Hobbies Stay in your Life Forever

How many of you still take part in, or wish you had time to take part in, a hobby or activity that gave you joy as a child? Not that it came as any brainstorm, but last night I realized that the chain of loving an activity is rarely broken as life goes on; it just gets put aside. I can’t think of anyone who loved something as a child and then disliking it as an adult; chances are, they gave it up for any number of reasons and simply never had the time, opportunity, or resources to get involved with it again.



My husband still fishes; my brother in law still collects coins, and I still take ballet class, not to mention reading mysteries before going to sleep and riding horses occasionally. We probably all have at least one love that’s totally ours alone that we don’t even want to share with a spouse, child or partner. Such hobbies don’t merely define us; they offer us refuge in our stressful lives. Age, location, health, career, and other life conditions aside, those activities have never cease to bring us joy, and assumingly always will. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it. Do we like those things because we’ve done them so long that we feel good at them, or do we just enjoy the level of comfort we have in their environs? It’s probably both. No matter what your hobby is-physical or sedentary-chances are, if you gave it your all as a kid, there is a magnetism that has pulled you towards it, and that will never completely cease.

In each and every ballet class (there must have been thousands), as I go through the time honored movements, I get the same rush of exhilaration as if I was doing so for the very first time. Standing at the barre and performing the combinations (which are basically the same but always different, if you can understand that) brings me home. It takes me back to my younger self, to studios in New York. It reminds me of countless variations in accompaniment, dozens of leotards, and thousands of other females (all pretty much looking the same). While I’m there, the rest of the world comes to a standstill, and a missing part of my existence is back in place.

It’s also good to know that the word “hobby” is quite broad in its interpretation. The description can include every manner of athletic, sport and team endeavor, intellectual pursuit, and collecting…in fact, almost anything can be considered a “hobby” if it falls under the category of an unpaid used of time. (It’s funny how when I taught dance, I no longer considered it a hobby.) The one consistent thread is that it requires time, but whether it’s a lot or a little, daily or monthly, alone or with others, but it’s totally up to us. Hobbies can include other individuals, and provide social fun such as Karaoke, a mental challenge like Chess, or competitiveness, like Poker. Yet the same range of needs can be found in lone hobbies: The creative fun of computer-generated Sims people, a mind-challenge of crossword puzzles, and perseverance for jigsaw puzzles may provide what our normal lives are lacking. That’s the beauty of hobbies; they wait patiently for us. Their friendship doesn’t fade, and our relationship with them rarely suffers.

I can’t imagine my life without ever having been exposed to my hobbies, and I have my parents to thank for that. I feel bad for people who don’t have at least one hobby to “take them away” and provide decades of happiness. But it’s never too late to find something that you might love doing in your spare time, something that brings you peace and enjoyment and offers a sense of purpose, albeit a minor one.

It’s wonderful to keep things close to us in our heart, not just in the sense of others but in the sense of activities. We need outlets for a sense of rejuvenation. If you need a little shove in that direction, give it some thought. You’ll be happy that you spent the time searching for a new hobby, or revisited an old one.

Scrapbooking on a Budget

The rising cost of scrapbook supplies is something you are likely to hear come up in conversation with any group of scrapbook enthusiasts. I always stop the conversation when it heads in this direction though, and remind everyone that the cost of scrapbooking does not have to be a budget breaker, and that it really is an affordable hobby. It might take a bit of ingenuity on the scrappers part, but the quality and uniqueness of ones layouts do not even need to be diminished just because of budget restraints.



Consider the amount of supplies that the average scrapper already owns. Scrapbooking can be addictive and it is commonplace to walk into one persons scrap area, or open up their tote of supplies, and discover enough supplies to keep that scrapper in pages for years to come, even if they never bought another single embellishment or piece of paper. I have been in some scrap rooms, mind you owned by a single scrapbooker, and felt as if I had walked into a dream store that I had just discovered. Sure, they might run out of adhesives, or some other consumable, but for the few dollars to replace those, no other money need be spent for a long, and I mean very long time to come. This is so common actually, that it is ordinary to see no buying threads on online groups, where someone will post to see how many layouts they can accomplish before they need to buy anything new or replace something that has been used up.

In addition, for those of us who do not have that many supplies, scrapping within a tight budget is still possible. Consider some of what we might have already in our homes, and other places, that we overlook when it comes to thinking about using on layouts.

Other craft supplies
As someone who crochets, cross-stitches, paints, and does a myriad of other crafts depending on the season and what I am in the mood to do, I actually have tidbits of various craft items tucked away in drawers and closets. I now try to look through these when I need something before I run out and buy. Fabric from your sewing supplies is always a beautiful addition to a layout, or even sewing directly onto the paper itself.

Household
I cannot even begin to count the times I have found that perfect little whatever it is amidst my junk drawer mess, or found the perfect embellishment within my husband's tool shop. Do be careful about things being acid free, etc., but when in doubt, I just try to use the item creatively. For example, I wanted to use a couple very think metal spacers on a layout, and I was concerned about rust. To make it not such an issue, I made sure to adhere them away from the photos that I used.

Second Hand Stores
I have purchased everything from bottles filled with buttons to my newest acquisition, a Spiro graph, at a local second hand shop. Prices are always rock bottom, and not knowing what you might find can really get your creativity flowing when you do discover something. For example, I had never really given any thought to using a Spiro graph to make embellishments or to decorate backgrounds until I saw one sitting on a shelf with a mass of other toys. The minute I saw it though, my mind started filling with all sorts of ideas.

Desk
From paperclips to index cards, your desk is a wealth of scrapping supplies just waiting to be put to use multitasking for both work and imaginative fun. I actually keep a small glass candle cup on the back of my desk, and whenever I come across something that I think I might use, I toss it in it.

Your Own Photographs
How often have you looked through your stash of photos or files of them on your computer, and passed over a photograph as being nice, but not scrap worthy. What if you printed it and used it for a background, or cut it into strips to use as a border for another photo or phrase. For example, I had about a dozen photos of a beautiful sunset from a weekend getaway. After I scrapped the weekend getaway, I kept looking past the remaining photos. Then one day, when I was working on another layout that had very little color, and could not find much to sue to liven it up, I remembered the extra sunsets. I ended up taking two of them, and cutting them into strips to frame both the picture and a small phrase. It both livened up the layout, at no additional cost to me, and used up something that would have likely just sat in my photo folder forever, unused. To use a photo as a background image, just scan in to your computer, and in a graphics program, adjust the size of it to fill the sheet of paper that it will be printed on. You can even lower the opacity of it, or change the colors, even alter it to black and white or sepia tones for example. If you do not have a graphics program, there are free ones available online. A favorite of mine is Picasa that is put out by Google.

Be inventive and consider the possibility of almost anything you come across in your daily tasks. Some of the most ordinary items make some of the most awesome scrap supplies. It just takes some artistic creativity to recognize them sometimes!

Carving Pumpkins this Fall

For many people, carving pumpkins is a link to the past, to their childhood when times were simpler. Whether carving one, or a couple dozen of them, there are things you can do to make it an enjoyable activity, and possibly even help you turn out jack-o-lantern artworks that will have the neighbors, kids and adults alike, spouting wows as they go by your orange glowing masterpieces.



This year, pumpkins are not as widely available as in years past, due to weather conditions that have greatly affected the crops overall. To help combat this, shop early, to afford yourself a good selection of pumpkins to choose from.

I like to look for those pumpkins that are both oddly shaped and a few that are typical, evenly round pumpkins. Depending on what sort of carving or face I have in mind, will often determine the overall shape I am in search of. In addition, if you plan to line a walkway with them, or place your finished creation in any place that it will not be able to be propped up or against something else, you will also need to look for those that have a somewhat natural flat spot towards the bottom, so that they will sit easily without toppling over.

Once you have chosen the perfect pumpkin for what you have in mind, bring them home. Next, decide where you are going to actually carve them at, keeping in mind that the actual cutting and digging out the guts will bring with it some mess, so choose someplace that you can easily clean up. For the actual cleaning, begin with the exterior of them before you do any actual marking or cutting. If you have a soft-sided old brush, lightly brush away any debris that might be on your future piece of artwork. If you absolutely must, you can take a damp washcloth and wipe the surface clean, but be sure to dry the exterior at this point, avoiding leaving the surface overly damp for any length of time, as this will only hasten the possibility of mold.

The top of the pumpkin should be cut first, so that you can clean the interior of the pumpkin out. Be sure to cut the top large enough to easily scoop out the insides, and if you plan to bake the seeds, have a bowl or other container at the ready to store them in. Clean the inside as thoroughly as you can, leaving as little to none of the threads and other guts as possible. The more of this left behind, the quicker the pumpkin will rot. We always use to say that the cleaner the house, the longer it would stand.

Once you have your design idea ready, you can either trace directly on the exterior of the pumpkin with a pen or marker, apply a transfer to follow, or just jump right in and freehand cut. If you have never tried this last suggestion, I highly recommend giving it a go. Some of my best designs throughout the years have been the result of those times I have just started cutting with nothing more than a very loose idea of what I want the finished jack-o-lantern to look like.

Transfers are a great way to create very intricate designs, and you may discover designs such as a cat sitting on the shoulder of a witch, to moons shining brightly over the initials RIP on a gravestone. These can often be found at the local grocery or five and dime type store. Some craft stores might also carry such items. If cute is more your style choices, cut out the word BOO! On the other hand, create a smiling but tooth missing pumpkin. Just about any design that is even remotely Halloween or Fall related, from traditional to off the wall, can be altered to work as a jack-o-lantern design.

When you have finished carving your masterpiece or whole entourage of them if that is more your thing, add a simple votive candle if the pumpkin is going to be located in a safe place, or insert a battery operated flame made specifically for lighting up pumpkins and other decorative items.

Making Memory Frames

I craft year round, but when fall opens the doorway to winter, I spend even more time creating than I do during the warmer spring and summer months. Part of it is the simple fact that I live rurally, and when the snow flies, the last thing I want to do is shovel a path to the car and drive to town on icy roads. Finding something constructive to do inside where I can watch the snow fall and keep my fingers from becoming frostbitten is high on my list.

One of my newest and favorite hobbies is working with memory glass and miniature frames. The Ranger Ink Company has created a complete line of various sized glass with matching frames that are easy to turn into miniature masterpieces. The glass, originally microscope slides I have been told, are pre-finished with rounded edges, and fit simply and easily into frames that are also sold by the same company.

What you put in the frames is what is so much fun though! I actually paint miniature portraits to encase in them, but your imagination is really your only limit. If it can be slid between the two pieces of microscope glass, and still allow the glass to fit in the frame, go for it! Pretty pieces of scrap sized scrapbook paper, photographs, dried flowers, or greenery, even collectible bits of ephemera. Do keep whatever you use as flat as can be. Inserting thick objects just will not work, especially as you go to insert the pieces of glass and contents into the frames. Keep it thin, and keep it flat is the best advice you can follow when creating your own memory frames.

Each framed piece can be done single sided or double sided, all depending on what you plan to do with the finished piece. For example, if you are creating an ornament, you might want to place pretty scraps of Christmas paper on one side, and a snapshot of a loved one on the other side. If you are making a keepsake necklace, and you have two kids, then put one on each side. I paint a portrait for one side, and then back it with a slip of pretty scrap paper that will match the colors in my painting, or I have been known to paint each side, so no matter which way you flip the frame, you are looking at a portrait. You can do the same with whatever you choose to put in them. One sided, or two sided, they look great.

Assembling the frames around the glass slides is very simple. Each frame has a simple to open strip that slides through a pre cut notch in one side of the frame. The strip is easily bent up and slid either into or out of the slit. Once the strip is out, you carefully fold open the sides of the frame and insert the two layers of glass and whatever it is you are inserting between the glasses. Next, close the frame ever so carefully back around the glass slides and contents. Slide the strip back through the slit and fold down. If you do not close it tightly, the frame will be a tad bit loose and this is not good. You want to be sure that you bend the strip down as tight as you can.

Once the frame is complete, you can then choose to use them as a necklace, ornament, or even as a fun addition to your keychain. If you want to create a necklace, they can be hung from a traditional chain, from colored ribbon that coordinates with whatever you have placed into the frame, or even on necklace cording sold in your craft store. For a keychain, finish them off with a simple key ring. Ornaments are easily made with a bit of yarn or ribbon. The only limits to what you put into them, or how you display them once they are finished, is only the boundary of your own imagination and creativity. If you have been wondering what to give that hard to buy for person this upcoming holiday season, be sure to check out the Ranger Ink Company memory slides and frames.

Joining the Lionel Club

Okay so last year at this time, what with all the hoopla surrounding the movie The Polar Express, my husband and I decided that this Christmas we would buy our son his very own model train set. He's only three years old, so this would be something that we would supervise, with the idea that we would buy him a new car for the train every Christmas.

So I started researching train sets. My father actually owns the Lionel Polar Express train set so I thought, why not check out Lionel? I had no idea what I was in for. What an array of styles, it was all so confusing to me. And I had no idea that a starter set would run me in excess of two hundred dollars. Maybe a high-quality train set wasn't such a good idea after all.

But after researching it a bit, I came to the conclusion that it would indeed be a good investment. What little boy doesn't love trains, after all? And a maintained Lionel set can last a lifetime. I checked around and even took my son to a local museum that features a huge 0-gauge train display every Christmas. That display runs just about every Lionel make you can think of. I decided, because me kids are so young, to go with something festive and fun. I checked our local Allied Hobbies shop at the mall and came out with a reduced price North Pole Central set. It came with Christmas-themed cars and a box car that plays 12 Christmas carols. The front light works, a whistle blows and smoke comes out of the top (if you add the smoke fluid, which we did). My son (and daughter) were thrilled when my husband and I presented the train set to them tow days before Christmas (we figured why let Santa get all the credit).

I started checking out the Lionel website and became engrossed in all of the cool accessories that you can buy. I have my eye on a Christmas tree farm, but it's 60 bucks. Obviously, this train thing can get pretty expensive.

A quick check on eBay will show you that Lionel trains are very collectible-- and big business. A part of me wants to buy The Polar Express set, as I know it will be highly sought after once it's sold out. It's a pricey one though, at nearly 300 dollars. But if you're looking for hard to find pieces or an old piece from back when you were a kid, eBay is a great place to check, as are antique stores. But authorized Lionel train dealers are really the best place to look, as the salespeople are knowledgeable and can really help to guide you.

So how will we expand our family's train set? Well for starters, I may invest in the North Pole Central expansion pack. It comes with the maintenance supplies, which we'll need to buy anyway, plus several more Christmas-themed cars and a train station accessory. It costs a little over a hundred dollars but it seems to be a good deal.

After that, I may buy some other types of cars or maybe another complete set that isn't holiday-themed. A few contenders are the Santa Fe Railroad and the Pennsylvania Flyer. At the very least we'll buy a new car and some additional pieces of track. My husband also thinks we should join the Lionel train club. The membership is inexpensive, I think it's around 20 dollars a year, and you get newsletters and catalogs and it generally keeps you in the loop as to what's going on in Lionel world. The Lionel train website is also very informative, with pages on how to buy a train, the different types, etc.

I think trains sets look best when they're fully accessorized. I plan to buy some houses, lampposts and other things to make a little village for our train set. And although we just packed up our dear train set yesterday, boxed it up like it was nice and new, we'll probably dust it off again before next Christmas rolls around. The look on my son's face when that train goes round and round the track is something that is priceless to me-- and I just can't wait 365 days to see it again.

Model Train Jargon

If you will be starting a model train collection or if one of your children wants to begin one, then you should familiarize yourself with the terms associated with model trains. The hobby has a jargon all its own, and you will want to know what you are talking about when you are purchasing model trains for your new collection.

Here are a few of the basics to get you started. Remember to look up any unfamiliar term or ask a salesperson, especially if you are planning to purchase something immediately. You do not want to get it home and then find out that you have bought the wrong item.

The cab is one of the most important terms you can understand. You probably have seen a cab without realizing what it is called. It is the handheld (usually) device that model railroaders use to communicate with their trains. The basic cab will have stop and go but more deluxe models have stop, go, speeds, and other features. Older model train designs used a cab bus as a hub for all of the model trains being controlled by cabs in one design. Today, most people use a wireless connection, which is much easier to maintain.

The caboose is a term for one of the cars on the train. Over time, people have started to think that the caboose is necessarily the term for the last car on the train, but this is not true. The caboose is identifiable because it is the place in the train that holds the crew. Usually it was the last car on the train but not always.

The catenary is the overhead wiring that you see sometimes over train tracks. This wiring system was in place to help control the path of the electric trains as they pass over the tracks.

If you are not familiar with electricity, then you should become familiar quickly if you are planning to build model railroads. A circuit is the pathway of electricity, and this circuit emits electrical current anytime it is connected. A circuit breaker on a model train is the same as in your house. It is an electrical protection mechanism put in place on the cab to halt all current to the train if the system becomes overloaded. Frequent overloading means that you need to change your electrical set-up or you are risking a fire.

An MU is short in model train jargon for a multiple unit. It is a way of connecting several locomotives operating independently to a single cab. An MU is something that you really need to know about if you are planning on massive train designs.

Markers are the name for the lamps you will see on trains in old movies. They were the way of showing that the train was ending and to give others an idea of where the train was. Today many slow-moving vehicles are required to use a flag or triangular sign to show that they are slow-moving and that they have cargo (such as lumber) hanging from their rear. The only place you will still see markers will be on the model trains. Trains today use EDTs, or end-of-train devices, and some trains have built-in lights so that they are not swaying in the current the way the old-fashioned markers did.

A module is a standard layout for a train. Model trains come in various scale sizes, but you can identify each scale size by its lettering. For example, there are O scale trains, and anytime you see that designation, you will know that the train is the same dimension as other O-scale trains. The benefit of using modules is that they allow you to change parts or add to other standard model sizes easily because the parts will fit together.

These terms are just a few of the ones you will need to know to get familiar with model trains. You should spend a few hours at least learning these terms before you begin to purchase or put together trains. It will save you a lot of frustration in the long run because you will know what you are doing instead of finding out that you did things wrong or the hard way.

Guidelines for Parents and Their Hobbies

I read a blog post recently about requiring children to participate in hobbies that the parent enjoys. This particular parent has three boys she requires to do work in her gardening. I am not talking about basic trimming and weeding here. They are doing the big stuff: mulching, composting, and moving rocks. They are all pretty small; none is a teen yet. She believes it is valuable for them to have to learn to do something whether they like it or not.

Sure, I buy into that argument when it comes to chores. I hate doing the laundry, but alas, it piles up every week. Still this article bothered me more as I thought about it later. She is not getting her kids to do the hard stuff because she wants to teach them. They are doing it because she loves the essence of gardening but wants to parcel out (without paying for) the hard work! That does not seem fair. Nor does it seem like it will make the kids ever appreciate gardening.

Parents should set some strict guidelines with themselves when they are requiring the kiddos to participate in something that the parent enjoys. First I think that there should be a definite no-no on making the kids do things that they find dangerous, particularly when they are right. I have seen children afraid to get into canoes but their parents happily forcing them along, and I have seen kids terrified at pyrotechnic shows while the parents are cooing at how wonderful it all is.

I think that anytime a child presents with a major fear of an event or activity, it is time to hold off. That does not mean that you never try again or that you do not just go elsewhere to try to calm the little one down. It does mean, however, that you should give the kids some space to try to grow into the activity.

When it comes not to fear but to lack of interest or desire to work on a hobby the parent has, I think the kids have some legitimate gripes here. Let us return to the gardening example. There are some tasks in the garden that every family member should help with, regardless of the interest. Vegetable gardens are an example. Everyone will be eating from them, so everyone should help out in the planting, tending, and harvesting. I can even go along with making the kids help with landscaping tasks, such as trimming back shrubs and mowing the lawn. Those tasks are maintenance and not hobby.

I think you have to draw the line when it comes to forcing them to do the grunt work because you want a beautiful flowerbed. If you like the annuals, then you hop on out there and plant them. The children should not have to endure your interest in planting 5,000 tulip bulbs. It simply is not fair.

What really bothers me, and I think is the third rule of kids and hobbies is that children should not have to do the dirty work while the parent supervises. Many parents have this problem in that they want to make the children pick up after everyone is done. The parents, though, want to sit back and relax. My mother was like that with cleaning out the car, which is hardly a hobby unless you consider how important cleanliness was to her. She would make us get everything out and put it away although everything was not for us.

If you want to have a hobby, that is great. If your children want to participate, that is even better. Make it a family affair. I have absolutely no problem with introducing children to your hobbies. In fact, our children are introduced to ours by default. Even at the tender age of 23 months, my son recognizes a computer anywhere and will head over and start pecking. He learned this love from my husband, but it is never something that we would force on him. Of course, my husband loves that our son is fascinated by the same things, but he would not be upset were it not the case. You should be the same with your children. Appreciate the shared connection but only if it is there.

Starting Or Joining An Investment Club

One of the ways that many younger people are getting the money to begin making money through stocks and other assets is through investment clubs. These groups were popular in the 1980s but lost a little steam during the dot com boom of the 90s when people thought the economy would stay on an upward swing. Now that things have settled down, people are beginning to return to more traditional investment vehicles, such as the stock market.

The concept behind the investment group is simple. One person (or couple) gets together and invites a number of others to join. Generally you will need at least 10 people or couples to join the group. You will need enough people that you can spread around the work for the group. Plus each person will be contributing a share of the money, so you need to know how much each person can spend to help decide how many people to ask. The group should not be too large, however, as that can cause some issues as well because there will be too many people needed to make decisions for the group.

Once you have a group of people together, you will need to have an initial meeting. Someone will need to take charge of the group just for administrative purposes. This person will be responsible for putting together the meetings and calling everyone although he or she holds no additional share in the investment the group makes. The leader will get everyone together and explain how it works. Then everyone will have the opportunity to decide whether or not she wants to join the group. There is no need to decide immediately, but there should be some deadline.

The group then will decide on an investment plan. Some groups opt to purchase stocks. These groups will each pool a set amount of money initially. Let us say that you have 15 members, and each person will put in $100. Your group has $1,500 to invest in a stock. Most groups start by investing in a single stock. The group then meets each month and decides whether to keep the stock or sell and what to do with any profits. Over time, the group will make more money quickly because the larger investment amounts will allow for diversification.

Another type of investment club is the real estate investment plan. The group will purchase properties and then fix them to sell or rent them out. Some groups opt for all residential property, which is easier to get rid of but turns less of a profit. Commercial properties make more money but require a different skill in selling or leasing the units.

Investment group members will meet monthly or even quarterly at first depending on the level of their investment. Every person gets one vote. Investment clubs may set themselves up as a business and be required to do so if they will be renting or selling property. Someone in the group should be skilled at financial planning, and everyone should be familiar with the basic concepts to make the group work.

Investment clubs are a great way to spend time learning about something valuable and to make a little money in the process. Plus a lot of people are interested in investing but are unsure how to go about it. You may think that you do not have enough money to invest or that you will not make enough to cover your expenses. Investment clubs allow you to learn as you go. If you are not knowledgeable about all areas of finance when you begin, then you will be able to allow others to take a more active role while you learn. Plus you will be able to take the risk with others, which may make it more palatable for you.

Investment clubs do come with some risk, of course. Your club may not take off, and you may find yourself losing money on the scheme. Most clubs will take two years or so to begin to turn good profits, and even then much of it will be in the form of assets and not cash. Still these clubs are a great investment if you can do it.

Two Purse Designs To Try Making

Making purses is a great hobby to pick up for fairly cheap. You can begin making purses with only a few dollars invested, and then if you like it, you can try out new and cleverer designs.

To get started, you should try a basic scarf purse. Please note that these purses are not intended to hold much, but they are wonderful bags for a quick trip out. You will need two square scarves that are six to 10 inches on each side. You should take a needle and thread or use a sewing machine if you have one handy to create a hem that is about an inch or so on each scarf. To create a hem, you simply lay the cloth out flat and fold over one piece. Pin it down with straight pins and then use the needle and thread to sew a straight line across the scarf. You will be able to see the thread, which creates the visible hemline.

Once you have the hems, place the scarves against each other with the insides facing so that if you pretend the purse were put together, you would be looking at the outside of it. Pin the purse together and sew along the edges to create the main body of the purse. Once you have sewn the edges, your creation will begin to look like a purse.

Now you will need some type of silk cord, which you can find in most fabric shops. Take the cord and put a clear coat of nail polish or craft varnish on the ends of it, which will keep it from fraying. Then you will pin the cord inside the purse and sew it in place. That will create the strap of your purse.

Finally you will get to the really fun stuff. Use beads, gems, rhinestones, or whatever you find to create a beautifully designed purse. Use craft glue or fabric adhesive to put the decorative items on your purse. You can make a simple design or just accent the design of the scarf to make a beautiful masterpiece.

For your next project you will be making something a bit bigger and sturdier. You will need two pieces of polar fleece. One should be 14 inches by 22 inches, and the other one should be a 14-inch square. You should put the pieces down with the three sides lined up. (Since one is taller than the other, the top of the small piece will not reach the top of the larger piece.) Then you will put the pieces with the insides facing out. Sew them together and flip the bag so that it is right side out.

You will need a four-inch piece of some type of narrow ribbon or elastic cording that you will use to hold a button. Then purchase a very large button. You will hold the bag up and fold down the taller side. This piece is the flap for the opening of your purse. You will sew each end of the narrow cording to the flap and then sew the button onto the bottom piece so that you can use the cord to button the purse closed.

Next you will use a 4-foot cord as the strap of the purse. For this one, you will use large loopy sewing to create a cool look, such as a large X or a squiggle. Sew the cord to the outside of the bag so that you can use it as a strap. Next you can use felt pieces that you have cut to decorate the purse. Use fabric glue to keep them in place and create a design that works for you.

Your purse crafting is done with these basic projects. Try some new projects and make them more complex. Or you could make yourself a number of purses with these basic techniques. You could use heavier fabric with lining for the first purse, for example, which would make it able to hold more of your stuff. Also try these designs with different sizes and types of fabrics so that you can have a wide array of purse designs from which to choose when you go out.

Turning Trash to Treasure

That old saying, "one man's trash is another man's treasure" is something that dumpster divers live by. In fact, many people who are into dumpster diving or even extreme yard sale shopping are able to furnish their home and give gifts with items they have purchased for little money. If you are creative and organized, then you should be able to use your skills to make beautiful items that other people will enjoy.

Being organized is the key. If you are dumpster diving, know what neighborhoods to hit and when. If you do the yard sale and secondhand store shopping, then you need to take some time every week to check out what is available. Ask at secondhand stores, and they usually will tell you when they get new items. Hit the store early in the morning on those days to get the new stuff. You should sit down on Friday with your local newspaper and work on a schedule for yard sale shopping on Saturday. Check out the places you think will have good items and then work out a route.

Do not allow yourself to be taken in by items that you see that seem like a good bargain. Ask yourself seriously where you could use the item. At a yard sale this summer, I bought a coffee warmer. It was brand-new, and the concept is basic. You sit your coffee mug on it, turn it on, and it will keep your coffee warm all year. It was $.50. Does it work? I have no idea. I have never used it. While I will not feel badly about the purchase (and probably will toss it into my next yard sale pile), these kinds of purchases are what push yard sales to be an expensive and somewhat useless hobby for someplace. If you cannot think of a person to whom you would give something or a place where you would use it in your own life, pass it by.

The best buys you will get at yard sales will be items that are broken or damaged. You will find these items for free in dumpsters or neighborhood garbage pick-up sites as well. Someone may have a table that gets a broken leg and toss it. If you are willing to put in the time, then you can get some good items for free or heavily discounted prices. Just be sure that you inspect the goods before you bring them home. Perhaps that table leg is not fixed easily; leave it! Only take items that you know can be fixed or refinished and will look good. Do not take something simply because it looks like it could have been nice at one point.

When you are out at yard sales, do not be afraid to haggle. Many people think that haggling is awful, but remember that your goal here is to purchase items that you can turn into great pieces for as little money as possible. Buying multiple items is an easy way to help make sure that you have more haggling room. Asking to pay $5 for several items marked for $7 total is easier than negotiating price on each item by itself.

The only potential downside of this hobby is that it is not one that you can share with your friends often. Some people love knowing that you got a bargain. I share good sales items with my mother-in-law just because it makes her happy to know that we are not wasting money. I would never tell someone that I purchased an awesome clearance item for her for her birthday, however. That would be tacky, so these kinds of bargain shopping hobbies tend to be private.

The key is that you are having fun. If you love restoring old items, you can create really cool pieces for your home for little money. Others will marvel at your artistic skills and the wonderful decorations you have in your home while you are smiling to yourself. You will know your secret, which is that most of the items are much less than your friends and family may imagine. Shh! There is no need to tell them. Just let it be your secret.

Trying Furniture Making

Do you have a nook in your home that is just begging for an awesome piece of furniture? Are you unable to afford all of the cool pieces you want right now? One way to get around budgetary constraints is to make your own pieces of furniture. That way you can work on them in your spare time and spend less money. Plus, they will be personalized to fit your space.

To get started, you will need to think about the space. What would work best? Some areas call for a round table while others will be great for square shapes. Measure the space and write down the dimensions you want for the table. Then you will need to think about how sturdy you want the table. Introductory furniture-making will be less sturdy pieces, but you can add some stability to them with a few simple tricks. Knowing how you plan to use the table will help. If it is supposed to hold your medical school books, then you will need something much sturdier than a table that will be the place you toss your keys every evening. For our purposes, we are starting our furniture making with a basic square-top table.

Once you have the table planned, head out to a lumber or home improvement store. You are looking for untreated wood that is fairly inexpensive, especially if the table will not be a long-term piece of furniture. Do not allow the salespeople to try to talk you into the most expensive lumber they have. For this basic table, you will need a piece of pressed plywood that is the size you needed. If you go to a good store, they will cut the plywood for you. If you have your own tools, you can do the cutting yourself, but for most people, it is worth it to have the cuts done at the store, even if it costs $1 or so per cut.

Next you will need legs for the table. You will need to get wood that will hold the table and that you can have cut to the right length. Explain to the person doing the cutting that you need them to be exact because otherwise your table will be crooked. Once you have these pieces, you should get hinge brackets and screws along with an inexpensive electric or battery-operated screwdriver if needed.

Next you will need to head to the paint aisles. Feel free to ask for help here if needed. You are looking for paint that will work on wood. You probably can get a basic enamel paint in the home improvement store. You should pick a color that will work as the foundational color. You most likely want to select a neutral or Earth tone for your base color.

After getting these materials, it is off to the craft store where you will pick up the brushes needed for the paint job and any craft paint for the more intricate painting you will do. Ask someone there or read labels to find out what you can use on wood. (You probably should not use these paints on tables you will be using for eating.) Also get some type of varnish to use to help hold the paint.

When you get home, you will paint all of the pieces first. Be sure that you allow them to completely dry before you move on to the next phase. You may need to do two coats on some pieces so keep that in mind. Once you have painted the table, you will align the top piece onto the legs. (It helps if you have two people.) Then get under the table and put the L-brackets (hinge-type devices) onto the table. Be sure that you get all of the screws in properly so that the table will be level and will stay together. Now you add a coat of varnish, allow to dry, and you have a table!

Try something more complex for your next project if you enjoyed this one, and you may just find yourself with a new hobby. Plus all of the furniture in your own home with work well with the spaces you have.

Teaching Your Hobby to Home School Students

The home schooling explosion is leading an estimated two percent more families each year to teach their children at home. Early in the expansion, parents taught their children at home largely because of religious reasons. Now, parents are varied in their decisions. They may have their children home for safety or religion or politics or academics or just because they enjoy the time with them. This diversity of parents has led to two interesting changes. First, these parents have a wide variety of teaching methods, which opens the door for new curricula in home schooling. Second, these parents are searching for ways to involve their children in activities.

That is where you and your hobby come in. Many parents who home school, regardless of their curricular approach, know that they want to give their children the opportunity to experience a wide range of activities. Part of that fun is being able to introduce the children to new idea without the burdens of the classroom. Many hobbies are perfect ways to open new ideas to home school students. For example, if you are a model train creator, then you can show off your trains to the students. Explain how the trains were used to get people and materials from one location to another and that these trains were integral to the formation of the American West. These lessons are ones the children will enjoy, and you will have a good time with them as well.

If your hobby lends itself to longer lessons, you may be able to do more with the home school kids. You may be able to offer seminars that are day-long events. You will want to charge for these events, even if it is just to cover your own costs. Because most home school families have flexible schedules, you can hold these events during the week or on weekends when traditionally schooled students can attend as well. Have the children come in for a beginning session where you get to know them and find out what they want to learn.

You will have workshops throughout the day where you teach the children about various aspects of your hobby. Then you will want to provide the students with some type of hands-on activity, such as allowing children learning about computers to write a simple program or create flyers, booklets, or other publications that they can take home with them.

Another way to introduce your hobby to home school students is to have a series of programs. Many families go to six-week events. They may come in once a week for three hours and learn about the hobby. These children tend to learn to be very inquisitive, and the parents often ask just as many questions. For many home school families, part of the point is that everyone in the family learns all the time. You can help encourage this learning process by offering seminars about your hobby.

If you are like most hobbyists, you love talking about your hobby. You may even think about imparting that knowledge to others but have not found a way to do so. This chance is a great one, and getting set up is simple. If you are going to be a business, that has other issues, but if you are just doing this for fun (even if you are charging a small fee), then you can work in your home or a church classroom. Create flyers and put them up in strategic locations, such as the public library, and contact local home school groups. Ask around to parents you know about the groups or look online. There are groups popping up everywhere, so even the smallest of towns now has some sort of home school association.

Finding these kids is the hardest part. You should have no problem convincing parents to bring their children to exciting activities once they know you exist. Then you will be able to use word of mouth to get the next batch of kids, so the marketing should begin to take care of itself once you get going. This chance is a wonderful way to teach others about your hobby and have some fun yourself in the process.

Sudoku, A New Craze

One of the newest crazes to hit popular culture in the United States is the Sudoku craze. I do not usually involve myself in these types of trends, but I admit I was curious about Sudoku. I had heard some people say it was a lot of fun, and others felt it was silly or too hard. I heard enough people say they did not understand it to think that it may be a good thing to try since I love brain teasers.

I got hooked on playing Sudoku the first night I picked up a book. The concept of the game is simple. It is based on an ancient Japanese teaching tool that taught its students to think of creative ways to problem solve. A traditional Sudoku puzzle has nine squares across and nine squares down. The puzzle also is divided into 3X3 boxes within the puzzle. There are nine of these smaller boxes.

Each column in the puzzle must have each number one through nine once, and the same applies to the rows and the smaller boxes within the puzzle. One error, and the puzzles will not work. You will know quickly if you make an error.

There are a number of ways to think of the solutions to Sudoku puzzles. The books or games you buy will have puzzles with some of the numbers filled in. Your job will be to complete each of the squares. The easiest way to begin is to see which of the smaller squares has the most numbers already filled in. If you are doing beginner puzzles, you may find that they have only one or two numbers missing in some boxes. Look to see which numbers are missing. Let us say that 1 and 8 are missing.

You would look on the row with a blank box. Do you see a 1? How about an 8? Now check the columns. If you see a 1 in one of the columns, then you know that blank box has to be an 8 because there cannot be two 1s in the column. The other blank space must be a 1 by default. Now you can move on to the next box. Sometimes there is only one square in the entire puzzle that can be solved at a given time. You will need to work on each square until you find the one you can solve, which will open up at least one other square to be solved. Most of the time you will have a cascading effect, and you will be able to solve many of the squares once one of them falls into place.

If you find yourself becoming a Sudoku junkie, never fear. You will not run out of games to play although it is unlikely you would remember any repeats anyway. Sudoku has millions of possible combinations, and by starting with fillers, you will add millions more to the possible puzzles you can get.

Sudoku comes in book form, which is probably the most popular just by virtue of being cheap. You can find Sudoku books in mass merchandisers for as little as $1, or you can pick up giant books for $15 or $20. Many companies also are beginning to make electronic version of Sudoku puzzles so that you can play anytime. They are wonderful little gadgets that let you play on the road or in waiting times. My electronic Sudoku is probably the most exciting gift I received this year at Christmas. The best part is that they are under $20, so you will be saving money by getting the electronic version if you play very often.
If you have friends who also are into these types of things, then you may find that they will enjoy playing against you. My husband and I have taken up Sudoku battles to see who can solve puzzles more quickly, and it really can be a lot of fun for the nerd in you. Knowing that you can figure out the answer before someone else can be a great form of mind-challenging competition for you. There are plenty of ways to enjoy Sudoku, so you should give it a try the next time you are looking for something to do.

What’s Re-Enacting All About?

Having grown up in the Deep South, I have known about re-enactments for most of my life. What I did not realize, however, is that re-enactments are not a Southern way of looking at the world. Nor do they pertain only to the Civil War era. In fact, re-enactments are becoming increasingly popular around the country as the nation becomes more diverse and people are looking for ways to hold on to parts of our history.

Re-enactments are sometimes what we see in movies. They are ways for people to act out battles and other images from the past. The people who are in these re-enactments groups are very close. Membership is required and is strictly regulated. Some require a familial relationship to the battle while others require that prospective members learn as much as possible about the time period before they can be involved in the battles.

The people who are members of these groups often are very serious about their hobby. They take re-enactment literally and often take on the persona of someone who fought. Re-enactors know who they are and take great pains to understand what their life would have been like had they lived during the time they are re-enacting. These people may read letters and diaries and familiarize themselves with narrative histories of these times. In addition, many re-enactors in groups opt to live in quarters similar to what they would have had during the time they are portraying. They may spend up to a week every year living in tents and other makeshift housing to simulate the environment.

There is another type of re-enactment as well. The people who are involved in these re-enactments are still serious about being historically accurate. They want to learn as much as possible about the time they are replicating, but their overall purpose is different. While the purpose for war re-enactors is to create true to life battle scenes, period re-enactors work to produce a world similar to what existed for the education of others.

We attend a re-enactment fair near us every year. There is a small skirmish that is the heart of the location for the re-enactment, but the real reason we go is to learn about the time period. There are skits and other activities that adults can enjoy, and children also have a good time. The children who attend not only learn about the Revolutionary War period, which is the period the re-enactors are showing.

Children (and adults) can make candles, soaps, foods, and other items in the way that their Revolutionary War ancestors would have done. The benefit to the community is that people are more aware of what went on in the area at the time. These types of re-enactments are a source of community pride even if they are (and they are) riddled with historical flaws. Few re-enactments show the harsh reality of the times. Women certainly were not treated well, and while there may be references to how women were treated on a daily basis. Nor is there discussion of the role of Native Americans or African slaves.

Still, re-enactments are a good teaching tool for your children. They show that people have not always had the luxuries we have today. Good re-enactment festivals will have people speaking to children about communication, transportation, and other big issues so that the children will be able to learn about how others lived. You can fill in the blanks on the people left out of re-enactments if you would like.

If you are interested in being part of re-enactments, then you can check out your local chamber of commerce. They may have information on where people are re-enacting or about local groups. Contact the group and find out what they do. Explain your interest. If you do not know a lot about the time period they cover, be honest but explain that you are willing to learn.

Otherwise, you can try to start your own group. Do something small at first. A successful festival at a local church with only two booths is a great way to begin. Then you can capture the information of people who are interested and grow the event next year.

Starting As A Wine Taster

If you are looking for a hobby that is a bit unusual and has an element of fun in it, consider taking up wine tasting. It actually is not what many people imagine, which is a group of people who sit around and get drunk for fun. Real wine tasters are serious about their wines, and they work to learn all they can about them.

To get started as a wine taster, you should first begin by doing a little research. Though the basic rule for wine, the one that most people know is that the wine color should match the meat (or sauce) of your meal. Beyond that, though, most people are clueless about which wines complement which meals. The matches are based not on arbitrary decisions but on how certain types of wine taste with certain meals. You can begin by reading basic books on wine tasting and one types of wine.

Early in your wine tasting hobby, you probably will want to take a tour through a winery. These types of tours are fascinating if you are interested in history and machinery at all. You will see exactly how wines are made and will have an idea of the terms associated with the process. If you live in the Sonoma Valley or another popular wine venue, then you will have an easier time finding a wine tour to take. Everyone should be able to find one with a little work, though. A wine-tasting tour is a great way to get others in on your hobby, too. After all, who can resist a visit to taste great wine?

You also may want to look for a wine tasting club near you. These clubs exist almost everywhere, and they come with various levels of commitment. Some people in the clubs are very serious about their wines. They drink almost everyday and save up bottles of good wines for special occasions. The character Paul Giamatti plays in Sideways is a great example of an obsessive wine connoisseur. Most are not as devoted, though. Instead they are amateur wine tasters. If you join a club, you probably will meet once or twice a month either at the home of a member or at a local winery or restaurant.

Some of the members will want to share information about new wines they have purchased or tried. Other groups will plan trips to visit popular vineyards or even to visit places in Europe where some of the more exotic wines in the world are made. Still other wine-tasting clubs will go in together to purchase expensive wines by the case so that everyone will be able to enjoy excellent quality wine for less money. Mostly, though, these clubs are just a way for people who enjoy great wine to get together to spend time with others who share their passion.

Once you pick up this hobby, you may just find that you spend more time than you would have thought thinking about wine and the various kinds available. You will want to show off your wines to your friends, which means that you probably will want to build a wine cellar at some point. While few people have an entire cellar devoted to wine, many of them have small areas cordoned off.

You can build your own wine area for little money. You will need some type of wine rack that will hold a decent number of bottles. One that holds 20 to 30 bottles is enough for most people. Then you will need an area of your basement or a back closet or other space. The space needs to stay relatively cool, which is why basements are a perfect location. Then you will need to put up a heavy drape or a door if possible to keep the light out. Light can ruin wine, so you need to keep the area as dark as possible. Only go into it to get wine out and leave. Do not linger or leave it exposed to the light, especially if you plan to leave the wine for a while.

Remember this hobby is one that you can and should enjoy responsibly. Wine tasting can be a great way to have fun with others.

Starting A Hobby-Related Website

When there is a topic you enjoy and cannot get enough of thinking or talking about, then you may have found the perfect topic for a personal website project. Although there is much made of making money on the web, many people have sites that are not intended to make money. Instead these sites are used to promote the interests of the site owner.

If you are thinking of developing a site based on your hobby topic, then you should do some initial research to see what already exists. Check out other websites on the same subject. See what information all of them seem to have. While you do not want to repeat too much information, you also have to consider that those people include the information because others want to read it.

Your job is to look for angles not covered. Perhaps you love fly-fishing, but you are a woman. You may want to exploit that angle and create a site dedicated to women who enjoy the sport. You would include much of the same information about getting started, finding locations, and planning trips, but you would focus on the fact that you are speaking to a primarily female audience. That means that you may cover rods that are made for smaller adults as well as information on taking your children along with you.

While you are searching, keep an eye out for what is not available, too. Are there no sites with forums? On the sites that have forums, do they provide interesting information? Are they too basic? Are there enough members to make it worthwhile to run your own forum? You also should consider specials on sites, such as allowing visitors to send in questions for you that you answer or allowing comments on articles. You may want to do your site in the form of a blog or update it all at once and be done with it.

Try to keep in mind what it will take to maintain a website. Many people begin sites but are unaware of the amount of work that goes into keeping them up. You will need to consider the cost although you can get a domain name and hosting package for fairly cheap. I am able to get mine for about $50 a year total. If you are using a blog format, you even can start by using a free service, such as Blogger, so that you will not have any upfront costs until you see how the site works.

Then you need to consider how much effort you want to put into the site. Perhaps you are willing to work on it daily. If so, then you should consider forums and other high-energy parts of website design. If not, then you may want to cut those parts of the site. People who want to put in two or three hours a week, perhaps on a slow night, should consider whether they simply can add an article or two every week. Take into account how long it will take you to research and write the article as well as putting it up on the site.

Once you have the site started, you will want to advertise it. You can use basic methods. Make up a t-shirt that you wear to events related to your site with the domain name on it. Make up simple business cards and leave them in strategic places (legally, of course). Get a sticker for your car. Then you can write free articles and distribute them online with return links back to your site. Participate in forums related to your website topic.

Creating a site about your hobby is a great way to add to your resume. After all, site design is something that can be beneficial in the workplace while allowing you to research and write about something that you find fascinating. Just remember that you should make sure you can commit to a site before you get started. There is nothing more frustrating online than a site that never adds content or a site owner who promises that lots of features are coming soon on a date that never materializes. Give it your best.

Starting A Community Theater Group

Local theater and drama groups are a great way to add a little life to a community. We found out once we moved to a small town that there was little in the way of community activity. People may seem to be interested, but they just accept that there are no such opportunities available. Drama groups seem like something cities have, not something that smaller towns have available to them. Still there is no reason that you cannot have your own drama group in your city or town. If you love theater, then you can plan a drama group. All you have to do is have a little organization.

First you will need to do the basic legwork on your own. Find out by calling the chamber of commerce if there are any drama groups that you may now know exist. See if you also can locate any information on groups that may have existed. If so, you may be able to cull a planning team from those people. Then you should look for a place in the community where you may be able to have a performance. If there are no old theaters, try hotels and other places with conference areas.

Your next job will be to put together a planning committee to help you with the effort. You will not be able to do everything alone, so you will need some help. You can begin by contacting people you know who may be interested, such as the lady from your church who always does the plays the youth puts on. Check with any community colleges in the area or with the high school drama teacher. Explain that you want to start a group and need a planning committee to help get everything together.

Once you have a decent number of people, you are ready to begin your plans. A drama group is a bit more than just finding actors who will participate. You need to consider the cost of such a venture first. For a community theater group, you will not be paying the actors, though you may want to work a thank-you gift into the budget. Instead you will need a budget to cover the cost of renting a place to hold the event as well as the cost of providing lighting services, props, and sets.

These expenses are ones you can cut in various ways, such as having a local carpenter volunteer to work on the set or asking people to donate prop items you need. Still you will want to put together a budget. The best way to put together this budget is to allow the planning committee to select the first play in advance. Have the committee put together a proposal for the cost of purchasing the scripts and a proposed budget for the first event. You should add some to this number to cover the cost of printing programs, advertising in the newspaper, and miscellaneous costs that may come up.

Once you have a budget, you can begin to the tough part. You will need to secure the funding for the group. There are many creative ways to begin your local drama group, so you should not let the budget scare you away. First you can ask the proprietors of potential venues if they will donate their space in exchange for being mentioned on the programs. Also ask other businesses to be corporate sponsors. In a small area, you should stick to lower sponsorships. Allow businesses to be listed as donors (using leveling, of course) for as little as $25 and go up to $500 or $1,000 for major sponsors. Also plan community fundraisers that will allow individuals to donate money through buying something or just giving a dollar here or there. If there are any business owners friendly to your idea, then ask if you can keep donation jars near them.

As soon as you get the money flowing and believe you have a reasonable chance of raising it, you will need to put together the calls for actors and begin piecing together the show. You will want to have a show fairly quickly so that donors can see where their money is going.

Starting A Church Orchestra

Having started playing piano at the age of eight, my interest in music began long before I had any inkling what I may do for a living. I had wanted to play violin for several years, but my mother thought piano at a reasonable age was more practical. So I started the lessons that I would continue for only three years before moving to flute lessons. I played flute for about 10 years until part of the way through college, where I was in the orchestra and wind ensemble. I also played piccolo and oboe in there for a couple of years. Then I gave up my music to pursue my activism.

Now as an adult I am looking for a place to use my musical talent. I talk to many adults who loved to play and would love to continue but are unsure what to do. They enjoy the playing, but there are few places where adults can continue to play. I have been thinking of this problem for a while, and I have come up with a solution for my situation. Because I attend a very small church but one with enough people for activities, I am going to use my church as an outlet for my music through forming a small orchestral group there.

The first step in forming a church orchestra is to research. Churches need to know what their budget will be so that they can begin to prepare for it. Your orchestra, if approved, will be a line item on the budget. Begin by sketching a brief plan. What do you want the church to pay for related to the orchestra? You will need a way to play any music, but you may be able to use equipment the church already owns or bring your own. You definitely will want to buy music. Decide how often you think your orchestra can play. In the beginning, you probably will play no more than once a month, and you likely will be playing only one song. That works, but you will need to price sheet music for a few pieces that you may consider.

Those costs probably are the only ones associated with an orchestra that are required. Some churches may be able to sponsor an annual dinner or other program for the orchestra members, but you can get by without it. You can even get by without music stands if needed; you will just need a little extra planning.

Once you have an idea on the cost, approach your minister. Explain your plan and listen politely to what he has to say. Now, it is rare to find a minister who will not jump at the chance to have church members more involved. Church attendance is down these days, and many people cite the lack of activities for them as a reason. Here you are stepping in and asking to take on responsibility that could get more people involved. You may have to present your budget plan to the church board or elders, but you really should not have a lot of problem getting past this initial meeting.

When you go to the church board, be prepared with copies of the proposed annual budget. Have answers for questions about saving costs and about fundraising ideas for the orchestra. The church may be willing to have a special start-up offering, and you may be able to come up with good ideas for the members themselves to raise the money.

Next will be getting members. If you know that there are church members who play, whether they are teens in their high school band or older people who have not played in years, go to them directly. The minister will want to announce the new organization, which of course is great, but you probably will have to twist a few arms to get everyone involved. Make yourself available to answer any questions anyone has and have an introductory meeting to gauge interest. Then you will need to get started quickly. Give everyone folders with music and send them home until the next rehearsal. Hype the church orchestra, and you should have no problem finding willing participants for your new venture.

Share Your Love With Others

Is there a subject about which you are incredibly passionate? If so, then you should try self-publishing a book. Now, self-publishing may not sound like a hobby, but it can be if you approach it in the right way. Self-publishing is more than just setting up the book and sending it off. You will be learning all about the book industry and how it works if you take on this task.

The first thing you need to determine is what book you will write. Then you will sit down to work on the manuscript. You can hire a professional editor or proofreader to work on the final manuscript with you. Be sure that your book imparts valuable information that you think people will be interested in purchasing.

Once you have the manuscript completed, your job has just begun. Public relations is a big part of the bookselling business although many writers shun this aspect of the business. Most writers are by nature introverts, and they prefer words to people. So, take a deep breath and get ready because you have to talk to and deal with people to make this happen. You will need to create jam up promotional materials to make your book sell. Few bookstores, save your local niche shops, will be willing to carry a book that is self-published.

You will need to sit down and think of places where the customers may be interested in your books. While it does not hurt to try bookstores, they should not be the bulk of your plan. Instead your plan should look at gift stores. If you have written something on creating beautiful personalized gifts, then look up all gift boutiques in your area. Many gift books, such as 101 Reasons You Love Your Mom, are good for counter purchases in clothing and other trendy stores.

Once you have a list, think about what would convince these people to purchase your book. You will want to have a cook. Books on political subjects, especially if they are slightly left-of-center, tend to work in coffee shops. You will need to get ready to approach the owner with the reasons that he or she should allow you to have your book in the store. You can offer to do as much of the work as possible. Offer to take back books that do not sell. (This issue is hotly debated in traditional publishing, but it is almost a necessity in self-publishing.) You can offer to set up a display with 10 books and to come back to get them if they do not sell in a month.

Also try to set up places to speak. Now, few people are going to come to hear you read excerpts from you book. Though many people who write books would be interested, the results show that the general public just is not. Instead they want to know what you can do for them. What can your book do to change them?

Let us say you wrote a book about kid-friendly recipes. You would want to have something hands on. Have a workshop at a local store that caters to families. Have ingredients on hand and let the kids in the audience work with you to create a couple of quick snacks. You can work on creative packaging and put the book with the most common ingredients or tools needed for the recipes. Give people a reason to want to add your book to their lives.

Once you have started your marketing campaign, you will need to keep it up. Give people your business card (with website address) often. Capture their information and send out postcards when you have new editions or products. Sell, sell, sell your book. Self-publishing is a wonderful way to be able to spend more time with a topic you enjoy. Your research and experimentation time, for example, now is worth something more to everyone involved. If you sell enough copies, you could even think of transitioning your hobby into something more permanent, which is an admirable goal. Just remember that you will need to work at self-publishing as it exists at the strange intersection between business venture and hobby for most people.

Scaling Back the Hobby Plans

With the new year approaching, many people are coming up with ideas for how to work on their hobbies throughout 2007. I have written about this issue and have thought about it as well for my own hobbies. This morning I even sat down and worked out a list of what I want to do with my hobbies this year. Then I realized that it probably is in vain. After all, I would love to spend more time with my hobbies, but with a toddler and a baby due in January, it may not be realistic.

In fact, if you are like me, you know in the back of your mind that the list of things you would like to do will fall to the wayside, never to be used again. Instead of putting yourself in that situation, try scaling back what you want from your hobbies. Dare I suggest you go without a list? Some people simply enjoy their hobbies, and they may say that they would like to spend more time biking, but that is it. They do not set out anything more concrete. Those people probably will not spend much more time biking in 2007 than they did in 2006 because they did not prepare. Still those people will not enter 2008 thinking that they did not accomplish anything on their list for biking.

A better solution that cramming your want to list or not creating anything concrete is to have a goal for your hobby. You do not have to do this only at the new year. In fact, you should work on your goals frequently and change them when needed. I will share with you an example from my own life. Over the past three years, I have had some health problems that have led to a more sedentary life than before. Though my health problems are solved, I have not worked time into my life schedule to do more physical activity. That is one thing I want to change in 2007.

There was a time when I ran almost every day and really enjoyed it. I do not think I have the time (or the energy) for that right now, but I can still work to spend more time running. I have set my goal as participating in a 5K run that happens near us in October every year. While it is not a huge goal, it is one that I can work for throughout the year. I can come up with concrete plans for spending more time running, and I can reach a specific goal without overbooking myself.

You should look at your hobbies in the same way. Think about one small thing you can do with your hobby this year. Perhaps you want to get that ham radio that you purchased at a yard sale fixed. Perhaps you have a collection of political buttons from the twentieth century. You could endeavor to put them into marked display cases this year. You would not be committing yourself to a huge time to spend on your hobby, but you would give yourself a specific goal.

You can set a date for the goal or just do it as it comes. I would suggest setting a date only because we tend to put off things we enjoy for work when we are not on any time schedule. Most people work with deadlines, even ones they created themselves, much better than they do with no deadline.

The important point to remember is that you can get overwhelmed with your plans for your hobby. That overwhelming feeling can itself be defeating, and you may end up spending no time on your hobby because you wanted to do too much. Start out slowly and work your way up. If you set a goal for three months out, then you may have better luck. If you want to get back into painting, then try to set a goal to paint a set of three terra cotta pots by the end of March. Then at the end of March, you will know whether you have reached your goal. If not, re-evaluate. Why did you not get there? Can you do it by June? Should you set a different goal?