The other day I posted a question on “answer bank” and had a really good response. It seems that there are lots of people out there with fond memories of the toys that they owned back in their childhoods. 

My question was what do you think was the best or most entertaining toy you ever owned?” 

The first response I got back was “etch a sketch” I too remember having one of those and got hours of fun out of it. 

Next up was “Hungry Hippos” probably a game that many people have either owned or heard of. It’s quite an addictive game and one that you never seem to get fed up with. 

Someone else said it was a yo yo and another “juggling balls” which kept them amused for hours. 

Football was mentioned often using Mums washing line to make your own makeshift goalposts in the back garden. Boomerangs too. 

Another real old favourite was lego which I suppose really took over from mecano. 

For the girls out there it was of course “Sindy”, “My Little Ponies” and the “Barbie Doll”. 

It seems that a lot of the girls were lucky enough to have their own dolls houses. Very often they have been kept in the family and passed down to future generations. 

One thing I do notice is that out of all the replies there is only one game which requires more than one to play. 

I wonder what that says about our childhoods or do we just prefer our own company? Perhaps we were simply just used to amusing ourselves better, that’s my theory anyway! 

When I look at all the different toys I think what strikes me most is the lack of computer games. It looks like the good old fashioned traditional toys are the ones that seem to stand the test of time and its those that we remember best! 

What do you think?

With so many people brewing their own beer at home these days you would imagine that beer brewing kits can be bought in your local convenience store all over the country, well nothing is further from the truth, in some areas there will be some home brew shops but more often then not the only way to buy good fresh beer brewing kits is online. And belief it or not that is the most practical way to buy this product.

There are so much advantages when you buy online beer brewing kits and one of the first that come in mind is that the products are delivered at your doorstep, you do not have to leave your house. And the person who says online shopping is not as much fun as going to the mall does really not now what they are talking about. Most online brewing shops are better then offline home brewing shops. You can see exactly what you buy, look at how to videos and download and read the instructions before you buy the product. You can find a lot of other information and recipes to create the best home brew results at online beer brewing sites.

Beer brewing kits are long lasting products

Most first time home brewers buy beer brewing kits because these kits contain everything they need to create that wonderful first batch of beer. But also the more experienced home brewers will stil use that first bought beer brewing kit, they might buy other ingredients in separate packages or use individual yeast and additional accessories, but the main equipment will still be those first beer brewing kits they have bought.

When you consider that brewing is just following the principal of making alcohol by using sugar through controlled fermentation you can figure it is not that hard at all. Especially when you choose proper beer brewing kits with good instructions right from the beginning. There are several suppliers who sell beer brewing kits online, but there is only one that sells a system where you can make 6 gallons of your home brew at once. With beer brewing kits from other brands you can only produce 2 or 3 gallons. And when it is your goal not only to find a great new hobby, but you would also like to save some money from making your own beer then the beer brewing kit from Coopers is what we recommend.

Coopers is a family brewery that also sells beer brewing kits for a real good price and with an excellent quality. They also sell online because they have noticed that it is nearly impossible to reach all parts of the country, but they do also sell some of there products in normal stores.

Buying beer brewing kits online is the best opportunity you have, all the ingredients and equipment you need for a very reasonable price delivered at your door step what more do you want?

You can use the links below if you want to know more about the Cooper beer brewing kits or if you would like to know more about saving money with home beer brewing kits.

• How beer brewing kits can save you money?
• Recommended product: Coopers Beer brewing Kit

It can be hard to teach children what Christmas is really all about, the shops are full of decorations, sometimes from as early as September.  The summer has barely finished and Christmas suddenly starts.  Since you cannot deny the arrival of Christmas to your children you have to think of another way to slow down their bombardment of lists of toys which they think that father Christmas should supply.This is where a list of Christmas craft ideas is crucial.  Christmas crafts are more than just about making the odd paper chain, it is about learning about Christmas, learning that the best things are often home made and also turning what can be a very stressful time of year into productive family time.

First of all, to get into the Christmas mood you will need some decorations around the home and for the tree.Remember, that if you are visiting people before Christmas a nice present to give to thank them for their hospitality is a home made Christmas decoration.  Christmas decorations are the best place to start with you Christmas craft ideas, partly because they are easy, but also because your children will see instant results.

If you want to get your Christmas craft ideas started quickly it may be worth visiting a  craft shop to pick up some materials, however, you will be amazed how many useful items are already in your home and can be used.  If you are going to collect the materials for your Christmas craft ideas then you will need a large box, preferably in the kitchen, in which to store your materials.  Before you put anything in the bin think about whether you can use it.  The inside of a crisp packed is silver and shiny, great for sticking onto things.  Your egg boxes can be cut to make Christmas bell shapes to hang on your Christmas tree.  If you want them to make a noise simply attach a couple of metal objects hanging inside which ill create a tinkling sound when tapped.

Remember that at the end of the twelve days of Christmas you will need to pack away the Christmas decorations.Since you'll get plenty more Christmas craft ideas for next year you may not want to keep everything which the children have made, but it is nice for the each to choose a couple of items to keep.  Make sure that the items they choose to keep have their names on them and the year.  After a couple of years you will be able to see how well they have progressed and you will have a memento from each year.You will also be able to see how over the years your Christmas craft ideas have got increasingly inspired.

Christmas is a great time of year for the family, and you can have lots of fun with Christmas craft ideas, while still saving money, so happy sticking and gluing.

A pen that is made up of only two pieces may seem like a fairly rudimentary and easy to use object. But the calligraphy dip pen can take some getting used to before you even have a chance of mastering it. There are a few factors that you need to consider when you head out to buy a calligraphy pen.

A dip pen is a kind of calligraphy pen made up with a handle and one of a range of differently sized nibs. The handle may be made of wood, glass, metal, bone or plastic. Some of these nibs have an ink reservoir permanently attached while others have a slip-on version.

Although fountain pens are an option for some types of calligraphy, the types of inks required for quality calligraphy are unsuitable for the fountain pen. Old-time dip pens were charged with ink by dipping the nib into ink before writing, this is not the only way to add ink to a calligraphy pen. In fact the dip pen can be recharged with ink by feeding it with an eye-dropper, a syringe or a paintbrush ensuring that you can control the flow of ink better.

When connecting the nib to the pen holder you must push the nib firmly into place so that the dip pen does not shake when you write. The nib should be sitting securely between the metal prongs inside the pen holder and its outer shell.

A word about pen nib sizes. Although they may all range in size from a 0 to a 6, some manufacturers have made their smallest size nib a size 6 and worked up as the number have fallen. Most other manufacturers increase the number size as the pen nib size increases, so a 0 is the smallest and so on. This problem is alleviated to an extent when buying a complete set of pen nibs from the same maker, but familiarising yourself certain manufacturers standards is a good idea.

Once you’ve got your new calligraphy pen, the first thing you need to do is give it a good clean with detergent and water and then dry it completely afterward. The thin layer of oil that most nibs have applied to them should be removed before the first time you use them.

Calligraphy pens have a number of advantages over fountain pens. A wide range of inks can be used with a dip pen. Inks such as India ink, acrylic inks or traditional iron gall ink will work fine in a dip pen while these kinds of inks will clog up and ruin a fountain pen. Naturally, the fact that you can interchange pen nibs gives the dip pen a much greater flexibility over the fountain pen. Price is a further advantage that a dip pen gives you with replacing nibs a lot cheaper than replacing entire pens.

The life of your nibs will be prolonged by being careful to give them a good clean after every use. Just as important after thoroughly cleaning the nibs is ensuring that they have been properly dried. Rust may be a possible problem with pen nibs if they are not stored properly.

Buying a good quality pen for calligraphy and pen nibs will ensure that you will start off with the best possible equipment for producing fine quality work. All that is left is regular practice and diligence when it comes to cleaning and maintaining your pens.

Find out more about the calligraphy pen as well as learning about the range of calligraphy pen nibs available. There are plenty of opportunities to buy a suitable calligraphy pen with such a wide range available to choose from.

Free woodworking plans can give an idea about how to plan a particular woodworking product. They also give selective information about the material that has to be used in making a particular product.

There are a vast and wide range of free woodworking plans that are readily available on the internet. Once you get your free woodworking plans, you will acquire invaluable information from them that you can use for your home improvement purposes. On some internet sites you will see that amateur woodworkers share their experiences, tips and ideas that will make for a great woodworking experience. Some free woodworking plans that are the most common used are bookcase plans, bed plans, shed plans, workbench plans and entertainment centre plans.

Cherry Bookshelf plans: Comprises of 13 pieces that are screwed and dadoed together. The shaping and joinery work is done with the use of drill press and a table saw. The bookshelf has pyramid top posts and slats . Cherry wood is usually employed in their construction as it is lighter. You can use various other types of wood such as white oak. If you use white oak to build this bookcase you will want screws, screw hole plugs, slates and shelves.

Break Down Chair Plans: This high backed chair and has no wedges or pegs. You can easily make 2 chairs out of 4’x8’ sheet of good quality plywood. It is really easy to make these chairs.

Antiqued Table plans: Clear pine is used to make this antiqued beauty.  Tools that are required to make this table are trim saw or handsaw, bits and drill, spray bottles, wet rag and belt or orbital sander. Materials that are required to produce this table include legs, apron, fastening strips and table top. You also need screws and washers, shellac and carpenter’s glue and 8 hanger bolts. Depending on the size of table you want, you should choose the dimensions first.

Circular Kitchen Table Plans: Solid black walnut wood is used to make this kitchen table. The tabletop which has a radius of 2 feet is a perfect circle. The round top is set on a pedestal base which is constructed utilizing laminated bridle joints. The warmth of this wood enhances as tung oil and polyurethane are used for protecting the finish. The contemporary design of this antique table is a great deal more attractive than formal dining style. Jointer, jigsaw, hand router and numerous other tools are wanted to produce this piece.

Mahogany bed plans: This woodworking master piece is ideal for any bedroom project. The bed is made from solid mahogany. The bed with its stylish look has convenient rail hangers. A series of slats are required for supporting the mattress. A box spring will not be necessary if you use slats. The thickness and length of the mattress will determine the dimensions of the bed that you make.

Jewelry Box plans: This elegant case can have a simple or complicated design. If there are some spare small wooden boards in your home, then you can produce this box on your own. It will not take you long to make a jewelry box as long as the design you employ is not to intricate. This can be a perfect last minute gift for a friend or wife.

For mor Free information on Popular Woodworking be sure to visit Free Woodworking Tips..

Digital cameras make it easy to take lots of photos, but you can easily find yourself without any of them if your computer crashes.  All those priceless photos of your kids, grand kids, and family lost forever.

Most people who do backup their photos do it to CD’s or DVD’s.  But this is a feel good measure that does little good.  CD’s and DVD’s can start showing errors within three years even when stored in the best of conditions.Anything less than ideal will accellerate the deterioration.

And sharing your family photos between your computer, your mates, your kids, is just burdensome.Most end up using an online freebie service that makes you give up personal information or resorting to email just to share pictures.  But there is a much better way that is both inexpensive and easy to use, Internet Attached Storage.

Internet Attached Storage (like OPENRSM CloudBackup) is the combination of Online Backup, local network disk, and file sharing all in one.Your not giving away your private information and your other valuable data (like spreadsheets, email, documents) are backed up as well.

Here’s how it works.  You create an with an Internet Attached Storage provider.  Then you you set up the software that comes with the service on every computer in the house (and make sure to select Network Drive as an option when you do this).Each computer then automatically backs up to a seperate area and will also show the shared folder as a local volume.And the best part of all is.You can share a specific folder.When you do this the folder just “shows up” on the network drive on every computer using your account.

No more emailing photos, no more using services that make you give up your privacy.  And all the computers have backup for your other important files (like banking, documents, email) as well as having all those photos available from every computer.This saves disk space and if your daughter happens to delete one of your photos, the backup copy is only clicks away at your Internet Attached Storage area.  So even if you don’t discover your son’t mischievous editing right away you can copy a past version (without the horns) and get that photo back.

Here’s the most important things to note.  If your photos are really important to you, don’t rely on CDs. They damage easily. Also, studies indicate CDs arn’t the best option for long term preservation.Most online photo sharing sites are free but there is a cost in privacy and control of your precious photos.Internet Attached Storage keeps a backup of your images in the security of a remote place away from danger.  Keeping photos organized makes everything easier because Internet Attached Storage mirrors the structure of your own disk. Ensure you automatically backup new photos, you don’t want to lose pictures because you forgot that one time.Automate it so you don’t have to remember to do it.

Internet Attached Storage providers with network drive, file sharing, automation, and advanced synchronization are in the top tier. Few provide it all.We’ve taken a look at what’s available and think the best you can use is OPENRSM CloudBackup.  It has the automation, ease of use, advanced file sharing features, and low cost you need to make sure that the pictures of your family don’t disappear from your computer.

The beeswax candles are currently at the very top in the candles world. There are good reasons why these candles are so pricey. They are also one of the cleanest candles you are able to find right now.

There are three different candle competitors that beeswax candles are competing with: paraffin candles, soy candles and gel candles. The competitors are generally less expensive and also of lower quality.

Beeswax candles are made from wax collected from bee hives by commercial bee farmers. To prepare the candle making process, the beeswax itself is being processed and purified. The purification process includes heating the wax in hot water.

You will be able to find many different forms and shapes of these candles, as well as finding unscented and scented types. One of the reasons why beeswax candles are considered top-of-the-line is their burning characteristics. The difference is that some other candles do not emit such a powerful yellow color and burn with such warm flames.

There is only a small amount of wax dripping from a beeswax candles.

This characteristic makes these candles very desirable for use in religious services. There are many institutions that use candles heavily, like Catholic Church does during their services. It would make a real mess if those candles were dripping a lot of wax.

And they handle this problem by choosing only beeswax candles, since they do not drip wax at all. One more good news about beeswax candles is that they do not produce a lot of smoke. They are quite clean burning candles, to tell it in the other way. This characteristic makes them desirable candles to burn with children in the home and also generally to protect your family’s respiratory systems.

With these candles you won’t have such problems as bad petroleum smell that you usually get with paraffin candles and you won’t have problems with darks spots on your ceiling or your walls due to the soot.

Even though the beeswax candles are more expensive due to the labor involved during the farming process, their benefits make them worth the additional expense.

It’s easy to see why lots of people would want to start making their own candles. Finding out the information you need to start making them is a bit more tricky however. You will often find that despite there being many craft supply selling candle making supplies, they often will not be of the highest quality or the selection might be very limited. Many people who make candles on a regular basis feel that it’s best to buy from a specialist store that you can find on the internet.  Then you can get candle making.

After you have done some reading on the subject, decided what type of candle appeals to you to make, and have an idea as to how you are going to go about making them, it is time to purchase your supplies. Just be careful that you only buy what you truly require.

Be aware that Once you start making candles and become more practiced you will start to make adjustments in the techniques you use. Despite the fact that you are able save a lot of money by purchasing in bulk quantities, it’s a better idea to buy smaller amounts whilst you are still a beginner. It doesn’t make much sense to purchase fifty pounds of something that ends up not working to your satisfaction.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most of the online candle supply retailers do not require a minimum purchase. Because of this, you do not have to be limited to just one supplier. You may find better prices or widely different offerings from one supplier to another. Suppliers closer to you may save you substantial money on shipping so see what you can buy close to home when possible.

Finally, as holds true in so many areas, cheaper is not always better. When it comes to candle making, you pay for quality.  You will appreciate this once you start candle making.

Birdwatching has now become an extremely popular hobby. There are many clubs and organizations that you are able to join and one place where you can go to see many various species of birds is in Maine.

One of your first stops could be by the great North Woods region where you will be able to see the Boreal Chickadees, Gray Jays, Olive-sided Flycatchers and the Spruce Grouse.

If you happen to travel by Maine’s Atlantic coast, you can see hundreds of puffins collected about Machias Seal Island. With a tour guide, you can disembark from your boat and get within 4 feet of these birds. If you happen to visit this spot during the migration time of year, you will be able to see migrating Arctic Terns.

Another tremendous spot is Bangor, this is considered to be the best birdwatching place in Maine. An good example of this is the Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Here you will be able to find the Eastern Phoebes, the Pine and Palm Warblers as well as the Yellow bellied Sapsuckers. These can be found in other parks in this area and along the riversides.

There is as well the Scarborough Marsh to visit as well, this is a 3100 acre estuary and is used by many birds as a breeding, feeding and nesting ground. You will for for sure get to see a lot of shore birds here, feeding on the marshland.

Other birds that you will be able to watch in Maine include the Bald Eagle, Barn Swallows, Black Ducks, the Canadian geese,Common Loons, Flickers, Golden eye Ducks, Grosbeaks, Hummingbirds, Kingfishers, Mergansers, Ornomants, Seagulls and Woodpeckers.

Before you go birdwatching in Maine,  it is important to make for sure you take all your equipment with you, including a map so you know how to find your way back, if you get lost. If possible take a a couple of photographs so you can share them with other birdwatchers, when you return home.

You can even report what birds you have seen and submit these photos online, because although some species are common in these parts, there are some rare finds that will for certain be enjoyed by fellow birdwatchers.

Acadia National Park is another place to go birdwatching. According to the National Park Service, there have been 338 bird species that have been recorded. Over the years, this amount has grown and you might just find one of 23 species of warblers that breed in this park.

Because of their seclude location, other birds have as well used this as their nesting habitat namely the Herons, Harlequin Ducks and Purple Sandpipers.

Whatever you do, do not neglect to see the Thorncrag Nature Sanctuary in Lewiston. This is a 357 acre wildlife preserve, that overlooks the city and is surrounded on three sides by both suburban and urban development. This location is used by numerous schools and professionals for research, which makes it an ideal place to anyone who desires to be close to nature.

If you would wish more information about birdwatching in Maine, you can get in touch with the Audubon Chapters in Maine, the Mid Coast Audubon Society, the York County Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy or the Stanton Bird Club. These clubs are constantly on the lookout for likely new members that share the same captivation with our feathered friends. All these clubs or societies are heavily in to conservation and will also do whatever it needs to protect those species that are endangered.

For further Free information on Birding or Birdwatching try visiting Birdwatching Tips……

Sewing was once upon a time a very popular practice in many households because ready-made clothes were not easily available as they are today. Mostly women enjoyed sewing clothes for the family, toys and even earn money working from home by sewing for friends and neighbors.

The sewing hobby disappeared today mainly because we don’t have the time to indulge any more. However, if you have recently stumbled over your grandmother’s sewing machine or just want to pamper your kids and their toys by being creative, here are the basic sewing supplies you will require in order to get started right away.

Sewing As a Hobby or Business

If you are sewing as a hobby or business you will require the same sewing supplies, which are: tape, scissors (usually titanium are best), needles, thread, tracing paper, seam ripper, marking pens for clothes, which are different then those used on paper, cutter glide and pin point tweezers.

There are a few other sewing supplies, which are usually only needed by those who are in business and sew on a daily basis such as, the little stick, which is a great tool to get into tight places like in the seam of a dress or coat to remove lint; radial rule and special tape for creating curves.

Other Sewing Supplies You May Need

While the above sewing supplies will get you started right away there will always be other things that you will need and find handy in due course such as, sewing baskets to organize the sewing supplies and always have it handy when needed; sewing books from where you can create different designs and draw ideas, finger tip cushion for the professionals, low shank walking foot for quilting and sewing table with a caddy to place those items that need to be handy but still out of the way.

Sewing Supplies Shopping

You can find virtually everything you need i nyou best local department store. However, if you don’t have a department store near you, you will be able to also find a large variety of stores and many bargains online. Sewing is a great hobby and a creative home business for mums that want to work from home. The whole family can be involved in projects such as making a quilt together and learning a trade that will never die as we will always need clothes and new fashion styles.