By Christina VanGinkel
This morning, I opened up a box of cereal and out fell a Mark Teixeira card, of the Texas Rangers. It is an individual card, sealed in plastic, and is and Upper Deck card. This got me thinking about all of the baseball and football cards that my youngest son has collected through the years. He has folders of sports trading cards, with each card in a plastic sleeve to protect it from damage. He also has boxes of sports trading cards, some that were passed down to him from his cousin, and some from his older brother. Many of those that are loose are ones that he bought his self too, and just never got around to placing into folders. All of these are stored on shelves and in boxes in the top of his closet, out of the way for now, but never far from reach or from mind.
When he was just a bit younger, he would sit for hours on end, going though the cards almost every evening, matching up what he thought would be the all-star baseball or football team of his dreams. He would check stats both past and present, and ask his dad every so often for advice of some sort or another in relation to how a player might be currently rating out on the field. When he had a birthday or other occasion he needed a gift for, you knew you were tops on his list if he shared one or two of his favorite cards with you. The year my husband was in a devastating accident that left him in a wheelchair for some time, he made his dad a framed collage of some of their favorite players. He also took his favorite card of all time, an Emmitt Smith card from the Dallas Cowboy NFL team, and framed it in a simple frame he bought at the dollar store. My husband will cherish these until the day he leaves this world for good!
He has not spent much time with his collection in the last year or two, what with real life baseball and football, along with several other sports such as snowboarding taking up most of his free time. Still, his collection is never far from reach and I know that it will be something he most likely keeps into adulthood, possibly passing it down to some future child of his own some day.
Baseball card collecting has long been a hobby for both the young and old alike. Along with cards representing other sports, such as football, hockey, even wrestling, there are cards available that are attractive to those who enjoy the sports these cards are representative of.
Early baseball cards were given away in products such as Cracker Jack boxes, and when I was a kid, I can remember buying a single piece of bubble gum just to get a couple of cards. When my oldest son was in elementary school, he use to buy packs of assorted cards at the local grocery store whenever he could save up about a dollar. By this time, they had excluded the gum and you were just buying the cards.
Baseball and other sports trading cards are fun in several ways. If you get a double, and who has not at some time, it may be something that you want to hold onto. Maybe the player is a favorite, or you have an idea that the card might eventually go on to be worth money. Other wise, the card is prime for trading. Maybe you know someone who has a card you do want, and that same person wants the card you are willing to trade. Maybe a deal can be struck, and once it has been, the trade is made, hence the reference to many of these cards, being called trading cards.
Card shows are also quite popular events these days, with some small enough to be set up at some other event, such as a mee4ting of boy or girl scouts. Other times, the event is so large, that dealers drive in from all across the country to set up their wares, with tables filling a whole stadium. Often, other sports collectibles are also sold and traded at these events, but the sports trading cards themselves are still the number one attraction.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Yahoo Groups for Hobbyists
By Christina VanGinkel
Hobbies are as varied as the people who walk the planet, and with the Internet becoming such a central part of so many people's daily existence, it is no wonder that it is also opening doorways to hobbies both old and new.
Just about any hobby someone might be interested in, be it a craft such as crochet, bead work, cross stitch, painting, wire work, or something along the lines of model building, or setting up a two way radio, you can almost always find a group online that is interested in same thing that you are.
An advantage of this facet of the Internet, over the days before the Internet existed, is that you no longer need to be limited in your choices because you live in some out of the way place, where there is no one else interested in the same things you are. While many hobbies are the sort that they require no one else for you to actually participate in them, it can be a huge advantage to find others with similar interests to talk to and share the hobby with in various forms. Maybe you have a question that you cannot seem to find the answer to anywhere else, or you need supplies and are having difficulty with that aspect of the hobby. Sometimes it is just nice to share patterns, photos, and talk about the hobby that you enjoy with someone else that has the same interests as you do.
In a search for hobby and craft related groups at Yahoo Groups for example, I turned up the following sampling of groups that someone with a related interest could potentially join and meet other like-minded individuals:
Collecting, Hobbies, Crafts, Models, Home Repair and Remodeling, and Others. From here, by clicking on the heading of Hobbies, I found the following:
Amateur and Ham Radio
Dumpster Diving
Kites
Second Hand Shopping
Snail Mail Pen Pals
Taxidermy
Rocks, Gems, and Minerals
Aquariums
Electronics
Juggling
Knotting
Spying
Treasure Hunting
Pottery
Rockets
Wine
Keep in mind this is only a partial list of the groups that Yahoo had listed the day I browsed through the hobby section. Under Crafts, I discovered groups on the flowing subjects:
Basketry Beading
Blacksmithing
Candle making
Crocheting
Egg Art
Gourd Art
Jewelry Making
Knitting
Lace making
Leatherworking
Macrame
Needlecrafts
Polymer Clay
Quilting
Rock Painting
Rubber Stamping
Rug Hooking
Scrapbooks
Sewing
Soap making
Spinning and Weaving
Woodworking
Ceramics
Furniture Design
Handcrafted Dolls
Mail Art
Origami
Some of the most fascinating groups I discovered were under the heading of Other. One group was for those who loved their Cadillac, one for rock collectors, another was for those who collected computer games, and yet another for rocket engine enthusiasts. With literally thousands of groups listed under Other, chances of finding a group for your specific Hobby if it was not under one of the more general headings is good.
Many of the group listings were further separated with descriptions of what the focus of that particular group in question is. Some of the groups require you to only join, while some may require you to ask for membership by relating why you are interested in joining the group, what you might have to offer other members, such as years of experience or the opposite, being what is referred to as a 'newbie' and looking for guidance from other, more experienced members.
The best part of all of this though, is that if you have an interest that you cannot seem to find a group for, or the groups that you do find do not seem to focus on the aspect of the hobby that you would have hoped to discover, you can create and become manager of you own group, via Yahoo Groups.
If you have a hobby that you enjoy participating in, or are considering taking up a new hobby, and would like to network with other like-minded individuals, then be sure to check out Yahoo Groups or other online venues that offer similar areas for hobbyists to meet and share information on their hobbies. They are often excellent sources of information and a great way to interact with others with the same interests as your self.
Hobbies are as varied as the people who walk the planet, and with the Internet becoming such a central part of so many people's daily existence, it is no wonder that it is also opening doorways to hobbies both old and new.
Just about any hobby someone might be interested in, be it a craft such as crochet, bead work, cross stitch, painting, wire work, or something along the lines of model building, or setting up a two way radio, you can almost always find a group online that is interested in same thing that you are.
An advantage of this facet of the Internet, over the days before the Internet existed, is that you no longer need to be limited in your choices because you live in some out of the way place, where there is no one else interested in the same things you are. While many hobbies are the sort that they require no one else for you to actually participate in them, it can be a huge advantage to find others with similar interests to talk to and share the hobby with in various forms. Maybe you have a question that you cannot seem to find the answer to anywhere else, or you need supplies and are having difficulty with that aspect of the hobby. Sometimes it is just nice to share patterns, photos, and talk about the hobby that you enjoy with someone else that has the same interests as you do.
In a search for hobby and craft related groups at Yahoo Groups for example, I turned up the following sampling of groups that someone with a related interest could potentially join and meet other like-minded individuals:
Collecting, Hobbies, Crafts, Models, Home Repair and Remodeling, and Others. From here, by clicking on the heading of Hobbies, I found the following:
Amateur and Ham Radio
Dumpster Diving
Kites
Second Hand Shopping
Snail Mail Pen Pals
Taxidermy
Rocks, Gems, and Minerals
Aquariums
Electronics
Juggling
Knotting
Spying
Treasure Hunting
Pottery
Rockets
Wine
Keep in mind this is only a partial list of the groups that Yahoo had listed the day I browsed through the hobby section. Under Crafts, I discovered groups on the flowing subjects:
Basketry Beading
Blacksmithing
Candle making
Crocheting
Egg Art
Gourd Art
Jewelry Making
Knitting
Lace making
Leatherworking
Macrame
Needlecrafts
Polymer Clay
Quilting
Rock Painting
Rubber Stamping
Rug Hooking
Scrapbooks
Sewing
Soap making
Spinning and Weaving
Woodworking
Ceramics
Furniture Design
Handcrafted Dolls
Mail Art
Origami
Some of the most fascinating groups I discovered were under the heading of Other. One group was for those who loved their Cadillac, one for rock collectors, another was for those who collected computer games, and yet another for rocket engine enthusiasts. With literally thousands of groups listed under Other, chances of finding a group for your specific Hobby if it was not under one of the more general headings is good.
Many of the group listings were further separated with descriptions of what the focus of that particular group in question is. Some of the groups require you to only join, while some may require you to ask for membership by relating why you are interested in joining the group, what you might have to offer other members, such as years of experience or the opposite, being what is referred to as a 'newbie' and looking for guidance from other, more experienced members.
The best part of all of this though, is that if you have an interest that you cannot seem to find a group for, or the groups that you do find do not seem to focus on the aspect of the hobby that you would have hoped to discover, you can create and become manager of you own group, via Yahoo Groups.
If you have a hobby that you enjoy participating in, or are considering taking up a new hobby, and would like to network with other like-minded individuals, then be sure to check out Yahoo Groups or other online venues that offer similar areas for hobbyists to meet and share information on their hobbies. They are often excellent sources of information and a great way to interact with others with the same interests as your self.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Graduation Photo Collages
By Christina VanGinkel
If you have kids, chances are you are snapping photographs of them all the time, at sporting events, school functions, vacations, whenever an opportunity for a good photo op occurs. What many of us never give any consideration too is that at some point, we may find ourselves looking back through all of these photos to put together a timeline. What I am talking about is when these sweet little bundles of joy reach high school; graduation is just around the corner. With graduation, come graduation parties and celebrations, and with these graduation parties and celebrations often comes the need for some type of board to display.
On these boards is typically a collage of the graduate's life up to the month of graduation. Visiting several graduation parties already this year, and several more coming up during the month of June, what seems standard at each one of them is this photographic display. In fact, I have been observing them for years, and the only thing that seems to change is the grandiose way many of them are assembled. (Along with the boards, as more people take up the hobby of scrapbooking, several scrapbooks often will accompany the board, yet another great reason to get working on putting some great layouts together!) I was at one graduation two years ago, where one father had also set up a laptop with a running photo story, complete with music and text. He used still photos and put them together in a visual timeline that would play to the end and then just loop back to the beginning. He received quite a few complements on it and I thought it was a great way to blend photos with the new age of media.
Some of the displays that I have seen through the years are fun, incorporating snapshots of various themes, and others have been more serious, just using the student's school photos for example. Personally, I much prefer the more carefree, fun ones. However, any way they are put together is usually good.
The purpose of the boards and displays of photos is twofold. It provides a conversation starter for the guests attending the graduation celebration, as many of those attending might very well be in some of the photographs themselves. It is also a great way for the proud parents to share all of their work of raising a child to near adulthood with out of town relatives who might not have been present for much of the photo's happenings.
This brings me around to my renewed interest in taking pictures of my soon to be eighth grader. I would like to have at his graduation both a board with assorted snapshots of his life from infant to senior. I would also love to have a scrapbook with a page for each school year. I figure if I start assembling the scrapbook now, and plucking old photos out of all their scattered places for inclusion in the board, I might just be able to pull it off. How some of these other parents do this project without planning, I have not a clue, but for me, planning is absolutely needed, or else I know I will be overwhelmed when it comes time to actually pull it all together.
I also hope to use the motivation for this project, both the scrapbook and the board, for inspiration towards future photo taking. I have been known too head out to sporting events that my son is involved in, or to school functions, even short vacations, without my camera. That I have two newer digitals is of no consequence! I always intend to take pictures, and will be good about it for short spans of time, then totally forgo any picture taking for long spans. Therefore, with this long-term project now in the works, I have vowed to never head out the door without my camera again. I figure that if I start treating it more like an appendage than a separate object, I might just be able to pull it off. Couple that with the added task of going through all of the old photos I have of him, and I might just be ready with it all by the time he walks across the stage to receive his diploma!
If you have kids, chances are you are snapping photographs of them all the time, at sporting events, school functions, vacations, whenever an opportunity for a good photo op occurs. What many of us never give any consideration too is that at some point, we may find ourselves looking back through all of these photos to put together a timeline. What I am talking about is when these sweet little bundles of joy reach high school; graduation is just around the corner. With graduation, come graduation parties and celebrations, and with these graduation parties and celebrations often comes the need for some type of board to display.
On these boards is typically a collage of the graduate's life up to the month of graduation. Visiting several graduation parties already this year, and several more coming up during the month of June, what seems standard at each one of them is this photographic display. In fact, I have been observing them for years, and the only thing that seems to change is the grandiose way many of them are assembled. (Along with the boards, as more people take up the hobby of scrapbooking, several scrapbooks often will accompany the board, yet another great reason to get working on putting some great layouts together!) I was at one graduation two years ago, where one father had also set up a laptop with a running photo story, complete with music and text. He used still photos and put them together in a visual timeline that would play to the end and then just loop back to the beginning. He received quite a few complements on it and I thought it was a great way to blend photos with the new age of media.
Some of the displays that I have seen through the years are fun, incorporating snapshots of various themes, and others have been more serious, just using the student's school photos for example. Personally, I much prefer the more carefree, fun ones. However, any way they are put together is usually good.
The purpose of the boards and displays of photos is twofold. It provides a conversation starter for the guests attending the graduation celebration, as many of those attending might very well be in some of the photographs themselves. It is also a great way for the proud parents to share all of their work of raising a child to near adulthood with out of town relatives who might not have been present for much of the photo's happenings.
This brings me around to my renewed interest in taking pictures of my soon to be eighth grader. I would like to have at his graduation both a board with assorted snapshots of his life from infant to senior. I would also love to have a scrapbook with a page for each school year. I figure if I start assembling the scrapbook now, and plucking old photos out of all their scattered places for inclusion in the board, I might just be able to pull it off. How some of these other parents do this project without planning, I have not a clue, but for me, planning is absolutely needed, or else I know I will be overwhelmed when it comes time to actually pull it all together.
I also hope to use the motivation for this project, both the scrapbook and the board, for inspiration towards future photo taking. I have been known too head out to sporting events that my son is involved in, or to school functions, even short vacations, without my camera. That I have two newer digitals is of no consequence! I always intend to take pictures, and will be good about it for short spans of time, then totally forgo any picture taking for long spans. Therefore, with this long-term project now in the works, I have vowed to never head out the door without my camera again. I figure that if I start treating it more like an appendage than a separate object, I might just be able to pull it off. Couple that with the added task of going through all of the old photos I have of him, and I might just be ready with it all by the time he walks across the stage to receive his diploma!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Encouraging your Child's Interest in the Hobby of Magic
By Christina VanGinkel
Performing magic is a hobby that all kids seem to take up at some time or another. Even very young children can put on a show of magic and intrigue that can be both entertaining for those in the audience, and a challenge for the little magician themselves, especially if they have the right tools to perform with, and a willing and captive audience to perform for.
With television shows highlighting magicians such as David Blaine so popular, it is easy to see what the current fascination with many youngsters is today. Thinking back through the decades, with magicians as far back as Houdini wooing the crowds with feats that seemed as improbable now as they did even then, it is actually a wonder that more kids do not take up the hobby in a more lasting element then they seem to do. Part of the problem might be the access they have to tricks and tools of the trade. When my one son was interested in learning even some simple magic tricks a few years ago, the only things we could find locally to help him delve into the world of magic tricks was a few card tricks and a book or two that did not go much further than the instructions that came with the decks of cards. Online though, we were able to find enough to both feed his curiosity, and help him perform a few tricks that amazed anyone willing to watch.
If you know of a child who has discovered what fun the hobby of magic can be, be sure to check out some of these places and products to help them fully explore the wonderfully entertaining hobby that magic and all it encompasses can be:
Murphy's Magic Supply online has so many tricks available to order, that even the most discriminating magic aficionado will be able to find lots of things to peak their interest. With a catalog of tricks, videos, DVD's, books, and more to order from, they will not be running out of things to order anytime soon. If anything, once they discover all that Murphy's Magic Supply has to offer, they may be hooked on magic for life.
David Blaine's website is necessary stop for any budding young magician. There, they will discover news and notes from the magician himself, past and upcoming events, be able to order posters, and just peruse some information about one of the most prominent figures in the world of magic today.
The Natural Science Merlin's Mystical Magic Set, which includes 175 tricks, is all encompassing enough to keep even the most involved young magician busy. This set, created by a professional magician, includes a magic wand. Along with easy to follow instructions to make pulling off the included feats of magic easily accomplished as long as the young magician is willing to take the time to learn how the illusions and tricks actually work. We found this set at Amazon.com, and at less than thirty dollars, it is a great bargain.
Magictricks.com is a great website that has a bit of everything. They have tricks available to order that are broken down into selections such as occasion, skill level, age group, and what the trick actually does. They also have a magic museum, which is detailed as exhibits of rare magician's props, magic posters, souvenirs, and magical memorabilia. You can spend hundreds of hours just perusing this all-inclusive site that has a bit of everything that has ever been recorded about the world of magic.
Ebay, the online auction house, which if you have spent anytime online looking for anything you already know about, is also a great place to find all sorts of interesting and useful magic related supplies, books, and more. The day I browsed Ebay, I typed in 'magic tricks', and came up with over 3400 matches, from dizzy dice to coin funnels, to vintage tricks and books.
If you have a youngster interested in the hobby of magic and are having a difficult time finding anything beyond the most basic supplies, check online for a wide selection of information and supplies sure to keep them happily practicing and honing their skills for a long time to come.
Performing magic is a hobby that all kids seem to take up at some time or another. Even very young children can put on a show of magic and intrigue that can be both entertaining for those in the audience, and a challenge for the little magician themselves, especially if they have the right tools to perform with, and a willing and captive audience to perform for.
With television shows highlighting magicians such as David Blaine so popular, it is easy to see what the current fascination with many youngsters is today. Thinking back through the decades, with magicians as far back as Houdini wooing the crowds with feats that seemed as improbable now as they did even then, it is actually a wonder that more kids do not take up the hobby in a more lasting element then they seem to do. Part of the problem might be the access they have to tricks and tools of the trade. When my one son was interested in learning even some simple magic tricks a few years ago, the only things we could find locally to help him delve into the world of magic tricks was a few card tricks and a book or two that did not go much further than the instructions that came with the decks of cards. Online though, we were able to find enough to both feed his curiosity, and help him perform a few tricks that amazed anyone willing to watch.
If you know of a child who has discovered what fun the hobby of magic can be, be sure to check out some of these places and products to help them fully explore the wonderfully entertaining hobby that magic and all it encompasses can be:
Murphy's Magic Supply online has so many tricks available to order, that even the most discriminating magic aficionado will be able to find lots of things to peak their interest. With a catalog of tricks, videos, DVD's, books, and more to order from, they will not be running out of things to order anytime soon. If anything, once they discover all that Murphy's Magic Supply has to offer, they may be hooked on magic for life.
David Blaine's website is necessary stop for any budding young magician. There, they will discover news and notes from the magician himself, past and upcoming events, be able to order posters, and just peruse some information about one of the most prominent figures in the world of magic today.
The Natural Science Merlin's Mystical Magic Set, which includes 175 tricks, is all encompassing enough to keep even the most involved young magician busy. This set, created by a professional magician, includes a magic wand. Along with easy to follow instructions to make pulling off the included feats of magic easily accomplished as long as the young magician is willing to take the time to learn how the illusions and tricks actually work. We found this set at Amazon.com, and at less than thirty dollars, it is a great bargain.
Magictricks.com is a great website that has a bit of everything. They have tricks available to order that are broken down into selections such as occasion, skill level, age group, and what the trick actually does. They also have a magic museum, which is detailed as exhibits of rare magician's props, magic posters, souvenirs, and magical memorabilia. You can spend hundreds of hours just perusing this all-inclusive site that has a bit of everything that has ever been recorded about the world of magic.
Ebay, the online auction house, which if you have spent anytime online looking for anything you already know about, is also a great place to find all sorts of interesting and useful magic related supplies, books, and more. The day I browsed Ebay, I typed in 'magic tricks', and came up with over 3400 matches, from dizzy dice to coin funnels, to vintage tricks and books.
If you have a youngster interested in the hobby of magic and are having a difficult time finding anything beyond the most basic supplies, check online for a wide selection of information and supplies sure to keep them happily practicing and honing their skills for a long time to come.
The Hobby of Crochet
By Christina VanGinkel
I have been a crocheter for as long as I can remember. I love sitting with yarn and hook and creating anything from an ordinary washcloth, to a little girls treasured doll. I have also made blankets and layettes, potholders, slippers, little girl's ponchos, shawls, doilies, and many other pieces through the years. I have even dabbled in crocheting with beads and wire for some very fun pieces of jewelry. I think that was the original draw for me towards crochet. I had tried knitting, but it seemed so complicated, while with crochet, having only the one hook, made it seem much more simple, and therefore, much easier to manipulate. With various stitches and such a wide range of materials, the sky really is the limit with crochet, not to mention that designing new pieces is a love of mine. I have had over fifty designs premiered in national publications, and while I have not sold any new designs recently, the draw of it is still there.
With all of this, I had not touched my crochet supplies in quite some time. Not surprising really, as I seem to go in patterns (no pun intended!) where I crochet for months on end, and then tend to not touch my yarns and hooks for nearly as long. However, I am going to be housebound for a few weeks after a having surgery next week, and decided that besides visiting here on the computer, I should pick ups some yarn for a couple of projects to work on.
While I cannot say that I have not been in the yarn section of any stores in quite a long time, I can say that I must not have been paying much attention to the yarn on the shelves. A few years back, a product called Fun Fur hit the market, and people who had never crocheted or knitted a day in their lives, were suddenly wanting to learn, or were begging friends and coworkers, relatives, whoever they could find that knew how to, to make them scarves and mittens, hats and more with this wonderfully fun yarn. The makers of this yarn, along with other companies, apparently saw the incentive of coming up with even more novelty yarns and getting them on the store shelves for the average crafts person.
While novelty yarns are not new, unless you went to a specialty shop or had access to a catalog that handles yarn of this type, you could not find it. Now, even our local Wal-Mart seems to have more novelty yarns than I could ever need or want. The colors are in hues that look more as if they belong in some specialty candy shop than on a rack of yarn. The textures are almost indescribable. Some are soft, some silky, some soft and silky. There are some with ribbon running throughout the skein, and others that when you work the yarn up into a project, you know the finished piece will be covered with bumps of soft puff every so often.
One yarn that intrigued me was the color of blue moon ice cream and had tiny flecks that looked like raspberries every few inches. It was so soft that one could just sit and run the yarn through their fingers as a stress reliever! I did not buy any, as I was not sure what I could make with it. When I told my daughter about it though, she said that it would probably work up into a scarf or mittens quite well. So one of my final trips to the store before I am not able to get out for a few weeks is to stop and buy a few skeins of it. Once I crochet a few rows with it too, if it is as nice as I think it will be, I can always order some more online and maybe make a blanket throw out of it.
If you have not checked out any of the new yarns lately, now is a good time to do so. Be prepared to be amazed though, as I would never have thought of yarns as wondrous as what is now so readily available.
I have been a crocheter for as long as I can remember. I love sitting with yarn and hook and creating anything from an ordinary washcloth, to a little girls treasured doll. I have also made blankets and layettes, potholders, slippers, little girl's ponchos, shawls, doilies, and many other pieces through the years. I have even dabbled in crocheting with beads and wire for some very fun pieces of jewelry. I think that was the original draw for me towards crochet. I had tried knitting, but it seemed so complicated, while with crochet, having only the one hook, made it seem much more simple, and therefore, much easier to manipulate. With various stitches and such a wide range of materials, the sky really is the limit with crochet, not to mention that designing new pieces is a love of mine. I have had over fifty designs premiered in national publications, and while I have not sold any new designs recently, the draw of it is still there.
With all of this, I had not touched my crochet supplies in quite some time. Not surprising really, as I seem to go in patterns (no pun intended!) where I crochet for months on end, and then tend to not touch my yarns and hooks for nearly as long. However, I am going to be housebound for a few weeks after a having surgery next week, and decided that besides visiting here on the computer, I should pick ups some yarn for a couple of projects to work on.
While I cannot say that I have not been in the yarn section of any stores in quite a long time, I can say that I must not have been paying much attention to the yarn on the shelves. A few years back, a product called Fun Fur hit the market, and people who had never crocheted or knitted a day in their lives, were suddenly wanting to learn, or were begging friends and coworkers, relatives, whoever they could find that knew how to, to make them scarves and mittens, hats and more with this wonderfully fun yarn. The makers of this yarn, along with other companies, apparently saw the incentive of coming up with even more novelty yarns and getting them on the store shelves for the average crafts person.
While novelty yarns are not new, unless you went to a specialty shop or had access to a catalog that handles yarn of this type, you could not find it. Now, even our local Wal-Mart seems to have more novelty yarns than I could ever need or want. The colors are in hues that look more as if they belong in some specialty candy shop than on a rack of yarn. The textures are almost indescribable. Some are soft, some silky, some soft and silky. There are some with ribbon running throughout the skein, and others that when you work the yarn up into a project, you know the finished piece will be covered with bumps of soft puff every so often.
One yarn that intrigued me was the color of blue moon ice cream and had tiny flecks that looked like raspberries every few inches. It was so soft that one could just sit and run the yarn through their fingers as a stress reliever! I did not buy any, as I was not sure what I could make with it. When I told my daughter about it though, she said that it would probably work up into a scarf or mittens quite well. So one of my final trips to the store before I am not able to get out for a few weeks is to stop and buy a few skeins of it. Once I crochet a few rows with it too, if it is as nice as I think it will be, I can always order some more online and maybe make a blanket throw out of it.
If you have not checked out any of the new yarns lately, now is a good time to do so. Be prepared to be amazed though, as I would never have thought of yarns as wondrous as what is now so readily available.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Scrapbook Kits Revisited
By Christina VanGinkel
A friend of mine, along with her sister, sells scrapbook layout kits. They assemble paper, embellishments, titles, etc., that all coordinate to make creating a layout as quick and simple as can be. Right after checking out a few of her wares one day, I received an advertisement in my mailbox that was promoting a 'personal shopper' for scrap bookers with limited time on their hands. Somewhat the same as the kits my neighbor was selling, this was put together in the form of a club, and each month, for the cost of $29.95, the mail person would deliver a box of paper, embellishments, even adhesives and a different tool, so that visiting a scrapbook store would never be required again. You did not get to choose from any theme from month to month though, and while you could send back any kit that you might not want, we all know how that works when you sign up for something such as that. If you figure you will not use it, you will most likely still keep it, intending to pass it along to a friend, or to trade with if you go to a scrap crop or such.
I do think that these or other similar ideas can be the perfect answer for those individuals who are truly strapped for time, and still want to scrap as often as they can. While the deal that came in the mail seemed to be a bit overboard, coming with something like twenty sheets of paper in each kit, and tools that a scrapper might or might not already own or ever need, the neighbor seemed to be on the right track. I also questioned the quality of the mass produced kit, as I had seen something similar from a different company and was not overly impressed with the quality of the included materials.
My friend and her sister though, pick and choose several different themes each month, and assemble their kits with just the right amount of supplies to create a layout. They use products from name brand companies, and are always willing to create a kit in a theme of your own choosing, as long as you give them a few weeks notice. Each kit will still obviously have a few leftovers, as they make sure to add enough embellishments and such that whoever is assembling a layout from one of the kits, will still have some choices to make, allowing for personalization, which is always one of the most fun aspects of creating any scrapbook layout.
They do not include any sort of tools with the kits, though if they have a layout that they would use foam dimensional dots or something along those lines, they do include specifics such as those. They send out a notice with the current month's kit, detailing what the upcoming month's themes will be, and you simply check the one or ones you want, and send the card back with your choices checked, and the cost of those you have chosen.
They also have a running list of extras, such as various adhesives and tools, which you can order from them at any time. Living in a small community as we do, with no dedicated scrapbook store, having the luxury of accessing many of the newest papers without having to track them down and pay shipping on just a few sheets here and there, is a big draw for many people. While others and I myself, will always like to assemble our own layouts from bottom up, if you are struggling with time issues or just cannot seem to create a layout without struggle, purchasing pre-assembled kits such as these might be just the products you have been looking for.
I always figured I would never buy a kit, yet when I look through theirs, I always manage to find something I like, and am amazed at how they thought to put certain embellishments together. A different perspective such as through a kit is also a good way to breathe life into your scrapbooking if your designs all seem to run along a similar style. Check out a few pre-assembled kits, you just might be pleasantly surprised in much the same way as I was.
A friend of mine, along with her sister, sells scrapbook layout kits. They assemble paper, embellishments, titles, etc., that all coordinate to make creating a layout as quick and simple as can be. Right after checking out a few of her wares one day, I received an advertisement in my mailbox that was promoting a 'personal shopper' for scrap bookers with limited time on their hands. Somewhat the same as the kits my neighbor was selling, this was put together in the form of a club, and each month, for the cost of $29.95, the mail person would deliver a box of paper, embellishments, even adhesives and a different tool, so that visiting a scrapbook store would never be required again. You did not get to choose from any theme from month to month though, and while you could send back any kit that you might not want, we all know how that works when you sign up for something such as that. If you figure you will not use it, you will most likely still keep it, intending to pass it along to a friend, or to trade with if you go to a scrap crop or such.
I do think that these or other similar ideas can be the perfect answer for those individuals who are truly strapped for time, and still want to scrap as often as they can. While the deal that came in the mail seemed to be a bit overboard, coming with something like twenty sheets of paper in each kit, and tools that a scrapper might or might not already own or ever need, the neighbor seemed to be on the right track. I also questioned the quality of the mass produced kit, as I had seen something similar from a different company and was not overly impressed with the quality of the included materials.
My friend and her sister though, pick and choose several different themes each month, and assemble their kits with just the right amount of supplies to create a layout. They use products from name brand companies, and are always willing to create a kit in a theme of your own choosing, as long as you give them a few weeks notice. Each kit will still obviously have a few leftovers, as they make sure to add enough embellishments and such that whoever is assembling a layout from one of the kits, will still have some choices to make, allowing for personalization, which is always one of the most fun aspects of creating any scrapbook layout.
They do not include any sort of tools with the kits, though if they have a layout that they would use foam dimensional dots or something along those lines, they do include specifics such as those. They send out a notice with the current month's kit, detailing what the upcoming month's themes will be, and you simply check the one or ones you want, and send the card back with your choices checked, and the cost of those you have chosen.
They also have a running list of extras, such as various adhesives and tools, which you can order from them at any time. Living in a small community as we do, with no dedicated scrapbook store, having the luxury of accessing many of the newest papers without having to track them down and pay shipping on just a few sheets here and there, is a big draw for many people. While others and I myself, will always like to assemble our own layouts from bottom up, if you are struggling with time issues or just cannot seem to create a layout without struggle, purchasing pre-assembled kits such as these might be just the products you have been looking for.
I always figured I would never buy a kit, yet when I look through theirs, I always manage to find something I like, and am amazed at how they thought to put certain embellishments together. A different perspective such as through a kit is also a good way to breathe life into your scrapbooking if your designs all seem to run along a similar style. Check out a few pre-assembled kits, you just might be pleasantly surprised in much the same way as I was.
Friday, May 19, 2006
The Evolution of Scrapbooking
By Christina VanGinkel
Scrapbooking is an ever-evolving way to capture and store memories. Much of the time, it involves a single photograph, or several, that are the focal point of a layout. Around the picture or pictures, the person putting together the page may also include a title, along with other embellishments. However, more and more people are asking if someone could create a scrapbook layout, even if there are no pictures. The answer is a resounding yes! Scrapbooking without pictures is an honest look back at the beginning of scrapbooking. Long before the term was even coined, there were those individuals who strived to create memory books, something a bit beyond the classic journal, which had been popular probably since the beginning of time.
These scrap pages would include journaling about the event that was to be saved on the page, and a few mementos in direct relation to the event. With the advent of the camera, it became popular to take a snapshot or two and either just stick those in a photo album, or use them in a scrapbook. The ones that were just dumped into photo albums often meant that future generations who might find the book, often had no idea of who or what events and memories they were even looking at. Those who put them into a scrapbook though, knew they had hit upon something. Here, they had the best of both worlds. They could document an occasion with a snapshot of the memory, add a memento or two, maybe a bit of journaling or at least a couple of notes, and voila, future generations had the whole picture. By combining an expanded version of a journal, along with a photo album, they had combined the best of both worlds into one!
Then, as time passed, and cameras once again made a major transformation, this time going digital, another whole world to those people who strive to save and store memories was born. With a click of the finger and not much more, they could snap a dozen photographs in a manner of seconds. With this new ease in photography, some of us were so overwhelmed, that we used many of these so easily obtained photographs to fill the pages of our scrapbooks. Because of this multitude of photos at our fingers, we often overlooked the most impressive (and useful) aspect of a scrapbook over a traditional photo album, and that is the information provided for those who might someday come to possess these books we so painstakingly created.
We had progressed from creating books of information, to a book of information with a few photos to top off the pages. From there to fancy paper filled books overflowing with good looking photos and often embellishments to boot, but sadly, lacking in the vital part of what makes a scrapbook so unique, and that is the information, the journaling, the notes, the mementos of the event.
Some of us who keep scrapbooks recognized this fact, and in hoping to combat this, we have been doing a complete turn on some of our layouts by not including any photographs whatsoever, just a page filled with mementos and words. When some future generation opens the pages of our scrapbooks, we want them to have the best of both worlds. Pages that have photographs and journaling, along with layouts that we took the time to document events from start to finish, even if it meant not including photos on those particular layouts.
While I feel that there is no right or wrong way to scrapbook, a scrapbook with words is almost always more enjoyable to look through than one without any at all. It is like being given permission to be the proverbial fly on the wall. The next time you sit down to scrapbook, take the time to think about an event or special occasion in your life that you might not have a photograph of, but that somebody in the future might enjoy hearing about. Not only will they enjoy reading it, you will have the instant gratification of reliving it as you take the time to record it, be it pen to paper, or typing it out via the computer!
Scrapbooking is an ever-evolving way to capture and store memories. Much of the time, it involves a single photograph, or several, that are the focal point of a layout. Around the picture or pictures, the person putting together the page may also include a title, along with other embellishments. However, more and more people are asking if someone could create a scrapbook layout, even if there are no pictures. The answer is a resounding yes! Scrapbooking without pictures is an honest look back at the beginning of scrapbooking. Long before the term was even coined, there were those individuals who strived to create memory books, something a bit beyond the classic journal, which had been popular probably since the beginning of time.
These scrap pages would include journaling about the event that was to be saved on the page, and a few mementos in direct relation to the event. With the advent of the camera, it became popular to take a snapshot or two and either just stick those in a photo album, or use them in a scrapbook. The ones that were just dumped into photo albums often meant that future generations who might find the book, often had no idea of who or what events and memories they were even looking at. Those who put them into a scrapbook though, knew they had hit upon something. Here, they had the best of both worlds. They could document an occasion with a snapshot of the memory, add a memento or two, maybe a bit of journaling or at least a couple of notes, and voila, future generations had the whole picture. By combining an expanded version of a journal, along with a photo album, they had combined the best of both worlds into one!
Then, as time passed, and cameras once again made a major transformation, this time going digital, another whole world to those people who strive to save and store memories was born. With a click of the finger and not much more, they could snap a dozen photographs in a manner of seconds. With this new ease in photography, some of us were so overwhelmed, that we used many of these so easily obtained photographs to fill the pages of our scrapbooks. Because of this multitude of photos at our fingers, we often overlooked the most impressive (and useful) aspect of a scrapbook over a traditional photo album, and that is the information provided for those who might someday come to possess these books we so painstakingly created.
We had progressed from creating books of information, to a book of information with a few photos to top off the pages. From there to fancy paper filled books overflowing with good looking photos and often embellishments to boot, but sadly, lacking in the vital part of what makes a scrapbook so unique, and that is the information, the journaling, the notes, the mementos of the event.
Some of us who keep scrapbooks recognized this fact, and in hoping to combat this, we have been doing a complete turn on some of our layouts by not including any photographs whatsoever, just a page filled with mementos and words. When some future generation opens the pages of our scrapbooks, we want them to have the best of both worlds. Pages that have photographs and journaling, along with layouts that we took the time to document events from start to finish, even if it meant not including photos on those particular layouts.
While I feel that there is no right or wrong way to scrapbook, a scrapbook with words is almost always more enjoyable to look through than one without any at all. It is like being given permission to be the proverbial fly on the wall. The next time you sit down to scrapbook, take the time to think about an event or special occasion in your life that you might not have a photograph of, but that somebody in the future might enjoy hearing about. Not only will they enjoy reading it, you will have the instant gratification of reliving it as you take the time to record it, be it pen to paper, or typing it out via the computer!
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Creating a Glass Bead Mosaic
By Christina VanGinkel
When I think of a mosaic, I usually think of broken pottery pieces. However, creating a mosaic is a great way to use up glass beads. Glass beads come in a variety of sizes and colors, and chances are, if you are a hobbyist of any kind, especially one that makes jewelry or uses beads for some other fashionable task, you already have tons of assorted extra beads. If not, finding ones to use will be simple. Outlets such as Fire Mountain Gems has so many glass beads, that I have been know to sit down with one of their catalogs, or log onto their website, and forget everything else for hours on end!
Creating a mosaic with beads is a great way to cover everyday objects too. Coffee cups and saucers, picture fames, even a small table or chair is a great first time project. If you choose to cover a table, or some other large item, you might wish to mix pieces of tile with the beads to speed up filling in the mosaic. If time is of no issue, then, by all means, go ahead and just use beads.
What is nice about creating a mosaic with glass beads is that you have the choice to work with a uniform size, thus allowing you to make an exact sized mosaic from an existing design. For example, when working with odd and different sized pieces of broken tile or glass, you often must work in more of a freeform fashion, still following a pattern, but you may end up with larger or narrower gaps where you will use grout. Where if the pieces that will make up the mosaic design are all uniform in size and shape, you can follow a pattern you have created in a bead program or other design format, and end up with as much or as little space between the colors, as you would like.
When working with beads, if you will be creating the mosaic on a piece such as a table, where you will be setting items on it that might potentially spill, placement of the beads should be on their sides. If the item is strictly decorative in nature, then placement will be wholly dependant on a matter of personal choice.
If you plan to break the beads in half before using them, investing in a scorer or breaker might be prudent. The cost is usually minimal, and one can be purchased oftentimes for less than ten or twenty dollars. If you do intend to use one, be sure to also invest in a pair of safety goggles, as it is too easy for an errant piece of glass to and in the eye or face area when you are going to be literally cracking hundreds, even thousands of beads.
You will also need mosaic cement or adhesive, along with grout. If you will want to color the grout, you should also pick up coloring for it. This will depend on your own particular wants and needs.
Once you have an object in mind to cover, and have gathered all of the needed supplies, prep the work surface. Depending on what it is you are covering, this might be as simple as sanding it down, so the beads will have something with a bit of grip to adhere to. If the item is a table top, you might wish to cover it with a board of some sort. Plan your design, sketching it out if need be. Start laying down your beads or bead parts, adhering them in place as you work. Once the design in completed, you will then need to go back over the project with grout. Let dry thoroughly, and if the project requires, you might wish to finish it off with a sealant.
Creating a mosaic with glass beads is a great way to cover almost any object you could imagine, and it allows you control over the size and colors of the pieces as you work. Start small, or if you are confident in what you are doing, jump right in with a bigger project. Most importantly, be creative, let your talent flow, and have fun!
When I think of a mosaic, I usually think of broken pottery pieces. However, creating a mosaic is a great way to use up glass beads. Glass beads come in a variety of sizes and colors, and chances are, if you are a hobbyist of any kind, especially one that makes jewelry or uses beads for some other fashionable task, you already have tons of assorted extra beads. If not, finding ones to use will be simple. Outlets such as Fire Mountain Gems has so many glass beads, that I have been know to sit down with one of their catalogs, or log onto their website, and forget everything else for hours on end!
Creating a mosaic with beads is a great way to cover everyday objects too. Coffee cups and saucers, picture fames, even a small table or chair is a great first time project. If you choose to cover a table, or some other large item, you might wish to mix pieces of tile with the beads to speed up filling in the mosaic. If time is of no issue, then, by all means, go ahead and just use beads.
What is nice about creating a mosaic with glass beads is that you have the choice to work with a uniform size, thus allowing you to make an exact sized mosaic from an existing design. For example, when working with odd and different sized pieces of broken tile or glass, you often must work in more of a freeform fashion, still following a pattern, but you may end up with larger or narrower gaps where you will use grout. Where if the pieces that will make up the mosaic design are all uniform in size and shape, you can follow a pattern you have created in a bead program or other design format, and end up with as much or as little space between the colors, as you would like.
When working with beads, if you will be creating the mosaic on a piece such as a table, where you will be setting items on it that might potentially spill, placement of the beads should be on their sides. If the item is strictly decorative in nature, then placement will be wholly dependant on a matter of personal choice.
If you plan to break the beads in half before using them, investing in a scorer or breaker might be prudent. The cost is usually minimal, and one can be purchased oftentimes for less than ten or twenty dollars. If you do intend to use one, be sure to also invest in a pair of safety goggles, as it is too easy for an errant piece of glass to and in the eye or face area when you are going to be literally cracking hundreds, even thousands of beads.
You will also need mosaic cement or adhesive, along with grout. If you will want to color the grout, you should also pick up coloring for it. This will depend on your own particular wants and needs.
Once you have an object in mind to cover, and have gathered all of the needed supplies, prep the work surface. Depending on what it is you are covering, this might be as simple as sanding it down, so the beads will have something with a bit of grip to adhere to. If the item is a table top, you might wish to cover it with a board of some sort. Plan your design, sketching it out if need be. Start laying down your beads or bead parts, adhering them in place as you work. Once the design in completed, you will then need to go back over the project with grout. Let dry thoroughly, and if the project requires, you might wish to finish it off with a sealant.
Creating a mosaic with glass beads is a great way to cover almost any object you could imagine, and it allows you control over the size and colors of the pieces as you work. Start small, or if you are confident in what you are doing, jump right in with a bigger project. Most importantly, be creative, let your talent flow, and have fun!
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Disneyana Collectibles
By Christina VanGinkel
Collecting anything can be a fun hobby, but when you have a love of something, it makes it all the much more fun. Maybe you have fond memories of an era when Disney was what you looked forward to all week, in anticipation of their show each Sunday. On the other hand, possibly after making a trip to Disney World, or Disney Land, you realize just how fun the whole world of Disney really is. It could even be that after you saw Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Bambi a dozen times, you cannot get enough of them, and out of the blue find yourself in the midst of a Disney themed collection.
For whatever reason you have decided to begin or add to a collection of Disneyana, one of the greatest aspects of collecting Disney and Disney related items, is that many other people also collect it. Finding someone or even a group to discuss it is usually easy, not to mention that around nearly every corner in life, there is possibly another item waiting to be discovered. From gift shops to rummage sales, to thousands of online outlets, there is a continual supply of places to discover new and vintage Disney collectibles. Books, magazines, collectible guides and more are also available to help you expand either your collection, or possibly help you define it and narrow it down to a specific character or time.
My prized Disney items include a Snow White figurine along with one of the Seven Dwarfs. They do not match and are from two different designers, yet are a close enough match in size, with the dwarf being smaller than the Snow White figurine, that they have complemented each other quite well through the years. I owned them as a young girl, and they made the move with me to my first home after I married nearly twenty-five years ago. These were soon joined by several more select Disney items, including a vintage Snow White sign in full color. The sign advertised the movie coming to a small theater in the Chicago area. I also recall with great fondness a Donald Duck bank that I was fortunate enough to receive on the Christmas when I turned nine. It came filled to the brim with chocolate kisses that my parents put there. Sadly, somewhere through the years, this bank was lost. It is the one piece of Disney that I have continued to look for to this day.
Even the current trend of scrapbooking has embraced the Disney world, and it is possible to find everything from complete albums, to paper, to embellishments, all in the various creations of Disney.
Some Disney collectibles that I have encountered throughout the years have included pieces such as lunch boxes, sand pails, figurines, dolls, teapots and various other pieces of china, banks both made of ceramic, glass, and plastic, watches, books, radios, clocks, games, even tools.
When I recall all of the various items that have been created with the Disney theme in mind, it reminds me why it is such a favored collectible by so many people. Even if you do not collect Disneyana in particular, chances are, that if you are a collector of something else, anything else for that matter, there is a very good chance that you own a piece of Disneyana. For instance, if you happen to collect vintage lunchboxes, do you have any that have Disney characters decorating them? I collect teapots, and I have several that are decorated with various Disney themes, though I consider them part of my teapot collection and not my Disney collection. I also have several comic books in my comic book collection that are about Disney cartoons.
Collecting is an enjoyable hobby. Combine it with something as far reaching and as fun as Disney, and you will soon be able to say that you are addicted to the hobby of collecting along with millions of other people. If you are not sure where to begin, check online at Ebay or via one of the many major search engines by looking for Disneyana or Disney Collectibles. You will discover a whole world of items just waiting for you to bring home.
Collecting anything can be a fun hobby, but when you have a love of something, it makes it all the much more fun. Maybe you have fond memories of an era when Disney was what you looked forward to all week, in anticipation of their show each Sunday. On the other hand, possibly after making a trip to Disney World, or Disney Land, you realize just how fun the whole world of Disney really is. It could even be that after you saw Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Bambi a dozen times, you cannot get enough of them, and out of the blue find yourself in the midst of a Disney themed collection.
For whatever reason you have decided to begin or add to a collection of Disneyana, one of the greatest aspects of collecting Disney and Disney related items, is that many other people also collect it. Finding someone or even a group to discuss it is usually easy, not to mention that around nearly every corner in life, there is possibly another item waiting to be discovered. From gift shops to rummage sales, to thousands of online outlets, there is a continual supply of places to discover new and vintage Disney collectibles. Books, magazines, collectible guides and more are also available to help you expand either your collection, or possibly help you define it and narrow it down to a specific character or time.
My prized Disney items include a Snow White figurine along with one of the Seven Dwarfs. They do not match and are from two different designers, yet are a close enough match in size, with the dwarf being smaller than the Snow White figurine, that they have complemented each other quite well through the years. I owned them as a young girl, and they made the move with me to my first home after I married nearly twenty-five years ago. These were soon joined by several more select Disney items, including a vintage Snow White sign in full color. The sign advertised the movie coming to a small theater in the Chicago area. I also recall with great fondness a Donald Duck bank that I was fortunate enough to receive on the Christmas when I turned nine. It came filled to the brim with chocolate kisses that my parents put there. Sadly, somewhere through the years, this bank was lost. It is the one piece of Disney that I have continued to look for to this day.
Even the current trend of scrapbooking has embraced the Disney world, and it is possible to find everything from complete albums, to paper, to embellishments, all in the various creations of Disney.
Some Disney collectibles that I have encountered throughout the years have included pieces such as lunch boxes, sand pails, figurines, dolls, teapots and various other pieces of china, banks both made of ceramic, glass, and plastic, watches, books, radios, clocks, games, even tools.
When I recall all of the various items that have been created with the Disney theme in mind, it reminds me why it is such a favored collectible by so many people. Even if you do not collect Disneyana in particular, chances are, that if you are a collector of something else, anything else for that matter, there is a very good chance that you own a piece of Disneyana. For instance, if you happen to collect vintage lunchboxes, do you have any that have Disney characters decorating them? I collect teapots, and I have several that are decorated with various Disney themes, though I consider them part of my teapot collection and not my Disney collection. I also have several comic books in my comic book collection that are about Disney cartoons.
Collecting is an enjoyable hobby. Combine it with something as far reaching and as fun as Disney, and you will soon be able to say that you are addicted to the hobby of collecting along with millions of other people. If you are not sure where to begin, check online at Ebay or via one of the many major search engines by looking for Disneyana or Disney Collectibles. You will discover a whole world of items just waiting for you to bring home.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Making Scrapbook Titles Work
By Christina VanGinkel
Not every single scrapbook layout will necessarily need a title, yet the majority of scrapbook pages use one. Having the title you choose, work as efficiently as it can, will depend on several things. Placement and size of the title for example, will have a major impact on how well the title fits both the size and theme of the layout, and how well it will reflect on the rest of the page.
The size of the title, how tall the lettering is, the width of it, the color, texture, etc., should correlate well with the rest of the page's elements. If it does not, it will be more of a distraction than an asset. Considering what you want your scrapbook layout to express when choosing the title and its qualities will help you choose a title that will really work.
Too often, when someone first begins scrapbooking, they just assume that a title must be placed across the top of each page. That is fine in many instances, but just as often, a title could be placed across the bottom of a page, up or down one side, even smack dab in the middle of the layout. If the layout is a two-page one, you might even choose to have a title run across both pages, or leave in off one of the pages entirely. My point being that each and every title will need to be considered on an individual basis.
With the availability of computer fonts, and the wide variety of papers and materials that are safe to use in our scrapbooks, titles can also take on numerous forms. For example, if you have a page that is about something in particular, say game night at your house, you could shop your local second hand stores for old games and then use various pieces from the games to create your title. Scrabble is a common one that includes letters, but there are many other ones out there too. You could even cut your letters from playing cards included in the games. For example, the going to jail Monopoly card could be used to cut out lettering, keeping the lettering wide enough to incorporate some of the cards elements, or how about a deck of playing cards themselves! Keep an open mind when thinking about how to create your titles, and you might be surprised at all of the ideas you come up with. Also, just because you choose one paper for lettering, does not mean that you have to use it exclusively. Some of my favorite titles have two or more patterns within. Try cutting the first letter of the title out of a solid or patterned paper, and the rest of the title out of the opposite, or alternate each letter.
Consider framing and matting your titles to make them as prominent an element as they can be. This will add dimension to the title, and add that extra lift that will help your title become a focal point on the page. A title that just blends into the woodwork might work on those rare instances, but the majority of the time, a title will be something that you want people to notice the first time they see your page. It should evoke in them a sense of what you hope they will perceive from the rest of the elements on the page, including the picture(s) and any memorabilia that you might choose to include.
The next time you begin a new scrapbook layout, or for that page that you have been working on longer than any other, for the simple fact that the title has just not been working out the way you had hoped it would, consider too that the wording itself may not be appropriate. It is too simple to go overboard, just as it is too simple to go in the opposite direction and be to blase about it. I try to conquer this aspect of coming up with good titles, titles that I will enjoy a year, two years, twenty years from now when I look back at them, by writing down titles in a notebook as I think of them. Then, when I am sitting down with a layout, and cannot think of anything appropriate, I pull out my notebook for inspiration. You can also buy books or browse the many websites that have cropped up about scrapbooking, as many have tons of cute ideas for titles.
Not every single scrapbook layout will necessarily need a title, yet the majority of scrapbook pages use one. Having the title you choose, work as efficiently as it can, will depend on several things. Placement and size of the title for example, will have a major impact on how well the title fits both the size and theme of the layout, and how well it will reflect on the rest of the page.
The size of the title, how tall the lettering is, the width of it, the color, texture, etc., should correlate well with the rest of the page's elements. If it does not, it will be more of a distraction than an asset. Considering what you want your scrapbook layout to express when choosing the title and its qualities will help you choose a title that will really work.
Too often, when someone first begins scrapbooking, they just assume that a title must be placed across the top of each page. That is fine in many instances, but just as often, a title could be placed across the bottom of a page, up or down one side, even smack dab in the middle of the layout. If the layout is a two-page one, you might even choose to have a title run across both pages, or leave in off one of the pages entirely. My point being that each and every title will need to be considered on an individual basis.
With the availability of computer fonts, and the wide variety of papers and materials that are safe to use in our scrapbooks, titles can also take on numerous forms. For example, if you have a page that is about something in particular, say game night at your house, you could shop your local second hand stores for old games and then use various pieces from the games to create your title. Scrabble is a common one that includes letters, but there are many other ones out there too. You could even cut your letters from playing cards included in the games. For example, the going to jail Monopoly card could be used to cut out lettering, keeping the lettering wide enough to incorporate some of the cards elements, or how about a deck of playing cards themselves! Keep an open mind when thinking about how to create your titles, and you might be surprised at all of the ideas you come up with. Also, just because you choose one paper for lettering, does not mean that you have to use it exclusively. Some of my favorite titles have two or more patterns within. Try cutting the first letter of the title out of a solid or patterned paper, and the rest of the title out of the opposite, or alternate each letter.
Consider framing and matting your titles to make them as prominent an element as they can be. This will add dimension to the title, and add that extra lift that will help your title become a focal point on the page. A title that just blends into the woodwork might work on those rare instances, but the majority of the time, a title will be something that you want people to notice the first time they see your page. It should evoke in them a sense of what you hope they will perceive from the rest of the elements on the page, including the picture(s) and any memorabilia that you might choose to include.
The next time you begin a new scrapbook layout, or for that page that you have been working on longer than any other, for the simple fact that the title has just not been working out the way you had hoped it would, consider too that the wording itself may not be appropriate. It is too simple to go overboard, just as it is too simple to go in the opposite direction and be to blase about it. I try to conquer this aspect of coming up with good titles, titles that I will enjoy a year, two years, twenty years from now when I look back at them, by writing down titles in a notebook as I think of them. Then, when I am sitting down with a layout, and cannot think of anything appropriate, I pull out my notebook for inspiration. You can also buy books or browse the many websites that have cropped up about scrapbooking, as many have tons of cute ideas for titles.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
May is National Scrapbooking Month!
By Christina VanGinkel
With scrapbooking as popular an activity as it is, it is no surprise that a whole month (May 2006) has been delegated as National Scrapbooking Month. With a complete month devoted to the activity and the promotion of it, the first weekend has also been devoted to the hobby.
What can you do to make this as momentous an occasion as it is worthy of? How about taking a small amount of time this weekend to introduce a friend or acquaintance to this multi-faceted hobby. You could host a scrapbooking event with your favorite distributor, or make it a very informal event by just having a small gathering to just get together and scrap. Either way, provide a few snacks and beverages, and ask everyone to bring along a project they are working on, or even a finished one to share with the group.
If there is a kids group or teen center in your locale, you could approach the director with the suggestion of an afternoon of scrapbooking to introduce the hobby to the younger generation. You could provide the supplies necessary to have everyone make his or her own layout, or better yet, his or her own album. This does not have to cost a lot, if you use paper bags and scraps to get everyone going on their own album that they make from scratch. That is one of my favorite things about scrapbooking. It does not have to be an expensive craft at all. While it is easy to spend large amounts of money participating in it, someone on a budget can make just as interesting and beautiful layouts and albums as someone with no limits.
You could also inquire at an area school. If a class is too big to get supplies for everyone, maybe you could just go in with some of your own tools and projects to give a demonstration. Kids love to see what the adults in their lives are doing, and teachers are often very open to hobbies such as scrapbooking being shared. It gives kids a look at a hobby they might otherwise not know much about, and it is something any age can participate in, from the very youngest to the old.
Senior centers are also a great place to share this hobby. Call the activity director to inquire if you could come in and help a few residents create albums. Pre-assemble a few paper bag albums, or pick up a few albums from the dollar store if you have one nearby. Gather up some paper, embellishments, tools, and adhesives that you feel will be easy for them to use. Bring along a digital camera with printer and snap a few pictures of each resident as they work on decorating the albums, then provide them with their own pictures and another of their fellow residents to start their book. This way they can show their friends and family how they created their books.
With Mother's Day the second weekend in May, you could spend the first weekend putting together a thank you album for your Mother. By combining the two holidays, you will be spending the time making your gift in a way that you love, and what mother would not appreciate a scrapbook as a gift, especially on a subject that she loves? I can hardly think of a better gift to mark such a momentous day. Create her a scrapbook about her grandkids, her favorite pet, or even herself. Any of these are sure to bring a smile. Plan to take her to lunch and give her the gift after the meal. I promise it will be a big hit! If you have wanted to introduce your mom to scrapbooking, instead of giving her a finished album, give a gift of scrapbook supplies, plus a pack of coupons to turn in, each good for an hour of your time to help her learn the ins and outs of this fun filled hobby.
Be sure to check local sores and online ones this month for special deals in recognition of the holiday. Sharing the hobby of scrapbooking is by far one of the most fun elements of this hobby to begin with. Crops, scrapbook weekends, or an afternoon with friends and supplies are all good ways to enjoy scrapbooking no matter the day or the month. Celebrate national Scrapbooking Month in May!
With scrapbooking as popular an activity as it is, it is no surprise that a whole month (May 2006) has been delegated as National Scrapbooking Month. With a complete month devoted to the activity and the promotion of it, the first weekend has also been devoted to the hobby.
What can you do to make this as momentous an occasion as it is worthy of? How about taking a small amount of time this weekend to introduce a friend or acquaintance to this multi-faceted hobby. You could host a scrapbooking event with your favorite distributor, or make it a very informal event by just having a small gathering to just get together and scrap. Either way, provide a few snacks and beverages, and ask everyone to bring along a project they are working on, or even a finished one to share with the group.
If there is a kids group or teen center in your locale, you could approach the director with the suggestion of an afternoon of scrapbooking to introduce the hobby to the younger generation. You could provide the supplies necessary to have everyone make his or her own layout, or better yet, his or her own album. This does not have to cost a lot, if you use paper bags and scraps to get everyone going on their own album that they make from scratch. That is one of my favorite things about scrapbooking. It does not have to be an expensive craft at all. While it is easy to spend large amounts of money participating in it, someone on a budget can make just as interesting and beautiful layouts and albums as someone with no limits.
You could also inquire at an area school. If a class is too big to get supplies for everyone, maybe you could just go in with some of your own tools and projects to give a demonstration. Kids love to see what the adults in their lives are doing, and teachers are often very open to hobbies such as scrapbooking being shared. It gives kids a look at a hobby they might otherwise not know much about, and it is something any age can participate in, from the very youngest to the old.
Senior centers are also a great place to share this hobby. Call the activity director to inquire if you could come in and help a few residents create albums. Pre-assemble a few paper bag albums, or pick up a few albums from the dollar store if you have one nearby. Gather up some paper, embellishments, tools, and adhesives that you feel will be easy for them to use. Bring along a digital camera with printer and snap a few pictures of each resident as they work on decorating the albums, then provide them with their own pictures and another of their fellow residents to start their book. This way they can show their friends and family how they created their books.
With Mother's Day the second weekend in May, you could spend the first weekend putting together a thank you album for your Mother. By combining the two holidays, you will be spending the time making your gift in a way that you love, and what mother would not appreciate a scrapbook as a gift, especially on a subject that she loves? I can hardly think of a better gift to mark such a momentous day. Create her a scrapbook about her grandkids, her favorite pet, or even herself. Any of these are sure to bring a smile. Plan to take her to lunch and give her the gift after the meal. I promise it will be a big hit! If you have wanted to introduce your mom to scrapbooking, instead of giving her a finished album, give a gift of scrapbook supplies, plus a pack of coupons to turn in, each good for an hour of your time to help her learn the ins and outs of this fun filled hobby.
Be sure to check local sores and online ones this month for special deals in recognition of the holiday. Sharing the hobby of scrapbooking is by far one of the most fun elements of this hobby to begin with. Crops, scrapbook weekends, or an afternoon with friends and supplies are all good ways to enjoy scrapbooking no matter the day or the month. Celebrate national Scrapbooking Month in May!
Monday, May 01, 2006
Cameras for Kids
Ever since my children were quite small, I taught them how to use a camera. Thankfully we live in a day and age when cameras are easy to find and easy to use. I remember being taught how to use a camera in which we had to put a new flash bulb each time we used it. I remember burning my small fingers on the bulb when I took it out before it had cooled down. Yet, when I first taught my children to use a camera, the flash was built in and automatic. They simply had to learn to look through the lens, find what they wanted to photograph, and push the automatic button. In our world of automation, my kids (and I) found it quite easy. Soon, we were buying our five and six-year-old daughters, the small, disposable cameras so they could take pictures if we went somewhere for the weekend. We had to teach them not to waste the cameras just taking pictures of their bedroom or the cat and dog, but they soon learned, and we were amazed at how quickly they took very good photographs.
A few years went by and when my oldest daughter was about nine-years-old, my mother-in-law bought her a Polaroid camera for her birthday. At the time, I was not aware that Polaroid cameras were still being made. We went out and spent an extraordinary amount of money on the film and watched as my daughter happily took the instant pictures and tore through the expensive film in no time. After that, she bought the film with her allowance and soon learned once again, to be sparing in her picture taking; and again, her photography improved.
We also had a video camera that had long since worked well. The battery was outdated and dead, and we could not find another match that would fit, because the camera was so old. The only way the camera could be used was by keeping it plugged into the wall. When our daughters discovered it, we had a little boy staying with us during the day over the summer, while his mother worked. The three of them soon were making their own television shows, movies, and their favorite - interviews. They were entertained for hours, putting on costumes, writing scripts, and having a wonderfully good time with that old, and we thought useless, video camera.
Finally the day came when we purchased (for ourselves, nor our kids) a digital camera. Our daughters were fascinated, of course, and we let them use it from time to time, but each time they did, flashes of dollar signs danced in our heads - the dollar signs it would take to replace the camera, were they to break it. But they were very careful, as we had taught them to be, and before we knew what was happening, they were taking short videos of each other with our camera - something we did not know it could do. Soon, our then thirteen-year-old oldest daughter began putting the short videos on our computer, so we could watch them. She taught herself how to do editing and she began amazingly creative work. After that, our younger daughter joined in, and they began doing things we knew nothing about.
For her twelfth birthday this year, our younger daughter asked for her own digital camera. It was the only thing she wanted. We talked long and hard about such an expense. Was it frivolous? Would she break it? Were we indulging her to do such a thing? Well, as you might imagine, we caved and bought her the camera. Now, months later, they both are using it and they are still amazing us with their video editing and web building skills. Who knows what may be next? One day they both might make careers out of this type of thing; and it all would go back to the days when their dear old parents taught them to use a camera and allowed them to use the high tech, expensive equipment. If that day comes, I know I will look back and thrill that I can say that somehow, I was part of it all!
A few years went by and when my oldest daughter was about nine-years-old, my mother-in-law bought her a Polaroid camera for her birthday. At the time, I was not aware that Polaroid cameras were still being made. We went out and spent an extraordinary amount of money on the film and watched as my daughter happily took the instant pictures and tore through the expensive film in no time. After that, she bought the film with her allowance and soon learned once again, to be sparing in her picture taking; and again, her photography improved.
We also had a video camera that had long since worked well. The battery was outdated and dead, and we could not find another match that would fit, because the camera was so old. The only way the camera could be used was by keeping it plugged into the wall. When our daughters discovered it, we had a little boy staying with us during the day over the summer, while his mother worked. The three of them soon were making their own television shows, movies, and their favorite - interviews. They were entertained for hours, putting on costumes, writing scripts, and having a wonderfully good time with that old, and we thought useless, video camera.
Finally the day came when we purchased (for ourselves, nor our kids) a digital camera. Our daughters were fascinated, of course, and we let them use it from time to time, but each time they did, flashes of dollar signs danced in our heads - the dollar signs it would take to replace the camera, were they to break it. But they were very careful, as we had taught them to be, and before we knew what was happening, they were taking short videos of each other with our camera - something we did not know it could do. Soon, our then thirteen-year-old oldest daughter began putting the short videos on our computer, so we could watch them. She taught herself how to do editing and she began amazingly creative work. After that, our younger daughter joined in, and they began doing things we knew nothing about.
For her twelfth birthday this year, our younger daughter asked for her own digital camera. It was the only thing she wanted. We talked long and hard about such an expense. Was it frivolous? Would she break it? Were we indulging her to do such a thing? Well, as you might imagine, we caved and bought her the camera. Now, months later, they both are using it and they are still amazing us with their video editing and web building skills. Who knows what may be next? One day they both might make careers out of this type of thing; and it all would go back to the days when their dear old parents taught them to use a camera and allowed them to use the high tech, expensive equipment. If that day comes, I know I will look back and thrill that I can say that somehow, I was part of it all!
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