Hobby and Collections From A to Z

Defining and developing a hobby or collection

2011-07-02T17:42:00.000-05:00

When someone says that they are not good at anything it's a lack of awareness of it and an inability to define it. It may even be something they are embarrassed to say as they can't show you or fear telling you. Everyone has something that brings enjoyment in their lives can be a hobby and collector.

Being an artist is not just the ability to draw but can be many things. An artist can show pictures therefore having a way for people to actually see their skill. A person that has a knack for telling jokes is an art as not everyone can do it. Politicians are showman and their talent is how the sell their selves to the public.

Another person may have the ability to put together an amazing outfit from items bought in a thrift store and look like a Sachs Fifth Avenue outfit. I identified this as a hobby or a talent but they believe anyone could do this. Hobbies and collectors ideas are limitless with all the possibilities. People need to really look at themselves and identify what brings them enjoyment or fun?

What may seem ordinary to the person may be what others perceive as a unique and special talent or hobby that others admire in that person and setting them apart from other people. Maybe a person can organize things really well and to them this is ordinary but others make them aware of this talent. Becoming aware of your talents and skills may be difficult for some individuals to identify without help.

By listening to others compliments you soon may recognize that there is a common factor or similarity that goes beyond the realm of what is normal for most people. Some people can have an actual physical hobby or collection that has a specific name and others may have the gift of words, numbers that doesn’t have a name that can be put to it. I believe that we all have unique gifts and talents that when identified can help one develop the skill, talent, hobby or collection.

Putting together puzzles and collecting them is a hobby and not something everyone can do. It takes many unique skills like patience, mechanical ability, good eye coordination just to name a few. Some people just cannot see how one can do this and watch in awe. Others get angry and see only the negatives like being a waste of time when in reality they envy and admire this quality in you.

What is your hobby or what do you like to collect? Leave me a comment and I will personally develop a post that may spur your hobby or collection into a new level. Brainstorming with others may be a way to start a new business that allows you the chance to use your hobby to make a living by doing it. For now if puzzles are your hobby by sharing some unique products on the market could take this to a new level for you. If your child likes puzzles then buy them something that adds a new challenge or combines art and puzzle making..

If you are talented at drawing and putting puzzles together use this to build skills, encourage growth and expand knowledge. Below are products that take puzzles to a new level. Puzzle glue makes your puzzle a piece of art to be hung on a wall to be admired and special mats that help you roll up puzzles so this talent does not seem wasted. These products advance the hobby of basic puzzle skills. These could also make unique gifts to give to friends and family adding a personal touch and creating a functional use for puzzles.

Never let money get in the way of developing your hobby as if you want it bad enough you can make these store bought products using your own ingenuity. That is a hobby in itself. Don't forget the simple idea of rock people that made someone a lot of money making business. Explore, develop and let it morph.

Create healthy minds through awareness

2011-07-02T16:26:00.000-05:00

Definition of a hobby: something you enjoy doing when not working.
Definition of a collector: someone who collects things for fun.

Both definitions have the word doing something for fun or enjoyment in common. A collector and a hobby is nothing until a person brings it to life. From this point on I will refer to a hobby and collector, as one in the same. The common purpose or goal is to have fun and bring enjoyment to a person’s life which does not feel like work.

Does your job reflect the reason you were inspired to start your collection or a hobby or did your hobby inspire your vocation? If you are in a job that brings enjoyment then you may have subconsciously or consciously incorporated your hobby or collection into your education and work. What is precious to one may seem silly to another.

I could have been a great archeologist as I love the outdoors and collecting rocks, fossils and petrified or driftwood. Collecting rocks started when I was a youth that continued through adulthood. I searched everywhere and it did not matter if they came from my own yard or far away but the rock caught my eye out of the billions of rocks I saw.

It brings me fun and enjoyment and is a hobby and collection that is very real for me. It has been taken to new levels by creating unique rock gardens and landscapes. Sometimes the shape developed a specific use due to the design of the rock. This is morphing one thing I enjoy taking it to a new and healthy level.

The person that developed the pet rock probable started as a hobby or collection. Just by drawing a face on an ordinary common rock and giving it a name their hobby morphed it into a fantastic money making opportunity. The next time you see an infomercial about a simple invention it probably began from a person that's hobby was to doodle and/or experimented with things. Now they have invented something that others will buy.

Do I care what other think about my art or collection of rocks just to name a few personal hobbies? No, because it is what’s important to me and brings enjoyment to my life. Do hobbies or collections have an ending? I believe that each person morphs or develops their hobby or collection as they grow older and become more experienced and dedicated honing their unique craft.

There is not a specific ending to any hobby or collection because if you really gain enjoyment from what you are doing you thirst for knowledge and explore deeper. It may change forms but it never ends. A hobby or collection is healthy for the mind or life becomes monotonous. Going to work and doing the same things everyday is actually dangerous to your mental health.

We all must take a break from the monotony of life as why would we want to wake up, go to work and come home just to do it all over again. Depression and mental illness is a friend of monotony or being melancholy. To have no activity that brings joy or excitement breeds unhealthy mind and spirits. This leads to destructive behaviors including alcohol or drugs addiction as a way to escape reality.

When a parent fails to pay attention or encourage what may have been a healthy hobby or collection for their child is when addiction or unhealthy and negative thinking is explored to escape reality. You may have yelled at Bobby when he took apart your toaster in an attempt to explore how it worked. You should have recognized this as healthy growth and encouraged development by helping him identify and explore this healthy hobby. Bobby needed you to give him a broken appliance and let him try to make it work.

You wanted bobby to play sports or be like other kids but bobby’s talents did not fall in that area. Being unaware you force him to do what you want or because it follows the social norm. A power struggle is set up and now Bobby does drugs and you wonder why. I could have made a great archeologist if someone would have noticed that I loved gathering rocks and relished in their beauty.

This may have changed my life but no one could not see past the box that liking rocks and science could help me do anything in life. This closed thinking or narrow mindedness could have stopped an individual that could have changed the world or even just their life. The next time your child talks about something that interests them pay attention and give them the tools or ideas on how to explore it deeper.

It may turn out to be a passing fancy or this hobbies or collection could develop into a healthy mind, characteristic and individual. It could have morphed allowing their collections and hobbies to be a great person or even more important just a healthy and happy person.

The next time you get angry at your child for getting muddy just stop and think a mud creation could morph and be the process that develop this unique individual into an engineer. Always keep an open mind and be aware that hobbies and collections reflect individuality.

Printed books and the Kindle 3

2011-06-30T16:20:00.000-05:00

I have a book that was signed by Mohammad Ali and realize that this could be a collectors item. How when I got the book does not matter but because it has been signed makes it a goldmine to someone that collects autographs. With Kindle being a great invention in technology I wonder how many people will sell their books that take up space and require dusting?

Books could soon become a thing of the past. Instead of curling up to a good book you will curl up with your Kindle and download what interests you. A lot of our books just sit on a shelf today. After you have read certain books unless they are reference books they have no use.

Kindles are really great and easy to use and some tell the story without even having to read the words. My grandson and I listened to "Jack and the Beanstalk" and the person or people that read it made it exciting to listen to. It changed my view about how this could impact the world of books. The hobby of collecting books may slowly fade with computers and new technology.

What do you think about Kindle, technology and the old method of reading a book? Will this change the world like computers and cell phones have? When a kid does not know what a cassette tape is I know things are changing rapidly. Here are some free Kindle stories that include childhood stories and fairy tales. The Kindle is expensive but so are printed books the Kindle 3 is great for personalizing your library.

I need to search and see if you are limited on the books you can download using this technology. Watch our world as this technology could make books obsolete. What do you think?

A camping trip without modern conveniences

2011-06-25T19:50:00.001-05:00

Today many people use microwaves or other modern conveniences of today as we have no time to do anything but work. Having restaurants, frozen dinners, packaged meals and Ramon Noodles we have almost lost a dying art of how to surviving prior to technology. If you had to survive without electricity, gas or modern conveniences of today could you do it? Americans are tough people and we would slowly adjust but it would be very difficult for most people as we are also spoiled.

Cooking on a Barbecue, grill or having a cookout during a camping trip is the closest to keeping the art of cooking on an open fire or hearth alive. We decided to take a survival camping trip which meant no modern conveniences like packaged foods, like potato chips, snacks which included no charcoals to even start a fire. Salt, flour, sugar, pepper, butter, Crisco, fresh vegetables and condiments along with utensils for cooking was all we all we took along. We did take some packaged meat and used ice to keep it cold but this was all.

We spent most of the time fishing for meat and preparing food from scratch. My husband was able to bake biscuits over a wood fire and they really were delicious. I made the biscuits using couple hand fulls of flour, a pinch of salt, a smidgen of baking powder and cold water until desired consistency was obtained. By following my Grandmother's recipe which had been past down for generations I gained a real understanding about what it was like to live during these times.

How they found time to do much more than meeting their basic needs is hard to imagine. Take this challenge sometime and see how long you can survive without using any modern convenience of today. It really will make you grateful for technology and you may learn something. There is a great need for the family to work as a team to accomplish supplying basic needs just for one day. You could learn that this can be fun and a challenging hobby that could bring your family closer together. By sharing what it was like to live in the days before modern technology we keep the art of how much work it takes to just survive.

I recommend Blogger.com

2011-06-16T12:09:00.000-05:00

Starting a blog is really a great way to learn about html. Blogger allows you to embed video's, pictures and link's with ease. You can also easily link Google Analytics which helps you learn about traffic and what draws people to your blog.
To add a photo:

Click the picture icon
Find the image off your computer that you want to download (Be careful not to use copyrighted images as that is against the law. That is why I stick to my own images. You can purchase stock photos but taking your own pictures adds to this exciting hobby)
Select Choose file (must be a jpg, png or gif. format)
After it downloads click on Add selected
Image can be manipulated some by clicking on image
You can change the size and location of the image
Picasso 3 is a free photo manipulation software that I use
(You can change file format, adjust color, etc.)
Add your picture and play around with it and soon adding an image will help develop you own style.

Be unique and enjoy!

Starting a blog as a hobby-How to

2011-06-16T11:46:00.001-05:00

Remote control helicopter and airplanes

2011-06-15T14:32:00.000-05:00

Our fascination of flying have continued when Wilbur Wright made the first plane that got off the ground and hasn't stopped from there. One of the more expensive hobbies is collecting and flying remote control helicopters and airplanes. On a nice day in the park you can see many people flying these remote controlled flying machines. It is exciting to watch them but this is an expensive hobby. When you can't afford to really learn to fly a real airplane or a helicopter the next best thing is remote control.

Talking to these collectors of remote controlled flying machines they take this hobby very seriously and have clubs, groups and probably forums of people that discuss, meet and learn comparing models. I have also talked with people that build their own and really take pride in making them go faster or do unique flying tricks.

I could afford this hobby when I found some that were between $50 and $80 but the better ones are priced at $250 and up. Most of the people that do this for a hobby can expect to spend a lot of money and time outdoors. The outdoors are free and this hobby can be affordable but once you got into it you would have to buy the better ones.

I fly a remote controlled helicopter my grandson got for Christmas and it amazed me and my cat which almost became a disastrous loss. Cats and remote control helicopters do not go together but it was sure funny to watch the cat jump for the copter. I would like to find some how-to designs on-line and see if I could out one together from scratch as this challenge would make this a great hobby for me. This is something I will do more research on and get back with you on a site that supplies this information. I love building things and this is a great gift.

Right now I will stick to designing a building unique kites but that is another hobby which I can write a whole post about. Kites are a great hobby and get you outdoors. This is more in my expense range. Good flying and what ever you do don't crash those expensive remote helicopters and planes. OUCH! I was surprised that Amazon.com sells this kind of things.

Writing and gardeing are great hobbies

2011-06-14T15:31:00.000-05:00

Kelly Frank
If you enjoy writing then why not write for the examiner! I love it and anyone I refer helps me out just by using this link: http://exm.nr/k5Pju5. This will help you out if you become an examiner and refer someone you get $50. They have to stay active for a certain length of time. I have a great time writing for the examiner and it is great experience to add to your resume. Writing is a great hobby and if you would like to earn while you share things that you are passionate about then make some extra cash while you write. You can add photos, video's and slide shows. I write for the Kansas City Gardener Examiner and could use a vote of confidence that what I write is worth reading. It helps motivate me and let's me know what gardeners would like to hear about. Leaving a comment also helps me a lot so please leave one. Gardening is also a great hobby and if you go to this link you can find information about gardening.

Blogging a hobby that teaches you a lot

2011-06-11T16:36:00.000-05:00

I was introduced to blogging about 1 year ago. I started out by using the blog to showcase my art work and creative talent. I currently have 5 blogs and each one is linked to Google Analytics which is very valuable when you want to learn about what draws traffic to your site along with great information about everything you would need to know about setting up an E-commerce site.

Personal blogging has taught me a lot and what started out to be a hobby is now turning into an attempt to learn how to monetize my blog. This is a great way to learn a lot about the web before you set up a web page and pay for hosting. Recently I was banned from my Wordpress blogs due to allowing others to put their articles on my blog. This was a big mistake and unfortunately all my work is lost which taught me a lesson. Never allow anyone to be able to post their articles on your blog unless you trust them a lot.

Blogging on blogger has been a great experience and I would highly suggest you use it to supply others with information that you are passionate about. It is relaxing and you never know when the hobby of a personal blog may turn out to be a way to make money on-line. Everyone could use some extra money these days and with all the scams out there you need to learn that most of what they are trying to sell you can actually be done without paying a lot of money to purchase worthless products.

Start blogging with something simple like a how to or as a way to express your opinions that are appropriate then take it to the next level and add Google tools slowly. Learning each step is a great way to develop a web page that in the future could teach you how to make money on-line. what is even better free blogs cost you nothing but time and effort. that is why you should start a blog that is about your hobby or something you feel passionate about. People use the internet to seek out information and you can find a wealth of free information on-line from blogs. Try it as you might like it!

A hobby on a budget-Challenge yourself

2011-06-11T16:06:00.000-05:00

Making changes to your home or yard is exciting and a great hobby for many people today. Everyone needs some change or something that takes away the monotony of everyday life. With money being an issue for most people in this economy hobbies or collections can be expensive and can hinder you from ever starting. This story really inspired me and by sharing it with you I hopes it inspires you to not let money hinder you from starting a hobby that you really may enjoy.

I had some friends that wanted an in ground swimming pool but did not want to pay the price. They made a hobby of challenging themselves to build an in ground swimming pool by spending for the least amount of money as possible. By doing all the work themselves which included digging the hole they were able to put in a unique in ground swimming pool for $275. This price was about 10 years ago but don't let this stop you. The pool was beautiful and everyone thought it cost them a small fortune.

This project turned a hobby into a money making venture as now they tell others how to make major changes on a budget. This inspired me to remind you that you can do anything if you are creative and determined to make it happen. Of course doing a project this way took more time and energy than hiring someone to build the pool but the challenge was to show others that you could have a swimming pool without spending a fortune.

The husband and wife including enlisting a little help from their friends dug the hole by hand. In exchange for their help they promised them a free swim anytime or by exchanging helping them on a project when they needed help. By surfing the internet for free information on how to and going to auctions and sales they were able to purchase the materials like tiles and pumps for pennies on the dollar.

I know many people whose hobbies are to collect unique items like antiques. The excitement of this hobby is in the hunt to find the objects they are collecting. I have went through many different types of collections throughout my life and by using my home to showcase the items allowed me to make changes in my surroundings.

When my taste changed I would go on a search for a new theme. I started new collections purchasing many of my pieces at stores and garage sales. By having a yard or garage sale and selling my old items I would then use this money to begin my new adventure into collecting new items for the room I wanted to change.

Unless you are really attached to any of the items this is great way to update your surroundings without spending a fortune to do. With a little paint, creativity and from a simple idea you can transform a room that showcases off your collector items and your flair for being an interior designer. You never know when a hobbies and/or collections can actually turn out to be money making ventures and wouldn't it be great to make money doing something you love.

Check out the cost of a above ground swimming pool. Could you challenge yourself to do this by spending as little as possible.

Collection of Ant Eaters

2011-06-07T12:40:00.000-05:00

You make think that Ant Eaters are a silly thing to collect but I had a teacher that loved Ant Eaters and had all forms of them she brought to class on show and tell days. I really learned a lot about Ant Eaters but even more she inspired me on to develop my own unique collections that taught me more than just collecting items. I found something to focus on and be passionate about which brought me enjoyment and enjoyed the journey.

She helped me to discover who I was when looking back today. I started out with teddy bears and built up quite a collection when I was young. As I grew older it changed to collecting rocks and driftwood from all over the United States. I had friends that traveled abroad and brought me rocks from Spain, Italy, Greece and many other countries from all over the world.

I marked each one with a permanent marker and when I look at them today they take my mind on a journey into the past and all the memories of where I had been and where I was today. Today I still look for rocks and driftwood but I also collect other things. I will share other collections that helped me grow and learn a lot.

Video from YouTube about design

2011-06-06T16:33:00.000-05:00

Finding and developing your hobby

2011-06-06T13:26:00.000-05:00

When people think of hobbies art and crafts is one of the first that comes to mind. Being an artist that can actually draw pictures makes this an excellent hobby for me. Not all people can draw but enjoy different types of crafts. Hobbies also can be climbing mountains, fixing watches, bird watching, etc., etc., etc... The ideas will be limitless and I will attempt to add the unusual and unique on future posts.

Art can be an expensive hobby but by slowly adding new tools this can change your hobby into a money making venture. Turning a simple idea into a hobby means exploring all options and finding something that you really enjoy and can expand on as you grow.

I already have a blog dedicated to art that includes drawings, photography, writings, ideas and how to draw on http://anunknownwriterartistandphotographer.blogspot.com/. I will add any new information about different hobbies that involve art both sites. We are in the brainstorming stages of this new blog so stay tuned for more.

Since crafts include anything from woodworking to crafts for children we will explore some individual crafts that can be turned into a hobby that you can expand on. Sometimes it is better to purchase a specific craft from a store that you want to learn initially to give you an idea of how to do it and get some of the tools you will need.

If it is something you enjoy then let your imagination go and get your creative juices flowing. Going beyond the box directions is how you take a simple craft and turn it into your hobby. A less expensive way of finding a craft is to purchase a large book of many ideas so you can zone in until you find something that will interest you.

The Big-Ass Book of Crafts is a great way to start so you do not waste a lot of money on something you cannot expand into a hobby. Doing a paint by number picture is just a craft that could stop unless you feel that painting was fun and want to take it to the next level and paint your own picture with the leftover paints. This is when a simple craft could help you find a hobby or niche. It is not how well you paint but if you enjoy doing it.

Hobbies and Collector's from A to Z

2011-06-06T12:02:00.000-05:00

Having a hobby or being a collector is a great way to relax and this blog is to explore all hobbies and collection's from the ordinary to the odd. I would like to inspire everyone to find a hobby or become a collector so they can enjoy the world and take you away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

By sharing a wealth of ideas and information that you feel passionate about may expand the realm of what is impossible to possible. By connecting ideas from people all over the world we will find that hobbies can go beyond the ordinary even though these will be included to help others move their hobby to the next level.

What spurred this simple idea was when I saw a woman that collected hubcaps from cars. She searched high and low for hubcaps of any kind and had the most unique collection. It was like a work of art and she enjoyed this. To some it may seem silly to some but to her it was a lot of fun.

Another more expensive hobby is flying remote control airplanes and helicopters. In the parks you find many people out enjoying the day by flying these remote controlled flying machines. these are just a few topics we will explore and the world of hobbies and collections are endless.

I have seen replicas of the State Capital in Washington made from toothpicks, Lego's turned into works of art, toy train and railroads, rock and butterfly collections and much, much more. The possibilities are endless in the world of hobbies and collections.

I would like to invite other people to share anything about their expertise about specific hobbies, collections and how tos' making this a community blog where we can learn, grow and have fun. Leave me a message or comment on anything that fits this topic and I will gather information and post it.