The first thing that comes your mind when someone utters “Home Improvement” is your favorite design magazine filled with the hypnotic photographs of your potential dream home. This thought is immediately followed by the assumption, that must have cost a fortune! But that the common misconception with home renovation, that it is expensive and time consuming. Taking up small home improvement projects frequently will not only help you transform your space, but will also teach you how to intelligently manage your financial resources. Here are some spaces in your home that you can transform easily using simple DIY arts and crafts ideas! The front door Your dull front door can be altered into a completely different space. And all you need is some paint. Adding some color, can change the mood, and also integrate some freshness to the space surrounding it. You can use turquoise, chrome yellow, bright reds, or any other shade that elevates your home’s personality. You can add some lighting and plants as well to further beautify it. The balcony/ the backyard The easiest way to transform an outdoor space is to make it into a social space. All you need a few chairs and a table and some paint.

Whether you are an enthusiastic numismatic or a novice, or whether you are into American numismatics, world coins, bullion or ancients, there are probably certain coins that are you covet than all coins. There are some coins that are the crème de la crème in the world of numismatics. Not only are they significant in terms of their value, but these coins are quite rare. Each of these coins have interesting stories attached to them, which adds to their value. Avid coin collectors covet these coins not only for their artistic value, but also for their historical significance. It is quite interesting to note that all these coins are worth more than their face value. 1955/55 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent This coin is an error coin. Nonetheless, keen Lincoln penny collectors have an avid interest in this coin. This coin was the result of a simple error during minting. While minting this coin, the United States Mint used a coin die that had two impressions that were offset from each other. After minting, a batch of this coin (about 20,000 to 24,000 coins) were mixed with a batch of correctly minted coins. Since, it was not worth melting the whole batch of pennies, the mint decided to keep the doubled die cent in circulation.

We all know coin collection is a hobby among many and started back in the fourteenth century by the members of elite groups and royal families. However, gradually this hobby started getting popular even among the middle class with the rising availability and interest in history, symbolism and art. There are a lot of reasons for starting this hobby. Also, there are many benefits and advantages of collecting coins as a hobby. Many hobbyists have confirmed that soon after they took up collecting coins, they see lot of changes in them. Let’s talk about these changes and the improving mental health from collecting coins. Hobby of kings Back in the 14th century, this hobby was not popular among all classes. Only the rich and royal families could afford to have this as a hobby. But today, everybody can develop it, and despite the commonness, it’s referred to as the hobby of kings. You will always get the rich and royal feeling if or once you develop this hobby. Increases your knowledge It’s true. The more you collect, the more you inquire about the background of the coin and get deep in the history. One piece of information that you find will lead to another, leaving you highly informed about a lot of things from history to the present.

If you’re in a transitional phase of switching to a DIY Lifestyle, here are 6 must have arts and crafts supplies to be stashed in your home. Scissors and glue Found a one of a kind magazine photo, or want to cut off a part of a fabric, then scissors are your must have tool. You never know what you might want to add to the shoebox filled with an assortment of crazy materials. If you don’t find glue when you’re in a middle of putting together an artwork, it could prove to be a frustrating experience. So, make sure that you have one before starting a project. A little tip, always have an extra when it comes to these two. Pencils and colors Pencils are a crucial aspect of your planning and rough drafts, so make sure you keep these close. Colors on the other hand, are an essential portion of your execution, so make sure you have an assortment of crayons, markers and paints. Papers Having different kinds of papers like copy, origami, card, card stock, glossy or matte can always play as an advantage for certain kinds of projects. If you don’t have the right texture for your creation, it might not turn out the way it was supposed to be.

It’s a week before Christmas arrives, and you still haven’t found the perfect gift for your loved ones. Because everything you’re looking for is out of stock, or hard on your wallet. If you find yourself with zero ideas and a tight budget, here are some last-minute homemade gifting ideas that will save you! Handmade soaps Making soaps can be messy but fun. You can gift this to your mother, grandma or your best friend. All you need is some lye (be super careful with this), herbs, some essential oils, colors, water and additives. Don’t forget to have your safety equipment and goggles on! You could use lavender, aloevera, shea butter and even coffee as the key flavor! If you want to experiment more, there are innumerable videos and blogs online that can inspire you. Embroidered handkerchiefs As easy as embroidered handkerchiefs sound, they can be tricky little buggers which take time to master. This can be an amazing gift for your grandma or your mother, but it doesn’t have to necessarily be just for them. If you know anyone who enjoys knitting or collecting small souvenirs, this could prove to be a meaningful gift. Memory journal The best part about making a memory journal for a beloved one, is that you can personalize it in the best possible way.

Who could have not seen a sewing machine? Hardly anyone. It is a machine that can be used for stitching fabric and other materials together with the help of a thread. The first sewing machines are believed to have been invented during the first Industrial Revolution to reduce the amount of manual labor needed to do sewing work in the clothing companies. The sewing machines have greatly improved over the ages since its invention by Thomas Saint in 1790. The sewing machine can be considered to have been one of the huge pillars that have supported the clothing industry through increased productivity and efficiency. The sewing machines available today are diverse in design depending on their purpose and environment. The ones for personal uses in households are designed to be handled by a single person to sew items and use a single stitch type. Industrial sewing machines are, however, more diversified in their size and appearance. With every machine comes the problem of repairs and if you own a sewing machine you may also be experiencing problems with the sewing machine every now and then. Here is how you can deal with the sewing machine repairs. Sewing Machine Problems Let us look into more detail the various problems that can grasp your sewing machine:

Do you love needlework? Then you must obviously be in love with embroidery, which is one of the best forms of needlework. Embroidery is one of the best hobbies anyone can have and the best part is that it can be done by a person of any age. But first, you must get a proper insight into this famous embellishing art and its varied type of stitches. Surface embroidery stitches In surface embroidery stitches, your needlework will know no boundaries, but only that of your creativity. So let your imagination fly high. Several stitches are included in the surface embroidery stitches, some of which are chain stitch, back stitch, Cretan stitch, satin stitch, and fish-bone stitch. No matter what you want to stitch on your favorite handkerchief, you can do so with the surface embroidery stitches, which circumscribe most of the stitches in this form of needlework. Cross stitches If you have the spirit to learn something new and if you love embroidery, then you should definitely learn cross stitch. As its name suggests, it is exactly in the shape of an X. Whether you are on a train or bus or anywhere else, you can just take your needles and other equipment along with you and finish a project on your way.

It is important to keep the most important space of the house, the bedroom, clutter-free. Keeping it organized makes the room look cleaner and the created atmosphere feels positive. Also, your bedroom is a space where you spend most of your time. So, make sure it has good vibes and is easy to live in. If you have clothes thrown around in your bedroom, you will never feel like stepping in. This can then play with your mind, and you might end up having a dull mood, thanks to the mess. Here are a few quick ideas to maximize your room space, so that you can store more! Start with the closet Now, your wardrobe is a space which you use almost every morning and night. If you keep your wardrobe shelves messy, you will always end up wasting time fining your favorite clothing items. If you have a roomy space or a compact bedroom, your closet plays a big role. So, tackle this first. Separate the clothes according to occasions, and create more such categories. There can be categories like polo shirts, neckpieces, formal pants, ties, socks, nightwear, etc. Once this is done, set all the items you picked for a category in that space.

Don’t know how to make your plain denim look chic? Just add some quirky embroidered patches on them and you are good to go. Embroidered patches are very much in the trend and why would they not be? Apart from being cool, they are also extremely versatile. You can put these patches on uniforms, hoodies, denim, hats, overalls, and on any clothing of your choice. If you have decided that you want your own customized patches, then here are four simple steps in which you can get them made the right way: Decide the correct size –   The size of the patch depends on what you are planning to put the embroidered patch on. When it comes to measuring the size of the embroidered patch, you need to decide the height and the width of the patches. If you are planning to put it on your denim or your hat, then a small-sized one, roughly around 2 to 4 inches, would be an ideal choice. Whereas, if you want it for a backpatch then you will have to go for a much bigger size, like something between 8 to 12 inches. Choose a shape –   Once you know what size patch you want to make, you can decide the shape of the patch.

Bought a sewing machine? Excited and confused, isn’t it? Commencing new creative projects can often prove to be a perplexing experience. The first question that pops into a beginner’s mind is what should I make with my brand-new sewing machine? And this first attempt is extremely important, as it not only encourages the beginner but also deepens their interest. The key is to choose your first project smartly, so that there is no room for mistakes, and even if an error occurs it’s a negligible one. So, if you’re a beginner, clueless, but ready with your sewing machine in a mint condition to try the new world of designs, here are 5 easy sewing machine projects that you can start off with. Pillow cases Easy to make, a pretty to look at, pillow cases can change the whole vibe of a boring couch or a plain bed. You can go crazy with the colors and kind of fabrics and patterns you would want to use. It could be your old bed sheets or curtains, or the floral or crochet mandala design freshly hunted from a flea market. Pillow cases are the ultimate game changers. Coin purse An adorable little coin purse can be a great gift, or a delightful accessory for you to carry.

Arts and crafts in 21st Century cannot be merely translated as a fun pastime for children. Our approach towards education has significantly evolved, now it cannot be just reduced to math science or languages. Like athletics, arts and crafts are also a form of mental exercise for children. So, if your child shows an increased curiosity in arts and crafts, pay attention and motivate her/him. Arts and crafts as a children’s activity is an essential inclusion for their cognitive development. It is important to raise a child with brilliant academic abilities but it is also necessary to recognize their creative energies so that they can be transformed into a talent. If you’re wondering what advantages arts and crafts can add to your child’s holistic development, here they are. Creativity and Learning As adults, you will often notice how children come up with simple yet inventive solutions with ease. To sustain this quality, you should encourage your child to take part in activities involving arts and crafts. It will not only allow them to be visually creative but will also hone their agility and grasp over techniques while they are learning. There are no wrongs Every academic subject has its own set of rules, discerning what’s right from what’s wrong.