Life's Great Moments

How are you capturing your
treasured moments in time?

Do you take lots of photos?
Maybe you have a journal or
keep a calendar.

Have you thought about joining
the craze that is sweeping the
country?

What is it? Scrapbooking.

Yes, Scrapbooking has become
one of the most popular hobbies
in the country.

Not only is it a fun hobby, but
a terrific way of keeping those
treasured moments organized in
a spectacular presentation.

And, when it comes to creating a
gift for a special occasion what
could possibly be more personal
than a themed scrapbook for that
someone special?

Scrapbooking isn't your Grandma's
old-fashioned album. We've come
a long way and learning the do's
and dont's of the craft does
require a little expertise.

Not to worry, everything you
need to know is available in
one clearly written presentation.

Great time and care was taken
to make sure we compiled a
guide that would cater to each
person's specific need.

We understand that there are
those who have been scrapbooking
for years and those who have
just started scrapbooking.

This guide is perfect for your
own personal use. It is also
great as a gift to someone you
know and care about.

Take your time, read through
the book and let your imagination
take you on a journey.

Scrapbooking - Life's Great
Moments in the ultimate guide
to scrapbooking for the novice
as well as the experienced
scrapbooker.

Find out just what the buzz is
all about and get your questions
answered at:
http://www.changinglivesforever.ispeedway.com

Coin Collecting – The Best Places To Find Coins

The best advice that can possibly be given to someone starting out in the fascinating hobby of coin collecting is to "buy the book before you buy the coin". Not doing the necessary research before diving in could prove to be a very expensive mistake.

You don't want to turn your potentially fascinating hobby into a potentially frustrating nightmare by failing to understand first principles of what you are getting into. A little bit of research now can save a lot of heartache later.

One often advised method of starting is simply to collect the coins currently in circulation. This can give you a great introduction without involving any risk whatsoever, as you can take the coins and spend them if you decide the hobby is not for you. You can, however, learn an enormous amount by studying these current circulation coins, their markings and features and comparing them to the reference book you have hopefully bought!

Once you have started collecting the coins currently in circulation, you can broaden your horizons and move into other areas. Hopefully, coin collecting will not only prove a fascinating hobby, but also a great chance to meet like minded people and make new friends.

The most obvious place to find collectible coins is in a specialist coin shop, which exist in all major town and cities and even in some villages which are antiques and collectors centres. These shops are often run by people with extensive knowledge and experience and can be an extremely valuable source of knowledge, help and information, as well as obviously a great source of coins themselves. You are very unlikely to pick up a bargain this way, because the dealers will have intimate knowledge of catalogue prices, as well as the prices coins can realistically fetch in the open market. What you will be able to do is source many rare and unusual items, by asking these specialist dealers to search them out for you.

Specialist coin dealers are also regularly found at coin fairs and shows. The big advantage of this is that there will be several dealers all together in the one place, allowing you to shop around for the exact stock you want and compare prices.

Many coins can also be found at events, which are not exclusively for coin dealers, such as general antique fairs, flea markets and craft shows. As these are not specialist events, you need to take extreme care in making sure that dealers are not just offloading problem stock such as marked or damaged coins. On the other hand, it is also possible to pick up bargains from a retailer who does not specialize and just happens to have picked up coins as part of a general lot.

You can also buy coins from mail order dealers, although in this case you will have to be more careful, as you will have no opportunity to examine the goods before you buy them. In this case it is absolutely imperative that you make sure that the mail order dealer has an adequate returns policy. There have been far too many cases of coins being graded too highly by unscrupulous dealers, or even coins with serious defects being sold to unsuspecting newcomers to the hobby. Make sure, if you are inexperienced, that you get the opinion of someone you can trust and return the coins to the dealer if they are not as described.

Of course there are now many coin dealers on the internet offering near instant payment and dispatch, but again you will have no opportunity to examine the coins before you are charged. Again, make sure there is an adequate returns policy.

A newcomer to coin collecting would be well advised to stay away from specialist or general auctions and from direct dealing with other collectors, unless those collectors are well known to him as being trustworthy. Start slowly in the hobby at first and expand as your knowledge grows.

Do, however, join a local club if you possibly can. Meeting like-minded people and making new friends is surely one of the great benefits of any leisure pursuit. Getting hold of a good book and joining a local club will be your two most important steps in gaining knowledge quickly, avoiding being exploited as a newcomer and being able to enjoy your hobby as quickly and effectively as possible.

Dyson Sweepers: These Ain't Your Grandma's Vacuums

Remember the "olden days" of using the all metal vacuum that weighed just shy of infinity and proceeded to tell you it was turned on with a welcoming cloud of dust exiting the "couch material" bag?

Well today's vacuums are lighter, quieter, much more powerful and generally make the job of vacuuming the house a little more pleasant. And the top-of-MY-list vacuum for doing it is the Dyson. Here's why.

The Dyson simply out-sucks all the other vacuums we've owned - and that's a good thing. It's simply amazing how well it does this no matter how full the canister gets. I'm amazed at all the stuff that's seen swirling around in the canister every time I use it. It's seems as if someone came in since the last time and emptied a shovelful of fine dirt all over our floors.

The Dyson vacuum is user friendly. I like being able to vacuum and have 99% of the tools I need right with me. Hardly a break through I know for today's vacuums, but the Dyson just seems to provide these tools in a 'friendly' way without having them be in the way. And using the hose and extension handle is a snap - literally.

On all but the DC07 model, simply pull out an aluminum extension piece, put on your attachment of choice, release the hose and out comes 17 feet of hose extension that easily handles a stairway. On the DC07 you'll need to flip the handle around and reinsert it into the hose but after 2 years, I've become sharp enough to probably put a smile on the marines who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - BaddaBoom-BaddaBing done.

The cord is long enough that I can do an entire floor of our house without having to unplug and relocate. This saves those annoying times when you're trying to squeeze just that "last extra foot" out of the cord only to be rewarded with complete silence.

And the canister is generally a snap to empty as well without having to get my hands dirty unclogging the thing. Plus, it's so cool to see all that dirt - who's house did all that come from anyways? - swirling around like a mouse running sideways on its wheel. All in all, I just don't mind running the vacuum anymore and I think a big part of the reason is because now I can actually see what I'm picking up and feel a great sense of accomplishment.

No, todays vacuums sure aren't the noisy, dusty, where-the-heck-is-the-brush-attachment beast of yesteryear. I've owned many different brands of vacuums over the past 20+ years of marriage and the Dyson sweepers are some of the best I've seen.

Try Crafting For Your Next Hobby

Why should I or anyone for that matter get involved in crafting? Well...first things first, have you noticed how prices just keep getting higher and higher? Who can afford to give a decent gift to anyone nowadays? But...if you make the gift yourself it can be done for a fraction of the cost, not to mention the fact that everyone admires and wishes they could do the crafting themselves.

Well you can! All you have to do is try. Crafting is one area that creativity itself is often inspired by necessity. And amazingly enough new crafters usually find that they fall in love with crafting. Many people start out crafting because they have no choice, they needed something to give to someone or they could not afford to buy ready made things for their own home. In the process of learning how to save money they discover this amazing person inside of themselves, this creative and talented person that they never would have believed they could be.

You too can become more creative. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and each and every one of us has our own concepts of what is beautiful. Each of us has hidden talents just waiting to be accessed. Once you get started you will be amazed at how quickly your mind will become flooded with ideas for things you can make. Anything you see was crafted by someone. Why not you?

Where do I start?

Well, what do you need? Once you know why you need a gift then you can look for something to fit the person you want to make the gift for.
I needed a gift for my friend who had just bought her first home and I wanted it to be something special as a housewarming gift. She has always used tons of candles in her home so I found a log that had an interesting shape and cut it so that it was about six inches high by ten or twelve inches around. I cleaned the wood and sanded it top and bottom then carved out an area in the middle to pour the wax, that I had colored in green to match her new living room. The wax was a green apple scent and I poured it into the area I had carved out of the center of the log. A little polish on the top and I had a gift that I was proud of and she really enjoyed it also.

Crafting is anything you make yourself! And there are all kinds of crafts that you can choose to do. There's needle work such as embroidery both hand embroidery and machine embroidery, crochet, cross stitching, smocking and knitting just to name a few.

There's jewelry making such as beading, wire twisting and silver smiting (silver smiting is not as hard as some people think).

There's wreath making for all kinds of holidays.

Candle making can be even more creative than you think.

Painting both with oils and water colors.

Then there's the junk art that has become so popular and is made from things you find in and around your own home.

There are many more forms of crafting that have not been mentioned here and I'm sure even more are being created as we speak, so have a great day and happy crafting!

How To Make Origami

The art of paper folding has been a part of many cultures for a very long time, but it is the story of a little Japanese girl named Sadako that really brought origami into the public's eye. The story of this dying girl and her quest to fold 1000 paper cranes in order to receive her heart's desire, as per the Japanese legend, has been transfigured into many books and movies. The paper crane has become the most widely known symbol for origami and has motivated many people not only to learn about this beautiful art form, but also to learn how to make origami. This article offers some tips on how anyone can started making origami, and for those who already have some knowledge, how to further your origami skills.

The word origami comes from the Japanese words oru (to fold) and kami (paper), and although not all styles of paper folding originated in Japan, they are now all united under this title. Origami is defined as the creation of art through various folds and crease patterns. There are a few basic folds that are used repeatedly in most patterns, and it is essential to learn these basic folds in order to learn how to make origami. The models are created from square sheets of paper that are sold in various different colors and sizes. It is also possible to find foil-backed origami paper, two-toned origami paper, and patterned origami paper. The objects created through origami range from the simple, such as paper hats, to the extremely intricate, such as models of famous buildings or animals in motion.

If you're looking to learn how to make origami, then the best place to start is at your local library or bookstore. There are many books available that range from very basic for those who are just starting, to advanced, for those looking to expand their knowledge and skill in this art-form. These books are offered both according to your level and according to various themes. It is possible to find books containing animals, toys, holiday themed models, or even a mixture to satisfy any origami craving you may have. These books feature step-by-step instructions, and usually include diagrams, so that anyone should feel confident enough should they choose to learn how to make origami.

The internet is also a great source for tips on how to make origami. There are thousands of patterns online, as well as forums where you can ask questions and get answers from other origami aficionados around the world. Keep in mind that origami is complicated, so it's natural to have questions or struggle with some of the patterns. If the diagrams and the forums aren't enough to help you learn it's also possible to find someone in your area who is knowledgeable about origami, or to find a class. There are many people around the world who are considered to be origami professionals, and these professionals are a great help in learning how to make origami.

Robert J. Lang, who resides in Alamo, California, is one such origami professional. In fact, he has been a full-time origami artist for thirty years now, and he is considered to be one of the world's foremost authorities on origami. He has written many books and created many models, as well as helped to put forward theories of technical origami. Technical origami is a more complicated form of origami which works from a pattern of creases to create more complex models that appear more life-like than the traditional origami patterns. Although this may seem complex, it is definitely something to work towards after having learned the basics of how to make origami, and learning from someone like Robert, who does origami full time, might be just the thing to jump-start your appreciation for this art form, as well as your skill as an origami artist.

The Simple History of Dollhouses

The history of dollhouses is one that has led to the delight of children as well as adults. It is believed that the origin of the dollhouse can be dated back over 400 years, although true documentation did not begin until much later in the 1800's. Regardless of when the dollhouse was first introduced, the history is rich with the stories of the children and adults who have been swept away by the magic of the dollhouse.

1) It is believed that dollhouses originated as early as the 1500's. At this time, it was only the children of wealthy aristocrats who were given such a spectacular toy. These dollhouses were not often designed based on the mansions and castles of the aristocrat's homes, but were certainly more ornate than the houses of commoners. At this time they were used to provide the children with entertainment and nothing more.

2) It wasn't until the 1800's in Germany that dollhouses began to be manufactured on a large scale. While the houses and furnishings were still handmade, they became more elaborate thanks to newer and more intricate tools that were available. These dollhouses were made for the masses, so that not just children of the wealthy could own them. While they were still out of reach of those children with little money, families with some means were able to give their children a beautiful dollhouse.

3) Throughout the years, dollhouses have silently taught children about family life and growing into adulthood. They have also provided a creative outlet for the imaginations of generations of children. Dollhouses are often passed down from generation to generation. This allows for families to spend time together and even play together. It can be a wonderful experience between parent and child.

4) At some point, although a specific time is unknown, dollhouses transcended from a child's toy into a valuable possession and collectable. Dollhouses were played with less and displayed more behind glass. Each ornate piece became more valuable as time went on. This still continues today. There are an abundance of dollhouse museums that showcase the true beauty of these collections and also the history behind them.

5) Children today are not left without the magic of the dollhouse, but it has changed dramatically over the years. Barbie introduced the world to her "Dream Home" and since then, most children are presented with dollhouses made of plastic. While these make wonderful toys, there is certainly something lacking from the beautiful wooden dollhouses of years ago. These dollhouses come complete with furnishings and dolls. This takes a bit of the adventure out of finding new treasures to place in the dollhouse.

The history of the dollhouse is not very complex, but neither is the joy that these "toys" can bring. The dollhouse has given children endless hours of entertainment and adults the chance to create a beautiful collection of miniatures. Regardless of where the future of dollhouses goes, it is sure that dollhouses will be beloved by all.

Curtains And Drapes - Dressing Up Your Windows

There are so many different window treatments on the market, that it can get confusing. You could even be tempted to just go with boring shutters, or cheap blinders. Basic functionality aside, these options leave a lot to be desired.

Curtains or drapes aren't just for decorating windows. There are three important functions they should provide in addition to the basic functionality of blinds or shutters. Which of the three is most important depends on your needs and preferences for the room.

The three functional elements of draperies or curtains

Privacy is an important feature of any window treatment. A fabric that is sheer works fine during the day, but falls short on privacy during night time. Any curtain set should include a thick material for privacy concerns.

Next, your drapes should provide control over the light entering a room. This helps with keeping temperatures cool during summer days, or with darkness for a much needed daytime nap. Any drapes or curtains you select for a window should provide this level of light control.

Last but not least, any drapes and curtains should compliment the decode of the room. A simple change in curtain material pattern can make a big impact on the look of any room interior. But this can also be the most difficult part of the selection process, since individual taste is involved. If there's more than one person involved in the decision process, it can become difficult.

The different types of drapes and curtains

Curtains and drapes are available in an almost unlimited array of prints, fabrics, designs and shapes. Sun facing windows are well served by thicker materials. More sheer material layers fit the bill for privacy without total darkness.

Your window treatments can be simple, functional and inexpensive, or you can go with pricier compliments to your home decode. Either direction that suites you, there are plenty of products available.

With all the different drapery styles and types available, the real trick can be in sussing out all the options to settle on the perfect curtains for you.

Make Your Dollhouse Special with Custom Flooring

A special touch to any dollhouse is the warmth and character that you put into it. And part of that character is the type of flooring you install, whether wood, area rugs or carpet. Installing flooring in your dollhouse can require a bit of research to get familiar with the options and techniques involved. You need to determine what type of floor covering material will best create the look and feel you want. Flooring does not have to be expensive, considering the choices of discount dollhouse wood flooring, carpet, and rugs available.

There are many options for floor covers for dollhouse rooms. Carpet is one, though be sure to choose a carpet that doesn't fray when cut and that the color you choose blends well with the room décor you have in mind. Adding a throw or embroidered dollhouse rug or placing an area carpet over a wood floor enhances a lived-in look. There are some beautiful oriental and patterned carpets on the miniatures market to make your dollhouse décor stand out.

The options in hardwood flooring have gone beyond simple slats as well. Now, discount dollhouse wood flooring, carpet, and rug suppliers offer parquetry in styles that are just as beautiful as what you might have in your own home. Patterns fitted together create stars or patchwork squares of light and dark wood. Interlocking frames and sub-assemblies for a more professional appearance are also available. Most wood flooring options come in either strips affixed to paper backing for easy installation, veneer sheets you can scribe into slats yourself, or wooden strips you can cut and glue into place.

An interesting type of flooring is a stone floor. Stone floors are good for greenhouse rooms or capturing a sense of the outdoors to bring it into the dollhouse rooms. Creating a stone floor is as easy as using clay and a rolling pin to achieve the thicknesses of flooring you want. Once the clay is rolled out, you can apply a flagstone tile sheet to imprint the look of individual stones or use a scribing tool to design your own freehand stone flooring design. A touch of paint replicates grout joints nicely.

For kitchens and bathrooms, no-wax linoleum or tile flooring is certainly a choice that shrinks real life into miniature size. The vinyl sheets are easy to cut with an Exacto knife or scissors, and patterns range from tiled to marble to solid colors. Vinyl flooring also offers options such as brick or hexagonal tile patterns. Some patterns of tile floor rival the best real-life mosaics for color and design.

Running your electrical wiring for lights and other needs must be taken care of before you lay down any type of flooring in your dollhouse. In addition, it is best to install wallpaper first so that the flooring will hide where the edge of the paper meets the floor. Before laying down your carpet or wood flooring, remove all traces of dust and make sure the floor is perfectly clean. Choose the right adhesive for a flooring job that lasts.