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Crafts and Craft Information
Trash Art
Trash art is finding new and inventive ways for recycling those things you normally throw away.

Where some people see trash, others see art. And, in some art, some people will only see a pile of meaningless trash. So, what's the difference? Maybe it's just in the eye of the beholder or artist. Maybe it's simply a matter of opening our minds to new and unique ways of doing and seeing things.

Trash art has been around for many years, and it seems to make a comeback from time to time. But it seems that only the more eccentric or popular artists are viewed as true artists when working with items normally discarded in the trash pile. Why can't the average person be considered an artist, when they pull the same items out and mold them into some form of personal art of their own creating? Maybe it's because we all have our own pre-set ideas of what art is, and isn't, or who artists are, or should be. After all, how would you feel if one of your neighbors or coworkers saw you prowling around in some dumpster or trash pile? Would they think less of you? Would you care?

 
Make Mini Scrapbooks From Ziploc Bags
Make Mini Scrapbooks From Ziploc BagsLearn how to make inexpensive mini scrapbooks. Great project to introduce kids to scrapbooking.

Creating special scrapbooks can be great fun and educational too. Unfortunately, it can also be expensive. Scrapbooking supplies don't come cheaply, and parents can find themselves "taking over" the scrapbooking session so that those expensive supplies are not wasted during the learning process. Unfortunately, as soon as an adult takes over, it stops being fun or educational. What should you do?

 
How To Make Unique Homemade Lamps
Some basic ideas on how to make homemade lamps and lampshades. Ways to decorate the shades by using stencils, buttons, ribbons, beads or rubber-stamps.

Many ordinary or unusual objects can be made into homemade lamps. Hobby and craft stores sell the basic kits, which include the cord, stem, and socket. Visit flea markets, garages sales and thrift stores to find objects you can use to create these unique lamps. Glass and brass vases work very well, but you could also use ceramic figurines, toys, or teapots.

 
How To Make Homemade Stickers

How to make stickers that adhere safely to all surfaces. They're easy and inexpensive - fun for all ages! Great for gifts or just for fun. Anyone can make homemade stickers; all you need is a little patience and creativity. These stickers are easy to make and will adhere to and pull safely off any surface. They are great for people of all ages!

What you'll need: Little squirt bottles of fabric paint (like Tulip brand or something similar that you can find in the craft section of almost any store) and a mirror or the lid to a plastic container to work on.

 
Candy Crafts

With over 35% of all candy being sold on a holiday, candy crafts and gifts have proved to be a billion dollar industry. Handmade candy gifts are especially popular and can be a cost effective craft to create.

According to the National Confectioners Association, over 25 pounds of sweets are consumed per person each year! If music and love are considered part of an international language, I would have to rank chocolate and candy as another enjoyment that knows no boundaries. With over 35% of all candy being sold on a holiday, candy crafts and gifts have proved to be a billion dollar industry. Handmade candy gifts are especially popular and can be a cost effective craft to create. Here are a few idea's you can try making.

 
How To Make A Scarecrow

Information on how to make a scarecrow which includes clothing to use, how to stuff scarecrow and ways to decorate with a scarecrow. Scarecrows make a great decoration for your lawn in the fall. Scarecrows are fun to make, and the whole family can join in on creating it.

To make a scarecrow you first need to look around your house for any clothes that you don’t want or use anymore. The types of clothing used for scarecrows can be jeans, skirts, overalls or flannel shirts. Don’t limit your clothing choices to these. The clothing can be pretty much anything you choose to dress your scarecrow up in. Patches can be added to jeans and overalls to give them a more of a country look. You can also look for hats which can be straw hats or even men's caps. These hats can be used to decorate the scarecrow too.

 
Homemade Air Fresheners

Fun, easy, natural, homemade ways to freshen the air indoors!

Indoor air quality is becoming more of an issue as people are spending more and more time indoors. Most of us have seen reports on common dangerous household pollutants such as deadly molds, lead from paints, asbestos, and many others. What many people are not aware of are the dangerous chemicals we are willingly bringing into our homes and using in the form of air fresheners! Many commercial air fresheners use chemicals that have detrimental side effects such as agents that deaden your sense of smell, oils that coat your nasal passages, chemicals that can be damaging to skin and eyes, and ingredients that can be very poisonous if accidentally ingested. In addition to being potentially dangerous, many commercial air fresheners don't actually freshen the air, they just mask one odor with another! So, what are we to do if we want a pleasant smelling indoor environment? Try a more natural approach!

 
Fun Inexpensive Gift Ideas

Inexpensive gift ideas, an article with tips on making quality, personal gifts at home. Some suggestions include a hand-bound journal, beaded jewelry, and photo frames.

How easy is it to walk into a department store, pick up an impersonal gift, wrap it, and give it? Well, it can be just as easy and sometimes less expensive to give a gift from the heart. Do you know what your gift recipient likes? With the aid of a computer and/or the local arts & crafts store, it's simple to create gifts that are appreciated for their individuality. A one-of-a-kind gift can mean so much more than something store-bought can. So here are some ideas for creating gifts your family and friends will be proud to show off.

 
Canvas Printing

Printing on canvas is incredibly versatile and a great way to create a ready-to-hang image or artwork. Every canvas that we print  is protected with a UV coated acrylic finish to guard the print from dust, moisture and fading. Do you want your canvas stretched on bars or non-stretched? Framed or unframed? Customize the work to make it truly your own.

 
Art Prints – How are they made?

Image
Photography by Laurie Barone-Shafer
Nowadays just about anyone can take a good quality photographs with a digital camera. Or take a few hundred pictures and the chances are few will be good, and even one or two outstanding.

Here are a few tips, tricks and techniques on how to make art print poster ready photographs and print ready digital files. Don’t get overwhelmed, there is a lot of information here, but a lot of it is just intuitive. Well, a bit of patience will always help.

First thing – Photo Size

If you taking a digital photo of you family or friend the largest size you would print is usually 5 by 7 inches, maybe 8 by 10 at the most. Even small size digital photographs (2MB or less) are ‘good enough’ to create a decent print. But if you want to create prints that are 16 by 20, 20 by 24 inches or larger you need more pixels (in pixels 20 by 24 inches photo is actually about 40 times larger than 3 by 4 inches photo assuming they have the same resolution).

 
Learning to Paint Watercolors

Watercolor is an easy, fun medium for creating art.  Color theory, composition and design can be explored freely with watercolor paint, paper, and brushes.  Several techniques may be used with watercolors for varying effects including painting wet on wet, wet on dry, layering washes, and more.

Watercolor paper comes in cold press, hot press, and rough.  Rough paper has the most texture, and its hills and valleys can result in interesting effects when paint is added.  Hot press is the smoothest and has the finest texture.  Cold press has a moderate amount of texture and is the paper most commonly chosen by watercolor artists.

Watercolor paper comes in several weights ranging from 90 lb. to 300 lb. based on the pounds per ream of paper.  Most artists prefer to use at least 140 lb. paper.  Papers vary somewhat between manufacturers, so sampling different papers is advisable.  Paper can be purchased in pads, in blocks or in large sheets.  The large sheets are usually the most economical and can be torn into whatever size is desired.

 
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