Spruce Up Your Pages with Scrapbooking Embellishments

Having this nagging doubt that you may upstage your precious photos or clutter your pages with scrapbooking embellishments?

One moment you're just so tempted to paste the embellishment onto your page, and the next moment you're questioning yourself, "Should I? Should I not?" You even wonder if you're just trying to force that simply irresistible page accent onto your page to satisfy your craving for? more embellishments.

Well, you're in good company. I still remember the first time I encountered packets and packets of wondrous embellishments. My eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, and my heart fluttered in excitement and the truth was, I simply can't decide. What a rush!

So for anyone who loves scrapbooking embellishments, we have to learn some balancing acts and avoid falling into the trap of overwhelming the pages with loads of such page accents.

Here's some tips for you to consider when you're holding that simply irresistible piece of embellishment in your hand, and pausing for that momentous decision.

<B>TIPS:</B> <ul> <li>If it distracts people from your photos, you might be better off saving that piece of embellishment for another page. Let's remind ourselves that photos form the essence of scrapbooking, not embellishments.

<li>If the reason to use the page accent is because it's the coolest or hottest trend right now, upon reflection this may not be so in the long run. Remember how you flinched in horror as you looked back at your biggest fashion mistakes? It can happen to your scrapbooking layouts too.

<li>If there's only a single photo especially with close-ups, by all means launch into your most daring mode and spark up your page with embellishments. But keep the scrapbooking embellishments to the minimal, when there's multiple photos on a single page.

<li>If the piece of accent has a functional purpose such as concealing unsightly parts of your photo, adding balance to the overall layout or holding another item in place, then use that lovely embellishment.

<li>If the embellishment boosts your story-telling ability for the page, then jump on the chance.

<li>If the purpose of the embellishment is to copy what you've seen people did in some magazine, it's might not speak of you own style. Instead, follow your instincts and use whatever you feel confident of expressing your style on the page! </ul>

There's probably no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to scrapbooking with embellishments ideas. Just keep in view that an embellishment or two when used in the right combination, will contribute to the vision you've been trying to express in a powerful way.

Happy scrapping with embellishments!

<B>About the author:</B><BR> Fion Lim is the creator of <a target="_new" href="http://www.everything-about-scrapbooking.com"> Everything-About-Scrapbooking.com</a> - Learning about scrapbooking? Here's your guide to beginner scrapbooking. Find tips, ideas, inspirations, articles, and resources to quotes, poems and fonts right here.

Feel free to use the this article provided it is published in its entirety, with the resource box and a &quot;live&quot; clickable link to: <a target="_new" href="http://www.everything-about-scrapbooking.com">http://www.everything-about-scrapbooking.com</a>

Choosing The Right Mat Board Colour For Your Art Work

The framing industry has no books, no set theory, not hard and fast rules on how to pick colours. There are some personal opinions from various writers but that's all they are. However it is not as hard as you may think.

The obvious starting point is to go for a colour that's in the picture, then vary the shades from darket to lighter to see which suits best.

An Inner mat is the smaller window just surrounding your art work and it is usually used to sharpen the image. Darker inner mat will increase the contrast between the light and dark areas of the picture, making the image easier to see. Therefore, adding an inner mat is both decorative and functional.

An outer mat is a bigger window closest to the glass, and sitting just on top of the inner mat. There is one or two rules I can give you for choosing the outer mat. Always make the outer mat border at least 2 1/2" (60mm). 2" mats do not work. The wider the mat the more you see the picture. The other rule relates to the surroundings. The colour of the outer mat you choose should have NOTHING to do with your taste or the colours in the room. If you do your job correctly you should see the picture, not what surrounds it. Many people make mistake by starting to use their personal taste or decorator themes in framing.

You can practice choosing the right mat board colours using the <a target="_new" href="http://www.clubframeco.com/smartFramer.html">Smart Framer program</a> on our web site. Upload some of your own digital photos and frame them.

With more than 30 years of experience in the business of picture framing, Gary Leete is the owner of Melbourne-based <a target="_new" href="http://www.clubframeco.com">FrameCo Picture Framing Supplies</a>, a company that specializes in DIY framing tools, start up kits and framing accessories. For further information on FrameCo products and services, feel free to email <a href="mailto:frame@frameco.com.au">frame@frameco.com.au</a>

How to Value Your Jewelry at Home or Work

Many thanks for taking the time to read this compact jewelry article entitled 'How to Value your Jewelry at Home or Work'. You are about to discover the intricacies and formulas that highly qualified Gemologists and Valuers are using, right now, to evaluate and appraise gold, silver and platinum jewelry.

But before we begin, I would simply like to bring you 'up to speed' on what will be required. As you know, the art of valuing jewelry takes many years to learn (over five years before you can graduate) and then it takes several more years to gain the necessary experience to 'get it right'.

Gemologists don't all become Valuers because of this high level of study, which doesn't include the expense of Microscopes and Refractometers and Dichroscopes and and and....

In this program we don't even want to explain what these pieces of equipment are because firstly; they are too expensive (you can pay thousands of dollars just for a binocular microscope) and secondly because you are not a trained jeweler, and probably don't want to be.

So don't let that put you off because we are NOT trying to turn you into professionals overnight. That would be wrong of us to even try.

We don't want the Jargon either. Just some simple facts. What we are going to achieve is nothing more than a simple understanding of what you need to know, to at least get a 'Slippery Grip' of basic terms. The hardest part is NOT the testing or algorithms involved but mainly the correct and systematic identification of what your are trying to value. The calculations are nothing more than a natural outcome, which just proves what can be accomplished using the most simple school mathematics. If you can multiply and divide, and add money, you can do this course.

We assume you are trying to get a 'Ball Park' figure on something you own, or want to own, or sell, or insure. Which brings us to the first question.

What exactly is a Valuation or Appraisal?

All of the calculations and procedures done throughout this series of articles are built into our 'Online Jewelry Valuation Self Appraisal Kit' which does all the work for you. Why? So you don't have to. Simple...

You can go to the Valuation Appraisal Centre, to discover how easy it is to value your own jewelry at home or work (The address is listed at the bottom of this article) and discover why we use it ourselves.

This is an important yet sadly overlooked concept.

People, just like you, simply want to 'Know what it's Worth' but that's a very subjective statement. For example:

What's it worth to you?

Does it have sentimental value?

If it does, there is no way we can measure or calculate for that. It's a personal thing.

What's it worth on EBay?

That depends if you are a Buyer or a Seller. At the end of the day the value lies in what two people agree upon.

What's it worth if you bought it from your neighbor?

What's it worth to them or what's it worth to you?

These are two different things.

What's it worth when your local Jewelry Store has a 50% Off Sale? Are you really buying a bargain or is it just another ploy to get your money.

What's it worth if it's stolen?

Does this value represent the true figure?

If you were 'Fagin' in Oliver Twist, what was it worth to him?

Bet Fagin had a different price in mind when he traded with the Artful Dodger.

But what if you were the jewelry owner. What's it worth then? The Insurance company might have a different view to you. After all, they want to replace it as cheaply as possible, while you want it valued as high as you can. You pay the premium for the privilege, of course, but it still remains very loose.

Tip: A 'Valuation or Appraisal' is generally accepted as a price based on Insurance assessment. ALL other valuations flow from this one rate.

So the answer lies in some form of accepted standard which must be based on sound principles, backed by REPEATABLE formulas which can be expected to be 'around the same figure' no matter where you go in the world.

And thankfully, it is. Gold is Gold is gold... right?

The calculations used (behind the scene so you never need to see them) in our 'Online Jewelry Valuation Self Appraisal Kit' knows from your answers to multiple choice questions, exactly 'What's it worth'. Easy eh?

Go to the Valuation Appraisal Centre to uncover the secrets of just how stress-free it is to value your own jewelry at home or work (The address is listed at the bottom of this article) and let the 'Kit' do it for you.

Like humans, not all gold is created equally.

Thankfully. A lot will depend on what part of the world you come from and certainly can dramatically change the value of any jewelry item.

You may have wondered about that VERY yellow gold which comes from the Middle East or Asia. Is it the same as the gold on Sixth Avenue or Hatton Garden in old London Town?

Why is it that jewelers talk about CARAT weight in diamonds and gemstones, but also use the term CARAT when it comes to the quality of gold. Are they the same thing?

We will certainly be looking into that term in an upcoming issue.

You see, when it comes to Gold (this does not apply in quite the same magnitude for Silver or Platinum items) because it comes in more than one color and more than one quality.

You have the typical yellow gold, a green gold, the ever popular white gold which is currently making a bit of a comeback, and the sought after 'Rose gold,' fashionable in Victorian and Vintage Jewelry.

Each of these will have a different price structure when it comes to appraising your jewelry. Nothing dramatic, but a difference anyway.

Yet the bottom line could add several hundreds of dollars to a Bracelet or ring, so you will need to know 'How to' spot these distinctions in metal.

So how do you do it? By using the best tools a Valuer can possess (your eyes) while employing the greatest skills you can learn (how to measure things). Once you have these handy little methods in your arsenal, the rest is just a matter of arithmetic.

So watch out for your next issue of this mini-course, where we'll reveal the single most important consideration when it comes to valuing ANY jewelry.

regards and please watch the road. David Foard F.G.A.A. Fellow of the Gemological Association of Australia and former member of JATVC - The Valuers Council (retired).

P.S. If you are really serious about getting a Valuation Appraisal done quickly and easily with minimum effort.... then go to the Valuation Appraisal Centre to discover just how easy it is to value your own jewelry and reproduce a Certificate on your own Printer at home or work (The address is listed below) and follow the advice given there. Couldn't be any easier.

David Foard is retired ("Ha..." he laughs). He is working harder now than at any time in his life, especially over the 30 years he spent in the Antique Jewelry Trade as a qualified gemologist and member of the Valuers Council. Now he concentrates on the three 'R's of 'Reading' Ritin' and re-ritin articles, courses and producing a free monthly newsletter at his website.

Get all the info now by going to <a target="_new" href="http://www.online-jewelry-appraisals.com/">http://www.online-jewelry-appraisals.com/</a> and follow the links to the Valuation Appraisal Center.

An Introduction to Lanyards

Lanyards are pieces of rope, wire, or cloth specifically designed to attach to objects. They are typically used to secure small items such as a work badge, key, identification card, eyeglasses, whistle, cell phone, bottle opener, knife, or compass. A lanyard can be worn around the neck, arm, waist or wrist. When worn around the wrist, a lanyard is often referred to as a &quot;wristlet.&quot;

One typical use of a lanyard is to wear it looped around the neck to secure and display an object that is frequently needed. Securing the object with a neck lanyard keeps it readily available for use, provides easy access to the object, and keeps the hands free. In a business environment, many employees choose to wear lanyards around the neck to display an identification badge or secure keys. A lanyard may also be attached to a belt loop to allow the secured object to be tucked into a pocket.

There are as many lanyard styles available and there are many uses for them. People who like to differentiate themselves from the &quot;norm&quot; can have a lanyard custom printed or personalized. A lanyard can be as simple and inexpensive as a 3/8&quot; shoelace style cord or as extravagant as a wire strung with expensive crystals and gemstones.

Lanyards are available for purchase through a plethora of suppliers, and many can be found online. The lanyard business is booming, as many large businesses continue to purchase lanyards by the thousands for their employees. Even when custom printed with company names, logos, symbols, or slogans, lanyards are relatively inexpensive. They serve as an effective and convenient source of advertising when worn at trade shows or given away for promotional purposes.

Lanyards have become increasingly popular for their ability to keep important objects close at hand while simultaneously keeping hands free.

<a target="_new" href="http://www.e-lanyards.com">Lanyards Info</a> provides information on printed, custom, beaded, badge, neck, key lanyards, and cell phone accessories and jewelry.

Embroidery Designs Sewing

Denim is a twill weave and runs diagonally and any diagonal weave is difficult to control, whether you are attempting construction sewing or machine embroidery. Twills are designed to give the wearer ultimate wearing comfort by the natural "give" it has. That's why we all love our chinos & jeans! However, this comfort quality presents a real problem for machine embroidery enthusiasts.

It is essential to keep fabric "blocked" while cutting, assembling, and stitching either regular seaming or machine embroidery. From cutting out pattern pieces to hooping denim for embroidery, you will experience a challenge of keeping the fabric "blocked" squarely. If you're a quilter, you know exactly what blocking is. If you're not a quilter it simply means keeping the grain of the weave, in both cross & straight directions, straight or square.

Denim is difficult to block because of the diagonal weave and, generally, denim is a heavier weight than most other fabrics are. I recently stitched an ankle length, heavy, denim duster coat using a very large design down the front edge of the coat opening, near the hemline. This meant I had to keep the design running straight in 2 directions at once. The outcome could have been quite unsightly if I hadn't taken extra precautions to make sure the design was placed squarely and that the stabilizing was adequate to prevent the puckers and warping that result from the pull of a machine embroidery design while it is stitching.

Since I had chosen a rather dense assortment of designs to combine for a scene, I knew that I had a difficult, but not impossible, task. First I had to determine what would keep the twill from becoming distorted during the stitching. Second, I knew it would be next to impossible to hoop the coat - the denim was as heavy as any work jeans I've seen.

I immediately knew that I wouldn't be able to hoop the coat, therefore it was a matter of first stabilizing the denim then finding a way to create a method of hooping a backing that would hold up under a high stitch count design and remove easily when the stitching was completed. Given the factors I couldn't change - the weight of the fabric & the heaviness of the group of designs - I wanted to use a "formula" of layers which wouldn't create a stiff effect when all was done. The front edge of a coat does flip open - this could be considered a lethal weapon if one is not careful!

~ DESIGN PLACEMENT ~

The first problem to overcome - can you imagine the bulk of all this fabric when attaching the hoop to the machine! Since the bulk of the fabric must be to the left of the machine so as not to constrict the movement of the embroidery "arm" and hoop, the design had to stitched upside down! To accomplish this you simply flip the design/s first vertically then horizontally.

Using a printed image of the design and the plastic grid for the hoop, I decided exactly where I wanted to place the design. (Always stand about 3 feet away from the garment to make sure the design is where you want it! It's usually best to try it on & look in the mirror.) Since this was for my daughter I had to wing it!

~ PREPARING THE FABRIC OR GARMENT ~

I laundered the coat to shrink it to prevent any warping or puckering which would have happened after it was laundered the first time. Next I steam pressed the front of the jacket to its original flat state by applying Magic Sizing and heavy steam. Now the key here is the word press - not iron! If you iron (move the iron in any direction while bearing down) denim will be stretched and distorted.

After allowing the coat to dry completely after this process, and making sure of the design placement previously decided, I then applied the fusible medium tear away backing to the back side, using a dry iron set at the polyester setting, making sure that the backing straight grain was running with the coat cross grain. Again - press the backing not iron it. To avoid an armor look, I chose the soft tear away backing as the second layer which was placed straight grain to straight grain. A light spraying of 505 temporary adhesive was applied to keep it from shifting.

~ STABILIZING ~

My choice for the "hooping" backing was wonder solv - a water soluble, fabric-like stabilizer, which will support any number of stitches. I hooped a piece in my Brother jumbo hoop, which has a 5 X 12 inch stitch area. I then sprayed the wonder solv with a heavy coat of 505 spray.

I set the jumbo hoop on my Hoop Mate to insure that I could get the front edge of the coat straight with the curved edge of the hoop. Then, making sure that the hem edge was kept straight as well, I pressed the entire backed portion of the coat to the hooped wonder solv. I placed the plastic grid template over the "hooped" fabric to double-check the placement Whew - the worst part of the project was accomplished!

~ FINALLY! READY TO STITCH ~

After locking the hoop to the embroidery arm, I placed a sheet of web solvy on top to prevent the stitches from sinking into the denim. The first thing I stitched was the basting outlines in all three areas of the jumbo hoop. It takes a bit of time, but is well worth the effort. This secures the fabric/garment to the hooped backing helping to insure the least amount of movement during the actual design stitching.

I proceeded by stitching the top design first, then the bottom design and finally the center design. By moving around the hoop in this fashion you are preventing excessive pull in any one area, which can cause distortion of the fabric and unsightly puckering.

~ FINAL RESULTS ~

I'm happy to report that the entire scene was straight/square with the front and hemline edge of the coat, there were no puckers, no warping and no "off " outlines! The coat was no stiffer after the designs were applied than it was originally. My daughter now proudly wears a lighthouse to ocean-floor scene on the lower edge of this spring / fall weight coat!

Terry Carter is the webmaster and author of embroidery articles at <a target="_new" href="http://www.threadartist.com">embroidery designs by Thread Artist</a>. He has an article about embroidery software for digitizing and lettering fonts at <a target="_new" href="http://www.threadartist.com/embroidery_magic_2.htm">embroidery software</a>. There is a free embroidery digitizing Tutorial at this web address - <a target="_new" href="http://www.threadartist.com/embroidery_magic_2_tutorial.htm">embroidery by Thread Artists</a>. You can email Terry at this address - <a href="mailto:ThreadArtist@qx.net">ThreadArtist@qx.net</a>

Friendship Albums

My 12-year-old daughter was mad at me when I refused to pay $25 for a school yearbook last year. Who are they trying to kid?

In an attempt to appease my daughter, I suggested buying a little notebook that her friends could write messages in for her. As it turned out, we found a small turquoise spiral-bound notebook for about $3 that she really liked. Her gel pens looked really great on the turquoise paper.

I also agreed to let her take my camera to school on the last day (it's a fairly inexpensive camera). She took a roll of film that was all hers to take pictures of her friends. She had her friend write little notes to her in her notebook, including phone numbers, AOL Instant Messenger screen names, whatever information they wanted to exchange.

After we got the film developed, my daughter cut the faces of friends she wanted out of the photos and glued them into her notebook. Next she added notes next to each photo, including the person's name and something about that person. The neat thing about those photos was the fact that they were all so candid. She got group photos of her friends, shots of all the boys she had crushes on throughout the year--everything she wanted to remember in years to come.

The total cost of her little friendship album was about $10. The memories it contains are priceless. When I last asked her where her album was, she said a friend had borrowed it so she could scan all the pictures for herself!

Originally published at Suite 101. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For scrapbooking, card making, gift-giving ideas, and more family memory-making activities, visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.crafty-moms.com">http://www.crafty-moms.com</a>

Are Your Collectibles Valuable? Heres How to Find Out

The first thing you will need to do is check out the condition of your item, be it a train, collectible Barbie doll, Disney collectible, or some other collectible item. Is it scratched, torn, clean, dirty, new, in a box, without a box? You get the idea...

Use a good light source and check the item out very carefully, noting the name, identification marks, and any copyright marks. Also, check for any imperfections, tears, scratches, color imperfections, mars, stains, etc.

Many dolls are collected with the box intact. An intact box can raise the value of an item a great deal. Some are worthless if the box is damaged badly or missing.

NOTE: Some dolls are meant to be played with and taken out of the box to dress. Examples are the Tonner Doll Company dolls: Tyler Wentworth, Sydney Chase, Gene, etc.

Remove the doll from the box for inspection. Look for forums, discussion boards, or news groups where similar collectors gather online. You can also check on eBay (or other online auctions) to see what similar items are selling for and what their condition was at the time of sale. Compare the prices with, and without a box to see the difference.

To find your item on eBay:

1. Find the category on eBay where your item would most likely be listed. (Dolls, bears, trains, Disney collectible would be likely categories.

2. If using Dolls, use the [check only in Dolls box] in the search.

3. Use your keyword to search, such as "Barbie doll". This will bring up the current auctions window.

4. Now, check the completed auctions box, to check out the prices and descriptions on the sold items.

5. When you click on the individual auctions, you can see the price the item sold for, the condition of the item and whether it had a box. Look for terms such as NRFB (Never Removed From Box) or MIB (Mint In Box).

Note that the price on eBay is not the best price for your item. Usually, the price could be more if sold locally because the online auction buyer cannot actually handle the item and examine it in person.

Other places to find information about your item (doll) would be websites selling your item (doll), antique or boutique shops, toy or hobby shops, and resell shops. Also, check out the resource books at the public library.

Popular collectibles might have a price book that is printed for collectors. You can also use a collection of hobby magazines to price items or to locate the year the item was made.

If you have done all of the above and still cannot find the information that you need about your item, check out some local hobby clubs in your area. Most hobby enthusiasts will be willing to help you find the information you need and are eager to talk about their hobby. You might even find an expert on your items, or a buyer!!

? 2005, Courtesy of <a href="http://www.hobbyhour.com">HobbyHour.com</a> - You're welcome to use this article on your website, as long as you link properly to our site - the main page or direct article - and leave this notice intact.