Not long ago, our nearly twelve-year-old daughter asked for a digital camera for Christmas. At first, we did not give this request much thought. A digital camera for a twelve-year-old seems extravagant. We thought she was too young to handle the responsibility of owning such an expensive item, not to mention the cost for us. Plus, even though we say we do not play the game of making everything even, we were perplexed about what we would give her older brother and sister for Christmas, in comparison with buying her a digital camera. Yet, in the few months before Christmas, the idea grew in her mind and each time she asked to borrow our digital camera, we let her do it, and we watched closely.
The fact was, she is a little girl and she wanted the camera for fun. She already had an old polaroid camera her grandmother had given her a few years earlier. She used it constantly, but her allowance was always being eaten up by the high cost of the film. She already knew (better than I, I might add) how to use our digital camera and she even knew how to upload the photos to the computer, and use them for emails and websites. Soon, we decided to at least consider the idea, and do a bit of research on lower-end digital cameras.
We were surprised to learn how quickly the price had come down from when we had first bought our digital camera a few years earlier. We found that we could buy a camera comparable to our own that was only a fraction of what we had paid. Go figure. After talking it over a bit more, we decided that since we could buy her a decent digital camera for well under one hundred dollars, it was worth it. Besides, she was still fixating on the camera, and using ours constantly; not to mention, using up our expensive batteries. We found a good camera and wrapped it up for Christmas.
We had one very surprised little girl in our house on Christmas morning. After telling her over and over that a digital camera was too extravagant and that she should not expect to get one unless she saved her allowance and bought one for herself one day, she was shocked and delighted when she opened the package. She began snapping photos almost immediately and we happily knew we had done the right thing. But it does not end there.
Our daughter soon discovered myspace.com. She and several of her friends had set up sights there and before we knew it, she had put up pictures of the entire family all over her site. The camera became an obsession for her. She took it with her everywhere and was always capturing herself, her friends, the weather, the pets, and even total strangers on her digital camera. We have photos of ourselves as we brush our teeth in the morning, that she snapped as she popped into the bathroom, camera in hand. We have photos of ourselves in the car, driving here and there. We have photos of all of us around the dinner table, the lunch table, the breakfast table, the game table, and in various restaurants. We have photos of all friends and relatives who have come to visit since the camera was acquired, and we have photos of our daughter's basketball team, soccer team, church group, and all her various friends.
When I look back at my own youth, I have one single photo album that covers my middle school and high school years. If we were to put my daughter's photos into an album, we would need an entire library. The world is certainly a different place with computers and digital cameras. Now we can not only keep photos and other remembrances for posterity; we can keep nearly everything. She has managed to take, email, crop and save hundreds and hundreds of photos. While I have photos of the highlights of my young life, she has photos of nearly every move in hers. Yes, it is certainly a different world. But I will say this: the digital camera we bought our daughter has definitely paid for itself!
Friday, October 13, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
My Resume Writing Hobby
A resume is a synopsis of what you have to offer. It should include what you have done. What you know, and who you are. It is easy to say what you want to go on your resume, but its harder to actually take it from your mind and plop it on a piece of paper, making it nice and presentable. You have to make sure that the meat and muscles and facts and figures are all present with out overfilling it with useless junk.
My hobby of the past few years is to make this process as harmless as possible. I have helped many friends and family gain new employment just by making their resume look more presentable. I hope that after you read this short quip, my hobby in resume writing will help you gain the employment that you need without any unneeded hassle.
Before I start, the first thing you must know is your audience. Whom are you writing the resume for? You need to know all about the person or position that is doing the hiring and know as much as you can about the company. You want to play up your experience, training and education so that it suits your potential employer, without telling a lie.
After you have researched the firm that you will be applying to and the department to which you would like to send your resume, you must now choose the type of resume that you would like to create. There are three basic styles of resumes: chronological, functional and creative. Choose the style that will accentuate your abilities the most without over simplifying your best qualities while keeping in consideration your targeted audience.. While you are choosing your favorite style, you should keep in mind that there is not a correct or incorrect style of resume. The following is a brief description as to how to put together each type of aforementioned resume.
Chronological
The chronological resume is the most traditional style of the three. It uses time sequence to list work experiences and education. It usually appears in reverse order, beginning with the most recent.
Functional
The functional resume is the style that focuses on how capable you are and accentuates the skills that you have assessed. Usually, this style of resume style lists the aforementioned attributes by areas and may or may not include dates that the skills were obtained.
Creative
The creative resume is a free-form style and can be extremely effective in displaying your skills and capabilities, especially if you are an artist, writer, actor, public relation personnel or a person in the media.
Once you have isolated your audience and chosen, which style of resume you would like to create, the next step is to ponder the content that you would like to place on your resume. The type information that you think about would greatly depend on the style of resume that you have chosen and your audience that you are trying to reach, but you should follow these general guidelines when thinking about the content.
First you are going to want to make an inventory of your personal information, accentuating all of your skills, strong points, and abilities.
Secondly, you are going to want select seven of your strongest general skills and then translate them into technical abilities that have measurable results as an outcome.
Thirdly, before you start creating your document, you should factor into your skill statements those things that express your personal characteristics and select seven of those that best describe you.
Fourthly, List your accomplishments in the most powerful way.
Next, include any pertinent special interests areas.
After this is completed, you are going to want to list the last four jobs that you have held, starting with the most recent. Make sure that you focus on how the results you have listed relate to your career future.
When doing all of this you are going to make sure that you do not exaggerate. Distorting facts, embellishing or lying is frowned upon and could coast you the position. It is not worth the trouble.
Once all the aforementioned steps are completed, it is now time to place what you have listed into the style that you have selected in the beginning of this exercise. Once completed check you final draft, send it off and hope for the best.
I hope that this help you find the job of your dream.
My hobby of the past few years is to make this process as harmless as possible. I have helped many friends and family gain new employment just by making their resume look more presentable. I hope that after you read this short quip, my hobby in resume writing will help you gain the employment that you need without any unneeded hassle.
Before I start, the first thing you must know is your audience. Whom are you writing the resume for? You need to know all about the person or position that is doing the hiring and know as much as you can about the company. You want to play up your experience, training and education so that it suits your potential employer, without telling a lie.
After you have researched the firm that you will be applying to and the department to which you would like to send your resume, you must now choose the type of resume that you would like to create. There are three basic styles of resumes: chronological, functional and creative. Choose the style that will accentuate your abilities the most without over simplifying your best qualities while keeping in consideration your targeted audience.. While you are choosing your favorite style, you should keep in mind that there is not a correct or incorrect style of resume. The following is a brief description as to how to put together each type of aforementioned resume.
Chronological
The chronological resume is the most traditional style of the three. It uses time sequence to list work experiences and education. It usually appears in reverse order, beginning with the most recent.
Functional
The functional resume is the style that focuses on how capable you are and accentuates the skills that you have assessed. Usually, this style of resume style lists the aforementioned attributes by areas and may or may not include dates that the skills were obtained.
Creative
The creative resume is a free-form style and can be extremely effective in displaying your skills and capabilities, especially if you are an artist, writer, actor, public relation personnel or a person in the media.
Once you have isolated your audience and chosen, which style of resume you would like to create, the next step is to ponder the content that you would like to place on your resume. The type information that you think about would greatly depend on the style of resume that you have chosen and your audience that you are trying to reach, but you should follow these general guidelines when thinking about the content.
First you are going to want to make an inventory of your personal information, accentuating all of your skills, strong points, and abilities.
Secondly, you are going to want select seven of your strongest general skills and then translate them into technical abilities that have measurable results as an outcome.
Thirdly, before you start creating your document, you should factor into your skill statements those things that express your personal characteristics and select seven of those that best describe you.
Fourthly, List your accomplishments in the most powerful way.
Next, include any pertinent special interests areas.
After this is completed, you are going to want to list the last four jobs that you have held, starting with the most recent. Make sure that you focus on how the results you have listed relate to your career future.
When doing all of this you are going to make sure that you do not exaggerate. Distorting facts, embellishing or lying is frowned upon and could coast you the position. It is not worth the trouble.
Once all the aforementioned steps are completed, it is now time to place what you have listed into the style that you have selected in the beginning of this exercise. Once completed check you final draft, send it off and hope for the best.
I hope that this help you find the job of your dream.
Heat Embossing with the EK Colorizer heat Tool
By Christina VanGinkel
Some time ago, I discovered the craft of embossing with a Fiskars ScrapBoss Embossing System. I fell in love with the many crafts and projects that could be enhanced by using embossed embellishments with them, from scrapbook layouts, to handcrafted cards, to bookmarks and more. At the same time, I became interested in the craft of heat embossing but had yet to purchase a heat gun, the main tool required when creating heat embossed pieces. Along with the heat gun, embossing powders and an embossing ink in a pen or pad are also needed.
As much as I enjoy dry embossing, the technique that the Fiskars ScrapBoss Embossing System enabled me to do, I loved the look that heat embossing produced too. Depending on the powder you used with the heat gun and ink, the results I had seen were varied and unique. Some of the powders portrayed a look that could be compared to a plastic sheen even. While both dry and heat embossing produce a raised area of design, the dry embossing is best described as subdued, while heat embossing can be downright flashy when it comes to the finished results.
The hold up for me trying heat embossing was the purchase of the heat tool itself, more commonly referred to as a heat gun or embossing heat tool. After shopping for one at all my usual craft supply haunts, checking out different models and asking others who had used them how much they liked them, I did find one I thought I would like. First, I questioned anyone who would listen if the one they had was comfortable to hold while using, and if they had any issues with the heat emanating from them, such as the gun not heating up quick enough, or being so overheated that they worried about damage to their surrounding work area. Almost everyone I did ask, had a different heat tool or gun, yet one kept coming up in conversation as the one everyone wished they had purchased or if they had it, they loved it, so I ended up going with that particular heat gun, the EK Colorizer Heat Tool.
The EK Colorizer heat Tool has two different heat settings, so it makes it much more versatile than one would imagine, even doubling as a heat gun for stripping and removing old paint. While this was not what I wanted it for, when craft tools such as this cost as much as they do, knowing that they can be used for more than one application is nice. With the proper set up, the EK Colorizer Heat Tool can even be used to heat shrink plastic that is popular
I ordered mine from Joann.com online, using a forty percent off coupon, so I also ended up getting a bargain on the price. The EK Colorizer heat Tool retails for between thirty and forty dollars, but you can find it for less if you shop around. I have since heard that Joann. Com no longer carries this particular product, but I have seen it in several other online stores, so finding one should not be an issue.
Another topic that came up with those I questioned about which heat tool to go with, was a reminder from almost all to be sure to have a clear spot, away from anything flammable to use the Colorizer or any heat tool for that matter. This is definitely not a crafting tool you will want to let your young children borrow, or use around them even. The temperatures of the heat is high enough to easily burn skin, fabric, and ignite paper if left in contact long enough, so caution is mandatory.
The results you can achieve with such a tool though are so fun and can be used in so many ways that once you have the tool and a few powders, you will constantly be looking for more ways to use them. I have made card and scrapbook embellishments, decorated bookmarks, even added enamel embossing to chipboard letters and to the cover of an altered journal I created from an old book.
If you enjoy trying new crafting techniques, and have yet to try heat embossing, be sure to check out this versatile craft and its assorted tools, as you will be sure to find some craft application to use it with!
Some time ago, I discovered the craft of embossing with a Fiskars ScrapBoss Embossing System. I fell in love with the many crafts and projects that could be enhanced by using embossed embellishments with them, from scrapbook layouts, to handcrafted cards, to bookmarks and more. At the same time, I became interested in the craft of heat embossing but had yet to purchase a heat gun, the main tool required when creating heat embossed pieces. Along with the heat gun, embossing powders and an embossing ink in a pen or pad are also needed.
As much as I enjoy dry embossing, the technique that the Fiskars ScrapBoss Embossing System enabled me to do, I loved the look that heat embossing produced too. Depending on the powder you used with the heat gun and ink, the results I had seen were varied and unique. Some of the powders portrayed a look that could be compared to a plastic sheen even. While both dry and heat embossing produce a raised area of design, the dry embossing is best described as subdued, while heat embossing can be downright flashy when it comes to the finished results.
The hold up for me trying heat embossing was the purchase of the heat tool itself, more commonly referred to as a heat gun or embossing heat tool. After shopping for one at all my usual craft supply haunts, checking out different models and asking others who had used them how much they liked them, I did find one I thought I would like. First, I questioned anyone who would listen if the one they had was comfortable to hold while using, and if they had any issues with the heat emanating from them, such as the gun not heating up quick enough, or being so overheated that they worried about damage to their surrounding work area. Almost everyone I did ask, had a different heat tool or gun, yet one kept coming up in conversation as the one everyone wished they had purchased or if they had it, they loved it, so I ended up going with that particular heat gun, the EK Colorizer Heat Tool.
The EK Colorizer heat Tool has two different heat settings, so it makes it much more versatile than one would imagine, even doubling as a heat gun for stripping and removing old paint. While this was not what I wanted it for, when craft tools such as this cost as much as they do, knowing that they can be used for more than one application is nice. With the proper set up, the EK Colorizer Heat Tool can even be used to heat shrink plastic that is popular
I ordered mine from Joann.com online, using a forty percent off coupon, so I also ended up getting a bargain on the price. The EK Colorizer heat Tool retails for between thirty and forty dollars, but you can find it for less if you shop around. I have since heard that Joann. Com no longer carries this particular product, but I have seen it in several other online stores, so finding one should not be an issue.
Another topic that came up with those I questioned about which heat tool to go with, was a reminder from almost all to be sure to have a clear spot, away from anything flammable to use the Colorizer or any heat tool for that matter. This is definitely not a crafting tool you will want to let your young children borrow, or use around them even. The temperatures of the heat is high enough to easily burn skin, fabric, and ignite paper if left in contact long enough, so caution is mandatory.
The results you can achieve with such a tool though are so fun and can be used in so many ways that once you have the tool and a few powders, you will constantly be looking for more ways to use them. I have made card and scrapbook embellishments, decorated bookmarks, even added enamel embossing to chipboard letters and to the cover of an altered journal I created from an old book.
If you enjoy trying new crafting techniques, and have yet to try heat embossing, be sure to check out this versatile craft and its assorted tools, as you will be sure to find some craft application to use it with!
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