hobby crafts

Basic Sewing Machine Maintenance

2010-04-27T05:48:00.000-07:00

There is a huge list of things you need to do to keep your sewing machine in working order but these are the basics that you need to look out for on a daily basis. Not only will this list keep your machine working it is also important for your safety. Sewing machines are not toys. They can maim or even kill if not serviced correctly. For safety reasons we advise unplugging your machine from the mains before attempting to do any maintenance.

Removing Lint

Lint is a build up of fluff from using thread. Although it looks harmless enough it builds up in hard to reach areas and clogs up the mechanism of your sewing machine.

Open up any casings you can on your machine and clean the lint out with a small brush. You will generally find a build up near the bobbin case. Don't use a vacuum cleaner. It has too harsh a suck and can remove small parts and oil.

Try to clean the lint from your sewing machine every time you have finished a project. That way your machine will always be ready for use.

Sewing Machine Oil

Use proper oil! Don't use the stuff you put in your car engine because it won't penetrate the moving parts properly. Proper sewing machine oil is clear and you may have had some included with the purchase of your machine. If not you can buy it quite easily as most sewing shops. Refer to your owners manual for the areas that need regular oiling. Some machines have these areas marked but check your manual anyway.

After oiling run a few stitches over some scrap fabric. This allows any excess oil to escape onto the scrap piece and not on your new sewing project.

Oiling your machine properly stops wear and tear and keeps everything working smoothly. It also prevents rust which can form on surface areas. Rust doesn't only stain your fabrics it gets into the mechanism of your sewing machine and grinds away at the moving parts.

Loose Screws

As you oil your machine check for any screws that may have become loose and tighten them as necessary. Some may require a hex key to tighten so it maybe worth getting hold of a set if you can.

If you find a missing screw don't use the machine until it has been replaced. A missing screw can cause huge damage to your machine particularly if it's part of the timing mechanism.

Electrics

Look out for wires that have split or where the outer PVC covering is becoming worn. This won't usually be a problem on the inside workings of the sewing machine as those wires are generally fixed and don't move.

The most common fault is with the cable on the pedal. Make sure it's not being stretched when in use. Make sure the outer PVC of the cable is not split and showing the copper inner cores.

Check the plug where it fits into your machine. With a lot of use these can wear and become sloppy causing your machine to short out at the most inconvenient of moments.

If you find any electrical faults I would advise taking your machine to a competent electrician or servicing agent as you cannot be too careful when it comes to electricity.

To Conclude

As I said in the beginning these are only the basics of sewing machine maintenance. Later I will go into more detailed servicing but if you follow the simple steps often you will spend less time having your sewing machine repaired and keep your machine in good working order.

For more tips on keeping your sewing machine in good order checkout our site:
Sewing Machine Repairs

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Will_F

Wool Dyeing Using Liquid Dyestock, Percentage Formulas and Three Primaries

2010-04-27T05:47:00.000-07:00

This is the third in a series of articles about dyeing wool using liquid dyestock, percentage-based formulas, and the three primaries. As mentioned before, when I first began wool crafting, I decided to to try dyeing my own wool to save on money and time shopping. I didn't see a lot of selection online (the web was relatively new) and Dorr Mill, while blessedly nearby, was still an hour away. I knew that I wanted a large selection of colors to use for projects, and I knew this could get prohibitively expensive. The purist in me had already decided to use only primary colors for dyeing, rather than listening to the reasonable side of me that said to use all the lovely pre-formulated colors available. Using those colors would have been easy -- I could just go envelope-by-envelope and try them all. But I found the color selection somewhat limiting (not that it really is, mind you, but when your greedy heart wants every color of the rainbow, it feels a little binding). Despite all of this initial thinking, when my first shipment of dyes, wool and equipment arrived in the mail, I stood there scratching my head, wondering where on earth to begin. I wanted to experiment with many colors from all over the color wheel, but I could see no clear and organized path in front of me using primaries, which was unsettling, given the magnitude of the Grand Plan I had laid out for myself. How would I make deep pumpkin orange, or a soft, wheat yellow, or the palest grey green? I had no clue how to formulate those colors, and I didn't like the idea of hit and miss -- I could see wasting a lot of time and money that way, and I didn't have much of either at the time.

So I revisited the article by Linda Knutson in a very old issue of 'Threads' magazine that had already guided my decision-making to that point. I remember reading the article, when all the light bulbs in my head started to flicker on. I made a spreadsheet on the computer of all the possible combinations of red, blue and yellow, in 5% incremental changes, using only two of the three colors for any formula. For instance, I started with 100% red, and the next formula was 95% red and 5% yellow, then 90% red and 10% yellow and followed this pattern down to 0% red and 100% yellow. Then I repeated this, starting with 100% yellow and the remainder blue, then 100% blue and the remainder red. This approach was easy to understand, and it thoroughly and systematically covered all colors around the outside of the color wheel, producing a lovely collection of vibrant colors. Many were near-duplicates, so I culled through them, choosing colors that produced a nice, even progression all the way around the wheel. It was exhilarating to have a start, something to branch out from.

Below is what a chart of two-color formulas looks like, with a numbering system that shows how much of the "main primary" is in the formula. It is essential to use some kind of numbering system if you plan to do quantity trialing of colors -- you must label each piece with permanent marker before you dye it, so that you can keep track of the formula for each piece. If your attention span is like mine, you will forget what you did five minutes ago, or less than that, if the phone rings.

Notice that I use the initials 'R, Y and B' (red, yellow, blue), rather than M, Y, C (magenta, yellow, cyan) only because this is how I have always thought of the primaries, so it is familiar. Also notice that no matter what the formula is, the chart is in the same order -- R-Y-B -- because I have learned from unhappy experience that keeping all the labeling and dyeing in the same order all the time prevents mistakes, like putting 75% blue into the pot, when it should have been 75% red, if I'm lazy about charting the colors. You may choose a different way of organizing formulas, but this is one option that I have found to be logical and easy to work with.

-----------R----Y----B---------------R-----Y-----B----------------R-----Y-----B
R-100 - 100 - 0 --- 0 ---- Y-100 - 0 --100 --- 0 ----- B-100 -- 0 --- 0 - 100
R-95 -- 95 ---- 5 -- 0 ---- Y-95 -- 0 -- 95 ---- 5 ----- B-95 --- 0 --- 5 -- 95
R-90 -- 90 -- 10 -- 0 ----- Y-90 -- 0 -- 90 -- 10 ----- B-90 --- 0 -- 10 -- 90
R-85 -- 85 -- 15 -- 0 ----- Y-85 -- 0 -- 85 -- 15 ----- B-85 --- 0 -- 15 -- 85
R-80 -- 80 -- 20 -- 0 ----- Y-80 -- 0 -- 80 -- 20 ----- B-80 --- 0 -- 20 -- 80
R-75 -- 75 -- 25 -- 0 ----- Y-75 -- 0 -- 75 -- 25 ----- B-75 --- 0 -- 25 -- 75
R-70 -- 70 -- 30 -- 0 ----- Y-70 -- 0 -- 70 -- 30 ----- B-70 --- 0 -- 30 -- 70
R-65 -- 65 -- 35 -- 0 ----- Y-65 -- 0 -- 65 -- 35 ----- B-65 --- 0 -- 35 -- 65
R-60 -- 60 -- 40 -- 0 ----- Y-60 -- 0 -- 60 -- 40 ----- B-60 --- 0 -- 40 -- 60
R-55 -- 55 -- 45 -- 0 ----- Y-55 -- 0 -- 55 -- 45 ----- B-55 --- 0 -- 45 -- 55
R-50 -- 50 -- 50 -- 0 ----- Y-50 -- 0 -- 50 -- 50 ----- B-50 --- 0 -- 50 -- 50
R-45 -- 45 -- 55 -- 0 ----- Y-45 -- 0 -- 45 -- 55 ----- B-45 --- 0 -- 55 -- 45
R-40 -- 40 -- 60 -- 0 ----- Y-40 -- 0 -- 40 -- 60 ----- B-40 --- 0 -- 60 -- 40
R-35 -- 35 -- 65 -- 0 ----- Y-35 -- 0 -- 35 -- 65 ----- B-35 --- 0 -- 65 -- 35
R-30 -- 30 -- 70 -- 0 ----- Y-30 -- 0 -- 30 -- 70 ----- B-30 --- 0 -- 70 -- 30
R-25 -- 25 -- 75 -- 0 ----- Y-25 -- 0 -- 25 -- 75 ----- B-25 --- 0 -- 75 -- 25
R-20 -- 20 -- 80 -- 0 ----- Y-20 -- 0 -- 20 -- 80 ----- B-20 --- 0 -- 80 -- 20
R-15 -- 15 -- 85 -- 0 ----- Y-15 -- 0 -- 15 -- 85 ----- B-15 --- 0 -- 85 -- 15
R-10 -- 10 -- 90 -- 0 ----- Y-10 -- 0 -- 10 -- 90 ----- B-10 --- 0 -- 90 -- 10
R- 5 ---- 5 -- 95 -- 0 ----- Y- 5 --- 0 --- 5 -- 95 ----- B- 5 ---- 0 -- 95 --- 5

So I dyed these 60 formulas to a medium value, dyeing six 4-gram squares at a time, one in each of six beakers held in a dry casserole and placed in the microwave. (More on the detail of this method in the next article.) This took several days, mostly because of mistakes I made in basic technique. Once I got into the groove, things moved along more quickly, and later I could do this many colors in one day.

This exercise completed, it was time to venture deeper into the color wheel, by adding the third primary to the formulas. I knew this would increase the number of possible formulas exponentially, forcing me to think three-dimensionally. (I hate that.) So I had to figure out an organized way to approach it, and I ruminated for some time. Finally, my "Eureka!" moment came one day at my son's basketball game, and I wrote down my plan on a scrap of paper with a pencil stolen from a student sitting next to me. I started with 90% magenta this time (since I already had 100% red), adding 2.5% blue and 7.5% yellow. Next, I used 90% red, 5% blue and 5% yellow, and finally 90% red, 7.5% blue and 2.5% yellow. Then I followed the same pattern, using 80% red with all possible combinations of blue and yellow in 5% increments (I could use larger incremental changes with 20% of the formula to use, vs. only 10% of the formula, when the red contributed 90%). And I speculated that, in general, there would not be a discernible difference in color with a 2.5% change in formula. I repeated the process down to using 50% red and all the combinations of the other two colors. Then I followed this same pattern using blue, and then yellow, as the main primary.

Below is a chart showing how this looks for red formulas, with a numbering system that you could use, that indicates in shorthand the name and quantity of the main primary for the formula, and how much blue is also in the formula. (When blue is the main primary, you could use numbers that indicate how much yellow is in the formula.) If you know how much of two colors are in the formula, then it is easy to figure out the rest. This may seem like overkill, but it comes in very handy when you have about 200 squares spread out all over the living room floor, and you wonder which formula you used for a particular piece, as compared to the piece next to it. For serious color study, having a code like this written on each piece is very useful.

------------R------Y------B------------------R-----Y-----B-------------------R-----Y-----B
R-9-2 --- 90 --- 7.5-- 2.5 ----- Y-9-2 --- 7.5 -- 90 -- 2.5 --- B-9-2 -- 7.5 -- 2.5 -- 90
R-9-5 --- 90 --- 5 ---- 5 ------- Y-9-5 ---- 5 --- 90 --- 5 ---- B-9-5 ---- 5 --- 5 --- 90
R-9-7 --- 90 ---2.5 -- 7.5 ----- Y-9-7 ----2.5 -- 90 -- 7.5 --- B-9-7 --- 2.5 -- 7.5 --90
R-8-5 --- 80 -- 15 ---- 5 ------ Y-8- 5 --- 15 -- 80 --- 5 ----- B-8- 5 --- 15 --- 5 -- 80
R-8-10 -- 80 -- 10 -- 10 ------ Y-8-10 --- 10 -- 80 -- 10 ---- B-8-10 -- 10 -- 10 -- 80
R-8-15 -- 80 --- 5 -- 15 ------ Y-8- 15 --- 5 -- 80 -- 15 ----- B-8-15 --- 5 ---10 -- 80
R-7- 5 --- 70 -- 25 --- 5 ------ Y-7- 5 --- 25 -- 70 --- 5 ----- B-7- 5 --- 25 --- 5 -- 70
R-7-10 -- 70 -- 20 -- 10 ------ Y-7-10 -- 20 -- 70 ---10 ----- B-7-10 -- 20 -- 10 -- 70
R-7-15 -- 70 -- 15 -- 15 ------ Y-7-15 -- 15 -- 70 -- 15 ----- B-7-15 -- 15 -- 15 -- 70
R-7-20 -- 70 -- 10 -- 20 ------ Y-7-20 -- 10 -- 70 -- 20 ----- B-7-20 -- 10 -- 20 -- 70
R-7-25 -- 70 --- 5 -- 25 ------ Y-7-25 ---- 5 -- 70 -- 25 ----- B-7-25 --- 5 -- 25 -- 70
R-6- 5 --- 60 -- 35 --- 5 ------ Y-6- 5 --- 35 -- 60 --- 5 ----- B-6- 5 --- 35 --- 5 -- 60
R-6-10 -- 60 -- 30 -- 10 ------ Y-6-10 -- 30 -- 60 -- 10 ----- B-6-10 -- 30 -- 10 -- 60
R-6-15 -- 60 -- 25 -- 15 ------ Y-6-15 -- 25 -- 60 -- 15 ----- B-6-15 -- 25 -- 15 -- 60
R-6-20 -- 60 -- 20 -- 20------- Y-6-20 -- 20 -- 60 -- 20 ----- B-6-20 -- 20 -- 20 -- 60
R-6-25 -- 60 -- 15 -- 25 ------ Y-6-25 -- 15 -- 60 -- 25 ----- B-6-25 -- 15 -- 25 -- 60
R-6-30 -- 60 -- 10 -- 30 ------ Y-6-30 -- 10 -- 60 -- 30 ----- B-6-30 -- 10 -- 30 -- 60
R-6-35 -- 60 --- 5 -- 35 ------ Y-6-35 ---- 5 -- 60 -- 35 ----- B-6-35 --- 5 -- 35 -- 60
R-5- 5 --- 50 -- 45 --- 5 ------ Y-5- 5 --- 45 -- 50 --- 5 ----- B-5- 5 --- 45 --- 5 -- 50
R-5-10 -- 50 -- 40 -- 10 ------ Y-5-10 -- 40 -- 50 -- 10 ----- B-5-10 -- 40 -- 10 -- 50
R-5-15 -- 50 -- 35 -- 15 ------ Y-5-15 -- 35 -- 50 -- 15 ----- B-5-15 -- 35 -- 15 -- 50
R-5-20 -- 50 -- 30 -- 20 ------ Y-5-20 -- 30 -- 50 -- 20 ----- B-5-20 -- 30 -- 20 -- 50
R-5-25 -- 50 -- 25 -- 25 ------ Y-5-25 -- 25 -- 50 -- 25 ----- B-5-25 -- 25 -- 25 -- 50
R-5-30 -- 50 -- 20 -- 30 ------ Y-5-30 -- 20 -- 50 -- 30 ----- B-5-30 -- 20 -- 30 -- 50
R-5-35 -- 50 -- 15 -- 35 ------ Y-5-35 -- 15 -- 50 -- 35 ----- B-5-35 -- 15 -- 35 -- 50
R-5-40 -- 50 -- 10 -- 40 ------ Y-5-40 -- 10 -- 50 -- 40 ----- B-5-40 -- 10 -- 40 -- 50
R-5-45 -- 50 --- 5 -- 45 ------ Y-5-45 ---- 5 -- 50 -- 45 ----- B-5-45 --- 5 -- 45 -- 50

You may wonder why we stop at 50% for each main primary. Any formula that contains 50% of any one color will also contain the other two colors in increments of 10%, 20% 30% and 40%. So those increments were already covered in the existing charts, in fact the only formulas not covered by the charts above were those where no primary contributed more than 40% to the formula. So I worked up formulas for these nine colors, which of course, are mostly grey, listed below. You can see that there is no color above 40% or below 20% in any formula. Formulas with 10-15% of one of the primaries will be more like a dull secondary color, and probably very near one that has already been produced. Only when there is at least 20% of all the primaries in the formula do you start to see greys, near-greys, and browns. Notice that you don't need to repeat the process using yellow and blue as the main primary -- this will duplicate formulas. The combinations below are the only ones needed to finish sampling. You may want to explore using each main primary at 45% and 35%, as well -- this will create some discernibly different shades, especially when yellow is the main primary, because it is so easily altered by small changes in the other two primaries. But if your color needs are simple, the formulas below may be enough.

R-----Y-----B
40---40---20
40---35---25
40---30---30
40---25---35
40---20---40
30---40---30
30---35---35
30---30---40
20---40---40

You may also wonder why I jump 10% with each main primary, while using 5% increments for the other two colors. I realized that by using 5% incremental changes for the main primary, it would greatly multiply the amount of colors to trial! Also, jumping 10% each time with the main primary makes it possible to keep the percentages of the other two colors in round numbers. And I didn't think that using smaller increments of the main primary would produce colors that were discernibly different, for all the extra work, and I have found this to be generally true. I experimented with formulas in between some of the colors and found a few that were new, but in general the colors in between were only marginally different. I also tweaked a few formulas to split the difference more evenly between the two colors on either side. Ultimately, I created about 165 "master colors".

In this manner, I sampled the entire range of colors that could be made using the three primaries, resulting in a wonderful collection of color from every part of the color wheel. Naturally, once I had a lovely universe of colors, I felt it absolutely mandatory to explore the values of light and dark for these colors (an announcement that caused a lot more spousal eye-rolling and sighs from the rest of the tribe, who wanted dinner in the pot, not wool). Mentally, I multiplied 165 times 6 or 7 values for each, and felt completely overwhelmed by the number that resulted. But, as you can see, I never do anything small. So I took a big breath, apologized to my entire family, and plunged in.

Before continuing, let's return to the concept of the '1% dyestock solution', which, as you may recall from the first article, is 1 part dye powder and 99 parts water. Also remember that 1 ml of liquid weighs 1 gram, making it possible to compare liquid and dry measurements equally, using metric.

It is known that doubling the amount of dye with each darker value will provide a nice progression of a color from pale to dark, in 6 to 8 jumps -- this is the principle at work when using the jar method. I knew this would be the case before I started, so for me the only real question was where to begin to create a pale shade, and then see where doubling would take the color from there. So I experimented until I found a good progression of values, and it is listed below. There are, of course lighter and darker values than these, but these meet my needs.

The lightest value I generally produce (a pastel that I refer to as Level 1) uses a 5% "saturation" of dyestock, meaning that for a 4-gram piece of wool, (the size of the samples for all my trials) I use 5% of that amount in dyestock, which is.2 ml, to achieve a pastel value. (Multiply 4 times 5%, or.05, and you'll see that the answer is.2. Remember again that the ml measure of the dyestock and the gram weight of the wool can be related on equal terms to each other.) A 10% saturation, or.4 ml, produces Level 2, and so on.

Here are what the numbers look like on a 4 gram piece of wool:

Level - 1 Pastel---------5% saturation --.2 ml dyestock
Level - 2 Med Pastel--10% saturation --.4 ml dyestock
Level - 3 Light---------20% saturation --.8 ml dyestock
Level - 4 Light Med----40% saturation -- 1.6 ml dyestock
Level - 5 Medium------80% saturation -- 3.2 ml dyestock
Level - 6 Dark Med---160% saturation -- 6.4 ml dyestock
Level - 7 Dark---------240% saturation -- 9.6 ml dyestock

I found that most colors follow a predictable pattern, value-wise. However, when moving around the color wheel towards yellow, about 2/3 of the way through the greens and the oranges, the amount of dye must be increased to keep the values about the same, visually, as more yellow is added to each formula. Here are the numbers for making similar values in yellow shades on 4 grams of wool:

Level - 1 Pastel--------7.5% saturation --.3 ml dyestock
Level - 2 Med Pastel--15% saturation --.6 ml dyestock
Level - 3 Light---------25% saturation -- 1 ml dyestock
Level - 4 Light Med----50% saturation -- 2 ml dyestock
Level - 5 Medium-----100% saturation -- 4 ml dyestock
Level - 6 Dark Med---200% saturation -- 8 ml dyestock
Level - 7 Dark--------300% saturation -- 12 ml dyestock

There are couple of exceptions to these numbers in the brighter red and blue families. Some of these pastels run a little dark using a 5% saturation, and for a few of those I start with 3%. You may find your own preferences, but this is a good starting point. When I am working up these values on wool samples, I don't label them -- the values are obvious when they come out of the pot. I dry them, stack them together, and place a folded piece of card stock around them, which contains the formula number, percentages in the formula, and the saturations used for each level.

On the very first day of my Grand Plan, I imagined dyeing perhaps 300 colors, total. Today, I have close to 1,200 in an inventory that I offer for sale, and I have near-future plans for adding at least 70-80 more, plus many more specialized colors in the future. It was quite a process to organize all of this, and I couldn't be happier with the collection -- there is not one color I don't love!

I know that this is a different way of approaching color, and I hope it helps you, should you take on your own Grand Plan, or even if you just want to do some dabbling.

Copyright Susan Sylvia 2010

Susan Sylvia has ten years of experience in wool dyeing, using the methods in her articles. She is the owner (and chief pot washer) of Ram in the Thicket, an online store dedicated to the art of hand dyeing wool. She thanks you for your interest, and invites you to see the results of her many color trials using metric measurements, standardized formulas, liquid dyestock, and the three primaries by clicking below:

Rug hooking wool.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Sylvia

Crafts: A Great Winter Hobby

2008-08-23T03:33:00.002-07:00

Whether you are in the winter of your life or whether the time of year is winter where you live, working on crafts can really liven up the days! Crafts don't have to be messy or expensive, but they have to be something you are interested in. What's fun about working on crafts is that you can throw away your mistakes. In time, most people who habitually work on crafts have to give them away or sell them; otherwise, they won't have the space to store them.

Personally, I don't recommend storing completed craft projects. Due to evolving trends in home décor, I have found that craft items can quickly become out-dated too. Instead, give them away and try to find good homes for your crafts. You know how some people try to find good homes for their pets? Do not some people diligently try to make sure that the caretakers and the pets are well-suited for each other prior to handing over their pets? Well, the same is holds true for crafts. Don't give your crafts away to people who will be unappreciative or who will store them for you. When giving your crafts away, be mindful of the home decor and settings of which your crafts will be placed. Give them to those who would like them for sentimental reasons if for nothing else. You should even consider donating them to care facilities for terminally ill children or senior citizens.

Don't ever forget, if you give your artwork to someone―it's theirs to choose what to do with it―in spite of what you have into it. Let it go! Move on to your next piece and have fun crafting!

(revised 2/12/2006)

Debbie Jensen, Graphic Designer and Photographer http://www.debjensendesigns.com

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Elvis Themed Crafts for Your Home

2008-08-23T03:33:00.001-07:00

People in nearly every generation love Elvis and they like to show this appreciation with crafts. There are certain things that make Elvis special. He was a hit in his own time and he continues to be a hit well after his death. You can use these crafts for many different reasons. If you are a particularly large Elvis fan, then you may want to decorate a room in your house with these crafts. Or, you could celebrate either your own birthday, or Elvis's birthday with these crafts as well.

The biggest Elvis craft is the velvet Elvis. This is a painting of Elvis made on black velvet. You can do this yourself fairly easily if you have some proficiency in painting. Even if you do, this can be a really fun activity to do that can really get your creative juices flowing. Find a picture of Elvis's face that you really like, and then paint that image onto the velvet. You can then hang this up in your home's regular décor, or you could use it as a focal point for a party. What you choose is completely up to you.

Elvis crafts are great because you can really show your appreciation for your favorite entertainer. These crafts are easy to do so that you can have fun with the making of them as well. Don't be afraid to use your imagination while making crafts related to Elvis. You could use his music and his movies for inspiration while you create.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino takes a common sense approach to planning and organizing events, celebrations and holiday parties with unique ideas for Elvis party supplies and fun Elvis party games. She explains proper etiquette and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free holiday printable games and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Themes including Elvis Party Supplies to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or "just because" parties. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.

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Craft And Hobby Woods - Basswood - Balsa Wood and Others

2008-03-13T02:46:00.001-07:00

Many hobbies involve building, carving, or wood burning which require speciality woods. These hobby and craft woods are available for just about any purpose. Hobbyists may choose from balsa, basswood, plywood, walnut, cherry, maple, among others for their project needs. Sheets or strips of these fine woods are available in thicknesses from 1/32 " to one inch, and in widths from 1/16 through six inches. You may purchase either sheets or strips.

Balsa is the most versatile of the hobby woods. Native to South America, these sixty foot trees are grown on large plantations. The wood is lightweight and strong. South Americans have been using balsa for boat and raft building since antiquity. Anyone who can recall Thor Heyerdahl's Kon Tiki adventures will know of his successful attempt to reach the Polynesian Islands from South America on a balsa raft.

Balsa's fine grain combined with its strength and light weight have made it valuable for a great number of uses. Its heat retention ability has made it useful for insulating refrigerator and ship holds. It is used in aircraft to reduce vibration. Surfboards and life preservers have also been manufactured from balsa wood.

Crafters and hobbyists will find balsa very easy to cut and carve, making it ideal for a multitude of projects. It can also be painted or stained any color the hobbyist desires. Its greatest value for hobbyists is undoubtedly in the construction of model airplanes. Free flight , control line, and radio control aircraft are all made primarily from balsa wood. Other uses for this versatile wood include model boat building and dollhouse construction, as well as many other craft projects. Model railroaders can use balsa for scratch-building houses and other structures, bridges, and structural support for scenery.

Basswood, or linden, is another wood crafters and hobbyists find very useful. This North American wood is grown primarily in northern Michigan and Wisconsin. Heavier than balsa, it shares many of it's characteristics - close-grained, strong, and lightweight. Basswood's hobby uses mirror those of balsa, but its heavier weight limits its use in building model airplanes. Because it carves easily, it is the premier choice for both beginning and advanced woodcarvers. Novice wood burners will also find basswood friendly, as it burns well. Like balsa, it is available in strips and sheets. Additionally, specialty shapes for dollhouse building include molding, siding, and roof shingles.

Special project needs may require the use of hobby plywood. This extremely high quality plywood ranges in thickness from paper thin 1/32 of an inch to 1/4 inch. Birch is the wood used, so it can take any stain desired. It is very durable and suitable for many uses.

Other woods are available for specialized hobby projects, including walnut, maple, cherry, and mahogany. Twenty four inch lengths include both strips and sheets. The maximum width for sheets is four inches.

Basswood and balsa are the most commonly available hobby/craft woods. Other types may need to be special ordered from your local craft or hobby shop. Check out the selection today for all your project needs.

Hobby Metal Craft Skills; What Exactly Are They?

2008-03-13T02:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever watched a metal craftsman in action such as a Blacksmith at a country fair... most people watch in awe as the Blacksmith carefully heats a piece of iron in a charcoal forge before placing it on the anvil and then proceed to hammer it into all kinds of unique shapes, it all looks pretty simple doesn't it...and the Blacksmith would probably tell you that it's not that difficult to hammer & shape things from red hot metal simply because it is quite fluid.

He's right you know, generally all it takes to work with metal is a small amount of knowledge & instruction, and some solid practice, and before too long even a novice will be producing good quality metal craft items.

But there is a lot more to metal craft than just blacksmith work.

While you can't deny that blacksmithing is a lot of fun, and a skilful worker can make many practical and ornamental items. With a little practice you could also produce beautiful iron work, simply by using basic skills & equipment.

In the early days the blacksmith was one of the most sought after "skilled" workers in the village.

But you know, you can take the art of blacksmithing another step. You could use the forge to melt metals.

What if you created a small charcoal fired furnace using your existing forge, it wouldn't take much work to build up a simple circle of bricks on the forge hearth to form a deep bed of charcoal so that you could produce a bed of red-hot glowing coals which will produce a large amount of heat. Enough to heat and melt aluminium... maybe even bronze.

Of course a crucible is required to place the scrap metal or ingots in for melting purposes,and the crucible needs to be buried in the bed of coals so the heat of the charcoal will do its work for you.

All you need to do now is to apply a gentle blast of air from the forge bellows to begin building the heat in the charcoal, and the crucible with the scrap aluminium, or home made ingots will quickly melt in the crucible.

Most hobby workers use a small electric motor attached to a blower to produce the correct amount of air blast, but for the moment, the manual operation of the forge bellows will suffice.

High quality hardwood grade charcoal will produce a high amount of heat, in fact you'll notice with the added heat the alloy ingots will soon start to melt, and once that happens the pool of metal in the bottom of the crucible rapidly promotes the total melt.

Once the metal has all melted, it is ready to pour into a sand mould. The idea is to prepare your sand moulds well before the metal has melted, so that everything is set up and ready to go. Once the methods & techniques are learnt, the whole process is quite easy and straight forward.

Any practical minded person could do it.

We have many people visit our web site: www.myhomefoundry.com looking for information about metal casting... lots of people around the globe are involved in metal casting, it can become quite addictive which is not surprising, when you realize all of the things that you can make.

For the home engineer, inventor & project builder, hobby metal casting could be just the thing, if you want to create your own special castings at almost zero cost, i.e. once your mini foundry is established.

If you take your time to build all of your equipment properly, it should last you for many years.

To find out more about hobby metal casting and how you can employ the methods & techniques to build & create your unique projects, visit our web site to download a free ebook to begin your understanding of this intriguing metal craft.

How to Make a Christmas Tinsel Hat/Wig

2008-03-12T23:15:00.000-07:00

Are you going to a Christmas party? Do you need a novel fashion accessory to complete you outfit? This sparkly tinsel accessory costs a snip to make and can be worn as a hat or a wig. It can be made with as many or as few colours as you wish, so that it will suit any Christmas outfit. If you don’t fancy the full version, make a smaller version and wear it as a hair accessory - Put your hair into a 'bun' style and then cover it with your tinsel hair accessory, very cute for younger disco divas.

To make a tinsel hat/wig all you need is... Some tinsel in whatever colour your choose, 4M is more than ample. A stocking or a tight leg and a needle and thread.

Start off by cutting the toe from the stocking and disregarding it. Pull the leg part of the stocking over your head so that it sits comfortably in place. The finished hat/wig will end up being a little smaller, pull down the stocking an extra few centimetres, maybe so that it covers your eyebrows.

With the stocking still on your head (You don’t look silly at all Ho Ho Ho!) Tie a knot in the surplus stocking hanging at the top of your head. Make the knot small, neat and tight and very close to your head, mid your hair though. This is the base of your hat/wig.

Pull the stocking over a football. This keeps the stocking taught, as it would be on your head.

Starting at the knot, stitch and secure a length of tinsel to the stocking. Working in circles around the knot, tack the tinsel to the stocking. The stitches can be roughly 3 to 4 CMS apart. If the hat/wig is to be one colour, continue working round in circles until the stocking is covered.

For two colours, join the second length of tinsel next to the first and take it in turns with the colours to make circles. The tinsel will spiral down the stocking. Continue in this way until the stocking is covered in tinsel.

Did you know that in the old days wigs were not just worn as a fashion accessory but they also hid skin diseases and head lice - Yew!

Choose A Greeting Card Kit That Does The Job

2008-03-12T23:14:00.000-07:00

Hobby crafts are big business and none more so that the handmade greeting card. Its popularity knows no bounds and many of us are making a beeline for this great way of getting started in new ideas.

The true crafter may well turn their nose up at anything that diminishes original creativity and turn instead to the craft kit. Why? Because they are an excellent way into new card craft ideas.

Handmade cards have much to recommend them to a wide range of people:

1. You may be a first time crafter hesitant about what to do and how to do it
2. Perhaps you're confident in one craft and looking for a new project to test your skills
3. As a seasoned crafter you may like 'time out' to try a new product by a new supplier
4. If you're a teacher, a craft kit can give you an idea to share and a chance to practice first
5. You may know someone who'd love a craft kit as a thoughtful gift

They'll be many other types of people and reasons for choosing crafts and that perhaps is the professional craft suppliers' problem. It's because craft kits and handmade greeting cards are so in vogue that there are so many places to buy them. After all, the kit has much going for it:

1. All the essential specialist materials are ready to go
2. Instructions are included
3. Photos on the finished article are included
4. There are possibilities of trying more ideas
5. The creators are usually experts in their field

Opting for an off the shelf kit rather than giving in to one's own freedom of expression may seem an easy solution but 9 times out of 10 it isn't. Why? For the very reason that craft kits are so popular.

The world and its wife can put together a craft kit, but it takes careful thought - and practice to come up with a winning way of presenting information.

Just take a moment to think of some of the craft instructions you've read lately - or in the past and ask yourself some important questions:

1. Where they well written?
2. Was the layout easy on the eye?
3. Did you get a photo with the instructions?
4. Was the project easy to scan?
5. Could you get a feel for the project is a short time?
6. Where the instructions small enough that you could follow them?
7. Where they written 'from the beginning' with nothing left out?
8. Were all the materials listed?
9. Was there an idea of what next and how to take things further?

You may think I'm picky but then I've eaten, read, slept and taught craft for many years. With 20 years experience as a craft teacher I've read far too many craft instructions that have left me puzzled. Honestly, some would leave you wondering if they were talking about the same project.

Not all kits come with good instructions. Making a handmade greeting card from printed instructions can be fraught with difficulty.

If you're investing some of your cash into card crafts then you deserve to track down a publisher or supplier that really will deliver what they say.

One of the joys of finding a greeting card kit that you like - and are successful at, is that usually, the company can offer you a range of other projects. That's a real bonus. Having found a style that you're now familiar with, feel free to indulge yourself in other ideas.

Kits can be a relatively cheap way of getting started in a new technique, or extending confidence you already have.

But be hesitant and check out a Company's publishing power and writing prowess. Take some time to get comfortable with a style, layout and vocabulary that you are happy with. We don't all want brevity, neither do we need pages of instructions.

The real art is in giving enough information to give you confidence in the project - and the instructions. You want to be able to trust that they will lead you to the finish without giving up.

Good instructions should give you bite sized steps that you can then apply. Too many new steps in one block can be too much to get our head round - so we hit overload. And we often blame ourselves for our inadequacies - rather than the kit.

Those who write instructions have a lot of answer for and a lot to live up to. If they've laid their cards on the table, you should be able to too, with a successfully completed handmade greeting card at the finish.

The Best Autographs To Buy For Making Money Or Collecting

2008-02-26T04:43:00.000-08:00

The best autographs to buy depend on whether you are purchasing them to make you money or whether you require them for a personal collection. There is a different criteria to follow depending on where you want this to lead.

If you require autographs for your personal collection then price is not really important. The main criteria to investigate are whether the autographs are real and not fake. You also need to try to get autographs that are not dedicated to someone. Dedications decrease the value of an autograph in a collection or for sale. The best autographs to buy will be the ones that are genuine and not dedicated. Price is not essentially important as you may be happy to pay large sums of money for an autograph for a personal collection that will give you great pleasure and ultimately grow in value in the future. I have autographs I have paid lots of money for because I really wanted them for my collection. The main thing is that you like it and want it.

The best autographs to buy for investment are when you either have a chance to buy something rare that it will grow in value over the years or buy something of an up an coming celebrity on the chance of them becoming very collectible in the future. It is more risky gambling on this but if you get in early on the career of someone who becomes very successful the profit can be extremely high. It also follows that as well as a celebrity becoming successful autograph prices also rocket in the event of the sad death of a much loved celebrity.

Finally the best autographs to buy for profit making are ones that are at a very low price, sometimes from a collection, if you buy the entire collection and split it down or getting a good deal by researching what sells well. If you are buying for profit you have to make sure that the item is at a price that you can resell for profit or that it is such a rare autograph that you know it will definitely sell for good return. Read More

Finding Autograph Addresses To Request Autographs

2008-02-26T04:40:00.000-08:00

If you want to start collecting autographs for profit or pleasure the first thing you will need are up to date autograph addresses. This is a cheap and easy way to get free autographs. There are many places to get these autograph addresses from on the internet but beware that the information you find is valid and up to date. Some web sites are not maintained and updated whereas others are regularly checked and validated.

I have seen eBooks with out of date addresses and there are many web sites that also have autograph addresses that are years old. If you risk using these sites you also risk losing money on postage and stationery costs. If the person is no longer at that address the chances of the mail being forwarded on are pretty slim. If you have sent anything other than a letter - for example a photograph or programme then these will be lost forever.

There are lots of good places to get up to date autograph addresses. They are available in magazines, on the internet or from groups and forums. The best one I have used is on a paying site where you pay a yearly fee, it may cost money but it is worth it as all the addresses are up to date and the owner will even find addresses for you if they are not on his list. You can then be virtually guaranteed that for the price of a couple of stamps and a well written letter you will get a response and hopefully an autograph or two.

There are a couple of other good sites as well as they have forums (online meeting places) and people can report how successful addresses have been for them. It is always good to hear other peoples results as this will give you a good idea as to whether it is worth trying a certain address or not. It can also help save time and effort if someone reports that an addressee has "gone away" or maybe even refused to reply.

Finding Autograph Addresses To Request Autographs

2008-02-26T04:36:00.000-08:00

Craft And Hobby Woods - Basswood - Balsa Wood and Others

2008-02-25T04:20:00.000-08:00

2008-02-25T04:18:00.000-08:00

Religious arts & crafts allow artisans and crafters the opportunity to showcase the symbols of their faith, and the opportunity to craft an expression of their faith into tangible form. In this manner, religious arts & crafts provide a way for the faithful to proudly acknowledge their beliefs, and profess their love for their god or gods. Religious arts & crafts usually do this by referring to their religion's main textual tenants or predominant symbols.

Which religions use arts & crafts to express belief?

Religious arts & crafts, as commonly thought of in western society, is concerned primarily with Christianity. For this reason, the common symbols of Christianity - the cross, fish and loaves, angels, Jesus Christ, etc. - are commonly incorporated into American arts & crafts. Another popular theme is to incorporate scripture quotations. Of course, Christianity does not have a monopoly on religious arts & crafts; arts & crafts are well known within the Jewish tradition, for instance. Jewish arts & crafts typically focus on the most widespread symbols of Judaism, and include the Star of David, menorahs, and other icons of the belief. Jewish sayings are also frequently featured on Jewish arts & crafts.

Ideas for religious arts & crafts

Religious arts & crafts are designed to serve as decoration for one's home, office, vehicle, or church. Although religious features could be showcased in virtually any type of arts & crafts, these are some popular ideas for religious arts & crafts used for decoration:

1. Beaded Crafts: With a set of beads and string, pipe cleaners or safety pins, the devotee can create cute, creative religious arts & crafts. The possibilities for these crafts are almost endless, and are great for the whole family. These beaded crafts can be designed as jewelry, decorations, and other adornments. Virtually any religious symbol is possible with this versatile craft idea, from the Star of David to the Shroud of Turin.

2. Paint Your Own: Try to let your creative side out and paint your religious items for decoration and display or even for use in a religious service. Special ceramic paints are great to use for painting, decorating, and personalizing ceramic crosses, angels, and even scenes from the Bible. Personalize these paintings with names, birthdays, and scripture to make wonderful personalized gifts.

3. Cross Stitch & Embroidery: While it may take more skill and expertise, with a bit of practice most devotees can become experts and creating needlework arts & crafts. Religious needlework is especially noteworthy as it can combine both graphical images of crosses, angels, doves, and Bible scenes, as well as scripture, Bible verses, and other words of inspiration. Some more popular options for religious arts & crafts using cross stitch and embroidery include religious pillows and Bible covers.

4. Stained Glass Arts & Suncatchers: Stained glass art is popular for religious arts & crafts since stained glass is usually associated with churches and places of worship. This does not mean that you need to be a church to afford stained glass art. Far from it, inexpensive stained glass kits are readily available in most hobby and craft stores, and can be used by those without any previous experience.

5. Ornaments & Window Hangers: Ornaments and window hangers are often quite simple to create - in the absence of specialized skills, all you need is some imagination and a dash of creativity. Ornaments may be designed specifically for the Christmas season, or may be year-round crafts that can be hung anywhere, even from your rearview mirror. Look on the Internet for some fun ideas for religious ornaments, hangers, and other crafts.

6. Handmade Jewelry: Most religious people will happily wear the symbols of their faith as a personal reminder of their faith and devotion. Handmade religious jewelry is very popular, and can include anything from resin angel earrings to homemade metal crucifixes. Brooches, necklaces, and bracelets are also very popular, and while they are generally designed for women, men are becoming increasingly comfortable wearing fine handmade crucifix necklaces.

Looking for resources for making religious arts & crafts

Many arts & crafts shows will feature quite a bit of religious crafts and artwork. While there are rarely shows designed specifically for this niche market, a very high percentage of artisans & crafters feature work that includes a religious focus. If you are not able to attend any shows, do not give up hope. When looking for other ideas for religious arts & crafts, head to your local Christian bookstore or specialty shop. These stores will almost always maintain special sections dedicated to arts & crafts supplies of a religious nature. These stores also typically have arts & crafts ready for purchase and gift giving. If you are more adventurous, go to a hobby and arts & crafts store and convert a secular hobby kit into a testament of your faith.

Plugging the Nickel

2008-02-21T03:23:00.000-08:00

The nickel is not something one gives a great deal of thought. Rarely the stuff of animated conversation, our little noticed five cent coin has lately come under scrutiny of the government bean counters.

The nickel has been found to be UNPROFITABLE.

It costs the mint more than a nickel to make one. And it takes a lot more than one cent to make a penny. But though the penny may well disappear from the US coinage lineup, this is less likely for the nickel. Would the public really allow prices to round up to the next dime?

And besides, the US nickel has had a fascinating history. At minimum, pretty darn interesting, especially if you are a coin collector.

Here are some fine points.

1. The first American nickel was NOT a five cent coin. In fact, it was a penny. First struck in 1856, the nickel one cent coin was actually called a nickel by the public because that was the metal used in its fabrication. The coin was alloyed with copper, but was of a pale whitish color. Sometimes these pennies were called white cents.

2. The first five cent coin was NOT a nickel. It was a tiny silver five cent coin known as a half dime. In fact, the half dime of 1792 was the first US coin authorized by Congress, and reputedly was made from silver from the George Washington household. This last bit is somewhat controversial, but in the mean time the story has become something of a legend.

3. The five cent nickel, and those first nickel alloy pennies, were not the only nickel coins made by the US Mint. There were also a whole series of three cent nickel coins made just after the Civil War to replace the small, tattered fractional currency notes printed and circulated during the hostilities.

4. The Liberty Head Nickel series, struck from 1883 to 1912, was touched by scandal at its beginning and end. The first coins of 1883 did not have the word CENTS anywhere on the coin. The large Roman numeral V (for the number five) was thought to be sufficient to indicate the value of the coin. However, a nickel is almost the same size as a five dollar gold piece, which is also adorned with a Liberty head. Soon unscrupulous opportunists were gold plating the new nickels and passing them off as five dollar gold pieces. Just before the Liberty Head nickel series was replaced in 1913, some enterprising, though less than honest, mint workers ran off five specimens of the Liberty Head nickel dated 1913, now among the most valuable of American coins.

5. And the term Plug Nickel? It is another way of saying worthless. Coins made of silver and gold were sometimes altered by cheaters who installed a lead plug into the center of coin, saving the precious metal removed for themselves. The coin so altered was worth substantially less. As the nickel was not made of valuable material to begin with, to say something was worth not a plugged nickel was to say it was worth not much at all.

To Collect Coins You Really Need Connections

2008-02-21T03:22:00.000-08:00

To collect coins is not what most people think of as a heart stopping, pulse racing, knuckle biting way to wring out the tensions of the workday. This is a hobby of quiet contemplation.

Right?

OK, so NASCAR it is not. But still, for such a calm activity, there do seem to be more than a few coin collectors, especially in the US. More than you would think, if all these passionately involved individuals are just, uh, filling up holes in an album.

What is going on here? What are all these people thinking about, and why do they so enjoy what this hobby seems to be giving them? What is the connection?

Ask any coin collector about his interest in the hobby and you will see certain patterns of connection emerge.

Collecting Money is Fun

Most of us have a bit of avarice in our personalities. Those photos of gold bars in Fort Knox, and the stacks of twenty dollar gold coins from the S. S. Central America sitting upon on the sea floor at 8,000 feet below the surface are exciting. Would it be fun to have even one gold coin?

Touching History

Suppose you are a middle school teacher of social studies or history, and you want to break through to your class in a tangible way. Coins have existed in one form or another for 2,500 years or so. They are a product of a people, a time, and a place.

There are coins available at reasonable cost, even to student collectors, from many of the significant times in history. Usually they will be well worn rather than pristine. All the better. A well circulated coin has Been There. Who can say if the 1863 Indian Head cent your student brings into class was not in the pocket of a Union artilleryman at Gettysburg?

Kinship

Many young coin collectors get their start from a relative who had some coins left over from a long ago trip overseas. Or, as in my case, from a great grandmother who owned a small dry goods store in the Canton area of Baltimore during the final decades of the nineteenth century.

Receiving coins from long ago that touch your own family history brings a sense of participation, albeit through inheritance, in the life of long ago.

The Hunt

As a new collector delves into the hobby, an awareness of the incredible depth and breadth of coinage takes hold. This is especially true as one enters a large coin show in a major city. Looking over the vast expanse of dealer tables upon entering the room can be like ones first view of the ocean.

What incredible coin awaits my discovery?

About The Author:

David W. Baker has collected coins since age 11 -- so, more than half a century. Coins have been a pleasant distraction for him over the years. Though he's never been a coin dealer, he has have occasionally sold a coin or two at a nice profit, when the market was right. These experiences taught him a bit about coin value in the marketplace. But, he would be the first to say that his greatest pleasure with coins has been the hooks they have to history and other areas of learning. Dave says that he can never quite get beyond the feeling that, if any of his coins could talk, the stories would be priceless!

How Do You Measure Success? You Incorporated

2008-02-20T21:54:00.000-08:00

Most people are results driven. Results are the end of a multitude of actions or processes. That kind of thinking will destroy you. I am not saying that the end results are not important by all means they are. What I am saying is that having attention to just your end results you will miss the entire picture completely and sabotage your success. Let me explain.

Whether you are a solopreneur, part of partnership or any type of organizational structure, measures are important. The fundamentals in any business no matter what its structure has 2 major components to measure. One is Production and the other is Organization. You might think that organization has very little to do with production. I am here to tell you that organization has everything to do with production.

Having been an executive over 7 divisions and 21 department organizational structure, I know how things work. It doesn't even matter whether you're a 1 person company or 100,000 these fundamental don't change. Success can be measured in more ways than one. Do you make money first and then put an ad together? Obviously not, but just this one concept is a good place to begin. There are actually two components here. One is the making money and the other is placing an ad. We know that to measure success we need to have a statistic such as dollars volume of sales made. That is a result statistic. Ask yourself how do I arrive at this statistic?

Let us analyze this for a moment. In order to have a statistic to measure dollar volume of sales, you need to have a process in place to generate such a statistic. What is that process? If I am selling widgets, I would have to know how my dollars volume of sales is being generated. You must ask yourself the 5 questions. This is the who, what, why, where and how of a process. You would need to know who we are selling to. What are they buying? Why are they buying it? Where are they buying it and how are they buying?

These question will lead you to the first level of a process. For each of these questions to be fully answered you will have to drill down to successfully understand more of the process overall. For the sake of time I will only entertain one of these questions. Let me take the who are we selling to question.

We are selling widgets, yes those successful widgets and we find out that we are selling 85% to people in Success Ville, and 15% to Loser Town. What do these two groups have in common? They are all parents of 2 or more children that use widgets everyday. As you can see, we are now looking at these measures and the rest of the questions will naturally follow. What are we doing in Success Ville that we are not doing is Loser Town? We can continue on the what question by asking what outlets do they have in common, is there a difference in population and are ads targeting the right people in Loser Town, are we running similar ads?

Let us say we did our homework and found out that we only advertise in Loser Town once a week, yet in Success Ville we advertise 5 times a week. This would be an excellent way of figuring out what to do next to increase sales. Now we put into place more advertising at Loser town. Wait a minute do you believe that this is the end of it? This is exactly where people leave money on the table and simply forget about the entire process. What about Success Ville? Who created the winning ad? How did they create it? Could we use this elsewhere?

When you really do a full analysis of a result you will find yourself in all parts of an organization. Do these organizational areas have measure? Of course, the advertising department should be measured in many ways. What is there process? You need to go through it and develop measures that lead to the end product of that department.

This is organizational analysis as well. Let us say that this particular Ad was produced from the results of 5 surveyed groups. The department conducts 2 surveys a month. Do you wonder how you can improve the end result of your widget sales? How about increasing the number of surveys conducted? That would bring about more data and fresh information. It would not have a immediate effect on the dollar volume of sales but, the long term effect may rocket you sales statistics.

The process of measuring success in any endeavor begins with the ability to see all the flows of an organization. How they contribute to the overall results that one gets. Analyzing an organization from the top down will give you everything you need to know to supply you with information to not only double your output but exponentially increase your markets and sales.

Applications, like this is a great way to measure success. We know that the small things that we do in our businesses affect the larger results. You might be thinking, John your in the personal development business how is this relevant to personal development? Good question! Just as this is crucial for any business to be successful, it is the same tools for one to be successful in their own personal development.

I love to give examples. Let us say you want to increase your social activities. Start at what social activities are you currently engaged in? Let us say you go to seminars, you like the interaction. You have time during the week or weekends. How did you find out about the seminars that you do go to? What are their subjects? Are their any other similar subjects with events you like to attend? Is there something in the local papers of an up coming event that interest you? Where is it? Can I place it on my schedule?

Let us make it a goal to attend 2 seminars or social events per month. Start to look around and find events in your area or outside your area when your are free and book it. This is a process and the flow of it; look for an event, select the ones you want to attend, register for them, post them to your calendar, attend the event and check it off. You can measure your overall success with a graph of the goal "# of events successfully attended." You can set up a graph for every step of this process. This is how you can measure success in anything that you want in life.

This simple little example will open your eyes. You may find out there are more events in a neighboring town then your own. You may also find out that there are more events in the first part of the year than in the second. Another piece of information may be that there are more events to schedule for tele-seminars than there are for physical attendance. This is a wealth of information for you.

Yes, You Inc. can measure success. That measure takes into account not just the end result but starts from the very beginning of the process toward that result. You don't have to be a Harvard Graduate or MBA to analyze any business or individual result's, you simply must keep an open mind and understand the process. To your success!

hobby craftsThe Importance Of Continuing Education

2008-02-20T21:51:00.000-08:00

The future of the world is left to highly educated people who alone can handle the scientific apparatus necessary for prominence in peace or survival in war.

Most people have the view that education stops when you graduate from High School, College or university. You are now qualified in your profession, you don't need to study anymore, right? Unless you are a doctor or computer expert who needs to keep up with changes in technology and research. That was the case in 20thcentury but the when world in slow motion or at war thee wasn't many options available to the masses just a privileged few. The society has always set its standards by which we all live. Those standards are resulted in luck of self believes and self worth. A person could not stand out of the crows what an earth would mates or family say?

From research papers on Alzheimer's disease we learn that people who continue their education and keep their minds sharp by learning, have less chance of suffering from Alzheimer's and related mental disorders. The illness which creates huge burden in families, community facilities and money it takes to mange the those suffering from not only Alzheimer's disease but many poor health that result or are created by just plain luck of inactivity.

Apart from using your mind to keep it sharp, there is also a second and more important reason to keep studying: Personal development. People, who keep reading books on subjects they are interested in or to learn new things, develop their personalities. The self development of knowledge, skills is an industry as you can put those skills into great use, by promoting learning in way of writing, articles, books, and promoting books, selling books. Which in turn creates spin of effect in manr other areas?

Also, the world keeps changing around us: When the baby boomers were young, we were taught by our parents to work hard at school, get good grades, go to college or university and get a qualification so you can get a good job with a good salary and pension plan so you can be secure.

Those who continue reading and learning know that it is no longer enough to get good grades and qualifications. Entire industries become obsolete overnight, for example the record industry. This industry required specialist training, and was obsolete overnight when CD's became available. An entire industry - all workers were made redundant. This is an important reason why we need to learn other ways of making an income. Ways of becoming self sufficient. Our jobs and income, our retirement, is no longer safe or secure. To this end we need to learn ways to create income so that we don't need to depend on a job.

Some adults go back to college, others learn by reading books or doing home study programs by listening to CD's or watching DVD's. Most adults learn from both books and home study courses. There is a lot of information online, and e-books and online audio and video programs are available too. Today the whole new industry has been created entirely based on personal development. In form of seminars, conferences, work shops, mentoring, coaching, books, CD's DVD's, live calls, on line universities, and list could go on and on. The other part of this new wonderful industry is affiliate marketing to sell those wonderful products.

In advents of modern technology such as internet and information technology, the opportunity to learn and be a champion has never been easier. The internet is such a wonderful toll you can find books information that will take your knowledge and your skills to new heights. Our parents, our grand parents and our great grand parents did not have the same opportunities and access to information as we do today.

Internet has created new industry point being that it created opportunities for people to learn new skills and at the same time promote for example a home study course which they can use to learn and sell or promote for residual income.

The embellishment of your financial situation, your mind and soul is entirely in your hands..........

Life is what you make of it!

By Vladimir Blagonic

The link below will leads you to many examples to find yourself a learning tool which you can promote.

Website http://www.abellchampion.com

Vladimir Blagonic was born in Croatia. He was one of six children, raised in a fairly large village. His family made a living on a small family farm of some 30 hectares, containing beautiful landscape. His education in Croatia consisted of three stages: first a small village School, then a larger school in town, and finally a Trade School. Upon arriving in Australia he continued education at TAFE completing his High school certificate.

The last chapter in his education is still continuing in the form of self-development: Now he attends seminars, listens to tapes and CD's, watches DVS, listens to many personal development calls, as well as receiving and giving coaching and mentoring.

From an early age life was challenging in an environment which hardly compares to being raised in the 21st century in Australia, USA, or the rest of the Western World. This challenge he met by dedicating his life to helping others: firstly his grandmother, growing produce on the beautiful and productive farm. Life was simple, and food was plentiful, even if simple in its preparation and presentation

Hobby Metal Casting & How To Make A Start

2008-02-19T02:22:00.001-08:00

I know for a fact that there are many readers of the Hot Metal ezine who are eager to learn how to get started in this fascinating metal craft. For those who don't know, the hot metal ezine is a free ezine published by: www.myhomefoundry.com. Readers need to absorb all they can about the craft before they become involved with metal casting.

To be successful, it is advantageous to possess basic workshop & metal fabrication skills. You will be building your own equipment and some of the many tools & skills required to fabricate this equipment will include: arc welding - lathe operation - thermal cutting, and the ability to use many other workshop power tools.

Without these skills, the establishment of your hobby foundry will not happen as quickly. But of course you can always use the skills of other people to get the things you need, but there is nothing quite like doing it yourself.

There are many ways you can get around the lack of workshop equipment & skills, one of the best is doing a joint project with a mate or buddy. By combining the different skill sets and talents of two people is one of the best ways to get something like a hobby foundry up and running.

A joint venture will enable you to share: - The skills & the project equipment & building fun-The experimentation-The total learning experience-The spoils of the metal castings when you have your foundry fully operational.

With two people to bounce ideas around, you will quickly find that things will start to happen. By going it alone, the learning will be long & at times quite frustrating because there is no one to turn to for help when you need to.

There is much to learn about metal casting, not to mention the trial and error period, but as they say, experience is a great teacher.

You wont ever learn all there is to know from a single course or book, but the ebooks available from our web site are designed and written to help people make the start, without the huge expense, you will learn how to be resourceful, and to call on many skills to build your own equipment and tools etc.

People who are unfamiliar with metal casting think it is an odd hobby, but they are also very interested to find out more about the hobby, others tend to think it's just to hot and dirty to get involved in, and that's fine... no one is going to force anyone to do anything they don't feel comfortable with.

But metal casting is not that difficult to do once you understand the basic methods & principles, then with a little practice, everything just seems to fall into place. Being able to cast metal opens up a whole new world for any one into restoring old engines, old cars & motorcycles, antique iron or old machines.

The ability to remake worn or broken parts will save a bucket of money, and will quite likely save a lot of time & money over the course of rebuilding & restoring a project. Hobby metal casting as an absorbing and personally rewarding metal craft hobby.

A Young Mans Passion For Metal

2008-02-19T02:18:00.000-08:00

Metal is wonderful stuff isn't it, you can bend & twist it into all kinds of shapes, you can draw it with dies, cut, drill, and mill & turn it, weld it, and off course melt it and pour the molten metal into moulds of all kinds.

There are few other materials where you can do all of the above, and I've probably omitted some of the metal forming/shaping operations.

Have you had a life long passion with metal?

I know many people who have, generally the passion for metal can start from a very young age, especially if you once had a father or grandfather who introduced you to the blacksmith forge, this simple piece of equipment is always a total source of fascination, especially the way it could build so much heat using a simple fuel such as charcoal and air blast created with the hand operated bellows.

My guess is that many people must feel this way about metal, otherwise you wouldn't be doing what you're doing right now in your workshop. Just the other day I exchanged a few emails on an Australian based hobby foundry group: http://groups.google.com.au/group/The-hobby-foundry with a young fellow whose name is Ryan.

Ryan lives in Queensland Australia. He is only about 17 years old and still attending school, but has discovered metal casting. He creates some amazing ceremonial swords. It is great to see someone so young involved in a metal craft hobby such as metal casting, I'm sure Ryan wont ever have time to get bored with life while being involved with an interesting metal craft hobby.

Many other young fellows could take a leaf out of Ryan's book and get involved with practical hobbies like metal casting or some other form of metal craft. It is not hard to do once you have a little guidance and instruction and the hobby provides immense personal satisfaction and reward.

Boredom is a general malaise with so many young people these days, and there is really no need for it when there are so many great practical hobbies to do in your spare time. Too many people take the easy option to veg out in front of the T.V. idiot box.. what a terrible waste of time that is.

Ryan will never be bored, he just doesn't have time for boredom, he is such an adventurous, energetic young fellow. It reminds me of my young days when I would wander down to the old farm blacksmith on a wet miserable winters day to light the old forge then heat up a few bits of metal and just generally tinker around, that's where my passion for metal started, it has never really stopped. I hope you don't let your passion for metal ever wane.

The word boredom just doesn't exist in the metal workers vocabulary. Honest.

Materials and Techniques Used In Pottery

2008-02-18T02:07:00.001-08:00

Pottery is the oldest art of making clay utensils. It is basically clay (cement-like earth) which is modeled, dried and then fired into a vessel. Pottery may then be decorated with paint and glaze applied to it. There are certain materials used in making pottery. Clay is one of the most important materials used in making pottery and the clay used must be soft and malleable. Again clay is formed when rock decomposes into flat plates and water is trapped between these microscopic plates. Clay consists of 40% aluminum oxide, 14% water and 46% silicon oxide.

There are different types of clay and they can be grouped as primary clay and secondary clay. Primary clay is not mixed with other forms of sediment and it is not transported by water or glacier. Potter's clay is the most commonly used clay in creation of potteries. The secondary clay is mixed up with sediments and is lighter and finer than the previous one. Clay is sometimes given additives.

In the early stages of history, the main machine in making pottery was a potter's wheel. A potter's wheel was a wheel with a connecting wire which was tied to a pedal. The wheel spun as soon as the pedal was pushed and the potter shaped the pot with his hand when the clay was put in the center of the wheel. Clay was the main ingredient. It was made from mud or other kinds of dirt. The design was made using rocks, knives and twigs. Then the clay is placed in a kiln which is a type of oven used for heating the clay until it becomes solid. Glaze and/or paint adds a finishing touch to the pot.

However it must always be kept in mind that pottery is rarely made from raw clay. Clay is almost always mixed with other materials.

A variety of materials are used today in making pottery .The two most widely used materials in pottery are-

1. Ceramics

2. Porcelain.

Porcelain clay is made from white stone by crushing it and it is purified with water by mixing it until it becomes smooth and soft. This porcelain clay is also known as china clay or terracotta. There are different natural raw materials used in making traditional ceramics. The chemical used in the composition should be carefully measured so that no defects occur. The main motive of the chemical is to remove impurities or contamination. There are basically six types of ceramic raw materials - silica sand, clay, feldspar, calcium and magnesium carbonates, sodium and calcium borates and zirconium silicate. In a sample of ceramics the chemical cauterization is done by X-ray fluorescence, potentiometer, coulometer and atomic absorption spectrometry. There are again different ceramics with their own unique compositions used for making electrical goods as well.

These are some of the materials used in making pottery and ceramics. Today lots of research is being carried out for development in the field of pottery making and ceramics. This research aims at making better quality pottery by including different chemical substances and other enhancements.

Porcelain Pottery Making and Methods

2008-02-18T02:02:00.000-08:00

In making porcelain, ceramic material is treated and heated and clay is included in the form of kaolinite. The temperature is between 200C to 1400C. The porcelain material is blazed at high temperature, so it is very tough, translucent, and high in strength. It is white polished cowry and its name is derived from the old Italian word porcella. Porcelain has the properties of low permeability and flexibility, high strength, solidity, glassiness, permanence, whiteness, fineness, significance, fragility, high resistance to chemical attack and thermal shock.

Tables, kitchen ware, sanitary items, fine art, tiles and decorative things are the items made from porcelain. It has a high resistance to the flow of current and therefore porcelain is a good insulating material. Dentists use porcelain in making false teeth, crowns, caps etc.

One material used in making porcelain ware is clay, but actually clay is used only in small proportions to the whole. The main materials used in preparing porcelain are highly variable, but china clay consisting of the mineral Kaolinite is often the most important ingredient. Other materials added with china clay for producing porcelain clay are steatite, glass, steatite, bone ash, quartz, petuntse, alabaster and ball clay.

According to the degree of plasticity the clays are described as long or short. Long clays are of higher plasticity and are sticky. Short clays are of lower plasticity and thus are not cohesive. Porcelain clays have lower plasticity compared to other clays which are being used in making pottery.

The method used for forming, decorating, finishing, glazing and firing ceramic wares is given below-

Forming: The porcelain pottery is formed by pulling clay upward and downward into the desired shape. It can also be formed on a wheel. The throwing of clay seems to be very easy when it is done by an expert potter. Mishandling of the workpiece can destroy the shape of the item.

Glazing: It has been considered that the initial glazes are unintended, and these are due to the existence in the furnace of lime-rich firewood ash, which proceeds to the exterior as a flux. The iron-containing glazes were designed especially for their prominent sound effects on porcelain.

Decoration: The porcelain wares are decorated with the help of cobalt and copper. In modern wares these are chowder-fired at 1000 Celsius, and then they are sent to glazed-firing at a temperature 1300 Celsius. In Chinese and European method both the process are done in single operation.

Firing: it is the process of heating unfired ceramics at high-temperatures in a furnace to prepare their final shapes. Compared to earthen ware or stone ware porcelain is always fired at a higher temperature to vitrify the clay and make it non porous.

There are basically three categories of western porcelain: hard-paste, soft-paste and bone-china. The divisions are made on the basis of the composition of the material (known as paste) used to form the body of porcelain.

Financial Rewards For The Hobby Metal Craft Worker

2008-02-13T02:32:00.000-08:00

Most metal craft people, i.e. hobbyists, overlook a potential gold mine sitting right in front of them in their own workshop. Have you ever thought of supplementing your income by doing outside jobs repairing metal utensils and articles.

Many of your friends most likely have metal items in desperate need of repair, these articles generally lay idle and not used because most people do not know where to take things made from metal for repair work.

You could start out by doing work on speculation; you might need to do some footwork in developing your "expert" reputation; but a few "freebees" done here and there for the right kind of people will quickly get the word around about your "expert" metal craft skills.

Think about how you could apply the same techniques used to create your own metalware, to set up and repair the metalware that someone else has made. In doing so you could provide a valuable service to your community, and generate a significant income at the same time.

You could even develop the enterprise to a point where full-time metal craft services could be provided, if you are good at your work it won't take long to develop a solid reputation in metalware repair work, as word spreads, people will start to seek out your services.

It would not really matter if you were located in a hard-to-find, out of the way place, word-of-mouth advertising generally will be enough to give you more work than you can handle. You could even build a small web site with examples of your repair work displayed.

Anything made from metal will eventually need care and attention. Metal gets dented, crinkled and cracked. It gets torn, broken and tarnished.

All of those problems, and more need the attention of a skilled metal worker. Many valuable metal work pieces are simply scrapped; because of the lack of people with the skills to effect repairs.

Could you become the local metal repaired expert?

If you work with metal, chances are you already have most of the skills and tools to provide this service, you will be helping to preserve the products of fellow metal workers and make good money doing it.

Your foundry skills and general metal work skills should provide you with the confidence to explore this avenue of being rewarded financially for your skills & efforts.

There is an acute shortage of all kinds of trade's people these days, and this is happening all over the western world... the day may not be too far distant where skilled trades people will have far higher incomes than many so called "elite professions", in fact this is already the case in some countries.

Hobby Metal Craft Skills; What Exactly Are They?

2008-02-13T02:31:00.000-08:00

Have you ever watched a metal craftsman in action such as a Blacksmith at a country fair... most people watch in awe as the Blacksmith carefully heats a piece of iron in a charcoal forge before placing it on the anvil and then proceed to hammer it into all kinds of unique shapes, it all looks pretty simple doesn't it...and the Blacksmith would probably tell you that it's not that difficult to hammer & shape things from red hot metal simply because it is quite fluid.

He's right you know, generally all it takes to work with metal is a small amount of knowledge & instruction, and some solid practice, and before too long even a novice will be producing good quality metal craft items.

But there is a lot more to metal craft than just blacksmith work.

While you can't deny that blacksmithing is a lot of fun, and a skilful worker can make many practical and ornamental items. With a little practice you could also produce beautiful iron work, simply by using basic skills & equipment.

In the early days the blacksmith was one of the most sought after "skilled" workers in the village.

But you know, you can take the art of blacksmithing another step. You could use the forge to melt metals.

What if you created a small charcoal fired furnace using your existing forge, it wouldn't take much work to build up a simple circle of bricks on the forge hearth to form a deep bed of charcoal so that you could produce a bed of red-hot glowing coals which will produce a large amount of heat. Enough to heat and melt aluminium... maybe even bronze.

Of course a crucible is required to place the scrap metal or ingots in for melting purposes,and the crucible needs to be buried in the bed of coals so the heat of the charcoal will do its work for you.

All you need to do now is to apply a gentle blast of air from the forge bellows to begin building the heat in the charcoal, and the crucible with the scrap aluminium, or home made ingots will quickly melt in the crucible.

Most hobby workers use a small electric motor attached to a blower to produce the correct amount of air blast, but for the moment, the manual operation of the forge bellows will suffice.

High quality hardwood grade charcoal will produce a high amount of heat, in fact you'll notice with the added heat the alloy ingots will soon start to melt, and once that happens the pool of metal in the bottom of the crucible rapidly promotes the total melt.

Once the metal has all melted, it is ready to pour into a sand mould. The idea is to prepare your sand moulds well before the metal has melted, so that everything is set up and ready to go. Once the methods & techniques are learnt, the whole process is quite easy and straight forward.

Any practical minded person could do it.

For the home engineer, inventor & project builder, hobby metal casting could be just the thing, if you want to create your own special castings at almost zero cost, i.e. once your mini foundry is established.

If you take your time to build all of your equipment properly, it should last you for many years.

To find out more about hobby metal casting and how you can employ the methods & techniques to build & create your unique projects, visit our web site to download a free ebook to begin your understanding of this intriguing metal craft.

Making Shaker Cards - A Step By Step Guide

2008-02-12T02:08:00.002-08:00

Making shaker cards is a great way to make a card that is different to a standard card. This is something that can be done by yourself or a really fun way to get your children involved in crafting.

Step 1 - When making shaker cards begin by folding a piece of card. Here I have used an A4 Piece of card and folded it half.

Step 2 - Open your card so you are looking at the inside and draw the shape you wish to cut out for the 'shaker' section. You can use stencils or draw free hand.

Step 3 - Using a craft knife or a shape cutter cut your shape out.

Step 4 - Turn your card over and decorate.

Step 5 - Once decorated, open up the card again. Place double sided tape around the cut out shape and attach some acetate to cover the hole.

Step 6 - Once the acetate is in place turn the card back over to the front and place peel offs or ribbon around the cut out shape to frame it. At this point you may want to add any extra embellishments such as ' happy birthday' etc.

Step 7 - Open the card again and place 3D foam all around the acetate. Try to place it as close to the edge as possible as this will mean you can use fewer beads in your 'shakers'.

Step 8 - Choose a piece of paper to use for the background of your window.

Step 9 - Place double sided tape around the edges of the inside of the card

Step 10 - Remove the backing from the double sided tape and 3d foam and carefully pour in your beads. You could also use small confetti, or punched out paper shapes.

Step 11 - Carefully place your chosen paper over the top, taking care to press down around the window and the edges of the card. Once secure trim the paper down to fit the size of your card.

Step 12 - Your finished 'shaker card'

When making shaker cards you do not have to use beads, you can also use confetti, sand or anything that is small and fine. Making shaker cards is a really fun way to show off your craft talents.

Making Shaker Cards - A Step By Step Guide

2008-02-12T02:08:00.001-08:00

Collecting Antique Dolls Makes A Wonderful Hobby

2008-02-12T02:07:00.000-08:00

The great period for doll making was from 1840 through 1830. In this era doll makers took great pride in their work and turned out dolls of great fine tuned detail, from the hand painted eyes in the smooth porcelain heads to the steel riveted leather or cloth bodies and porcelain limbs. The clothing on these antique dolls were hand made by accomplished seamstresses who took the same pride in their work as the doll makers did.

Today we can see this pride reflected in the dolls that have survived the past hundred or more years and they are truly a joy to look at. The fine porcelain heads with human hair set in the pates with the fine detailed faces reflect the countenance of the time period in which they were made. The wonder and innocence that seems to emulate from those faces can bring us back in time in our imaginations.

The wonderfully refined and cultured dress of the antique dolls that were made to represent the women of the time are exquisite. From the long underclothing to the many layers above, finished off with the high topped shoes and the sun shading hat.

Armand Marseille, Heinrich Handwerck, Ernst Heubach, JD Kestner, Ernst Kammer, Franz Reinhardt, Pierre Jumeau and Leon Casimir Bru were each in the top of the top doll makers in the time period in which they lived and worked their doll magic. Today any of their dolls are the ones collectors keep an eye open for. Marceille, Handwerck, Heubach, Kestner, Kammer and Reinhardt were all of German descent, Jumeau and Bru of French descent.

When collecting antique dolls, everyone wishes for the best, of course, a doll with no cracks or crazing, which is a "weathering" of the doll shown by lines on the surface, and certainly no missing limbs. However, even those dolls are worthy of having in your collection. They show a loved and well played with history and are valuable just as they are, not all cleaned up and repainted and redressed and given new wigs. More often than not , a " redoing " will diminish the value of a collectible doll.

If you are a doll lover of any kind, beware. Once you begin to really look at these old antique dolls, you will be smitten. They are hard to resist, but.. know that any one of them that makes its way into your home and your heart will never let you down. Their value can only go up as time goes by... and there will always be doll lovers around.

Dollhouses - A Hobby for Life

2008-02-11T02:55:00.001-08:00

It's always fun to have a hobby in life.

Hobbies can help keep the creative juices flowing for all ages. As you become more proficient in your hobby, there is always the possibility of making a little money too. And what better way to make a few extra bucks than doing something that you absolutely love?

Finding a hobby is not hard. You can always peruse a local bookstore or the Internet to find an area that interests you. Or just make a hobby out of something you have a talent in and enjoy doing. The world of hobbies is an endless array of possibilities just waiting to be explored by you.

One of the most popular hobbies that have stood the test of time has been constructing dollhouses. The dollhouse has been a staple in the lives of children all over the world, and it has emerged from its humble beginnings to be considered a work of art. If you enjoy building and constructing things, dollhouses could be the one for you.

But where do you start?

The answer is easy. For first-time builders, it is best to begin with a dollhouse kit. These can be found at any arts and crafts store and offer a wide array of choices. Dollhouses can be made to resemble period homes, such as Victorian-style buildings, or even your own home. Dollhouses can also be more than just a typical "house." You can make yours into a post office, a hotel, a restaurant, pub and even a hospital.

Once you decide upon a kit, the next thing you need to do is figure out what you want to add to the dollhouse to make it unique. Some builders like to keep things simple, using wood or left-over pieces of material from housing projects. Other individuals like to make their homes elaborate and will use high-end materials like slate or brick. The choice is up to you.

Once the structure is constructed, the real fun can begin. You will need to pick out paint colors, wallpaper prints, and flooring. You will also need furniture to fill out your dollhouse, and depending on the type of detail you want, some dollhouses are outfitted with electricity. This is the point when your hobby acquires your special "signature," making the dollhouse unique and beautiful.

Once the dollhouse is constructed and all the work is completed, you have several options available. You can keep the house for any children you have or you can just display it in your home for others to enjoy. Lots of individuals take pleasure in looking at tiny replicas. You can decide to sell your work of art and make a return on what you invested in it. Or you can donate the house to local charity auctions.

So the next time you are trying to figure what you want to do with your spare time, give the idea of making dollhouses a whirl. You may end up finding a passion you never knew existed!

Hobby Metal Casting & How To Make A Start

2008-02-11T02:53:00.000-08:00

Favorite Hobbies - Watching Television

2008-02-08T01:39:00.001-08:00

For many Americans, their favorite hobby is watching television. This may not sound like a hobby to some people, but it is. The definition of a hobby is to do some leisure or recreational activity outside of one’s career. Watching television is probably the most common hobby there is. With the amount of hours that people spend watching television each day, and it is climbing, television watching easily becomes one of the most popular activities for among Americans. I would not say that it is a constructive one, but it is a popular one. What else do people spend their time doing more? They work for eight hours a day, and then the average person watches TV for five to eight hours a day. Nobody spends that much time doing one other particular activity.

The lesson we learn from this is that not all hobbies are created equal. Some hobbies can be more constructive and enhance your lifestyle or quality of life more than others. There are an infinite number of things that you could do, which would be more constructive than watching television. Read a book, go out and do something with some friends, go do some sort of physical exercise. Find a hobby at the nearest hobby shop, that is constructive, that helps you in some way and improves your life in some way. Find something that gives you a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment, something that can give you the sense of feeling like you have accomplished something.

Most people I have talked to, who watch an enormous amount of television, admit themselves that television is boring and a waste of time. So why do they spend so much time doing it? Some people, I think, are just unaware of how much time they are actually spending. If you sit down and show them how much of their life is being spend in front of the TV, they would be surprised. Others watch television for lack of something better to do. They cannot think of things to do, or do not want to take the effort to think of better things to do. The TV has already warped their minds of creativity. They have become slaves to it, unable to act any longer on their own or think of their own things to do. Others might watch it from laziness. They just want to sit around, so why not turn on the TV while they are just sitting there. Others might watch just for a break from anything. It is kind of nice sometimes to relax your brain after using it at work or school all day. Watching TV is very relaxing to the brain. You do not even have to think; you can just sit there and stare blankly at the screen. It is great! Well, these are just things I have thought of for people spending so much time watching TV. There are probably numerous other excuses, but none of them justify the time and talent wasted on such an endeavor, talents that could be developed in other areas.

One of my favorite quotes is “money is only as good as the good that you can do with it.” I think we could say the same thing about our time. “Time is only as good as the good that we can do with,” so lets make our time useful and do something good, something constructive. Plan out your days and your weeks; plan good uplifting activities; plan something that will help you and others. TV is often just a fallback for people who do not plan other, more constructive things.

Favorite Hobbies - Reading

2008-02-08T01:37:00.000-08:00

Reading is one of the most constructive hobbies a person can have. The difference between ignorance and knowledge is only a book away. Reading stimulates your mind. It makes you think. You can learn to do many other hobbies by reading. It will generate in you new ideas and a more sound of understanding of the world and those around you. All great men and women have had a love of reading and a passion for learning.

Reading can be a relaxing hobby as well. It is something you can just sit around in your house and do. You can go to the park and read. You can go up into the mountains or out in field to read alone if you would like. You can get completely lost in reading and forget where you are or what time it is, or how much time has passed while you have been reading. If you do not like reading, do it anyway, until you learn to love it. Read different types of books to see which genre of books are most interesting to you.

Reading can fit all personality types, whether you like fiction or non-fiction, action, adventure, drama, humor, whatever it may be, there are books that will fit your tastes. I try to read books as often as I can. I have a personal website now, where I created a book club and can make comments or reviews of the books I read. I think I enjoy every book that I read. Every single one has something to offer, something to learn from it.

The more you put into a book, the more you get out of it. You can read a very boring book, but if you read between the lines you can find surprising things that interest you. Think of the deeper meanings of the stories and the lessons the authors are trying to teach, whether you agree with them or not. If you do not agree with them, think to yourself why. Look at the stories of the lives of the people in the books and what you can learn from them; analyze and critique them. I enjoy reading nonfiction books, but I can enjoy any book that is well written and has deep and insightful truths.

Books can make you see the world differently; they can make you understand things more fully and wholly. They can change your paradigm. They will increase your vocabulary, your understanding of life and people, and with this understanding, you will gain more confidence in your social interactions. You will be able to argue your opinions more thoroughly and logically. You will understand the current issues to a greater extent. When you learn to understand others better, you can become more tolerant and respectful of differing opinions. Your opinions will become more logical and solidified; they may change and be molded as they are solidifying from your increase in knowledge.

It does not matter what your interests and hobbies are, reading is a good way to start. Reading will enhance your quality of life in every area and facet of your life. Escape the world and get into a book. Live the lives of thousands of others in the books you read. Share their adventures. Learn what they have learned. Find out answers to life’s most deep and troubling questions. In books you may find things you were never looking for. You may find yourself. You may find that you have much in common with the characters you are reading about. They can inspire you to overcome obstacles and challenges as they have done. They can assure you that if you fight on you can overcome seemingly impossible challenges. So start your hobby today of reading, or start your hobby by reading. Find hobbies and books at your nearest hobby shop or library.

Neck Tie Quilts - Top 4 Reasons You Have To Make One!

2008-02-07T02:21:00.000-08:00

For many generations quilts have kept us warm and in more recent times, quilting has become a very popular hobby and craft. Quilts have been made from many different fabrics, but have you considered making a quilt from neckties? Read on for the top 4 reasons you have to make one!

1. Eye-catching

Remember the last time you walked past a rack of neckties at a store? You just had to stop to look at all the different colors and patterns displayed together. Imagine creating a beautiful necktie quilt that is truly a unique and eye-catching work of art!

2. Fun

Besides the quilting itself, half of the fun is collecting the ties themselves! Raid your husband's closet, visit thrift stores, friends, family, garage sales, and consignment shops. Be careful about asking for donations from family and friends that live nearby. You may end up with lots of ties dropped off over several weeks and end up with enough ties for a big fat wedding!

3. Exercise your creativity

Since men's neckties offer less material to work with, you may have to get a little creative in the type of pattern you use. Many have found success using a Dresden plate pattern, or sewing ties onto a regular block pattern. Others have created a sun-like pattern with the neckties reaching out like rays! Playing with all the color schemes may at first seem daunting, but after a few minutes, you will find it most rewarding as you discover colors and patterns that seem to work well together.

4. Memorable

Choosing to work with neckties from a spouse, a close friend, or someone who has passed away can help you create a more personal quilt with much more meaning. Like photographs, each tie remnant could tell stories of where they were worn, special events they attended, or even what they might have carried home from a restaurant or two. For someone who has passed away, this type of quilt can serve as a remembrance and cherished for many years to come.

How To Make Paper Flowers A Fun Hobby

2008-02-07T02:20:00.000-08:00

I was involved in a devastating car accident that left me bed ridden with nothing to do for months. Realizing that I was never going to be able to do the physical labor that I once did, I realized that I needed to use my mind instead of my muscles and learning how to make paper flowers was of great benefit to me. The benefits of making them was extremely therapeutic and is a passion that has remained with me until this day.

Making origami flowers, for example, can be an inexpensive hobby and extremely rewarding. Even if you don't have a lot of money, making them can still be done by just using common everyday items found in the kitchen cabinets. A person needs to use their imagination in creating some of these marvelous pieces of art. This is a fun activity for the whole family to do together and show their unique individuality. Different shapes, sizes, and colors can be used in making them and it is a creative way to express yourself.

Besides the obvious personal satisfaction, is knowing how to make paper flowers also a convenient skill to have?

Just imagine that you're having people over your house for a family members birthday party, or a holiday party and you forgot to buy flowers and you may be unable to get any either because the nearest florist is too far or you don't have access to the family car. If you know how to make paper flowers, and if you have a helping hand from someone else if time is limited, you can relatively quickly and easily make your own, which can often be more alluring than the real thing.

While that scenario may seem somewhat silly, what's funnier is that this actually happened to me once and that is what I did for my mother's birthday. Since I am unable to drive a car my newfound hobby came in very conveniently.

Young children love making paper flowers because it challenges their minds and their abilities to follow directions. There is no boundary to what a young child can think or imagine and making them is fun for them, educational, and extremely challenging. As for adults, it is really relaxing and very therapeutic and is even used in most nursing homes and hospice housing for the elderly. It is used as a recreational activity and therapy for wrist and finger ailments.

A person can stand back and look at their creation and have a great feeling of accomplishment in knowing that they created something beautiful. They add charm and color to any dull room in the house, or as a centerpiece on the dining room table. It can also be a topic of conversation at any party or gathering.

Creating artificial flowers is an old and fascinating hobby. Our great grandmothers and their mothers made them from scraps of cloth and other materials. It took the invention of colored cardboard or crepe paper to turn flower making into the inexpensive hobby it is today.

Paper flowers can be so real looking with all the spectacular colors that we take a second look at them to decipher it they are real or not and leave us in awe of their beauty and craftsmanship.

Christmas Crafts For Children

2008-02-06T03:11:00.000-08:00

Children really enjoy the holiday season and they love to be creative. You can get the whole family involved in making various types of Christmas crafts. The time you spend together making them will offer a quality time for you all to bond. Children will also take plenty of pride in the Christmas crafts they have completed to decorate the home and to share with others.

You can find a variety of different items to make Christmas crafts at your local hobby store. If you have particular Christmas crafts in mind to complete you will have a list of the supplies you need to purchase. However, children are very creative so you may want to just purchase some basic supplies including glue, colored paper, and scissors. You will be amazed that the wonderful Christmas crafts they are able to design with these common items.

It can be fun to allow the children to go shopping with you for the supplies to make Christmas crafts. They may want to get some ribbon, glitter, stickers, and markers to make the Christmas crafts. Some of the items they will select may be messy to work with so make sure you take that into consideration.

Find a central location at home where the children can work on their Christmas crafts. You will want to provide a large table so they have plenty of room to work. In order to protect your tables and the floors though you should spread out an old tablecloth or even some old newspapers on them. This will also help you to clean up the work area quickly after they have completed their Christmas crafts.

Common Christmas Crafts for Children to Make

Children of all ages will enjoy making Christmas crafts and there are some really basic ones that you can help them with. Paper snowflakes are very fun to make and each one will be different from the next. You can hang them from the ceiling with a light colored thread or tape them to the inside of the window in the front of your home.

Snowmen are a popular type of Christmas craft as well. All you will need to complete this project is construction paper, glue, and cotton balls. A black marker can be used to make a face on the snowman or small pieces of construction paper can be used to complete it.

The internet is a great place to find various types of Christmas crafts for children to engage in. Make sure you attempt to find Christmas crafts that are a good fit for the age and the skills of the children that will be making them. You don't want them to be bored or overwhelmed when they are making Christmas crafts.

Home made Christmas Crafts are great Christmas gift ideas for your loved ones. They will really appreciate the time and effort one has gone into creating something especially for them.

Enjoy Your Choice Of Music And An Alarm Call With An Alarm Clock With MP3 Player Built In!

2008-02-05T01:35:00.001-08:00

When you look at the vast array and unusual types of clock which are manufactured its somewhat surprising that you will find that digital clocks are hard favorites for many people. These clock styles now come with a variety of options that today's techno fan will feel is necessary for day to day living. One slightly different type of alarm clock that you can purchase these days is that of an alarm clock and mp3 player. This is Basically an alarm clock clock and an mp3 player which works together.

The numerous other types of digital alarm clock are widely available however you will not find these with an mp3 player everywhere. So for this reason when you are looking into the idea of purchasing one of these clocks you may want to see what the Net has in the way of recommendations. The user and purchaser reviews that you can find are a good way of weeding out alarm clock mp3 players which you may find difficult to obtain or ones that have tons of problems to them.

These details are significant as without them you may end up acquiring a make or model on the back of being sucked into media and publicity ballyhoo which leaves out the true value of such a clock. When you are look for this[info you may want to see the choice of stores or online retailers where you can buy these clocks. The other significant information that you should look into is that of the price.

You will find that some of the more well known brands will be developed around certain items that customers look for. These may be the number of songs which can be stored in the memory of the player. The types of player styles that you can opt for while you have the alarm clock clock in mp3 mode may be another way that people look at choosing one of these clocks.

Once you have found out all of these details you to check out finding a shop near you to purchase your chosen model of an alarm clock clock in mp3 player. Certainly depending on the time of year, its probably worth checking stock availability before travelling far to purchase as some may be in high demand. due to the popularity of the product, especially if its been extensively advertised.

Normally its always worthwhile to consider a second option, just in case your desired first choice is tricky to find, out of stock or just not all its cracked up to be The other bonus to planning out your purchase and doing some research is you end up with the right type of alarm clock with mp3 player for your needs and hopefully at an acceptable price.

Computer Alarm Clocks - a Modern Day Alternative to the Traditional Alarm Clock

2008-02-05T01:33:00.000-08:00

There are as we know many types of alarm clocks which can be use these days.. These different types will allow you the chance of choosing the style of [alert] you wish your clock to deliver and which best suits your life. Of the many types that you will find one is a computer alarm clock.

When you are looking for the various styles of computer alarm clocks you will see that some are free and others you will need to pay for. While you may have some confusion at first in choosing one of these computer alarm clocks you will soon see the advantages and benefits which are available with this choice.

The best way to go about finding and checking out this type of alarm clock is to see the many online sites which sell therm and allows you to download these products very easily.. In addition its always useful to find as much information about the proposed product you're contemplating purchasing and the Internet is great for this purpose. You should make sure that you look at the other features which are available with these clocks. Whilst considering the cost that you might need to pay .

This simple and so very loud alarm from computer alarm clocks can be heard even when you are in the depths of a deep sleep. This clock has an advantage of being extremely loud and featuring most of the new technology that's available today as well.

After you have looked at several makes and types of computer alarm clocks you will have a better idea of what is being offered in the market. This will allow you the opportunity to see the different brands which are available for all customers like yourself. Its worth reminding you that when you look at these products make sure that you read the installation info which is provided. After all there's nothing worse than getting a purchase home & then finding it very difficult to install.

This info will deal with the functionality and any problem solving techniques that you may need while you are utilising these alarm clock clocks. If the information and instructions appear straight forward then its fair to say you have chosen a good product that you can easily and efficiently use at all hours of the day and night.

With the vast selection of computer alarm clocks that you can get it is always best if you take the time to opt for one that will provide you with the superior service that you want. The only really important factor to keep in mind is when you are choosing one of these computer alarm clocks is that of the ease of being able to set the time and the alarm. You will also find that you have elected for a clock which you can remove at anytime. You can instal a new version whenever you want. This is one of the best aspects of having this up to the minute kind of technology at your fingertips.

Semi Precious Stone Jewelry

2008-02-04T01:23:00.000-08:00

HOBBY CRAFTS
Besides the numerous professional products, Punto Accessori also makes it possible for haberdasher's and crafts lovers to create jewelry on their own. In fact, more than 700 items are available in convenient pouches bearing our logo and containing small amounts. Give free reign to your imagination and make your own personal jewelry accessory. You can choose only the best components and metal findings for jewelry or show off your own ethnic jewelry creations which are all the rage. The materials that can be used range from the classic metal components for jewelry to glass, from shell to wood, from semi-precious stones to bone.

You can decide whether to make classic bead jewelry or create jewelry like none that has ever been seen before, perhaps in mother-of-pearl. On the site you will find everything you need, you only add your imagination. Moreover, if you get your friends involved, you could place orders for amounts that let you make the most of the advantages Punto Accessori offers: check out the table of discounts!!

For those who wish to set up a special area for these products in their haberdashery shop, contact us for vertical display cases for the pouches or table stands for the spools of chain. So what are you waiting for? Creating your own jewelry accessories has never been this easy.

GLUES
In any production sector, having the right tools is essential to achieving the best results. Punto Accessori has selected the best glues, produced by the best manufacturers, to offer you only the best. For gluing any type of fabric we recommend Bison Textile; for gluing anything else, whether it be accessories for leather goods, shoes or anything else, you can count on Uhu Plus.

SETTINGS
A fundamental metal finding for jewelry, the setting is the base used to work up the accessory. They come in brass and zamak, with or without prongs, and range from the classical to the most extravagant shapes. They are extremely useful in producing accessories for shoes, leather goods or clothing. Settings are a key element for jewelry making.

CHAINS
The jewelry-making chain is a balance between esthetic beauty, processing technique and production quality. The broad sector for such items ranges from the smallest chains, wires and links to mesh sheets, from brass to steel or aluminum, with beads or with strass. They come in so many shapes that some chains, fit with a normal necklace clasp, can easily become a simple, trendy belt or a complete jewelry accessory.

METAL FINDINGS
One of the largest sections on the entire site, metal findings for jewelry-making are fundamental components for creating jewelry and much more. The numerous sections range from the lynchpins of the trade such as earring wires and backings, necklace clasps and end pieces, brooches, key chains, rods, wires and filigree; in other words the building blocks of jewelry-making materials. If you want to create any accessory for shoes, clothing or leather goods in general, this is your starting point.

PARTS IN PLASTIC AND ABS
This section presents the classical items such as plastic beads, the pioneer of the first bead jewelry, or cameos and plastic cabochons, and other more complex parts that take on a new role in compositions using glass beads or sequins. ABS is a separate chapter. This material is quite in vogue today since it maintains its shape and offers the benefits of plastic but, like metals, it can be given a galvanized color effect.

LACQUERED PARTS
Highly unusual parts, ideal for ethnic jewelry, the Chinese lacquers can be divided into 2 basic categories. The black lacquers set particular ornamental decorations on a dark glossy, refined background; the red lacquers are used in relief, again set on a dark background to create contrasting parts that are of undisputed effect.

RESINS
This section is dedicated to items made completely of resins or which are simply resin-coated. They offer an alternative idea for jewelry accessories that are different from the usual. Creating is easy: all you need is jewelry wire, some resin item, a necklace clasp and voilà.

NATURAL MATERIALS
More than 1100 items of natural origin such as: bone, horn, wood, semi-precious stones, semi natural elements, bark, trimmings and glass. From the materials to the widest range of shapes, a splendid variety to wear nature and create ethnic or semi-precious stone jewelry and have a custom-designed jewelry accessory.

SHELLS
A category specially dedicated to the world of shells. The numerous items start with the simple shapes found in nature and move on to the most complex, sophisticated applications. We propose shells, set on jewelry wire, as natural trim for particular applications such as furniture. Simple items made of other materials are skillfully covered with shell work to become precious parts for jewelry accessories or leather goods and clothing.

Murrina glass:
This is the largest section of the entire site, offering 3000 different items of murrina glass, all of our manufacture. Creating glass jewelry has never been easier. The items range from solid color to the "millefiori" murrina glass, always created on a copper base, and on to the classical transparent, baseless glass "mini-bricks" that impart significant light-color effects.

GLASS
A wide range of parts for creating glass jewelry that ranges from classic beads, whether smooth or cut glass, to multicolor compositions, pendants and sequins. Ideal for decorating and enhancing clothing or leather goods or for creating true and proper jewelry accessories.

HANDBAGS ACCESSORIES
A selection of exclusive items for handbags including, handles, mirrors or metal terminal pieces. The category, destined not only for leather goods suppliers but also others, offers handles in wood, bamboo, bone, covered with shell or enameled, to give the accessory a final design effect or a discrete touch of class.

SEMI-WORKED PARTS
This category covers items that have already been worked and which can be used 'as is' or as components for more complex jewelry accessories. The section with enamels and strass is quite sophisticated, turning common jewelry materials into truly original accessories.

Hobbies As Stress Relief

2008-02-04T01:22:00.000-08:00

'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'

- James Howell, Proverbs 1659

As you can see from the date of the much used and fondly quoted proverb the idea of getting some kind of harmony in a persons' life has always been a topical issue. Simply put, hobbies give people the chance to play and with this the chance to reduce stress levels. In this article I will discuss some of the way hobbies can improve your life and reduce stress. I will end by mentioning some of the common hobbies that people do that can help to relieve stress.

Firstly a hobby is a break from reality. A hobby provides the person with a chance to focus on building a model airplane, for example, and put all the everyday worries like paying bills, beating the rush hour traffic or finishing a work project on schedule to the back of their mind.

With many hobbies there is an end product that the hobbyist can gain great pleasure and satisfaction from. For instance, the amateur carpenter can create a birdhouse or table that he/she can then give to someone as a present or can install in the back garden and watch birds coming and going. Oftentimes this sense of achievement is in stark contrast to everyday working life where the individual can feel like a small cog in a large and meaningless wheel. This sense of accomplishment can provide a great outlet for stress.

Hobbies have no deadlines, no rules and no pressure to be successful. The hobbyist can potter around for as long or short a time as he/she likes. No boss will tell them to do it differently. This is a great relief and, again, a stark contrast to an everyday job. One can paint a picture as badly as one wants, there is no pressure to sell the painting or even show it to anyone.

Hobbies also allow the individual to expand his/her horizons and learn new skills or develop unknown talents. This can help to relieve the stress of everyday life and often give a person a higher purpose. A person that takes up with the local soccer team can improve his/her physical condition, learn new skills and help the team to win the league title or cup final.

Hobbies provide an outlet to meet new people, develop relationships and socialise to a level that work often cannot provide.

Some popular hobbies include :

Gardening - a chance to create and get out into the fresh air and sunshine Crafts - any kind of craft from knitting to lathe turning is highly creative and satisfying as it produces an end product.

Arts - painting, sculpting, writing, and photography again give a sense of personal achievement Physical pastimes - playing sports, fishing and going to the gym are a chance to develop new relationships and skills

Hobbies can help to give the individual a well rounded life and this is the key to relieving the everyday stresses and strains.

Craft And Hobby Woods - Basswood - Balsa Wood and Others

2008-02-02T02:32:00.000-08:00

Hobby Metal Craft Skills; What Exactly Are They?

2008-02-02T02:31:00.000-08:00

A Young Mans Passion For Metal

2008-02-01T02:32:00.000-08:00

Hobby Metal Casting & How To Make A Start

2008-02-01T02:30:00.000-08:00

Scrapbook Hobby Could Make You an Entrepreneur

2008-01-31T02:53:00.000-08:00

Product Designer/Manufacturer

Many scrapbooking products were designed by scrapbook enthusiasts, who saw the need for a product and filled it. Product designers can either license their idea to a larger manufacturer or take the plunge and start their own company!

Success stories abound in this industry about people who went from an idea to a multi-product corporation. And if you're the next success story, prepare for profits! Of course, going it alone also means an investment of time and money, so be sure you have both before starting your company.

What types of qualities does a product designer need? Above all, creativity is the best thing you can offer. Perhaps you've come up with an excellent new die cut. How about inventing a new pair of decorative scissors? When you're a product designer, literally anything is possible.

You need to find a niche that hasn't been filled. Then do product research. See if your idea is feasible and what kind of investment you'll need to make in order to bring it to reality. Use the library or Internet to locate information about your product. While conducting your research, you'll notice that products with a good reputation or success story are easily located. That's because companies who've had success with a product are not afraid to boast about it.

Rely on your experience. All great success stories begin with a person that has knowledge or a great interest in the product they're selling. Is the product interesting to you? Will you use it on a continuing basis? What is the life expectancy of the product? Do you know people that are familiar with the product?

Contact a scrapbook supplier and tell them about your idea. See if they think it has marketable potential. A word of caution here - don't be too specific about your new idea. You don't want to risk someone "honing in" on your new invention.

However, an informed opinion about the product's potential in the marketplace and value is possible after you have gathered all the information possible. All you really need to know now is if there is a real need for this product in the marketplace so do not rush into making a decision prior to bringing all of your tools to bear analyzing the item.

Scrapbooking "Expert"

Scrapbook enthusiasts who get published in the major magazines and idea books sometimes develop a "fan club" of other scrapbookers. That fame can sometimes be translated into connections with manufacturers to teach nationally or design products, retailers as "celebrity" guests, and other industry opportunities. So go ahead, submit your pages!

This is akin to being a freelance writer. If you think you've created an especially beautiful page, send a picture to a scrapbooking magazine. If they publish it, you've made it! If they don't, keep trying.

Start out by subscribing to at least four of the major scrapbooking magazines. Some to consider would be:

• Creating Keepsakes
• Memory Makers
• Simple Scrapbooks
• Paper Kuts
• Paper Crafts
• Your Creative Spirit
• Scrapbooks Etc.

When submitting your pages, you have two options. You can scan your layout and submit it through e-mail or you can make a color copy and send it through "snail mail". If you make copies to send, your costs can add up, especially if you're submitting to multiple magazines. Email might be your best option,

With each layout submission, you'll need to include your name, address, phone number, email, and supply list. The supply list is important, as magazines will not publish your layout without one. If you're working on a layout you think you'll want to submit, keep track of what supplies you use and the manufacturer of each one. Be as detailed as you can!

You can submit the same layout to every magazine, but be aware that when one magazine publishes your layout, other magazines won't use the same one. If you decide to submit, it's also a good idea to take those layouts off of the popular Web sites, such as ScrapJazz.com.

Magazines typically keep layouts on file and will ask for them when the need arises for a layout like yours. You might be contacted months down the line, so try and be patient. Sometimes the magazines will say what types of layouts they're looking for in advance. Check the magazines and their Web sites. Remember that most magazines are working on issues that won't be out for months, so your Kwanzaa page may be accepted in the summer.

Just do it! I've heard from so many scrapbookers that they haven't been published, but they "haven't submitted as much as they should." Write it on your To-Do list! Schedule a time to submit your layouts on a regular basis. It may seem elusive, but consider that the magazines need to fill space with as many excellent layouts as they can. So keep submitting!

If you are going to be published, the excitement will be great the day you get the call! Be ready for some down time while you wait for the issue to come out, and then it's excitement time again! You'll usually get your layout back when the next issue of the magazine is published.

If more than one magazine chooses to publish a layout, you'll need to tell the other magazines that unfortunately, another magazine contacted you first.

Some magazines pay with product and others with cash. But the opportunity to put "published designer" after your name is priceless! Good luck!

Set up your own website and publish your amazing pages on there. Offer up complete instructions on how people can re-create those pages for a small fee. Then watch your sales soar!

Once you've established a "name" by being published, you can approach manufacturers (or they might approach you first!) about teaching for them at national conventions and trade shows. That "name" might also unlock the door to getting your own product ideas and designs licensed to a large manufacturer.

Semi Precious Stone Jewelry

2008-01-31T02:51:00.000-08:00

Stamp Collecting Album- One of the Essential Elements

2008-01-30T02:35:00.001-08:00

As true with any collectors, a good album is going to be your pride and joy. Knowing this, we should have a quality stamp collecting album for our collection. Depending on your personal tastes there is a wide range of options available to you and I'd like to talk a little bit about these.

The biggest factor you should consider when purchasing an album for your stamp collection is functionality. After all, you want to protect them as best you can to insure they remain in exceptional quality. If you have ever collected baseball or football cards as a kid, or maybe you still are a kid , having a sturdy cover and binding as well as durable sleeves are very important.

I remember when I first started collecting stamps and cards as a child; I kept my stash in an old cigar box my grandfather gave me. I thought it was the coolest thing, and all of my friends raved about it when I brought my stamp collection out. As time went on the box got worn and filled up so that I could no longer close the lid.

So after saving my money I purchased a handsome leather bound stamp collecting album and began filling it with my treasures. Today I have several, but I will never forget the first one I had. If any of this sounds familiar to you or you are fresh at collecting, imagine the memories you can make for you and pass along to your children.

Needless to say my stamp collecting album has preserved my hard work and patience that I have endured to get the treasures I have today. Many stores have options available for novices and experts alike.

Royal Worcester Porcelain

2008-01-30T02:34:00.000-08:00

The Royal Worcester factory was founded in 1751 and is the only porcelain factory established in the mid-18th century that has been in continuous production until the present day. The founders were Dr John Wall, a doctor of medicine and William Davies, an apothecary. They started with soft-past porcelain functional wares, particularly tea services. Their soft-paste porcelain had a unique property that made them famous around the world - it could withstand hot liquid. This meant that their teapots and cups could have hot tea poured into them without cracking. Early pieces were in the Chinese style, sometimes using blue and white on shapes copied from English silver.

The first Worcester figurine was made in 1757 - 'Cupid at Vulcan's Forge', which is thought to be modelled by Chelsea modeller John Toulouse. Worcester excels in figurines to this day. During the 1760s and 1770s Worcester porcelain was influenced by Meissen with colours such as the very deep blue being introduced. By this time some of Worcester's porcelain was being painted in London under their London agent, Thomas Flight, who took over the business with his sons John and Joseph, when Dr John walled died in 1776. They were later joined by Martin Barr and the factory went under the name Flight and Barr, and other combinations of the names until 1840.

During the Regency period Royal Worcester porcelain looked lavish and colourful and exhibited some wonderful gilding and painting. During this time Flight and Barr merged with the 'Chamberlain factory and the 'Grainger' factory, who were both originally rivals of Worcester. In 1862 the 'Worcester Royal Porcelain Co' was established and wares were to become known as 'Royal Worcester'.

In the mid 19th century 'Parian' was introduced and made a huge difference to their production. Parian is a durable material with a high feldspar content and is perfect for detailed modelling. This meant that figures could be produced with the finest of detail and quality. The material is also perfect for gilding and enamelling, which meant that pieces could be produced with lavish detail.

Worcester continued to keep up with the fashionable trends during the Victorian period. They excelled in 'pierced' porcelain and reproduced ivory images in porcelain. Figurines were very popular at this time and the majority of the work was being done by modellers such as Charles Toft and James Hadley.

During the 20th century Worcester had fierce competition from Royal Doulton and as figurines were hugely popular Worcester and Doulton fought for market share. Worcester produced a range of animals, starting with a tortoise in 1910. It was modelled by George Evans and was a massive success. This encouraged Worcester to produce further animals which included birds, fish, a rabbit and a mouse, which were being produced until the 1950s.

During the early 20th century Worcester artists specialised in hand painting. This was put onto vases, urns, and traditional tea and coffee services and they are highly collectable. The pieces by the Stinton family and Harry Davies are some of England's finest porcelain of all time and Highland cattle and fruit are particularly famous subjects.

During the first World War Worcester produced figurines similar to those made in Germany in previous years. They also tried a cheaper production of figurines in a high-fired earthenware instead of 'Parian' ware, although this was not successful. The company tried to branch out in a new direction by making items such as Toby Jugs and ashtrays, although Worcester did not excel at this.

Going back to their roots Worcester had ninety new figurines modelled, to keep pace with Doulton. New modellers were brought in from London and the next few years were profitable. The most notable of these new modellers was Freda Doughty, whose contribution to the success of Royal Worcester figurines has been unrivalled since.

Worcester are still going strong and their output is varied, including tableware, giftware and the special 'Prestige' range. Current ranges include 'Nine lives character cats' which is widely available. As with all Royal Worcester, each piece is made by hand and skilfully painted by artists. Prices are between £15 - £25. A new Noddy set has recently been launched, including favourite characters from the book, Noddy, Big Ears, Mr Plod and Tessie Bear are all in the collection. Each figure is £25, while the whole set can be had for the bargain price of £100. Worcester also do a giftware range for children, consisting of bowls, mugs and plates as well as gift sets in a tin, with prices starting from £10.

A very popular range from Worcester is the Cicely Mary Barker flower fairy range, the famous images from Barker have been put onto plates and dishes and there are also twelve wall plates to collect, each featuring a different flower fairy from Cicely Mary Barker's collection.

Worcester try to keep ahead of the competition by constantly introducing modern lines. Currently a Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen design range of mugs is available and Jamie Oliver tableware is also very popular. This does not mean that Royal Worcester neglect the traditional. Currently, in the Prestige range, Clive Christian is behind a lavish and sophisticated service. This is described as being 'rendered in raised gold on a cream ground with rich burnished gold, accentuating the whiteness of the fine bone china'.

The company still produce the old pattern, such as the fruit and highland cattle. These works are inspired by John and Harry Stinton and are produced in enamels in the same way they were 100 years ago. Royal Worcester have been at the forefront of the ceramics industry for over 250 years and still produce innovative and original pieces that entice buyers of tableware, giftware and collectors' markets.

Introducing Kids to Woodworking

2008-01-29T02:18:00.001-08:00

Woodworking is an interesting hobby with a lot of potential. Once you learn and master the basics of this craft, the possibilities are endless. Combine this experience with teaching your kids, and you have something truly special. Not only could you instill in your children a deep appreciation for the craft of woodworking, you can also incorporate many lessons and learning skills without your child knowing it! Woodworking can help kids with their eye-hand coordination, dexterity, problem solving, and measuring skills. Woodworking can also teach a child how to take an abstract idea and make it real through careful planning from start to finish. However, before you put those grand designs in motion, cover a few basics first.

One of the very first lessons your child will learn is that mommy or daddy’s tools are not toys. The kids need to know that if they are going to be working in the woodshop, there are rules that everyone - even you - have to follow. Saws are sharp, hammers hurt, nails or screws left on the floor can cause a fall or other injury, and in the woodshop, everyone has to be careful and pay close attention. When working in the woodshop, teach your child that he or she should wear safety glasses at all times. Above all, never leave your child to work unsupervised.

Keep in mind that you want to start slowly. You wouldn’t want to begin by teaching your four year old how to use a rotary saw. Instead, give your younger child small jobs. A good task would be helping sand a plank of wood to prepare it for staining, or letting him or her draw a measurement while you hold the ruler and point out where the line should begin and end.

Start with the most basic tools and techniques and build on them one by one. A child’s first project might be something as simple as making a set of shelves or a small bookcase.

Teach your child about the different types of wood, what trees produce that wood and the properties of each. Tell them why you would use oak instead of pine for a certain project. Show your child that there is more to woodworking than cutting and nailing boards together. Wood can be bent, carved, burnt, painted, glued, or stained to make many different and beautiful things. You can point out kitchen cabinets, furniture in the living room, a guitar in the corner, or the picture frame hanging on the wall as examples of wood’s versatility.

For those of you who have children under four years old, you can still get them acquainted with tools. Many toys resemble the kinds of tools daddy uses in the workshop. You can get a toddler-sized workbench with a set of tools safe for tiny hands, or toy versions of little power tools that your child can pretend to operate. Whatever the child’s age, you can find a way to spark an interest in woodworking that will last a lifetime.

Advertising on Local Cable or Radio, Which is Best and Why?

2008-01-29T02:16:00.000-08:00

Most advertising executives and their sales forces will have all sorts of statistics why radio is better than cable television advertising or why cable advertising is better than radio. And each set of statistics is rather convincing indeed.

Yet they contradict each other completely, but why? Well simple really you see the radio advertising sales people want you to put your advertising budget, all of it with them, while the Cable TV advertising executives are dead set on capturing your advertising dollar to their firm.

No doubt they are competing media and often the same company owns both and will either try to give you an advertising marketing mix or attempt to fill up whatever slots of whichever media needs to be filled up that week, month, season or year? Great and that makes sense for them, but what about your business.

You must make sure you get maximum bang for your buck and you cannot spend all your money on Cable Ads or Radio, I mean you have lots of other expenses too right? Sure, what about employees and rent on your location? If you spend all your money on advertising, you will be out of business or have no employees to help all these new clients who will be supposedly flooding in right?

The truth about these two forms of advertising is both are quite good depending on the type of business you operate, drive times and costs of radio slots and the peak political ad seasons for evening programming, which are often costly but those ads do pull. Perhaps your business sells hobby crafts to women who may be home during the soap opera time of day? Well cable is really cheap during the week on those times.

What if you business caters to security professionals, such as gun sales? Well after midnight radio gets rather cheap too. You must take a good hard look at your business and what is available and what will pull in your clientele, Consider all this in 2006.

Making Beautiful Jewelry With Bead Stringing

2008-01-18T05:12:00.000-08:00

Making jewelry is an interesting craft to pursue, and when beginning any new hobby or craft, it is often best to start slow and allow yourself a chance to grow into it at your own pace. The old saw recommending that one learns to walk before they run is applicable in a number of crafts. Any new craft projects which are too difficult or involved and become frustrating are soon dropped or left behind. Perhaps the simplest and easiest way to get involved with jewelry making and the world of jewelry arts is in the field of bead stringing. For the most part, bead stringing involves working with a variety of pre-made beads which are polished and ready to use with the holes already drilled so that they are ready for use. Stringing of beads typically involves running a thin metal wire or nylon filament string through the holes in the beads to assemble a necklace, bracelet or anklet. The piece is finished by adding some sort of clasp piece at each end which allows the loop to be opened and worn.

This simple craft of bead stringing has become tremendously popular, and bead stores offering a huge variety of materials have sprung up all across the United States. The stores offer hobbyists interested in the art of bead stringing virtually everything they could possibly need in the practice of their craft. These types of stores are found in most larger cities as well as mail order businesses based on providing service through the Internet. While there are some exceptions, most of the materials are comparatively inexpensive. The affordability and ease with which one can take up this hobby has made it literally assessable to everyone. The beautiful products which can be so easily created are what have made this craft so explosively popular.

Beads are available in natural materials that range from inexpensive to very valuable beads made of precious materials such as high-quality natural Emerald. A variety of metals are available from shiny but inexpensive chrome through copper and silver to 14 karat gold. A large number of inexpensive man-made materials, such as glass or painted ceramic are also available. Various objects, including crystals, seashells, coins or other items can be used in the center of a necklace or bracelet as a focus piece. The vast number of potentials and possibilities are dizzying.

This indescribable variety allows the bead stringing hobbyist to create an infinite number of patterns and associations in the jewelry crafts with which they create their works of art. All that is really needed is an eye for design and some patience to assemble the beautiful jewelry piece envisioned in the design stage.

In the last decade, literally thousands of folks have gotten into one aspect of bead stringing or another. For many of these folks it is become more than just a simple hobby or craft, but an artistic passion. For some it is even become a significant business opportunity as they are able to sell some of the beautiful pieces which they produce. If you are interested in starting a jewelry related craft, bead stringing may well be the very best place to get started.

Snowmen Children Crafts mean Winter-Time Fun

2008-01-18T05:11:00.000-08:00

Snowmen children crafts are fabulous fun for kids to make. They can be used as decorations or given as gifts.

Willie brought a wonderful craft idea home from school when she was a youngster, and we still enjoy making those glitter snowman globes today! Here's how:

* Get a baby food jar or small Mason jar.
* Glue a small plastic snowman to the inside of the jar with waterproof glue.
* Let it dry.
* Fill the jar with water.
* Add colorful glitter.
* Grate a bit of plastic and use the shavings for snow.
* Put the lid back on the jar.
* Melt some wax or use a hot glue gun to seal the lid.

We vary this craft by using different figures inside the jars and a variety of glitter colors!

For the younger kiddos, snowmen children crafts might include making doily snow people, which can be used as window or refrigerator decorations. You'll need one large doily for the body and two small doilies for the head and arms of the snowman.

Cut one of the small doilies in half to use as arms. Glue these items to colored construction paper and include buttons and wiggly eyes (or cutout paper for eyes, buttons, and nose).

With a paperclip, construction paper, and goodies for the nose and eyes, you can make a cute snowman children's craft into a necklace or ornament. There are many ways to create a snowman!

When crisp weather arrives, it's always a good idea to bring out your snowmen children crafts ideas. They can be enjoyed all winter, or given as gifts to very special relatives and friends.

Non-Fiction Information Products Are Hot Commodities Online

2008-01-03T04:14:00.001-08:00

When you have information that other people want, you have a virtual goldmine at your fingertips. Information products line the shelves at bookstores nationwide in the non-fiction section, but they’re permeating the online market and catering to the needs of millions of online consumers hungry for advice and insight at all hours of the night.

As a seller of non-fiction information products, you can build an empire of profits targeting a single niche of consumers. Or, branch out and offer solutions to a multitude of people who need guidance.

While the print publishing industry only gives authors a small portion of the proceeds after agent and publishing house fees, if you sell information products on the ‘net, you’ll get to charge more and keep almost 100% of the profits for yourself.

Typically, a non-fiction book at Barnes and Noble would cost the consumer an average of $9.95 to $29.95. But when you’re selling information products ready for instant download on the ‘net, you get to price it higher, because the selling point usually begins at $37 and rises all the way to the top at a $97 price point.

Plus, your overhead costs are low. Even if you outsource the creation of your information product, you’re still able to recoup the investment after a short period of sales.

Why are consumers rapidly downloading information products? This is the age of high-tech development. Your readers may be sitting in an airport, accessing your eBook from their laptop.

They want information now, not the next business day. If their child is up sick crying from colic at 3:30 in the morning, a mom can’t drive to a bookstore to get a self-help book – but she can log onto her personal computer and download your eBook, putting your advice into action within mere minutes.

Another reason information products are hot commodities online is because they often come with ironclad money-back guarantees, giving the consumer an added spoonful of trust.

If you create info products for sale yourself, then you want to make sure you produce top-quality deliverables and urge your readers near the end to start taking action with what they’ve learned to keep refund requests low and demand for your products high.

How to Hunt Down Profits with Your Hobbies

2008-01-03T04:13:00.000-08:00

Having a hobby is great. It fulfills your life in more ways than one – giving you pleasure and relaxing your mind and body. But did you know it’s also possible to earn money from the things you enjoy?

Millions of people all around the world are making money from their hobbies. It might be something quirky like taking metal garbage and creating beautiful works of art from it, or something tame like writing non-fiction.

Virtually any hobby can be turned into a money-making idea. How you start churning profits can be accidental or on purpose. Perhaps you’ve knitted a beautiful scarf and co-workers are now asking you to knit them one. That’s accidental profiting.

There’s another way to set out on your quest for money from your hobbies – starting a business on the side! Not everyone can afford to quit their day job and start doing their hobby for a living.

Most often, it starts out as a side job and gradually builds into a full-time profit machine. You need to take a pro-active approach to your wealth-building. Start brainstorming ways you can make money form your hobby.

If you enjoy crafts, you could sell the finished crafts, sell the materials and instructions to help others make the craft, or even sell an eBook on how to enjoy and master the craft itself.

You might even launch a newsletter where subscribers pay to access new up-to-date information about a particular craft, like a craft-of-the-week hobby alert! The possibilities are endless.

Or if sports are your hobby, you can monetize it on or off the Net. You might want to give golf lessons or write a short eBook about shaving 6 points off of your short game. Or maybe you can sell baseball cards on eBay and build a profitable business that way.

Almost any hobby can be profitable for you – including collecting items like stamps, dolls, and antiques, traveling to different places, arts and crafts, and even technology.

You can even start a simple blog detailing your hobby and put ads on it using Google AdSense. That way, whenever anyone visits your blog and clicks on an ad, you get paid for it! Start evaluating how you can turn your hobby into a business today, and implement a plan to make those dreams come true.

The Importance of a Backend Strategy When Selling Information Products for Profit

2008-01-03T04:12:00.000-08:00

When you start selling information products on the Net for profit, you may be thinking you’ll set out to create multiple items for many different niches. But you really need to take an approach that leverages the lists you’ll be building whenever anyone purchases one of your products.

For example, let's say you choose to cater to a niche of fellow Internet marketers. You start off creating an information product on Finding Your Niche. What you want to do next is develop a backend product that accompanies or complements the first product.

This way, when your second information product is ready, you can announce it to your list of existing customers and if they found value in your first product, chances are they’ll be buying from you again.

Have you ever heard the saying, "There’s gold in the list?" This is often said in reference to the many marketers who have built multi-million dollar empires selling their information products to the same people, not necessarily more customers.

You want to extend the lifetime value of each customer that you get. Even if it only costs you a $0.05 click-through to get a paying customer, it’s much better to make a $10,000 lifetime profit from him than a one-time sale of $47.

You want to create a good backend strategy for your information products based on what it is your customers need. Find ways of picking their brains without letting them know it’s solely for product creation purposes.

People love to give their opinions, so when you contact your list and ask for their input, you stand to gain some amazing insight into what it is that your market is seeking. While your follow up information products are being created, either by yourself or an outsourced service provider, make sure you continue delivering free valuable information to your existing customers.

You don’t always want to hit them up with a sales pitch. If their names are added to your autoresponder, then periodically drip pieces of helpful information to them that they don’t have to pay to gain access to.

When they see that you’re working in their best interest, then they won’t mind spending money with you again and helping you profit from your information product empire for years to come. All you have to do is find out what they need and then over-deliver with your solutions.

Favorite Hobbies - Watching Television

2007-12-20T02:15:00.001-08:00

Favorite Hobbies - Model Airplanes

2007-12-20T02:13:00.000-08:00

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.

Some Large Plants Ideal For Perennial Landscaping

2007-12-18T00:58:00.002-08:00

Perennial landscaping benefits greatly from easy to grow plants. Here we will look at some of those which can be used with great effect, for landscaping, with details such as their height and flowering season, which is essential for really effective perennial landscaping. Landscaping relies on plants being situated in their ideal growing position, as well as ensuring that the plants are allowed to spread. Colour co-ordination in your landscaping plan is important too. Just a hint of discord will really put out the balance of your planting scheme.

The following Perennial plants are ideal for the back of the border, or for individual or group planting and these lovely tall plants can really bring height and structure to your perennial landscaping:

Asters- Some varieties grow to around 36" tall, spread 24".

Flowers- September to October.

Colours- red, pink, purple, white, lavender,blue.

Achillea- Yarrow " Coronation Gold" 30-36" tall, spread 18-24".

Flowers- June to July.

Colour- golden yellow.

Babtisia australis- 30-36" tall, spread 36-48".

Flowers- early to late June.

Colour- light purple, with large seed pods.

Boltonia asteroides- "Snow Bank" 36-60" tall, spread 24-36".

Flowers- September to October.

Colour- light purple.

Campanula - "Blue and White Clips" 72- 96" tall, spread 12-18".

Flowers- from June to July.

Colour- blue or white.

Campanula persicifolia- "Peach Leaf Bell Flower" 30-40" tall, spread 12-18".

Flowers- early June.

Colour- White or blue.

Dicentra spectablis- "Bleeding Heart"- 30-36" tall, spread 18-24".

Flowers- May.

Colours- red, white.

Echinacea purpurea- "Purple Cone Flower Bright Star" 36-48" tall, spread 18-24".

Flowers- July.

Colour- purple.

Eupatorium maculatum- "Gateway" 36-60" tall, spread 24-30".

Flowers- end of summer to early fall.

Colours- mauve, rose.

Filipendula rubra venusta- "Queen of the Prairie" 36-60" tall, spread 24".

Flowers- early to mid summer.

Colour- Rosy pink.

Heliopsis scabra- "False Sunflower Summer Sun" 36-60" tall, spread 24-30".

Flowers- July to September.

Colour- yellow.

Hemerocallis hybrids- "Day lily" 12-40" tall, spread 18-24".

Flowers- June to August.

Colours- red, yellow, orange, cream.

Iris siberica- "Siberian Iris" 36" tall, spread 18-24".

Flowers- May to June.

Colours- blue, white, purple.

Lilium hybrid- "Asiatic Lily" 30-40" tall, spread 12".

Flowers- June-July.

Colours- red, white, pink, orange, yellow.

Malva fastigiata- "Malva" 36" tall, spread 24"

Flowers- June to end of summer

Colour- pink.

Perovaskia atriplicifolia- "Russian Sage" 36-48" tall, spread 24-36".

Flowers- July to October.

Colour- lavender blue.

Rudbeckia nitida- "Herbstonne"- 72"+ tall, spread 36-48".

Flowers- August.

Colour- yellow.

Rudbeckia subtomentosa- "Sweet Cone Flower"- 36-48" tall, spread 24-36".

Flowers- August to September.

Colour- yellow.

There are of course many other perennial plants which can be used for landscaping, including many different varieties of grasses. However these are so varied, that they really merit an article all to themselves. If you plant only a few of the plants mentioned here, you will be well on the way to having achieved some really stunning perennial landscaping.

Some Large Plants Ideal For Perennial Landscaping

2007-12-18T00:58:00.001-08:00

Some Large Plants Ideal For Perennial Landscaping

2007-12-18T00:58:00.000-08:00

Perennial Plants And Your Low Maintenance Garden

2007-12-18T00:57:00.000-08:00

Perennial plants are very important when planning a garden which stays beautiful year after year, with the minimum amount of effort. However there are a few points which need to be taken into consideration.

Firstly, you need to take into consideration, the area in which you live. Perennial plants which flourish in Florida, may not be able to survive in New York, where the winters are so much harder. It is vital, if you are planting perennial plants, that you find out your plant zone, and choose your plants accordingly.

Decide on the type of garden you want, this is essential for low maintenance. This will enable you to build your ultimate garden, right from the beginning. Perhaps you want your garden to have a particular colour or theme, by deciding at the start, you will be able to choose exactly the right perennial plants, without costly mistakes.

Make sure the plants you choose are low maintenance, although perennial plants return year after year, some need far more maintenance than others. Choose perennial plants which need little pruning and are drought resistant. Always remember however, that you should choose your plants for their beauty, not just their hardiness. A low maintenance garden doesn't have to be boring, it should be stunning.

Once you have decided on the type of garden you want and which perennial plants you would like, there are a few more thing to consider for your low maintenance garden. For example, what is the height of the plants you have chosen. Always make sure that the highest plants are behind the lowest perennial plants. This will ensure that all your perennial plants get good light and you won't need to prune plants which have outgrown their neighbours.

It is important too that you plant perennial plants which require lots of water together, then you will only need to water a small area, rather than the whole garden. Be sure to add plenty of organic matter to the soil before you plant your perennials, this will not only give your perennial plants a good start, but will mean that you don't have to add further fertilizer.

Water your newly planted perennial plants in well, and then sit back and wait for your beautiful low maintenance garden, full of perennial plants to become more beautiful as time moves on.

Home Made Hand Tools For Hobby Foundry Work

2007-12-15T02:59:00.000-08:00

If you have been thinking about making a start in hobby foundry work in your home workshop, you may be forgiven for thinking that the tools and equipment are going to cost you an arm and a leg, this need not be. Sure, you could trot off to the downtown industrial tools supplier and take home an arm full of expensive tools.

But if you take a good look at some of the tools, you'll discover that the design principles and fabrication could well be undertaken in the home workshop if you have metal fabrication skills and a reasonable amount of basic metal working equipment.

Take for instance "crucible lifting tongs", once you understand how these tools operate; you could quite easily make a set or two over a weekend. The basic design action operates on the "scissor principle" but they don't cut anything, they are designed to "clamp securely" onto the crucible to lift it out of the furnace when the metal has melted. Great caution needs to be taken while carrying out this operation, as one slip due to faulty or badly designed tongs, and you could have a disaster on your hands.

The best way to design and build a set of tongs is to copy a well made set, or to follow directions set out in a textbook or ebook downloaded from the net, we'll give you some links a little further on in this article.

Some of the most frequently used basic tools you'll need in the hobby foundry are; Bench ramming moulders tool - Tube sprue cutter - turned wood sprues - slick & oval spoon - hand riddle or sand sieve - draw pins, screws & hooks - rapping bar and spike - gate cutter - strike off bar - sand carving tools (made from old hacksaw blades). The tools mentioned above seem to be the ones that will be most used in your hobby foundry... and all of them can be home made if you have metal & wood working skills, it will take time and effort to make the tools required but they wont cost you a red cent if you make them from scrap materials, and if you are like most hobbyists you will know where to "scrounge stuff".

You may have to experiment with different ideas before you arrive at the most satisfactory design, but you will learn a great deal about why things have to be made in certain ways.

Do you own a wood lathe? Even a most basic machine will suffice in the home workshop, you could even make your own if you were keen enough,I guarrantee there are tens of thousands of home made wood lathes sitting in hobby workshops the world over. A wood lathe will repay itself many times over when you start to make patterns for your hobby foundry.

Your bench-ramming tool can be quickly turned to shape on your wood lathe, in fact, while you're at it, make two or three of them in different shapes & sizes, they will all come in handy when ramming and moulding patterns of differing sizes, you could get away with a single tool, but you wont regret making extra tools.

After a pattern has been completely rammed in a sand mould, and before the metal is poured, the pattern has to be removed without disturbing any of the surrounding sand. Draw pins and spikes are used to remove timber patterns from sand moulds.

Simple draw pins can easily be fabricated from long slender wood screws, particleboard screws are ideal. The easiest way to convert woodscrews into draw pins is to braze-weld a short length of 1/4" dia mild steel rod onto the head of the screw...that is all you need to do... make a set of them with different gauge screws as well long and short ones and you should have the field covered as far as lifting pins or draw spikes go... simple isn't it.

Blunt hacksaw blades are usually thrown in the bin, from now on you should save them, as many useful little hobby foundry tools can be made from old saw blades, quite often small sand carving tools can be quickly made by grinding and shaping using a normal bench grinder.

By being resourceful and thinking how you can use scrap materials, you should see now that there is absolutely no need to spend large amounts of money to get the tools and things you need for your hobby. If you are not sure about your own building & fabricating abilities then you should always ask advice.

Foundry Oil Bonded Sand Core Production

2007-12-15T02:57:00.000-08:00

To produce cavities within a metal casting; as required for liquid cooling in engine blocks and cylinder heads. Special negative forms (core boxes) are used to produce sand cores. Cores can be made up from oil bonded sand, often a basic oil such as linseed oil can be used to make effective sand cores. Once made in the negative shaped core box the sand core is baked in an oven until it is cured.

Cores are inserted into the mould box after removal of the pattern from the sand. Whenever possible, foundry pattern are designed and made to avoid the use of cores, reducing the use of cores will reduce the mould set-up time and thus help to reduce labour costs in the foundry.

With a completed sand mould at the appropriate moisture content, the box containing the sand mould is then positioned ready to fill with molten metal; i.e. ferrous iron (cast iron) steel, or none ferrous bronze, brass, or aluminium alloy.

After filling with molten metal the box is set aside until the metal is sufficiently cool to enable the removal of the hot casting from the sand mould. A rough casting is produced that, in the case of iron or steel, may still be glowing red.

When casting with metals like cast iron or lead, which are significantly heavier than the moulding sand, the flasks, called the cope & drag is covered with a heavy plate to prevent a problem known as mould floatation. Floating the mould occurs when the pressure of the metal pushes the sand above the mould cavity out of shape, causing the casting to fail. Sometimes mould box clips or flip locks are used to lock the boxes together to prevent loss of metal due to the drag mould loating.

After casting, the inner cores are broken up by rods or shot and removed from the casting. The metal from the sprue and risers is removed from the rough casting.Various heat treatments may be applied to relieve stresses from the initial cooling and to add hardness; in the case of steel or cast iron, by quenching in water or oil.

The casting may be further strengthened by surface compression treatment such as shot peening, which adds resistance to tensile cracking and smoothes the rough surface, cast iron engine conrods are treated in this manner.

The above methods and techniques can be applied to the hobby foundry, as well as the commercial set up, you have to think about what you are doing and the application of internal sand cores to your project.

Green Sand Reconditioning In The Hobby Foundry

2007-12-12T00:39:00.000-08:00

Green sand is one of the oldest foundry moulding mediums known to the industry, its use in the foundry can be traced back to the early times. But do you know how to get the best from it.

While it's use in commercial foundry operations has diminished somewhat, green sand still has its place in the hobby foundry. Green sand can be made up using quite basic materials, and is still being used to produce sound quality aluminium, bronze, and grey iron castings in many hobby foundries scattered across the globe.

Green sand is also ecologically friendly in that it can be recycled & reused almost indefinitely, before being discarded in favour of a newly mulled batch.

When green sand was the preferred commercial moulding material, special machines were used to reprocess the sand to remove foreign objects and to break down the dry sand lumps and recondition the sand again for the moulding shop.

Because green sand is reconditioned or re-tempered by the addition of water, it requires quite a bit of processing work to make it suitable again for moulding work.

Unfortunately, the hobby foundry worker does not have the luxury of automatic processing machines, so the reconditioning task for the hobby foundry worker is reduced to a laborious manual process, which can soon become tiresome if a large quantity of sand has to be processed.

When we speak about reprocessing green sand, we are not talking about the mulling or milling of a new batch of green sand, which is quite a different issue.

To recondition green sand it is normally fed into a sand slinger to break the lumps and clods, which form naturally in the green sand mould during solidification of the metal castings, much of the moisture content of the sand is also driven off during this stage.

One option for the hobby worker to recondition and retemper green sand is to use the slow manual hand sieving method whereby the operator manually processes the sand through a wire riddle in order to break up the lumpy sand, then the retempering can be done by slowly adding water and cutting, turning and dumping the sand with a shovel.

Yes, it is hard work and a slow process, and one in which most hobby workers will rapidly lose interest.

If you want to use green sand in the hobby foundry, but don't want to retemper the sand by this hard labour manual system, then, there is another way. The quickest, easiest way to retemper small batches of green sand such as the hobby worker would require, is to use a motorised gyratory riddle.

The riddle is capable of processing a large quantity of sand in 10 to 15 minutes, which includes the fluffing and the retempering process, it is virtually a simultaneous three way process.

The quality of green sand produced through this method is second to none, and the motorised gyratory riddle greatly reduces the back breaking labour to virtually zero. Anyone with general metal fabricating skills could easily build a riddle, the material costs are not expensive and are readily available.

The main requirements are: A small electric motor, a wire sieve, some square tubing to build the frame, plus the instructions to build an efficient machine.

Solid plaster and cement rendering workers in the building trade could also use this type of machine to prepare mortars and wall-finishing materials applied by the baggin

Aluminium - The History Behind The Metal

2007-12-12T00:37:00.000-08:00

Minerals containing aluminium are very difficult to decompose. In 1825, a Danish scientist H.C.Oersted discovered that metallic potassium could be used to chemically reduce aluminium from one of its compounds. The cost of aluminium in the very early days was around 250.00 English pounds per kilo to produce, much more than gold.

Even Napoleon was reported to have been privileged to use Aluminium knives and forks when eating. French nobility had to be content with silver or gold tableware?

Metallurgists, Hall (America) & Heroult, (France) discovered the process for extracting aluminium from the ore of bauxite in the year of 1886, but the metal remained an expensive commodity until the beginning of the 1900s.

The first & second world wars, saw a huge demand for this strong, light & versatile metal, particularly in the manufacture of aircraft. Modern technology has pushed the annual production of Al second only to iron in world production terms.

The ore of aluminium is called bauxite, it contains aluminium oxide Al203. Bauxite ore itself cannot be reduced to metal by heating it with coke as with cast iron, for the simple reason that Al atoms are too firmly combined with oxygen atoms to be detached by carbon.

An electrolytic process is used to decompose the bauxite and release the Aluminium, which consumes about 91 mega joules of electricity to produce I. Kg of Al metal, so large amounts of cheap electrical power must be available to the smelters.

Most of the world's aluminium was produced in the USA, Canada, & Norway. However, Australia also has vast deposits of bauxite, and has large Smelters situated near the major power producers in the country.

This abundance of aluminium supply has had the effect of producing a readily available stockpile of scrap aluminium, where it is not difficult for the hobby foundry worker to easily break the metal down to manageable sizes, which can then be melted in small hobby gas or electric furnaces.

Crude pig iron is purified or converted to steel by blowing oxygen through it, Which burns out the impurities, this is not possible with aluminium as the metal would simply burn away, and leave you with useless impurities.

A chemical process is first used to purify the bauxite, then the pure aluminium oxide is decomposed by electrolysis. Aluminium oxide has a very high melting point, it is mixed with another aluminium mineral called cryolite, to form an electrolyte, which will melt at a low temperature.

Next time you are breaking down a piece of scrap aluminium to place into your crucible to melt, spare a thought for the journey it has travelled before you acquired it!

Today's technology enables the semi skilled home hobby foundry worker to produce low cost Aluminium castings for all kinds of purposes, but there are things that you must learn about, and equipment you must acquire or build before the metal casting journey can begin. To begin to explore and understand what this intriguing metal craft is all about, you are invited to visit our hobby foundry web site.

Green Sand Reconditioning In The Hobby Foundry

2007-12-05T02:10:00.001-08:00

The Backyard Foundry And Forced Air Burners

2007-12-05T02:08:00.000-08:00

Furnace burners potentially create more than enough problems for the hobby metal casting worker, it is not unusual to read about people who are attempting to build a furnace, only to be confronted with problems and frustration with a complex burner? It is quite simple to construct a crucible furnace, but the stumbling block seems to be: "The burner". Why?

Problems seem to manifest themselves because:

For some reason, people choose to fabricate complex burners from detailed drawings without the skills, tooling and machining facilities in which the original designer employed during the design & building process.

With the necessary workshop skills coupled with a reasonable selection of equipment & tools, will have a marked effect on how well you, as a hobby foundry worker, will be able to construct the equipment required for the successful melting of metal.

There are no short cuts when it comes to building equipment for your hobby foundry, to cobble something together in a rough fashion is only asking for trouble in the future, it is well to heed the old trade school teacher quote: "If a job is worth doing, you might as well do it properly in the first place" He is right, you know.

You can learn how to build an effective simple furnace burner, which is well documented in the hobby foundry ebook "Metal Casting Made Easy" available at our web site. But to explain everything in detail here would take up far too much time & space.

Following is a simplified description:

The burner consists of a long plain black mild steel pipe. The burner end nozzle consists of an inverted cone. There is a mid section where a venturi is installed; the gas jet is located near the venturi.

The simple brass jet protrudes into the forced air stream, which travels through the burner tube. The gas jet orifice is quite large and operates under low pressure; the air delivered by the blower to the burner tube is low pressure, but moves at a high volume.

The burner design is simple, yet effective, but there are some components incorporated in the design that only require basic lathe turning skills. But general workshop knowledge is sufficient to build this item. There's no rocket science involved.

The blower consists of a second hand household vacuum cleaner (the type that has a second outlet for the hose connection that blows). The vac also has an electronic vari motor speed control, which enables a regulated low-volume airflow to be delivered during the burner start up phase.

This feature is MOST important during the furnace start up.

Does this burner work? You bet it does, the burner is capable of melting a 5 Kg (11lbs) charge of Aluminium from a cold start in less than 40 minutes.

The gas supply is provided from a Liquid Petroleum (LP) cylinder (Propane in the states) It is essential that the gas supply be controlled by an adjustable industrial diaphragm gas regulator gauge suitable for LP gas, there is no other SAFE way to regulate & deliver fuel gas to a furnace burner. A ball valve should be installed in line as an emergency shut off valve.

There's no reason to build & operate complex burners that require special size jets, and shrouds, which must be operated at a certain gas/air pressure? There is nothing more frustrating than an apparatus that won't operate as it should; why spend half the day mucking around with something that is an absolute pain to use, when you should be enjoying your metal casting experience!

How Metals Are Chosen And Forged To Make The Best Swords

2007-11-30T02:38:00.001-08:00

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.

How To Get Into The Hobby Of Collectible Postcards

2007-11-30T02:36:00.000-08:00

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.

Adventures With Dollhouses

2007-11-22T02:42:00.001-08:00

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.

Assessing the Value of Your Collection

2007-11-22T02:40:00.000-08:00

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.

Academic Crafts for School Functions

2007-11-17T04:59:00.000-08:00

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.

Decorative Crafts for Your Favorite Holiday

2007-11-17T04:58:00.000-08:00

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.

Collecting Things Made Of Celluloid

2007-11-16T00:13:00.000-08:00

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.

Collecting Victorian Trade Cards

2007-11-16T00:12:00.000-08:00

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.

Collecting Antique Toy Banks

2007-11-16T00:10:00.000-08:00

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.

Bonsai Ficus Starting A Century Old Hobby

2007-11-15T23:55:00.000-08:00

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.

Basic Pattern Making In The Hobby Foundry

2007-11-15T23:54:00.000-08:00

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.

Lost Wax & Lost Foam Casting Processes.

2007-11-14T21:08:00.000-08:00

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.

Decorative Metal Work Techniques From The Early 1900s

2007-11-14T21:06:00.000-08:00

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.

Coin Collecting Basics - How To Get Started Collecting Coins As A Hobby

2007-11-12T02:32:00.000-08:00

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.

Christmas Day Crafts Are Fun For Kids

2007-11-12T02:30:00.000-08:00

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.

Collecting Jack Daniel Memorabilia

2007-11-05T23:06:00.000-08:00

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.

Collecting Confederate Notes or Confederate Currency

2007-11-05T23:04:00.000-08:00

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.

How to Correct Your Plastic Model Car Painting Mistakes

2007-11-01T01:21:00.000-07:00

"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.

Ways To Make Child Halloween Crafts Safe and Fun

2007-11-01T01:20:00.000-07:00

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.

Cleaning & Finishing Metal Castings In The Hobby Workshop

2007-10-31T05:13:00.000-07:00

Every metal casting you produce will require some kind of finishing operation before it becomes a useful, serviceable casting. Finishing of castings can be a laborious job if carried out entirely by hand, luckily for the home metal craftsman or woman (yes. there are a few women who are involved with metal casting) there are a number of very handy tools which can be used to great effect to remove flashings, fins, sprues, risers & dags, which remain after the casting operation.

The number one tool in the workshop is a reliable 4" angle grinder, they can be fitted with a coarse-grained resinoid grinding wheel which are known to remove aluminium, bronze or brass metal at a rapid rate with out clogging up.

The 4" angle grinder will also eccept an abrasive metal cut-off wheel, which is used to cut off the sprues and risers from bronze or aluminium castings. The big 9" angle grinders can also be used to cut & grind any large size castings.

Angle grinders big & small can also be fitted with the abrasive flap type wheel which are a multi layered grit wheel. Flap wheel finishing will give a very smooth lustrous finish on any type of metal, good quality flap wheels can be expensive to buy,they remove metal quickly and will last quite a long time, so they are worth the money.

Another machine metal finishing worth the expense, is the belt linishing tool, of which there are several different brands available. They are supplied with belts ranging from coarse to fine, a handy feature of the machine is the ability to carry out a quick belt change.

Finishing and preparation of a number of castings can be done in a very short time using this type of machine, the linishing machine is attached to a one horsepower bench grinder, and once you install and use one; you will wonder how you ever did without it.

They are expensive to buy, but as you do more & more castings, you will need a faster & better finishing system for your castings. A very handy linishing belt is the scotch brite belt, this belt will give a beautiful finish on any type of metal, cast or other wise.

Now, we are not advocating for you to rush out tomorrow to spend a sqillion on new tools, as quite a bit of excellent finishing can be achieved with normal hand tools.There is not much sense in spending a large amount of money if you don't have a great need. But you'll know when it's time to buy some good power tools, if you don't already own some.

And of course, once you finish with all of the initial grinding and cleaning, you may want to give the item a high polish. A calico cloth buffing wheel mounted on your bench grinder, and some special buffing compound will put a mirror finish on your unique casting creation.

And don't forget to also buy and wear a pair of eye safety goggles, or wear a full face shield, plus a pair of thick leather gloves to protect your hands & fingers. Resinoid and abrasive cut off wheels throw a huge amount of hot particles of sharp splinter shaped metal...which could inflict VERY serious injury to your eyes and skin.

Metal craft hobbies can provide a lot of enjoyment but you need to be careful at the same time.

Watch Your Details And Watch Your Manners At Craft Shows!

2007-10-31T05:10:00.000-07:00

Selling at craft shows, can be fun, profitable and a great experience... as long as you pay attention to details...

If you take care of details, then you will do well.. Selling at craft shows, is like having a live version of your business card on display. I have been in many craft shows and have been witness to the most amazing "faux pas" you can imagine!..

You have worked all year, putting your heart and soul into your arts and crafts. Now its your turn to shine!.. You want to promote your products.. so make sure you display them in a creative way, don't overcrowd your table, make your product "customer friendly".. let them get close and have a good look, and you need to be available!..

Do NOT be sitting behind your table reading the latest romance novel (I see this all the time!) and make sure you make arrangements to have a friend or craft partner or your family relieve you for bathroom breaks, and especially LUNCH breaks!.. There is nothing worse, than having potential customers around your booth, trying to ask you questions, while you are munching away on a monster cheeseburger!.. remember what image you are trying to portray.. look alive, look interested!.

Set up your area or booth, so that it invites potential customers off the path they are all shuffling along on.. you need to make the stop, look, and enter your area, where you can show off your crafts, smile and be proud of them!.. Most craft shows give you an area and one table, but you can get more tables on request.. if you can, then set one table at the back of your area, and 2 up the sides, this creates a "store" area, for all of your displays, and you stand on the edge, so as to give them lots of room, rather than just the one table with you sitting behind it, people tend to keep shuffling along the path and just glimpse, after all these shows have loads of vendors and there is a lot to take in. Quite often people are just overwhelmed, and its nice to get off of the path, have some of your best pieces near the path, that will make them stop and take a look.

Make sure you have a spot at one end of the table for brochures, business cards, and special order forms if you do custom work, or ballots for draws, or a signup form for your newsletters, keep them all neat and tidy at all times, and do explain your work, or what you can do for custom work..

Dress neatly, smile and do not be eating while talking to your customers.. There is a fine line between not bothering your customer and scaring them off!.. don't worry, if you have faith in yourself and your products, then you will shine!... have fun!

The Joy Of Craft Bead Jewelry

2007-10-30T02:42:00.000-07:00

The latest rage sweeping the country is to have jewelry made from different types of beads in assorted sizes, colors and textures. The more beaded jewelry the better as you can change the appearance of your outfits to be more dress-up or causal.

You can purchase beaded jewelry from local stores or you can make your own by using craft beads. Local craft shops such as Michaels, AC Moore and others offer a wide selection, superb quality and low prices for the beads they sell. Whether you are a novice or experienced working with beads, you will find the beads, findings, wires, threads, tools and everything else you need to create stunning jewelry and decor pieces for your home.

Craft beads can be plastic pony beads, fabric beads, paper beads, pearl, glass, to Swarovski crystals and everything in between. Stores that carry beads usually carry a wide selection of literally thousands of different types and sizes of beads.

Some of the more popular types of craft beads include Bead Heaven, Elegance Collections, Crystal Innovations, Better Beads, Elite Better Beads, Fancy Finery, Westrim, Blue Moon and Bead Gallery assortments. There is also a wide selection of Bead and Jewelry Making Kits that are perfect for people just starting to work with craft beads. These kits provide everything you need along with detailed instructions to get help you start and complete your project.

As with any craft, you will need to purchase the proper tools and equipment. These can be purchased individually or in sets. If you are not sure you want to invest this much money on a craft that you are not sure you will want to continue doing, you may want to take a special training class offered at your local craft store. They will have tools available for you to use and if you decide to continue working with craft beads, you can then purchase the extra supplies needed for your new hobby.

Your craft store will also be able to provide you with great ideas on bead projects. Whether you take their in-store classes, work independently with a prearranged kit, or if you buy a book, the ideas for your own craft bead jewelry will be unlimited. You can make sets that include your necklace, bracelet, earrings, and pin and each set will be uniquely yours, which is a one-of-a-kind jewelry set.

You may think that you do not have the talent to create your own jewelry or home décor items using craft beads, but you will never know unless you try. Sign up for a class and start out small. As your skills develop, you can advance to more complicated projects.

Before you know it, you will be an expert at making your own jewelry using craft beads and your friends and family will be asking you where you bought your jewelry. And, who knows, you may want to start your own home business making jewelry for other people to purchase. The opportunities are endless and you are only limited by your own imagination when it comes to using craft beads.

Hobby Foundry Info - Where Can I Find The Right Answers?

2007-10-30T02:40:00.000-07:00

There's no doubt that the Internet has spawned a massive volume of free information which is accessible to anyone with an Internet connection and computer. The info on the net can range from the simplest of subjects to highly technical information about aeronautics & outer space probes.

Finding specific subject information only requires entering a few relevant words to the search engines to find thousands of links to relevant web pages, some search words could produce up to 6 million relevant web pages for you to search through. How long do you think it would take to search all of those pages?

Is All Of This Free Information Of True Value To You?

Anyone who's been around the net for more than an hour will know that there is a huge amount of free info just waiting to be downloaded by tens of thousands of web hungry cyber surfers. But is this free information the right kind of information for you? Does the FREE content you have access to actually solve your problem?

Searching Forum Groups For The Right Kind Of Info.

Do forums provide the right kind of info? Well yes...and no, if you have been a member of any online forum group you'll know that there is lways a half dozen people that control, or become the "knowledge gurus" of the group, and many new forum members hang off their every word.

Just the other day a new forum member announced his arrival on a group and wanted to know what book he should buy to start learning about hobby metal casting. The guru promptly said, "don't buy any books until you have read through all of the posts on this forum", now this forum has around 3000 members and growing, can you imagine just howlong it would take to find & read through the thousands of forumpostings, as well as the hundreds of topic threads about a certain subject?

Don't Get Confused With The Forum Dialogue.

Much of the free info offered is confusing, incomplete verbal babble, with very little in the way of valuable explanation of methods, systems or techniques. And this is where the newbie to any forum becomes totally confused... the more a certain thread continues, the more distorted and complex the instructions become... because just about every member will put forth their two cents worth. For the newbie it can be difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff.

If you happen along a few months later as a forum newbie and inquire about a certain subject, and your are told to "go look in the forum Q & A logs" you'd be excused for thinking "how long is that gunna take me" wouldn't you.

Forums are great when all you need is short quick answers to relatively simple questions, but if it involves a lengthy subject explanation then you better start searching for a web site that provides informative detailed content, as well as information & image rich ebooks about the subject you are researching, other wise you might not have your questions explained in an understandable way simply by firing a few questions at the "gurus" in a given forum.

Subject Specific Ebooks Are The Answer.

Ebooks are an absolute gold mine for information gathering & learning, they cut straight to the point and provide the required information in a way that the ordinary person can understand. The time saving alone could be worth many times the small investment of a given ebook package. Most "How To" ebook writers have years of hands-on practical experience and really know what they are talking about, and provide you with genuine practical information that you are unlikely to find elsewhere.

The advantage of ebooks is that you can instantly gain access to your information. You simply pay for the information through a secure server and payment gateway and a few moments later you can download and begin to read & learn about your chosen subject. There is simply no need to spend hours or weeks fossicking around for those gold nuggets of vital information that only quality ebooks will provide to you. What could be easier than that? And lets face it, if you possessed valuable information, would you give it all away for free?

So next time you are surfing the web for info; don't just settle for the FREE stuff, if you are going to spend days or weeks looking for free info, you need to consider how much your time is really worth. If you have nothing else to do in your life, then by all means hit the web and search your life away, but if you place a high value on your time, then to my way of thinking the info rich ebook will win out every time, simply because all of the hard work has been done for you.

The Hot Metal Ezine: A Global Ezine For Hobby Workers

2007-10-29T03:45:00.001-07:00

Hobby metal casting can be a rewarding metal craft hobby, would you like to learn more about the craft? Anyone interested in working with metals can join in with many other like-minded people and subscribe to this specialised ezine.

The ezine is an Australian publication,and it is written by a practising hobby metal caster from Australia. The ezine is published monthly, and is emailed to subscribers. It has articles of interest about hobby metal casting.

The ezine is an ideal starting point for the novice, who wants to dip the toe in the water, to learn just a little more about melting and pouring metal.

Every now and again we run a profile on someone who has some interesting projects and ideas to share, this is just another way of learning about metal casting.

The beauty of the ezine is that it wont cost you a penny to join, it only takes a minute to subscribe and you are free to unsubscribe at any time.

The hot metal ezine has been published for a period just over two years, many of the first time list subscribers are still with us, so they must be still enjoying the articles and features.

So what exactly would the novice gain from being a subscriber?

The biggest benefit is the large amount of info articles available from back issues, there are all kinds of reference articles to read and learn from, stuff you would never get to hear or read about. I.e. How to go about making a homemade refractory brew, Or how to make up a batch of green sand, or where to source a special product for foundry work, plus lots more.

If you are interested in hobby metal casting and would like to find out more about the hobby, then visit our web site soon.

Leather Craft Details

2007-10-29T03:42:00.000-07:00

Leather craft is a fascinating hobby and many artists have taken this way beyond carving initials or embossing a logo. Leather craft requires special tools and specific types of leather

Embossing / Stamping / Tooling

An excellent place to shop, learn about leather craft embossing, and gain knowledge on all types of leather craft information is at eLeatherSupply.com you'll find tools, hardware, leather, kits, and patterns there.

Embossing is art of creating a three-dimensional image onto leather. The only type of leather you want to try this on is vegetable tanned leather, which may be described as “tooling leather”. With leather craft embossing, you do not need extensive training since all that is required are some special tools, embossing plates or wheels, and some basic leather craft knowledge, which can be learned in a class or even on the Internet.

With embossing, pressure is created from underneath the leather item or from on top. For de-bossing, this is when the design is backwards, created from the top side of the leather, which would produce a sunken look on the other side.

The great thing about embossing is that you do not need extensive training or expensive tools to create a remarkable leather craft piece. The most popular method of embossing involves buying an embossing wheel. These wheels do range in size but the one used most often is one-inch wide made of metal. On the metal wheel are various types of designs that protrude, which is what will set the image into the leather.

You can find embossing wheels with every type of design imaginable. There are flowers, animals, scrolling, geometric designs, and so on. These embossing wheels are very inexpensive and easy to find at any craft, hobby, or leather store. Just keep in mind that if you plan to emboss leather on a regular basis, it would be best to buy the better quality wheel.

How To...

This type of leather work involves getting the leather wet so the design of the embossing will dry stiff and stand out more. If you do not have a special embossing wheel, you can use stencils like you would have used in elementary school to trace your initials.

Most hobby stores have a huge selection of stencils to choose from, giving you a good variety. Then, using a hammer made specially for embossing, you would tap out the design in the stencil, producing the embossed design on the other side of the hide.

To give you an idea of what leather craft embossing looks like, if you have ever seen a notary public stamp on an important document such as a marriage license or birth certificate, that raised design is embossed. Keep in mind that the quality of the embossing is dependent on the skill of the person swinging that hammer. The more detailing you see in a piece of embossed leather, the more time and effort it took to achieve it.

Blind-Stamping

This type of stamping is a reference to embossing surfaces that are not colored. On occasion, pigmentation may be added or gold leafing added to enhance the leather craft work.

Stamping

With stamping, a special press is used that looks like a rubber stamp to create the design. Additionally with leather craft stamping, the design is often not three-dimensional but contrasting colors. The results are very nice but do not have the raised effect you get with embossed leather.

Tooling

Tooling is an art form that takes time to learn. This type of leather craft involves hand tools like a chisel and hammer to create intricate designs. Look up our article on "Classes" through the link below for more information on where to find quality training for this amazing style of leather craft.

The Hot Metal Ezine: A Global Ezine For Hobby Workers

2007-10-25T05:29:00.000-07:00

Hobby Metal Casting -The Journey & Exploration.

2007-10-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

Involvement in certain hobbies can be due to all kinds of factors, in some cases it stems from a curiosity point of view, with others it can be because a friend insisted on showing you how, but the urge can also come from a personal need or challenge to create and make something which you know is the only way in which you will obtain that certain something.

From a pure novice point of view, the learning and mastering of hobby metal casting could seem to be an impossibility, simply because of the assumption that there is an awful lot to learn about the subject, and if the truth be known, there probably is, but like many other skills you learn throughout life, the more you do, the better your skills get, a surgeon doesn't get to learn the intricate art of amputating a leg without first studying and learning about the human body.

Likewise you can't expect to master the art of hobby metal casting with out at first doing a lot of reading and then applying the knowledge you've learnt and combine this together with some solid practice.

If you have just an ounce of practical skill in your body, you will be able to turn that small amount of skill into a valuable resource you'll be able to use for life.

You could begin your metal casting by using the most basic furnace, equipment & tools, many people who started in this way are now experienced metal casters, and are able to create all manner of things from metal, they have also discovered that sooner or later, other people get to hear about their special talents, and it's not long before the odd paying job comes in, which helps to make your hobby self sufficient

The type of people that get involved with hobby metal casting range from radio controlled racing car enthusiasts, Go-Kart Builders, antique restorers, vintage motorcycle and car rebuilders, people who build miniature steam engines & aero engines and parts. Some people have found It is even possible to design and build miniature engines that run on gasoline, there are several home trained hobby foundry workers who have undertaken to design & build intricate patterns and cores to cast and build miniature 4 cylinder & V8 engines, real engines that have spark plugs and they run on petrol.

They have managed to make all of the many parts required for these amazing home designed & built projects.

Think you cant do any of those kind of projects? Well think again, because many of the people who build these projects started out just like you, they were eager to learn how to cast metal, they found the right knowledge, then learnt by doing, soon they found that the things they once thought impossible, were now achievable, that's the power of knowledge, belief in your self, and the commitment to get the job done.
Col Croucher.

Leather Craft Details

2007-10-24T02:24:00.001-07:00

Introduction to Hobby Metal Casting for the Practical Home Mechanic - Engineer

2007-10-24T02:22:00.001-07:00

Your enjoyment will start right from the moment you start to build the simple equipment required. It is possible to create amazing things in metal with a home foundry. A good understanding of basic foundry knowledge, and simple equipment is the key to your hobby metal casting success.

Model engineers, home mechanics, car & motorbike restorer's find it difficult to procure hard to get parts from time to time. With the right kind of knowledge, many parts could be made right in your own hobby workshop foundry... for next to nothing.

Not only will you save money by producing all this work your self; you'll also have a lot of fun learning how to melt & cast metal.

Sand casting can be used to create many things, such as:-Simple ornamental knobs & handles - Hand wheels for small machinery - Property nameplates - Simple art castings, statues etc - Unobtainable parts for restoration projects.

The list is really quite endless...

But first you need to read, and learn about the basic mechanics of hobby foundry so that you know - What metals you can melt - How to go about the metal craft safely, after all, you will be dealing with molten metal - How to carry out the moulding and casting operations - How to build the equipment & tools needed carry out this fascinating & ancient, metal craft.

You don't need an elaborate workshop to build your hobby foundry equipment. But you do need to have the skills to work with steel. You'll be involved in fabricating & welding, but general workshop skills should get you up and running. You may even have a close friend who could help you out with any skills that you lack.

One of the best ways to learn about hobby metal casting is to read about how others have actually achieved success. Practical ebooks available on the internet provide a rich source of essential knowledge, especially if the ebook has been written by someone who has successfully built a hobby foundry literally from scratch.

It's an inspiration to read how anyone could achieve remarkable results with such non-technical, simple equipment.

The furnace is the most important piece of equipment in your foundry. you'll learn how it is possible to build a low cost, highly efficient gas melter.

You'll have hours of fun constructing and fabricating all of the tools and equipment required.

This will be your opportunity to learn all of the steps to make sand moulds, as well as learn about basic pattern making. Some advanced pattern making techniques are also shown which you can use in your own foundry at a later stage.

Most of the hard yards have been done for you, we show you the easy way to get started in this very rewarding hobby metal craft.

The knowledge revealed in the ebooks, is practical, good old Australian know how, simplified, so that you won't get bogged down with any technical jargon

The hobby foundry ebook files are available for both PC & MAC computers.The ebook package is also available on CD ROM.

Introduction to Hobby Metal Casting for the Practical Home Mechanic - Engineer

2007-10-24T02:22:00.000-07:00

Cleaning & Finishing Metal Castings In The Hobby Workshop

2007-10-18T05:59:00.000-07:00

How To Make A Pimped Out Homecoming Mum

2007-10-18T05:57:00.000-07:00

It’s Homecoming at your son’s school and the florist and grocery store want anywhere from $50 to $150 for a decent “Homecoming” mum. Of course, your son wants the $150 model. Bypass the big price tag with a hot glue gun, stapler, and a trip to your local craft store.

Hobby Lobby and Michael’s are my favorite haunts for Homecoming supplies. I’m sure wherever you live will have several stores that specialize in craft and hobby supplies. During Homecoming season most of these stores will specialize in local school colors, lots of bling and letters for names, and whistles and bells for bang.

Suggested list of supplies:

* Mum Disk (Round cardboard approximately 5” in diameter) or make your own from poster board
* Corsage Pins
* 6 yards #9 (1 ½”) ribbon of each school color. (i.e. Red and White) 12 yards total
* 6 yards narrow ribbon matching colors
* 6” silk mum
* Cow Bells (any size)
* Megaphone (miniature)
* Horseshoe good luck medallions
* Letters to spell out “Homecoming” (year is optional)

Extras (Optional)

* Metallic braids or ribbons
* Plastic chain with stars, chain links, footballs, etc.
* Lettering for names, school, class, etc.

A mum is created using 2 mum disks and then glued together to keep ends of the staples from snagging clothes. If you follow the direction only the top of the staples will be exposed.

Disk 1

Cut 12-6” lengths of #9 ribbon, holding right side up, pull left over right to create a point and staple. Repeat process for all points. For variations place an equal length of narrow ribbon on top of the #9 making points in same manner.

Staple Ribbon Points on Disk 1. Staple ribbon point on the top. Staple ends to the back of disk, Set aside.

Disk 2

Cut two lengths of #9 ribbon approximately 4” long and fold in half.

Staple folded ribbon to the front at top and bottom location. 12 and 6 o’clock (Staple ends to the front)

Cut several lengths of #9 ribbon approximately 3’ long. Add Lettering to lower section of ribbon. Staple to the front of disk 2. Fan out to cover 5-7 o’clock area.

Cut length of narrow ribbon. Tie on bells, medallions, and megaphones. (Make small bows for finished look) Staple on top of #9 ribbons. Again spread over 5-7 area of disk.

Add any plastic chain or novelty items using loops of ribbon stapled to Disk 2.

Joining Front and Back

To join the disks, rest Disk 2 on a table, put hot glue on front of the disk. Use enough glue to ensure a secure bonding around the entire disk including area where ribbon has been stapled. Before the glue cools, place the back of Disk 1 on top of Disk 2. Press firmly into place, let cool. (If you have matched the front and back correctly, you have no exposed staple ends.)

Adding Mum

Pull the stem from the Mum and trim the remaining stem. Use hot glue to anchor the mum to the center of the points. Let cool.

Put two corsage pins in the flat loops at the top and bottom of the back disk. An eraser tip can be used to cover the pin tip if required.

For approximately $35 you can make your son or daughter a pimped out Homecoming mum.

A Young Mans Passion For Metal

2007-10-17T01:03:00.001-07:00

Hurricanes are a Great Time to Do Crafts and Hobbies; Stock Up Now with Supplies

2007-10-17T01:00:00.000-07:00

Are you worried about the 2006 Atlantic tropical hurricane season and just know you may be stuck with no power for three or four weeks after a big storm? Are you concerned that you will be bored with nothing to do, no TV to watch and worried about rationing your food with nothing to do? Many people who have weathered storms are into quilting have noted it is a perfect time to do quilting.

Simply Stock up on all the supply you will need in advance and if you are Stuck in your home you can do your hobby while you wait for authorities to turn on the power so you can watch TV and see what happened. Many times with the power out and the telephones off and even the water supplies corrupted they have found little old ladies doing quilting when their families were worried sick about them.

They say; “Oh I was fine and I just finished this quilt and then I started on this next one how do you like it?”

Isn't that funny we worry of so much about other people, but those who have hobbies can usually ride out of storm and do their crafts until the storm and danger passes. If you are considering the potential eventuality of such a large category storm, which in effect strands you in your home for weeks on end then perhaps if you have a hobby and supplies you will not need to worry about any of this.

Hurricanes are a great Time to do crafts and hobbies and you must Stock up with supplies in advance because all the stores will be close once the hurricane strikes your area. But just think the wonderful creations you can do while you wait? Consider all this in 2006.

Take Your Hobby To The Next Level - Sales

2007-10-16T05:32:00.000-07:00

If you are creative, and your house is filling up with all those precious creations!.. Then why not take it to the next level?

You are obviously passionate and serious about your craft, as you do this for a hobby or stress relief from the daily grind! This also means that you create quality work, that is why, it has often been said, that your business should be based on something you are passionate about and have some knowledge for it to succeed.

Why not start by looking in your paper for a local craft show?.. It doesn't have to be a big one, you quite often find local farmers markets, organized town picnics, or small fairs and church bazaars will have space available to rent. This is a great place to get your feet wet in craft shows. These local small shows, are not usually very expensive, and would give you a idea of which creations market the best.

You will also get the feel of the public eye, and it is nice to get praise for your work, and hopefully you receive some sales as well.. There is nothing more satisfying, then making that first sale!

Try to look and feel confident at your craft show, and smile!.. don't be looking at the floor when people praise your work!.. Feel good about your accomplishments, and if you don't make any sales that first show, don't let it get you down. Make mental notes of which products got the most attention and which did not.. and make some adjustments for the next show. You will be so happy once you get that first sale under your belt..!

Hobby Metal Casting & How To Make A Start

2007-10-16T05:30:00.000-07:00