Pink Ghost Blog

When you are looking at the workshop layout for woodworking each wood worker will be faced with a unique set of challenges in order to build one that is right for them. Firstly they will need to decide where it is going to be located. Will it be in the basement, the garage or will it have its own dedicated building? Certainly the decision on where it is located is probably the most important decision that a wood worker will need to make with regard to their workshop. Once this has been decided they can move on to the next stage.

There are a number of different things that need to be considered when planning the layout of your woodworking workshop and this includes lighting, where the electrical tools are to be located, where your tools will be stored and how any dust will be collected.

Through this article we will provide some guidelines, which can help you to decide on the best layout possible for your woodworking workshop. Plus by ensuring that you have developed a great layout for your workshop you will stop yourself from spending years in an uncomfortable as well as poorly organized space that you are going to be using on a regular basis. However, below we will look at two of the most important ones.

1. Lighting

This is one of the biggest considerations you need to look at when designing a layout for your woodworking workshop. You will need to consider what type of lighting that you will need, is there any natural light available and would you be better to use fluorescent lighting instead of incandescent in the workshop? Yet even if you do a wide variety of lighting sources in order to ensure that your workshop is well light it is also a good idea to include some lighting to each workstation.

2. Placement of the Machines

When beginning to design your workshop layout for woodworking it is important that you decide exactly where all your basic machinery is to be placed. What you need to remember is that you will need a clearance area around the machines in case you have to work with large pieces of wood. Also look at a way of setting up the placement of the machines so that you do not have to spend your time running from one machine to another because they are spread wide apart around the workshop. Plus you need to look at their location so that they are close to all the power supplies that they need, as you do not want to end up having loads of electrical wires running across the workshop floor, which can be a major hazard.

Plan your woodworking shop with care and it will take care of your needs for many years to come.

The remote control industry has evolved as a whole, but amphibious remote control toys have advanced in leaps and bounds. There is a lot more being offered than the old plastic boats you use to see.

There have been several real vehicles that have been designed to run on both land and water. Most of these vehicles have had military functions such as the amphibious tank. There have been some experimental amphibious combination automobiles and boats, but none have enjoyed much commercial success. Where the real vehicles fall short, however, the remote control world has stepped right in to produce amphibious remote control toys.

The military style vehicles such as tanks and amphibious personnel carriers have been reproduced in remote control scale models. Military reproductions are a popular classification of remote control vehicles. Since many are amphibious, this has carried over to the remote control reproductions. The combination auto and boat has also emerged as a remote control favorite. The operator can drive it right into a lake or pond and with a push of a button, the wheels retract and it becomes a power boat. What never could be completely mastered in real is possible in the Remote control Hobby.

Another variation on this theme is the amphibious airplane. In this case, the seaplane has been in use almost since the beginning of aviation. The remote control models are equipped with skis in the same manner as real seaplanes and take off and land on bodies of water. Although these types of remote control toys are not as common as the land/water amphibious models, they do exist or can be built. They represent an additional challenge to the remote control flyer, but do have an advantage in that water makes a softer landing field. The damage in a crash might be reduced assuming the craft can be successfully recovered.

One of the most unique of the amphibious remote control toys is the stunt vehicle. A good example is the remote control Stunt Chariot Amphibious Vehicle. This crazy example of the imagination possible in the remote control hobby is a stunt vehicle capable of doing wheelies, flips, and 360 degree donuts. With a click of a button, the wheels retract, and the Chariot turns into a powerful watercraft. It is designed so that it can deliver four cans of your favorite beverage to a friend on land or in the water.

The amphibious remote control toy is yet example of how only the imagination has set limits on what can be done in the area of remote controlled vehicles. As the hobby has grown in recent years, just about any type of vehicle that really operates has been duplicated in a scaled down version for remote controlled play. Some vehicles that never quite made it or are totally impractical in full size have made their way into the hobby too. The Stunt Chariot is certainly one of these.

Bird feeders are a wonderful source of entertainment. There are so many different birds you can attract by offering them some food, especially in the winter months when the food is hard to come by. Birds love to be fed all year but really depend on the feeders during the cold snowy season.

During migration season, you can see birds that are rarely seen, but will stop by each year for some food from your feeder. There are even organizations you can join whose members count the birds seen in their areas at different times of the year to help keep track of what species are living in what areas.

Different feeders attract different birds so if you wish to bring birds to your yard, you need to learn a little about the different birds, feeders and foods. Learn which feeders work best for the species you want to attract.

Feeders are widely available in many stores and online in many different styles. Some hold very tiny seed while some are designed for larger seeds. Hummingbird feeders hold a syrupy nectar.

Prices vary greatly depending on the style and quality. When purchasing a bird feeder, look for quality in the manufacturing and strong hangers. Metal reinforcing around the feeder holes will help prevent pesky squirrels from chewing through and ruining your feeder.

If you are just starting out feeding birds, you may want to start with a large tray feeder. Choose one that will allow many birds to eat at once and hold plenty of food.

The last two years we have had a beautiful Baltimore Oriole hanging out in our large maple tree. Orioles tend to stay in the tops of trees are you don't see a lot of them. But their beautiful song is unmistakable. It's such a treat to have an oriole sing to you in the morning.

Some animals such as squirrels, cats and dogs can be a problem around your feeders chasing off the birds. There are many solutions to the problems you can have with these pests.

The placement of bird houses will also increase the variety of birds you find. You can even find a combination of a bird house and feeder.

You will be amazed at the variety and beauty of the birds that will come once you extend the invitation. Just invite a few over for dinner and sit back and enjoy.

Copyright 2007 - Alice Scott

SHIP MODEL BUILDING - WHERE DO I BEGIN

At CAST YOUR ANCHOR, we are often asked a number of questions about ship model building from people who are interested in starting the hobby. We have compiled questions that are typically asked during the selection processes. Check out our web site at Cast Your Anchor.

What is the most important thing I should know before I start the hobby of model ship model building? The model building experience is meant to be fun not frustrating. By selecting the right model for your skill level you will achieve a piece of art that you will be very proud of. During the process, you will find that you will become very interested in learning both the construction techniques and the history of the model you have selected to build. The most important thing to remember though is to have fun.

What is a good starter kit? There are two somewhat challenging tasks when assembling a model. Construction of the hull and rigging. To begin with, look for a hull that is somewhat straight or square shaped. A schooner type boat is also a good entry level shape. Bending and tapering wood for these types of models can be done without any special tools. You want to have a model that has some rigging and even a few rat lines but not layers of rigging that you will have to contend with. Check out our challenging model ships for the enthusiast.

What is the difference between manufacturers of kits? Generally speaking, North American manufactured kits will have to be painted. The second layer of wood for planking the hull of a European kit will generally be a good quality veneer. This gives you the option to paint the model or leave the wood natural.

Why are some kits more expensive than others? Other than the size of the model, the quality and range of fittings and wood will be better in a kit that is more expansive. You can buy a less expensive kit and change out the fittings and wood to a higher quality if you wish.

What kind of tools do I need? We always recommend keeping the tool selection simple. First, look around your home to see what you already have or can adapt. A good hobby knife, small saw and miter box, glue and sandpaper will get you going. You can make many home made jigs that will help you in the construction of the model.

What are instructions like that come with the kits? North American kits come with reasonably good instructions. There can be issues with some of the European terminology. Entry level kit instructions are also fairly explicit. With intermediate level and ambitious kits, the instructions usually apply to the particular model itself as opposed to general modeling techniques. There are very good books on general model building that you can use to augment the instructions that come with the kit

What if I break a piece or run out of material that comes with the kit? We are able to obtain all material that comes with a kit. Extra wood, rigging and fittings are available so there should be no worries about running out of material.

How do I start the construction? Most kits are plank on frame. It is really important to build a good frame. The frame consists of a false keel, bulkheads and false decks. Although all of the pre-shaped pieces of wood are laser cut, they will require some sanding. With the frame built correctly, you won't have much trouble with the application of the planking materials.

Above all, have fun, enjoy the ship model building experience. Learn building techniques and the history of the ship that you are building. Remember that no matter what your children say to you today about your endeavours, they will appreciate your effort years from now.

Spring is a welcoming time of renewal, and what better way to welcome friends and family to your home than with a creative and personal spring wreath! Even better when you can make it for under $5! Here's how…

Pick up supplies at your local dollar shop or discount store. You'll need a grapevine or straw wreath base, a roll of ribbon, and various little decorative items.

Choose a theme for your wreath. I used inspiration as mine, but you could use gardening, Easter, sewing, children, nature, birds, dogs,tea party…the list is endless, use your imagination!

Decorative items need to be small so they can be wired or glued easily to the wreath base. I searched the scrapbooking section for some terrific themed items! Most craft stores have a "wood" aisle where they sell lots of wooden cutouts in various themes for as low as a quarter a piece!

Wrap your wreath with ribbon, and tie in the back or use a glue gun to secure. Next lay out your items on the wreath until you find a pleasing composition…it often looks best for things not to line up perfectly. Now add your focal items…mine were inspirational words that I wired on. You can either use floral wire, or do like I did and strip the paper from those twisty ties that come with your bread. Fill in with colorful background players…since mine was a springtime wreath about inspiration, I used birds and butterflies! Finally, tuck in a few floral picks to add that springtime style! No need to go buy expensive bunches, I just snipped these from some silk branches I already owned. You can also pick up little floral picks from the craft store.

Voila…easy, quick, and it may not be expensive, but it has so much personality, no one will notice!

Don't overlook using those dollar shop wreaths on their own, tucked into bookshelves, leaned against mantels, or hanging as grouping on the wall.

Welcome Spring into your home with a handmade wreath that is an expression of you and your family. (And all it took was a quick trip to the dollar shop and the craft store, and a measly $5!)A photo of this project is available at http://thebudgetdecorator.com/spring_wreath.html

These days many beginners enter the hobby with a ARTF(almost ready to fly) model, they are often reluctant to build there first model airplane, thinking the building will be difficult, the tools complex and they will need a large area to set up a workshop and will need to invest a large sum of money.

Nothing could be further from the truth, there are advanced modelers who have devoted entire rooms or have erected workshops in which to enjoy there hobby, but the basic model airplane can easily be built in a corner of any home, I personally have built many models myself on a board on the kitchen table.

When I built my first model all those years ago I did not have a clue,It was built on a old dining room table without a building board and the parts where held in place while the glue (balsa cement in those days) dried by window glazing tacks knocked in with a small hammer, luckily as I said the table was old and I lived to tell the tale,

However I hope this article will guide a beginner through the setting up of a simple but adequately equipped model workshop,sufficient for the construction of most model kits and many scratch built models as well,Where possible I will show how some common household items and a few basic tools available in the larger DIY store can substitute for more expensive modeling tools

Where specialized tools are available or desirable, hopefully this article will help in choosing which of several tools will give the biggest value

The Workspace


The minimum space needed to build the average R/C trainer is a area of about 5 feet by 5 feet,While it might be useful to have a larger area, this space will be adequate to construct most free flight,control line and radio controlled model airplanes, a place near a electrical socket and well lighted being the main points to consider, also it needs to be somewhere where it would not be a problem if wood scraps,sanding dust or glue ended up on the floor and can easily be cleaned up, A large carpet remnant or a old rug under the worktable would prove helpful here.

The Building Board


A good flat building board is the most important and basic tool, fortunately, it is also one of the least expensive. Although there are factory made building boards available, thousands of models have been built on a standard drawing board . A good store bought alternative is a cheap cork faced notice board from a local store.

To keep the building board straight and free of warps, bows or twists, the building board should be laminated to a sheet of 3/4" Medium Density Fiberboard ("MDF") Ply or Melamine faced chipboard could also be used. Such a laminated building board can be easily picked up and moved out of sight if the workspace needs to be cleared for other activities. This is what I use personally glued together with PVA wood glue and screwed around the frame, the frame can be removed from the notice board if you wish,should it get in the way.

A worktable will also be needed to set the building board upon. Many modelers have discovered that a card table set up in a corner is a perfectly adequate workbench for building smaller models. Others have used a kitchen or dining room table, but this can be a source of annoyance for other family members. Ideally, there will be a corner of a room where a workbench can be set up on a semi-permanent basis, and if there is room, a hollow core door resting on strips of wood screwed to the wall makes a very nice, sturdy and stable modeling workbench.

If a built in workbench is not possible, but space is available, setting a door on top of a couple of trestles works well

If a hollow core door is used as a bench top, be aware that the quality of these doors varies. The cheapest of the hollow core doors have a cardboard honeycomb core, which does not adequately support the outer veneer layers. It is best to shop around for a better quality door with a wood lattice core. These tend to stay flat over time. Ideally, the worktable should be sturdy enough that a person can sit on it without damaging it, but with a portable worktable this may not be possible.

If a permanent workshop is set up, an L or U shaped set of work tables along two or three adjoining walls makes an excellent family craft center where two or more people can work together, or on separate projects. These tables can be made out of hollow core doors or doubled layers of particle board or MDF, supported by wall strips and 2"x2" softwood legs.

The workbench or table must be stable and provide a flat, clear space where the building board can be set up and left undisturbed.

Basic Tools


To get started with nearly every model airplane kit, some basic tools will be needed. These are the tools a builder must have before starting to build.

Dressmaker's Pins

Dressmaker's pins will be needed to pin parts together and to pin them to the building board. They come in several sizes, and in packages of 50 or 100. The smaller ones will be better for pinning the parts together. Bigger ones will work better for pinning large parts down to the building board. Since they are quite cheap, the best thing to do is get a package each of large and small.

Hobby Knife or Utility Knife

Most of the cutting required to build the average R/C trainer can be done with a hardware store utility knife. The STANLEY 99E retractable utility knife comes with enough spare blades to finish a plane. Both the knife and the blades are readily available at variety and hardware stores.

An X-Acto knife handle and a supply of #11 blades is nice to have as a second knife, but the blades are more expensive and sometimes hard to find. Swan-Morton produce a flat handle modeling knife that wont rool away and both the knife and blades are reasonably cheap, Modern kits have many pre-cut parts, so an official hobby knife is not mandatory, and the utility knife will come in handy for many household chores as well. A cutting board will also be needed and usally I use a hardboard offcut

Sandpaper

An assortment of sandpaper will be needed. an assortment of five sheets that has Very Fine (220) Fine (150) and Medium (100). One of these packages and a package of coarse (60) should be bought.

A good sanding block can be made from a piece of scrap softwood

Ruler

A twelve-inch ruler is a necessity. A grade school ruler is sufficient, but a good quality steel ruler is much preferred. It is also very useful to have a steel yardstick, which does double duty as an accurate straightedge. An architect's or engineer's scale, the triangular kind, will come in handy for later models.

Clamps

It is possible to buy clamps esecialy for model use,but for the most part you can get by with a good supply of rubber bands and some clothes pegs

Glue

A stock of several types of glue should be kept. These are the types commonly and traditionally used for model building

PVA

PVA or woodworking glue works very well for building model airplanes. It has the advantage of being water based and therefore less toxic. Also, PVA Glue is slow drying and less likely to cause warps and does a good job of gluing the woods used in model airplanes. For most purposes, white PVA glue is stronger than the woods used, and is easy to clean up. The yellow glues tack up and dry more quickly, but they are more expensive and more difficult to clean up.

Epoxy Glue

Thirty-Minute Epoxy Glue is traditionally used to glue firewalls to fuselages, install landing gear mounts and join together wing halves. It is fuel proof and very strong.

Cyanoacrylate Glue

Cyanoacrylate glues are sometimes called CA or Super Glue. CA comes in three varieties; regular, sometimes called thin, medium, and thick. CA is very fast setting, and strong. It is also relatively expensive.

To use CA, the joint must be fabricated very carefully, and the parts are clamped or held tightly together. A drop of CA is placed on the joint, which is almost instantly welded together. This is convenient, however, if is care is not take, the glue will penetrate through the pores of the wood and stick clamps or fingers to the model airplane.

CA gives off a fine, smoky mist that can really sting eyes and noses. These fumes can cause severe allergic reactions. Some people build up a heightened chemical sensitivity to CA over time. It is important to have good air circulation in the building area if any possibly toxic glue is used, but this is especially important with CA.

Covering Iron

Most beginning modelers will cover airplanes with plastic iron on, heat shrink film. This is the cheapest and fastest way to get a nice, fuel proof finish on models. If a lot of planes are going to be built, the builder will want to get a specially made hobby iron and also a hobby heat gun, however, a plain laundry iron can be used in a pinch, and is fine for the first plane. Inexpensive irons can be bought at a thrift store by those on a tight budget. I personaly use a small traveling iron obtained fro Argos

Secondary Building Tools
There are some other tools that may be needed to finish an airplane. They may not be needed right away, but they will come in handy before construction is complete.

Combination Square

A six-inch combination square is very useful to line up the pieces as everything is glued together. A combination square has a steel ruler that slides back and forth. It will help in making accurate 45-degree and 90-degree corners, and to mark out repeated measurements. If a six-inch combination square cannot be found, a 12-inch can be used but this will be awkward to use on model airplanes.

Protractor

The plain, school variety of protractor in the familiar semi-circular shape is all that is required for laying out and measuring angles.

Compass or Dividers

The school type compass is adequate for laying out circles and arcs. However, a set of good quality wing dividers also does a nice job of transferring measurements from drawings to wood when building more advanced models.

Drafting Triangles.

Although these are not strictly necessary, they are very helpful to line up parts and for making sketches of assemblies. Standard 45-degree and 30-60 degree triangles are very useful in all types of layouts.

Razor Saw

The razor saw is another tool that is not strictly necessary, A razor saw makes much faster straight or angle cuts in balsa and hardwood stock.you can get a razor saw blade that fits the STANLEY knife mentioned above

Coping Saw

A coping saw is also not strictly necessary, but for sawing out irregular shapes in thick balsa or in aircraft plywood, it is much faster than using a knife. .

Screw driver

Both straight and Phillips tips will be needed. Small Allen keys may also be needed, Over time, builders will probably acquire a set of miniature or jeweler's screwdrivers and other miniature tools for fastening nuts, bolts and screws.

Pliers

A set of heavy-duty pliers does a variety of jobs in the model airplane shop, from bending landing gear to forming push-rod ends. The best quality sets will have a diagonal cutter that is strong enough to cut music wire up to 3/32".

Long Nose Pliers

Long nose pliers are very useful for reaching into tight model airplane spaces.

Vice

Everyone needs one good vice. For models, a small machinist's or blacksmith's vice with three inch jaws and a small anvil is great for forming and shaping light metal parts. I have found a good source of model tools to be Squires Tools ,100 London Road, Bognor Regis,

West Sussex, PO21 1DDwho supply tools for both models and crafts who can supply everything listed here plus lots more

Drill

A drill is very nearly a necessity, but will probably only be needed for a few holes on the first airplane. It is placed in this category because the builder suffice by borrowing one. Eventually, however, the builder will want to get a variable speed reversing drill. A corded type will work, as will the higher voltage cordless drills,but a small low voltage cordless one is very convenient and is designed for the modeller and craftsperson,. Hand powered drills will work too, but good ones are getting hard to find, and are awkward to use and quite expensive.

A 13 drill bit assortment, in sizes from 1/16" to 1/4" will probably handle every hole on the first airplane.

You may at a later date depending on your circumstances wish to add power tools and Taps and a Tap wrench, Dies,a palm sander and so on. One item that as become quite popular is the Dremel Moto-Tool,these hand held motors can drive a variety of attachments from drill bits to cut of wheels,grinders and sanding attachments and are ideal for the model maker

A builder's budget guides how the shop is set up but many championship models have been built on card tables with a minimum kit of hand tools.

In days gone by, yarn was obtained locally. It was usually hand-dyed, of high quality and unique. Things changed, and knitters bought branded yarns that were chemically dyed, of regular though unremarkable quality and were the same the world over. Thank heavens things are changing, and fast! Today, we are seeing the resurgence of unique and beautiful yarns. What follows is a tiny selection of what's now available.

No matter how long you've been knitting for there is always something new to learn or yarns that you haven't yet tried. If you're looking for a yarn that's different you're spoilt for choice. And, you don't have to go to craft fairs, knitting workshops or join specialist knitting groups to get hold of these beautiful, traditionally made yarns. Many yarn suppliers and yarn stored now stock these unusual yarns and, thanks to the Internet, you can even buy these yarns online.

Filaro Yarn is an exciting yarn fiber from knitwear designer Anna Gratton. Anna runs a yarn boutique and mill from her farm in Waituna West on the north island of New Zealand. She's been raising her own stock of colored Corriedale sheep since 1976. Corriedales produce merino wool of truly exceptional quality and softness. The silky soft fleece is in the 27 - 30 micron range. Filaro Yarn also produce a funky fiber called 'Mohair Sparkle'. It is a wonderfully soft brushed mohair boucle yet with a strand of lurex glitter that shimmers and glimmers without any scratchiness; just perfect for a complete knitted garment or for adding that something special to a garments edge.

Another anitpodean, Margaret Stove, is renowned as a fine spinner and designer who is generous in passing on her knowledge. She's been spinning her own yarn for over 25 years using only the finest materials. Margaret Stove Lace Yarn is a two-fold New Zealand merino wool, which is known the world over for its quality and softness. You can buy Margaret Stove lace yarn from many approved retailers. All Margaret Stove lace yarn is hand-dyed and are available in 900m and 300m skiens. You can also get Margaret Stove lace kits; her escarf kits are very popular with knitters of all abilites.

Rainbow Mills Yarn has a well-deserved reputation among knitters who appreciate quality yarn. Rainbow Mills Yarn is based in Philadelphia and makes handspun, hand-dyed yarns. The company produces different types of yarn but a particular favorite is 'Candy'. It is handspun, hand-shredded and hand-mixed before being spun. It is then spun over rayon, and twisted again with rayon after being spun. Candy from Rainbow Mills Yarn is artist hand-dyed in colorfast aniline dyes and the colorways produced are simply devine.

Twisted Sisters Yarn come about when Lynne Vogel and some her fiber-loving friends got together in Oregon to produce yarns of exceptional quality, feel and color. For well over ten years Twisted Sisters Yarn has become internationally known for producing one-off, hand-dyed yarn. The color blends produced from from each limited edition of Hand Paints makes every garment made from Twisted Sisters Yarn something that is unique and personal. But Twisted Sisters Yarn isn't just about producing traditionally dyed yarn, they also produce modern, stylish classics like their Elektra and Roxanne yarn collections.

The above are just a brief overview of the new and unusual yarns that are now widely available. Other unique yarns come from the likes of Windy Valley Muskox Yarn and Artyarns Yarns. For those who want to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind creations the availibility of unique and exquisite yarn has never been so good.

If you have a passion for trains and have always thought about creating a small scale replica or prototype of a certain theme or era then the model railroader can help you get started. I personally love trains and every time I get stopped by one, I think to myself of different things I still need to plan for me to simulate my railroad world. I don't know about you but I don't start tripping out or getting all upset waiting in the car for the train to pass. Instead ideals start flowing in my head on different design concepts I would want to create for my own miniature HO scale world.

I think the biggest step as a model railroader is the planning. You have to plan for your bench work, track layout, control system, scenery, building structures, people, vehicles, rolling stock and locomotives you want to use along with all the other aspects of model railroading. You want your locomotives to seem as real as possible with sound and exhaust simulation.

All of this should be considered if you want to simulate the real world as in today or back in time. The most realistic layouts are planned very well with all these points in mind. You should take your time when planning. You do not want to rush the project and then have problems with it all later down the road. To this date, I am still planning my southwestern corridor from Windsor to Toronto located in Ontario, Canada. This is a busy corridor with freight and passenger service.

You should tackle each design concept one at a time so you do not get to overwhelmed trying to full-fill everything at once. Also by taking it with baby steps you will get alot more done in an efficient way. The best way to start is by writing down all your ideals that come across your mind. Start drawing small sketch track layout designs. I recommend using a paper pad that has square grid lines on the page. That way you can scale each square like so, 1 square = 1'-0" or whatever scale you want. This makes things alot easier when estimating the cost of bench work, track and wiring. Make a list of material you will need to start building your bench work. Do the same for all design stages of the model railroad layout plan.

Once you have the different stages written down or drawn you will start to have a clearer picture and more ideals which is always good. Something on paper is always better for you as it gets your creative juices flowing through the brain. Start taking pictures of the trains you want to model or research them using books, magazines and the internet. Have fun with it because if you are not having fun planning you should just give it up now. Planning is just the beginning and a key crucial step towards the rest of your journey designing and building your simulated model railroad world.

I hope you find these tips on how to start model railroading useful? You can learn a lot more about how to start with model railroading if you click here.

The collection of antiques are a passion that has been around for decades. There are many collectors who look for rare and valuable items, creating their own miniature galleries, libraries, or museums in their homes.

There are many reasons why antique collectors have a fondness for the art. On one end, vintage items are usually artistic and beautiful, so there is an aesthetic appeal to this hobby. For others, it is a mark of wealth and affluence, as certain extremely rare and valuable items can only be obtained from specialty collectors and require vast amounts of time, money, and effort to locate.

Then of course there is the practical approach of the resale value of vintage items. With proper care and maintenance, antiques can fetch huge sums of money from other collectors willing to buy them. The best part about vintage items is that, properly maintained, their value only appreciates over time.

One type of antique collection that can be considered a time-honored art, right alongside stamp collection and vase collection, is the collection of antique wine bottles. This hobby evokes images of earlier times and a past era where nobility had their own collection of rare fine wines in their cellars, bringing out their best vintages to entertain only their most honored guests.

The collection of wine bottles today is not quite restricted to the nobility as such. More and more people have gotten into the craft of setting up small wine cellars in their homes, ranging from tiny racks running behind home-made bars, to larger staggered racks housed in their basements.

The best thing about this hobby is that wine's taste and quality also appreciates with the passage of time, so this increases the value of even recently bottled wines. Some collectors specialize in speculative wine collections, focusing their purchases not on established vintage labels, but rather on modern wines which are much easier to locate and purchase.

The reason for this is that they can then wait a few years for the currents in the wine markets to shift, and once those labels they've purchased are no longer in production, they can, after a few more years, be considered vintage labels which will drive up their monetary value considerably.

The more traditional collectors scoff at this approach, tending instead to acquiring rare wines from the past centuries. These people will admittedly wind up spending far more for their purchases than those who collect recently produced labels, but the rewards are far more satisfying as well. Aside from the affluence that comes with such a purchase, there is also the fact that these items are so difficult to find that even reselling one bottle of them can bring in thousands of dollars.

Beside the financial aspects of reselling old items, this hobby can educate you with new information about wine. You can build impressive collection of wine bottles, that can turn any event with your family or friend to a big happy party. Remember keeping the most valuable bottles for special occasion or special moment that it be worth it.

Most of us went through a period of spring-cleaning as we got older, where we threw out all of the toys that we were "too old for" anymore. If you're lucky, your mother (or just your good sense) kept you from doing this -- and if you are really lucky, these vintage dolls are now thought of as collector's items.

But how do you know what these childhood keepsakes are worth? Dig out your dolls and follow these simple steps to find out!

Step #1: Identify Your Doll

Not all vintage dolls were created equal, even way back when. Just like in today's toy market, dolls ranged in quality and cost. In general, dolls that were more expensive and of better quality when they were new tend to command higher prices now. Examples of high quality dolls that are now coveted by collectors include Madame Alexander, Arranbee, Effanbee, American Character, and Vogue.

Most of the higher quality manufacturers marked their dolls, so the first step is to check for markings. These are usually either on the back of the neck underneath the hairline, or on the doll's back. If you are very lucky, and you have the original tag and/or box, not only will you know what kind of doll you have, but also chances are she is worth more than she would be without those things.

If you can't find any markings on the doll, try to remember if anyone ever told you as a child what your doll's name was. You can also make visit your local doll hospital or shop to see if they know what the doll is. If all else fails, go through the pictures in every doll book and every website you can find, and see if you can recognize your doll. Remember, differences in dolls' facial features are subtle, so study the pictures and look at as many as possible before settling on any one of them as an example of your doll!

Step #2: Determine the Condition of Your Doll

Value is highly dependent on the condition of a doll. In order to command the highest price possible, your doll needs to be "mint," which means that she:

• Has never been played with


• Is perfectly clean


• Has all of her original clothes and accessories


• Has perfect hair


• Has bright, flawless face paint, including cheek blush


• Has her original box and hang tag whenever possible

Most childhood dolls are not mint, as they were usually toys. Played-with dolls range in condition from poor (soiled, damaged, and/or incomplete) to very good (lightly played with, more or less complete). These dolls may be worth only a fraction of the value of a mint doll.

Step #3: Research Doll Values

Once you have decided what your doll is and determined her condition, you may begin researching the values of that particular doll. Doll value books usually provide a best-case scenario: the value of a doll that is pristine mint. Doll shops, which usually charge the highest price they feel they can get away with, can tell you how values change with less-than-ideal condition. The online marketplace, such as eBay, is possibly the best place to search, as it provides you with many dolls for comparison, as well as current "market values" for your doll.

For more information on determining a vintage doll's value, please see Doll Collecting - How to Determine a Vintage Doll's Value

There is no better way to make someone feel special than with a custom handmade jewelry gift. Why is custom handmade jewelry the way to go? What makes these gifts so endearing to the receiver?

Think about it. How would you feel with a beautiful piece of art that is unique and rare? So unique are custom handmade jewelry items that there may only exist a few similar pieces or it could even be one of a kind. Wouldn't that make you feel special?

A mass produced jewelry item can be found everywhere you go and worn by many persons. The rare custom handmade jewelry gift is so unique that you would have a difficult time finding anyone else with the same piece. Even if the artist makes others, the custom handmade jewelry pieces are never exactly alike in craftsmanship and materials.

Materials In Custom Handmade Jewelry

Unlike mass produced jewelry, which is generally formed in Silver, Gold, and Platinum, custom handmade jewelry can be beautifully crafted in a wide assortment of materials: pieces use silver and gold but can also include other metals such as bronze and copper. Other unique materials used to craft rare and artistic pieces are wood, leather and even plastics. Custom handmade jewelry can also include brightly colored beads (glass beads emit a spectrum of beauty in vibrant colors, shapes and finishes), shells, and gemstones, often combined for a beautiful and harmonious effect.

Materials included in the making of items like rings and earrings might include semi-precious gems such as amber, amethyst, aquamarine, coral, garnet, mother of pearl, and many other precious and semiprecious stones. Especially popular are pieces where stones are wrapped in the pure Sterling Silver.

Because of the artistry involved in custom handmade jewelry even pieces out of the simplest materials can be just as exquisite as fine pieces of gold and diamonds. Talented artists design and assemble a wide variety of jewelry and accessories, such as necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings in a marvelous array of sizes, shapes, and colors.

The more interesting the piece, the more of a statement is made by the gift giver and the wearer of the custom handmade jewelry. Imagine the admiration and complements that might arise from donning a unique piece of artistic handcrafted jewelry. Often an artist will stamp or engrave a signature. Some rare items even come with a certificate of authenticity and history of the artist.

Other Custom Handcrafted Gifts

Handmade gifts have seen an increase in popularity in recent years. Besides jewelry, other crafted items such as wood art, leather crafts, basketry, bottle art and paintings are among some of the items that have become popular and make for very nice gifts.

It used to be time consuming to find a shop with a diverse selection of unique handmade gifts. With the popularity of the Internet one can now obtain these beautiful custom handmade items from around the globe.

Custom handmade jewelry and other hand crafted gifts range from inexpensive to very costly generally depending on the materials used, the originality and intricacies of the item and the location where the piece was created. The advantage of purchasing these items online is that you minimize the cost of overhead and get more value for your dollar.

In conclusion, Custom handmade jewelry and handicrafts make wonderful gifts because of their uniqueness, beauty and cultural individuality. The best place for variety and value is to purchase these items online. So surprise you family and friends with a custom handmade jewelry gift. They will love you for it.