Hobbiez.com

Today's African-American student is in a stage where they have had great gains in the access of information. Despite what political affiliation, you cannot ignore the fact that the "No Child Left Behind" Act imposed by President Bush has given African American students easier access to information at a younger age. Currently, our society is witnessing the trend of African American students entering college with some of the same to similar computer skills as the average (white) college student. Because of this, we as educators and staff members of institutions of higher education should move towards instruction that will exploit this trend in the shrinking of the information access divide. There are several ways that one could implement techniques that would succeed, but there is one particular avenue that every institution of higher education has is a library. It has been documented that the integration of library use into course work and school curriculum has exponentially increased the success rates in all levels of education. In the following text, you will learn in what way the divide in information access has become smaller and some ways that you can implore your academic library to aid in your endeavors
Though Information Access and Digital Divide are two terms that have been used interchangeably in the common sect, the two terms are very distinct in meaning and when used in practice. To start, Information Access is just a small part of the Digital Divide that has plighted most of the free world. Digital Divide works on a larger scale, depicting entire societies and countries that suffer from the disparity and knowledge of modern technologies such as cell phones, computers, fax machine etc. Conversely, Information Access (or the lack there of) refers more to the access to these same type of technologies on a smaller scale and mastering of these technologies to obtain and transmit information. For instance, the fact that third world countries do not have access to electricity and we here in the United States do, would be an example of the Digital Divide. The fact that some elementary schools have computers with access to EbscoHost Databases and another schools have computers without access to these databases, would be an example of the divide in Information access. Both schools have access to the technology, but the access to the information that can be obtained with the technology, is lacking.

This Digital Divide and the divide in Information Access here in the United States is steadily on the decline. With concern to the Digital Divide, 94% of African American College students have access to a computer at home and 71% have access at their school as opposed to 97% of white students with home computer access and 81% of school computer access.. Access to information is very close as well. In this case, access to information was measured by the numbers of those who have access to the Internet. 89% of African American college students had home internet access and 70% had internet access at their school with the corresponding numbers of white college students being 94% and 81%, respectfully. The shrinking of the Digital Divide and divide in Information Access could be attributed to many different things but one area that id definitely at the forefront is that libraries, public or other wise, have jumped into the digital age in efforts to close the divide in information access. Looking at public libraries, where African American students have greater access to free technology, over the past ten years have made leaps and bounds in this area. In 1995, The Mary Ann Mongan Branch of the Kenton County Public Library system in Covington, KY, an urban area, boasted only a handful of computers that were only reserved for adult use. In 2005, the number of computers skyrocketed to close to 100 terminals just for public use. That is just in one of their branches and does not include computers used by staff members.

Access to Information perpetuated with equal momentum. In reading The University of Wisconsin's Murphy Library's 1994 annual report, and academic library, we find that the preparer mentions that its library's access to GPO, which offers online access to the Congressional Record and the Code of Federal Regulations, was one of their accomplishments in the previous fiscal year. The annual report goes on to convey the fact that OCLC FirstSearch, an online service that gives library professionals and end users access to a rich collection of reference databases, continues to have heavy usage, numerating over 3,000 searches. That was 12 years ago. In Victoria College's 2003-2004 Annual Report, they give example of Murphy Library's prediction of moving towards access to information rather than ownership of it. In this report, the following is reported: -CD ROM networks are 'dead' technology. -They provide off campus access to over 80 electronic databases and over 35,000 electronic books. -1/2 of library database usage comes from off campus locations -Electronic databases give users access to over 22,000 magazine journals.

Currently with ever-evasive trend of instant messaging that has permeated teenage culture, libraries have started to integrate this phenomenon into their services. In the summer of 2006, Northern Kentucky University's Steely Library initiated its first instant messaging reference service where patrons from around the world have the ability to send an instant message, to have one of their research questions answered. Kenton County Public Library has incorporated RSS feed onto their websites so that their patrons can get the most up to date information about books and other materials and services offered at their library. More and more libraries are incorporating Blogs and texts messaging into their repertoire of services.

Because the Digital Divide and divide in the Information Access, with concern to African Americans, African American students should capitalize on this trend. We as African American staff and faculty members of institutions of higher education should aid our students to capitalize on this trend. Here are a few different ways to do so

Visit your academic library Though a number of faculty and staff members know the value that libraries hold and suggest that their students use every advantage that libraries (public or academic) have to offer, they themselves do not actively use the library on a regular basis. Libraries have changed dramatically over the past 10 years so the items that you are used to using just a few years ago may no longer be available.

Find out what your research librarians have to offer Take an inventory of all that your library has to offer students. Innovations such as email reference services, Online Interlibrary Loan applications and instant messaging service are things that your students could use, but you may not know of.

Implement coursework that will cause students to use reference material Just suggesting that your students use the library may not be enough of a push to get your students to USE the library. The implementations of computers in most academic libraries are already enough to get students into the library, but implementing library use in coursework implants a since of need and urgency for students to Use the library. Today's African-American student is in a stage where they have had great gains in the access of information. Because of this, it is imperative that we as educators and staff members of institutions of higher education implement and encourage instruction that embraces library use and exploits this trend in the shrinking of the information access divide. Do not let this opportunity pass us.

Retro and antique kitchenware has always had a huge following in the hobby market. People love to collect household items that were once commonly found in every kitchen but aren't used so much anymore. For these reasons and more, Fiestaware is one of the most highly collectible things available for those who are looking for a hobby.

The history of Fiestaware is well known to its collectors, and has a lot to do with why the pieces are so popular. If you're interested in collecting Fiestaware as a hobby, read on. This information should help you to understand why certain pieces are highly prized and what to look for.

History of Fiestaware
First marketed in 1936, Fiestaware (which is actually simply called Fiesta by the company that made it) enjoyed instant popularity after its introduction at an annual Pottery and Glass exhibit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The original design of Fiestaware was done by a man named Fredrick Rhead, who worked for the Homer Laughlin company, producers of various types of dinnerware. Fiestaware's design was simple: it was dinnerware glazed in a series of bright solid colors, with concentric rings sculpted into the edges of each plate and bowl.

It is speculated that the huge response to Fiestaware by consumers everywhere was spurred somewhat by the Great Depression. Number one, people were in the mood for some bright colors. Number two, Fiestaware made it easy for anyone to have a new look on their table without spending a lot of money. The key to Fiestaware was that the pieces could be mixed and matched together in any color combination, and you could set a fresh table every time you entertained.

During the late 1930s, special edition pieces of Fiestaware were introduced in order to promote the series and increase sales. While the original sets had offered some unique pieces- including candleholders, ash trays, and every size of mixing bowl imaginable- the promotional pieces were even more unique. Very few of these limited edition pieces survive today; they included such items as a french casserole dish and a juice pitcher.

The Fiestaware colors
Often referred to as the Original Six, the first six colors of Fiestaware were produced up through the 1950s. Originally the line included five colors only- Cobalt blue, Red, Yellow, Light Green, and Ivory- but Turquoise was added in 1937, and it is these six colors that are most sought after by collectors.

In 1943, Red Fiestaware was discontinued, and by 1944 it had more or less disappeared from the market. This was because the red glaze used to make these pieces contained a trace amount of uranium, and around the time of World War II the government took control of all uranium production. Thus, Red Fiestaware was no longer produced. Interestingly enough, some people believe that the Red was removed because of the fact that uranium is in fact radioactive; the truth of the matter is that the amount of uranium in a piece of Red Fiestaware is so small that there is almost no way it could cause damage to human beings. If you own Red Fiestaware today, you should be aware of the fact that chances are good it is worth more money than the other original colors because of this discontinuation.

By the time the war had ended and the 1950s had rolled around, the colors of Fiestaware seemed a little stale according to the new tastes of consumers. Thus, the company produced four all-new colors for the market: Rose, Chartreuse, Gray, and Forest. These four were added to the original Turquoise and Yellow to make six available colors once more.

Ten years later, the company made one last attempt to boost sales by dropping these 1950s colors and introducing a new Medium Green, sold alongside the original Turquoise and Yellow and a newly-resurrected Red. This was the line-up for Fiestaware through the year 1969, when the company was given a new name (Fiesta Ironstone), until the discontinuation of Fiestaware in 1973.

Fiestaware collectors today
Fiestaware is one of the few things on the market that was appreciated almost immediately after its discontinuation. Unlike other products, which languish for years before they develop a secondhand following, Fiestaware began selling almost instantly in junk shops and garage sales. At this time, it was considered an item of nostalgia (many people had grown up using Fiestaware in their childhood homes) and it was also cheap and durable, so it was a popular secondhand choice for dinnerware. By the end of the 1970s, the pieces were still readily available, but as the used market got sucked dry the prices began to rise. And rise.

Today, original Fiestaware can be found for hundreds of dollars- although, if you're a good bargain hunter and you get a little lucky, you can still discover the pieces in thrift shops and secondhand stores for decent prices- provided the seller doesn't know what it is. In 1986, on the fiftieth anniversary of its original production, the Homer Laughlin Company re-introduced Fiestaware. The new pieces are made from a different material and, while they are extremely popular, they don't have the cult following that the originals do.

So if you're interested in collecting Fiestaware, be aware of the fact that you're not alone and that there's some competition out there. It is possible to find a good bargain and score these unique vintage pieces almost anywhere, but you have to know exactly what you're looking for and what it's worth. So read up on Fiestaware, do some research, and prepare to invest some time and legwork. Happy hunting!
-by bjp

By Janie Blank

For years I have written as a hobby. Call it therapy. Call it a creative outlet. Call it something to pass the time. Then came blogging for pay. How clever that we can actually earn a few dollars rather than spending money on our hobby!

And funnier yet is the idea that while others write about their hobby, be it stamp collecting, knitting or painting, mine actually combines the two. Writing is my hobby. I have kept a journal on vacation for years. Usually it is handwritten and I would try to make an entry every night before turning out the light. I can remember clearly the first time I did a ravel journal. It was over twenty-five years ago and we went to Europe for three weeks. I wrote down everything we ate, where we stayed and how much we paid. I listed the currency exchange. I described in great detail every thing we saw. I enclosed receipts and brochures. Once in awhile my writing would be a little wavy if we finished a bottle of wine before retiring. To this day I can go to that book and recommend a gasthaus in a small town in Germany, Switzerland or Austria. From then on I would always buy a little journal before we went on vacation.

One year we acquired a new laptop and took it on a two week driving vacation across the country. I even managed to type entries while my husband drove. When we got home I printed it all out but somehow it was not as satisfying as the handwritten kind.

Since acquiring a digital camera a number of years ago I started to add photographs. Several times I have written on the right side of the page and used the left side to add appropriate pictures that correspond with what I am describing. This is my favorite method to date. For the last five years we have gone to Mexico each winter and I have kept a number of journals. I always add pictures to these although last year I kept the journal online and added pictures with the text. These are invaluable in remembering what we did, what we enjoyed, how much we spent and the like.

Now we are getting ready to spend a week in California and three weeks in Europe, followed closely by three more months in Mexico. I am debating whether or not to keep a journal or just to blog about my experiences instead. In essence it is the same thing. Of course a journal, be it online or handwritten, tends to be much more personal. And it can contain many pictures that a blog would not.

My husband loves my journals. I think I do them with him in mind as my reader and he cannot wait to read the next entry. Sometimes we will have a lot of company and I won't write for several days. Then I will have to sit down and write all afternoon to catch up! Usually I wait to print out the pictures to add to the book when I get home. I print a size called Japanese postcard and it fits nicely on the page.

Once a dear friend of mine lost her dad and we were going through his belongings and found a box containing diaries her grandfather had written around the early 1900s. He wrote a daily entry as to how many eggs his chickens laid that morning, how much the streetcar fare to downtown cost or how much he paid to buy his son a new suit. What a joy these were to read almost one hundred years later! I can almost picture my journals stacked in a box, being pulled out by my great grandchildren around the year 2100! Or maybe I flatter myself! Possibly no one will be interested in my prolific blogging at all!

But regardless if anyone reads my musings or my travelogues they still are able to satisfy my creative need to express myself. I may imagine others enjoyment but I might never know if they really read my blogs at all. What is the old saying? If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it does it make a noise? And heaven knows my husband would rather I put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard than just babble away at him all day!

So while others write about their hobbies, my hobby is writing itself. Seems like a pleasant twist.

So you've decided to busy yourself starting a new collection; you even know what you want to collect, how many items, where you will put them, and so on. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work like that. You may be entirely certain you know how many collection pieces you want, and then another "perfect addition" will show up and you won't be able to resist it. Collections can get huge because they always keep growing. You could decide you only want ten rocks, and then find three more that you can't pass up. How do you set some rules without taking away the fun?

Decide what you want to collect. Some of my own collections include shot glasses and bells from my favorite places; model ships; nautical-themed items; and models of historic buildings. When I was younger I collected pencils, book marks, and business cards, until I learned that it's very tempting to just sharpen one of those pencils when you need one, and I usually don't put a book down until it's finished so I didn't really need book marks. If you think the collection you're planning to start could get huge, make sure you have space. It's probably not wise to start a model train collection if you only have a tiny room in which to store your pieces; then you're forced to end your collection much sooner than you would have wished.

If you're collecting something small like rocks or shot glasses, you might want to make a note of when and where you got each piece for future reference. I keep a list of where I bought each item I've collected, and what the occasion was. If model ships are your thing, consider building a shelf and making cards that tell what ship they represent, where they were bought, and maybe even some interesting tidbits about the original ship. Collections are fun and unique, but you can still take a scientific approach and choose to document everything. Collections can be serious or lighthearted depending on your style. If you have a few decorative pillows stashed around your room, you could say you "collect" them, without having an actual collection. If you have shelves full of mugs that are numbered, labeled, and cleaned daily, however, *this* is a serious collection.
Make sure you know how to clean the items you collect. Some things can be cleaned easily, others can not. I've made the mistake of thinking I could clean my shot glasses with lemon wipes, but this leaves a shiny, sticky residue and only makes it worse. My models, however, look great with these wipes. Intricate items like model ships are especially hard to clean. If you have an air can, you might consider gently blowing the dust and grime out from any small crevices. You can also get in there with a damp cotton swab, but most people probably won't want to take the time to do this. If you don't know exactly how to clean something, don't be afraid to ask. The last thing you want to do is take the wrong cleaning approach to something that cost you more money than you care to admit. You'll probably want to dust or wipe the shelf frequently, but make sure to move the pieces to a safe place until you're finished. It is especially important to have the shelves high enough that they won't tempt any pets (or children) that may also live in the house. Animals are drawn to bright, shiny things, after all, and kids just love to play with something new.

Decide if your collection is going to be in your bedroom, and if you'll have room for anything else after you're done accumulating items. I have a few collections in my room, but some are in my travel room on the second story, such as items from other countries and Native American pieces. You can certainly have more than one collection. Some of the most common are rocks, shot glasses, special collectible spoons, bells, models, framed art, and plates, but you can collect anything as long as it doesn't take over your room, any other people in your house aren't allergic to it, and you know how to take care of it. Collections are a great personal expression; anyone walking into your "domain" can see what you love and how it defines you.

By Lacie R. Schaeffer

By Christina VanGinkel

Loving teddy bears is a non-discriminatory act when it comes to age. Both young and old alike love them. Some people have the same teddy bear their whole life, coddling it and dragging it along with them everywhere they go as a toddler, to finding a place of honor in their room for it when they get a bit older. As they turn into teenagers, their teddy bears may be forgotten as they are tucked away with their other childhood relics, only to be rediscovered when they become an adult and find themselves out in the big wide world all alone, save for their favorite teddy bear.

Collecting teddy bears, often results when a teddy bear fan realizes that if one teddy bear is good, then a dozen could only be better, and if a dozen is decorative then why not go all out! With teddy bears both new and old just waiting for collectors to discover them, the hobby of teddy bear collecting is one that can last a lifetime.

While I am not sure I could be considered a true collector, as my house is not filled with them, not even a room, I do love the teddy bears I have. Over twenty different Beanie styled bears line a shelf in my workroom, joined by a variety of others, including the newest edition, a felted black bear. He is a bit different from the average teddy bear, as he is actually sitting atop a facsimile pine tree crafted from a real branch, but as he does come off by just lifting him up, I consider him a true teddy bear in all aspects. Not to mention the fact that of all my teddy bears big and small, he is my three-year-old grandson's favorite bear, because he looks real grandma is what I am continually told!

What I love about teddy bears is their simplicity really. No batteries are required, no fancy outfits, no special set of rules accompany them. They just are. They are always ready for a hug, or in my case, willing to sit and listen to me read and re-read any manuscript of part there of that, I happen to be working on. They never sass back, they never have a derogatory word to say. They are the perfect friend. They are always willing to have a tea party, even in my case when my young grandson desires their company for such an affair, they never balk at the idea that holding a tea party with a toddler in charge!

Collecting teddy bears can be a casual affair, much the way I collect them, never really searching any out, yet finding one here and there that just has to join my crowd. Other collectors search styles and makers out, researching bears new and old, with great effort put into deciding which will be the next bear to join their exclusive collection. Some people go so far as to collect only a single type of bear for example, with only one brand or size suitable, or maybe only those teddy bears made of a certain material. Whichever type of collector of teddy bears you happen to fall under, the thing about collecting them is that there really is no wrong way. Teddy bears are the sort that they just beg to be brought home. They always seem so forlorn sitting on a store shelf, or tucked into a basket at a craft show, or lying about in some second hand shop. While not alive, they almost seem to have a change of demeanor when someone decided that yes, that bear is the one they need to add to their collection, and home they bring them.

If you would love to collect teddy bears but are not sure where to begin, check out one of the many magazines or books on this most fascinating hobby. Magazine titles include such favorites as Teddy Bear Review, delivered six times a year, Teddy Bear & Friends, also delivered six times a year, or Teddy Bear Club International, which will arrive in your mailbox all twelve months of the year. Book titles are numerous on the subject with one of my favorites for the collector, new and old, being Teddy Bear Treasury a Salute to Teddy, Identification & Values, by Ken Yenke.

By Simon Woodhouse

In recent years, Hollywood seems to have fallen in love with superheroes. Every summer there's a glut of superhero movies passing through the multiplex. Some of them are very good (Spider-man, X-men), and some of them are terrible (Dare Devil, Fantastic Four, Electra, etc.). Of the millions of paying customers who sit and watch Spidey defeat the villain, save the innocent bystander and get the girl, I'm sure quite a few of them don't realize he started life as a comic book character.

All of the most famous superheroes come from the comic book pages of two main publishing houses - DC and Marvel. DC (Detective Comics) started the superhero bandwagon rolling back in 1938, with Action Comics #1. This comic did surprisingly well, thanks mostly to the presence of a brand new superhero called Superman. Once DC realized they had a format that worked, more heroes appeared, the most famous of which being Batman and Wonder Woman. A year after DC started up, Timely Comics came into being. But it wasn't until 1941 that timely found a winning hero in the form of Captain America.

Following World War II, the popularity of comics dipped. The end of the 50s saw a revival though, lead by DC. In the early 60s Timely Comics became Marvel, and a writer named Stan Lee (the Godfather of modern comics) joined forces with an artist called Jack Kirby, and between them they created the Fantastic Four. This team of superheroes appeared in a more 'real world' vein. They weren't noble do-gooders like Superman, instead they addressed the issue of how difficult it was to be a superhero - an individual separated from everyone else by the way they looked and the things they could do. This approach carried on in some of Stan Lee's other famous creations - The Hulk, Spider-man, the X-men, and it put Marvel at the top of the comic book mountain.

Anyone who reads comics on a regular basis can't help but be drawn into the world of collecting. After all, many of the superhero stories carry on over several consecutive issues, making it necessary to keep all the comics in order to enjoy the whole story again and again. They're also quite an easy thing to collect, as they don't take up much room (until you get fanatical), and only need to be kept free from damp and damage. Up until the mid 1980s, comic book collecting didn't really involve much financial gain, and for the most part was the domain of the keen amateur. However, things changed around 1985, when speculators started to move in and view comic books as a potential source of investment. Publishers responded to this by saturating the market with special collector's editions. But the big money titles only made big money because they were rare, so printing ten million copies of a special edition rendered it not very special at all. The bubble burst in the early 90s, the price of collectable comic books crashed, and even the mighty Marvel filed for bankruptcy.

Since then collecting has gone back to its roots, and once again become the realm of the avid, amateur enthusiast. eBay has helped in recent years, being the perfect vehicle through which collectors can buy and sell their wares.

So how should you go about starting a collection of comic books? First and foremost it must be something you enjoy, because it's unlikely you'll ever make any money doing it. It also helps if you've got a favorite hero, as that narrows the field down and gives you a starting point. If you're looking for a comic book store, the chances are there won't be one in your town unless you live in a big city (Metropolis, Gotham, etc). Marvel.com will allow you to subscribe to twelve issues of a particular comic, but have few individual books for sale. But that's a good way to start, because you'll get a whole series involving your favorite character, and that's how comic books should be enjoyed. Newkadia.com is another good source, and they will let you buy individual books, but their site is massive so expect to spend a lot of time browsing. Most large bookstores will have a section devoted to graphic novels (a comic by another name). These tend to be entire stories told in one volume. Graphic novels had their heyday in the mid 80s, when such classics as The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen first appeared. In a way, it's the graphic novel that's kept the comic book industry afloat, but for me they're not the same as collecting a whole sequential series.

Once you've got your comics, and you've read them cover-to-cover, store them in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and laid flat. As time goes by you'll come to cherish your favorites, returning to them again and again. But we're all grown-ups now, so there's no need to read them under the bed covers and by torch light anymore.

When we were younger, we all had dream of running as fast as Chetarah from the Thunder Cats or the Flash Gordon cartoon character. As we got older, the probability of running as fast as either of these two super heroes dwindled to the size of nothing. Saying that, running a 5K run has become a greater fascination for me over the years. Follow me as I take you through my blood, sweat and tears in preparing for a 5k race in Covington, KY.

Runner's Log #1
In that past few years, I have flirted with the idea of becoming a better runner. Last year I ran two 5K races, The Mini Heart Marathon and the Reggae Run. Both were fun and both challenged my running ability.

Today, I remembered that a former employer has sponsored a 5K Run for the past couple of years so I visited their website to see if they were going to continue in the tradition. Sure enough, they are. Kenton County Public Library will be hosting their 3rd Annual "Racing 2 Read 5K Run/Walk" on June 10 at 9am.No longer an employee of KCPL, but they have been an employer of mine for a good part of my working career. I starting working for KCPL the summer I graduated from high school in 1995 until I entered the military December of 1997. Upon my release from the Army early 2001, and was rehired at KCPL as Reference Desk Librarian assistant. Over the next three and half years, I moved up the ranks to the Computer Learning Center Program Director and then to the Supervisor of the entire circulation Department. In October of 2004, I left KCPL to pursue other avenues. This June will mark the third 5K hosted by the Library. At the first one, I was in charge of the Kids Fun Run which was a block long race just for kids. How fun...I had planned to run the 5K the second year, but a mishap and a night watching Monique at Newport On The Levee prevented me from participating. Surprisingly the time that I have completed the last two 5K's in the same time, 33:25 min, kind of scary, I know Today, I ran for 30 min and traveled 2.85 miles. It looks like I have got some work to do. I want to shave at least 5 min off the 5K in June.

Runner's Log #2
Last week I made a mental commitment to run the Racing To Read 5K run sponsored by the Kenton County Public Library. Even though the commitment was there, a running plan was not. Thursday I did some research on training for a 5K and found some good advice and training runs that I felt comfortable with.
Thursday, was an easy training day so I walked on the treadmill for one hour and went 2.88 miles. Saturday was a hard day, so on the treadmill I ran 30 min and went 2.82 miles.
I don't seem to be getting any faster.

Runner's log #3
Today I did not seem to run as hard as I have been the past couple of time that I have jumped on to the treadmill. But today at lunch, I ran my normal 30min on the mill but this time I traveled the equivalent of 2.94 mile. Still not as fast as I want to be, but I guess it will do.

Runner's Log #4
Today was the day. As I walked out of the door to head to the race, the thought to just stay at home due to the dark sky and chilly weather, crossed my mind but only a split second. Once at the race I see that there are many more people than I had expected. Later, after the race, I found out that registration for this race had almost doubled since the year before. The race promptly started 9am by John Lomax from WKRC Channel 12 and I was off. I tried not to run as fast in the beginning, as I do on the treadmill, but it did not work. About 2 1/2 miles into the race, I walked for about 10min. The good thing about this course is that the last mile or so is somewhat down hill so that helped a bit. Bottom line is, I achieved my goal! I ran the race in 29min and 31 sec.

By Brandi M. Seals

I got starting researching my own family's genealogy for a college course, the History of Love, Sex and Families. What I found, was that I liked doing the research. Everyone in my family kept asking me if I had found anything new. I had, I was finally able to prove that I was part Native American. My maternal grandmother's great great grandma was part of the Ottawa Tribe.

It amazes me how quickly facts and even people get lost from memory. Having a book that details back who people are will help every family remember its history. With some research, anyone can start filling in the details of where they come from.

Start by interviewing those that are still alive. Talk to your oldest living relatives. Find out the name of their parents, their grandparents (you will be shocked at how many do not even know the names of their grandparent, and their siblings. These people hold the keys to your family's past. Interview them for stories from their past. Find out how far they made it in school, when they got married, the names and ages of all their children.

What really shocked me when I began researching my family's history was how many people I did not know about. I would have thought that my maternal grandfather only had 3 or so siblings. In reality there are 6 of them. Things like that will pop up and shock you. I found out my paternal grandmother's mother worked in a factory during the depression and helped unionized the workers. She and the others refused to leave their positions and let new workers come in. When they would go into the factory yard they were pelted with lead balls. It is stories like this that tell the character of your relatives. I really encourage you to find out more then just people's names and date of birth.

I suggested seeing your oldest relatives because not only are they a fountain of information, they are most likely to remember those who have come before them. This is important, since many free search sites only document those that have passed on. Anyone living is simply listed as living Seals or living whatever your last name is. That makes it impossible to research back. You will need to know of at least someone who is dead.

You could use pay sites to document your family's history or you can try a few free alternatives first. Use the family search function on the Church of Latter Day Saints' website. I do not know if it is true, but it was once explained to me that if you join the Church of Latter Day Saints it is like everyone in your family prior to you is retroactively a member or saved. Therefore, they have extensive records and it really do have a great search engine for those looking for more information.

Rootsweb (www.rootsweb.com) is another good starting point but it is almost always the exact same information that can be found for free from the Church of Latter Day Saints. However, if you want to pay for supporting documents like census records, Rootsweb will direct you to them through another site.

Not all census records require payment. Those that are several decades old are viewable for free. You can find a number of census websites. Census Finder (www.censusfinder.com) is just one of many options.

I find it helpful to collect obituaries of my relatives. I often find in the listing information about female family members. For example, no one might remember great Aunt Lucille's married name, but an obituary of her mother will probably list Lucille and her husband's names.

If you live where the family grew up, check out the library for supplemental information. Otherwise, visit the local newspaper's website and check out archives. You could also use a search engine to search for any information about any family member. Simply type their name inside of quotes. For example, "Brandi Seals." That will eliminate all the extra matches in which the names are not linked.

If you have fun researching your family, you can offer to do it for someone else. However, I have learned my lesson on that matter. Two years ago I offered to research my then fiance's (now husband's) family. I am still working on it today thanks to a line of royalty that supposedly eventually goes back to Adam and Eve's son Seth. Clearly at some point it goes mythological (as he's also suppose to be related to the Norse god, Njord) but I have found 128 documented generation for just this one side of his family. At most you usually find 10 or so generations so do not be that scared to give it a try.

By Brandi M. Seals

Quilting a quilt is quite possibly the most difficult part of making a quilt. You can skip it by hiring someone else to quilt it for you or you can use ties to hold the quilt together. However, if you want to do your own quilting, you can.

Quilting does not start until the quilt has been fully made. The top and back should be joined and the batting in the middle. The quilt should be sewn shut, including the pull through hole.

Now you will want to lay out your quilt on a flat, smooth surface. You will want to make sure everything is lined up and the layers of cloth are completely smooth. You will need to follow these first couple of steps regardless if you will be quilting the quilt on your sewing machine or doing it by hand.

When everything is all smoothed out you will need to begin pinning the layers together starting in the center. Use safety pins not straight pins. If you use straight pins you will end up stabbing yourself repeatedly with the sharp pointy ends. Go to your local craft store to pick up some safety pins. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Prices generally range from about $1.75 to $7.00 depending on the number of pins and their size.

If this will be your first time quilting a quilt and you are using a sewing machine, I highly recommend that you either forgo the intricate patterns you have seen on quilts in the past. They are easy to mess up, especially for first times. Instead, sew your quilt along the seams. If your piece is made up of 8 inch blocks, follow the seaming on the blocks and sew what is known as a ditch. This quilting should suffice. If you want to add more detailed quilting you can either practice with scrap pieces on your sewing machine or do it by hand. I am not saying it is impossible to do patterns on a sewing machine, only that it can be extremely difficult.

Quilts are large, they can be difficult to manipulate through a sewing machine, especially if you have to turn the pieces this way and that way. I, personally, will continue to avoid this type of work until I better master the skills needed in the process. If you do opt to do a pattern piece, you will need to use a stencil to transfer the design onto the material. Pick up a fabric safe pencil to draw the design on. You will need to do this if you will be quilting by hand as well. Simply sew along the lines to quilt your piece.

Like when you pinned the quilt, you will also need to quilt it starting from the center and working outwards. This is done to keep the piece stable and avoid fabric shifts.

When you begin to quilt the piece in the machine, you will find it very helpful if you roll the quilt. Roll both sides that run parallel to the seam you will be stitching along. Try to roll them tightly, it will help you get a better hold on the material and keep the quilt from shifting so much. It will also help you pass part of the quilt through the small space on the other side of the sewing needle.

You will want to use a clear thread for the quilting. Pick one with a dark tint to it for quilts with dark fabric or a completely clear thread for light colored quilts. You will need to use regular thread in the bobbin, otherwise the stitching will not hold. Pick any thread that will blend in with your backing.

If you will be quilting by hand, you will need a quilting frame to hold the quilt flat. They can be purchased at craft stores. Alternatively, you may be able to use those large adjustable circles used by cross-stitchers. You will want to use a clear thread as noted in the above paragraph for your quilting. Try to keep stitches evenly spaced and the same size.

Hand stitching will inevitably take longer than quilting with a sewing machine, but it does offer you more freedom. You can easily follow any quilting design you like and you do not have to fight with your quilt to fit it through the sewing machine. The skill level involved is not as high as it is with quilting by machine, but you need a great deal of patients to even consider quilting by hand.

By Brandi M. Seals

Putting your quilt together is probably the most difficult step in making a quilt aside from the actual quilting. Once you have your quilt top exactly the way you want it, you will want to start working on the backing.

The quilt back is typically very easy to make. More often than not the quilt back is just one type of fabric; however it generally takes two or three pieces of material to make it. You will want to minimize the seams needed in the back. Typically if you will be making a queen size or smaller, you will have one seam. For example, a typical queen sized quilt is 86 inches wide and fabric usually comes in a standard 45 inch width. For that reason it works best to buy your material twice the length you need. Then you can divide it into two pieces that are the same length. Sew those two together (trimming to fit the exact width of your quilt) to create the backing. If your quilt will be larger, it would probably be cheaper and easier if the material seams run horizontally.

With both the front and back done, you can now get started on the hard part. The key thing is to get everything to lie out evenly. That can be a challenge when you add in the batting. It can also be difficult to conceptualize what should go where so that when you turn it out the right way; everything is in the right spot.

You will want to start by laying out the batting on a large flat surface. Spread it all out, being sure to remove any bumps or ripples. Next comes the backing. You will want to lay it out so that the side that will be inside the finished quilt (the side with the seam) is facing the batting. The side facing up should be the one that will appear on the outside of the quilt. Get this all spread out evenly; again remove any wrinkles or bumps.

Finally, bring out the quilt top. The quilt top will be placed face down on the backing. The side that faces out in the finished quilt should be facing the quilt bottom. The seamed side should face outward. Again, remove any imperfections so that the quilt is completely flat.

Now it is time to pin the entire perimeter of the quilt. Remember to leave about a 10 inch opening on one side so that you can pull the quilt through. Do not put this opening on a corner as it can throw off the shape of the quilt. Use lots of pins, you do not want the layers to separate and throw the whole thing off.

If your quilt does not line up perfectly you have a few options. You could figure out what is off and fix it. Or, you can realize that this is a homemade craft and part of its charm is that it is not perfect. Especially since fixing the mistake may involve ripping out several seams on the quilt top. If your quilt is off drastically you may have to do this extra work, however it is common for quilts to be off by a little. A quarter inch or so difference really is not going to matter in the scheme of things. Just make sure your seam is sewn straight and that you use the shorter piece as a guide (otherwise you risk dropping it if it varies too much from the larger piece).

Using your sewing machine, do a straight stitch around the quilt. Reinforce the seams at the corners and near the opening. Do this by back stitching the area after you have already straight stitched it. It will give a little more stability to the quilt.

Pull the quilt through the opening. Pay special attention to pop the corners out. Use your finger or some narrow object to pop them out. Now you can sew up the opening. You will need to hand stitch the area. Keep the stitches even and close together. Also, use a thread color that will blend into the area being stitched up.

The majority of the work on the quilt is done. All that is left is tying it together or quilting it together. Choose whichever method works best for you and your quilt.

Early in my life books were a key to another world

I can remember one of the first books that I ever learned to read. It was a toddler's book chronicling the wonders and the woe's of the story, "The Three Little Pigs'. I don't remember my mother teaching me, but I am sure that she did, for it was well before I started kindergarten that I learned to read. Though my home life was nothing close to being that of most in third world countries, yet far from living as if I were born with a silver spoon in my mouth, this book was the first time that I was able to live outside of the present world.

This infatuation with turned into a hobby that has lasted through out my few decades of existence. I have come up with a few tips for the avid reader like myself.

Pick some thing you like.

Reading should be fun, not a chore. Some college students may think different about this. That could be because of a couple of different reason, most likely because most college students do not really know what they want to study and are taking classes just because they are there and not because they are interested in the subject.

But I digress.

You want to make sure that you enjoy the books that you choose to read. It will make the time you spend with your nose buried in the book go by much faster and much more enjoyable.


Keep the books you like

When you do find the books that you like, you want to make sure that you keep them. Don't just choose a book and keep it because it's THE book of the century. It does nothing for you if you do not want to read it. (I guess unless you are a collector of fine books).


Organize by fiction, non fiction, not the way they look

Once you start to get a good collections of novels, novellas, non-fiction text or short stories (all dependant on what you are interested in), you are going to want to display what you have decided to collect and to keep. Make sure you find a place that has low humidity, preferably a room or cabinet or shelf that is climate controlled. Once you have found the perfect place you are going to want to arrange you collection by subject, and not by the way that the book looks. That is so tacky. There is nothing worse than going into a person's personal library and seeing a book about traveling the canals of Italy next to I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings just because they look cute together because to the similarity of their outer coverings.

Limit borrowing to a select few

Once you have chosen the books that you want to keep and found an acceptable place where you can house all to this volumes of work, you are now ready to show off your collection. Dinner parties are great ways to show off the books that you have collected (not to mention a great reason to have a group of friends over and partake on jovial conversation). Though you want to show off your collected works and want to do it over conversation, mindless banter and food, beware that once you open your treasure trove of novels and other as sundries, there are going to be those who want to 'borrow' them. We all know that with most people, the word 'borrow' is an open invitation to take what they want without any notion of returning the item. If you do take the state of mind that generosity is the best policy, make sure that those to whom you lend your wares to are trustworthy and honorable. Better yet, make sure they are the type of borrowers that actually believe in returning an item.

Like I said in he beginning of this article, I was not born with a silver spoon lodged down my throat, but because of the love of my mother and my propensity to learn, the joy of reading has led me to love to hobby of collecting books that I love and has taught me that if ever I want to get away from this mundane world, all I have to do is open a good book.

The Lego name came from the Danish phrase leg godt , which means "play well".
The use of plastic for toy manufacture was not easily excepted by retailers and consumers. It was thought that plastic toys could never replace wooden ones. In 1954, Godtfred's conversation with an overseas buyer brought about the idea of a toy concept. He envisioned the potential for the Lego brick to be a big hit with children of all ages. The brick still had some problems, the locking ability was limited, and they were not very adaptable. In 1958 the modern-day brick design was developed and five years later the correct material was found. Lego bricks from 1963 will interlock with those made in 2006 and the young children Lego sets are compatible with the sets made for teenagers.

Lego elements are produced within a tolerance of two-thousandths of a millimeter (0.002mm). When snapped together the bricks, axles, beams, minifigures and all other parts must have the right amount of (clutch power), they must stay together until pulled apart, and they cannot be pulled apart to easy, or the construction of any structure would be unstable. The disassembly of one structure to build another cannot be to difficult to pull apart as it is part of the Lego appeal.

Production of Lego bricks occurs at many locations around the world. Brick packaging and decorations is performed at plants in United States, Denmark, South Korea, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. Molding is done at plants in Switzerland and Denmark. Lego bricks average about 20 billion per year,or approximately 600 pieces per second.

Lego Group has produced thousands of play sets themed around, dinosaurs, pirates, cities, holiday locations, robots, medieval, vikings, suburbia, wild west , boats, space, trains, racing-cars, the Arctic, Harry Potter, Batman, Avatat, SpongeBob Square Pants, Spider-Man, Star Wars, and more. Recently, the Lego line has expanded and added motors, lights, sensors, gears, and cameras designed to be used with Lego components. There are special bricks, like the Lego RCX that can be programmed with a computer to perform very intricate and useful jobs. These bricks or sold under the name Lego Mindstorms.

The Lego Group operates numerous Legoland amusement parks in California and Europe. There are also several Lego Brand retail stores, including at Downtown Disney is both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts and in the Mall of American in Bloomington, Minnesota. There are 25 LEGO Brand Retail stores in the USA, a number of stores in Europe, and a franchised LEGO store in Abu Dhabi.

Lego bricks today are not just for child's play.
The Lego group itself has developed a form of business encouraging creative thinking, called Lego Serious Play, where members build metaphors of their experiences using Lego bricks, and work through hypothetical scenarios using the Lego visual device of the constructions.

A devoted following of people who have used Lego pieces to make sculptures, extremely large mosaics and complicated machines has developed. Some sculptures weigh thousands of pounds and use hundreds of thousands of pieces. Some of the mosaics are fully functional, an ink jet printer built by Google co-founder Larry Page while at the University of Michigan, also, padlocks, a pendulum clock, and a harpsichord, have all been constructed from Lego pieces. One outstanding masterpiece solves a Rubik's Cube through the use of Lego cameras, motors, a task that innumerable humans cannot achieve. Many photos of fan creations can be seen at (http://www.brickshelf.com) and (http://www.mocpages.com).

Lego bricks have been used in several unimaginable ways. One spectacular example, is at The Brick Testament, Reverend Brendan Smith has built the Bible in Lego pieces. Over 2,000 photographs of Biblical scenes highlight the site. A set of software applications called LDraw or LEGO Digital Designer (http://www.lego.com/ldd) can be used to model imaginable Lego creations in 3D. Because of the unusual quality of similarity in Lego bricks, they have been used in areas such as computer vision, where exact dimensions and positions of objects is effective for devising test data. Another unique use of Lego bricks is the bring together of bricks and electronic components to make a Lego Electronic Lab Kit (http://computer.team.lu/legoelectronic/index.html).

Cooperative building is a growing effort for AFOLs, the goal being to build huge displays for Lego shows and fan meets. The Great Ball Contraption , is an example of cooperative building, in which participant are ask to build a machine of painstaking precise measurements that is handed a Lego soccer ball every second or so. It's job is to take the ball do something fascinating with it then pass it on to another machine. A long chain of these machines or connected together, a huge Rube Goldberg system can be put together that process soccer balls from one end of the machines to the other, each ball having passed through the chain of machines. Other examples can be found at these sites.

(http://www.teamhassenplug.org/GBC). Other examples are Moonbase

(http://www.zemi.net/moonbase/), medieval castles

(http://www.classic-castle.com/ccc/cccstandard.html) and train layouts (http://iltco.org/)

One pursuit among fans is to make short movies creating favorite scenes from popular movies, using Lego bricks for the scenery and Lego play sets as characters. These movies are called brickfilms, Lego movies ,or cinema Lego. One example , is the Monty Python and The Holy Grail special edition DVD contained a interpretation of the Camelot musical completed with Lego minifigures and accessories.

Another example of creations using Lego sets is from the Polish artist ZbigniewLibers's Lego Concentration camp (http:users.erols.com/kennrice/lego-kz.htm)

An entire Modern Art collection in a Lego Gallery was shown at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool,Uk, created by The Little Artists (http:www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/walker/exhibitions/littleartists/)

A few fact on Lego's
_______________

In Gothenburg there is a building called The Lego House because it looks like a big Lego.

Six eight-stud Lego bricks of the same color can be put together in 915,103,765 ways, and just three bricks of the same color offer 1,560 combinations.

The word Lego comes from Danish leg godt which translates "I put together, play well,I assemble"

Community
__________

*Brickshelf (http://www.brickshelf.com) Website of Lego picture creations

*LUGNET (www.lugnet.com/) group network for LEGO users.

*EUROBRICKS(http://www.eurobricks.com/) LEGO fan site discussion
board,European

*LEGOFan (http://www.legofan.org/) LEGO web site run by fans, for fans

*MOC pages (http://www.mocpages.com/) Lego creations display and rates

*Wiki-brick-links(http://wiki-brick-link.wikispaces.com) Open directory of links to Lego sites

*Brick Links (http://.wwwbrinklinks.com) Bricks of distinction
Australia, old and new bricks discounted

Written by Michael Toney

By Christina VanGinkel
Halloween has become a favorite holiday of many people. Where it once was more of a celebration for the elementary aged child who for one night of the year could ponder dreams of piles and piles of sugary confections and grotesque makeup and costumes, it is now a holiday enjoyed by all ages, especially the adults. In addition, whether you are announcing the Halloween bash of the year, or just want to spread a bit of holiday Boo!, making your own cards is decidedly the way to go! Supplies for decorating them are available in all shapes and forms, and no matter if you are wanting to make one or two, or a couple of dozen, you can have them whipped together in no time.

Stamps

Halloween themed stamps are available from a variety of stores such as Lillian Vernon, who offers a choice of sets, including one with twelve stamps, and a larger set of 24. Each includes a variety of ghosts, pumpkins, witches, bats, haunted houses and more. The small set retails for less than five dollars, and the larger set for a bargain price of $7.98, so cost will not scare you off surely! Each stamp is also self-inking, so add some Halloween colored paper, a few envelopes, and stamps, and you will have everything you need to get those cards in the mail.

If you happen to be a fan of Stampin' Up, be sure to check out their selection of howling good stamps, including smiling Jack-o-Lanterns, Trick or Treat sayings, and oh so fun designs such as their Stampin' Around Arachnophobia stamp, which is sure to get your Halloween spirit firmly onto every card you decorate with it! Be sure to also check out their daringly cute Best Friends set, which includes not only a spider, but also a bat, a cute spidery decorated Boo!, and several witchy and monstrous friends, all sure to help you decorate your Halloween themed cards in no time at all.

CraftROBO & Wishblade

If you own one, of the ingenious cutters that crafters are all fawning over such as the Wishblade or the CraftROBO, put it to use, and cut up a whole slew of Happy Halloween cards. I made a die cut of a spider and her web, and several other Halloween themed die cuts to decorate my annual Happy Halloween cards last year, and plan to do so again. Many of the manual cutters also have dies perfect for Halloween crafting, including the Sizzix which offers a bat, a ghost, a spooky tree and many more.

Emboss

Embossing was a popular craft in years past, and recently it has once again been making a strong comeback with crafters all over. It is fun to do and produces some unique pieces. Halloween has not been left out when it comes to embossing supplies. With the Fiskars Shapeboss and their mini fall stencil, you can make an elegant looking Halloween card decorated with an embossed pumpkin and foliage. Other Companies that sell embossing supplies also carry a variety of Halloween themed supplies.

Stickers

Stickers with a Halloween theme are in abundance from probably every company that makes stickers for the craft market. Fun, scary, silly, all the fronts you could possibly be considering are available in the form of a sticker. Combine a few with some lush cardstock and you will be able to create a Halloween themed card that all your friends and relatives will keep on display long past the big day. If your local craft and hobby stores only carry a small number of choices, be sure to check out a couple of online stores for a much broader selection. Oriental Trading and eBay both have a huge variety of Halloween themed stickers to choose from. When I peeked at eBay for what was being offered just for Halloween themed stickers I cam away with over 600 hits. While some are duplicates being offered by different sellers, many of them are in designs that are so unique, eBay is probably the only place you will encounter them.

Halloween is a great time of the year to try your hand at crafts. Make some Halloween cards to share with family and friends and to show them just how much fun creating your own cards can be.

By Brandi M. Seals

Making your own candles is much easier than you might think and it is much more cost effective then going out and buying pre-made ones. All you need is a container and some basic candle making supplies.

Supplies:
gel
zinc wicks (do not use cotton wicks for gel candles because they will absorb too much gel)
essential oil for fragrance
liquid color dye

All of the required supplies can probably be found at your local craft store. If you are unable to find something, search on the internet. There are several online suppliers that will have all the materials you will need.

When picking your supplies, keep in mind that it is important to use essential oils and coloring designed to be used in gel candles. Using anything else probably will not be suitable. To make it easy, you could buy a gel candle making kit if you are trying the project out for the first time. It will be more cost-effective if you are not sure that gel candle making is for you.

When making gel candles you will of course need containers. Gel candles work best in glass containers. That way everyone can see your gorgeous candle. But, any non flammable container would suit. I like to look for unique candles at garage sales, estate sales, and second hand stores. Sometimes you can find great pieces there.

If you will be using a clear glass container, consider adding pieces into the candle for a little extra sparkle. For example, you can embed sea shells, pebbles or anything else that would look pretty.

Gel Candle Making Steps:
1.) Attach the wick to the center of the container. Use a dab of hot glue to stick down the wick. Wrap the extra length of the wick around a pencil and lay it over the top of the candle container. It will hold the wick up straight and keep it from falling into the gel.

2.) Melt the gel in a stainless steel pot over medium heat. Speed up the process by cutting the gel into small chunks that will melt quickly.

3.) You will find it beneficial to use a candy thermometer in the gel. You need to reach exactly 200 degrees Fahrenheit. If the gel is overheated it will loose its clarity and appear cloudy.

4.) Once you reach 200 degrees Fahrenheit, maintain the temperature until all of the gel melts into a smooth syrup.

5.) Next you will color the gel. Add your selected color dye to the melted gel. You will want to add only a little at a time until you reach the desired color. It can be easy to over color the gel. Remember, you can always add more dye, you can never take it away. If you will be adding pebbles or other items in your candle, do not go for dark colors. You will want the objects to remain visible after they are added.

6.) Add in the fragrance. Use1/3 teaspoon for each gel candle you will be making. Use a touch more for a stronger scent.

7.) Before you pour the gel, you will want to heat up the containers you will be using. Put them in a microwave or the oven. The heated containers will be less likely to crack when the gel is added and it will help reduce the appearance of bubbles in the gel.

8.) If you have chosen to embed items, you will need to dip them in hot gel first. Then arrange them as you like in the containers. If they are kept closer to the edge of the container they will be easier to spot.

9.) Once everything is in place it is time to pour the gel into the container. Place the container on a table or other level surface and pour the gel in slowly down the side. Be very careful as you work. You may see a few bubbles in the gel. To avoid them, the gel should still be very hot as it is poured in.

10.) Let the candle cool down. Do not move it while it is cooling. Once it has cooled, trim the wick to a suitable length and enjoy.

By Christina VanGinkel

Crochet is a hobby that many people enjoy for various reasons, but mainly because of the simplicity involved in creating beautiful items from a seemingly innocuous balls of thread or yarn. If I had to list one aspect of crochet though that, I could see as being difficult for a new hobbyist to learn, that would have to be the varied abbreviations that those who write crochet patterns use. What many novices misunderstand though is that there is not really anything difficult about the lingo used, it is about as straightforward as any set of abbreviations could be. To explain the proper way to read a pattern, one only has to understand the terms they represent.

The terms single, double, and treble, in crochet refers to how much depth each stitch is creating in a given stitch. The term single crochet refers to exactly what it sounds like, a single depth of what a stitch could create, and a double means the single stitch has been doubled within one stitch by creating another loop within the single stitch itself (It does not mean two single crochet stitches). The triple, or referred to by some as the treble stitch, is in essence, three times the depth of a single crochet stitch, again making note that it does not refer to three single stitches, but instead means that the crocheter will loop the thread or yarn three times instead of the single time it is looped in the single crochet stitch. Each loop is then moved off the hook individually, creating a step each time you remove one of the loops, building up the depth that equals the stitch. So, what it boils down to is a simple shortening of the related terms to their shortened abbreviations, i.e., SC or sc means single crochet, DC or dc means double crochet, and TR or tr, or sometimes trc means a triple, or treble crochet stitch. At this point, you might be grasping that the abbreviations that crochet enthusiasts use really are as simple as they seem, and they really are.

If you pick up a crochet pattern at this point and glance through it, with just the knowledge that you just learned, you might be able to read the complete pattern, without any more explanation, but if you are the sort who likes such details clearly spelled out, read on for some further abbreviations and their meanings. This by no means an inclusive list of every single crochet abbreviation ever included in a pattern, but it is sufficient enough to get you up and running, able to read a basic to moderately difficult pattern.


beg is equivalent to beginning, or the start of a row or round
rw is equivalent to row
rnd is equivalent to round
rep is the abbreviation for repeat and is used when the pattern calls for a row or round to be repeated exactly as the previous round or row
bet means between, as in working between tow stitches in a previous row
bk lp is referring to the back loop. If you work a row of single crochet and look down at the tops of the stitches you just made, you will be able to see the loops. The one facing you, the one closest to you as you hold it is the frnt lp or frt lp, and the back loop is the one furthest from you when you are looking directly at it.
ch equals chain
cont means to continue on as beforedec means to decrease stitches, which will be explained within each pattern as to how many
inc means to increase stitches. Again, each instance of such a change in a pattern will be explained within each individual pattern
cl or cls refers to a cluster of stitches
hdc refers to a half double crochet stitch. Depth wise, it is between a single and a double crochet stitch. The first half of the stitch is made as if you were about to create a double crochet stitch, but instead of slipping off the loops one at a time, you slip them off all at once.
lp refers to loop
pc is a popcorn stitch, and is a decorative stitch
sk is the abbreviation to skip a stitch
tog refers to holding together
yo refers to holding the yarn or thread over the hook

So, you've finally finished your book and are extremely proud of your effort. It took years and sullied a few relationships when you refused to leave your desk, but it's done, and you're excited. Then suddenly you realize that you have no idea how to look for a publisher, how to submit your work, and what to do if you get the dreaded rejection slip. This is all part of the sometimes harrowing process that writers have to face. The trick is to be ready, know how to get your book noticed, and find the perfect publisher who will work with you to get your masterpiece out into the world.

Authors spend most of their time writing and rewriting and soon becoming frustrated when they can't imagine revising any more words. Don't give up. You definitely do not want to send a mistake-riddled book off to a prospective publisher, and the editor probably won't be interested, either. Read each word carefully; use the spell checker, but incase you wrote "cat" instead of "bat" and it doesn't catch it as a mistake, you'll have to read it yourself too. If a sentence seems backwards or doesn't make sense, or you're not sure if you used the right term, check it out. Better safe than sorry. When you've gone over every word and you can't see any mistakes, you're ready to proceed to the next step.

Finding just the right publisher can be difficult. You should always send your book to a few different publishing companies at once; it is much more likely you will get a favorable response than if you send it to only one place. Waiting can be torture when you want to know if your big break is coming, but it's well worth it. Unfortunately, even with the super-fast Internet, some publishers will require you to send a letter through snail mail and the reply can take awhile to get back to you. Many writers dread the rejection letter that may come, but for every rejection there is an interested person who may be just as excited about publishing your book as you are. You may be asked to change some things; each publisher will have a unique idea of how your finished book should look. If you don't agree with their ideas, decide what to do from there.

The size of your book may determine where you want to send it. If it is a small book, there are publishers who handle books of this size better than others. If you have pictures you want to include, read how to contact the place in question and find out if they will take photos and how to go about it. Some publishing companies may tell you to add or subtract something from your pages, may tell you if they want black and white or color pictures, etc. The possibilities are endless. Poetry books, short stories, and kids' books are on a completely separate level from novels, romances, and non-fiction, so do your research and find out who wants what. It isn't a good idea to send your historical romance to a place that states it only wants science fiction stories.

Write a short autobiographical paragraph; you will probably need this when your book gets published. Find out what you should and shouldn't include, if possible, and what information is needed. Decide if you are comfortable with including a photo of yourself, and if you're going to use your real name or a pseudonym. Find a catchy title for your book; it should be something that reflects the content, but draws the prospective publisher (and any future prospective readers) with its uniqueness. When you find a publishing company willing to look at your writing, and the editor has suggestions in any of these areas, be prepared to consider them. He or she was kind enough to review your book, so you will want to take suggestions to heart.

The last tip is the most fun; when you've found a publisher and your book is in the works, celebrate. There is nothing quite so special for writers than to actually see the fruit of their labor. Of course, if you want to self-publish and decide to shop around in that area instead of worrying about finding the right publisher, that's another option. You'll still need to look carefully for the right place, though. After all, when you hold that book in your hands, all the difficulty you went through doesn't seem to matter all that much.

By Lacie R. Schaeffer

By Misti Sandefur

If your hobby involves taking pictures, I have some good news for you! You may love capturing the most beautiful scenes on camera, but what do you do with all those photos? Do they just sit there and take up space on your hard drive, or are they placed inside folders and picture albums? No matter where these photos are, get them all out, organize them, and start making money with your love for photography -- you deserve something. Besides, you should share those breath-taking photos with the world, and your talent should be rewarded.

Before I reveal how you can make money with your photo-taking abilities, I'm going to help get you organized. Organization should be the first step, because knowing where to find what you need will make the whole process much easier.

Let's begin with all those photos you have scattered about -- the images on your hard drive, in folders, in photo albums, in your digital camera and etc. Take all these photos and place them in one pile in front of you. Next, separate each photo into similar groups (family, nature, animals, places, etc.). Once you have all your photos separated in groups, place each photo into photo page sheet protectors, and put the sheet protectors into a binder. As you place each sheet protector -- with the photos -- in your binder, still keep the photos in related groups in the binder. To keep them in groups, buy lined paper and plastic tabs, then, place a tab (with the group name) on each sheet of lined paper. Finally, place the lined paper with tab before that group of photos. Later, I'll tell you why you should use lined paper.

Now, set your binder aside and focus on organizing the photos you have stored in your hard drive and digital camera. To organize the photos on your hard drive and digital camera, burn them onto a CD-RW or CD-R using Nero 7. Following are step-by-step instructions you can follow to burn the photos onto CD using Nero 7. The instructions that follow are the way I burn my photos using Nero 7. If you use a different software program for burning CDs, then check your program's help manual for instructions.

1. Start Nero 7, next click "make data CD" and open with Nero Burning Rom.
2. Drag and drop your picture files from the "my documents" folder (or whichever folder your pictures are stored in) to Nero Burning Rom. Hold down CTRL to select multiple files. To select all files in that folder, click edit, then click select all.
3. After you have all the files you want to burn, click "burn" from the top of Nero Burning Rom.
4. Once you click "burn," you will have to set the options to what you desire. (See glossary in the help menu for an explanation of each term.) Here's what I use for my settings: Under the multisession tab, I select start "multisession disc."
   
   Under the ISO tab, I select "mode 1" for "data mode"; "ISO 9660 + Joliet" for "file system"; "Level 1" for "file name length (ISO)"; "ISO 9660" for "character set (ISO)." Under "relax restrictions," I usually check the following: "allow path depth of more than 8 directories," "allow more than 255 characters in path," and "allow more than 64 characters for Joliet names."
   
   Under the label tab, I select "automatic," and in the field for "disc name" I enter a name for my disc (e.g., family photos, animal photos or etc.).
   
   Under the dates tab, I select nothing for "volume creation," but for "file dates," I select "use the date and time from the original file."
   
   Under the misc tab, the only thing I check is "cache files from disk and network," but if you don't want to cache your files you can leave both tabs unchecked.
   
   Finally, under the burn tab, for "action" I select "write," and for "writing" the "write speed" I select is 48x, and for "write method" I select "Disc-at-once/96." Next, I enter the number of copies I want to make, and then I check "BURN-Proof," "use multiple recorders," and "do a virus check before burning."
5. Hit burn and wait.

See, that wasn't so hard, was it. And now -- since your photos are all organized -- finding what you need to make money will be a much simpler task.

Moving on. ... To turn your abilities into cash you will begin by finding magazines, newspapers, businesses and etc. who will buy your photos. Yes, writers make up the content for these publications, but artists make up the covers and photos. Furthermore, to be honest, the greater part of these publications pays more for photos than they do for the written content. How do you find these markets? Being with a few searches on Google. Search Google for keyword phrases such as we pay for photos, photo guidelines and sell your photos. When you enter the keyword phrases, place quotation marks around them -- this searches the exact phrase.

Other than Googling search terms, another place to find a market for your photos is the current edition of "Writer's Market." "Writer's Market" is not only for writers, but photographers can use this resource guide as well. The "Writer's Market" specifies if the publication accepts photos, and most of the time it will also state how much pay is given for each photo. Updated more frequently than the print edition is the online edition of "Writer's Market," therefore, in my opinion, I think the online edition is the best way to go. A yearly subscription to the online edition of "Writer's Market" is $29.99 -- a small price to pay for over 100 markets.

Remember when I said to put lined paper in your binder; this is where it comes in play. On the lined paper, you will write the name of each market you find that will take photos in that group. Not only will you write the name of the market, but you will also list their Web site URL, the submission information, how much they pay, and the rights they purchase. For example, on the lined paper separating the animals group, write down all the information specified above on the markets that accept animal photos. Then, for the family group, write down all the information on the markets that accept family related photos, and so on. Finally, when you're ready to submit your animal photos, using your tabs, you can flip to the animal group in your binder, choose the animal photos you think are best, and submit those photos to the markets listed on the lined paper in this group.

There are many other ways to sell your photos, but you must build a portfolio first, and the techniques mentioned above are the best way to get started. After you have established your portfolio, refer to my article on marketing your photos to discover the many other ways you can make money with your photos.

Go ahead and start selling your photos using the system in this article today, and in no time your photo equipment should pay for itself!

I never thought I would be a purebred dog breeder. But it happened. I didn't mean it to, and now I can't imagine my life without my dogs. Sometimes it seems like it's a lot of work, and sometimes you just want to give up and go away, but in the end, it's always worth it. Our dogs are completely worth it.

We breed Alaskan Klee Kai. They are miniature versions of Alaskan Huskies, and they are quite expensive. But they are the most wonderful dogs I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. The breed was developed not long ago, around the 1970s. It was developed in order to be a companion sized husky - a smaller version of the husky dogs that race in the Iditarod sled dog race each year.

When it comes to purebred dogs, often it seems as though people believe we have not taken the time to do the research. Often, there are cases of people who decide to breed dogs and don't really take the time to do the research. They might be wanted to breed dogs to make money or to breed dogs for the fun of it, but it's a hard life and it actually takes a lot of work! Before we decided to get involved, we studied hard!

WE have for sure done our research. Before we even began to breed purebred dogs, we did an awful lot of research about them and came to the conclusion that these were the best dogs we could ever imagine breeding. We studied several different types of dogs and came to a conclusion that the Klee Kai was what we wanted.

The reason we are so gung ho about these dogs stems from our first experience with a Klee Kai. I got one for my parents two years ago for xmas. Since they race the big sized huskies, a little tiny one was the PERFECT gift for them. He looked and acted like the big dogs, but he could travel everywhere with them and do the things that they wanted to be able to do with the bigger dogs but couldn't because of a lack of space. This little dog was just unbelievable. He was so smart and SO easy to train. He knew each person in the household individually and came up with ways of saying hello to each one. WE didn't know much about the Klee Kai before we got Cash, (Johnny Cash, you see), but the more we learned about the breed, the more we loved it. Tony and I had talked about later on, down the line, maybe getting our own female and breeding it with Cash, because we just loved the breed so much and we loved CASH so much.

But as the fates would have it, we weren't meant to have him for very long. That June, he was killed in a freak accident - one of my parents' big dogs got loose and he tried to play with the little one - of course, this big dog had never SEEN a little dog before and had no idea HOW to play with him. And cash was a small dog - just itty bitty with a tiny little body. Well, the big dog bit him playfully, like all dogs do, but it was in the wrong spot cause it got something inside of him and he died later that night, probably from something internal. It was just AWFUL. We rushed him to the vet and the vet thought he was just sore and sent him home, and he just died. And my whole family was just devastated.

So while we were looking for another puppy - not to replace Cash, but to try to fill the huge whole he left in our lives - we came across this lady's website. She said she had a lot of pups from these litters that hadn't been sold. Some problem with her computer or something and none of the apps got through, and the puppies were 7 or 8 months old and no one wanted them cause everyone wanted puppies. We decided that this was our Ka ( Ka is the force the drives destiny) - because it was something we wanted to do eventually and we were so inspired by the wonderful dog Cash was.

So we drove to Colorado and got Wicket and Willie and a male named Rx (Rex) for my parents. He is going to be the sire for Willie, obviously. The thing is that the lady who we got them from knows everything about the breed. The dogs are prime, perfect examples of the Klee Kai, each one was perfectly healthy, white teeth, all of their shots, beautifully groomed, but hadn't had a chance to do a lot of socialization with them. She has 80 dogs in her kennels. And each is cared for extremely well, meaning they are all fed properly and given the correct shots and have beautiful extensive kennels with indoor and outdoor areas, etc, etc, but its hard to socialize that many dogs. The dogs were TERRIFIED of people, places, EVERYTHING. It really did take them months to come around, but they have. They no longer are kept on the leash in the house, and will come up to us anytime we ask. They aren't very good with strangers yet, but we're working on that one, too. They know us and love us, but are very shy with strangers, and we don't entirely trust that if they got loose here in town they would come back right away. Every day is better though and its sad to me because the breed itself is NOTHING like that. The dogs just THRIVE on socialization. They become best friends with people from the minute they are born and are the best companion dogs, for older people, for children, for families. But these three never had much contact with people besides for feedings and people through gates. They missed out on ALL of that. It is amazing to see them come around every day. When we first got them, Willie would crawl on my lap, but Wicket and Rx would cower in the corners and would have to be pulled by their leashes. Now I can't get Wicket to stop jumping all over me for attention, and all the dogs will smother your faces with kisses. Its amazing to see them learn how to come and how to stay, and the latest and they are doing very well at learning how to sit. Willie hates my little brother and she will bark and him and even bit him in the butt a couple of weeks ago. I think that while she must have had a bad experience with a child somewhere along the line. Wicket will let strangers pet him but only if one of us is holding him. So they are really our own special education kids, but I am confidant that given enough time they will be able to reach their full potential. We spend a lot of time at puppy therapy. taking them to soccer games and MAKING them socialize. But not with my little brother! :)

I used to be one of those people who scoffed at the idea of raising purebred dogs. It never seemed to me to be the kind of thing that I really wanted to do - the kind of people I wanted to associate with, or the kind of job that I thought I would be good at. There is a stigma in raising purebred dogs - the idea of the haughty dog breeder using inbred dogs to promote rich people having a hobby. How many times have you seen a famous person with their purebred dog - carrying around a tiny toy poodle in an expensive designer bag just for the purpose of being seen and having the dog be seen? It happens all the time, and this is what comes to a lot of people's minds when they think purebred dogs.

However, there are many reasons to breed dogs, and many people who do this for reasons other than to be seen or have the dog seen. The world of dog shows is a world that I am not even the slightest bit familiar with, even though I raise purebred dogs. It opens a whole new set of doors, when you start to talk about purebred dogs.

I totally used to feel the same way. But yeh, they are worth that, at least right now. Mostly because there are only about 1200 of them in the entire world. The breed was only created in the 70s, and so far all the breeders are really protective of it - you have to fill out an adoption application and be approved before you can buy one, and most contracts come with clauses - like, our contract states that each dog sold will be spayed/neutered and not bred with anything else, and that the new owners will send monthly updates for the first year of the dogs life - I think that so far the breeders as a group have only heard about one or two accidental klee kai/other dog breedings. Its part of the high price, the fact that there aren't many of them and when someone pays that much for a dog they are going to protect it and protect the breed and lines, and what not. Never thought I'd be a proponent of purebreds or anything, but I really am. Mostly because they come from sled dogs, and I love the loyalty you get with sled dogs. These little ones will just pick a person and follow them around all the time. It's great. You'd love them. but they are really demanding at the same time. They NEED attention, not like some of the bigger breed dogs who are fine to just be on their own in the house.

And, when it comes to inbreeding, that kind of thing isn't present in the breed that I am a part of. The klee kai population is about 8 generations old, maybe 10. At the start, of course, there had to be inbreeding. Now, when breeders breed their dogs, they look at the pedigrees, which can go all the way back 10 generations. If they find the same dog in both pedigrees anything earlier than 6 generations back, they don't breed them. That's part of what keeps the numbers low, and the price high.

When it comes to a purebred dog registry, especially one like our dogs have, getting a dog correctly registered is one of the most important things. Many times, a breeder will make sure that the owners who plan on breeding the dogs that they