Many who suddenly get the scrapbooking bug say they started when they realized that so few pictures were taken of them as cute little tykes – and they want to make things better for their own children. What ever the reason, scrapbooking has become a big business. There are estimates that over 4 million people, almost all of them women, gather for “crop-alongs” or “power layouts” every month! All these people are on the lookout for new and exciting scrapbooking ideas and share their thoughts and techniques on how to create that perfect keepsake.
So many people are seeing that life is short, and they want to preserve family memories for their children. With today’s ever mobile society and families spread across the country (and the world), it has become apparent that one way to keep everyone current with what’s going on in your life is to utilize scrapbooks to chronicle everyday life.
In simple terms, scrapbooking is the practice of combining photographs, memorabilia, and written narratives, poetry, quotations, stories, or other textual content into a scrapbook style album. A few scrapbooks are mass produced, but most are unique, singular publications. They can contain an accumulation of all sorts of objects such as newspaper clippings, magazine articles, play bills, ticket stubs, pressed flowers, and locks of hair.
Scrapbooks are often embellished with ribbon or other pieces of fabric, colorful graphics, and other artwork. These artifacts of history are attached to the album pages. Many different types of scrapbooks have been made including family histories, personal journals and memories, and historical records of organizations, military units, and other groups.
Personal scrapbooks provide a unique view into the thoughts, lives, and activities of their creator(s). Some of the best and most valuable scrapbooks are simple, focused documents that are directed to one single topic or subject. As stated above, scrapbooking is the fastest growing craft industry in the United States. The advent of computers has expanded the techniques available for producing, duplicating, and distributing scrapbooks. For example, some personal websites are virtual scrapbooks.
If you’re addicted to scrapbooking and want to have fun creating lasting memories – whether you’re a beginner or an experienced scrapbooker – scrapbooking supplies are readily available from many online sites from the basic essentials to the latest product trends. Get your choice of albums, scrapbook paper packs, embellishments, stamps, adhesives, trimmers and helpful products to keep everything organized. You can count on all the reputable online merchants for high-quality scrapbook supplies and affordable prices.
To create a scrapbook, you need the right material. From ribbons and bows to photo material and albums—all the necessary scrapbooking supplies you need are available online. There are books to help you get started and loads of advice to help guide you along the way to create your own masterpiece.
There are even websites to answer your questions and the many online catalogers and merchants have everything you need to complete your project. Just point and click and you’ll be on your way to making a treasured family keepsake.
How to become a scrapbooking expert!
Many who suddenly get the scrapbooking bug say they started when they realized that so few pictures were taken of them as cute little tykes – and they want to make things better for their own children.
What ever the reason, scrapbooking has become a big business. There are estimates that over 4 million people, almost all of them women, gather for “crop-alongs” or “power layouts” every month!
All these people are on the lookout for new and exciting scrapbooking ideas and share their thoughts and techniques on how to create that perfect keepsake.
So many people are seeing that life is short, and they want to preserve family memories for their children. With today’s ever mobile society and families spread across the country (and the world), it has become apparent that one way to keep everyone current with what’s going on in your life is to utilize scrapbooks to chronicle everyday life.
In simple terms, scrapbooking is the practice of combining photographs, memorabilia, and written narratives, poetry, quotations, stories, or other textual content into a scrapbook style album.
A few scrapbooks are mass produced, but most are unique, singular publications. They can contain an accumulation of all sorts of objects such as newspaper clippings, magazine articles, play bills, ticket stubs, pressed flowers, and locks of hair.
Scrapbooks are often embellished with ribbon or other pieces of fabric, colorful graphics, and other artwork.
If it is winter time and your child has been asked to make some winter projects and therefore there are many wonderful possibilities for basic winter art projects and crafts such as cutting out snowflakes or drawing a Santa Claus but in addition there are some other fun things and activities to be done.
You can pose the idea of interesting arts and crafts to your children and you shall really be surprised at the creative ideas of your children.
Some fun ideas for winter crafts whereby you can use organized supplies such as:
1. Cotton is very useful in making some great winter art projects and if these cotton balls are a bit colder they can even look like mini snowballs. Your child can also draw wonderful winter scenery and then rip them, fluff them and glue them at the places where snow has to be shown.
2. Winter is always incomplete without marshmallows. Marshmallows is added treats in hot chocolate but can also be used for winter crafts. Your kids can take three big marshmallows and then stack them on top of each other so as to make a mini and tasty snowman. Toothpicks can also be used to hold the marshmallows together and also as the arms. Mini marshmallows can be a great fun when snowballs are attached to winter collages.
3. Plaster of Paris is also used in many great ways and not just for winter crafts and one of such ways is to use it to make “footprints in the snow.” For this, you can fill a box lid with negligible item such as Plaster of Paris. When it settles and dries you can make different footprints in the snow or could be used as the side of fist to look like a baby’s footprints.
4. Birds that stay in place all through winter needs food and during winter children can make a pine cone bird feeder. So you need to cover a pine cone in peanut butter and dip it in the bird seed and then tie a bit of string to one of these pine cones and hung it up on the tree outside.
5. You can also use glitter to add so that any basic winter art project looks even more fancy and beautiful.
My kids love doing holiday crafts, and I’m sure yours will too! It has always been challenging to find age-appropriate crafts that all of the children will enjoy making.
My children each have a few years between them, so we have amassed quite a collection of crafts and craft ideas. Here are a few MORE suggestions you can use.
Consider it an early Christmas gift from me to you!
Bead garlands are one of my all-time favorite crafts. They are fun to make, extremely colorful, and great for children of all ages. You will need some string or plastic cord, a whole lot of beads, some scissors, and some glue.
Cut the string or cord to the desired length, and thread it through the first bead. Tie a knot around that bead, and add some glue to keep it secure. Now add the rest of your beads. When you reach the end, tie the string off on the last bead and add some more glue. Now that was fun, wasn’t it?
Pine cone ornaments have also become classics in our Christmas craft repertoire. They are appropriate for children of any age, and keep very well in storage. You will need to spend some time collecting the pine cones.
We collect them when we are out walking the dog. We simply paint them with silver or gold paint, and cover them with glitter. Let them dry somewhere safe, and tie them to your tree with a piece of ribbon. Are you getting in the holiday spirit, yet?
Bell ornaments are also a lot of fun to make, and they will last for years to come. We feel that small terra cotta pots are the best to use. Have the children paint the pot green, and allow it to dry. Once the pot is completely dry, attach fake jewels or beads to it with glitter glue.
Then thread a small bell with some ribbon, and pull the ribbon up through the hole in the pot. Tie a knot in the ribbon so the bell stays secure, and add any other final touches you might like. I am sure your kids will love these crafts as much as mine do! Have a wonderful holiday, all!
Kids love to do craft projects, there is no doubt about it. But I think children, especially younger children like to have their projects less structured. I totally think this is true because they can be more creative and have more fun that way.
Don’t get me wrong, I come up with craft ideas for my daughter and we have a lot of fun with them, but she seems to have more fun creating her own craft ideas.
A few years back I went to our local good will store and bought a ton of craft supplies for very little money. I bought beads, pipe cleaners, glitter, stickers, feathers, yarn, lace, buttons, and just a ton of crafty type stuff. I put it all in a big box with some glue and glue sticks and thus my daughters crafting box came into existence.
We have since added stickers, markers, cotton balls, sequins, and other stuff we find.
I bought a big tablet of thick paper and thus her “scrapbook” came into existence. She loves to get it out and create different pages of ideas and creations. She cuts pictures out of magazines and adds them to it as well.
Sometimes she just makes her own craft projects out of the materials instead of doing her “scrapbooking” and she has a great time. The only drawback to her scrapbooking is sometimes she uses a lot of glue and we have to wait for it to dry before she can turn the page and move on to her next crafting creation.
So don’t always think structured when it comes to craft ideas for younger children. You and they will probably have a lot more fun if you let their imagination rule the project.
After all it is their creation so there is no wrong or right to it. They are less likely to become frustrated because they can’t make their creations look just like they are suppose to as well.
I have readers telling me they love my post on treasure hunting for the recent weeks. Some ask me what exactly is a metal detector and whether these devices actually work or just a waste of time…
A metal detector is a portable electronic device which penetrates the ground magnetically in order to find traces of metal.
This metal could either be discarded pieces of aluminum or valuable coins, jewelry and other buried treasures. Part of the appeal of metal detecting is this unknown factor, keeping amateurs and professionals on a constant scan for new sources of metal and more promising locations.
These devices can usually penetrate sand, soil, wood and other non-metallic substances, making most areas fair game for treasure hunters.
Some metal detectors can discriminate between various metals, allowing users to decide if a particular discovery would be worth digging up. A significant percentage of hits are indeed pieces of metallic trash or discarded building materials.
Part of the appeal of this hobby, however, is discovering a lost class ring or a piece connected with local history. Some professional treasure hunters use very discriminating detectors set only for valuable metals, but hobbyists tend to explore even the less lucrative hits.
Metal detectors are electronic devices that are used to find traces of metal usually from the ground, a person, or cargo. This metal could be anything from discarded pieces of aluminum to buried treasures. These devices can penetrate sand, soil, wood and other non-metallic substances.
Most metal detectors, hand held, and the walk-through ones at the airport utilize a field-disturbance detector. That is a fancy name for a simple concept. When a conductor passes through a magnetic field, a portion of that magnetic field is disturbed, distorted and reduced. That reduction in the magnetic field is related to a small amount of current that is induced or created in the conductor.
You can do the same thing by jumping rope with a piece of wire instead of the rope. As the wire cuts through the earth’s magnetic field, a small amount of electricity is generated at the end of the wires.
Electromagnetic induction is the creation of an electric field by a fluctuating magnetic field. The electric field may be produced, according to Faraday’s law of induction in two ways: by the motion of a conductor cutting across the lines of magnetic flux of a magnetic field or by a change in the magnetic flux passing through a coil immersed in a non constant magnetic field.
Why not try gold hunting yourself?
Gold hunting always remained the vocation of the mighty emperors or the daring treasure hunters or pirates. It was never estimated as the hobby that can be pursued by a common man like you and me. However, with the help of a simple device called gold detector you can also become the owner of loads of gold like the heroes of the past.
An envious career as a gold hunter starts with the investment on a proper gold detector, instead of an ordinary metal detector. Stay away from cheaper or second hand versions while choosing your first gold detector. Some brands to consider are Whites, Garrett, Fisher, and Minelab.
First, you need to do extensive research about the area of operation by consulting the experts or reading journals featuring articles on the well-known gold mine areas.
Joining a Prospecting club is a good idea, which will teach you the secrets of where to go and how to dig the sites to your fullest advantage. One popular club is the Gold Prospectors Association of America (GPAA).
To get the best possible performance from your gold detector, follow this 7- step guide:
Instead of moving the detectors haphazardly, make an extensive search by marking a small patch and patiently covering it bit by bit. Always keep the search coil at least 1cm from the ground while swinging the detector slowly.
Just ignore lengthy and gradual changes in sound, which are the responses to ground mineralization changes. Do not ignore the short or sharp signals even if they are faint.
A manual ground-balance machine using a Double-D coil is required to be re balanced every now and then. The GP or the SD series machines save this trouble.
When the machine remits very small signals, scoop out some amount of soil from the coil. Now drop a handful at a time over the search coil. Now you will be getting signals whenever it touches any metal.
Practicing in the bushy or beach areas where ground has little mineralization will help you to recognize the signals when you are trying on sites that are more difficult.
You can choose from mainly four categories of detectors according to your preferences and expectations. They are:
Gold prospecting Detectors
Dual purpose detectors
Treasure hunting detectors.
Underwater detectors
Every gold detector has its virtue and vices. For example, with a specialized prospecting detector you get the high efficiency of locating even tiniest nuggets at shallow depth. However, at the same time with its poor discriminating abilities you might end up with digging up lots of trash.
Finally, patience is the key for striking a big deal in your search for gold. Do not move impatiently to another spot. Locate a small spot and scan it extensively.
Despite your hard work, you might not find anything. Start all over again on a new location applying the same degree of concentration. Remember, with a little effort and the right equipment, you too could find the riches of kings!
At one point in time, every last one of us passionately wanted a chiseled rock-hard mid-section. We all want to know how to get great 6 pack abs.
Well here is one of the best kept secrets. It is the most coveted body part, the symbol of sexuality.
In study after study researchers and health specialist alike have found that decreasing fat in your abdomen, and waist to hip ratio is the single most significant step that you can take to stay healthy for life, and age gracefully.
Most of us have given up on the idea because our quest has for naught. We have been flooded with miss-information from fad diets, fat burner supplements, to exercise gadgets, promoting six week transformations with dramatic before and after photo’s, etc.
The key to that coveted six pack is not one thing, it is four things.
Bringing your body-fat level down by:
1.) Following a precise nutrition plan that has the right amount of protein combined together with the right amount and the right type of carbohydrates spaced strategically through-out the day, and around weight training and cardio sessions.
2.) An intelligent cardiovascular program
3.) An optimistic athletic mid-set
4.) Building up the muscles of the mid-section, and building up all other muscle groups
In this post let’s focus on #4.
The secret weapon for developing the musculature of the abdominal wall is a little known exercise called the ab vacuum. It targets you inner most abdominal muscle, the transverse abdominis (TVA for short).
Most people don’t even know they have one let alone how to activate it. The TVA is like a corset, it is your own internal weight belt, holding your internal organs in place.
It is the foundation for the rest of the abdominal muscles, the internal and external obliques, and the rectus abdominis. If you have done crunches and leg-lifts until you are blue in the face and are still unhappy with your mid-section, this information could take your quest for that fit chiseled mid-section to the next level.
There are other benefits to strengthening your TVA.
• It is the only exercise that has the ability to actually make your waist-line smaller.
• By working and strengthening the TVA you are actually giving your spine more support, so the risk of a vertebrae or a disc slipping out of place is less. Did you notice that the old leather weight belts are not used anymore?
That’s because we learned to tighten up our own internal weight belt on exercises verses using an external weight belt that shut off the need to activate the TVA which lead to injuries.
• Better sex. When you strengthen your TVA with the ab vacuum exercise you will be using your diaphragm and you will also strengthen your lower pelvic floor muscles (ala a kegel squeeze).
To perform a kegel exercise, squeeze your pelvic floor muscles, as if you’re trying to stop the flow of urine mid-stream. Stronger pelvic floor muscles help women achieve orgasms and help men achieve and maintain erections. It also makes the orgasms more pleasurable. As soon as I tell my clients this, you can always be assured of overtraining of the TVA.
• You can work the other abdominal muscles more effectively. You can’t shoot a cannon out of a canoe. You can’t have strong walls on your building if your foundation is weak. When you strengthen up the foundation of your mid-section you will be able to perform your other abdominal exercises with more focused intensity. You will be able to feel the difference in weeks.
• Athleticism – The TVA is the deepest abdominal muscle group there is. It is truly the core the core. An athlete can have excellent cardiovascular condition and have strong leg and back muscles, but if his core muscles aren’t in optimal condition, this creates a weak link in the bodies muscle chain that affects all his movements. All movements and reactions start at the core. If core muscles don’t do their job to stabilize and move the torso, then arm and leg muscles will overcompensate, trying to do a job for which they are ill-equipped.
To get in tune with and activate your TVA simply place your hands around the sides of your body at your pelvis. Flatten your stomach by gently pulling in your gut, or pulling your belly away from your waist band. You can feel the TVA at work as it reduces the diameter of your torso in that area. This simple exercise also demonstrates the involvement of the abs in respiration, particularly exhalation.
I have put on an incredibly unique twist to this exercise. The combination of two little known exercises takes the effectiveness of this core exercise to the next level. Basically, I have combined an ab vacuum with a kegele squeeze. Most women know what a kegel squeeze is. In child birth it gets the lower pelvic floor muscles stronger which aid in the pushing for child birth. For men, when trying to perform a kegel squeeze, think about stopping the flow of urine mid-stream while pulling your belly-button back toward your spine (as you exhale about ½ of your lung capacity). Also try to think about squeezing your sphincter muscles or like you have a quarter between your butt cheeks and you don’t want it too fall out.
Now lets perform the exercise
To begin, lie on your back with your knees bent at a 90, feet flat on the floor and the small of your back pushed flat into the floor. Take in a very slow long breathe and start to slowly exhale ¾ of your air while you are pulling your belly button down toward your spine (I like to put my index finger on my belly-button and feel it raise as I take the long breathe in and then feel it start downward as I exhale ¾ of my lung capacity).
While at the same time pushing your lower back into the floor and drive you chin down toward your chest slightly. Once you have ¾ of your air out hold your breathe and suck in through your throat with your breathe being held for 5-10 seconds.
As you are holding your breath and sucking in, think about pulling your innards up and under your rib-cage. It is called the ab vacuum for a reason, it is a little hard to come out of it and resume your normal breathing. But you will, and once you do relax and take a couple breathes and repeat. Starting out do 1 set of 6-9 repetitions, 2-3 times per week.
You can do the ab vacuum anywhere, and need no equipment. It’s a great way to wake up, or to end your day. It will take lots of practice and each week you will be able to feel the muscles working more and more. Once you get good at the technique you will be able to feel a ½ circle burning sensation in the pubic area.
Don’t be alarmed, just feel good about mastering one of the most unique and effective abdominal exercises out there. Please don’t give up on this exercise, once you master it you will be able to reverse gravity, and start to put back in place what years of inactivity and bad posture has started to let hang over your belt line.
Want to sharpen your confidence and shape up for the onslaught of Christmas parties? Learn how to burn fat effectively and transform your flabby tummy, beer belly and love handles into a toned and polished boy that packs a bunch! Click here to get started!
A man using a metal detector in a rural English field has uncovered the largest Anglo-Saxon gold hoard ever found — an “unprecedented” treasure that sheds new light on history, archaeologists said Thursday. – credits CNN.
YOU can do the same! Check out this successful treasure hunting secret manual!Click here!
Find Hidden Treasures with Metal Detectors
If this is your first metal detector purchase, consider getting some professional and expert advice to make sure that you have making the right choice. Metal detectors usually come with a complete control box containing the controls, circuitry, batteries, microprocessor, and the speaker.
Metal detectors also include a search shaft that connects it to the coil and the control box. A search coil senses the metal and the stabilizer is responsible for keeping the unit steady when it is moved.
Tesoro Metal Detector
There are two types of Tesoro metal detectors. The Tesoro Golden Max is a metal detector that enables you to control what you want to find. It has features such as the four tone audio ID with an adjustable Notch Filter Discriminate, great sensitivity, and comes with a full depth design. The other type is the Tesoro DeLeon, a metal detector designed for the Target Identification Detector (TID).
Whites Metal Detectors
There are different types of Whites metal detectors to choose from such as: the DFX™, a great model that ultimately combines the turn-on-and-go simplicity with the sophisticated microprocessor technology. This contains an operational frequency of 3 kHz and 15 kHz which is amazingly recommendable. The XLT® Metal Detector, is a detector which provides high performance with the best flexibility.
You can choose from five different programs that come with 20 Pr Options and 1o Basic Adjustments. The MXT has three separate operating modules which include jewelry/coin, relic, and gold processing. There is also the Prizm Series. This series includes all types of Prizm from II,III, IV and V. All of these contain a pinpoint mode that turns zero when in a target location.
The Fisher Metal Detectors
The 1266-X model is from Dr. Gerhard Fisher who obtained the first aircraft radio direction finders during the late 1920’s. This detector allows you to dig and search at a great depth. Although this is a good detector, it does not function clearly on saltwater surfaces. It comes with a manual and a 5 year warranty.
Garrett Metal Detectors
There are three models to choose from: The Garrett Super Scanner, a hand-held metal detector that allows you to detect from a medium-sized pistol down to the tiniest piece of jewelry. Its simplicity is unmatched. The Garett SuperWand Security, this is one of the most famous detectors.
This detector has extreme accuracy in detecting metal objects and weapons with its uniform sensitivity that covers a 360° scan area. And lastly, the Garett Magna Scanner PD Walk Through, which has its own unique features in scanning the exact location like multi-coil detection and ultra-enhanced field pinpoints. The amazing feature is that it can tell the exact location of a metal object within the 33 distinct areas.
Bounty Hunter Metal Detectors
Tracker IV, this model includes a built-in Automatic Ground Tracker which is capable of maintaining ground balance. The good thing about this detector is not only is it offered at a very reasonable price, but also it is user friendly and can deliver an effective and efficient performance in different applications.
These are the well-known detectors offered in the market. Choosing the right metal detectors will depend upon your range of use and study.
See the story of how an unemployed man who discovers HUGE treasures!!!
Go treasure hunting!! Check out this successful treasure hunting secret manual!Click here!
Have you ever wanted to find a way to bring extra money into your household–yet don’t have a lot of time to spend on a full-time endeavor?
The solution is as close as the digital camera sitting there in a drawer. The following suggestions are only a few of the many ways you can make money in your spare time with your camera.
* Pet photos - Most owners won’t struggle to take a photograph with their pet all by themselves. You can be the one who makes it easy on them. Not only can you charge for the service and your time, but you can offer the photograph in it’s digital form or as a print that you can mail to them later – either created by your own photo printer or by a photo processing service.
*Graduations – preschool, high school, or college graduations offer dozens, if not hundreds of opportunities to capture a significant moment in someone’s life. If the family members of the graduate aren’t located in as good a location or don’t have as good a camera as yourself – you’ll have even greater opportunity at getting the shots they couldn’t.
*Holiday Family Postcards – offer your services to families that want their picture taken and put on a postcard that they can send to their extended family and friends.
*Photo Novelty Items – take photographs of people that want the pictures of themselves of their loved ones imprinted on coffee mugs, mouse pads, key chains, tee-shirts, and other items.
*Newborn photo service – parents of newborns are some of the busiest people in the world. Advertise your services on an on-call basis so that you can take informal snapshots for the growing family either before they leave the hospital, or after they get home.
Experts recommend working out 45 minutes to an hour a day (30 minutes for beginners) for weight loss and fitness. But if you’re like most women, you don’t always have a block of 30 to 60 minutes a day to devote exclusively to doing your workouts.
You can still exercise–you just need to sneak in the equivalent in resourceful ways.
“The idea is to keep moving,” says fitness expert Ann Grandjean, EdD. “Get a cordless phone or put a long cord on your regular phone, and walk when you talk.
Find whatever works for you and just move.
Park half a mile from the mall and walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Those little, itty-bitty things add up.”
Every Stolen Moment Adds Up
Lest you think that short bursts of activity have a negligible effect on your fitness program, think again. One study found that women who split their exercise into 10-minute increments were more likely to exercise consistently, and lost more weight after 5 months, than women who exercised for 20 to 40 minutes at a time.
In a landmark study conducted at the University of Virginia, exercise physiologist Glenn Gaesser, PhD, asked men and women to complete 15 10-minute exercise routines a week. After just 21 days, the volunteers’ aerobic fitness was equal to that of people 10 to 15 years younger. Their strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility were equal to those of people up to 20 years their junior.
In yet another study, researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore found that for improving health and fitness in inactive adults, many short bursts of activity are as effective as longer, structured workouts. “It would be useful for people to get out of the all-or-nothing mind-set that unless they exercise for 30 minutes, they’re wasting their time,” says Gaesser.
Breaking exercise into small chunks on your overscheduled days can also keep your confidence up, says Harold Taylor, time management expert and owner of Harold Taylor Time Consultants in Toronto, who has written extensively on the subject.
“Skipping exercise altogether is ‘de-motivational’–you feel depressed and guilty,” Taylor says. “If you skip it, you tend to figure, ‘What’s the use? I can’t keep up with it anyway.’ Yet as long as you make some effort each day, that motivates you onward. Success breeds success.”
Keep in mind, though, that short bursts of exercise are meant to supplement, not replace, your regular fitness routine. Here’s a roundup of practical ways to work exercise into your day even when you “don’t have time to exercise.” (You don’t have to do them all in 1 day; select what works for you.)
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