:
and find other wonderful Christmas gifts, too.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Amazon.com: Top 10 Deals in Electronics This Week
Here are the top 10 bargains at Amazon.com:
Click here to visit the site and find other wonderful Christmas gifts, too.
: and find other wonderful Christmas gifts, too.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Friday's Christmas Crafting -- Two ways to make Christmas Cards
Here's a video to show you a really simple card that you and your children can make to send this year:
Here is another take on the same idea, only this time it requires a little more skill:
Print out the image on the right in a similar manner with heavy paper.
3. Lay the card that has the outline of the tree on a flat surface. Take a ruler and line the edge of it up against the center fold line of the card
4. Use the rounded end of a paper clip (or a ball point pen that has run out of ink) and press it along the dotted line carefully scoring the card all the way from top to bottom. Score all the other dotted lines on the card as well.
5. Cut the card out carefully following the solid, black lines around the edges.
6. Begin to fold the card in half, keeping the outline of the tree on the outside so you can always see it.
7. Fold the card completely in half with the outline of the tree still visible.
8. Carefully cut along the solid black line of the first segment at the top of the tree.
9. Fold the first segment at the top to the tree back against the card, along the dotted line, and crease with your thumb or finger.
10. Put the first segment back in its original position.
11. Open the card like a tent, and push the first segment through to the other side.
12. If you turn the card over, this is what it looks like.
13. Turn the card over again and carefully cut along the solid black line of the second segment at the top of the tree
14. Fold the second segment at the top to the tree back against the card, along the dotted line, and crease with your thumb or finger.
15. Put the second segment back in its original position.
16. Open the card like a tent, and push the second segment through to the other side.
17. If you turn the card over, this is what it looks like.
18. Turn the card back over again and repeat the same process of cutting along the solid black lines, folding the segments and pushing them through to the other side.
When you have done all five segments the card will look like this.
19. Set the Christmas tree card aside and lay the second print out, the backing card, on a flat surface. Take a ruler and line the edge of it up against the center fold line of the backing card and score down the center with your paper clip.
20. Cut the backing card out carefully following the solid, black lines around the edges.
21. Fold the backing card in half with the dotted line on the INSIDE. Set this card aside.
22. Turn over the Christmas Tree card so the dotted outline is visible. Put a thin line of glue along the right side of the card from top to bottom.
23. Put a thin line of glue along the left side of the card from top to bottom.
24. Carefully position the backing card, with the dotted line facing down, on top of the Christmas tree card. Take your time, making sure the edges of both cards match up.
25. Press the cards together, flattening them completely.
26. Turn the card over, carefully close and open it.
Your pop-up Christmas Tree card is ready to be decorated!
Here is another take on the same idea, only this time it requires a little more skill:
How to Make a Christmas Tree Pop up Card (Robert Sabuda Method)
Here are the steps:
Click here to get the image and then print out the full size image on a heavy paper, like card stock or construction paper.
Print out the image on the right in a similar manner with heavy paper.
3. Lay the card that has the outline of the tree on a flat surface. Take a ruler and line the edge of it up against the center fold line of the card
4. Use the rounded end of a paper clip (or a ball point pen that has run out of ink) and press it along the dotted line carefully scoring the card all the way from top to bottom. Score all the other dotted lines on the card as well.
5. Cut the card out carefully following the solid, black lines around the edges.
6. Begin to fold the card in half, keeping the outline of the tree on the outside so you can always see it.
7. Fold the card completely in half with the outline of the tree still visible.
8. Carefully cut along the solid black line of the first segment at the top of the tree.
9. Fold the first segment at the top to the tree back against the card, along the dotted line, and crease with your thumb or finger.
10. Put the first segment back in its original position.
11. Open the card like a tent, and push the first segment through to the other side.
12. If you turn the card over, this is what it looks like.
13. Turn the card over again and carefully cut along the solid black line of the second segment at the top of the tree
14. Fold the second segment at the top to the tree back against the card, along the dotted line, and crease with your thumb or finger.
15. Put the second segment back in its original position.
16. Open the card like a tent, and push the second segment through to the other side.
17. If you turn the card over, this is what it looks like.
18. Turn the card back over again and repeat the same process of cutting along the solid black lines, folding the segments and pushing them through to the other side.
When you have done all five segments the card will look like this.
19. Set the Christmas tree card aside and lay the second print out, the backing card, on a flat surface. Take a ruler and line the edge of it up against the center fold line of the backing card and score down the center with your paper clip.
20. Cut the backing card out carefully following the solid, black lines around the edges.
21. Fold the backing card in half with the dotted line on the INSIDE. Set this card aside.
22. Turn over the Christmas Tree card so the dotted outline is visible. Put a thin line of glue along the right side of the card from top to bottom.
23. Put a thin line of glue along the left side of the card from top to bottom.
24. Carefully position the backing card, with the dotted line facing down, on top of the Christmas tree card. Take your time, making sure the edges of both cards match up.
25. Press the cards together, flattening them completely.
26. Turn the card over, carefully close and open it.
Your pop-up Christmas Tree card is ready to be decorated!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Electronics are getting more and more affordable in time for Christmas
If you watch television or read magazines, you can see that electronic devices are the "hot" items this year. Good for us, the prices of these devices are coming down regularly and now are well within the budget of the average person.
Everyone wants the newest telephone, the newest computer, the newest portable computer, the newest camera, the newest camcorder, etc. Well, this year for Christmas, many of these items have become priced to be on your Christmas shopping list!
Browse Amazon's Bestseller website to get an inkling of what exactly is going to be the next great "hot" item. If you do this, you may be able to pick up something really special this year before it becomes scarce. Amazon is a great place to get in touch with what everyone is looking for and buying this year. If you browse this site pretty regularly, you will be everyone's favorite family member this year because your gifts will be "on the money" with what they want.
Try it out and let me know what you think. Just click here to visit the Amazon Bestsellers
Everyone wants the newest telephone, the newest computer, the newest portable computer, the newest camera, the newest camcorder, etc. Well, this year for Christmas, many of these items have become priced to be on your Christmas shopping list!
Browse Amazon's Bestseller website to get an inkling of what exactly is going to be the next great "hot" item. If you do this, you may be able to pick up something really special this year before it becomes scarce. Amazon is a great place to get in touch with what everyone is looking for and buying this year. If you browse this site pretty regularly, you will be everyone's favorite family member this year because your gifts will be "on the money" with what they want.
Try it out and let me know what you think. Just click here to visit the Amazon Bestsellers
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Annual toy expo shows what's old is new again
Here is an article from the Tech Beat, that outlines some of the "hot" new toy ideas that your kids will be begging for this year. Check out the article and then see if you can get your hands on the items before it is too late!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The recent “Time to Play” event, previewing hot toys for the holiday season, featured a slew of high tech upgrades for more traditional toys.
One in particular is a $30 drawing tablet that uses light instead of crayons or markers.
"It's the Electra Doodle. Basically, it has electronic games and drawing. You can draw with light, then you can reverse it out you can animate what you've drawn with different variations of animation," Cra-Z-Art spokesperson Kevin McMenamy said.
Another device that may appeal to parents looking to reclaim their own tech toys, like iPads from their kids, is Vtech's new VReader.
It's being billed as something like a Kindle for kids.
"It's got interactive stories, reading games and actually an on-screen definition guide where kids can press a button and get a pop-up definition for a word they don't know," Vtech’s Andrew Sroufe said. "It's also got a learning lodge navigator which is kind of like an iTunes store where kids and their parents can go on and buy stories, games and get progress reports for how they're progressing along through the curriculum."The VReader device costs about $60. Each piece of content you can download will run between $4 and $6.
For adults out there who have to go to work and feel bad about leaving their pets at home all day, "Puppy Tweets" allows you to put an electronic pendant on your dog's collar. Then, he or she will actually send you tweets [and] posts on Twitter.
"The device actually tweets you phrases that your dog is doing such as taking a nap or having a snack. There are sensors in the device that allow the product to track what exactly the dog is doing. We have over 500 phrases," Mattel spokesperson Michelle Chidoni said.
The cost of adding your canine to the growing list of people you follow on twitter is $30.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The recent “Time to Play” event, previewing hot toys for the holiday season, featured a slew of high tech upgrades for more traditional toys.
One in particular is a $30 drawing tablet that uses light instead of crayons or markers.
"It's the Electra Doodle. Basically, it has electronic games and drawing. You can draw with light, then you can reverse it out you can animate what you've drawn with different variations of animation," Cra-Z-Art spokesperson Kevin McMenamy said.
Another device that may appeal to parents looking to reclaim their own tech toys, like iPads from their kids, is Vtech's new VReader.
It's being billed as something like a Kindle for kids.
For adults out there who have to go to work and feel bad about leaving their pets at home all day, "Puppy Tweets" allows you to put an electronic pendant on your dog's collar. Then, he or she will actually send you tweets [and] posts on Twitter.
"The device actually tweets you phrases that your dog is doing such as taking a nap or having a snack. There are sensors in the device that allow the product to track what exactly the dog is doing. We have over 500 phrases," Mattel spokesperson Michelle Chidoni said.
The cost of adding your canine to the growing list of people you follow on twitter is $30.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Homemade Centerpieces: Felt Christmas Tree Centerpiece
Time for another tutorial on making a wonderful Christmas Decoration. I found this tutorial on All Crafts, where you can find many other wonderful tutorials for holiday crafting.
This one looked especially fun and the end result was beautiful, so I wanted to post it here. Enjoy and Happy Crafting! Please send me pictures of your tree, if you make one, and while you are at it send a picture to the All Crafts site, too.
______________________________________________________________________________________
Homemade Centerpieces: Felt Christmas Tree Centerpiece
christmas tree centerpiece
Materials for Homemade Centerpieces -
Felt Christmas Tree Centerpiece
homemade centerpieces
What You Will Need:
* Styrofoam cone (12" x 4-7/8")
* Felt: green (2 shades if desired), red, white, yellow
* Green buttons (about 115)
* 2 yellow buttons
* Small buttons in assorted colors (about 40)
* Yellow seed beads
* Embroidery thread: red and yellow
* Sewing needle
* Thin bead needle
* Wire - 4" (Straightened paperclip)
* One cotton ball
* Hot glue gun
* Scissors
Instructions for Homemade Centerpieces -
Felt Christmas Tree Centerpiece
Step 1:
Begin by printing out the Felt Christmas Tree template. The basic idea of making each bough is quite simple. Trace the pattern onto your felt and cut it out. Hot glue a button onto the end of the piece. Then hot glue just one of the pointed ends and bring the other pointed end over on top of it, creating a cone-like shape. See photos A and B. This is how every piece will be made. The next step will give you the details as to how many and of what size.
homemade centerpieces homemade centerpieces
Step 2:
If the cone you are using is the same size as listed in the materials, than you can follow this step exactly. If you are using a different size cone however, you can get the general idea but change the quantities as needed.
Note: Size 4 on the template sheet is there if you decide to make a tree on a very large cone, but if you are using a 12" cone (like we did) or smaller, you won't need size 4.
The cone will take a total of 16 rows of boughs to cover it completely. For our tree, we alternated between a green and dark green felt for every row. This is optional. The number of pieces you will need to cut out and of what size is listed below, starting at the base of the cone and working up.
* Rows 1 and 2: Cut out 10 for each row (20 total) of size 3 bough
* Row 3: Cut out 9 of size 3
* Row 4: Cut out 8 of size 3
* Rows 5, 6 and 7: Cut out 8 for each row (24 total) of size 2
* Row 8: Cut out 7 of size 2
* Rows 9 and 10: Cut out 6 for each row (12 total) of size 2
* Rows 11 and 12: Cut out 6 for each row (12 total) of size 1
* Rows 13, 14 and 15: Cut out 5 for each row (15 total) of size 1
* Row 16: Cut out 4 of size 1
Step 3:
Now that you know the pieces you will need, you can begin constructing your Christmas tree! For every piece, glue a button on the end and glue the points together as described in Step 1.
Pick one side of the cone to be the front of the tree. You will always start each row from this side. While ideally, every bough would fit nicely between the two below it, that is very hard to do and sometimes the boughs will overlap. By choosing a front, all the overlapping and smooshed boughs will be in the back. If this doesn’t make much sense right now, it will as you begin working.
Begin to hot glue the first row (bottom row) onto the cone. To glue on each piece, put hot glue on the side where the two pointed ends were hot glued together. Then quickly place the piece on the cone and hold it there for a few seconds while the glue cools. Continue to do this until you reach about row 12. See photos C, D and E for how this should be looking.
christmas tree centerpiece homemade centerpieces christmas tree centerpiece
Step 4:
Once you are around row 12, stop and cut out the pattern that is a circle with four lines on the edges. Trace this onto green felt and cut it out. Make slits in the felt where the lines are. Now hot glue the center of this circle to the top of your cone. Then glue down two opposite flaps. See photo F. Now glue down the other two remaining flaps. See photo G. This piece creates a nice felt covered top to your tree.
homemade centerpieces christmas tree centerpiece
You can now finish gluing on the boughs. homemade centerpieces
Step 5:
Now that the tree is mostly done, it is time to make a few of the embellishments! Cut out the peppermint pattern and make 10 to 15 circles out of red felt. Now cut out just the portion of the pattern that will be the white stripes. Trace this onto white felt 10 to 15 times. Each white piece is then sewn onto a red piece in red embroidery thread, using the backstitch . See photo H for an up-close look. Once all of these are finished, hot glue them on the tree as you like.
homemade centerpieces
Next, for the star, trace and cut out two of the star pattern on yellow felt. Sew a yellow button onto the center of each piece, and then sew yellow seed beads around the edge of each piece (a thin bead needle is needed for seed beads). See photo I. Then place both sides together and begin to stitch the running stitch around the edge. Before you completely sew them together, place a cotton ball in between them to give the star a little puffiness. Then tie the thread off.
Step 6:
Just a few finishing touches and your tree will be done! Take your piece of wire and poke it straight down through the top of the cone. This may be difficult since there is hot glue on the top, so use a small nail or something sturdy to get the hole started if necessary. Then just work the star onto the wire so the wire is inside the star.
To complete the tree, just hot glue your tiny colored buttons all over the tree to look like Christmas lights!
Your felt Christmas tree centerpiece is now finished!
This one looked especially fun and the end result was beautiful, so I wanted to post it here. Enjoy and Happy Crafting! Please send me pictures of your tree, if you make one, and while you are at it send a picture to the All Crafts site, too.
______________________________________________________________________________________
christmas tree centerpiece
Materials for Homemade Centerpieces -
Felt Christmas Tree Centerpiece
homemade centerpieces
What You Will Need:
* Styrofoam cone (12" x 4-7/8")
* Felt: green (2 shades if desired), red, white, yellow
* Green buttons (about 115)
* 2 yellow buttons
* Small buttons in assorted colors (about 40)
* Yellow seed beads
* Embroidery thread: red and yellow
* Sewing needle
* Thin bead needle
* Wire - 4" (Straightened paperclip)
* One cotton ball
* Hot glue gun
Instructions for Homemade Centerpieces -
Felt Christmas Tree Centerpiece
Step 1:
Begin by printing out the Felt Christmas Tree template. The basic idea of making each bough is quite simple. Trace the pattern onto your felt and cut it out. Hot glue a button onto the end of the piece. Then hot glue just one of the pointed ends and bring the other pointed end over on top of it, creating a cone-like shape. See photos A and B. This is how every piece will be made. The next step will give you the details as to how many and of what size.
homemade centerpieces homemade centerpieces
Step 2:
If the cone you are using is the same size as listed in the materials, than you can follow this step exactly. If you are using a different size cone however, you can get the general idea but change the quantities as needed.
The cone will take a total of 16 rows of boughs to cover it completely. For our tree, we alternated between a green and dark green felt for every row. This is optional. The number of pieces you will need to cut out and of what size is listed below, starting at the base of the cone and working up.
* Rows 1 and 2: Cut out 10 for each row (20 total) of size 3 bough
* Row 3: Cut out 9 of size 3
* Row 4: Cut out 8 of size 3
* Rows 5, 6 and 7: Cut out 8 for each row (24 total) of size 2
* Row 8: Cut out 7 of size 2
* Rows 9 and 10: Cut out 6 for each row (12 total) of size 2
* Rows 11 and 12: Cut out 6 for each row (12 total) of size 1
* Rows 13, 14 and 15: Cut out 5 for each row (15 total) of size 1
Step 3:
Now that you know the pieces you will need, you can begin constructing your Christmas tree! For every piece, glue a button on the end and glue the points together as described in Step 1.
Pick one side of the cone to be the front of the tree. You will always start each row from this side. While ideally, every bough would fit nicely between the two below it, that is very hard to do and sometimes the boughs will overlap. By choosing a front, all the overlapping and smooshed boughs will be in the back. If this doesn’t make much sense right now, it will as you begin working.
Begin to hot glue the first row (bottom row) onto the cone. To glue on each piece, put hot glue on the side where the two pointed ends were hot glued together. Then quickly place the piece on the cone and hold it there for a few seconds while the glue cools. Continue to do this until you reach about row 12. See photos C, D and E for how this should be looking.
christmas tree centerpiece homemade centerpieces christmas tree centerpiece
Step 4:
Once you are around row 12, stop and cut out the pattern that is a circle with four lines on the edges. Trace this onto green felt and cut it out. Make slits in the felt where the lines are. Now hot glue the center of this circle to the top of your cone. Then glue down two opposite flaps. See photo F. Now glue down the other two remaining flaps. See photo G. This piece creates a nice felt covered top to your tree.
homemade centerpieces christmas tree centerpiece
You can now finish gluing on the boughs. homemade centerpieces
Step 5:
Now that the tree is mostly done, it is time to make a few of the embellishments! Cut out the peppermint pattern and make 10 to 15 circles out of red felt. Now cut out just the portion of the pattern that will be the white stripes. Trace this onto white felt 10 to 15 times. Each white piece is then sewn onto a red piece in red embroidery thread, using the backstitch . See photo H for an up-close look. Once all of these are finished, hot glue them on the tree as you like.
homemade centerpieces
Step 6:
Just a few finishing touches and your tree will be done! Take your piece of wire and poke it straight down through the top of the cone. This may be difficult since there is hot glue on the top, so use a small nail or something sturdy to get the hole started if necessary. Then just work the star onto the wire so the wire is inside the star.
To complete the tree, just hot glue your tiny colored buttons all over the tree to look like Christmas lights!
Your felt Christmas tree centerpiece is now finished!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Here's another idea for your Christmas shopping
If you are buying for someone who is moving, or for someone who is directionally challenged, or even for someone who may get confused easily when driving, I would like to recommend the Garmin Nuvi GPS system as a wonderful Christmas present. The cost is average and there are several different models depending on the users' actual needs.
I purchased one of these gizmos for my sister recently and I have to say that since she got it, she is much more confident about her ability to get herself around town (she just moved to a new town recently). She tends to get depressed if she stays home too much, so I am happy that now she is mobile again.
One problem we had was that there is no manual that comes with the device. For us older folks, that makes getting information on how it works harder but not impossible. Another problem we had was learning how to recalculate the routes.
Once we figured out how to keep her off the freeways as much as possible, she has become a complete gad-about. It's really nice to see her involved in her new home surroundings.
The gadget plugs into the lighter socket and has a window mount, so now she is good-to-go!
For more information on Garmin Nuvi, please visit here. You can read all about it and buy yours there today.
I purchased one of these gizmos for my sister recently and I have to say that since she got it, she is much more confident about her ability to get herself around town (she just moved to a new town recently). She tends to get depressed if she stays home too much, so I am happy that now she is mobile again.
One problem we had was that there is no manual that comes with the device. For us older folks, that makes getting information on how it works harder but not impossible. Another problem we had was learning how to recalculate the routes.
Once we figured out how to keep her off the freeways as much as possible, she has become a complete gad-about. It's really nice to see her involved in her new home surroundings.
The gadget plugs into the lighter socket and has a window mount, so now she is good-to-go!
For more information on Garmin Nuvi, please visit here. You can read all about it and buy yours there today.
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