Machine Embroidery Digitizing - What Youll Need Besides the Software
July 4, 2008
You’ve purchased an embroidery machine, practiced the designs that were included in the package, maybe even bought a disc of designs or downloaded a few designs off the Internet to stitch out. Now you’re thinking about investing in digitizing software and taking your embroidery to the next level. But the digitizing program is just a part of what you’ll need before entering the creative world of embroidery digitizing.
Choosing the Hardware
An embroidery digitizing program is image editing software capable of converting a digital picture to stitches and saving it in a format that can be read by your embroidery machine. And, like any robust image editor, a digitizing program is resource intensive. The program’s packaging will state the manufacturer’s recommended minimum computer system specifications to operate the software. Let’s take a look at just such a recommendation and see how the ‘minimums’ stack up. (I won’t mention the program or the manufacturer but these are actual recommendations from a popular digitizing software. Yours may vary but probably not by much.)
The Computer
Manufacturer recommends: IBM-PC or compatible computer originally equipped with a USB port.
I recommend: The same.
Operating System
A Look at Patriotic Lapel Pins
July 3, 2008
Perhaps the most popular type of lapel pin is the patriotic pin. Dating back to the Civil War in the United States, lapel pins that declare a person’s patriotism are popular, highly collectible and trade-worthy! From the Civil War through WWI, patriotic lapel pins were medallions hung from ribbons pinned on a lapel. After WWI, there were more factories and the ability to mass-produce die-cast metal led to the popularity of die-cast lapel pins. The trend took off and patriotic lapel pins became more popular and collectible as the nation moved into a depression and everyone tried to do their own part, even something as simple as a lapel pin. The quality and craftsmanship of these earlier lapel pins is excellent, and a single patriotic lapel pin can sell at auction for $25.00 or more, depending on the subject matter.
A Look at the Humidor Plan
June 28, 2008
There are many styles of humidors that range from the smaller traveling humidor to the large cabinet and even walk-in room humidors. By far, the most popular humidor is the glass top humidor also referred to as the desktop humidor.
While many people will choose to purchase an already made humidor, for those who are more inclined, the art of making one’s own humidor can be a very appealing idea and lend bragging rights at the same time. By making one’s own humidor, the cigar aficionado can choose the materials, the size, the design and the specific humidifier for his or her own personal creation. The only limit is the imagination of the individual. Whether one chooses to make a simple, rectangular box design or one decides to be more elaborate, choosing to tool the wood with intricate designs, there is no wrong approach.
Performing a simple search for a humidor plan, one can find a wide variety of designs and plans, some for free and some for very inexpensive prices. If one so chooses, there are even plans on the internet for making a humidor out of Tupperware®. One can make any humidor from the traveling humidor to the glass top humidor to the cabinet humidor. The biggest question one must ask is how much time and effort does one want to invest in the finished product.
Pagan Crafts
June 28, 2008
Greetings to all Crafty Pagans,Witches and those who want to learn Pagan crafts.The purpose of this is to provide doable crafts and to create crafts and tools that will have your positve energies that will enrich your power while performing rituals or spellworks and in your every day life.
I would like to share with you many Pagan crafts which we will cover from creating your altar,to making candles,wands,athames,hemp jewlery,bath salts,walking sticks,spirit sticks,medicine bags,divination articles such as runes, scrying mirrors,pendulums and much,much more.
I would also like to include crafts for the children,so that it would be educational for them as well as fun to do.While making these crafts the children will learn the traditions and paths that Pagans and Witches travel in their life time.
There are eight celebrated Sabbats throughout the year and the year is called The Wheel of The Year.The four major Sabbats are,Samhain,The Witches’New year,October 31st/November 1st,Imbolc/Candlemas,January 31st/February 2nd,Beltane,April 30th/May 1st,Lughnasadh/Lammas,July 31st/August 1st.The four minor Esabats are,Yule is the Winter Solstice,on or about December 21st,Ostara,on or about March 21st,Litha/Midsummer,Summer Solstice on or about June 21st,and Mabon/Harvest,on or about September 21st.Each and every one of the Sabbats have many crafts that can be made to celebrate and honour them.
Decorative Metal Work Techniques From The Early 1900s
June 25, 2008
Today’s Metal Craft workers should truly appreciate the artistic skills & techniques used exclusively by the highly skilled metal artisans from almost one hundred years ago.
Decorative metalworking is undergoing a new renaissance as more & more people become involved in hobby metal craft. The skilful use of simple metal craft hand tools, allows the worker to create fine metal work items.
The casual onlooker of the magnificent ornamental metalwork’s found on many historic public buildings in the USA, United Kingdom, Canada & many other countries, would hardly realize the many painstaking weeks or months of work involved in creating these elaborate metal works.
Every day, thousands of people walk straight past the beautifully crafted iron work, & decorative iron arches in public buildings & gardens, and not give them a second glance.
But the new age metal-craft worker of today would stop and admire & appreciate the design & craftsmanship skills required to create these superb handmade iron & metal-works of yesteryear. It is a learning experience.
Airbrush for Profit - Sell Your Services to Colleges
June 23, 2008
Colleges, schools, university and the like are one way you can make money from airbrushing. Why they are a good market is that there are plenty of students to begin with. Therefore, you are starting with a big customer base. Generally, look for any large groups when you want to make money from airbrushing. The cost of advertising will be low, and you will get to concentrate all your energies on one group.
You could arrange to sell your products and services at different school events. You could set up a booth at the school fair, paint at concerts, sell at dances, or any other big event or day they may have. Sell face painting, t-shirts, temporary tattoos, anything really.
One particularly good event that you can sell your product or service is graduation day. Call the organising committee and see if they would like a particular product airbrushed for the Graduating Class. One product that would be a good money earner, that students would love to get their hands on are “Class of 2005″ t-shirts. Paint something that will remind them of the school or the year that past. Ask the organisers what they would like to see on them, and give them a few FREE SAMPLES to model for you around the school. You never know, a school with 200 graduates could be a good weekends work, not to mention the extra money you could make.
An Interesting Look at the Cuban Cigar
June 22, 2008
Even most non-cigar smokers have heard some of the lore surrounding the Cuban cigar. Long revered as the finest and best tasting brands in the world, they have traditionally been extremely difficult to procure. Consequently there exists a very profitable market for importing and distributing Cuban cigars to cigar-lovers worldwide. There are many brands of Cuban cigars available, but some of the most well known include Coronas Especiales (rumored to be one of Fidel Castro’s favorites) and Montecristos.
Many people assume that the distribution of Cuban cigars on U.S. soil is illegal. The truth of the matter is, although there are certain restrictions placed on the importing of cigars from Cuba, there is no outright law forbidding their presence. Recently the Department of Justice altered the original embargo on Cuban products, allowing limited amounts of cigars to be brought back from licensed trips to Cuba. That law has since been expanded to include personal quantities, up to two boxes, for personal use.
Although there is actually no law governing the importation of Cuban cigars for personal use, large business have been fined, at times, for the selling or distributing of large volumes of Cuban cigars to the pubic. Fines are a rare occurrence, however. Many private settings that sell Cuban cigars, such as hotels or casinos, have experienced little or no problems over the years.
Rubber Stamps ? For Teachers and Students
June 19, 2008
Once again we are reminded that summer is not long enough. It is the beginning of another back to school shopping season. New clothes, notebooks, pencils, and rubber stamps fill out the shopping list.
Teachers and students all have to prepare for another nine months of education. There is some fun involved every once in a while too. When the class has had their lessons for the day, it’s time to develop some crafting skills. Children young and old get that chance to use their creativity in making projects, greeting cards, and seasonal crafts.
Rubber stamps come in handy in the classroom more than just for grading papers. Students alike have access to use rubber stamps on their projects. Stamping is a way to dress things up and to add a little personality.
There are many types of stamps that can be fun for boys and girls:
- Animals. Everybody likes a caricature of jungle lions or giraffes.
- Cartoon characters. Spongebob, Powerpuff, and Disney round out the top choices.
- Sports. Baseball, basketball, and soccer to name a few.
- Alphabet stamps. Great for identifying with student’s names.
- Seasonal rubber stamps. From Halloween ghosts to snowflakes to turkeys.
Do You Really Know What You?re Buying?
June 17, 2008
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a popular gift show in my local area. My purpose in attending this gift show was to scope out my competition and the quality of their soy candles compared to what I offer. I was truly surprised with the results of how many candle exhibitors were present and was more so surprised with the results of how well they didn’t know their product.
Now my results are in no way to badger the company in anyway, but to open the eyes of our consumers, the results are:
Candle Exhibitor #1:
This exhibitor stated that they’re soy candles were handmade. I was told that their soy candles burned great had no soot or mushroom build up and had an awesome scent throw. Well, fortunately the exhibitor had several candles burning and I notice on their candles that the wick that was chosen had a lot of mushrooming and a little bit of soot build up and no scent throw unless your nose was directly above the flame. Speaking of flame, the flame on these candles was high and had a wild burn, which can be a fire hazard.
Candle Exhibitor #2:
A Look at Cloisonné Lapel Pins
June 15, 2008
Cloisonné lapel pins are the most traditional, if not the most collectible of the lapel pin types. Most of the older lapel pins are either die-cast metal or cloisonné. Cloisonné is from the French word for cell, which refers to the method that cloisonné is created. A metal structure, or cell, is formed with the outline of the design and filled with enamel and then baked to permanently set the design. The cloisonné technique dates all the way back to 13th century B.C. in ancient Japan, however the Chinese really made the art form their own, creating beautiful vases and other artifacts. A cloisonné lapel pin is a modern interpretation of this ancient and beautiful art.
Most true cloisonné lapel pins today are made on a copper base, with enamel colors individually mixed. Each pin is then fired one at a time in an enamel oven at temperatures over 1600 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures that the colors are "baked on" and will not run. After the lapel pins cool, they are polished to remove any unwanted color bleeding and to make the pin shine. Cloisonné lapel pins are very durable and their colors remain vibrant for the life of the pin.
