Archive for October, 2009
Stamp collecting for beginners or for that matter anyone, I’ve read, is one of the most popular hobbies. That is most likely due to the easy accessibility of finding stamps, with mail arriving almost daily. This, of course, offers us a chance to start our collection with little or no investment to speak of. Perhaps this also why stamp collecting is so popular with kids also, in addition to the beauty and variety of stamps available.
Stamp collecting is not just collecting stamps, but includes related items, such as covers (envelopes or packages with stamps on them). First-day covers are sought after eagerly by the avid stamp collector.
It is estimated that the number of stamp collectors in the United States alone ranges up to 20 million. How many times have we received a piece of mail with a stamp we just had to keep?
Contrary to what I had thought, but according to Wikipedia, philately is not stamp collecting, but is the study of stamps. Taking that fact into consideration, someone could be a stamp collector, but not a philatelist. On the other hand, someone might be a philatelist, but not a stamp collector. However, one who has a large extensive stamp collection may desire and need some philatelic knowledge.
It was interesting to me also to learn that some smaller countries create limited runs of elaborate stamps to be bought by stamp collectors. These collectible stamps have become an important source of revenue for these countries.
With so many special occasions to celebrate here in America, crafting is a year-round activity. What better way is there to spend quality time with family and friends than to gather together to create holiday crafts and just fellowship with each other?
However, with the Christmas season being our most popular holiday, more emphasis is placed on creating crafts for this particular time of year than for any other holiday, even though we never run out of ideas all year long. Hand-crafted decorations are a great addition to any Christmas tree and our many other decorations; and when it comes to gift giving and receiving, who doesn’t appreciate a gift that has been lovingly hand-crafted for that one special person?
If you are into paper quilling or just getting started, you more than likely realize the importance of having proper paper quilling patterns. A project that is not carefully planned can have disastrous results.
Rolling the thin strips of paper and pinching them into various forms or shapes is just part of the process. It is necessary to combine these shapes into designs that are pleasing to the eyes. This just may be the hardest part of this craft. However, once that is accomplished, we can be assured that our projects will turn out beautifully.
Paper quilling, also referred to as paper filigree, is the art of rolling strips of paper around a particular tool into coils and then shaping or pinching into various forms. These paper coils are then combined to create decorative designs.
A little research and our imaginations can produce an abundance of paper quilling ideas. The designs created may be used to embellish greeting cards, gift cards, picture frames, scrapbook covers and pages, boxes, candles, and a host of other items which might need a creative touch. The end result is extremely striking, yet delicate. A gift of a quilled item would certainly be loved and appreciated.
One of the neatest hobbies/crafts, in my opinion, is paper quilling. The finished items are absolutely beautiful, yet so delicate. Who would imagine that with a few thin strips of paper, anyone can make gorgeous flowers, leaves, and other embellishments? What fantastic greeting cards, scrapbook pages, frames, pictures, and numerous other items evolve from this simple method of manipulating paper!
In times past, quilling was not quite so simple to do as it is today. Often, it was necessary to attempt to cut ones own paper strips – not an easy task, considering the width needed to be exact and even. But with all the tools and pre-cut paper strips available on the market today, quilling has become much easier to do, although it does still require a certain amount of skill.
Some scrapbookers prefer to create an album by completing one page at a time. Then there are others who work on two corresponding pages at a time. Then again, there are others who use both methods of scrapbooking page layouts, depending on the size of the project. Regardless of the method you choose, you will encounter advantages and disadvantages of one over the other.
One-page layouts seem to work well for busy scrapbookers as one page can be completed more quickly than two. Two-page layouts, however, may create a more spacious album.
You may not choose to use one method exclusively. Just be sure, when using two one-page layouts next to each other, that the two pages coordinate and ‘flow’ from one to the other.
When starting your scrapbooking project, it is wise to have a few scrapbooking layout ideas in mind. You can experiment a bit by laying your photos and embellishments on your background paper in various arrangements to see what looks pleasing to you. If your layout appears to be too large for one page, consider a two-page layout.
Be sure when planning your page to allow room for your page title and any journaling you plan to do. All people in your photos should be properly identified. (How many times have we gone through our old photos and family albums and saw lots of relatives, but we had no idea who they might be? So don’t make the mistake of failing to do this.)
Numerous ideas for scrapbook layouts are available online.
If you tap into your imagination or just look around, you can come up with all sorts of scrapbooking ideas. Any item – new car, new home, your dog, new motorcycle, 4-wheeler, even a bicycle – can be the theme or subject for a scrapbook page.
Along the same lines, any event or occasion such as a birthday party, Halloween party, Christmas party or dinner, Thanksgiving get-together, graduation, baptism, family reunion, birth of a baby, etc., etc. all are occasions for creating new pages for your scrapbook.
You more than likely can design a page or two around any thought that might occur to you.
You can be as extravagant as you want or as simple as you desire when creating your scrapbook pages. I read somewhere that scrapbooking has now surpassed golf in popularity as a hobby. It is no wonder then that scrapbooking supplies are so readily available in such a varying assortment. There are embellishments available in every niche you can possibly imagine.
Whether you decide to spend a lot or a little, there are a few basic items necessary. These should include your photos or pictures, an album or notebook, scissors, adhesive, and a pen for journaling. (Scrapbooking kits are also a good way to get started.) Eventually you may want to purchase stickers, rubber stamps and other adornments to further enhance your pages. In the meantime, you can make some very nice scrapbook pages with these few materials.