Importance of Condolence Phrases and How to Use Them

Words are very influential, especially on moments of grief or loss, when someone shows sympathy or says condolence words to us. Same applies to the conditions when others expect to hear some words of sympathy from us at hard times. Selecting the most suitable phrases representing your emotions is the best way to show your sympathy and condolence to others.
When do we need to hear wording of sympathy or condolence?

when our loved one got expired,
when one got isolated from his/her loved one,
when one feels lonely,
when one got cheated from who he/she was in...

From: http://ping.fm/koV0G

What are the creative hobbies and how to be creative starting them?

There are many hobbies which help us make more creative and innovative. I feel very satisfied and happy when spending time for creative hobbies like art/crafts, writing for blogs, calligraphy etc. Every time when I discover a new idea, theme, pattern or create something different brings a feeling of satisfaction and excitement. Creative hobbies result in an end product of sorts which is satisfying for humans.

Creative hobbies cover a huge range of activities. To my point of view art and crafts are the best form of creative hobbies. Few examples of creative hobbies are art, drawing, knitting, dress making, cross stitch, embroidery, scrap booking, card making, pottery, Sculpture
Carving, Tapestry, Flower arranging, Stained glass etc.

Painting is another creative hobby which has many forms like water colour, oil pastels, fabric painting etc. I have experimented almost all forms of it but I like to play with acralic colors. You can use fabric or acrylic colors to creative easy and pretty patterns on any fabric or plastic household items.

Caligraphy is one of those creative hobbies which I have been involved and love to spend time for creating art with lettering. Calligraphy can help you expose your writing style and art in many forms like you can write cards, send notes to your friends and they would love to get a personalized piece of art from you.

Writing is another way in which your creative side can come out. There are numerous ways in which you can get published these days. You can write your own blog. Some blogs have been picked up by publishers and turned into books.

There are lots more creative hobbies. You just need to check which hobbies attract you most. Search for more information how to do it, collect the material and start being creative.

Being creative is not just an exercise, work or discipline - it's a necessity.

How to Start and Enjoy Kite Flying As a Hobby?

This post enables you to learn some basics tips to start and enjoy this outdoor pastime as a hobby. I have been watching this fun activity for years as a seasonal festival around our Asian region. People enjoy it as a pastime and many are enthusiastic about it as a hobby. Most people fly kite as a hobby and kite festivals are organized in many parts of the world for kite flying hobbyists.
Regular kite flying is a fun activity for family and groups. It encourages creativity, exercise and appreciation of our outdoor spaces. Kite flying is one of the easiest hobbies to learn. With just a li... From: How to Start and Enjoy Kite Flying As a Hobby?

How A Hobby Can Become An Obsession: Keep It Fun And Avoid Trouble

We all need our leisure and distraction to have fun in life. Even if you do have your dream job, there are always things in life you need to do, but might like less.

Any hobby can become a form of obsession and can cause trouble in the long run. If you like a hobby, you need to pick it carefully and consider some consequences, since some people might get in trouble from their favorite pass-times.

Here some trouble you might get from turning a hobby into an obsession. The consequences of having your hobby taking over you life, might be less fun.
- Financial trouble: when you collect things o... From: How A Hobby Can Become An Obsession: Keep It Fun And Avoid Trouble

Amazing art of miniature sculptures from pencil lead

Pencil is a tool used basically for writing or drawing. Pencils are encased in wood. They are made of a mixture of clay and graphite and their darkness varies from light grey to black. Pencils are available in various attractive designs and colours, but the inside part of pencil is the same which is called graphite or lead. Can you think of any other use of lead?

Dalton Ghetti is a 45-year-old Bridgeport resident who has been carving sculptures into pencil lead, without the aid of a magnifying glass, for 25 years. He has about a dozen works that have been framed and almost as many waiting to be mounted for display. He has created a line of 26 pencils, with each letter of the alphabet carved into the tip. His current projects include a handsaw and a single rice-grain-sized teardrop for every victim of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Anyone who has seen a completed work won’t be surprised to hear that a project will take a decade. Mr. Ghetti often takes years to complete pieces, especially since pencil carving is only a hobby, along with camping and coaching volleyball at the Westport Y.M.C.A. He sells postcards and posters of his art (pieces are not for sale), but his main income comes from carpentry.

Mr. Ghetti started carving tree bark when he was a child and experimented with everything from soap to chalk before settling on graphite. It’s second nature now, and for 90 percent of his work, all he needs is a sewing needle, a razor blade and a carpenter’s or No. 2 pencil.

“The pencil tip is great; it’s like a pure, very homogenous material,” he said. “It cuts in the same direction, not like wood, which has a grain. But when I tell people how long it takes, that’s when they don’t believe it. That’s what amazes people more, the patience. Because everything nowadays has to be fast, fast, fast.”

“At school Dalton always sharpened pencils by hand, and would sometimes peel the paint from the pencil and carve intricate designs into the wood. He noticed that a good blade cuts through both the wood and through the graphite, leaving behind a nice flat and shiny surface. He began working on them until they were perfectly round and cone shaped, then removed more wood as the graphite started to become part of the carvings. He had found the perfect material for his miniature sculptures.”

Read more at 'NY Times': Finding the Art in a Pencil Tip

* Dalton Ghetti creates amazing art on the tips of used pencils

What money cannot buy? -

Many times in life you would realize that there are number of things which money cannot buy.
A few may be:

• Seeing the person who makes your heart race, even if its just for a few seconds in the hallway.
• Songs that bring you back to great moments in your life.
• Realizing you were smiling the entire time you were talking to someone, right after you hang up the phone.
• Falling asleep as soon as you lie down.
• The realization that you actually have people that love you and would do anything for you.
• Knowing deep down that you made a difference in someone's life.

You want to share your experiences? or want to know more about what people believe about 'what money cannot buy?
Join 'Money Cannot buy' community, have fun and share your own thoughts.

What Money Cannot Buy is an online community where people share and discuss life's greatest simple pleasures and priceless moments.

They say:
"If the economic downturn has clouded your mind with worry, then this site is for you. What Money Cannot Buy users, a positive, resourceful group of individuals, submit dozens of simple pleasures and priceless moments every week that make them happy and don’t cost a dime. So ignore the gloomy news forecasters and get your bliss on for free."

The site is created by 'Marc and Angel' who share inspirational advice and practical tips for life on their blog Marc and Angel Hack Life. Topics covered include: productivity, health, love, work, and general self improvement.

Scared and spiritual destinations around the world

If you are a traveler and love to discover cultures and places around the world then you would be aware of many places during your travel which are spiritual or scared. It is fun to discover new and interesting places with religious or spiritual values. Now you can browse through information plus pictures of those all places which you didn't visit or travel. Sacred Destinations is an educational and travel resource founded in April 2005. An ongoing project, it currently profiles more than 1,600sacred sites and religious places in 61 countries around the world, illustrated by over 25,000 photos.

'Scared Destinations' is an ecumenical guide to more than 1,250 sacred sites, holy places, pilgrimage destinations, religious architecture and sacred art in over 60 countries around the world. In addition to richly illustrated articles, there are photo galleries containing over 24,000 high-quality images plus detailed maps and lots of practical travel information.

Nearly every culture in human history has sought to honor the divine, the mysterious, the supernatural, or the extraordinary in some way. Most often this happens at sacred sites - special places where the physical world seems to meet the spiritual world. These might be awe-inspiring natural places, sites connected to a god, a saint or a hero, places where miracles occurred, or special buildings consecrated for worship or ritual.

Sacred sites remain spiritually meaningful to millions today and the ancient practice of pilgrimage is as popular as ever. But you don't have to be a believer to recognize that holy places, religious architecture, and sacred art are some of the most beautiful and interesting sights you'll encounter in your travels.

You can find the information at the site, about:

• religious pilgrims and spiritual travelers
• the ordinary traveler who wants to see interesting, historical or beautiful sights
• students and teachers of religion, art or history
•  religious heritage of the world
•  history, geography, art or architecture

Related sites

* 'Scared sites' offers the information about the most loved and visited places on planet earth. It features Martin’s sacred art photographs and shows the location of sacred places and pilgrimage shrines around the world.

Do it yourself tasks for your outdoors during winter season

During the cold winter months it can be difficult to keep any outdoor space in perfect condition, but there are plenty of tasks you can carry out to ensure your garden or outdoor area is looking great for spring. The following tips will ensure you stay safe when working outside winter, whilst keeping your DIY tasks in order.

Winter DIY tasks could include :

Keeping the lawn in check: Although plant growth slows considerably in the winter months, there are still tasks that should be completed to ensure your lawn stays well aerated and good root growth is maintained.

A manual lawn aerator tool will help promote healthy root growth during the colder months, when excessive water may cause problems with your lawn. This may be especially important for clay-heavy lawns or areas with poor drainage. For larger outdoor gardens, try a powered lawn aerator which is an efficient tool for larger areas of grass.

Related Items : Powered Lawn Aerator, Portable Chipper

Checking your guttering: Set up a Ladder, being sure to follow the correct safety guidelines and clear out any excess muck and leaf litter from your gutters. If the ground surface is slippery, ensure you use a ladder safety foot to ensure a safer working environment.

Also ensure the guttering is securely fixed into the building, so take a power drill with you just in case.

Keep your hedgerows and plant life trimmed. Clear out any unwanted waste and mulch it with a portable chipper. This mulch will also acts as a great base for compost and plant bedding.

2.6kVA portable generator Ensure you have a safe source of power

You can ensure that working outside during the darker months can be improved by using a portable power source. By using a petrol generator, you can reduce the risk of accidents caused by trailing cables, whilst keeping productivity levels high.

For smaller power requirements, the 2.6kVA Portable Petrol generator is ideal for the task.

Telescopic floodlights: Maintain correct visibility at all times

Working outside in the winter can be a dangerous task without adequate lighting, so be sure to set up a lighting rig to keep you working. For small home DIY tasks, telescopic floodlights are a flexible lighting solution. For larger working areas, an 'all in one' lighting tower may be more suitable for maximum visibility.

Source: 'Hss Hire.com'

How to Sand a Floor doing it yourself?

DIY projects always attract my attention as there is a self satisfaction side along with saving money. Internet offers loads of information in this regard for home improvement, decoration and do it yourself ideas, tips, tutorials etc.

Having authentic wooden floors is a great way to add both warmth and character to any room. By stripping away old paint and dirt, you can create a great look at a fraction of the cost of buying new flooring.

Step 1: First, be sure to clear away all furniture and fragile items from the room, including curtains and soft furnishings. Also tape up doors and cupboards if they cannot be moved to prevent the wood dust getting in. Ensure you are wearing the correct breathing apparatus and protective clothing required for the task.

2- Sanding Hire Pack: Ensure the flooring is completely clear and any loose nails or potential hazards are removed. You can knock protruding nails well beneath the woods surface to prevent the floor sanding paper from tearing.

3- Floor Sander: Tidy up the wood panels before starting to sand, by making any necessary repairs to the panels and giving the floor a good sweep and vacuuming.

4- Sanding: Be sure to read the manual for the floor sander before starting any work. Load the floor sander with the appropriate sanding sheet, ensuring that it remains tight against the drum to prevent slipping. Why not find a rental center for your Floor sander hire to keep your costs down

5- Floor Edging Sander: Position the floor sander against one wall, with over half of the remaining floor in front of you. Keep the sanding drum elevated, and as you start to move forward with the machine gradually lower the sanding drum onto the wood flooring to start sanding. Be sure to sand with the grain.

6- Portable Dust Partition: Keep moving forward at a gradual pace, until you reach the end of the room. At this stage, lift the drum off the floor and turn around, ready to repeat the same procedure over the same area of flooring.

7- Light Duty Vacuum: When you have completed one pass, reposition the sander around 7cm across from the first area and repeat the process. Gradually you will reach the opposite side of the room, go over each pass evenly and carefully.

8: Turn off the belt sander and work on neatening up the corners and small areas not reached by the drum sander. Do this by using an edge sander; you can blend the two sanded areas together by a using semi-circular motion with the edge sander as you work towards the corners of the room.

Varnishing: If you are looking for a rich varnished style or even a “freshly sanded” look, it would always be recommended to finish the flooring with a varnish. This varnish will help to seal and protect the floor the stains, marks and damage from spills.

9: For a classic rich finish, always go for a quality varnish. Before applying the varnish however, it is always recommended to give the floor a vacuum to remove any dust and debris, which could become stuck in the varnish.

10: When applying the varnish to the floor, be sure to keep the room well ventilated, by opening doors and windows and even wearing a mask if possible. Begin applying the varnish with a wide brush in even strokes, which follow the grain of the wood.

11: Repeat the varnishing process across the whole floor, with at least 2 hours drying time between each coat. A minimum of 3 coats are recommended to give the floor maximum shine and protection.

12: Allow the floor to fully dry. At least 8 hours after the final coat is applied is recommended. Allow at least 72 hours drying time if the floor will be heavily used.

Link: More 'DIY Guides'

Strange and unusual hobbies around the world

There is a long list of hobbies which can be called adventurous or unusual as compare to usual and common hobbies. Hang glide, bungee jump or related leisure activities are most favorite hobbies for many enthusiastics but there are some hobbies which are really strange and unusual. This post is about few strange and weird hobbies around the world.

Taphophilia - (Enjoyment of Graveyards)

Taphophilia actually sounds like a disorder, not a hobby. In reality, taphophilia is simply a passion and enjoyment of cemeteries. Sometimes erroneously described as "grave hunters," these folks don’t actually remove any items from graves or graveyards. They simply enjoy studying cemeteries and being in them. While many will reserve their trips for funerals and perhaps a scary Halloween trip, these hobbyists simply can’t stay away for such long stretches. For some, the fascination is with the macabre, while others simply enjoy the architecture of mausoleums, the shapes or headstones or the rich history that can be unearthed (no pun intended) when visiting a graveyard.

Beetle Fighting

Just about everyone has heard of dogfighting, a practice that, for good reason, is both illegal and considered immoral. For those who like to engage in beetle fighting, however, it is unlikely that any laws will be passed to protect these critters. Beetles have a natural proclivity toward fighting, making them perfect instruments for such an endeavor and, as it turns out, there are actually people who like to fight beetles.

Carving Egg Shells

They say that you must be willing to break a few eggs to make an omelet. For those engaging in egg shell carving, this is doubly true. The absolute patience necessary to carve egg shells is astounding, as these items surely break frequently as masterpieces are being created. Nonetheless, egg shell carving is a hobby enjoyed by some. The end result is sometimes nothing short of amazing, as some carvings are of such an intricate nature that one wonders how it was even possible…and how many egg shells were broken along the way.

Noodling

More akin to something you may see on an adventure television show, noodling is the practice of swimming in creeks or rivers in search of holes in the shallows and in mud banks. Thereafter, the "noodler" will shove his arm into the hole in the hopes that he’s happened upon the home of a catfish. Assuming he has, and that the catfish is nice and comfy in his home, it will latch on to the noodler’s arm with its mouth in an attempt to protect its lair. If the noodler is able to haul the fish ashore (catfish can exceed 75 lbs.), success is achieved. For those who don’t like the idea of wading in muddy waters, or having pre-historic looking fish latched firmly onto their arm, a rod and reel may be a better option.

Source: 'Buzzle'

Collections of paper money or currency notes as a hobby

Many people collect currency notes of different countries. Hobbies are the perfect way of creating an innovative and fascinating collection of something inspirational and sharing passions with others. Collecting is an interesting hobby where the main potential lies in obtaining, organizing, creating an extraordinary collection and sharing your passion based on that interest.


The paper money collecting hobby has been very well established for decades and there are many thousands of collectors worldwide. Paper money collectors are not as common as coin collectors, but they are still very active and have extensively developed the hobby.


Currency comes from the word current – that which is in circulation at the moment. Note is a piece of paper with something written on it. By currency notes we generally refer to paper money.


The story of money began with the age of barter. One person had grains while another had baskets. The two would have to trade with each other to meet daily needs. The problem became complicated when the man trading his goat wanted to buy some grains. Grains and baskets could be divided but the goat would have to be killed. One goat could not be the price of a few baskets. So a common medium of exchange had to be thought of. Thus coins came into circulation. These coins were made of precious metals like gold, silver or copper. But constant wear and tear combined with a dearth of raw material made Man start thinking again. Out of this thinking was born the idea of currency notes.



Benefits of  Collecting paper money:


The banknotes of a country tell unique story of its art, people, history and geography. Handling and keeping money from different places is a fascinating hobby which is very informative as well.


For some people their paper money collection is an extension of another interest, it could be boats, birds, animals. They may have been collecting old postcards of birds and then started collecting stamps that has images of different birds on them, this ultimately may have lead to collecting world banknotes that have images of bird.


Another fascinating aspect of collecting paper money is the collection of old checks and bond certificates. These are valued for historical as well as artistic referencing. The detail and color of these pieces make them beautiful works of arts on their own.


Useful and interesting links:                                   


* The World’s Most Beautiful Currencies


* The world's most beautiful currencies...


* 'Paper money collecting blog'


* 'Foreign money'

Check real value and best price for your collectibles

Collectors (either it is antique item, stamps, coins, toys or any thing else) are passionate about their hobby. Their long time collection effort, dedication makes the collectibles valuable as time passes.
How do you value your collectibles?
If you are interested to sell your collection, how to determine what is the best price you can get from it?

'Not for sale now' is the place for passionate collectors to check the real value and best price for your collectibles.

'Not for sale now' enables collectors to safely showcase their collections and share their stories and expertise. You can find great collectibles and connect with like-minded collectors from around the world. Collect offers from interested parties, determine real value and get the best price "if ever" you decide to sell.

From Pez to Picasso's, Coins to Comics, stamps, antiques, toys, clothes or shoes (etc) you may find it here.

There is no charge to list your items or any obligation to ever sell or buy anything.

You can join the 'forum' a place for discussion with like minded people.

'Not For Sale Now'

Strangest Places for babies to sleep

Most of the times your baby just won’t sleep no matter, what you try. And you may feel difficulty trying to get your baby sleep than their own crib. At vacation and travel it takes time to settle down and sleep.

Even adults have trouble sleeping in strange beds, new hotels or anywhere other than their own cosy beds. Yet a lot of people expect their children to behave as if they are settled into their own crib.

Do you think that children only feel comfortable sleeping at their crib, their own bed or according to their sleep schedule?

They can sleep when they need to------- Look at few of these pictures:

Source for more pictures: Babies Found The Strangest Sleeping Places - Chill Out Point

Amazing art and crafts projects with paper quilling

Paper quilling is another form of paper art or craft. It is a great looking art which you can use to decorate gift packs, picture frames, coasters, jewelry, trinket boxes, invitations and greetings cards. Paper quilling involves the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to make attractive designs. It is also called Paper Filigree or Filigrana.

What is quilling?

Quilling or paper filigree is the art of creating designs with narrow strips of paper that have been wound around a quill or quilling tool to create a basic shape. The basic shapes are glued together and arranged to form all kinds of creative and interesting designs. Quilling is one of the easiest crafts to learn. Nearly all of quilling is done with just a few variations of basic rolls and scrolls.

Quilling history:
Quilling is an art form that dates back to the Renaissance and is an art form that involves the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to make intricate designs.

There are two different explanations given for the name "quilling." Some say it comes from the use of a quill as a tool to roll the paper strips into coils, while others contend that the coils of paper created resemble rows of quills.


Where to use quilling?

Quilling can be used to create art pieces by gluing a design of unlimited colors and patterns onto a flat cardboard background. Beyond this, quilling is used to decorate items such as picture frames, coasters, jewelry, trinket boxes, invitations and greetings cards.
In addition to gluing paper coils to a background, quilling can involve sculpting and gluing coils together to create free-standing, three-dimensional objects.

Popular shapes created from paper coils include flowers, leaves, ornate scrolls and abstract patterns.

Quilling can be used to create art pieces by gluing a design of unlimited colors and patterns onto a flat cardboard background.

Quillers can do the quilling at boxes, cabinets and other items with recessed surfaces and decorate them.

Useful resources and links:

* Definition of 'quilling' at: 'wikipedia'

* 'Creative quilling' offers basic tutorial for beginners and free patterns.

* 'My Paper Quilling' offers paper quilling ideas, projects.

* What Is Paper Quilling?

Below are the links to few blogs (I have selected few blogs among hundreds) dealing in quilling projects and you can get lots of tips, ideas, and patterns to make your own quilling crafts.

* 'Inna's Creations'
is a blog with amazing quilling projects.

* 'Quilling, art and expression' offers free instructions and patterns for quilling, tea bag folding, and paper crafts.

* 'If looks could quill'

* 'Quilling ideas'  

* 'All things paper'

* 'Paper quilling ideas'

* 'Basic quilling shapes'

* If you want to know more about this amazing art form go to the link: 'History of paper quilling'

Gift wrapping ideas for any occasion with style and saving with recycling

 Wrapping paper from holiday gifts is largely to blame for a 25 percent spike in curbside trash volume between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, according to the EPA.

Saving money with gift wrapping using recycled stuff:

This post helps you learn about some unconventional ways of wrapping gifts for most occasions. Usually I don't throw away the gift wraps, chocolate or other stuff boxes, grocery bags and recycle them to wrap gifts. It brings creativity and your gifts are packed in an unusual way to attract others. Recycling not only saves a lot of money buy it helps reduce pollution around our environment.

Why recycling?
The US Postal Service estimates that they deliver more than 20 billion pieces of mail between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Nearly 300,000 trees are cut down to serve as raw material for the approximately 1.9 billion holiday cards sent each year—enough to fill a football field 10 stories high. You can reduce the trash associated with cards and invitations by using tags and cards that relieve the earthly load.

Reuse old cards: When the holiday’s over and you’ve got a stack of cards leftover, reuse them for bookmarks, postcards, and kids crafts. Or save them for stylish decorating options next holiday season!

Recycle boxes, Styrofoam, and plastic packaging: Many new gifts come wrapped in layers of cardboard, plastic, Styrofoam, and more. Ensure that your holidays are waste-free by searching Earth 911 for ways to recycle these materials (or avoid them altogether by choosing the eco-friendly packaging option whenever possible).                                


You don't always need the traditional paper and bow. Try something a little different. Sometimes gift wrapping can be so expensive -- once you’ve bought the paper, tissue and the card you’ve spent just as much as you did on the gift. Here are some pretty and frugal gift wrap ideas to help you save more so you can spend more on your gifts and your loved ones.

Traditional wrapping paper can be environmentally upgraded by using recycled paper instead. Some eco-friendly paper uses corn husks or banana plant fibers to create an organic feel and unique texture. Paper such as this adds character to packages, and can be totally personalized by the giver with a pen, markers, or other writing utensils. Wrapping paper is popular for a reason, and recycled paper takes the appearance to the next level.
As a unique twist, wrap gifts old-style in newspaper, magazine pages, or fabric remnants found around the home to show others your commitment to reducing waste over the holiday season. Themed wrappings can be really fun – for example, a passport holder could be wrapped in pages from a travel magazine or brochure.

With the help of these tips, techniques and ideas you can find out which materials are easy to work with; how to select a container (or make your own); ways to stimulate your own creative gift wrapping ideas; what to do when wrapping WON'T do;

Tips to wrap your gifts:
Use the kids art as gift wrap. Sometimes our preschooler brings home so many large paintings we're just not going to keep all of them. It makes a fun way to wrap and reuse the paper.
Brown Paper is a real classic and packaging can be re-used. If it is heavily creased scrunch it up in to a tight ball then iron out with your hands, this will give an alternative effect which detracts the eye from old creases.

Minor creases can be covered with a paper strip and ribbon. String and raffia can be died to your own colour. Just add a dye tablet to a bucket of water and hang to dry on a non windy day!

• Tie in fresh herbs from the garden. They will add a lovely aroma to your gifts as do old scented drawer liners. Rosemary, bay leaves and lavender are an ideal choice because they are hardy.
• Collect sticks and feathers on country walks, these make stunning and inexpensive embellishments. These are great items to embellish gifts for men too!             
• Tie pine cones in to your gifts. Wrap thin ribbon around the base of the cone and tie to your gift. These can also be sprayed with room scent or color.
• Old keys and nuts and bolts make a good wrapping accessory for men.
• Use old tassels from haberdashery fringing. This gives a classic and inexpensive finish.
• Tie awkward shapes with remnants of fabric or paper napkin.
• Re-use cellophane from bunches of flowers. Once it's tied around the new gift you won't notice the creases
• Paper tablecloths are an ideal medium for wrapping large and awkward shapes.
• Re-use ribbon remnants and any creases in fabric ribbon can be ironed out with low heat.
• Use old oranges, slice them up and dry them in the oven or airing cupboard. After a couple of days these can be tied in to gifts and also give a lovely aroma.
• Use any broken or unwanted costume jewelery or shoe buckles as dazzling embellishments. A costume jewelry brooch with rhinestones will make a gift look a hundred dollars.
• Paint cream, gold or brown dots on brown paper for a shabby chic finish.
• Use wallpaper remnants to make a robust stunning gift bag. To make a gift bag just wrap an empty box at one end and then remove the box. Insert your gift and add a ribbon. 
• Glue an old dowel to ribbon which will hold the gift tag perfectly.                      
• Write on fresh leaves with a metallic gel pen. This is a great alternative to bought tags. Ivy, bay leaves or laurel are ideal choices.                              
• Recycle last year's Christmas trimmings and tie them on to gifts instead of the tree.
• Re-use any plain brown paper carriers. Punch a single hole in the center at the top. Add a ribbon and tie a bow.
• Glue any old shelled nuts onto a stiff ribbon.Use baking paper for classic translucent wrapping
• Old white curtain netting looks great for wedding gifts. Just wrap the gift in white tissue first.Use an egg box for an unusual gift box. It's ideal for cakes, sweets, soaps, small gifts etc.

Useful links and resouces:

* A lot of gift wrapping ideas: Creative Gift Wrapping Ideas for the Well-Dressed Gift

* How to Wrap a Present in a Unique Way

* Pretty And Frugal Gift Wrap Ideas

* Top 10 Green Gift Wrap Ideas

* Natural, Eco and Recycled Wrapping Tips

* Alternative use of The plastic grocery bags: Environmentally-Friendly Gift-Wrap Options

How to start Radio Control hobby and get information about it?

You are interested to buy radio control cars or trucks as a gift or want to adopt the radio controlled hobbies, where should you start?

Obviously you should  get some information about the RC cars, their models, price and related information. This post is to help you get some tips about RC cars and trucks.  These tips would help you select the best RC cars according to the need.

remote control as well as RC cars are fun for kids and adults alike unknown. RC cars provide a tremendous amount of excitement and entertainment. For children, RC cars put that too young to go into legal control over the vehicle. For adults, RC cars offer the thrill of the race in speed, and a youthful exuberance.

Remote-controlled cars can be bought at toy stores. It consists of two units. The remote control has generally two types of joysticks. A control forward and backward movement. The other side to control movement. The less expensive remote-controlled cars are powered by rechargeable batteries. The enthusiasts models of remote controlled cars can also be operated with batteries, but many have actual gas-powered engines.
With the growing popularity of radio controlled cars, manufacturers offer different models, with each budget, must fit, and imagination. For example, some manufacturers offer remote-controlled cars for a real-life counterpart, as a member Lamborghini, Hummer, Ferrari and pourches be modeled.

Which car or tucks you should buy?

 
For beinners:

For beginners, electric rc cars are the best... easier to control, build, and maintain. New are HPI Sprint 2 Flux, Formula 10, Cup racer, Tamiya M05 and F104.

For indoor players:
If you prefer playing or racing indoors or have limited space to play, there are small but fast micro and mini rc cars. Popular models are the 1/28 Kyosho Mini-Z and the 1/18 HPI Micro RS4. One of the hottest segment of the hobby, and companies are scrambling to produce their own mini remote control cars and trucks.

For exciting dirt action, the 1/8 off-road gas rc buggies are the fastest around an off road track. These 4x4 machines reach speeds of 40+ mph. Also truck versions called Truggies.

There are also 1/10 off-road electric remote control buggies such as the RC10B4 which are great racing buggies for beginners. Fast gaining popularity are the 1/8 E-Buggy

The fastest and most exciting category, nitro rc cars can go as fast as 50 - 60+ miles per hour. The 1/8 gas cars go 70 - 80 mph in racing competitions. Cen CTR 5.0 is coming out with a 90+mph on road nitro rc car. These are sometimes also called gas powered rc cars.

You may choose the cars in 1/8, 1/10, 1/12, 1/20 scales as well as mini nitro RC cars. The 1/8 and 1/10 scale Nitro Remote Control cars are the most popular ones with racers and serious hobbyists.

They can be bought in most hobby stores or on the Internet for between $200 to $400.

Useful links and online resources:

* Get more tips: 'RC car tips' a free online magazine to help you buy radio controlled toys such as rc cars, trucks, helicopters, planes and boats.

* 'RC tech forums' A place to discuss all topics related to RC cars, tucks etc. There are 108,707 members at the forum.

* 'Radio Rontrol Car Information' is a blog and site for radio control car news, reviews and other information.

* Another RC blog is 'Raptorrc' which is a part of 'Raptor RC' an online supplier of RC cars etc.

* 'Every thing RC Car' you can learn about what RC nitro cars are, how they work and tips/advice on which ones to get! You can get handling, maintenance and cleaning tips.

Discover cool stuff about design, fashion, art and culture at -picocool

There are times when I am tired of writing or reading blogs, and do some browsing for fun or interesting stuff. Sometimes I search at 'StumbleUpon' as it is a nice place to discover cool stuff.

'Pico cool' is the place to discover cool stuff about art, design, culture, travel, architecture and technology. You may find interesting articles, news and posts at the site. Like the facing picture is about 'Origami tea' where you can notice the tea bags are in origami format. Isn't it unique?

So be prepared to get fun stuff at 'Pico cool'!

What they say:
'Our community finds and shares tiny bytes and unique content from the world of peer media, social networks and subcultures. We discover upcoming designs, cool products, micro-trends, subcultures, artists, human experiences, innovations, philosophies, technologies, and more.

A community to get guidance for young people -The Site

Young generation is far mature in taking decision for their own lives but still they need someone to advice or guide them. Sincere or reliable friends play an important role to get advice or suggestion. Online communities are a good place to discuss or get ideas, tips or advice from other people.

'The site.org' is the place where young people can find like minded persons to discuss their problems.
It provide fact-sheets and articles on all the key issues facing young people including: sex and relationships; drinking and drugs; work and study; housing, legal and finances; and health and well being.

Mission: (In their own words)

"TheSite.org aims to be the first place all young adults turn to when they need support and guidance through life. We believe all young people have the capacity to make their own decisions and life choices, provided they have access to high quality, impartial information and advice. We don't tell anyone how to lead their lives - we just believe everybody should have all the information they need to make their own decisions."

Their 'Online shopping tips' are worth to check.

Get the tips and technique to clean anything at or around your home

Simple tips and techniques can make our daily house keeping tasks easier. Cleaning is the process of keeping our homes and outdoors in fresh and neat condition. Cleanliness includes the removal of dirt, dust, stains, bad smells and garbage from or around our homes.

At this article you can find the links to the sites offering tips and technique to clean anything at or around your home. These home improvement tips help you make your home a neat and nice looking place.

'How to clean anything.com' is a community based site including group of cleaning professionals providing tips and techniques for cleaning anything, starting from vehicles, household items, stain removal up to home remedies and more. There are product reviews which are tested and then given opinion as to whether the product meets the claims made by the manufacturer, and post select responses from other visitors about their experience with the product.

The site offers more than 1300 cleaning tips. Categories are: automotive tips, general cleaning, home exterior tips, home interior, house keeping, pets and animal, recreational, sports, seasonal tips and stain removal guide.

Related sites and resources:


* 'Do It Yourself' offers 'Clean and Stain Removal Tips'


* 'cleaning.tips.net' can help you make quick work of whatever cleaning you have to do. You'll find cleaning tips on everything.

* 'Hints and things' page gives some suggestions on how to use everyday household products when cleaning; making the job easier and cheaper.


* 'All About Home' There are tips for everything from the general process of cleaning to keeping odors out of your refrigerator.

Lawn care and maitenance tips

Lawn care and gardening activities have a direct impact on the neighborhood and community environment. Gardening activities can become an enjoyable hobby, but these activities also bring many benefits for all age peoples. This post is about lawn care and maintenance tips.

Lawn maintenance tips:

 Seasonal treatments for your lawn, such as fertilization, seeding, and aeration, can also be accomplished in one easy step. If you only want to be bothered with major lawn care twice a year, you can consider investing in a hefty lawn maintenance equipment called a plug or coring aerator. This massive, wide, automated tool actually cores your lawn and removes small plugs of soil from the ground so there are noticeable holes.

 

For people who are already out in their yard several times a week, lawn aerator shoes are a great choice. They give you exercise and provide a continuous, yet less powerful, method of spike aeration.

Aerating your lawn at the right time with the proper equipment like a lawn aerator can ensure that you have a beautiful yard, every season of the year.

(Aerating is the process of removing small plugs of soil from the turf. Lawn aeration allows water to filter more consistently through soil, and helps reduce problems with thatch(Lawn thatch is a layer of dead organic tissue that deprives the lawn of much-needed oxygen). In addition to improving oxygen availability for plants, it also improves life for soil organisms.)

 

Few more tips:

•  Remove any mud or soil from your hand tools after each use. If dried mud has accumulated on your hand tools, use a screwdriver or paint stripper to scrape it off.
• Wipe your tools dry whenever they accumulate any moisture. This prevents them from rusting.
• Sharpen your cutting tools and your mower blades every spring to keep their cutting edges in perfect condition.
• If you used any metal tools for chemical applications, put them under running water before wiping them dry. Herbicides and fungicides can easily corrode metal tools.

 Useful resources and links:

 

* 'Lawn Care.net' offers lawn care tips, information, and resources.

 

* Get lawn care and gardening articles at 'Scotts'

 

* 'Hobby Lawn Care' is a community resource site that provides high quality articles about building and maintaining your lawn.

 

Hobby and pastime blogs around the world wide web

It is really strange to know that there are not many hobby related blogs. There are many sites or hobby shops around where you can find hobby related news, information, links to other sites but there are not many visible hobby blogs. May be there are many which are hard to find out.  I love to read blogs and as I have been an enthusiast about variety of pastimes and leisure activities I search the world wide web for the stuff often. This post is about few hobby blogs which I discovered during my search. I hope to add more reviews in future.

'Hobbies and Pastimes' is a hobby blog. Blog was created in 2006 so you can expect a lot of articles, but the archives section shows that there were no posts in 2009.  In total there are few posts but very interesting and with a personal touch.

Few hobby related post titles are:

• Pet Shop: Hobby or Business?
• Of Pens, Pencils, and Markers
• Of Hats And Caps
• Old Olympic Games Postcards

Blogger 'Amadeo' is from U. S. A. Another blog from Amadeo is 'The Ignatian Perspective' which seems personal blog.

Creation of Crafts with pencil lead

Pencil is very commonly used and easily available object. Pencils come in attractive formats, color and shapes. The main part of pencil is lead which is made of carbon graphite. There are some artists who can create crafts with the help of wooden pencil, but it is strange to hear that the lead can be used to create amazing objects like 'alphabets, shoes, buildings and etc.

Dalton Ghetti is an artist who works with one of the toughest mediums around. His craft involves sculpting pencil lead into impossible to imagine images. Everything from a giraffe to a hammer can be made out of lead.

There have been artists who use pencils as part of their craft, but none use the smallest and most fragile part: the pencil lead. Dalton Ghetti has found a remarkable niche in the art world.


Most of the pictures shown in this post are created by Dalton Ghetti


Source and related links:

* 'Artisitic writing utensil creation photos at 'Trend Hunter'

* '25 peculiar pencils'



* 'Pencil Talk'   is a blog devoted 
to exploring woodcase pencils and related topics. The blog is ad free so user friendly and comfortable to read the posts.

* 'Sharp pencil lead crafts'

Another artists from Bosnia, Jasenko has created the following art

The chain in this picture is carved from pencil lead-
another artists work

Have fun making paper toys with free online downloads

I remember my first experience with my first paper toy which was a boat. I enjoyed it very much and for many days I kept myself busy making paper boat again and again. Till now as a teacher I enjoy making and teaching paper toys, and origami projects to nursery class children. Origami or paper folding technique is itself a very creative hobby and if we talk about paper toys, the purpose is same, only difference is that in origami we are limited to a square paper which is folded and then transforms into any shape or object model. Paper toys can be made from any size or shape of paper and you need some format to follow.

Making toys with paper is easier, cheap and fun. Paper is an easier available product so every one can spend time having fun with this interesting activity or hobby. This post is about different online resources and links from where you can download lots of free project formats.

Paper models, also called card models or papercraft, are models constructed mainly from sheets of heavy paper, paperboard, or card stock. Origami is the process of making a paper model by folding paper without using glue. Card modeling is making scale models from sheets of cardstock on which the parts were printed, usually in full color. These pieces would be cut out, folded, scored and glued together. They are generally more popular in Europe and Japan than in the United States.

Useful links and resources:

* 'Paper Toys' has a lot of model toys which are free to print.

* 'Print and Play Toys' has many toys to print for free. These toys are in PDF format.

* http://www.thetoymaker.com/2toys.html free paper toys that you can make yourself. Just print them out, cut, glue and enjoy.


* http://www.creativecloseup.com/100-exceptional-free-paper-models-and-toys

* http://www.custompapertoys.com/

* http://www.ss42.com/toys.html

* http://www.paper-toys.com/

* http://www.nicepapertoys.com/

* http://www.uscg.mil/top/downloads/models.asp

* http://www.freepapertoys.com/

* http://papertoys.com/

* http://blog.parasight.de/archive/free-designer-paper-toys

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model

* http://blog.parasight.de/archive/free-designer-paper-toys


* http://www.puzzles.com/puzzlelinks/toyorigami.htm

Sometimes the model pieces can be punched out. More frequently the printed parts must be cut out. Edges may be scored to aid folding. The parts are usually glued together with polyvinyl acetate glue ("white glue" "PVA"). In this kind of modeling the sections are usually pre-painted, so there is no need to paint the model after completion. Some enthusiasts may enhance the model by painting and detailing. Due to the nature of the paper medium, the model may be sealed with varnish to last longer.