Hobby Shop Blog

Imagine your are five years old. As your family arrives at the train station, your hand slips free of your Mom’s and you dash over to the tracks. Looking left, then right, your eager eyes scan the horizon, searching for your train.

Then you hear it. The quiet chugging of the locomotive. The clicking and clacking of the wheels gliding over the rails. The sound of happy families enjoying their ride as they arrive at the station

The engine pulls to a stop; the steam escaping. You run to the first car, eager to board and ride behind the engineer. But this is no ordinary train. This engine is just your size! The cars have seats built just for you! Even still, these cars are large enough for your Mom and Dad to come along for the ride.

With the toot of the horn, the engineer gently pulls the throttle and the little engine slowly starts inching forward. The cylinders pump and the steam chuffs and before long, the engine is chugging along. As you round the first curve, you look back and see the trusty red caboose tootling along, bringing up the rear.

Bright, cheery smiles are every where! Children cry out with glee as the train winds through the tunnel and into the day light. Parents look on with joy and contentment as they reflect on their own precious memories and those that are being made now. You and your parents never want this moment to end.

WHOLESOME & EDUCATIONAL FAMILY FUN

Railroading is in the blood of thousands of Americans. And, even through steam engines may have disappeared from full size rails across the nation, they are still running strong in miniature railroads. What is it about trains that appeals to children and adults alike? Is it the freedom of travel? The sound of the whistle? The simplicity of design? The life-like sounds of a chuffing steam engine? Or the smile on the face of a tired, yet friendly engineer?

There is no one answer but one thing is for certain: children of all ages, love trains! Look at the phenomenal success of Thomas the Tank engine properties! But it doesn’t stop with wood Thomas engines or electric HO train sets. No, this affection seems to grow into something much bigger. . . trains that are large enough to ride in, whether you are 3 or 93. There is no mistaking the attraction of trains to folks of all ages.

And even if you have never ridden aboard an Amtrak train, you may have fond memories of miniature, or Grand Scale, trains found at your local park or drive-in theater when you were young. Maybe you were one of the children who have fond memories of riding behind the diesel at Kiddieland in Chicago or in one of the department store displays of the time. Or perhaps you have heard stories of the famous steam engines running at Coney Island. Fairs, amusement parks, local parks, pumpkin farms, roadside attractions and others have all housed miniature trains at one time. Literally millions of people have had the joy of riding these at one time.

But what of today? Do these iron horses still exist to thrill our children of today? Are there place for families to go so that their young children can make their own memories? Yes! These trains are alive and steaming all around the world today! And more are being built or re-built every year!

In the California alone, it is estimated that there are at least 45 miniature engines being built. New facilities are opening or are in the planning stages each year. Some railroads, like the Redwood Valley Railway in Tilden Park, Berkeley, California, and the Riverside and Great Northern Railroad in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, have just recently celebrated 50 years of service! Other mile stones include the 10 year anniversary of the Orland, Newville & Pacific Railroad in Orland, California. Various museums have resurrected old trains and brought them back to life for their visitors as well.

But it isn’t just public attractions. Private individuals are building their own railroad empires right in their own back yard. Some are indeed empires, as the track runs through miles of property. Many are smaller lines that might run around a city lot. All of them provide hours of fun for young and old alike.

FAMILY OPPORTUNITIES

But what does this all mean for families today? For many, it is a living, breathing education. In one visit you can learn about history of railroading, the science and math behind the locomotives, building and construction, wood working, machining, and more. You can visit with the people who run the railroads, often volunteers , and receive a lesson in community service. Visit the ticket office and gift shops and learn about business. And take a look at the gorgeous locomotives and rolling stock and see pure art! Creative families can find educational value in all aspects of Grand Scale railroading.

As an adult, you can be transported back in time to your youth. Revisit your own memories of the whistles and happy families. . . and make new memories with your own family today.

Where to Ride?

Grand Scale railroads can literally found all around the country. Three of the public railroads are listed above but others include: Griffith Park in Los Angeles, the Little Puffer in the San Francisco Zoo, the Portland Zoo railroad in Portland, Oregon, the Milwaukee Zoo railway, the Whiskey River Railway, Little A-Merrick-A, Marshall, Wisconsin, the Michigan AuSable Valley Railway in Fairview, Michigan, the Detroit Zoo railway, the Traverse City Railway, the Peconic County RR in Long Island, and many, many more private and public RRs.

HOW TO LEARN MORE

Various publications now exist to help people in their search for Grand Scale railroads. The prominent magazines include the Grand Scales Quarterly and the 7+RAILROADER, both published by Robinson & Associates in Red Bluff, California and Live Steam, published by Village Press in Traverse City, Michigan.

The Web has also been a valuable tool for those interested in learning more. Web sites of interest include www.grandscales.com and www.7plusrailroader.com, which have exhaustive links pages. Another great resource is www.discoverlivesteam.com, www.livesteaming.com and www.steamingpriest.com. All provide a great deal of information.

I have so many people come into my shop saying something like

“I can’t even sew on a button”.

How sad it is that a whole generation has lost out on learning how to do just the basic skills of sewing.

Sewing buttons on to clothes doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact it will take you just a few minutes with my quick and easy technique.

Follow these steps and you will have your buttons on in no time at all.

1. Pull the thread from the reel and pull out to arms length

2. Now pull out another arms length of cotton. This means you now have a very long piece of cotton

3. Fold the cotton into two making sure that the ends are even

4. You now have a fold one end and two joins the other end

5. Thread the two joins into the eye of the needle. Lick the ends if necessary to moisten

6. You will now have four threads in the needle

7. Knot the end of the four threads. To make a knot I just roll the end of the cotton around my index finger and pull or roll the thread through the hole in the cotton. If you have threads past the knot, trim these off

8. Push the needle through the fabric going from the right side to the wrong side in the position that the button is going to be. This means when you sew the button on the knot will be underneath the button

10. Bring the needle back from the wrong side to the right side that the button will be on.

11. Put the button on to the needle and push the button down on to the fabric, covering the knot

12. Now put the needle through the opposite hole on the button and back through to the opposite side of the fabric

13. If you want to come back through one more time you can or you can knot off by putting the thread through itself and pulling the thread. Do this twice and cut the thread

Ok, so there you have it. A button has been sewn on to your garment and it will have taken you no time at all. Welllll. Maybe the first time took you a little longer than me, but hey, eventually you will become quicker at sewing on buttons.

Always keep your cottons, needles and pins in the same place. When you need to sew on a button quickly, its good to know where the items are, so you don’t waste a heap of time searching for the needle and thread.

Coin collecting has become a multi-billion dollar industry across the world. The earliest coin collecting hobby can be traced back to about 1300 AD when Francesco Petrarca, an Italian scholar and poet, started saving coins and realized the growing value of his collection over time. Coin collecting differs from numismatics in that the latter is focused on the study of different types of currency including coins, notes and other monetary objects.

Coin collectors specialize in different types of collections. Often this is determined by the financial resources that can be invested as well as ease of availability of the type of coins. Collections vary from focusing on a specific country (often the most common form of coin collection since it’s easier to accumulate coins from one’s own country or a country that one frequently travels to) to a certain historic era like the US Colonial Period, the Russian Revolution etc.

Other obscure forms of collection include focusing on collecting error coins or exonumia where coins created due to die errors, uneven designs, double strikes, etc. are in great demand. A much more specialized but highly difficult form of collection is to focus on coins from a specific civilization in history, like the Roman, Celtic, Aryan or Goth eras.

Those interested in coin collecting can find hundreds of coin collecting clubs in their areas where members gather to discuss trends in numismatics as well as to evaluate rare coins. In the US, the American Numismatic Association has a large roster of coin collectors from around the country. Formed in 1891, this organization encourages research and collection of different types of currencies. The ANA brings out a monthly magazine called the Numismatist that is a treasure trove of data for the avid collector. The ANA also publishes a coin value determination guide that provides clarity around the complex subject of coin valuation.

The coin collection market, like the stock and real estate market, has its ups and downs. The value of a coin is cyclical and can vary strongly based on demand or other current events. Often, coin collectors will find that certain coins may never appreciate over time even though they may be from a unique era or period. Conversely, other commonly found coins like the 1 cent from, say a Lincoln era, may appreciate in value. Many coins may also incur costs for storage since they may have to be kept in sterile conditions to prevent damage from oxidation or general touch.

For those interested in coin collecting, the easiest way to start is by collecting coins from their own country and then gradually focusing on a specialized area. There are numerous stores (both physical and online) that carry a large inventory of rare coins. Auction sites like eBay also have frequent listing of rare coins. Caution must be exercised when purchasing from online stores since certificates of authenticity can be tampered and fake photographs can also be published. If possible, it is recommended to use online escrow services that will collect the payment on behalf of the seller and subsequently pay the seller only after the buyer receives and verifies the coin.

To become truly immortal, a work of art must escape all human limits: logic and common sense will only interfere. But once these barriers are broken, it will enter the realms of childhood visions and dreams, says Giorgio de Chirico. Art, thus escapes limits, becomes free in every sense and goes in search of fresh feelings and thoughts that strike a balance between reality and idealism.

In art, paintings are adorned much because of its non-defined structure, beauty that explains hidden feelings, shared thoughts and suppressed emotions. It has a world of its own- a world of color, shine and unheard music that takes a man to an unknown world he is seldom familiar with. It speaks its own language- a language taught by its creator and communicates to the rest of the world what the creator wanted it to dictate.

As painting gives an immortal beauty and creates an atmosphere of creativity and exquisiteness it has been used in households, offices, and other institutions and places. Art lovers buy paintings to experience something they are already familiar with and explore a world beyond simplicity or abstractness.

But paintings get damaged very fast if not maintained and preserved properly. Taking care of paintings by itself is known to be an art.

Reasons for paintings getting damaged

Major reason behind paintings getting damaged is time. All other reasons are centered on this unique factor.

• Time

Time or aging plays an important part in getting the painting damaged or spoiled very soon. As time pass by, paintings are also undergoing so many changes. Most traditional paintings were made in such a way that it could adapt with time. Nowadays, paintings get blemished very fast because of fragility.

Results

1. Aging results in appearance of fissures or white shades around the paining. It also results in actual color being dimmed and the shining lost.
2. Discoloration of varnish.
3. Structural damages like cracks will appear in the painting.
4. Quality of the painting will be lost.
5. Thick paint films get dried and wrinkles appear in paintings.
6. Painting loses suppleness.
• Physical damage

If the painting is framed in glass, then there can be chances for the frame to be broken and consequently the painting can get damaged in such a way that the varnish will get affected adversely and this in turn affects the painting in the subsequent layers. Thus marks appear on the painting and this later on will affect the surface.

• Collection of dust, soot or dirt on the surface

There are lots of possibilities for the collection of dust or dirt on the surface of the painting. This will not show any adverse effect on the painting very soon. But it will be shown in the days to come.

How to maintain a painting properly?

Environment plays an important role in damaging and also preserving the beauty of a painting. Thus, various aspects of environmental changes will affect the painting in many ways.

Check temperature and humidity

Creating an appropriate environment is desirable in the proper maintenance of painting. Check the temperature and humidity level, as relative humidity is desirable for the proper preservation of paintings. Humidity less than 40 and above 60 is not good for the proper maintenance of paintings. It also depends on the medium in which the painting has been done. If the painting is done on canvas and not on wood, it will react more adversely to rising humidity levels.

High temperature levels also should be avoided. Maintaining a constant temperature or humidity is desirable. Rooms with constant temperature level and humidity level should be chosen to hang paintings. Slight variations in the environment cannot be avoided and it will not do much harm to paintings, whereas constantly varying environmental situations can make an unfavorable effect on the painting.

Prevent ultraviolet light

Ultraviolet light is not good for paintings. Dyes and other agents used in the painting will undergo discoloration as a result of the exposure to ultraviolet rays. Therefore special care should be taken in avoiding ultraviolet exposure to paintings and a balance has to be maintained in the intensity of light the paintings are exposed to. Museums also do not use high intensity lights.

Avoid moisture

Moisture is another aspect, which affects painting. It affects the layers of the paintings and reaches the surface of the paintings resulting in paint loss. Therefore it is always better to avoid water or moisture in the paint surface or ground.

Clean dust or dirt

Dust or dirt unnoticed in the beginning will eventually result in spoiling the painting. Dust will accumulate in the surfaces of the paintings and it damages the entire painting very slowly. Therefore proper cleaning of dust or dirt will help in avoiding further damages in paintings.

Framing paintings

It is always better to frame paintings and preserve it from extraneous particles like dust or dirt. It also keeps the painting beautiful and neat. There will be expensive and inexpensive frames available and framing with materials like good quality wood will help in preserving the painting better.

Displaying paintings

Paintings should be hung in a better place and somewhere you always pay attention to. It is better you hang or display paintings in your drawing room or visitors since you will always give extra care to these rooms and its maintenance. So you will definitely take care of the paintings too.

Paintings are assets. Vincent Van Gogh once said that the only time he feels alive is when he is painting. This explains the hard toil, dedication and worship of the painter towards the artwork with which he makes a better expression of his formless ideas. Preserving and maintaining these art works is also an art as it shows the respect and admiration towards the creator and the timeless creation.

Few people understand why art is such a huge part in all our lives. But, we all know that we can’t live without it. Artists even forget once in awhile how much art has an impact on them. That’s why it’s fine when art enthusiasts forget. I just wish that everyone would catch the bug and start exploring the many benefits there are to art.

The creative forces at work extend beyond to just what you can create on canvas. It transforms the mind. It transforms the way we see the world. Transforming our living habits, art has the ability to completely change who we are. Making us better people of our own selves, it’s phenomenal. That’s the beauty of it all.

Waking up the Brain

Working through our daily lives, we hardly get to notice the many things around us. We pass right by the artwork on the wall as we make our way to our office desk. Even walking down the street, we rarely notice the artwork all around us in the buildings we pass and the landscaping we see along the way.

But, someone notices. That’s all artwork to some artist. No problem was ever solved with simple mathematical formulas. The architect incorporated math with the creative side of his brain to give people places to live and work. To him, he is proud of his art. To many of us who miss it, these things are simply utilities we use.

Our creative side is constantly stimulating the brain and waking it up to solve the many problems we face on a daily basis. How do we get to work? Our cars are works of art to the engineers. What do we wear? Our clothes are the artwork of some proud designer. It’s all around us. Wake up to it!

Learn How to Think

Creativity is in itself an art form. We solved the wheel problem years ago. Now, we have to learn all the ways in this world that we can incorporate it to our best benefit. IBM first thought that computers would never be necessary in every household. Now they are throughout the world. Computers are in everything we do, everything we touch. Getting smaller and smaller so that they can fit in the palms of our hands, they are becoming bigger and bigger parts of our lives.

I honestly believe that we literally have everything we need. We just need to learn to use everything in all the ways possible so that our lives can completely be fulfilled. That’s not reinventing the wheel. That’s just looking at the wheel from different angles. That’s creativity and it is an art form.

Getting on that canvas is not necessarily just a pastime. It is an exercise of the brain. Waking it up and teaching it how to see the world through the eyes of an artist. That’s real art at work. That’s the real beauty. And that only scratches the surface to the many benefits art has for us.