What is card modeling and how to start this paper crafts hobby?

Card modeling is crafts of folding paper. It is a form of paper crafts like origami with a little difference. Card Modeling or Paper Modeling is the art of creating scale models with paper. Paper or card models are built up from appropriately colored, cut, and folded pieces of paper, usually a stiff card stock( heavy paper).
This article helps you learn about card modeling, features of this paper crafts hobby and how to start with it!

Features of card modeling:

• Card models are inexpensive compared to plastic models.  
• No specialized or expensive tools are needed.  
• No need of expensive tools like an airbrush for a good finish. 
• The level of detail is very high.
• Card models are easy to collect in inbuilt condition
• You don't need much space
• This hobby is economical. 
• Kits are inexpensive
• An entire village of scale buildings can be had for less than $10. Some kits are expensive, but even the most expensive are much cheaper than a plastic model of comparable complexity.
• Card model building is not easy - you often have only one try
• Paper models can be surprisingly sturdy, and can stand up to handling well. They derive their strength from their structure; even seemingly flimsy paper can be strong when it's shaped properly.

 What is card modeling?

Paper/Card Modeling is, building anything from a 2D paper/card into a 3D scale model.

Basic tools to start this crafts:


Only a few simple tools are necessary for constructing card models.
Scissors, paper cutting knife, white glue, blunt nail and a ruler to score the fold lines. You'll also need cardboard to glue some of the parts on (fuselage formers) for enforcement. You can find most of these tools in office supplies or hobby stores.

Anything can be modeled in paper, but the most common subjects are buildings and vehicles. Buildings are a very popular subject and well suited to the medium. Kits are available of many famous buildings and castles. There are also many kits available in common model railroad scales, suitable for inclusion in a railroad layout. Aircraft and ships both civil and military are also popular.

A brief history of card modeling:

Card modeling goes back to the invention of paper. The Egyptians used papyrus to form parts for the models of their buildings. Likewise for the Chinese, who developed a much better method for making paper. It wasn’t until paper making came to Europe in the 15th century that the forerunner of today’s card models came about. These early models were simple two dimensional drawings on thin paper which were cut out in a rectangular pattern and then pasted onto heavier “card” stock. The early models were printed using wood or copper plates. Therefor the quantity was limited. It stayed that way until 1796 when Alois Senefelder (Munich) perfected the lithography. Now thousands of models could be printed from one plate. Quality and detailing continued to improve to what you see here and there.


How to start this paper crafts hobby?
You can get card modeling kits from nearby hobby shops or stationary zones of any shopping mall. There are many online sites which offer free models to download. You can start creating paper or card models by downloading these models.

Many models are available as kits, with pre-printed pieces to be cut out and assembled by the modeler. It's also possible to build entirely from scratch.
All parts are printed on several sheets and are pre-painted. All you need to do is: Cut out, fold/curve and glue the parts to each other. Detailed assembly instructions and/or exploded views of the different stages of the assembly are supplied with each kit, and some manufacturers supply their own building method/line codes sheet.

Useful links:

* Free online download of Paper toys                                              

* 'Currell Graphics' offers many free card models which you can download.

* 'Paper Craft Paradise' is a blog with a lot of origami, paper craft projects.

* Download, print, fold, paste

* 'Paper Mau'

* 'Studio Waka' with many models

* 100 Exceptional Free Paper Models and Toys

* More paper models at : http://www.np-g.com/npi_yoshi/kosaku/index.html

How to start collecting paper money?

A very common type of collecting hobby is 'collection of currency or bank notes of various countries of the world'.  At this digital and plastic money (credit cards) age, still people use paper money or currency notes. Like coins and stamps these currency notes reflect basic information about that specific country.

Lots of people have dedicated their lives to researching and compiling information on paper money or bank notes.

Do you want to start collecting paper money?                

The best way to start is to subscribe to Bank Note Reporter. It's a sort of monthly newspaper for paper money collectors and not only does it carry all the latest news about new issues, currency changes, etc., it also has advertising from a very large number of dealers and it lists paper money shows in the US and around the world. BNR offers free samples to anyone (not just in the USA).

The Professional Currency Dealers Association offers a small booklet called "How to Collect Paper Money" which, if I recall correctly, even contains a few sample world banknotes.

How to trade/buy/sell paper money?

The most effective way to get paper money is not through general circulation, but through dealers, collectors, auctions, and shows. There are many online sites which can help you trade paper money or back notes.

The International Bank Note Society's quarterly journal carries free advertising "of a non-commercial nature" for people wanting to update their personal collections. Bank Note Reporter also has a lot
of small cheap ads for this. These are good places to look for people to trade notes.

Another way to buy/sell notes is through mail auctions.  Some people prefer to collect notes from general circulation. This is a good way for someone to start getting interested in paper money, but it's really not a very effective way to collect it.

How to keep banknotes safely?

To keep them in the best possible condition is to use inert plastics of good quality.
Common household products such as plastic wrap, plastic bags, window envelopes, etc. should not be used for storing paper money. Most plastics contain PVC, which deteriorates with time and heat, releasing acids and gases which will migrate into the paper, resulting in the notes appearing to have been soaked in oil, or so brittle they shatter at a touch.

Notes should be stored or displayed away from direct sunlight, to avoid fading. Repairs should be made only with products that are stable.
"Magic" tape and other plastic tapes will leave permanent stains on notes.

You can also keep notes in regular paper envelopes as well, although they're more liable to get damaged in handling.

Paper money has both a market value and a personal value. These two things are very different. There are big time dealers who keep a note from circulation just because it has an interesting serial number or for other sentimental reasons. Don't let "market" forces blur the real meaning of being a collector.

Useful links:

* A good site with images of USA and some World notes

* History of money

* World Banknote Collectors Web Site

* Paper money FAQS

Benefits of Gardening As a Healthy Hobby for All Age People

Gardening is one of those pastimes which brings happiness and health for all age people. There are a lot of benefits of gardening which show the importance of this hobby. The physical benefits of fresh air and exercise are perhaps the most obvious, but emotional and psychological benefits cannot be ignored.

"Ever wonder why God placed Adam and Eve in a garden?" Upson said. "The reason is that gardening is good for you!".

Steve Upson, horticulturist for the Ardmore-based Noble Foundation says, ‘The older I get, the more aware I become of the importance of physical activity in maintaining my health," Upson said. "Numerous studies show that regular physical activity reduces the risk of premature death, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, adult-onset diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, and certain types of cancer."

Gardening contributes to physical health, since activities such as digging, planting, weeding, and harvesting are all part of three types of physical activity: endurance, flexibility, and strength.

Read more at: Benefits of Gardening As a Healthy Hobby for All Age People

Pencil collecting as a hobby and how to start it?

There are many people around who love to collect pencils, you can also start collecting pencils as a hobby.

How you can start?

There are various kind of pencils like wooden pencils, mechanical pencils, art pencils, and plastic pencils.  For starters, collect wooden pencils. The shafts (longer part of pencil) may display sport teams, tourist attractions, banks, colleges, safety slogans, and even Bible verses.

You can also collect old pencils, but it is rather difficult, as people usually throw them away.
This article offers you links and online resources to get more information about pencils and pencil collecting. A good place to interact with pencil collectors is pencil collectors organizations or online communities. Online blogs of collectors are a good place to get inspiration and collector ideas.

Useful links and online resources:

American Pencil Collectors Society a not-for-profit hobby organization devoted toward the exclusive interests of establishing and maintaining communication among pen and pencil collectors and the dissemination of information relative to writing instruments.

* The Philosophy of Pencil Collecting

* Pencil talk is a blog devoted to exploring woodcase pencils and related topics. Of course, it is also more than just that – it is a meditation on the basic tools used by writers, artists, students, and office workers, and how these tools influence us.                    

* 'Debbie's Pencil Collection'

* Beaverton man looking for a home for his collection of 73,980 pencils
* Explore the World of Pencil Collecting

* Pencil Points A blog about collecting brand name woodcase pencils.
* Collecting pencils at Writing Instruments blog

* A community of pencil collectors

Old known pencil in existence
This carpenters pencil is the oldest known pencil in existence. It was found in the roof of a 17th-century German house, and is part of the Faber-Castell private collection.

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

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'

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'

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.

Collectible and figurines for hobby or gift purposes

Collectibles or figurines are another form of products which we buy for keeping ourselves, decoration purposes, remember vacation or holiday trips or to give as a gift to our near and dear ones. Whatever the purpose may be these gift items are fun to check at gift shops. I browse through online gift shops for the gift ideas and most of the time I am successful to find suitable collectible or figurine for my own collection or as a gift for someone.

According to 'wikipedia' :A collectable or collectible is typically a manufactured item designed for people to collect. In this respect, they are distinguishable from other subjects of collections, which may also include natural objects (e.g., butterflies) and objects manufactured for purposes other than collecting (e.g., stamps). Some objects designed for other purposes, such as toys, become so popular among collectors that they are later marketed specifically to that audience.

Whenever going for shopping I specially look around gift shops and have fun searching for 'collectable gifts'. These gifts or figurines show your taste when you collect these items and decorate your homes with it.

Figurines or other collectible gift items can be expensive or cheap. It is your budget which helps you decide to go for cheap or expensive stuff.

What is figurine?

figurines is a statuette that represents a human, deity, or animal. Figurines may be realistic or iconic, depending on the skill and intention of the creator. The earliest were made of stone or clay. Modern versions are made of ceramic, metal, glass, wood and plastic.

These collectibles gifts can be kept as a personal collection or it can be a nice gift. Collectible gifts can be jewelry, decorative or hobby products which can be purchased from any gift shop or from an online mall as well. Online shopping is always time saving and within short time you can browse through many merchants with competing prices. Online shopping can save your money as well as you can compare prices with the click of your mouse.

There are many review sites which can help you make your selection easier for online shopping or to just get an idea for collectible items.

Related post:

* How to Choose a Forever Collectible?

Create scrap blog and share with all

Scrap booking is a favorite hobby and digital scrap booking is an easier form of it. Digital scrap booking is also very time saving activity as you need to do it at your computer and need only few soft wares to help you create pretty and creative projects.

Now you can make your own scrap blog. How it is possible?

Yes it is possible and you can create your own blog, sharing it online with all.

'Scrap Blog' is the place where you don't need to do anything with your pictures as they provide all the tools or utilities to make your 'blog' attractive and awesome.

- The site provides step by step instruction which can help you learn to create your online scrap blog.
- 'Get Crafty' is another page which showcases designers, new features and crafty ideas for preserving your digital memories.

- Their 'blog' can be bookmarked for updated posts.

How to learn calligraphy?

I am in love for calligraphy from the very young age and being a calligrapher myself I was appreciated well when I joined the teaching profession. I still love to learn and teach about beautiful writing which is called 'calligraphy'. This post is for the people who want to learn it online or get some tips to start it as a hobby. There is a good variety of stuff online which can help you to learn or start it but the material or helping books can be purchased online or offline from your nearest crafts or stationary supply store.

* The best site without any ads is 'cmc gavren' which has been selected as one of the best educational resources on the Web by StudySphere, one of the Internet's fastest growing educational resources for students, teachers and parents. It provides step by step easy lessons to learn 'calligraphy'

* 'Calligraphy Centre' helps you learn how to start or begin this hobby. There are many helpful links, articles, and tips.

* 'Cynscribe' is a resource for calligraphers,lettering artists, typographers, graphic designers, paper decorators, scrapbookers, greeting card makers,book designers and artist bookmakers.

* 'Studio arts' is a very popular site which has been visitied over one million since 1997.

'Studio arts' says: 'Calligraphy means"beautiful writing." Calligraphy can be both a delight to the eye and an inspiration to the spirit. In our technological age, the appreciation for the art of calligraphy has grown incredibly. Calligraphy is a fun hobby, a great business, and a creative art.'

* 'The Calligraphy pen' is a blog where you can find calligraphy pen use, buying guide and maintenace tips.

* 'Scribblers blog'

* Calligraphy sites at 'The craft directory'

Coin collecting is a popular hobby and although it is the age of plastic money, usage of coins is still continued worldwide. Having coins from the various countries increases the knowledge about those countries, plus coins have their own value. Old or rare coins can be traded on high price so it is a way of making money as well. Coin value never goes down, so the collection of your coins makes your hobby more valuable. You also need to get updated news, and information from various sources. Online sites dedicated to coin collectors are a source of useful information in this connection.

Coin update provides coin collecting news and information for popular coins and new releases. You can get coin news articles, blog posts, and coin related stories.

Easy way to get updated news is to subscribe by RSS or email.

Site link: Coin update

Get online tips about flower arrangemnt

Flower arrangement is also called 'Ikebana' which is the Japanese art of flower decoration. It is more than simply putting flowers in a container, and a creative process. There are many sites around the net which can guide you or provide tips regarding this hobby. You are a hobbyist or simply want to decorate your home with flower arrangemnt, the tips and suggestions offered at many online sites can help you a lot. This post offers you few useful links about 'flower arrangement'

Ikebana means 'way of flowers'. It is is a disciplined art form in which nature and humanity are brought together. Contrary to the idea of floral arrangement as a collection of particolored or multicolored arrangement of blooms, ikebana often emphasizes other areas of the plant, such as its stems and leaves, and draws emphasis towards shape, line, form.

Floral Craft Resource is an online resource for flower arranging and decorating. You can find the largest collection of flower arranging and home decorating tips at the sitet. All conveniently organized by category. Learn how to make dried floral arrangements, centerpieces, topiaries, wedding bouquets, silk flower arrangements, holiday decorations, and more.

* 'Hints and tips for flower arranging'

* How To Make a Fresh Flower Arrangement?

Floral arrangement a creative hobby

Flower arranging has become increasingly popular as a hobby, for people of all ages and backgrounds. Flower arranging is an engaging form of art which has most benefits. Most people need a little equates to of beautiful countenance to raise their lives and for most of them it is the erotically appealing art of formulating flowering plant arrangements which has helped fill the gap. One of the joys of flowering plant arranging is which one has a vast accumulation of ways to emanate flowering plant arrangements. The arranger has the event to practice his or her aptitude and creativity. Every flowering plant agreement is an finish outcome of the arranger

Have you ever put flowers in a vase and they just don't sit right?

By learning a few basic principles you will be able to create attractive floral designs for your own home.

Flowers add the finishing touch. Imagine the pleasure you will get by being able to make a lovely flower arrangement for your entrance hall or a floral centerpiece for the dining room table.

Flower arrangements make the perfect gift for so many different occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, get well wishes, or to simply say "I care".

Unlike many other hobbies, you don't need a lot of expensive equipment. You can often use flowers and foliage from your own garden or you can buy some inexpensive flowers. Once you learn how to position flowers and foliage correctly, you can quickly make eye catching floral designs. You can also create floral designs using silk flowers. There are some very natural looking silk flowers available, and you will be able to make lasting floral designs. Imagine the thrill of being able to say "I made it myself".

The benefits of learning flower arranging are many as:

Flower arranging is creative and fun

Relaxing: It's a great stress reducer

Interesting: Flower arranging is never boring.

You will have a sense of achievement by learning a new skill.

You will save money by making your own floral designs.


Flowers Have Healing Benefits.

'According to a new study the plants and flowers in hospital rooms posses healing properties, in particular for those who are recovering from surgery.

It was made a study on 90 patients recovering from appendectomy. They were assigned to different hospital rooms, some rooms were with flowers, while other had no plants at all.

During this study doctors made notes on recovery period, heart rate level, and temperature, blood pressure, perceived level of pain, fatigue and anxiety levels.

Thus, it was found out that patients living in rooms with plants had faster recovery from abdominal surgery, took fewer medicines against pain, and had lower anxiety levels. In fact, these patients were much more satisfied.'


Source links: Floral Art School of Australia
- Types of flowers.org

Save money with 'The grocery game' -

Frugal means 'economical', 'wise in the expenditure' and when we start talking about frugal hobbies, it means 'hobbies which can be adopted without or spending very minimal cost. Collection of coupons, discount vouchers and promotional codes is one of those frugal hobbies which most of the housewives love to do. Saving money is another fun activity or entertaining as it gives us satisfaction and pleasure. It is pleasure if you could save up to 50% on your grocery bills monthly.

You can save a lot of money with the Grocery Coupons which are offered by 'The Grocery Game' where you can save money with your groceries and you know it better that grocery saving means a good amount of money month after month.

The story behind the creation of this site is interesting. It all started when Teri Gault (the company's founder and CEO)was trying to save money. He started it by collecting coupons and matching them to grocery store sales. Gradually this hobby became a passion.

Now Teri is sharing her money saving ideas with us through this site. The Grocery Game offers "TERI'S LIST" in all 50 states.

How to play the grocery game?

You'll get a weekly list of the lowest-priced products at your supermarket matched with manufacturers' coupons and weekly specials -- advertised and unadvertised. You have to pay a little fee to play this game, but if you could save hundreds of dollars by paying a little amount then it is definite saving.

Calligraphy - An art of beautiful writing

I have been concerned some way with the topics 'I have written at this blog' about various hobbies. One of may favourite hobby is calligraphy. I have learned Arabic calligraphy from a tv tutorial. As Urdu is my mother tonue, Arabic calligraphy was easier for me to learn. Later I bought a book and other calligraphy material to keep practicing for Urdu and English calligraphy. I am proud to say that due to my interest in calligraphy I am one of the teachers who's writing and art skills are appreciated well.

I am including all useful links and resources which would help you learn the basics of this hobby. You can use your calligraphic skills to make many things which would show your art/drawing skills, your innovation, and creativity as well.

Few Things You Can Create With Calligraphy:
Scriptures and inspirational quotations, Poems, Invitations, Greeting Cards, Business Cards, Announcements, Maps, Posters, Certificates, Awards, etc.

Calligraphy (from Greek kallos "beauty" + graphẽ "writing") is the art of writing and the meaning of this word shows the simple definition of this term "beautiful writing" - Another definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"

Before the invention of the printing press some 500 years ago, it was the way books were made, each copy being written out by hand by a scribe in a scriptorium on materials like vellum or parchment with a quill in one of the period bookhands like rustic, carolingian, blackletter, etc.

The principal tools for a calligrapher are the pen, which may be flat- or round-nibbed, and the brush. For some decorative purposes, multi-nibbed pens—steel brushes—can be used. However, works have also been made with felt-tip and ballpoint pens, although these works do not employ angled lines. Ink for writing is usually water-based and much less viscous than the oil based inks used in printing. High quality paper, which has good consistency of porosity, will enable cleaner lines.

Arabic calligraphy, is the art of beautiful or elegant handwriting as exhibited by the correct formation of characters, the ordering of the various parts, and harmony of proportions.

In the Islamic world, calligraphy has traditionally been held in high regard. The high esteem accorded to the copying of the Quran, and the aesthetic energy that was devoted to it, raised Arabic calligraphy to the status of an art.

Useful resources:
* 'Calligraphy' article at "Wikipedia"

* Society of Scribes is a non-profit educational organization which promotes the study, teaching and practice of calligraphy and related disciplines. It was founded in 1974 in New York city.

* An article from John Stevens of "Caligraphy Centre"

* "Calligraphic Islamic" A site dedicated to Arabic and Islamic calligraphy.

* Cynscribe Directory is a resource for calligraphers,lettering artists, papermakers, typographers, graphic designers, paper decorators, scrapbookers, rubberstampers,greeting card makers,book designers and artist bookmakers.

Learn free online photography tips and techniques

Inernet has become a rich source of information for hobbies. You can search and get hobby ideas which helps you learn and choose them as your pastime. You don't need to join any course or read books to learn photography, world wide web has offered many useful resources and links where you can learn photogaphy tips and techniques for free.

* Photo.net is an online community with hundreds of thousands of active members and many more casual viewers visiting daily. It started in 1993 helping people who wish to become better photographers.

* Photography.comPhotography.com is a comprehensive online source of information for amateur and professional photographers alike. Providing in-depth articles on everything from equipment to techniques. Product reviews help users make important decisions on how and where to spend their money. Photography.com also offers an extensive collection of stock photos that can easily be searched and sorted to quickly find exactly what you're looking for

* Photography tips is intended to help beginners get started in photography, and become so good at it that they turn into advanced amateurs. It also offers useful tips and hints for accomplished photographers. You have to be a member if you want to access whole site content. But still you can access many site features.

Free Online Photography Course

Photography is one of the popular hobbies which is a profession as well. I still love to take pictures and it is one of the hobbies I enjoy most. As photography is directly linked to scrapbooking, you can easily use your photos to make artistic projects. I remember taking pictures with my first 'Yashica' camera. Now I have 'Sony'cybershot, 8 mega pixol which my 9 year old son can handle very easily. Even my cell phone has camera can take 2 mega pixol pictures and the pictures are really nice. I believe that despite of huge development in technology, you still need to learn about photography. Digital cameras has made 'photography' a child's play, as you can take high difinition pictures within seconds. Learning photography has become easier due to latest digital cameras, and by applying some tips and techniques you can create wonderful pictures.
This post is about a FREE online photography course and as it is from a professional photographer, you can learn it easily while sitting at the comfort of your home. Either photography is your hobby or not, you can still learn from this online tutorial.

Jodies Coston's Free Online Photography Course

Freelance photographer Jodie Coston offers a free online course in photography, covering everything from aperture to zoom.

The course is divided into 10 lessons, each presented with loads of sample photos and assignments at the end. Coston employs a friendly, personal style and provides plain-English descriptions of complicated subjects. Even better, host site morgueFile maintains a separate discussion board for each of the lessons, so you can ask questions, share info with your "classmates," etc.
This course is actually a couple years old, but it's still an excellent introduction to photography.
(You can't download the lessons as PDFs they're in HTML)

Site link: Site link

Interesting related posts:

- Photography tutorials at 'YouTube'

- Rick Sammon's Top Ten Digital Photography Tips at YouTube

- 30 Photos That Inspired Me to Learn Photography

(Note: Both pictures of this post are taken by me, with a 2 mega pixol Nokia N70 camera)