Making ice cream is something you can do on your own or you can get the whole family in on the action. The reason why it makes a great hobby is because you can share your final results. Obviously no one is going to be able to eat 2 quarts of ice cream all to themselves when they’re finished with their machine. But that’s where sharing comes into play, and you’ll be sure to become really popular with all of your friends.

And although the process is easy, there is a true art form when making your final product. Every step of the process is controlled by you, and that starts with the recipe you use. And along the way, there’s lots of freedom to make additions of subtractions in any way you see fit. You can create a healthier final product or something truly extravagant. There are no limits because your imagination will be able to create new flavors that nobody has ever thought of before. With so many sweet alternatives and additions that can be made, there is no shortage of new flavors to try.

The great thing about making ice cream is you don’t need to be an expert chef or even have a lot of experience in the kitchen. With modern ice cream makers, the churning is done for you without having to rely on a traditional hand crank model. You can also vary the consistency of your product whether you prefer soft serve or something harder. You might just find that your machine becomes one of the most popular appliances in your home, and this is definitely the perfect family activity after a wonderful Sunday meal.

Let us start with the most basic ingredients for creating art. I always keep a large sketch pad in my trunk for sketching and not taking. If you really want to go in depth then you should get one of each of the major paper textures and keep a pencil set and charcoal with them. These items are nice and thin so they can be kept in your car without taking up too much space.

An easel is very important to keep yourself stable and drawing straight lines. There are some models that are very compact when they are collapsed. Obviously, a full sized studio easel is cumbersome and heavy. Keeping one of those in your trunk would take up way too much room and be a big hassle to deal with.

The new world is the digital world. You should be carrying at least a tablet PC with you at all times. You will need something that has the power to run your design, video and music editing programs so shop around and get some advice from other artists on the go. Just don’t leave it in your car.

The last thing you want to get for that studio in your car will be a paint kit. Now you shouldn’t keep this in your car either as the temperature and weather can ruin your pigments and paints, but this should be something that you take in and out of your house as you come and go.

There are so many different projects from clothing to home décor that you can make with your sewing machine. If you learn how to use a sewing machine you will definitely get hooked and want to make just about anything you can with the machine. I never used to be crafty or able to make my own décor or accessories until I bought my sewing machine.

If you have some time to devote to this hobby, you can save yourself a lot of money. For example you can tailor your own clothes so that you can buy clothing on clearance or even from a secondhand store and then tailor or alter them yourself, which will save you hundreds of dollars each year. You can make your own home décor from drapes to pillows and all you have to pay for is some fabric and thread. Shop local fabric sales and you can get away with making a throw pillow for under $3 and best of all it fits your style perfectly.

With sewing you can even make gifts for other people. With my sewing machine I have embroidery and quilting features so I can easily make a cuddly baby blanket for a baby shower or embroider an apron I make for a birthday present for my mom.

There are truly so many different things you can make with your sewing machine that it would be silly not to invest in a quality machine and start developing your own sewing hobby.

The type of bag you buy for your camera will depend on what type of equipment you have as well as what type of photography you do.

For example, if you are a nature photographer and often find yourself in extreme weather conditions from wet to straight sun, then you need to make sure you have a waterproof bag as well as one that has plenty of padding and support to protect your camera.

If you are a wedding photographer or one that shoots photos of families and children then you want to look for a bag that has ample shoulder support and can fit all your extra needed equipment so you don’t have to carry around 3 or 4 bags with you.

Make sure you check out the size and shape of the bag before you buy it. If you plan on carrying around your camera as well as other equipment and materials look for a bag that has plenty of adjustable sized dividers to accommodate all your items. A lot of camera bags have inner zipper pockets or pockets on the back to hold small personal items like keys and a wallet as well which can definitely be an added bonus for a photographer.

The first thing you should consider when choosing a bag is the functionality and size and then look at the style and color that you have to choose from. Don’t make the mistake of picking a nice looking bag that doesn’t fit with your camera.

This is a great time saver and can be an effective way to whet a new patrons interest. But it lacks some of the hands on and permanent flair that a traditional showing used to offer. Art begs to be tangible and a few snapshots inside your phone will rarely really give your work much justice.

That is why I am a big fan of Artists Business cards, I personally love to receive high quality pocket sized pieces of art from my Artist friends and they are often displayed with honor in my office and home. A nice high quality and colorful artwork combined with a well designed and intelligent layout can do wonders for showcasing your design skills and leaving your potential client with a very tangible and exciting reminder of what you can offer.

This has been an affordable option for artists for years. Online Printing establishments offer cards at very low prices and their is no shortage of variety.

But, the act of designing a card can really pigeonhole you. Your style is probably multi-faceted and you should be able to have some options when presenting your work to interested parties.

 

Perhaps, something like this?

I really love this concept, a card company that allows unlimited variation in your card orders. You can create cards to match all your various mediums, periods and styles that you have expressed and learned throughout your career as an artist.

Iv found that these are the best options for creating a portable portfolio 

So how do you get started? One way is to start up a website or a blog and display the different scrapbook pages you’ve created. People love to see what others have done in order to get inspiration to create their own ideas. Maybe you’ve done a lot of research and know where the best places to get supplies are. If so, you could share that in an ebook along with different tips to help anyone turn a boring scrapbook into one they would be glad to show off to their friends. When you turn on the TV and see infomercials of scrapbooking materials, you know it’s a big market. On top of that, since you already like this craft, it will be fun.

Small digital cameras or even cell phone cameras can allow you to have a camera with you at all times.  Even the cheapest cell phone plans and cameras allow you to take decent pictures these days, and if you spend a little more on a cell phone with a better camera you can improve your chances of taking a great spontaneous picture that perfectly captures a given moment in time. 

Choose a cell phone or small digital camera that is easy to use so you  truly can quickly take a picture if necessary to capture the moment.  While you want a certain degree of quality, it is important to have something that is easy to carry and easy to use quickly if you truly are using it to catch spontaneous moments.

The beauty of digital pictures is that they can be cleaned up a little at home on your computer.  You can use filters and settings to fix any glaring problems or to enhance the picture.  The digital age makes it easy to snap a bunch of pictures then evaluate them later to see if you have anything of value.  You can easily delete what you don’t like and work with the pictures that have value.

Having the right equipment and planning for a shot is often the best way to get a quality photograph, but sometimes spontaneously capturing a moment can be priceless.

The great thing about photography is that you do not really need any lessons in how to take pictures if you do not want to. You can just get a reasonable quality camera such as the FinePix L55 and then take pictures. See what you like, and then try to get a good eye for detail, this may take some practice, but with a digital camera you can keep taking pictures, and delete those that do not turn out as you would like. Over a period of time you will really get a feel for your own style.

You could of course benefit from some photography lessons, either informal, or formal if there is a certain thing you want to learn. Other peoples experience can be invaluable, and it is also a good way to get new ideas for your hobby.For example you may like to start taking portrait pictures of family and friends for top Christmas Gifts 2012, and some advice on getting the most from your subject is often a good idea.