Craftbits.com –craftbits.com/sewing-craft/– Browse through over 20 different project “genres,” from candle and soap making to scrap-booking and jewelry design. Interesting sewing projects from this site include a purse made out of neck-ties, reusable grocery bags, and a messenger bag you can put together with an old coat. To get project ideas via email automatically, sign up for their free newsletter.

Free Needle.com –freeneedle.com– Aiming to be the “premier resource for finding interesting and exciting links” to sewing ideas, this website has a huge directory of over 2,500 links and 60 different categories. Users can submit links to noteworthy project guides they happen to find across the web. Contribute to the directory by submitting your own links. Within the directory you’ll learn how to create a men’s wallet, put together a fleece hoodie, and make a thread painting out of a picture of your pet.

About.com Sewing –sewing.about.com/od/freeprojects/u/freepatternbyskilllevel.htm/– Sewing patterns on this website are categorized by experience level– beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The majority of them are detailed guides that frequently include helpful tips and links to other About.com pages on sewing. One of my favorite beginner projects here is the scented hot pad (sewing.about.com/od/freeprojects/ht/scentedhotpad.htm). Sew your favorite potpourri scent into a pad to protect your table from hot dishes.

Sewing Republic from Bernia — sewingrepublic.com/projectIdeas.html/ — You don’t need to have a Bernia to take advantage of this neat collection of colorful project ideas. Create table coasters for your beverage glasses or a flashy haute top to go with any skirt.

All Free Sewing — allfreesewing.com — This informative site has over 25 different categories of tutorials that include clothing for teens and pets, quilt ideas, and bags/purses. This is a directory site consisting mostly of links to other websites and sewing blogs. You’ll also find small collection of free sewing eBooks, tricks, tips, and video tutorials.

Free-Sewing.com –free-sewing.com– Pillows, rugs, blankets, jackets, and totes are among the array of projects you’ll find here. Although there are other websites that have larger selections, the layout of the site is clean and you aren’t bombarded with an insane amount of adsense ads and banners. The most popular guides include a mock braided rug and a hooded towel.

Sew Mama Sew! –sewmamasew.com/blog2– A great blog with fresh content on a lot more than just free sewing patterns. You’ll also find pattern reviews, where enthusiasts retell their experiences with various project guides they’ve purchased on the internet. This is also a wonderful place to get feedback and exchange ideas with other sewers through the forum, which is over 11,000 members strong.

About the Author

Looking for a sewing machine to use on your next project? Read Johnathon’s detailed review of the Brother cs6000i computerized sewing machine at Threader: the sewing blog.

The trademark of the McCoy Pottery is recognised all over the world; due to the high appreciation of its quality though, it has been copied and abused several times. A few years ago the McCoy mark was used on reproductions of the original items and especially the jars. Many inexpensive replicas hit the markets, causing a serious financial damage to the company, which started a long legal fight so as to protect its name and ceramics. The McCoy jars were introduced in 1930 and since then they have been the only figural jars ever available in the markets. Today though, the McCoy pottery company is not in business anymore, a fact that makes the original pottery even more important and unique.

If you are among those who want to collect pottery items you can find a vast variety of them available in several shops and antique collections; there are also many shops online that sell the authentic McCoy collectibles. The authentic ones come with verification and mark of authenticity, as all the items got a unique number when manufactured. There are also many resources for the McCoy products, including several associations and journals.

If you are one of the collectors of vintage and unique items, whether it is vintage jewellery or pottery, you should always try to educate yourself on the best sources of original products, as there are many scams today, especially online.

About the Author

Sturat is article marketer, copywriter and enjoys writing on topics like Mccoy Pottery and Vintage Jewelry . For more information on these topics, please visit us.

ARIES
There is nothing erasier then to choose a gift for Aries! Don’t say you cannot choose a gift!… Buy anything; place it into a ruby fancy box. This is the first rule (and the last one, indeed). It doesn’t matter what will be inside of this ruby box – drumsticks, nopal, Japanese sword, Zazu in a cage, brand new Lexus or Playboy with written words on it “Let’s do it right now!”. The main the gist is prepared beforehand and… specially for them, fascinating Aries! Don’t forget about a greeting card – it must praise and hymn about Aries’s originality!

TAURUS
It is not difficult to gratify a Taurus as well. Take a piece of expensive milk chocolate or Danish blue cheese, wrap it into a 100$ (Euro) bill (as high as better!) – wait, it is just a prelude to a gift…. Taurus loves practical things, solid by touch, look, smell and test… If happened, that this Taurus is dear for your heart then gift him a last model of famous brand drill, microwave or vacuum cleaner. I want to accentuate: remember “famous brand, last model!” But… a perfect gift is… edible flannel sheets! (the test of your choice). As for greeting cards – choose the best, don’t look at price (it’s a sin!), though remember about a practical use… envelope for money, for example?!

GIMINI
Please, attention! To make Gemini happy – you should gift them everything by little! And you can go crazy while wrapping all these staff into a glossy paper, unless you are Virgo. Small items, trinkets and trifles – these are an ideal gift for Gemini. CD’s, lighters, pens, mouse carpets, mobile phones etc. – but as bright as possible. Do not worry if Gemini already has a similar gift – they rarely have things in a single copy. In return, they will gift you lively energy and paint your life into brightest colors. Best greeting cards for Gemini – animated cards, and a few on mobile, email, post box!…

CANCER
Well… To win a heart of a Cancer you need to come across curiosity shops, all antique and ancient stuff will be to the place. Your Cancer will love you forever (at least till the moment he/she will consider that you neglect him) But he/she is very sincere in feelings! They love home and everything connected to it, as a delicious food, for example. Cake, cookies, chocolate – wonderful beginning! An ideal gift for any Cancer – 70 year old automobile, which doesn’t move, full of odds and ends from someone’s grandmother cupboard! Romantic greeting cards will touch a sensitive soul of Cancer, and if it is antique greeting card – it is a pick of happiness!

LION
With Lion is important not only what you gift them but how you do it! It can be fashionable jewelries or envelope with a few “heavy” bills wrapped into a golden glossy paper with red and yellow ribbons – it will please Lion’s eyes indeed! Please, don’t forget to write his/her name on the gift! To impress Lion – gift him a throne-shape chair or a small prefabricated castle – it is the best what suits to his royal status! Golden greeting cards will complete your gift… if you cannot effort golden one, at least adorn it with shiny stones.

VIRGO
I advice you to wrap a gift properly, otherwise Virgo will not be please with it before head, or they may not want to unwrap it at all! If you want to have some fun – leave a label on the gift… Virgo will be confused and mutter “why didn’t you take it off?”. Virgo looks very gentle but inside they are actually crazy… they will appreciate a lot the gift which shows them in their own eyes decisive and freethinking (Virgos, is it true?) But they have a reputation as a practical sigh of the zodiac and everyone present them practical staff… So, if you want to impress them – use your imagination and sensibility! Be careful with greeting cards – Virgo cannot resist a vulgar humor!
For each sign of the zodiac – chose appropriate animated cards, greeting cards and birthday greetings.

About the Author

Many people believe in horoscopes, do you? I’ll give you some recommendations for how to choose gifts according to signs of the zodiac. May be it will be useful one day, who knows? Though, please, don’t take it too seriously…

As a crafter, sewer, and quilter I am amazed as I pull up auction after auction and see “handcrafted” items for almost zero dollars.

I’m assuming because you’re selling on the internet you are operating a “business”. The object of a business is to make money. A PROFIT if you will. How many of you crafter’s can honestly say you are making a profit?

Are you one of these crafter’s that says “Oh, well, I’d be making them anyway so I don’t have to charge much if I just get the money I put in the materials back.” In order for you to get the money back that you have in the product you have to charge for more than just the material.

You must charge for your LABOR, you must charge for your OVERHEAD, and you MUST figure in a PROFIT.

Isn’t your time worth something, that’s the labor you charge. As a crafter charging an hourly wage would be ridiculous. We’d be asking $10,000 for an item that should sell for $300.00. The way to figure a fair labor charge when crafting is to determine a percentage, be it 5% or 10% but charge something for your labor.

What you spend on things OTHER than materials is your overhead. Internet fees, Phone (you’re on the Internet, you have a phone bill RIGHT?) electricity, gas, rent, office supplies, etc. This can also be figure as a percentage. 5%, 10% it is for you to determine. But DETERMINE it.

This is what it COSTS TO MAKE THE ITEM.

Add up: Material

+ Labor

+ Overhead = All three = COST TO MAKE

Does this surprise you? If it does YOU ARE NOT CHARGING ENOUGH. And we haven’t even added in the PROFIT margin.

Once you have the total for COST TO MAKE you add the PROFIT margin. How much do you want to actually make for making your product. 5%, 10%, 25% 50% or more.This total would be your RETAIL price.

It’s always good to have a WHOLESALE price as well. This is for when you sell directly out of your home, when you don’t have internet fees, craft booth fees etc. So take about a quarter of what you’ve determined your Retail price to be and call this your Wholesale price.

If you spent $5.00 on material and sold it on the internet for $5.00, you would be PAYING somebody to buy your product. You have internet fees, you have gas, you have electricity, you have your time. GET IT?

This is what you SHOULD BE CHARGING. Using made up figures for Labor, Overhead, Profit, etc.

Material: $5.00

X .5

Labor $2.50

X .5

Overhead 1.25

Add together Material, Labor, Overhead

Cost to Make $8.75

X .50%

Profit $4.38

Add together Cost To Make & Profit

Amount to Charge Retail = $13.13

X .75%

Wholesale Price $9.85

“But nobody will buy it if I charge more!” Have you heard yourself say that? Why are you putting yourself and your handmade craft down? Your product is worth it!

Make yourself a spreadsheet. Fill in the formulas that you have determined then all you have to do is fill in the material amount and the spreadsheet will figure out how much you should charge for the item. Don’t second guess the spreadsheet. It’s correct. You might have to play with the formulas a bit to determine what the market will bear, such as, a bazaar in the local grange hall isn’t going to get you as much money as a juried craft fair, You’ll have to lower your percentages but you’ll eventually come up with a spreadsheet that works well for you and you will be MAKING A PROFIT.

Many crafters take the material cost and times that by 2 or 3 to get their selling price. For example: Material Cost = $5.00 X 3 = $15.00 Selling price. This is an easy way to figure out the selling price AS LONG AS YOU STICK WITH IT. I wanted to show you how each equation figured into the charging formula. Material….Labor….Overhead….= PROFIT.

Get started TODAY, Charge more for your product. It’s worth it. If you’re selling it on the internet or anywhere else you deserve to be making MORE MONEY!!

About the Author

Judie of Creekside Quilt Designs (Creekside Quilts) is a self taught quiltmaker. After retiring and then moving from a large city to enjoy life in the country, quilting became a passion, a very addicting passion. The goal has been to make quilts from different patterns and combination of patterns to see secondary patterns emerge. The quilts made at Creekside Quilts are smaller quilts, nothing larger than a double bed size. All of the quilts and wall hangings are made with love to be loved.

How to Keep Your Plant Properly Watered

Though you do not have to have a green thumb in order to keep a home plant alive, it is good to know how much water intake is necessary to sustain them. It is all too easy to douse our plants with too much water. One problem with overwatering is that it washes out necessary nutrients from your plant’s soil. Root rot is another common ailment when using too much water because the plant is sitting in water constantly. A great solution to keep your plants healthy and well watered is to look in your home decor gardening section; they will have a lot of plant waterers. These watering devices almost looked like plastic bowls turned upside down, and are built to keep the soil moist but not overwatered.

The Array of Silk Trees Available

It is amazing to some how many types of silk trees actually exist. The most well-known silk tree is the pine tree (Christmas tree). Some of the less renowned trees may be perfect for your needs, but you didn’t know they exist. For example, the banana tree is an exotic option that is somewhat similar in appearance to the palm tree. You can get a completely different look by choosing a bonsai tree, which has much smaller and more delicate foliage. The many designs available for the bonsai tree are quite striking and creative. Silk grasses, like cattail or bear grass, are unique and rarely used but very interesting decorative pieces. The more you get to look at and experiment with different alternatives, the more likely you are to hit on just the right design for your home.

Tips for Harmonizing the Colors in Your Floral Arrangements

Whether the flowers in your floral arrangement are real or artificial, having the right blend of colors makes a big difference in overall appearance. If you stop by a flower shop and study how colors are synchronized in your favorite floral designs, you will gain some ideas of how you want your own floral arrangements to look. Also, due to today’s wonderful technology you can find a vast selection of flower arrangement pictures online. As you explore different styles, remember that there are two major categories for arrangements. The more natural style uses flowers from matching areas or times of year. The goal here is to recreate the feeling of being in a field of flowers. The next type of arranging is shape and color coordination. This style is commonly found at events, like weddings, and other celebrations. When using this strategy, choose multiple tints of one color for the design.

About the Author

Silk Garden Online.com offers a great selection of silk flowers. Including flower arrangements, silk roses, tulips, orchids, and more.

He will take over from Eric Schmidt, who has been in the job for a decade and will become executive chairman.

Google said Mr Schmidt would focus on “deals, partnerships, customers and broader business relationships”.

The surprise news came as Google unveiled a strong rise in net profits in the last three months of $2.54bn (£1.6bn) on revenues of $8.44bn.

Mr Page, 37, is reclaiming the job he relinquished to Mr Schmidt, 55, when investors called for a more experienced business leader.

“In my clear opinion, Larry is ready to lead and I’m excited about working with both him and Sergey [Brin] for a long time to come,” Mr Schmidt said in a blog posting. Mr Brin, also 37, is Google’s other founder.

Continue reading the main story
Analysis

Tim Weber

Business editor, BBC News website

——————————————————————————–
It’s just under 10 years ago that Eric Schmidt joined Google, and what a ride it’s been. He was brought in as the “adult” to complement the search company’s young leadership team. He had plenty of experience: at Bell Labs, Xerox, Sun and Novell. His job: to reassure investors and manage growth.

Mr Schmidt has delivered, and more. His biggest achievement is how he bonded with Google’s two founders; as an executive triumvirate they appear to have managed the company with little internal friction.

In corporate terms, Larry Page and Sergey Brin have been grown-ups for quite a while. Now they are taking charge at the company that is rightfully theirs.

But Google has lost momentum recently, especially in competition with Facebook. Key staff are leaving. It will be Larry Page’s job to re-energise the search giant.

Still, shareholders will feel a tad safer in the knowledge that Eric Schmidt will carry on as the founders’ mentor.
Mr Schmidt said the management changes, which take effect on April 4, were part of a plan to “streamline” decision making and create clearer lines of responsibility and accountability.

“We’ve been talking about how best to simplify our management structure and speed up decision making for a long time,” Mr Schmidt said.

He added: “Larry will now lead product development and technology strategy, his greatest strengths… Sergey has decided to devote his time and energy to strategic projects, in particular working on new products. His title will be co-founder.”

Caution

Analysts said that Mr Page was now more experienced, and would carry more weight with investors on Wall Street than he did 10 years ago.

But Brian Pitz, analyst at UBS, added a note of caution. “The Street will think it’s a negative, that there is probably some issue going on. Google is trying to get more efficient and trying to get a tech guy in the seat to compete with Facebook.

“I don’t think it changes anything strategically where the company is headed,” he said.

The surprise news overshadowed strong fourth-quarter profits what were well ahead of analysts’ estimates. The $2.54bn profit compares to $1.97bn made in the same quarter the year before.

Analysts said Google appeared to have strengthened its internet advertising machine during the pre-Christmas shopping season, sparking a 26% surge in revenues to $8.44bn.

After subtracting the commissions Google pays to advertising partners, revenues were $6.37bn, about $300m more than analysts had forecast.

Mike Hickey, analyst at Janco Partners, said: “When you see an executive change, you hesitate because generally, it’s a disruption at the top. Obviously the numbers look good, so it’s a balance between the two.”

Shares of Google rose about 2% to $639 in after-hours trading on Wall Street. The company now has a market value of about $200bn and has turned the co-founders and Mr Schmidt into billionaires.

cheap air jordans

About the Author

Our Coach handbags outlet sells all kinds of Coach Handbags and Coach Purses and other bags, such as backpack bags, luggage bags etc., both fashionable and latest.

Present Trends of Dinnerware
During its journey, dinnerware has been through many changes. The present trends of dinnerware can only tell whether the artistic inclination remains in it even today or not.

Vibrant Colors and Patterns:- Dinnerware in bright oranges, yellows, gold metallics and blues are giving warmth and life to the subdued background of homes. Ethnic prints including Native American patterns, African motifs and Asian batiks truly stand apart against the vibrant color scheme.

Browns and Blacks:- It’s true that white will never lose its place but for a while, browns and blacks are in limelight. Brown with all its shades, from dusky to coffee and even dark chocolate, are in great demand. These colors are even contrasted with colors like yellow, blue and green to bring dramatic effects. Black is also there to shine with pride. Contrasted mainly with whites and sometimes with golden shades, black is here to stay.

Eco Dinnerware:- The passion for clean environment has led to recycled dinnerware which is fast catching up with the masses. Apart from being made from recycled products, these items reflect shades of green- jades and olives- along with attractive patterns representing nature in form of leaves and other foliage etc.

Fancy Graphics:- Odd, unconventional, peculiar and even hand drawn whimsical and abstract graphics are gaining unimaginable popularity. They are, all the more, adding interest to our tables.

Irregular Shapes:- Any shape other than round is in. Although the standard round plates and bowls can never vanish but the shapes like star, squares, geometric shapes, organic shapes are fast making ways into hotels, restaurants, home kitchens and dining tables. Appetizers are now served on rectangular plates, and entrees in oversize bowls. Even colors of dishes are considered while finalizing dessert plates, such as a plate with rose-colored outer edge and gold trim for creme brulee!

Are you now thinking whether we really eat with our eyes first? Yes, of course!

About the Author

I am working in crafts industry for about five years now. During this considerably long period, I came across various people interested in crafts either as hobby, business or passion. With the intention of sharing my experience about crafts industry, I have started writing through various media- journals, newspapers, online forums, craft blogs etc.

Whatever stage you maybe at, there’s a set that fits your needs.

Once you have learned the basics and are convinced that drumming is something you’d like to continue with, the next logical thing to do is to buy a set.

That is simply because drumming is a skill. And as with all skills, practice makes perfect. To do that, you would need to have a drum kit.

You could literally spend tens of thousands of dollars on a drum set if you wanted to but unless you’re a professional drummer, a beginner or intermediate set for between $400 and $800 will suffice.

Believe it or not, a lot of drummers do not know how to buy a set and end up spending a lot of extra money on something they don’t need.

When you get to the music store, do not just buy the first set you see. Know your budget. A good starting point would be between $200 and $500.

Don’t Be Too Brand Conscious

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Do not judge the set by the brand name.

Each set has its own sound and feel. There are some cheap kits that sound very nice!

If you are a beginner drummer, you should keep it cheap and simple. It is highly recommended that you purchase a kit where each of the drum kit components is made by the same manufacturer.

You may encounter incompatibility problems when you have a drum kit where each piece is made by a different manufacturer or company. If you can, you should buy a cheap and simple set that is made by an unknown or less known manufacturer. This is a great drum kit for you to practice on.

Once you improve your skills and you think that you are really ready, you can just upgrade to a better drum setup and purchase additional components in your drum kit.

More information on drum kit selection can be found in the animated eBook at the link below.

About the Author

http://ladydrumming.blogspot.com

Married with 2 beautiful daughters and wonderfully blessed!

The rosary is an extremely significant prayer tool of Catholics and Christians of different traditions such as the Anglican and also the Episcopal. Despite the fact that you will find different variations, praying the rosary allows a person to enter a meditative kind of praying. No wonder, the rosary has a reach in every corner from the Christian world. However, there are slight variations for example in Ireland. Catholicism is an important flavor from the Irish taste.

Saint Patrick, the popular patron saint of Ireland, is well known on March 17 as his feast day. This feast day was relying on Luke Wadding, an associate of the commission reforming the Breviary in early 1600s. Saint Brigid and Saint Columba will also be patron saints of Ireland.

Whether you are a proud Irish or simply enjoy with Irish items, making an Irish rosary is quite easy. You can make choice for you own or like a gift for the loved ones. A personally crafted Irish rosary is much more valuable since it is created with your ex and care. Of course purchasing one from a gift shop or perhaps a religious shop in Ireland is not bad. However, making your personal adds personal touch for this religious item. You will need:

• Celtic cross (this sort of cross is of Irish distinction since it was thought that St. Patrick had created this cross over a sacred stone of the Pagan moon goddess with a circular symbol. Then drew a Latin cross over this symbol, blessed it and thus come up with first Celtic cross.)

• A medallion portratying an Irish saint such as St. Brigid or St. Patrick
St. Patrick may be the patron Saint of Ireland. On the other hand, St. Brigid is definitely an Irish nun who religiously devoted her lifetime to the teachings of St. Patrick. Both of these saints play an important role in Irish Catholicism.

• Green beads (same size and shapes)
• Silver or gold beads
• Thin yet durable cord

Steps:

1.) Ensure that your Celtic cross includes a small hole on the top. If there is none, you need to drill it or create a hole using an awl. After securing this hole, loop the crucifix using a thread and secure this having a knot. It’s okay to use a lengthy string so you could hold all of the beads. In the end, you can always trim the excess string after you are finished.

2.) After securing a knot for your crucifix, Pater Bead and three Ave beads. Secure with a knot thread in the medallion portraying St. Patrick or St. Brigid. Secure this having a knot.

3.) Following the knot, let your cord separate into two to create your rosary chain. Thread inside a Pater bead, secure having a knot and follow it with ten Ave beads. Secure the Ave beads and continue this step before you are carried out with the group of 5 decades. Just make sure that you secure every bead with a knot to permit firm placement on the cord.

About the Author

Marissa Meme is an article writer for CatholicFavors.com where you can buy the finest in Catholic related items such as baptism gifts, Infant Jesus of Prague chaplets, and Ave Maria rosary necklaces.

Knitting is the process of making fabric from yarn by creating lots of interlocking loops with 2 needles. Wools, and the various polyester mixes, are mostly often used by knitters today to create all manner of warm clothing.

This wool comes mostly from shearing sheep. The fleece is washed and scrubbed after shearing to remove all dirt and natural oils. The wool is then ‘carded’, this is done in order to get all of the fibres running the same direction. After this the wool is combed through to separates the fibres into lengths of up to 2 inches.

The shorter fibres are used to create yarn for fuzzy woolen bulky knits and tweeds, the longer fibres are better used in suiting fabric (worsteds) and fine sweaters. Also important is the diameter/width of woolen fibres, the thicker fibres are used in carpets and upholstery, only the finer fibres are suitable for clothing.

Wool can also be obtained from other animals such as camels, goats and alpacas.

Mohair comes from the Angora goat which originates from the Himalayas. These goats, which have now been imported all over the world, produce resilient wool with a real shine, although when woven looks identical to sheep’s wool.

Angora fur actually comes from rabbits, this is the exceptionally soft wool found in expensive sweaters.

Cashmere comes from mountain goats in the Kashmir region of India, these fibres have a very small diameter with lots of crimp which makes garments made from this super soft and warm yet light and airy feeling.

About the Author

Ann Barrago
www.retro-makeyourown-styleguide.com