Pink Ghost Blog

An educational and fun hobby for all the family that costs next to nothing!

In the age of iPods, computers and Play Stations keeping children happy can be extremely expensive. There are, however, some hobbies and interests that need not be financially draining and which are also designed to encourage your child's natural instinct for discovery and learning. The common misconception that stamp collecting can make a child more inward looking is far from true - in fact, collecting thematic stamps is more likely to make the child want to find out for themselves about the wider world, other nations and cultures.

Thematic stamps are a great starting point for a child's first stamp collection. Any number of events and anniversaries are celebrated on commemorative stamps of one type or another in a vast number of countries around the world. What could be an easier way to start than simply collecting the used commemorative stamps on the letters that arrive at your home every day? Or if you work in an office, for example, ask your colleagues to keep the stamps off the envelopes that arrive on their desks too - you will be surprised how quickly your child's collection grows. And an increase in international shopping, particularly with the advent of Internet auction sites like eBay, means that we now often receive interesting packages from foreign countries too - be careful that you don't tear the stamps on the envelopes as they may make a great addition to your child's thematic stamp collection.

International used thematic stamps can also be bought in jumbo packs that cost very little - cheap enough certainly to be affordable for most pocket money allowances. In fact, with some African and Caribbean countries actually producing a surfeit of commemorative issues to supply the collector's market, the values are consequently low - but the stamps are usually very attractive. Typically, a mixed pack will give your child a good choice of stamps in categories as varied as:

Sport – Football is always popular with World Cup stamps found in every corner of the globe.


The Animal World – Mammals, birds, fish, insects, reptiles...think of an animal – a stamp exists somewhere featuring it!


Walt Disney – Favourite characters on stamps are Mickey, Goofy and Donald Duck.


Famous People – Elvis Presley, Princess Diana, Charlie Chaplin and even Leonardo DiCaprio have been featured on stamp issues.


Transport – Trains, planes and automobiles as well as bicycles and boats – they are all found on stamps!

The only minor expense for the budding collector is the acquisition of some basic equipment - tweezers, maybe a magnifying glass and an album etc. These items, however, make excellent gifts when Christmas or birthdays come around - friends and family will never again be stumped for ideas as to what to buy the young stamp collector as a present!

Most miniature collectors dream of having an entire room in their home in which to display their collection. Collectors that are more avid may even need an entire wing. Regardless, most hobbyists do not have this kind of space and must suffice for a corner of their regular living space in which to highlight their love for miniatures. There are several good options available for small dollhouse needs that will allow you to squeeze your passion for dollhouses into some tight spaces.

The first option is to create a room box instead of an entire dollhouse. Don�t be discouraged by the fact that you only have space for one room. In fact, you should be delighted with the notion that you can focus all of your creative energy into decorating this one room. You will be amazed at just how intricate the details are that you create when you just have one room to focus on. From the pattern in the floor to the most delicate design of a lampshade, you can take your time to make sure everything is perfect, instead of worrying about the overall big picture appearance of a house with an exterior that needs to be tended to as well.

Another option for those who are pressed for space is to use small dollhouses. Though a 1:12 scale is the common size for a miniature house, you can create a display using smaller sets that are scaled to 1:24 and even 1:144. These smaller scale dollhouse kits take up much less space and are ideal for those who only have a small corner in which to display their miniatures.

Architectural ideas can be a great way to help find unused space for your small dollhouse collection. Think of the principle used in big cities when building space is cramped: Build higher. A multi-level dollhouse or a townhouse style of display can take advantage of small spaces and still provide plenty of room for your interest.

There are all sorts of ways you can enjoy your passion for miniature collectibles, no matter how small your living space. You might not have a room devoted to dollhouses, but you can use your creativity to display your small dollhouse collection in the space you have. You'll be proud of the different ways you can express your hobby in tight spaces! Not only that, you may discover that tucking a small dollhouse into a space you'd never thought of using ends up being the best choice to showcase your passion.

Learn a simple fiber arts technique and you can make fabulous art dolls. Show your unique personality to the world with handmade dolls made using wool.

What is this fiber arts technique? A creative process called dry felting or needle felting. You can make fun 3D sculptures with this method.

What is needed to make art dolls? You will need a felting needle, a foam pad, animal fiber, cloth covered floral wire, scissors, and a great idea.

Felting needles are special needles that have barbs on them. As you punch the fiber with the needle, the barbs tangle the fibers creating felt. You can make different shapes, put those shapes together, layer wool onto the shapes, and build your unique dolls. Felting needles come in different gauges and shapes. A general starting needle is a 36 gauge triangle needle.

You will need a dense foam pad. Styrofoam does not work. Your foam should be at least two inches deep. The foam pad is what you lay your work on to jab it with the needle. The foam pad protects you, or the table you are working on, and keeps the needle from hitting something hard and breaking.

Animal fiber such as sheeps' wool or alpaca fleece should be used. Coarser wool is harder to felt. Medium to fine wool felts great. The wool should be cleaned and carded before using.

A cloth covered floral wire is used as the skeleton or wire frame for your art doll. A wire frame is not absolutely necessary, but it does make your doll more pose-able and sturdy. The wool is wrapped and needled around the frame.

A small pair of scissors is used to trim felt. Once your art doll is made, you may want to lightly skim the surface with the scissors to clip off any stray fibers to make your handmade doll less hairy.

Great ideas are found all around you. Look at your life. What is your profession? What are your hobbies? Can you think of any unusual characters in your life? Would your uncles' quirks work great on a dragon? Start looking at everything in terms of a new character to make and you'll be surprised at the unique art dolls you can create with dry felting.

Learn the simple fiber arts technique of needle felting and use wool to visually communicate your unique personality to the world. You'll have fun and, if you want, you can sell your works of art, too.

There was a time when everything that was sewn was done so by hand; such was the way of the world when clothes, household items, and a bevy of materials that we take for granted today were put together with needle, thread, and a lot of hard work. But the advent of the sewing machine changed the way in which we created these goods and for those who continue to sew today, the sewing machine remains the tool of choice.

Since the American-patent was filed in 1846, the sewing machine quickly took its place in history, offering users a level of convenience not previously experienced. Sewing was always something that took time, patience, and hard work. The sewing machine, while still maintaining a need for focus, concentration, and time, allowed the making of projects in a much more efficient way.

Of course, the sewing machine of today barely resembles the sewing machine of the past. Streamlined and sleek, today�s sewing machine offers the ability to create any kind of stitch that you require and has increasingly elevated the user experience over the years to a heightened level of convenience.

For those who are just starting out learning how to sew, a sewing machine may not be a purchase you want to make right away. These machines � depending on the bells and whistles they include � can be quite pricey. You should be sure that you enjoy sewing and wish to continue before you make the financial investment necessary to purchase a sewing machine.

If you do decide to take the leap, be sure to do some comparison shopping. You�ll often find a wide variety of prices on different models of sewing machines so take your time to find the one that offers all of the features that you want at a price point you can afford.

Maybe you haven't heard about free printables. They are a great resource for free stuff that you can print from your own computer. There are free printables available for everything from birthday party invitations and greeting cards to cute crafts and other fun stuff that will help you keep the kids busy!

Free printables also make Mom's life easier. Need a last minute birthday card? No problem. Would you like to make up your own party favors or shower games? Start printing. You can even find cute scrapbooking ideas, party sets, and holiday items.

There's no limit to what you can do and how much fun you and your kids can have, and the best part is that it's all free. You are not going to find a better deal than free printables, so go ahead, start printing right away!

Here are some great ways to use free printables:

*Create an entire birthday part from invitations to treat bags.

*Throw a shower and print your own invitations, games, and thank you notes.

*Find festive free printables to make every holiday gathering more special.

*Dress up an anniversary party with personalized party favors.

*Add interest to your scrapbook pages or keepsake albums that hold school certificates, class pictures, report cards, and award ribbons.

What could be better than having fun and saving money all at the same time?

Some great free printable sites are Moms Break, http://www.momsbreak.com, The Craft Cafe http://thecraftcafe.com and Best Baby Shower Cards http://bestbabyshowercards.com. Find printables on search engines by using keywords "free printables" or free printables combine with the keywords describing the type of free printables you are looking for.

So, you are going out to buy a spinning wheel! You walk into a store and you are asked, "What type of spinning wheel are you looking to purchase?" You have read somewhere that there are two types of spinning wheels, the spindle and the flyer and bobbin. You know that you want a more modern spinning wheel, like the ones that you saw at a spinning demonstration or in a current spinning magazine. You have decided that you want a smaller spinning wheel that you can spin while you are sitting down. So you tell the sales person that you want a Flyer and Bobbin type of spinning wheel. Good choice, you have narrowed your field a bit.

A Flyer and Bobbin spinning wheel is one that has a larger wheel on the back or bottom of the spinning wheel, it has a drive band or string that goes around the wheel but it also has what is called a 'mother of all' in the front or on the top of the spinning wheel. This 'mother of all' is a flat or worked piece of wood that has one or two wooden pieces that are on each side. These one or two wooden pieces are called maidens. The maiden's job is to hold the bobbin and the flyer as well as the orifice. The flyer is a U shaped piece that has hooks attached to it and are called flyers. The bobbin fits inside the flyer and its job is to hold the fiber once it has been spun. There is usually a piece of cord that goes around the bobbin at one side and this is called the brake. If you look at the flyer closely you will notice that there is an opening that goes through to the bobbin. This is called an orifice.

At the bottom of the spinning wheel you will notice what looks like a foot plate. This is called the treadle and is where you would put your foot to work the spinning wheel. Unlike the spindle type of spinning wheel where you work the wheel by using you hands, this type of spinning wheel is worked with your foot. Spinning wheels of this type come in single and double treadles. In other words, there are some spinning wheels that have only one treadle and you use one foot to operate it, while the double treadle wheel has two treadles and you would use both feet to operate it.

You also need to know that a flyer and bobbin wheel can come in a single drive or a double drive. WHAT! You say, I am really confused now! This is really a simple concept. A single drive means that there is only one drive band, or string that goes from the wheel to the bobbin. A double drive means that there is one very long drive band or string that is wrapped around the wheel and the bobbin so that it looks as though there are two strings that wrap around the wheel and the bobbin.

There are many different styles of the flyer and bobbin spinning wheel. There are the traditional spinning wheels which is the longer spinning wheel. Typically you would think of this type of wheel as the ones used in the colonial days or in the Saxony region of England and were used in conjunction with the Great Wheel. Many different companies have come out with many beautiful and ornate wheels that are of the traditional style. Many of these wheels are from the Baltic area, Poland and Scandinavia. There are equally beautiful ones that come from New Zealand.

Another type of spinning wheel which uses the flyer and bobbin style is called a traveler or a castle wheel. This is a more compact, upright spinning wheel and is one that can be taken with you if you have a class or just want to meet friends for a spinning outing. This type is great because it takes up little room in the house and in the car. It is just as easy to spin on as the traditional style of spinning wheel. Some of the more modern wheels tend to be made in an upright configuration.

Which ever style you decide to get, whether it is a single drive or a double drive, a single treadle or a double treadle, a traveler or a traditional, it will truly be an heirloom to be passed down for generations to come. Pick out your wheel with much care, as they are expensive but they will last and last as long as you take care of your wheel. However, if you are a true spinner, this will not be your last spinning wheel. Personally, I have one traditional and one traveler and I love and use them both!

Enjoy your wheel. Keep spinning and keep learning.

Anything you invest your money into will have some risk involved. Coin collecting can be a fulfilling and rewarding hobby but if you want to make a profit from your coin buying you need to be prepared for this risk. Make sure you do enough research on the coin you are considering. If you do not have enough knowledge please seek the advice of a coin collecting professional before sinking a bunch of money in something. You can buy a fake coin all too easily if you do not have the proper knowledge.

Counterfeit coins that have been altered are not uncommon. Even the pros with many years experience can sometimes be fooled by some of the better counterfeits. Less than honest people may alter a common coin by adding a mintmark and make it look real to boot. If the coin has been certified by one of the major graders this should go a long ways in easing your mind. In the absence of a professional make sure you have enough knowledge to accurately judge the coin.

The value of a coin is often marked with a certain grade. You must know if this grade is correct. Things like whether the coin has been cleaned and how much wear it has will affect the grade of the coin. Remember whatever grade the coin has been assigned is just an opinion. Sometimes the graders do not always agree on everything so go with someone you respect and trust.

The coin market is no more stable than the stock market in many ways. You can buy a coin and have the value fall by the time you get ready to sell. This means you have the chance for big time gains or big time losses.

You may want to buy the coins you have been wanting and hold on to them for a while and when you get ready to sell them they might be worth more than you paid for them. Investing in coins could finance your coin collecting hobby if you do things right.