<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639</id><updated>2011-04-21T15:49:45.490-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Hobbies</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>14</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-116784219291452519</id><published>2007-01-03T08:35:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-01-03T08:36:32.933-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Baby Boomers Need Creative Practical Hobbies</title><content type='html'>By Colin Croucher&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Well how are you really enjoying your retirement?" I asked out of interest, "it was great to start with" he said, but lately, I've just become kind of lost... I don't really know what to do with all the spare time I have, "and there's only so much golf you can play, you know"… "then he said", "I'd love to do all of the things you do in your home workshop.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I said to him, well, you know mate it's never too late to learn,&lt;br /&gt;Why don't you come over one day so that I can show you around my workshop, and give you a few ideas, you'll love it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I guess if your're retired like Jim, you'll probably understand&lt;br /&gt;what he's talking about.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The baby boomers, i.e. anyone born from the mid 1940s to the mid 1950s, are now approaching, or have allready opted for early retirement.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Retirement presents great changes in lifestyle's, which will have a profound effect on the way many choose to fill in the lazy days of retirement.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A hard working company executive generally has little time during&lt;br /&gt;his busy career to find the time to develop or establish an interest in practical hobby pursuits.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Many prospective retirees dream of the carefree days they'll spend hitting a golf ball around their favourite golf course, or sailing their yacht, and not giving a hoot how much time is spent doing it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But not every retiree has the desire or the income to do the above, some will also want to travel and explore, before settling into a new lifestyle.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Many just want to catch up on home maintenance projects, or&lt;br /&gt;perhaps take a totally new direction in life, and become involved in a practical hobby to bring out the hidden carpenter, engineer, or handy man that's hidden inside a lot of people.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Let's face it, many people, (that may also include you), will derive much personal enjoyment, working with their hands &amp; creating things.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This kind of pleasure work provides an inner sense of total personal self-fulfilment that few other things can provide.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The challenge and personal reward of creating something from nothing with your own bare hands, is difficult to describe to anyone who hasn't done it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are thousands of people with hidden talents which they've&lt;br /&gt;never bothered to explore. What about you? Is there a mechanical genius or practical hobby worker hidden Inside of you, just waiting to be discovered?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Retirement truly provides the opportunity, time &amp;amp; money to explore your hidden latent talents, you've now got the time to explore &amp; develop them further.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A big proportion of blokes (men) love tinkering with mechanical things, like taking items apart to rebuild &amp;amp; restore. Some even want to fabricate and build new things from scratch, whether they chose to work in wood or metal is a personal choice.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One of the most fascinating old world metal crafts that has captured many people's imagination is Hobby Metal Casting.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hobby Metal Casting has gone through a huge worldwide renaissance. New age practical information &amp;amp; basic technology&lt;br /&gt;coupled with easy to build home equipment and tools, empowers&lt;br /&gt;the hobby metal crafter to explore and create masterpieces in the&lt;br /&gt;home workshop.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-116784219291452519?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/116784219291452519/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=116784219291452519' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/116784219291452519'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/116784219291452519'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2007/01/baby-boomers-need-creative-practical.html' title='Baby Boomers Need Creative Practical Hobbies'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-116695008406946169</id><published>2006-12-24T00:46:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-12-24T00:48:04.083-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Three Self-Nurturing Reasons to Start a Hobby</title><content type='html'>By Lisa Martin&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Writer Anna Quindlen sums it up nicely: "You cannot be really first-rate at your work if your work is all you are." Most working moms I know want a life--a life that includes work but is not completely dominated by it. We want to be fully engaged in, and feel passionate about, all aspects of our lives. Yet we often find it difficult to give ourselves permission to pursue our interests --activities or hobbies-- outside of work and family obligations. Perhaps we think engaging in our hobbies is too self-indulgent or not important and we fail to create adequate space and time for them.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But when you take up a hobby, whether it's training for your first 10K run, singing in a choir or creating funky jewelry in your spare time, you reap the benefits of inspirational self-nurturing. By helping you to find a better balance and more meaning in your life, hobbies make you feel good. Here are five great reasons to stop procrastinating and start that hobby you've been contemplating.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;1. To play and feel lighter&lt;br /&gt;Playing means enjoying yourself for more than a minute or two, for the sole purpose of finding pleasure. It's something you do just for you and it makes you feel good physically. Just look at your children to remind yourself of the magical powers of play. When kids play you can see, hear and feel their happiness and contentment...it practically vibrates off them. As we grow older, we often lose our playtime to the responsibilities of adulthood... working hard and being productive, striving to make a difference and tending to others. Yet, when you make playing a priority in the form of a hobby, you can face life and work with more enthusiasm and lightness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;2. To become more interesting and interested&lt;br /&gt;Expanding your interests allows you to focus on things outside of your normal routine. Hobbies beat out boredom. There is excitement and challenge in learning how to paint, write short stories or sail. Committing to a hobby, whether it's adventure traveling or joining a book club, will give you something to look forward to and spur you on to achieve greater goals. When you participate in an activity that is engaging, your passion and enthusiasm becomes contagious and makes you more interesting to others.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;3. To enhance self-esteem&lt;br /&gt;Many hobbies allow you the opportunity to gain new skills, giving you a sense of accomplishment and confidence that makes you feel better about yourself. Hobbies that involve physical activity such as hiking, gardening and mountain biking strengthen your body and coordination. And getting in better shape can also make you feel good. Creative hobbies like pottery, quilting and writing poetry fuel your imagination and rid you of that "something is missing" feeling...and that makes you feel great.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Next time you are wondering whether taking up a hobby is a good use of your time, think about all the benefits that come from branching out, exploring something new and nurturing yourself. Give yourself permission to pursue an interest or an activity that is just for you. And see what happens when you dedicate a little time for your own personal growth.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Martin&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-116695008406946169?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/116695008406946169/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=116695008406946169' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/116695008406946169'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/116695008406946169'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/12/three-self-nurturing-reasons-to-start.html' title='Three Self-Nurturing Reasons to Start a Hobby'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-116298245390541691</id><published>2006-11-08T02:40:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2006-11-08T02:40:53.906-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Collect and Play:  Have Fun With a Toy Hobby</title><content type='html'>Some adults never seem to grow up.  They seem to retain their childlike wonder at the world around them.  These are the adults who have started a toy hobby. Kids like to hang around with these adults because they seem more like kids.  Sometimes having a child or a grandchild can spark an interest in toys.  Be that as it may, a toy hobby will keep a person young at heart.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Many women love dolls and never outgrow them.  Some prefer baby dolls, some fashion dolls, and still others go for antique or decorative dolls.  Often an interest in dolls will spill over into a craft interest, as the doll lover begins to craft clothing and accessories for favorite dolls.  Sometimes the hobbyist becomes skilled at crafting the dolls themselves.  Some types of dolls that are often hand-crafted are rag dolls and cloth bodied dolls with ceramic heads.  It is not uncommon to find older women who have an entire room of their homes filled with special dolls on display.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Older men, on the other hand, (and sometimes women, too) often like cars and trucks.  Antique metal cars are hot collectibles, with some older ones being quite valuable.  Matchbox cars have always been loved, but so have the large Tonka dumptruck, road grader, and bulldozer.  You can bet the grandkids will want to play with your trucks and cars.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A toy hobby that is extremely popular is collecting Beanie Babies.  These small velour animals, made by the Ty company, each have a personality all its own.  You can find Beanie Babies in every type of animal you can think of.  A similar hobby is collecting teddy bears.  There are many Beanie Baby teddy bears, but a teddy bear collector will probably want to branch out to collect other types of bears.  In fact, many bear collectors have figurines and other items collected in addition to their teddy bears.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Wooden toys are popular among adults, both to craft and to collect.  There is something quaint and pleasant about a child playing with a handcrafted wooden toy.  Wooden toys make attractive home accents wherever they get dropped, which is not something you can say about the latest plastic gizmo.  People who like country decorating often prefer wooden toys for their kids.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You don't have to outgrow toys!  A toy hobby will keep you young at heart and make you a favorite among the kids in your neighborhood.  Whether you collect toys or craft them, a toy hobby is something you can play around with!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-116298245390541691?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/116298245390541691/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=116298245390541691' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/116298245390541691'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/116298245390541691'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/11/collect-and-play-have-fun-with-toy.html' title='Collect and Play:  Have Fun With a Toy Hobby'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-116298242450327888</id><published>2006-11-08T02:40:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-11-08T02:40:24.506-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Have a Toy Game Hobby Night at Your House!</title><content type='html'>Build family communication and togetherness by having a weekly toy game hobby night.  It is so easy these days to let work, school, and the business of life rule the day, that we can easily lose touch with each other.  If we get together one night each week for a toy game hobby night, we can rekindle those family ties.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Those families with small children will probably focus more on the toy aspect of the toy game hobby night.  Take the time to get down on the floor and play with those youngsters.  Cuddle those dollies and call yourself "grandma" or "grandpa."  Push those trucks around and pretend right along with the kids.  If your back can take it, let them take turns riding you like a horse while you crawl around and neigh.  Every kid loves that!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;On summer evenings, try toy game hobby night in the sand box at the park.  Using an old mesh produce bag, collect a variety of suitable sand toys to take along.  These toys include various containers, a few wheeled vehicles, toy garden tools, and cast-off kitchen utensils.  In the sandbox with your kids, you can create towns with roads, castles, or just about anything.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Modeling dough is also a great activity for toy game hobby night.  Collect some small cookie cutters and old jar lids (for pans) and create fancy cookies and desserts - inedible and calorie-free, of course!  The kids can turn a large box on it's side for a counter and place the goodies on display to sell.  Of course, you'll pretend to buy, eat, and enjoy!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some fun games for family night include card games like Uno, board games like Candy Land or Life, and dominoes.  When choosing games to play there are several things to consider.  Is Scrabble, for instance, fun for everyone, or does all the spelling and thinking feel like work to some of the players?  Does the game take forever to play, so that some players' attention spans play out?  Does the game encourage merciless competition, like Monopoly, leaving losers feeling left out?  It's important for kids to learn how to lose and still have fun.  Don't "throw" the game, intentionally letting them win all the time, but don't mercilessly beat them every time either.  Make it fun.  If losing is a problem for some of the kids, check out some of the new cooperative games where everyone is on the same team.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hobbies are also great to share as a family.  Maybe your family would be interested in pursuing musical skills together.  Families make great singing groups because their voices match well.  If that's not for you, maybe you'd all enjoy fishing.  Square dancing is fun for some families, while others enjoy playing badminton or other active games and sports.  The important thing is to have fun together.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Having a toy game hobby night every week will help you stay close to your kids as they grow up.  It will keep the bond of love fresh and the lines of communication open.  Plan a toy game hobby night this week!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-116298242450327888?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/116298242450327888/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=116298242450327888' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/116298242450327888'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/116298242450327888'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/11/have-toy-game-hobby-night-at-your.html' title='Have a Toy Game Hobby Night at Your House!'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-116298237654713728</id><published>2006-11-08T02:38:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-11-08T02:39:36.566-08:00</updated><title type='text'>A Favorite Past Time:  Hobby Ideas You Will Like</title><content type='html'>What is your favorite past time?  Hobby enthusiasts know that spare time is not to be "spent" but savored.  If you have a past time you enjoy, you will never look at your spare time in the same way again.  If you're not sure what past time hobby you would enjoy, here are some suggestions.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Many people listen to music as a favorite past time.  There is much you can learn about any style of music.  You can learn composers, famous melodies, and all about performers past and present.  You can develop sophisticated tastes in jazz or classical music or collect a large assortment of CD's.  Music makes a great past time hobby.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A lot of people love animals.  Pets of all sorts can become your hobby.  Perhaps you enjoy watching birds.  If you have trouble finding them in the trees to watch, maybe you'd like to get a pair of canaries, a budgie, or a cockatiel.  People who live in the country sometimes become interested in raising ornamental chickens, pigeons, or pheasants.  It is very interesting to watch a mother bird take care of a nest of young chicks.  Perhaps you can even raise some prize winners!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Dogs make a great hobby, too.  Walking and enjoying a pet dog is one thing, but breeding and raising show dogs is something else entirely.  Show dogs may require a bit of an investment, but many puppies are free.  There is also the aspect of training a dog in obedience.  Dogs give a lot of love back to their owners, too, so if you start a past time hobby of caring for a dog, you will never be lonely.  However, dogs require quite a bit of work and attention, especially when they are being trained, so keeping dogs is not for everyone.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Bicycles can become your favorite past time.  Hobby bicyclists are becoming more and more common to see cycling along lesser traveled highways seeing the countryside up close and personal.  Bicycling requires a helmet and suitable clothes as well as a small tool kit for roadside repairs.  Or maybe you would enjoy cycling on a smaller scale, simply taking fun rides with your family.  The choice is yours.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The world is full of interesting things to learn and do.  Don't merely sit back and watch TV.  Get interested in a past time hobby.  It's good for your mind.  In fact, it might even keep you from going senile in your old age, if you stay active in a past time hobby.  And it's a good example to our kids and grandkids if we spend our time doing something meaningful.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-116298237654713728?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/116298237654713728/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=116298237654713728' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/116298237654713728'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/116298237654713728'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/11/favorite-past-time-hobby-ideas-you.html' title='A Favorite Past Time:  Hobby Ideas You Will Like'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-115874992469846255</id><published>2006-09-20T03:58:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-09-20T03:58:44.700-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Get a Hobby Kit and Learn Something New</title><content type='html'>If you are tired of the ho-hum of life and would like to branch out a little, maybe you should get a hobby kit.  Many different hobbies have kits that can help a beginner learn about the hobby quickly and easily.  It is not easy to teach yourself some hobbies, but with a hobby kit, you can learn from the kit.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For instance, if you have been wanting to learn how to do a needlecraft, such as cross stitch or crewel embroidery, there is no better way to start than with a kit.  In a hobby kit, you will receive a piece of cloth with the design already stamped on, yarn or floss in the proper colors and possibly already cut to the proper lengths, and a needle.  You may even get an embroidery hoop in the kit.  When you buy a hobby kit, be sure to read on the package to see if any other materials or tools will be needed to do the hobby.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A hobby kit is also the best way to learn a hobby like building model cars.  In a model car kit, you will get all the pieces you need and detailed instructions.  In some kits, you might also receive paint, a brush, and glue, but read the label.  You might have to provide these things separately.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When choosing Christmas or birthday gifts for a young person, consider a hobby kit, such as a candle-making kit or a rock tumbling kit.  In the fall, the stores are full of kits that could start a kid on a hobby that would last throughout his life.  You can find small weaving loom kits, glycerine soap making kits, bead craft kits, wood-burning kits, and art kits.  There is a line of colorful books put out by the Klutz company that each gives instruction in a hobby and has a packet of materials for learning the hobby.  Some of the topics Klutz books cover are polymer clay modeling, hair styling, and pompon creations.  They are all cleverly written and lots of fun.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Another hobby that can be learned from a kit is starting garden seedlings, especially herbs.  A seed starting kit typically contains a pot, a small trowel, seeds,  fertilizer, and a greenhouse dome or cover.  Potting soil may need to be purchased separately.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When choosing a hobby kit, be careful to get one that is appropriate for the recipient.  Sometimes a hobby kit is quite challenging.  An example of a difficult project is an electronics kit for wiring one's own radio.  If a kit is a gift for a child and it is too hard, it will wind up gathering dust on some shelf.  In fact, it might gather dust even if you buy it for yourself!  Consider getting a smaller project that you can finish in a short time so you can get a feel for the hobby.  The next hobby kit you buy can be harder if you find that you enjoy the hobby and have a real desire to learn more about it.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-115874992469846255?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/115874992469846255/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=115874992469846255' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115874992469846255'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115874992469846255'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/09/get-hobby-kit-and-learn-something-new.html' title='Get a Hobby Kit and Learn Something New'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-115874987644063831</id><published>2006-09-20T03:57:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-09-20T03:57:56.443-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Bored?  Look at These Hobby Ideas!</title><content type='html'>Have you ever played one too many computer game or watched one too many old rerun?  You just can't get into another mystery and you just feel flat?  Maybe you are suffering from boredom, that familiar accomaniment to our automated, precooked lifestyles.  If so, you need to check out these hobby ideas.  Hobbies have been found to be therapeutic as they relieve stress and get the mind active.  In this article, you'll find hobby ideas for every sort of person, from the intellectual to the athlete, from the homemaker to the attorney.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Many times we are bored because we have become too inactive.  If this is your problem, you might like a sports hobby.  Have you ever tried tennis?  How about golf?  Many people simply love bowling until it becomes an important part of their lives.  Sports hobbies get you out of the house and often are a way to make friends with others.  Then again, some active hobbies can be enjoyed in our own homes, such as weight lifting and doing aerobic dance to a video.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Speaking of aerobic dance, dancing is another great pastime.  When you think of hobby ideas, don't forget the many forms of dance.  Square dancing is fun for people who like getting together with groups, while ballet and modern dance appeal to the more contemplative souls.  And while we're on contemplation, you might enjoy doing yoga stretches as a hobby.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Maybe we're feeling bored and listless because we've been cooped up in the house too long.  If that's the problem, here are a few hobby ideas to get you out in the fresh air.  Have you ever thought of taking up canoeing, hiking, or trapping?  How about getting involved with an environmental group?  In many states, you can form groups to clean riverbanks and monitor water quality, and the state will provide perks such as t-shirts, work gloves, and first-aid kits.  Or maybe you'd like studying the flora and fauna of your region.  It can be great fun to stroll through the woods and fields with a field guide, learning to identify each wildflower, insect, tree, and bird.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are almost as many hobby ideas as there are bored people in the world, because everyone puts their own spin on their favorite hobbies.  Maybe you'd enjoy decorating your house with antiques, or learning to bake specialty breads from around the World.  Maybe you'd like to take part in a little theatre production, or learn to play guitar.  What about the fine arts of weaving tapestries or painting with oils?  Candle making, soap making, and many other old-time crafts are being enjoyed again.  Truly, with all these hobby ideas, there is no reason to stay bored for long!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-115874987644063831?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/115874987644063831/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=115874987644063831' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115874987644063831'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115874987644063831'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/09/bored-look-at-these-hobby-ideas.html' title='Bored?  Look at These Hobby Ideas!'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-115874983311257083</id><published>2006-09-20T03:56:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-09-20T03:57:13.126-07:00</updated><title type='text'>A Hobby Greenhouse Will Get You Growing!</title><content type='html'>For people who would like to do more gardening but live in a short growing season area, a hobby greenhouse is the answer.  A hobby greenhouse is not large enough to produce vegetables or flowers on a commercial basis.  It will, however, give you a place for a tomato plant or two and some fresh greens even if you live in the northern regions.  Greenhouse enthusiasts even have their own association, called the Hobby Greenhouse Association, which publishes a quarterly magazine.  The organization also sponsers events and helps individuals connect to get help with the aspect of gardening that they are interested in, whether it's growing cacti or saving seeds.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are in the market for a hobby greenhouse, there are several types on the market.  The smallest type is not large enough to walk into and must be accessed from the outside.  It resembles an old-fashioned phone booth made all of glass and outfitted with shelves.  This type is designed to fit as many plants as possible in as small a place as possible.  The shelves are made of glass to allow as much light as possible to reach plants on the lower shelves.  Another inexpensive version of this sort of hobby greenhouse is shelving covered with a zippered tent of clear plastic.  This sort of arrangement is great for the small-scale hobby gardener wanting a place to keep her flowers or houseplant starts.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are a variety of designs of hobby greenhouse that are large enough to walk into but made entirely of clear glass or plastic.  They are often about the same size as a small storage building.  Some independent builders have started making these to sell locally.  Among national brands, one of the nicest is called the "Solar Prism."  It is called this because of it's unique construction.  This hobby greenhouse is made of a single piece of durable clear plastic which is designed to work like tiny prisms side by side.  They trap the rays of the sun and shoot them back into the greenhouse at all angles.  For this reason, these little  greenhouses are said to glow when the weather is cloudy.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Better hobby greenhouses are equipped with automatic sensors that open vents which allow ventilation and keep the interior temperatures from getting too high.  These are a great labor saver, but can get expensive.  Another benefit sometimes found in nicer greenhouses is a built in irrigation or misting system.  Members of the Hobby Greenhouse Association, or HGA, have invented many interesting designs of greenhouses.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If gardening is your hobby, greenhouse growing will interest you.  With a greenhouse, you can have the earliest tomatoes and salad greens all year.  You can also start seedlings for the main garden early in the spring when outdoor temperatures would kill them.  A hobby greenhouse can be a good investment.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-115874983311257083?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/115874983311257083/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=115874983311257083' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115874983311257083'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115874983311257083'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/09/hobby-greenhouse-will-get-you-growing.html' title='A Hobby Greenhouse Will Get You Growing!'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-115675963142165507</id><published>2006-08-28T03:06:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-28T03:07:11.423-07:00</updated><title type='text'>A Wealth of Kid Hobby Ideas</title><content type='html'>Every young person needs a hobby.  An interesting kid hobby will help children learn as well as keep them entertained for hours.  It might even help them stay away from a bad peer group and stay out of trouble.  Some kids might think of video games or TV as an appropriate kid hobby, but most parents would like to see their kids doing something more challenging or educational. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A good kid hobby is playing a musical instrument.  The guitar can often be self-taught from a book if a child has the interest, but for piano playing or other instruments, you will probably have to invest in lessons.  Practice is, of course, an essential part of mastering any musical instrument.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Another type of kid hobby is pursuing an art or a craft.  Kids can learn to draw, paint, or make scrapbook pages.  They can learn needle arts, such as embroidery, sewing, knitting or crocheting.  Beginning carpentry is a very useful kid hobby that may turn into a career, or at least skills that will be used for a lifetime.&lt;br /&gt;  Tinkering around on gas engines or electronics is another kid hobby that can lead to useful skills.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are all sorts of things that kids might like to collect for a hobby.  Some of the more common collections are of stamps, coins, and rocks.  Stamps are interesting because they can be from many different countries, becoming a geography lesson.  Coins and stamps both are of historical significance, and encourage reading to learn more about different eras in history.  Rock collecting as a kid hobby requires looking into science books.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Other collectibles include bean bag toys or figurines of a certain thing, such as owls, frogs, or unicorns.  Anything a child has an interest in can be collected.  If a kid is interested in dolphins, for instance, she may not only collect dolphin figurines and posters, but also be motivated to read books about dolphins.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Construction sets also make a good pastime for kids.  Many people may think of these only as toys, but children who have grown up with these sets and added components to them down through the years can create some pretty impressive models.  They are also gaining skills in reasoning and perception as they build.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Making model, such as cars, boats, and airplanes, has always been a popular kid hobby.  If your child is interested in making models, be very encouraging in the beginning.  Model car kits can be very complicated and require a great deal of precision.  If your child's first few creations leave a little bit to be desired, don't laugh or scold, or he is likely to never want to try to make anything again!  Get the easiest kit he is willing to make and then patiently help him as much as needed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Many kids enjoy sports, making any athletic activity a great kid hobby.  Soccer, basketball, and little league baseball all come to mind, but don't forget about track and field events.  Maybe your child would enjoy distance running or gymnastics.  An active kid hobby will help your child stay in shape as well as make an interesting pastime.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-115675963142165507?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/115675963142165507/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=115675963142165507' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115675963142165507'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115675963142165507'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/08/wealth-of-kid-hobby-ideas.html' title='A Wealth of Kid Hobby Ideas'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-115675956587441798</id><published>2006-08-28T03:05:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-28T03:06:05.876-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Returning to the Simple Joys of Home and Hobby</title><content type='html'>In the past decades, many mothers have made the decision to pursue careers, but that trend seems to be changing.  Home and hobby are calling to these women, who are willing to make financial and personal sacrifices in order to be the primary caregivers for their small children.  Many women have returned to being keepers at home, and hobby skills can help them meet the financial challenges of being a one income family.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One hobby that helps the mother at home is cooking.  Though it could be considered work, cooking and baking are fascinating hobbies.  One can explore the cuisine of different countries or learn to create gourmet treats.  Baking can yield wholesome whole grain products that nourish the family for a fraction of the cost of loaves bought at the store. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Another home and hobby skill that comes in handy is sewing on a sewing machine.  Many homemakers are producing quilts that are works of art.  These beautiful offerings can be made inexpensively by recycling unwanted fabrics into squares and other shapes and artistically arranging the pieces.  Other sewing skills that are useful for the stay-at-home-mom are mending, altering, and creating clothing.  When polled about favorite pastimes, women often rank sewing at the top.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some moms and their husbands actively work on remodeling their home, and hobby carpentry skills come in handy.  One income families hold down the cost of living by learning to "do it yourself," a term that is used so much it has been shortened into "diy."  The Internet has made it possible to find information on making all sorts of repairs and renovations to homes, furnishings and other belongings.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Gardening is a hobby that not only gets the participant close to nature, but also can put high quality produce on the family table.  Some families are even investing in hobby greenhouses or growing enough extra to sell a bit each week at farmers' markets.  A good practical hobby like growing a garden gives a person a sense of accomplishment when they realize their efforts have created something useful and profitable.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The homemaking parent that has a sense of art can inexpensively create harmony and beauty around the house, raising everyone's standard of living. It doesn't have to involve spending any money.  Perhaps she can arrange dried wild flowers beautifully or create simple hand-lettered wall mottoes that lift everyone's spirits.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Yes, home and hobby call to the women of today, suggesting a simpler way of life closer to those people and things that matter most.  While the career women are truly making an important impact on today's world, the quiet return of many to home and hobby may result in more impact than any of us realizes.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-115675956587441798?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/115675956587441798/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=115675956587441798' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115675956587441798'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115675956587441798'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/08/returning-to-simple-joys-of-home-and.html' title='Returning to the Simple Joys of Home and Hobby'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-115675953500516095</id><published>2006-08-28T03:04:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-28T03:05:35.030-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Holiday Crafts:  Thanksgiving Decorations Kids Can Make</title><content type='html'>Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday!  What a spiritual renewal to take a day to reflect over the past year about just how good God has been to you and your family, to give you harvest and shelter, health and hope.  To get the most out of this joyous occasion, make some holiday crafts with your children.  These days, Thanksgiving often gets squeezed out by Hallowe'en's spooky decorations and the lights and gala of Christmas.  With the following holiday crafts, your home can be decorated for this quieter but important celebration.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Turkeys are a natural choice for decorations.  A familiar project at this time of year is for a child to trace around her hand and make the resulting drawing into a turkey.  The thumb is the head and the fingers are the tail feathers all displayed.  While many of the turkeys that are raised for food are now the domestic white variety, the turkeys eaten by the Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving were the wild brown ones.  The tail feathers on a wild turkey are brown, but they are iridescent. catching light and appearing to be multi-colored.  This is why children color the tail feathers in bright colors. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The turkey's head has a wattle under the beak.  This is a vertical flap of loose skin that is red colored.  Be sure to draw this in order to make the hand turkey look like a turkey.  Add skinny legs and bird feet.  When done, the children can cut out the turkeys and hang them on the wall.  It's really cute to make a whole flock of these turkeys in the sizes of all the hands in the family.  The little hand shapes are particularly sweet.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Another nice turkey decoration to make when making Thanksgiving holiday crafts is a turkey door decoration.  Make a brown construction paper body and head of a turkey.  Now make a large number of colored feather shapes.  Each family member writes on a feather something he or she is thankful for before attaching as part of the turkey's tail.  Repeat until all the feathers are used, and hang the turkey on the front door to greet visitors with a message of gratitude.  Make a sign to accompany the turkey that says "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good!" or simply "Be thankful!"  or "We're thankful for you!" or whatever you like.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Children love making construction paper chains.  To further decorate the house for Thanksgiving, let them make a paper chain in fall colors as one of their holiday crafts.  Using 9 by 12 inch construction paper, cut the paper in half across the long side and cut the halves into one inch thick six inch long strips.  Use a stapler to attach the ends of the strip into a circle.  Loop the next strip into the circle and staple it.  Continue the process alternating colors of brown, red, yellow, and orange.  When the chains are long, you can drap them along the ceiling or stair rail.  If you don't make the door turkey, the children can write something they're thankful for on each strip of paper before adding it to the chain.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Thanksgiving is too nice a holiday to let the other more commercial holidays crowd it out.  By making holiday crafts to decorate the home for Thanksgiving, you can keep this day special, too.  The extended family, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc., will be pleased to see the holiday crafts the young ones have made to decorate the house and make it cheerful for their visit.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-115675953500516095?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/115675953500516095/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=115675953500516095' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115675953500516095'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115675953500516095'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/08/holiday-crafts-thanksgiving.html' title='Holiday Crafts:  Thanksgiving Decorations Kids Can Make'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-115554408495941483</id><published>2006-08-14T01:27:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-14T01:28:04.963-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Get a Hobby Kit and Learn Something New</title><content type='html'>If you are tired of the ho-hum of life and would like to branch out a little, maybe you should get a hobby kit.  Many different hobbies have kits that can help a beginner learn about the hobby quickly and easily.  It is not easy to teach yourself some hobbies, but with a hobby kit, you can learn from the kit.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For instance, if you have been wanting to learn how to do a needlecraft, such as cross stitch or crewel embroidery, there is no better way to start than with a kit.  In a hobby kit, you will receive a piece of cloth with the design already stamped on, yarn or floss in the proper colors and possibly already cut to the proper lengths, and a needle.  You may even get an embroidery hoop in the kit.  When you buy a hobby kit, be sure to read on the package to see if any other materials or tools will be needed to do the hobby.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A hobby kit is also the best way to learn a hobby like building model cars.  In a model car kit, you will get all the pieces you need and detailed instructions.  In some kits, you might also receive paint, a brush, and glue, but read the label.  You might have to provide these things separately.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When choosing Christmas or birthday gifts for a young person, consider a hobby kit, such as a candle-making kit or a rock tumbling kit.  In the fall, the stores are full of kits that could start a kid on a hobby that would last throughout his life.  You can find small weaving loom kits, glycerine soap making kits, bead craft kits, wood-burning kits, and art kits.  There is a line of colorful books put out by the Klutz company that each gives instruction in a hobby and has a packet of materials for learning the hobby.  Some of the topics Klutz books cover are polymer clay modeling, hair styling, and pompon creations.  They are all cleverly written and lots of fun.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Another hobby that can be learned from a kit is starting garden seedlings, especially herbs.  A seed starting kit typically contains a pot, a small trowel, seeds,  fertilizer, and a greenhouse dome or cover.  Potting soil may need to be purchased separately.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When choosing a hobby kit, be careful to get one that is appropriate for the recipient.  Sometimes a hobby kit is quite challenging.  An example of a difficult project is an electronics kit for wiring one's own radio.  If a kit is a gift for a child and it is too hard, it will wind up gathering dust on some shelf.  In fact, it might gather dust even if you buy it for yourself!  Consider getting a smaller project that you can finish in a short time so you can get a feel for the hobby.  The next hobby kit you buy can be harder if you find that you enjoy the hobby and have a real desire to learn more about it.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-115554408495941483?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/115554408495941483/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=115554408495941483' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115554408495941483'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115554408495941483'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/08/get-hobby-kit-and-learn-something-new.html' title='Get a Hobby Kit and Learn Something New'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-115554405669975402</id><published>2006-08-14T01:27:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-14T01:27:36.703-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Bored?  Look at These Hobby Ideas!</title><content type='html'>Have you ever played one too many computer game or watched one too many old rerun?  You just can't get into another mystery and you just feel flat?  Maybe you are suffering from boredom, that familiar accomaniment to our automated, precooked lifestyles.  If so, you need to check out these hobby ideas.  Hobbies have been found to be therapeutic as they relieve stress and get the mind active.  In this article, you'll find hobby ideas for every sort of person, from the intellectual to the athlete, from the homemaker to the attorney.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Many times we are bored because we have become too inactive.  If this is your problem, you might like a sports hobby.  Have you ever tried tennis?  How about golf?  Many people simply love bowling until it becomes an important part of their lives.  Sports hobbies get you out of the house and often are a way to make friends with others.  Then again, some active hobbies can be enjoyed in our own homes, such as weight lifting and doing aerobic dance to a video.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Speaking of aerobic dance, dancing is another great pastime.  When you think of hobby ideas, don't forget the many forms of dance.  Square dancing is fun for people who like getting together with groups, while ballet and modern dance appeal to the more contemplative souls.  And while we're on contemplation, you might enjoy doing yoga stretches as a hobby.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Maybe we're feeling bored and listless because we've been cooped up in the house too long.  If that's the problem, here are a few hobby ideas to get you out in the fresh air.  Have you ever thought of taking up canoeing, hiking, or trapping?  How about getting involved with an environmental group?  In many states, you can form groups to clean riverbanks and monitor water quality, and the state will provide perks such as t-shirts, work gloves, and first-aid kits.  Or maybe you'd like studying the flora and fauna of your region.  It can be great fun to stroll through the woods and fields with a field guide, learning to identify each wildflower, insect, tree, and bird.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are almost as many hobby ideas as there are bored people in the world, because everyone puts their own spin on their favorite hobbies.  Maybe you'd enjoy decorating your house with antiques, or learning to bake specialty breads from around the World.  Maybe you'd like to take part in a little theatre production, or learn to play guitar.  What about the fine arts of weaving tapestries or painting with oils?  Candle making, soap making, and many other old-time crafts are being enjoyed again.  Truly, with all these hobby ideas, there is no reason to stay bored for long!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-115554405669975402?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/115554405669975402/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=115554405669975402' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115554405669975402'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115554405669975402'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/08/bored-look-at-these-hobby-ideas.html' title='Bored?  Look at These Hobby Ideas!'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32694639.post-115554402838324313</id><published>2006-08-14T01:26:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-14T01:27:08.393-07:00</updated><title type='text'>A Hobby Greenhouse Will Get You Growing!</title><content type='html'>For people who would like to do more gardening but live in a short growing season area, a hobby greenhouse is the answer.  A hobby greenhouse is not large enough to produce vegetables or flowers on a commercial basis.  It will, however, give you a place for a tomato plant or two and some fresh greens even if you live in the northern regions.  Greenhouse enthusiasts even have their own association, called the Hobby Greenhouse Association, which publishes a quarterly magazine.  The organization also sponsers events and helps individuals connect to get help with the aspect of gardening that they are interested in, whether it's growing cacti or saving seeds.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are in the market for a hobby greenhouse, there are several types on the market.  The smallest type is not large enough to walk into and must be accessed from the outside.  It resembles an old-fashioned phone booth made all of glass and outfitted with shelves.  This type is designed to fit as many plants as possible in as small a place as possible.  The shelves are made of glass to allow as much light as possible to reach plants on the lower shelves.  Another inexpensive version of this sort of hobby greenhouse is shelving covered with a zippered tent of clear plastic.  This sort of arrangement is great for the small-scale hobby gardener wanting a place to keep her flowers or houseplant starts.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are a variety of designs of hobby greenhouse that are large enough to walk into but made entirely of clear glass or plastic.  They are often about the same size as a small storage building.  Some independent builders have started making these to sell locally.  Among national brands, one of the nicest is called the "Solar Prism."  It is called this because of it's unique construction.  This hobby greenhouse is made of a single piece of durable clear plastic which is designed to work like tiny prisms side by side.  They trap the rays of the sun and shoot them back into the greenhouse at all angles.  For this reason, these little  greenhouses are said to glow when the weather is cloudy.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Better hobby greenhouses are equipped with automatic sensors that open vents which allow ventilation and keep the interior temperatures from getting too high.  These are a great labor saver, but can get expensive.  Another benefit sometimes found in nicer greenhouses is a built in irrigation or misting system.  Members of the Hobby Greenhouse Association, or HGA, have invented many interesting designs of greenhouses.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If gardening is your hobby, greenhouse growing will interest you.  With a greenhouse, you can have the earliest tomatoes and salad greens all year.  You can also start seedlings for the main garden early in the spring when outdoor temperatures would kill them.  A hobby greenhouse can be a good investment.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32694639-115554402838324313?l=hobbies-blog.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/115554402838324313/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32694639&amp;postID=115554402838324313' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115554402838324313'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32694639/posts/default/115554402838324313'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hobbies-blog.blogspot.com/2006/08/hobby-greenhouse-will-get-you-growing.html' title='A Hobby Greenhouse Will Get You Growing!'/><author><name>Orce Dimitrov</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13519639141772019951</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
