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Stuffed Toys Out of the Scrap Bag
A California woman started making stuffed dolls and animals
for her young friends during wartime toy shortages and now finds the peacetime demand
for them greater still.
Tilling the Trade Journal Field
A Minneapolis man suggests that by working your powers
of observation overtime you can emulate his success as a writer for business and trade magazines.
Jewelry-Making Co-Ed
Sales of the costume jewelry which she fashions for her classmates
help put a Syracuse University student through college.
Tell Me a Story
Children are delighted by the electrically recorded stories in
which an Oklahoma City woman refers to them by name.
Preserving Baby's Shoes
A $34 course in copper-plating leads to a $1,000-a-month
baby shoe preserving business for two Illinois men.
Shades by Goldia
The lamp shades which she made and gave away for many
years are now a welcome source of income to an Oklahoma widow - bring up to $35 each.
New Life for Old Jewelry
Adapting old broken jewelry to fresh uses enables a
Massachusetts woman to obtain returns of $50 and $75 on $2 investments.
Dog in Boots
When a hunter wants a pair of boots to protect his dog's
feet, he's likely to order them from a Texas housewife.
Ming Trees from Minneapolis
Seeing a Ming tree in a store window was a lucky break for a
Minnesota woman whose own trees now fill other store windows.
Giving Gloves Glamour
Hollywood screen stars are among the smartly dressed
women who wear the originally styled gloves created by Billi Cheatwood of Beverly Hills.
Weaving a New Life on an Old Loom
Her use of original designs and novel materials enables a
Wisconsin widow to support herself comfortably by hand weaving.
His Signs Point to Success
A kitchen accident starts a naval veteran on the way to
achievement of a $1000-a-month sign production business.
Promoting Twin Colonial Arts
On an Illinois farm a mother and daughter make patch quilts
and braided rugs which grace homes all over America.
Pheasants - Popular Luxury Food
Thanks to the hobby-turned-business of a New York woman,
non-hunters can enjoy the taste of pheasant.
One Man Clay Pipe Factory
After 5,000 tries, a veteran clay pipe smoker begins
turning out pipes that please not only him but a growing list of buyers.
The Whittler and her Dogs
A South Dakota woman not only sells the public her animal
carvings, but also sells their pictures to a magazine editor.
Imparting the China Painter's Art
Eager pupils are more than willing to pay a Florida woman
$1 an hour for instruction in painting china.
Self-Trained Textile Printers
Using the silk screen printing process, a Canadian couple
is achieving artistic and commercial success in the production of highly original cloth prints.
How to Write a 'How To' Article
Elma Waltner explains and illustrates the basic
principles she successfully follows for a specialized type of magazine writing.
You Can't Miss Cota's Caps
Women laughed when steel riveter George Cota said he could
operate a sewing machine, but today his $1,000-a-month business in bright colored golf caps is no joke.
Portraying Tots in Clay
A California woman gives a novel and lucrative twist to
her ceramics hobby by specializing in small statues modeled from photographs of actual children.
Socks that Carry a Friendly Message
The miniature socks which a Pennsylvania woman first knit
as gifts for GI friends are now in demand for Christmas and other holiday occasions.
Cooking on a Typewriter
By writing about what she cooks, Doris Stebbins finds a
bypath to magazine writing success that starts in her kitchen.
This Sandman Opens Your Eyes
No wonder Edmond Hunt is so enthusiastic over sand
painting; it's earned him as much as $2 a minute.
Guide to Gourd Craft
An Oklahoma woman reveals the methods she uses to turn
gourds into useful and ornamental objects which bring her up to $50 a pair.
African Violet Venture
The African violets which an army officer bought to
brighten his quarters have bloomed into a lucrative floral business to occupy him in retirement.
Cutting Beauty into Lamp Shades
When an harassed shopkeeper couldn't provide her with a
gift lamp shade Mary Corson made her own and she's been making and selling them ever since.
Chessmen with Personality
A Syracuse University student devises an efficient way to
turn out individual appearing plastic chess figures on a mass-production basis.
Gilding the Sugar Cube
When a Seattle woman decorated a few sugar lumps to add
color to a party, she unwittingly started on a unique home business.
Tiny Scandinavian Charmers
Helen Blegen's first copies of a Swedish yarn doll were a bit
crude, but today her little figures are so attractive they've even been in the movies.
Wizard with Western Woods
The myrtle-wood animals he began carving for his daughter
led a young Oregon architect into a new career.
Formula for Photo Sales
For years magazine editors fired Gilbert Close's photographs
back to him, and then one day he figured out how to turn the tide.
Silversmithing for Two
In their Bloomington, Illinois, workshop a mother and
daughter turn out family crests and other exquisite silver pieces for a nation wide clientele.
Fleecy Rugs from Sheep Pelts
Two Louisiana women discover that they can increase the
monetary value of a sheep pelt nine times by turning it into a fluffy, white rug.
We Opened a Photo Studio
Two Californians look back on their first six months as professional
photographers and decide thoy've discovered the ideal way to combine business and pleasure.
Jewelry from the Scrap Pile
Relying strongly on a fusion type alloy, a Cleveland man
turns discarded pieces of metal into fast-selling jewelry that is both durable and beautiful.
Lesson in Leather Carving
Seventy-five per cent of a Colorado woman's leather craft
pupils have turned her instruction into a source of added income.
Cultivating Carnation Cuttings
When total strangers started asking him for gifts of his
carnation plants, Fred Greene decided it was time to put a price on them.
Shirts in the Western Manner
A Colorado woman tailors 1,000 shirts a year for rodeo
performers, horsemen and others who want the real 'western look.'
Little Beauties from the Sea
When a Baltimore woman discovered that shell dolls were
too expensive she started making her own and now she's in business.
Pottery Changed His Life
Faced with imminent retirement as a businessman, Henry
Bollman established a home pottery that now supplies a nation-wide demand.
Puzzling the Public
Forced to retire, an Illinois man returns to an old hobby and
begins making jigsaw puzzles that bring up to $35 each.
There's Money in Minnows
An Indiana fishing enthusiast who began raising his own live
bait quickly discovered that minnows can make you money.
Woodenware from Welcome Ranch
An Idaho resort proprietress boosts the family income for the
off season by decorating wooden plates and bowls that recall happy vacation days.
Writing Our Way Around America
A footloose husband and wife find that illustrated articles
based on travel and research appeal to many magazine editors.
Reaping Rewards from Raspberries
By increasing the scope of his raspberry raising hobby,
a Pennsylvania man finds it possible to retire but still keep happily and lucratively occupied.
Their Copper Flatters Flowers
Orders pour in to a Birmingham couple for their handmade
copper containers which make every kind of flower look its best.
Customizing Coffee Cups
Decorating sturdy coffee mugs with the names and business
symbols of their owners turns into a full time business for a California couple.
My Four S's for Contest Successes
A trip to Florida, a television set, stove, roller skates,
silverware and cash are among the winnings of a Michigan housewife, who is willing to share
her contesting methods.
Bells that Ring the Bell
Dozens of ceramic bells have gone out from an Arkansas
woman's kiln to add a bright note to hundreds of occasions.
Ties that Advertise
Painting ties with symbols of their prospective customers'
occupations produces almost sure fire sales for two young Colorado women.
A Couple of Rock Hounds
After Dewitte Hagar retired, he and his wife took up gem
stone hunting, cutting and polishing and now are well rewarded masters of the craft.
Her Dolls Make Eyes at You
The pixie-like dolls made by a 78-year-old South Dakota
woman owe much of their appeal to their three-button ogling eyes.
Wen and His Wonderful Lamps
Forced into retirement by arthritis, an Arizona man,
encouraged and assisted by his wife, builds a new career as a maker of ingenious lamps.
Portraying Ideas in Three Dimensions
Symbolic and imaginative pictures created from woods
and metals and other minerals by a Pennsylvania man bring him $50 to $150 each.
A shop of Her Own
Many women dream of operating a little shop of some sort,
but here's one who has turned her dream into successful reality by emphasizing the personal touch.
I Like Leathercraft
An Ohio man discloses some of the methods he utilizes to
derive a three-way profit from leathercraft.
Rug Makers Follow My Patterns
Dissatisfied with a rug made from a mass-produced pattern,
a Kentucky woman designed her own and now sells patterns to customers seeking something special.
Partial to Plastics
Archie French began making saleable articles from plastic
when he was a high school junior in Idaho and is still doing it as an army private in New York.
Pennsylvania Potter
Irene Heiland wanted a cup for her baby that was different,
so she made it herself and soon was embarked on a part time business in personalized pottery.
Doll Beds with Dual Appeal
At 70, a retired Nashville railroad man starts a new career as
a maker of doll beds that delight mothers as much as they do children.
Salvage with a Paint Brush
Sales are rising steadily for a Minnesota woman who converts
discarded pails, fruit baskets and wooden tubs into colorful, useful household containers.
He Finds Pheasants Pleasant
In Norman, Oklahoma, when people think of pheasants,
they think of Jess Walden, whose birds yield a five-way profit.
Flowers by Mrs. Creighton
As teacher, lecturer and decorator, a Tennessee woman shares
her flower arranging ability with a growing number of eager students and patrons.
They Call for His Bowls
'How about bowls?' a California man's wife suggested
when he wondered what to make from some pear wood, and he's been making them ever since.
Herbs Gave Her Life a New Flavor
A depression-year herb raising venture on the corner of a
Wisconsin farm has developed into a nationally known business for Flora Rich Toole of 'Garry-nee-Dule.'
Shoppers' Columnist
Home town merchants' sales go up and so does the bank
account of a Colorado woman who writes a chatty shopping column for a weekly newspaper.
Shetlands that Sell Themselves
Theoretically Jess Holbrook may be retired, but his small
farm near Atlanta is the center of a thriving pony business.
Shellcraft from the Solomons
Henry Cox learned to make mother-of-pearl jewelry from a
Pacific island native and now it's helping to finance his education far from the oceans.
Corsages Created from Plastic
In a small Colorado town, Mrs. Everette Murphy forms
plastic tape into colorful costume jewelry that is creating its own market.
My Animals are Characters
Fantasies about bears and beavers, giraffes and lions, written
to please himself, also please the editors of children's magazines to whom Eric St. Clair submits them.
Glazing the Lily
The artificial flowers with which she started are only one of
the craft objects to which a Californian adds glittering beauty by applying plastic glaze coating.
Puzzles to Puzzle Experts
A retired construction engineer's entire output of jigsaw
puzzles is taken by a leading New York City sporting goods store.
Tie this Tie Story
When 1950 began, Emma Simon had never made a tie but by
the year's end she'd turned out, and her husband had sold, 6,000, retailing at $5 each.
Easy Etchings for Everyone
A California man finds that even a beginner can turn out
attractive etchings on a piece of clear celluloid placed over a photograph or drawing which serves as a guide.
Stay-at-Home Stenographer
By operating a typing service in her home, a West Coast
college wife finds a way to add to the family income without leaving her children.
Putting History in the Papers
A Syracuse man with a nose for regional history finds a sale
for his feature articles through newspaper syndicates.
These 'Ladies' are Really Nuts
A Minneapolis woman adds painted faces and pert hats to
pecans and turns them into novelties selling for $2 in a growing number of stores.
Trivets Designed with Distinction
A Milwaukee man who uses power tools by day finds pleasure
and added income after hours in turning out by hand originally designed trivets and other artistic metal work.
Strawberry Success Story
A Pennsylvania man who constantly tries to improve his
methods of cultivation counts on an average annual yield of 6,000 quarts of strawberries from an acre of ground.
Designing Distinctive Doll Dresses
Seeking a use for her collection of antique dress materials,
a Chicago woman turns to doll costuming and finds herself in business.
Squab Raising Revolution
A California man draws on his long experience with pigeons
to devise a new method of squab raising which is bringing sensational results.
Kid Parties by the Package
More and more Washington, D.C., mothers are paying
Dorothy Hochman to plan, supervise and provide the essentials for parties for their children.
Giving Beads the Peasant Look
A European-born New Yorker imparts brilliant beauty
to ordinary wooden beads with a few strokes of her paint brush.
Turning Bottles into People
A California woman's caricature-decanters made from old
bottles win her first prize in a national contest and a host of eager customers.
Babies Bring By-Lines
Little babies are a big source of inspiration to an Oklahoma
woman who writes magazine articles about solving the problems they create.
Reviving the Tin Painter's Art
Using authentic Pennsylvania
Dutch designs, a navy wife paints tinware which added $l,000 to the family income in one year.
New Finishes for Old Furniture
A Cincinnati man grumbled when his wife asked him to
refinish a table; but it started him on a home activity that yields $3.50 an hour.
Fashioning Flowers from Fabric
Faced with the loneliness of widowhood, an Oklahoma woman
started turning cloth scraps into potted plants that now grace kitchen windows in scores of homes.
My Camera Takes Me to Camp
Want a free vacation plus a salary for taking pictures?
Then emulate Marion Schwerman and sign on as photographer at one of America's 7,000 summer camps.
Popularizing Painted Pyrographs
Impaired eyesight is no handicap to a young New Yorker who
creates bird pictures through a combination of wood burning and oil painting.
Lamps from the Mountain Side
Mother Nature is the partner of a Colorado man who
converts pieces of mountain juniper into distinctively shaped lamps and tables.
Telling Shoppers Where to Buy It
The wives of two West Point officers add $1,000 each to
their family incomes by publishing a shoppers' guide.
Westerners Wrought from Wood
Circumstances blocked a Texan's boyhood ambition to be a
sculptor so he turned to "whittling," and now produces figures that bring more than $100 a set.
Match Boxes to Match Your Walls
When Louise Cohen couldn't find the match boxes she
wanted for a party, she created her own and within a year had sold 15,000 like them.
New England Tropical Fish Story
A Connecticut couple bought three pairs of Guppies for
a home aquarium and now find themselves proprietors of a tropical fish store near the village green.
How To Market What You Make
A Massachusetts man explains the merchandising and
pricing methods he has used in turning his pottery hobby into a successful business. Why not emulate him?
Giving a Glow to Pictures on Glass
Captivated by a painting on glass given to her daughter,
a Canadian farm wife set out to make her own and has achieved happy results.
Gardens that Spring from Paper
A Chicago woman utilizes many scrap materials in fashioning
miniature gardens and plaques that fulfill a five-fold purpose in her life.
Pre-Christmas Parties that Pay
If you want to sell hobby products for Christmas gifts
without leaving home, try a Christmas sales party like the ones an Indiana woman gives.
Start Today on Carnations for May
Dissatisfied with Mother's Day gifts of cut carnations that
soon wilt, a Californian works out a system to provide long-lasting, potted, blooming plants for the occasion.
Cotton is Her Sculptor's Clay
The miniature figures formed from cotton by a Utah
woman have attained the status of works of art that bring a minimum of $100 each.
His Camera Goes to School with Him
An Oklahoma youngster proves that a high school boy with
a camera is face to face with scores of picture making and money making opportunities.
Stay-at-Home Hobby Merchants
The Gustafson family of Augusta, Kansas, had more hobbies
than anyone in town so they opened a hobby shop in their basement and are prospering.
The Shop that Antlers Built
Unusual buttons, belts and dancing figures are
among the articles a Montana woman makes from wild animals' horns and sells throughout the west.
Constructing Colossal Cakes
Creating a 240-pound cake is one of the accomplishments
of a South Dakota woman who specializes in cake reproductions of such things as buildings, ships, and farms.
Birds Bred for Sweet Singing
Because of their many victories in canary shows all over the
country, a Milwaukee man's melodious voiced rollers bring premium prices.
Dolls from the Pages of History
Famous figures of the past and of literature live again in a
retired Nebraska school teacher's character dolls, which she bases on careful research.
Ducks that Sprout Greenery
A Kansas housewife discovers that decoy ducks can be
converted into novel planters with appeal to both the masculine and the feminine eye.
She'll Put You on a Tray
From August on, Barbara Borris' hours are crowded as she
tries to keep up with the demand for her individualized painted trays so popular as Christmas presents.
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