Bobble Head Toys For All Occasions

One of the most popular souvenir items is the bobble head doll. Some people know it as a wobbler, a nodder or a bobbing head toy. It got its name from it distinction with other dolls. From the name itself, bobble head dolls are characterized by having a small body compared to its head. The head is attached to a spring and when it is tapped or moved even a little, the head then nods or bobbles. It is like the plaster cats you see on Chinese stores which wag their head when slightly moved. So who created it and how did it become popular? The modern bobble head was first introduced during the 1950's.

Baseball event organizers have produced a bobble head toy series made of paper-mache and this is where people have started to buy it. Great baseball players during that time had their own nodder head version such as Roger Maris, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente and many more. Another most sought after bobble head collection was of the Beatles. The band had a lot of fans and the bobble head dolls have sold out a lot of numbers. The wobbler fanatics from all over the world would want to have it. But there had been a transition in the use of materials for its manufacture. Some used wood and ceramic after a decade but still, the expenses of making it is still quite high so manufacturers sought of another way to make it less expensive. This is where the plastic bobble head toys came in.

The resurgence of wobbler dolls have been sought again. popular stars, cartoon characters, basketball and soccer players have their figures in miniature bobble head already. And some of them produced in limited quantities to be sought after by collectors. Neiger gifts are still widely produced today. sports organizers to ensure that they had wobbler versions of their greatest players and their food chains like McDonald's souvenir bobble head then. Disney characters and movie stars have their dolls head nodding, too. Collectors searchthese rare finds on eBay and on vintage shops.

Some politicians even have a nodder doll giveaway as a form of political advertisement. Aside from that, these dolls are also used as a design for made-to-order trophies and they come in a variety of sizes and shapes. These bobble head toys are also ideal as a gift item for children and guys who have a huge fan on games such as soccer or baseball.

There are many manufacturers of wobble head toys these days. And the good thing is, you can have a custom made bobble head toy to give your loved ones or as a part of your collection. There are so many sites of bobbing head manufacturers on the internet and the costs may vary. You can specify the size, the color, the design and the material that will be used for your custom nodder. Check out these companies and see their great array of dolls and toys you can choose from.

Tips on Hosting a Fairy Hunt

Taking after both her parents, our daughter has always been a bit of a night owl. Luckily she has friends who share this trait. So with that in mind we opted to celebrate her 4th birthday in the evening by hosting a fairy hunt. It was a huge hit!

We used mason jars with screw tops as the "fairies". The jars were filled with stickers (I love the foamy twinkle letters, stars, and shapes available at Michael's) mini toys, bubbles, jewelry and candy available at the $1 stores or in the dollar bins at Target or general stores. NOTE: don't use chocolate... it tends to take on the scent of whatever it's paired with and sometimes foam stickers can be stinky.

To save time, fill the jars before the party. Before you hide them, break up a mini glow stick (glow bracelets also available at Michael's work great) and toss it into the jar and seal the lid.

We hid the jars in the front yard once the sun went down, but a park or field would work as would a house with the lights dimmed. The glowing fairy jars create a fun treasure hunt for the party goers and double as a great take away. To rule on the side of fairness we told each child how many "fairies" they could find.

Once the hunt was over we provided construction paper so pictures could be made with all the foam stickers, but the biggest hit was the glow in the dark bracelets.

The fairy jars will make a great addition to any fairy themed birthday party, but with a little tweaking the jars can be any kind of treasure hunt. No need to wait for a birthday for an evening of fun!

Structural Engineering - The Vital Design Process

Without the brilliance of most structural engineers, our world would be a very different place. Simply put, structural engineering is a vital design process for modern society.

The word "engineer" has several meanings. It can be used as a verb that describes making something happen. It is a noun that describes the man who gets to drive the train. Yet, another meaning, also a noun, is of a person who is a professional and educated craftsman. What is structural engineering? It is a part of this vast profession of the engineer. Many people consider it a subsection of the field of Civil Engineering, but others see it standing alone.

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary gives a very interesting definition of engineering. It is one of many uses of the word, of course, but it is the one that best fits the idea of structural and civil engineering. It says it is "the application of science and mathematics by which the properties of matter and the sources of energy are made useful to people." The key here is the idea of making something useful to people.

Civil Engineering is really just a term to separate the original and older form of engineering, which is Military Engineering, into something that is not used for warfare or defense. Structural Engineering has to do with structures. This can include a multitude of things from furniture to space stations; from dams to apartment buildings. The important thing and the thing that occupies the attention of the structural engineer is resisting load and dissipating energy.

Load can take many forms. It is sometimes called "stress." For example, a bridge must be build to handle load and stress that comes from the weight of the structure itself or the traffic passing over it. It can be subjected to stress from the wind and the weather. The "properties of matter and the sources of energy" must be transformed into something that can be useful to people. A structure is useful to people only if it is safe and if it can withstand stress.

Structural engineering is not often viewed as an art. It is seen more as science and in the cold and harsh light of practical application. This view misses the truth, however, when one things of the structures of the world both in our long past and in our amazing present. The imagination and creativity that has been shown from the Pyramids of Egypt to the mighty Hoover Dam to the bridges and tunnels that have crossed our rivers and even oceans, surely must rank with the greatest art our minds have known.