How to start making a blanket-this is my aunt showing me how to start crocheting This received a lot of popularity I made a blog for my aunt to answer your questions… you can see it here: askauntesther.blogspot.com

Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood, host of the CraftSanity podcast, visits Lorilee Beltman, owner of City Knitting in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for a quick “Continental” knitting lesson. As a veteran “thrower” or English style knitter, Jennifer didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to see how the other half knit. She brought her video camera along to record the tutorial for all of you.

www.theeverydayscrapper.com … arts crafts scrapbooking storage organization free

One of the misconceptions about doll houses is that these miniatures bring the owner to some sort of a fantasy world or to some a Neverland far away. Most people did not find it hard to believe. Their belief is not without good basis. After all, a doll house is just a make-believe and a toy.

The truth is, a doll house or any toy for that matter helps people get in touch with reality. Toys have their playful way of reminding their owners that there is a real world out there. In the case of doll houses, these miniatures reminds us that no matter where and how far we go, there is always this place we call home that we have not stop loving.

Decorating a Kidkraft doll house is just one of the activities that keep us in touch with our feelings for our respective real homes. When applying paint on a doll house for example, you apply as much care and diligence as when painting your own home to get a smooth finish. There are other ways of decorating a doll house with which you can express how much you care for your real home. Aside form painting, there are other ways to decorate your doll house which include:

- Wallpapering
– Carpeting
– Tiling
– Creating stone work
– Cladding the walls in wood

The most common decorating ways that most doll house owners prefer are painting, wallpapering and carpeting being the easiest to do. Carpeting for example does not require as much technical knowledge as would creating stone work. You need to have a little more experience before moving on to tiling, creating stone work, and wood cladding.

Painting is by far the easiest to do because you do not have to worry much about getting the right scale. All you need is to choose the color scheme of your choice. When painting the walls of your doll house, you can create a pleasing effect by adding trim work and moldings. It is best to use a non acrylic based paint. Wallpapering and carpeting need an entirely different approach, besides choosing the right color scheme, you need to find a carpet or wallpaper that is the right scale for your doll house. The same approach apply to tiling.

If you think wallpapering is only good and is limited to your doll house’s interior you are underestimating the beauty of wallpapers. There are lots brick papers to give the exterior an authentic look. Do not also underestimate the type of wall paper adhesive you are using since this will result to sloppy work. Do use special paper adhesive that are available in doll house stores.

There are available wooden flooring that is scaled and ready to lay down making it easier for you to work on the flooring. However, if you are using cabinet grade plywood you may stain and give it a good finish to give it a natural wood appeal.

A well decorated Kidkraft doll house is just too good to be true.

In the past there has been considerable discussion by those wishing to make telescopes on the relative merits of reflector and refractor. From the standpoint of professional astronomers, there is no serious competition between them, as each type supplements the other in a well-rounded observing program.

Very early in the 19th century, when advocates of the speculum mirror began to feel the challenge of the refractor, Dr. Nevil Maskelyne, English Astronomer Royal, ventured the opinion “that the aperture of a common reflecting telescope, in order to show objects as bright as the achromat, must be to that of an achromatic telescope as 8 to 5.”

The relative inefficiency of the reflector of that day was due to the fact that, even under most favorable circumstances, barely 40 per cent of the original light escaped absorption by the metal mirrors, the greatest losses occurring in the short and medium wave lengths. Even silver-on-glass mirrors are subject to considerable deterioration, especially under certain conditions of the atmosphere.

If you wish to make telescopes a good thing to remember is that the reflectivity of aluminum, however, is more-or-less constant, and from a standpoint of image brightness, it placed the reflector on a more equal footing with the refractor. In fact, until the quite recent development of anti-reflection lens coatings, an aluminized mirror has had the same efficiency, in light-transmitting qualities, as an air-spaced achromatic objective lens of equal aperture.

Coming down to figures – due to reflection there occurs in an untreated lens a light loss of slightly more than four per cent at each of its surfaces.

With reflection losses to be accounted for, plus an absorption loss in the substance of the glass (amounting to about two per cent for lenses of moderate size), it is evident that about 82 per cent of the original light is transmitted. In the reflector, after first deducting that area of the mirror’s surface obscured by the diagonal, an equal percentage of the original light is found to be transmitted.

Of course, this transmitted light is subject to another reflection by the diagonal, but the refractor will probably employ a star diagonal, the function of which is similar to that of the diagonal or prism of the Newtonian, so an equivalent loss may occur there. Therefore, for those engaged in amateur telescope making, with either instrument, the same amount of light reaches the eyepiece.

It was discovered, however, in the latter part of the last century, that some lenses which had been tarnished by the elements transmitted more light than ones that were newly polished; it was found that this resulted from lessened reflections at the tarnished surfaces. Various processes of producing an artificial tarnish were attempted. At present, in the most satisfactory method, metallic salts (such as magnesium fluoride) are evaporated in a high vacuum onto the glass. Ideally, the refractive index of an anti-reflection fluoride coating should vary from that of glass at the glass-fluoride surface to that of air at the fluoride-air surface, in which case no reflection would occur.

Practically, the index of the coating should be equal to the square root of the index of the glass, and its thickness equal to a quarter of a wave length of yellow-green light. Only the light at opposite ends of the visible spectrum is then reflected, amounting in general to less than one per cent of that of the whole, and is detected by the purplish color given to the reflection.

From the standpoint of an introduction to the optician’s trade, the experience of thousands of amateurs has shown that when deciding to make a telescope one’s teeth should first be cut on at least one good mirror. Then, if a refractor is contemplated, additional experience can be gained by making the optical flat that is so essential in the testing and figuring of the objective lens.

Slot cars run on track using a slot to guide them and keep them on the model roadway. Scalextric are probably the best known manufacturer of slot car racing sets, cars and equipment.

Slot car racing is an engrossing, fun, safe and cheap hobby enjoyed by many thoursands of people. I’m sure that many people can remember the fun and thrills they had as children with their Scalextric sets. The basic Scalextric system hasn’t really changed since it was first introduced in the 1950s. Scalextric cars from that era are keenly sought by slot car collectors and enthusiasts and can often change hands for significant sums of money.It’s even possible to run those old Scalextric slot cars on modern track without having to modify the cars at all.

Todays Scalextric systems have gone digital, like everything else. The basic original Scalextric system allowed two cars to run alongside one another on dedicated tracks however the new digital technology allows more than one car to run on the same track for cars to change lanes. These innovative new features have propelled slot car racing into a whole new level of popularity.

Although it was originally a British invention Scalextric now has a huge and enthusiastic following in the United States. Many popular US race meetings are included like the Indycar and NASCAR. One key factor that has helped to develop the popularity of Scalextric is that they actually encourage other manufacturers to produce slot cars and accessories for their systems. A number of manufacturers now produce a variety of excellent slot cars that run on Scalextric track.

Another key aspect of Scalextric systems that make them appealing is that it is easy to start small and then expand. For example a Scalextric Start Race Set will only cost about £40 ($70) and will provide a great foundation system for further expansion. The simple starter system comes with two slot cars and everything you need to enjoy the thrill of slot car racing.

You will find there are many clubs for slot car enthusiasts where they meet to exchange skills and race one another, often with their own car designs. There are many slot car racing meets throughout the year at various locations both in the UK and the US. Slot car enthusiasts often become involved in modifying their cars and optimising their motors, wheels and bearings for best performance.

Getting into slot car racing is eash with a low priced entry level system like the Scalextric Start Race Set. You’ll get to meet some exceptionally friendly people who are always happy to provide newcomers to the sport the benefit of their experience and skills.

A primary reason for getting into radio controlled boats is be join in the RC boat racing circuit. After all, racing rc boats is fast, exciting, and fun. If you’re wondering how to get started in this exciting area of the hobby, these tips may help.

Joining a remote controlled boat club may be your first step. Almost every large city has a club of some sort. Becoming a member of a local club with provide you with some valuable contacts and also get some racing practice at the same time.

Once you hear about a race, the first thing you’ll want to do is call for details. Before racing you will need to get directions, start times and rules, especially if this is the first time rc boat racing at this venue. Generally racers are expected to contribute time doing some of the work at the race. Responsibilities often include such things as time keeping and the like. Before you head out on race day be sure you know what is expected of you.

As you begin to prepare both you and your boat for the race, you have to keep several things in mind. The first thing to look after is the maintenance of your boat. More often than not, a racer or two will show up only to put their boat in the water and it won’t start. The condition of your boat is obviously, one key to winning.

To that end, you may want to make a checklist to help you remember what to do with your radio controlled boat every single time you take it out of the water. Once you’re done racing, strip it and make sure that the drive line is oiled. You’ll want to check your radio to ensure it is in good working condition. Each linkage and servo need to be cleaned an lubed. Check the motor’s bearings, and oil those as well. If your boat will let you view the motor brushes you should check them too. Do they move freely? If they’re damaged, you must replace them.

Evaluate your hull closely. Don’t forget to look at the rudder as well. Once you’re done, store your boat carefully, but don’t forget about the battery if you are racing an electric radio controlled boat. If you are running electric remote control boats you may want to charge and discharge them before you store them for a long period of time. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions. Many RC boat racers like NiCad batteries better than dry cells for their transmitters. They seem to provide better range and less interference, but do your research carefully before you make the switch.

Always go through your entire checklist prior to race day. Most racers have both a pre-race and post-race checklist, and you may find yourself continually adding to it as your racing career grows.

Practice is perhaps the other single most important part of the equation. Like any sport, you just can’t win radio controlled boat races unless you practice a lot. It’s best to buy some buoys for your practice area, and you can create your own little course thanks to the buoys. Get a feel for speeding around each buoy at a different angle. Carefully evaluate how your boat responds to your controls. Remember that you’ll have other boats near you when racing, so understanding how to maneuver around them is essential. You may want to enlist the help of three or four friends to help you get ready for race day.

Watching your opponents at other races can help you to become familiar with their tactics. Just as professional sports players watch hours of footage of their opponents, watching your opponents will give you a feel for how they work with their boats. By observing the competition before race day you can better plan your strategy.

Finally, don’t expect to win your first RC boat race. Keep in mind that as you race, you’ll learn key techniques that will help you in the future. It is important to treat these initial races as research expeditions for future races. Do these things and some day you’re sure to be crowned the champion.

The Internet is chock full of no-cost Thanksgiving images that have a variety of fun uses. They can be used to impart a traditional Thanksgiving feel on websites or blogs, or can be pressed into service for those old-time favorites: Thanksgiving crafts. For example, making craft projects out of vintage Thanksgiving cards are easy-as-pie, because vintage images are both versatile and very effective at getting a point across. Because of their age, these images can also be downloaded and used without fear of consequences stemming from copyright infringement.

Just a quick Internet search using the search term “vintage Thanksgiving cards” will give you a huge selection of free vintage images from which many cool crafts projects can be made. And if you’re not a fan of vintage, contemporary Thanksgiving clipart or autumn clipart can also be used to produce beautiful craft projects.

Here are some examples of simple projects virtually anyone can make by using free images found on the Web:

* Thankful Garlands *
Making thankful garlands is as simple as having your guests write all the things they’re thankful for in their lives. Then, just print some vintage Thanksgiving cards and using miniature clothespins, fasten the vintage cards and the leaves, alternating them onto a long piece of ribbon or yarn. In the absence of clothespins, paper clips, colorful clamps from the office supply store or tape will hold the components in place. If you want, you could also alternate Thanksgiving clip art with the leaves, instead of using the vintage cards. Once the garland is completed, hang it from a windowsill or a mantelpiece to show off everyone’s good work!

* Handmade Thanksgiving Cards *
Once you’ve gone online and downloaded the image you would like to use, paste it into a Word, PowerPoint or OneNote document. You can make the card virtually whatever size you want using the software’s settings. Position the image on one half of the card, so it can be folded in half once it’s printed. Print the card on card stock as heavy as your printer will allow, fold it and use a little glitter glue to make it sparkle. You can also make your own envelopes or just get some at the dollar store.

* Thanksgiving Table Place Cards *
Some believe a Thanksgiving dinner table is bare and incomplete without table place cards. Fortunately, you can make them easily with vintage cards or free clip art images. Simply download the the image or images you like and insert them into a table in your word processing or other type of program. Make the table two columns by six or eight rows, depending on how tall you want the cards to be. Paste the art into every other cell, making sure there’s enough room on the cards to write people’s names. Then, print the page onto card stock, cut them out using a paper cutter or a ruler and craft knife and they’ll be ready to fold in half. Voila! That’s it. Your Thanksgiving table will be instantly more beautiful.

I hope you have a great time making these Thanksgiving craft projects and that you have a great Thanksgiving!

This week, Rob and Corinne give the viewers what they want and show them how to crochet a hat. Also, take a look at all the holiday goodness that has been posted on the forums! Links in this episode: How To Crochet Video: www.threadbanger.com

This week…Come Hang out and learn a thing or two as we answer a viewers question on knitting ,and show you how to make a cool new scarf for the fall. Plus, a review of Sabrina Gschwandtner’s new book Knit Knit, a review of this weeks fashion headlines, and a look at whats new on the forums. To knit or knot to knit…that is the question. Links in this episode: Book: Knit Knit by Sabrina Gschwandtner www.knitknit.net Cat Mazza and Knit Pro 2.0 www.microrevolt.org Knitta Pleasewww …