Saving Money on Presents and Gifts
Well, Thanksgiving is over and the official holiday shopping season is in full swing. In an attempt to get more of your business, many stores are running more aggressive sales and promotions. This means that there will be plenty of in store and online sales to choose between.
When looking for good deals on your holiday gifts, especially on popular items like toy trains, you need to look for toy store coupons and discounts. These items can be found online, in printed fliers and in local newspapers and coupon books. Spending a few minutes to hunt down coupons is a good strategy that can save you between ten and forty percent off your purchases.
Another strategy that you can use to save money on your toy train purchases is to compare online prices to in-store prices. These prices often aren’t the same. Sometimes you can save more money by buying online than you can if you buy the same item in a store, however, this is not always the case. For example, if there is a special sale offered by a toy store or department store, you may temporarily be able to get the item that you want for a lower price.
If you decide to shop online this year for your holiday gifts it is important that you take into consideration the shipping and handling charges. These can add ten to fifteen percent to your final cost. You will also want to pay attention to the shipping schedule. The closer you get to Christmas the faster you will need your item to be shipped. This may mean selecting 2nd day or overnight express shipping options, which will increase the final cost of your items.
Last week we started the holiday shopping countdown. This week I’d like to talk about how to put together a holiday gift basket for the train lover on your shopping list that is also a craftsman/woman. This gift package will provide one special person on your list with everything that they need to build a toy train table for their collection.
To start with you will need a basket that is going to be large enough, and sturdy enough to hold tools and supplies for building a toy train table. You can find good baskets in the interior décor section of your local department store, or you can pick one up at your local craft store.
The first item that you will want to buy for your gift basket is one or more toy train table plans. These are inexpensive so putting several in the basket is a good idea, then the basket’s recipient can select the one that they like. Next you will want to pick up basic hand tools and supplies that will be needed to build a toy train table. For example, you can put in a hand saw, a sanding block, sandpaper, wood glue, dowels, screws and washers.
You can also add toy train parts and tracks to your gift basket to round it off. For example, you can include a special engine that is the same gauge as the gift recipient’s toy train set, or you can include special accessories like lighting systems, props and buildings. Finally, you can include books for train collectors or woodworkers.
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There are only about six weeks left until Christmas is here. That is about 42 days of shopping remaining until the big day. If you are planning on ordering your Christmas gifts then you really need to get your orders placed within the next couple of weeks to ensure that your gifts arrive in time. If you are putting off ordering your gifts because you don’t know what to get then This blog is for you.
Coming up with unique and fun gift ideas for the train lovers on your shopping list is not as difficult as you might think. The key is to focus on what the person really enjoys and then find a gift that is related to that interest and that is age appropriate. For example, if you are shopping for a toddler who loves toy trains then you will want to look for small gifts like Thomas the Tank Engine toys, or if you are interested in giving them an extra special gift consider using toy wooden train table plans to build them an activity table.
If you are looking for a gift for an adult train lover then there are several great options for you to choose between. To start with you can find a special collectible toy train for their collection. You can also buy accessories or a car for their train set. Finally, if you have a train lover that also likes to build things, then consider giving them a collection of toy train table plans.
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Toy train tables are durable pieces of equipment that will last longer than your kids’ childhoods. Because of this you can refurbish the table and create a whole new piece of furniture. There are several ways you can redesign your toy train tables, or activity tables. This week’s blog will discuss a few of these options.
The first way you can redesign your toy train table is to turn it into a coffee table. To do this all you have to do is remove the insert and strip the old paint from the table. Then stain the table using a gel based stain. This will make the project go quicker. Use a stain color that will compliment your living room furniture. If your toy train table is dinged or scratched, treat these imperfection with wood putty and sandpaper before you stain the surface.
The second way you can redesign your toy train table is to turn it into an entertainment center. Many toy train table designs will facilitate a 13 inch TV, or an even larger flat screen TV, as well as a DVD player and cable box. After you strip the old table finish, fill in scratches and dings with wood putty, allow to dry, sand smooth and paint with an enamel or washable paint product. Select a color that will work well with the colors in your child’s room, family room or play room.
For more information about toy trains and toy train table activities visit the Model Trains blog.
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During the last several weeks we have been talking about decorating your toy trains and your toy train tables for the holidays of October. Well today is Halloween and tonight you will undoubtedly have little tricker-or-treaters coming to your door. This year incorporate your toy trains into your Halloween spirit. After decorating your toy trains, set them up so that they can help you deliver candy and treats to your visitors or to entertain them as they wait for their treats.
A window display using your toy trains is a fun and easy way to incorporate your love for toy trains with your love for Halloween. To come up with a window display you will want to lay down a base, then the track and then the decorations. This step by step process will help you keep your tracks level and clear so that the train will be able to go around the track without getting hung up on decorations and candy. After you add your decorations run your train around the track a couple of times as you watch it so you can make sure it is not hitting or rubbing up against any of your decorations.
If you are throwing a Halloween party, or if you have young kids at home, then connect open box cars or cargo cars to your toy trains. You can them fill these cars with small candies. Your little ones or party guests can snag a snack as the train goes by them. You can also create a graveyard backdrop for your Halloween toy train by using chocolate cookie crumbs for the dirt and gummi worms. You can also use skeleton cookies or candies to haunt your toy train graveyard.
Parents that are trying to make their child’s toy train experience more fun need to visit the Train Dad blog. This blog was set up by a dad who is trying to enhance his kids’ experience with toy trains.
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Well next week is Halloween, so if you haven’t started decorating for the holiday this weekend is the perfect time to do it. You can use your toy train collections to enhance your decorations and to make use of an item that may normally only be brought out and used during the Christmas holiday. Today’s blog is going to talk about putting together a Halloween train.
To start with you will need a toy train that has minimal decals. While character trains can work for this project, you’re better off using a generic train. To protect the underlying paint and decals you can cover the train with plastic wrap and then affix the Halloween decorations to the plastic wrap.
The next step is to come up with a theme for your Halloween train. For example, you can have a skeleton theme or a Headless Horseman theme. After you have your theme you will want to find stickers and graphics that you can add to the construction paper saddle that you will be slipping over your toy train. If you are artistic then you can also draw and paint on his saddle.
The construction paper saddle that you will be placing on your train is going to be shaped like a rectangular box that has an open bottom and that is trimmed so that it rests above the wheels. You can use the dimensions of the train to come up with the saddles dimensions. You can use double sided tape or glue to assemble the saddle. It is easier to decorate this saddle before you tape it together.
For more ideas for toy train activities and collecting toy trains visit Purkeys Toy Trains blog.
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Now that you have a couple of ideas for storage, I would like to talk about decorating your toy train table for the upcoming holidays. Decorating toy train tables can be a great way to introduce your kids to the history and traditions behind holidays that they may or may not be familiar with.
The next holiday on the calendar is United Nations Day. This is a little known holiday that can be celebrated with your kids. On this day decorate your child’s toy train table with flags from different countries. You can also add trains from different counties to your train collection, discuss the languages and cultures from various cultures and even learn simple songs about trains in a new language. If you have older kids you can even talk about the United Nations, what it is and what they do.
The last holiday for the month of October is Halloween. Now most kids know what Halloween is, but they may not know the history behind this holiday. As you decorate your train table for Halloween talk about the folklore tied to All Hallow’s Eve and recount your favorite stories of Halloween, like the Tale of the Headless Horseman. Have your kids create their own Halloween decorations for their toy trains. You can attach the Halloween decorations to existing toy trains using a little dollop of rubber cement or double sided tape.
If you are looking for information on toy trains or activities that you can do with toy trains, then visit the Model Train Depot blog. This blog is fun and informative.
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Last week we talked about packing away your summer toys and reducing the number of old toys cluttering your home. This week I’d like to talk about how you can use you can modify your toy train tables to make them a toy storage device as well as an activity table. For this project you will need baskets and/or boxes, and some decorative tools like construction paper, glue and markers.
This is a fun project for your kids to help you with. It will allow them to decorate small storage containers that can be stored under their toy train table. For the easiest containers to decorate you can buy or make cardboard storage boxes. These boxes can be bought at a local office supply store for a couple of dollars. They come in all shapes and sizes, and also are offered in a variety of colors and designs.
To start with you will want to measure the size of the space under your activity table. You want your storage boxes to fit easily under the table and still provide your kids with knee space. Use your measurements to find storage boxes at your local office supply store. When you get your boxes home assemble them. Then give your kids a box of character cutouts, glue, construction paper, crayons, markers and other items to decorate their boxes with. If you have more than one child, then add their names to the box so that each child will be able to find their box quickly, and there will be less fighting.
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October is one of those transitional months that really ushers in a new season. While fall officially began in September, in many places it doesn’t start to feel chilly and fall-like until October. October also marks the start of the holiday season with Halloween, which is scheduled for later in the month. To get prepared for the transition from Summer to Fall you need to start thinking about toy storage, both for summer toys that need to be put away and holiday toys that will be added to your family collection over the next several months.
As far as summer toy storage goes I like to separate toys into two categories, outside toys and inside toys. Outdoor toys needs generally carry more dirt and bugs than indoor toys, so I like to clean them off with a hose before the temperature gets too cold, dry them off and then store them in a large plastic tub that has a lid. This helps keep the bugs out and the moisture out. Since outdoor toys are designed for harsher conditions, I don’t feel bad about storing them outside on a carport or in a garage during the winter months.
While you are putting away summer toys, it is a good idea to plan ahead for the new toy storage challenges that you will be facing during the holiday season. Now is a good time to go through your child’s toys and seem what toys they want to keep and which ones they have outgrown or no longer play with. For the toys that your child has outgrown or no longer wants, either put up for sale on an auction website like eBay, pass on to friends and family with young kids or donate to a charity organization.
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There are a lot of themes your toy train table can have. One popular theme is a military theme. Military themed activity tables can focus on a specific branch of the armed forces, or it can focus on an era. For ideas on military train themes and graphics I recommend reading the blog posted on Model Train Central. They have a great blog on military model toy trains.
The first option that you have for designing a military train table is to focus on the paint job. You can paint a military camouflage design on your toy train table. Camouflage comes in a variety of color combinations. The colors that are used are designed to reflect the colors of a specific environment. For example, a desert camouflage is going to be based on shades of browns and tans, whereas jungle camouflage is going to be based on shades of greens and blacks.
The second option that you have for designing a military train table is to use military stickers, graphics and images to decorate the table. You can find these items in stores, especially hobby stores, as well as in military supply stores. To affix these graphics to your table you will want to rely on something stronger than just the adhesive found on the sticker. Decoupage glue or gel, one of my favorite materials, works to both adhere the graphic to the table and protect it from moisture and damage.
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