17/03/2010 by FeedCrazy.

We’re in tough economic times, there’s no getting around it. It’s rough out there. Just dog eat dog! However I stumbled on a plan the other day that just could help your small business.  I was remembering how when I was a pre-teen and my mom was single with me in my brothers and sisters.  This was in the Big Apple. The cold would push us into a department store during the holiday.  It might have been Macy’s, I’m not sure. There, right in the store would be this huge toy train layout. The store would always be packed with kids and their parents no matter what time it was.  Golly was it a huge track design!  The whole thing was huge as a swimming pool!  It was a complete universe onto itself.

And here’s the rub, even though my mom didn’t have any money and always came in with the goal of never spending a nickel, by the end of the day it seemed like we without fail ended up leaving with some little thing, even if it was just a hot pretzel from one the street venders.  So here’s the thought I had:

Use display g scale railroad trains to draw pedestrians in:

Toy stores have known this for a long time and hardware stores have found this a natural match since people can buy the materials and tools for model railroading all right there.  But I think other sorts of stores could really increase revenue by having a toy locomotive railroad, especially big g scale trains and tracks.  Any store with a outward facing window that looks onto a busy walk way like in a mall could easily draw parents and their kids in. You don’t really need to be a business that is in any way train related. A doctor’s hospital might just have a train display to keep the kids busy while they waited to see the doctor or for prescriptions. The display would give the business a considerable leg up over its competition. The model train babysitter would allow the happy parents to see to their own needs. The increased business would be well worth the expenses in terms of space, start up costs and maintenance. Any place by where families spend time could take advantage of these little lures. This is sure to make for an insurance plan against hard times.

G-Scale Model Railroad Designs could also help individuate businesses in the hospitality industry:

You know how you’ve been dreaming of making your cute little cottage into a B & B now that your children have all moved out.  Well what better way to help create a special unique experience than to add a g scale model railroad design to your B & B?  You could market your Bed-and-Breakfast as a locomotive Bed-and-Breakfast and you could have several trains. Customers would really be fascinated watching the trains snaking around them. You could top off your revenues by having train related trinkets and toys.  If you have a nearby tourist site that is western related you could create a tie-in to this site. Think of the American history tie-ins in your local area.

 It’s a hard world out there these days. Now’s the time to act aggressively and creatively to maximize your business not sit back and be tossed by the waves of change. A distinctive business theme is sure to help you succeed in these hard economic times.  I’ve only touched the surface. Imagine a miniature golf park where a g scale train winds through the entire course, going by ponds and across runways and where the players alter the train’s track by sinking holes…

Here is more information on G Scale Model Trains. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.

Posted in Crafts Hobbies | Print | No Comments »

17/03/2010 by FeedCrazy.

Scrapbooking is an awesome hobby where the artist creates a book of photos adding embellishments and journals for the purpose of preserving the life or lives of the people in the scrapbook. To accomplish this project, you will need many scrapbooking supplies and equipment, including the Scrapbooking Paper Cutter and scrapbooking paper cutter machine.

Of course, the most important thing to have for the scrapbook the album itself which can be permanently bound or allow insertion of pages. Other formats: mini-albums and accordion style fold-out albums.

Basic materials, supplies and equipment are: background paper (including printed and cardstock paper), photo corner mounts, cutters, scissors, knives and blades, cutting mats, paper trimmer, rulers, staplers, trimmers, art pens, archival pens for journaling, and glue. More elaborate designs need some special tools as die cut templates, rubber stamps, craft punchers, stencils, inking tools, eyelet setters, heat embossing tools and personal die cut machine.

The use of the scrapbook Die Cutting Machine has become extremely popular in recent years. In fact, a number of electronic die cut machine resembling a plotter with a drag knife have hit the market. This innovation enables croppers to use their computers to create die cuts out of any shop or font with the use of free 3rd party software.

A knife with a strong and versatile blade allows you to cut about anything into any shape. Just be sure to place the object you plan to cut on a cutting mat before using the knife. Some croppers prefer to use paper cutter over the knife for the former provides precision trimming of materials as papers, cardlock, cardboard, film, velum and illustration board.

Scrapbookers insist in using acid-free and lignin-free papers to preserve photographs and journals in their original state. They want to use only the highest quality materials.

The aesthetic product of the scrapbookers cannot be given birth if not for the scrapbook supplies and equipment, like the album, scrapbooking cutter, scrapbooking cutter machine, knives and blades, cutting mats, die cut machines, rulers, scissors, staplers, trimmers and a lot of others.

If you are looking for Scrapbook Storage Products, that is a great link for you.

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