Yes, political subjects were also popular. During World War I, when the production of cast iron was severely limited, manufacturers began to use tin, wood and other materials for banks. Since the 1940s most mechanical banks are made of plastic.

There is also a flood of reproduction banks on the market. A "repro" as they are called, do not have the same detail, and in most cases are slightly smaller. No paint or poor paint jobs and a lighter weight are just three ways to spot and imitation.

The ficus tree is easier to grow then most exotic plants, so it is a favorite among bonsai enthusiasts and is used regularly by bonsai masters to teach their students about the art form.

You do not need to be receiving an education from a bonsai master to get a ficus tree and start learning about bonsai trees on your own. If you are interested in miniature trees, it is a great way to experiment.

If you choose to do this, make sure you choose a good, healthy ficus from the nursery. Ask the workers for help in choosing a good one. They are experts, so they can help find the right one for your needs. After you choose it, you are ready to start making bonsai.

Repotting

When you get home, you will have to transfer the tree to a pot. Repotting will help you control the growth of the tree. You should choose a pot that will help you to achieve what you want.

For example, if you want a table top tree, you need to choose a pot that is small enough to easily fit onto a table. If you’ll want the tree to grow a bit larger, you can use a bigger pot. The overall size of the pot should be completely based upon what you want to do with it.

Don't forget the Ficus benjamina tree is grown as a large tree for use as a houseplant.

After you have chosen a new pot, do not water the tree for two days. The soil needs to dry so you can remove the plant from its original container more easily to transplant it. You can begin to prepare the other pot while the soil is drying. You will need sand, gravel rocks, soil, or potting mix. Do not add too much soil because it will accelerate the growth of your tree, which you probably don’t want. The soil should cover the roots of the ficus tree, but no more than that.

Success or otherwise in your hobby foundry will depend to a large degree on your skills & ability to create simple patterns, i.e. Patterns that are easy to mould, lift or separate from the sand mould after a gentle rap.

A pattern that has incorrect draft on vertical surfaces, badly finished corner fillets, or a pattern that has not been finished to an ultra smooth finish will be difficult to work with.

Pattern making is an art in itself, pattern making apprenticeships take around three or four years to complete, before you are given your "Trade Ticket".

The average hobby foundry worker most likely won't have the time, or the patience to get involved with the art of pattern making to that extent.

But the basic skills are worth the effort to learn, because without them you wont get far with your hobby foundrywork, unless you PAY to have all of your patterns made for you, but that would take all of the fun out of it, and also cost you a sizeable amount of money.

Construction costs of professional pattern making can vary from a few hundred dollars for simple patterns, up to several thousand dollars for complicated pattern designs.

I happen to a know a pattern maker who designs and builds patterns & core boxes to make alloy & cast iron cylinder heads, it is not unusual for pattern & core costs to be around $20,000.00 AU before you even think about melting & pouring any metal.

If you are a legacy of the old tech school system of the sixties & seventies, there is a good chance that you still remember how to skilfully use woodwork hand tools.

Some of the finest foundry patterns were made using basic hand tools. More than likely you still have a chisel set tucked away in a drawer, or a spoke shave, wood plane & handsaw, plus a host of other tools that could be used to make excellent patterns in the home hobby shop.

And if they happen to be a bit rusty, then get them out again and bring them back to life, re-grind the cutting edges and hone them with an oil stone.

Remember what your trade teacher always told you; "sharp tools give the best results."

Do the same with the wood plane and any other tools, such as a small set of carving chisels you could use to carve intricate shapes in wood.

You'll need some good pattern timber or lumber as it's called in the states... doesn't matter, it's all wood isn't it. There are many types of timber suitable for pattern making, but, you'll probably be limited to what's available in your area or region. Quality pattern timber is expensive to buy, so ask for off cuts at the local timber merchant, which you may get for a considerable discount

You'll be looking for a soft timber that doesn't splinter, has a straight grain, is easy to work or carve, and finishes to an ultra smooth finish.

One of the easiest timbers to use is jelutong, this timber comes from the Philippines, I don't know whether it is from plantation timber, or old growth forests, but it is great to turn on a lathe, or shape and carve with sharp hand tools.

Some of the other pattern timbers in use are cherry wood, mahogany, maple, white pine, and many others.

Quite often a master pattern can be made from timber, and then a replica mould is made using RTV 585 silicone, this is a quick method to remake replica production patterns.The replica patterns can then be mounted onto a match plate along with the runners & gates, this method will enable you to mould & cast multiple parts at the same time.

With a little practise you will soon know enough to make reasonable quality patterns that create good sand moulds.

There is one important pattern making tool that will make you wince when you purchase, but it is an important tool to have if you want to make accurate patterns where shrinkage rates are concerned.

The tool is the "Pattern Makers Rule", this is a ruler about 500mm (20")long. Made by Rabone Of England. No B5. And the graduations are marked as: 1/30-1/40-1/60-1/80,

The graduations represent the amount of shrinkage allowance for different types of metals. The pattern makers ruler provides a built in shrinkage percentage, which means you don't have to calculate the final measurement or size of your pattern, you simply take your measurement from your shrink rule, and transfer the measurement to the pattern being made.

The system is quite clever in the way it's all been calculated.

For a quick example, the 1/30 scale measurement seems to give the correct result with patterns used for cast aluminium items.

Machining allowance on specific parts of a given pattern may also need to be considered, generally your own judgement can be used to judge that.

Pattern making can be quite a challenge for the hobby foundry worker, but once you learn the basics and develop your skills, with a little practice your patterns will get better and so will the overall casting quality.

If you intend on making lots of patterns, the investment in a shrink rule is well worth the money.

And while you're at it buy a good book on pattern making, it deserves a study all on it's own, but it forms an integral part of foundry work, and because you're the boss of your own workshop, you have to learn to wear the hat of the pattern maker & that of the sand moulder & founder.

Investment or lost wax casting is a versatile but ancient process, it is used to manufacture a huge variety of parts ranging from turbocharger wheels to golf club heads, from electronic boxes to hip replacement implants.

The industry, though heavily dependent on aerospace and defence outlets, has expanded to meet a widening range of applications. Modern investment casting has its roots in the heavy demands of the Second World War, but it was the adoption of jet propulsion for military and then for civilian aircraft that stimulated the transformation of the ancient craft of lost wax casting into one of the foremost techniques of modern industry.

Investment casting expanded greatly worldwide during the 1980s, in particular to meet growing demands for aircraft engine and airframe parts. Today, investment casting is a leading part of the foundry industry, with investment castings now accounting for 15% by value of all cast metal production in the UK.

It really is the modernisation of an ancient art.

Lost wax casting has been used for at least six millennia for sculpture and jewellery. About one hundred years ago, dental inlays and, later, surgical implants were made using the technique. World War two accelerated the demand for new technology and then with the introduction of gas turbines for military aircraft propulsion transformed the ancient craft into a modern metal-forming process.

Turbine blades and vanes had to withstand higher temperatures as designers increased engine efficiency by raising inlet gas temperatures. Modern technology has certainly benefited from a very old and ancient metal casting process. The lost wax casting technique eventually led to the development of the process known as Lost Foam Casting. What is Lost Foam Casting?

Lost foam casting or (LFC) is a type of metal casting process that uses expendable foam patterns to produce castings. Lost foam casting utilises a foam pattern which remains in the mould during metal pouring. The foam pattern is replaced by molten metal, producing the casting.

The use of foam patterns for metal casting was patented by H.F. Shroyer during then year of 1958. In Shroyer's patent, a pattern was machined from a block of expanded polystyrene (EPS) and supported by bonded sand during pouring. This process is known as the full mould process.

With the full mould process, the pattern is usually machined from an EPS block and is used to make large, one-of-a kind castings. The full mould process was originally known as the lost foam process. However, current patents have required that the generic term for the process is known as full mould.

It wasn't until 1964 when, M.C. Fleming's used unbonded dry silica sand with the process. This is known today as lost foam casting (LFC). With LFC, the foam pattern is moulded from polystyrene beads. LFC is differentiated from the full mould method by the use of unbonded sand (LFC) as opposed to bonded sand (full mould process).

Foam casting techniques have been referred to by a variety of generic and proprietary names. Among these are lost foam, evaporative pattern casting, evaporative foam casting, full mould, Styrocast, Foamcast, Styrocast, and foam vaporization casting.

All these terms have led to much confusion about the process for the design engineer, casting user and casting producer. The lost foam process has even been adopted by people who practice the art of home hobby foundry work, it provides a relatively simple & inexpensive method of producing metal castings in the backyard foundry.
Col Croucher.

Today's Metal Craft workers should truly appreciate the artistic skills & techniques used exclusively by the highly skilled metal artisans from almost one hundred years ago.

Decorative metalworking is undergoing a new renaissance as more & more people become involved in hobby metal craft. The skilful use of simple metal craft hand tools, allows the worker to create fine metal work items.

The casual onlooker of the magnificent ornamental metalwork's found on many historic public buildings in the USA, United Kingdom, Canada & many other countries, would hardly realize the many painstaking weeks or months of work involved in creating these elaborate metal works.

Every day, thousands of people walk straight past the beautifully crafted iron work, & decorative iron arches in public buildings & gardens, and not give them a second glance.

But the new age metal-craft worker of today would stop and admire & appreciate the design & craftsmanship skills required to create these superb handmade iron & metal-works of yesteryear. It is a learning experience.

Examples of old bent iron design work can also be used as inspiration for ideas to incorporate into new items made for today's lifestyle which any skilled metal worker of today could reproduce, things such as: garden structures, outdoor garden furniture, household utensils, or high quality items could be produced to sell to customers who are willing to pay the price for custom made iron & metalwork items.

But first, the metal craft worker needs to re-learn the special old time metal working skills used create these beautiful metal works

Most of this knowledge has been preserved for anyone who wants to become involved in artistic metal work. An ebook has just been republished which explains in full, the correct way to go about designing genuine reproduction bent ironwork, this ebook will show the novice or advanced metal worker the design concepts, and how to transfer drawings into real life full size objects.

Ironworkers over a century ago did not have arc welders to join their creations together, instead, they used special methods to bind the intricate metal work together, many of which are still in good repair today, even after one hundred years, such was their skill.

Metal work skills also combined the art of chemical etching of intricate designs onto copper and brass, & special methods of colouring or creating patinas on all kinds of metals for different unique effects.

Sheet metal cross strips and borders were also used for outdoor garden tables and chairs, this exacting skill is explained and described in detail so that the home hobby metal worker can reproduce them.

The special skills explained in the ebook will enable the artistic metal worker to recreate ornamental iron works just like the metal craft masters did over a century ago.

If you are thinking about starting the fun hobby of coin collecting there are a few basics you should learn that will help you get started on the right foot and might even save you some money.

One problem (if you can call it that) with coin collecting is that there are so may different types of coins to collect that a novice might but be overwhelmed and get frustrated. Relax, this has happened to many others before you and the fact is most coin collectors specialize in certain types of coins as there is no way unless you are extremely wealthy that you could collect every coin ever made from around the world.

Even though the U.S. State Quarter Program has been enormously popular I think that there are so many people collecting them that it will be a long time before they become very valuable. Still, they are a really good way to begin coin collecting especially if you are on a tight budget.

Personally, I would suggest starting with U.S. coins like the Penny, Nickel and Dime but the neat thing about collecting coins is that you can choose to collect whatever interests you. If you like Franklin Half Dollars then go ahead and start collecting them. Just remember the odds are pretty slim you will be finding one in your change anytime soon.

Go to your local hobby store and look for the coin collecting section where you will find some basic items like coin folders to store your budding collection. These are cheap and work very well when just starting out. Buy a few books on coins to help you learn about the different coins that have been minted and how they are graded and their current values.

With all collectibles the better the condition of the item the more it is worth and coins are no different. Grading coins has evolved into a very exacting science over the years and you must quickly learn how coins are graded and valued or you will become an easy target for unscrupulous coin dealers that take advantage of the beginning coin collector.

Buy a good quality magnifying glass and spend the time to learn how to grade and value coins and you will be much better off in the long run than just blindly taking someone’s word for the grade of a coin unless it has been certified and is in a sealed holder.

There is coin collecting software available for organizing collections but if you are just starting out save your money for building your collection with quality coins and as your collection grows look at getting a software package to help manage your collection.

Try and buy the best quality coins you can afford as higher grade coins are worth more and appreciate in value faster but don’t feel like you need to have the highest grade coins immediately. Part of the fun of coin collecting is always trying to improve your collection with a better grade of coin whether you found it in change, bought it or traded for it.

Homemade gifts and decorations are the best kind and those made in the moment as part of a Christmas day crafts project are the most enjoyable of all. There's something cozy and comforting to staying in the warm on any cold winter day with hot chocolate and cookies. Add the crafting projects to the day and things are about as good as it gets.

Almost anything of a hobby or arts and crafts nature qualifies for this cold winter day activity. But those special for the holiday are probably a better idea. Sometimes it’s a nice idea to save decorating for a Christmas day crafts activity. This solves many problems from entertainment to budget concerns and time shortages.

If vacation time together is limited then use the decoration of home and tree on Christmas day itself as the celebration of the holiday. That is an old fashioned idea anyway. Opening gifts doesn't take much time and it can leave a lot of time with no real entertainment plans. Christmas day crafts can be used as gifts themselves or the project elements can be presents. Children love to receive crafting kits or crayons, markers or glitter and glue.

Simple gift kits can include fleece no sew clothing or blanket kits. Pre-cut scarves that only need minor embellishment or afghans which only need tied laces are perfect and quick.

When these are opened and used to make Christmas day crafts to decorate then it saves money on decorations. Therefore money is saved on gifts, entertainment and decorations. It can also be cheaper to buy a last minute Christmas tree and is sometimes even left for free on the lot. That saves more money for Christmas dinner! It is also practical to have only a short stay of a fresh cut tree in the home.wares.

Jack Daniel is a Tennessee whiskey distillery and brand known for its unique square bottles and black label, Old No.7 Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey. Their whiskey has stayed the same for more than 100 years and the company is based in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

Some of the really older Jack Daniel memorabilia consist of stoneware jugs stenciled "Jack Daniel Whiskey Lynchburg, Tenn." (c1865-1870). These jugs are about 15 inch high, glazed dark brown and sand and come in 1, 2 and 3 gallon capacity. Another type has a cream glaze, stenciled in dark blue on the jug "Jack Daniel Old Time Distillery Lynchburg, Tenn." (c1880-1885). A third type is glazed dark brown over cream and stenciled "Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Lynchburg, Tenn." (c1890-1895). Jack Daniel began using "Old No. 7" as a product name in 1887 and mystery still surrounds its origin.

Other Jack Daniel memorabilia include embossed and labeled glass whiskey bottles many of which have been reproduced by the company and made available to collectors. Old advertising printed in newspapers and magazines are very collectible. However, the early jugs, bottles and advertising are very hard to find.

If you love Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey and want to turn your game room into a unique show place then decorate it with reproduction Jack Daniel Memorabilia. All Jack Daniel merchandise has the official Jack Daniel logo. Each piece is finely crafted and of high quality.

What type of Jack Daniel reproduction memorabilia is available? Jack Daniel custom nostalgic mirrors are a perfect way to accessorize any room or office. These custom mirrors are offered in a variety of designs and sizes. Then you could then add a tournament style Jack Daniel game room dartboard. Other popular items include a pool table light, tin saloon signs, drinking glasses and shot glasses. You can even dress the part with clothing such as t-shirts, belt buckles, sunglasses and hats. Don’t forget their famous southern barbecue sauce.

Reproduction items can be found on the Jack Daniel web site. But why pay full retail when you can get new and used reproduction items on eBay at great auction prices.

Glyn Farber has published a catalog of all known Hickey Brother Cigar Store Tokens and co-authored a book about Louisiana Trade Tokens. In addition he wrote several articles for The Token and Medal Society (TAMS) and The National Token Collectors Association (NTCA). Glyn has been a devoted collector of Louisiana Trade Tokens, Louisiana collectibles and Lake Charles, LA postcards for almost 40 years.

During the Civil War there were many notes issued by the Confederate States of America of interest to Numismatic and Civil War collectors. Confederate notes or Confederate currency are unique in the fact that their chief difference is in the values, engravers, lithographers, printer names, figures, designs, colors, water marks, serial letters and other distinguishing features.

The first of these were issued at the first capitol of the Confederacy, which was at Montgomery, Alabama under the Act of March 9, 1861. All other after that date were issued from a new capitol at Richmond, VA. Over 60 different notes were issued from 1861 to 1864 in values of $1000.00, $500.00, $100.00, $50.00, $20.00, $10.00, $5.00, $2.00, $1.00, and 50 cents. The Confederate issues may be compared with the continental issues, during the war of independence. At the end of the Civil War, Confederate notes were of little value. However, today the value of these notes are far from worthless. Prices range from under $100.00 for most to $10,000 or more.

These Confederate notes represented the pay of the confederate veterans. The Confederate soldiers received their pay in these notes. Some of these notes bore the statement approximately as follows: "Six months after a ratification of a treaty of peace between the United States of America and the Confederate States of America, pay to the bearer the sun of ______ dollars, with interest at 8 percent." As there was no treaty of peace favorable to the Confederates, these notes lost their value upon the unconditional surrender of the Confederates to General Grant. Many of the wealthier Southerners had invested all their money in these notes and were for the most part bankrupt at the end of the war.

Glyn Farber has published a catalog of all known Hickey Brother Cigar Store Tokens and co-authored a book about Louisiana Trade Tokens. In addition he wrote several articles for The Token and Medal Society (TAMS) and The National Token Collectors Association (NTCA). Glyn has been a devoted collector of Louisiana Trade Tokens, Louisiana collectibles and Lake Charles, LA postcards for almost 40 years.

"Oh no, now I've done it." You have just applied to much paint and created huge sagging paint globs to your once perfect model. That perfect contest winning finish you were hoping for is now a disaster.

All is not lost however. You can fix just about any paint mistake that you have made on your contest model with just a bit of work. With a careful paint sanding technique, you can create a perfect finish.

Using four techniques; paint standing, re-spray, paint polish and wax, you can fix just about any mistake you make. I will show you how to use these techniques to fix your model and bring it back to contest level.

Paint standing is the first technique we will use to correct and over spray or orange peel situation you have created on your model. Orange peel is just extra paint that is applied to thickly and ends up making the surface of your model looked like the outside of an orange. The easiest technique I've found to correct this kind of situation is just to use sandpaper to grind off the extra paint. The hardest part of doing this is not to stand into the details sticking out of the surface of your model.

There are many different grades or grits of sandpaper. I basically classify sandpaper into two types, rough and fine. Rough sandpaper comes in grit numbers from 100 to 1000. The lower the number the more course it is. For heavy paint removal I typically use number 320 grit. Fine sandpaper runs from 2000 thru 12000 grit. This fine grit is one secret to getting to a perfect finish.

Sandpaper comes with different kinds of backing. I prefer cloth backing over the cheaper paper backing because generally I use only a wet sanding technique. Wet sanding is where you use water to help lubricate the surface of the model and generally works better for my model paints.

Your first task is to let your paint mistake dry completely. Then start the uneven paint removal with a rough grit sanding being very careful not to sand into any plastic detail of your model. I will cut the sandpaper into very small pieces and hold them or glue them to wooden "tools" to get into small places. I will also use paint thinner to soften paint buildup around detailed areas keeping in mind that you do not want to ruin the plastic.

Once this is done, re-spray paint the damaged area.

Continue this process of sanding and re-spraying until you are satisfied with the finish. At this stage you are now ready to fine sand the paint.

Fine sanding is really the true secret to a perfect paint finish. I work the paint finish by sanding the paint using these grits in order.

2400
3200
4000
6000
8000
12000

The sandpaper I like to use is sandwiched between foam so that it conforms to the surface of the model more easily. Each step uses the wet sanding technique with water. Change your sanding strokes in different directions and try not to use a lot of pressure. At the end of this paint sanding sequence the surface of your model should be very even and smooth. This will bring us to the next step which is polishing the paint.

Paint polish is the next secret to that near perfect paint finish for your contest winning model. I prefer Novus plastic paint polish. I work the paint to a fine mirror finish by using No. 3, No.2, and then No.1 in sequence. This sets you up for the final step which is wax protection.

Wax protection is the final step in and creating your contest winning the model finish. I use Meguiar's mirror glaze #26 professional high tech yellow wax. You can find this at any automotive parts store. I apply it with a soft cloth and buff the paint to a showroom finish.

Halloween can be an extremely fun time to spend with your kids doing some child Halloween crafts together. Preparing Halloween costumes, accessories and makeup for your kids can be exciting. But because you are making these for your kids, safety should also be in mind to keep the Halloween season enjoyable and a memorable one.

Keep it mind, however, that child Halloween crafts must be safe and suitable for toddlers to 12-year-old kids. Use non-abrasive/harsh materials. Instead, make sure to use hypoallergenic makeup and glitter specifically made for a child's sensitive skin. Abrasive/harsh materials you should avoid include tin foils, hard plastic from cutout objects (otherwise, you should file the sharp edges), pointed accessories, and twigs with splinters.

Avoid using adult makeup as these are made of stronger makeup components that can easily irritate a child's skin. Practice safe child Halloween crafts preparations and make your own Halloween makeup at home. Homemade Halloween makeup often does not cause allergic reactions because it is just made of cornstarch, corn syrup, food coloring and water. However, you can always do a patch test first.

Consider always the safety of your child when buying materials for child Halloween crafts. When using glitter don't buy the regular ones used for paper. These can be abrasive to both the skin and eyes and therefore can cause inflammation and reddening. Go to a specialty or makeup store instead and look for products that state "body glitter" or "face glitter".

Be careful when choosing household materials for your child Halloween crafts session. For accessories use cardboard instead of tin foil or cutout hard plastic. If your child is going to run around with a tin foil or cutout plastic star on a wand, the pointy edges could accidentally end up in the eye. Use cardboard or Styrofoam instead. You can wrap these in silver kitchen foil or glitter for that brilliant sheen. You can also spray-paint them with silver, gold or other metallic colors.

There are a variety of child-safe costumes sold in specialty shops for use in child Halloween crafts. If you're going to make a costume together with your child, it might be a good idea to put away those needles and use no-sew costumes for your child Halloween crafts idea. If you're going to buy a costume, make sure it is easily detectable from afar (in case your child gets lost), flame-resistant, and can fit well on your child so he/she doesn't trip.

Your child can come dressed as The Sleepwalker, which only requires your child to wear PJ's and set of curlers; you can also think of any character with a cape, such as superman or batman, which only requires you to attach a cape and a mask. You can create masks simply with a paper plate and garters.