Collecting American Coins

Coin collecting is fascinating, and collecting American coins is an easy and entertaining hobby if you live in the United States. There are some really interesting coins of most denominations. Pennies The Lincoln head penny is probably the most collected American coin. They have been minted since 1909. During WWII some Lincoln head pennies were made out of zinc instead of copper. A very few were made of copper in 1943, and these are rare and valuable American coins. Pennies had an Indian head on... Read more »

Photography Lighting Tips: Illuminating Tough Problems

One of the greatest challenges for photographers of all kinds has always been lighting. Lighting leaves people second guessing themselves about such issues as over-exposure with a flash or the existence of sufficient available light. Certainly, with digital cameras that allow you to review the images you have shot, the results can be seen immediately, but adjusting problems can still be difficult. Lighting question can leave you scratching your head. In weak light do you use the flash on your camera... Read more »

15 Helpful Photoshop Tips

1. “Paint away” color with the Paint Brush in selected areas to go from color to black and white in a color image to make a portion of the image stand out. Change the blend mode to Color in the Paint Brush options palette to paint in the black and white sections. 2) Press Shift to add more to the selection or Alt to take away from the selection when using your magic wand tool. 3. If you have a lot of images to display, use Photoshop’s image gallery to build a webpage of images... Read more »

How to use Leather Dyes and Finishes

Dyeing leather is an art, not a science. Variations in textiles, conditions and creative touch will have a direct effect on the result. Fiebing Leather Dyes and most alcohol based dyes most likely are combined and mixed to accomplish intermediate colors and tones. In most cases the common rules of color mixing apply. By mixing your leather dyes, it is not essential to carry so many colors, but even so you may reach your desired color shade. Basic examples of mixing leather dyes are: Yellow and... Read more »

Digital Photo Editing Software

Achieving the best photograph possible every time has become a reality thanks to digital technology. Even when you don’t capture the image you want with the camera, you can still create a perfect picture with digital photo editing. Many software programs are available that can salvage a photo that once would have been lost and make it spectacular. Here is a list of some of the software types you can purchase for editing your digital photos: Kodak EasyShare Freeware. This may be the most well... Read more »

Introduction To Scrapbooking

You may come across with various definitions of what a scrapbook is. And you may even have set one for yourself. But you see, of all those meanings associated with scrapbooks, there will always be one thing central to it- keeping memories. Scrapbooks are a wonderful occasion to remember good times, you can even compare them to photos. You will find your ideas, your good past times and many wonderful things in your life inside your scrapbook. A scrapbook is just like a time machine, it will bring... Read more »

Myspace Generators and Sick Stuff - Yah Baby Yah!

It is very easy to spice up your MySpace page to make it as unique and reflective of your personality as possible. Myspace is, after all, the most popular social networking site on the internet and you’ll need to look good for the prom (so to speak). Your MySpace profile should represent you so your friends can have a good idea of who you are and your interests. Thankfully, there are literally millions of different backgrounds and graphics for you to choose from: checkered layouts, polka... Read more »

Is Woodworking the Hobby for You?

Woodworking covers a variety of processes, such as cabinetmaking, joinery, marquetry, turning, and woodcarving. Even so, each and every skilled craftsperson at some time had to learn the basic principles of marking, measuring, dimensioning, assembling and finishing. These skills are the fundamentals of woodworking and are the nitty-gritty of woodworking, be it hobby or profession. The capability to conceptualize three dimensionally is necessary to mark up the wood and to envisage how one piece fits... Read more »

The Art of Bonsai Shaping

One of the key characteristics of a bonsai tree is its shape. Bonsai gardening is not only a hobby, it is an art form, and this is demonstrated by the way you choose to guide and shape your tree. Bonsai trees can be shaped into almost any form that you desire. However, there are several profiles that are more widespread than others when it comes to bonsai gardening. Literati The most common shape of bonsai tree is the literati style, and this is what most people visualize when they think of a bonsai.... Read more »

Making Sure That Your Memories Are Safe

A long time ago taking pictures and developing them meant spending a fortune and a great deal of time so when making pictures the whole process was just a generator of headaches. If you wanted to make a scrapbook things would cost a fortune. But that happened before, when technology wasn’t at its peak. Nowadays, people can do everything with computer help. Photos can finally resist the test of time. People can now say goodbye to films and albums that are only left in one dark corner of the... Read more »