For some people, going into a local craft store is a treat that is equal to enjoying a picnic, a sporting event, or a much needed get-away from the stresses and strains of a hectic lifestyle. Such places are bright with colors, ideas and designs that never fail to bring a smile to even the most busy people.
Major businesses such as Michael’s, Jo-Ann’s, Hobby Lobby or A.C. Moore stores provide a wealth of possibilities and supplies for any sort of project ideas that will keep your hands and thoughts busy for the entire year. Whether you like to design floral arrangements, paint, knit or scrapbook, a craft store will have the supplies you need.
Many smaller communities also have their own version of the larger stores, and will carry items that the big ones don’t, while other carry only selective items that are the most popular at any given moment. Whether you shop at a huge national store or a small, local one in your town, a craft store is the first place to shop when you have a particular project in mind. Whether you’re making a quilt or knitting a sweater for junior, visit your local stores first for ideas and products that will make your job easier.
Some stores cater to specific needs, such as painting, yarns or beads and stones. Larger cities often have more than one store, which makes completing any project a snap for locals, while smaller communities are more limited in their offerings.
However, the Internet makes shopping at any craft store as easy as clicking your mouse. In fact, more people today are ordering their supplies from stores on the Internet to take advantage of more competitive pricing, product offerings, as well as the ability to shop globally.
When looking for a local store that will suit your needs, it’s a good idea to visit them to see what kinds and amounts of items they carry and to determine whether their employees are knowledgeable, friendly and willing to answer questions or provide suggestions when it comes to help or ideas. Check and compare pricing as well, as they will vary.
Sometimes, people will choose a particular craft store to support and utilize and refuse to visit any others. Such loyalty is nice, but may prevent a customer from benefiting from additional ideas, supplies and opportunities. Try to find at least two or three store offerings in your area that will cater to several craft supply needs, the most common of which are yarns, scrapbooking and fabrics.
Even if you don’t need any particular types of supplies, it’s fun to venture into a craft store once in a while just to get an idea of what people are doing and creating. Especially around the holidays, visiting a craft store can provide a myriad of ideas and projects that will help to create lasting memories that are designed and created with love and provide plenty of enjoyment for years to come.
For more information on crafts, try visiting http://www.craftguidance.com – a website that specializes in providing craft related tips, advice and resources to include information on craft store.
Author: Candice Sabrina
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
iPhone/iPad accessory
Filed under Bead Craft Ideas by on Oct 17th, 2010. Comment. 
It’s not so easy coming up with a fun way to congratulate a friend or co-worker, but you’ll find that a congratulations party craft item goes a long way. These nifty congrats gloves are a great party item to make up before the party or to get kids involved in making during the party event. Then you’ll be able to really ‘hand it to them’ when letting that guest of honor know how well they’ve done.
Nifty Congrats Glove
For this Congratulations party craft you’ll need the following items; work glove, paper, scissors, felt, glue, plastic beads, wooden dowel, polyester fiber fill or newspaper and ribbon.
Once you get your items you can create your craft glove. Set the work glove on a piece of paper and trace around the four fingers and palm of the work glove, but not the thumb. Next, you’ll use the scissors to cut out the thumbless hand shapes. Then you’ll trace around the thumb on a piece of paper and cut out the shape.
Use these paper templates to cut shapes out of felt. Attach the felt to the Congratulations glove with fabric glue.
While the glue is drying you can accent the top of the glove by gluing on felt fingernails and plastic beads in different fun patterns or around the base of the glove.
When the glue is dry, slide the end of the wooden dowel into the Congratulations craft glove until it reaches the tip of the index finger. Stuff the glove with the polyester fiberfill or newspaper.
Secure the glove to the dowel by tightly tying the ribbon around the wrist, and voila you’ve created a congratulations glove.
This is an excellent Congratulations party craft item to give to your guest of honor. You’ve got to hand it to them, they did a great job. So be sure to remind him or her to give themselves a pat on the back!
Mrs. Party… Gail Leino takes a common sense approach to planning and organizing events, celebrations and holiday parties with unique ideas for Congratulations party supplies and fun Congratulations party games She explains proper etiquette and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free holiday printable games and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Themes including Congratulations Party Supplies to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or “just because” parties. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.
Author: Gail Leino
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
iPhone iPad apps
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Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work at a craft fair? Well. let me tell you, it’s not fun or glamorous, but the tacky people can sometimes be entertaining! I am a jewelry artist and a stay-at-home mom. Three years ago I started my own business called Feminine Flair Jewelry and began selling my handmade jewelry to friends and family. That was going well and I was receiving many compliments, so I thought, why not expand into craft fairs? I will tell you now that you can always make more money at home parties and have more fun than at any craft fair.
The negatives of craft fairs are that they attract people who are tacky and cheap. Now, I am not talking about quality art fairs, art shows put on by artists’ organizations (I belonged to the Leavenworth Artists’ Association in Leavenworth, KS and they have several profitable and fun shows a year), ladies’ night out (these are usually profitable), or holiday shows where people are shopping for Christmas gifts. I am speaking specifically right now about your average, small town fairs and craft fairs. If you think that it would be fun to rent a booth at one of these for your home business, let me let you in on a few things to consider first. Your day starts out at about 5 a.m. when you get up, load up your car with all your folding tables, merchandise and food for the day, and drive to the town where the fair is going to be. Then, you have to unload your stuff in all kinds of weather (I’ve been rained on, snowed on, and had 100 degree heat), and drag it a few blocks from the parking lot designated for vendors to your actual assigned spot. Sometimes you don’t even have an assigned spot and it’s first come, first served, which is even worse. While you are setting up all your merchandise, you are usually dealing with other vendors who are sleep deprived and grouchy.
I usually try to do all this with a smile on my face because according to my 6-yr-olds’ book about the human body, it takes 19 muscles in your face to smile and 43 to frown! Sometimes others appreciate my positiveness and it gets them in a better mood too, but for those Ultra Oscar the Grouch types, this seems to make them even madder. Well, usually when they find out I have more unique and original jewelry designs at cheaper prices than their run-of-the-mill stuff they don’t like me anyway. 
After all your equipment is set up, you usually sit there for 2 to 3 hours before your first sale occurs. This is because most of these po-dunk fairs require you to be there way earlier than anyone would actually show up to shop. By the time the first round of customers start showing up, you usually have to pee really bad! At this point, you have two choices, leave all your stuff there to seek out the nearest port-a-potty, or hold it. I usually opt for hold it. This is the brakes of working at these festivals while leaving the kids with your husband…you are alone to deal with it all. Very rarely did it work out for either my husband or someone else in my family to show up to relieve me (literally!). After 2 years, I learned to not drink so much coffee and in fact, that it was better to just not eat or drink all day at all and hit the nearest fast food joint on the way home. One time I sat outside all day at the Amelia Earhart Festival in Atchison, Kansas when it was 115 degree heat index outside and my gazebo broke. Not only was I thirsty, hot and sunburned, but I didn’t have anything to eat all day. Luckily, I sweated so much, that at least I didn’t have to pee.
Imagine going through all this physical discomfort while the whole time watching out for potential shoplifters, making polite small talk, waiting on the customers who are actually interested in your products, listening for your cell phone in case the babysitter calls, and dreading the end when you have to spend about an hour loading it all back into your car. The whole thing turns out to be about a 15 hour day.
The most money I ever made in 1 day at an outside festival was $450. Now, subtract retail tax, booth fees (the better fairs are $100), supplies used in manufacturing the items you sold, the time it took to make the items, gas, food along the road, any babysitting fees and ask yourself “Was that worth it?” I almost always at least broke even, but once I had to pay the babysitter more than I actually made in profit and that wasn’t counting if I had been paying myself for time. I basically didn’t make any money for the time I had spent making the jewelry I actually sold.
Now let me tell you about the positives of home parties:
First off, you don’t have any set-up fees or booth fees or fees of advertising the home party. The person whose house it is at usually gladly exchanges their time, use of their home, and food at the party in exchange for free jewelry as hostess gifts. This is a win-win situation for everyone because if you give the hostess something really great to wear, she will invite more people to your jewelry party, and any compliment she receives on the jewelry she is wearing will be free word of mouth advertising. I usually print out invitations from my computer for the hostess to distribute to all her friends. Also, everyone who attends the party will be someone who is either actually interested in your products or is obligated to buy something because so-and-so came to one of their home parties and bought something. Isn’t peer pressure great?
All a home party costs you as the merchant is your time and some gifts for the hostess. Also, I usually offer a prize for a drawing if people put their contact information in the fishbowl.
The second really great positive of a home party is it is MORE FUN! One time, someone had a jewelry party for me on Cinco de Mayo and served Sangria and Margaritas. It was really fun and I sold a lot of jewelry. They were all nice people that I already knew or enjoyed meeting. The conversation and the food was great and it was in a really nice house instead of outside at a mosquito ridden craft fair. I have gotten to know many people better by simply being in their home and having a chance to talk with them one-on-one. Also, many people enjoy shopping for stuff like jewelry where it is a more layed back atmosphere and they can actually try the items on at their leisure. These are the people that actually come to like not just your products but you also, especially if you have excellent customer service skills, and will be repeat customers for you during holidays. People come to home parties intending to socialize and buy things-not just to look so they can make it themselves later. In my experience, you can sell more jewelry at a 2 hour home party than you would sitting outside at a fair all day.
Now, I will conclude by telling you the funniest and tackiest things that ever happened to me at outside fairs in case you think you are still considering them:
*Festivals with lots of rides and kid oriented activities don’t result in sales…they result in fanny-pack toting, stroller pushing parents who don’t buy anything and just came to spend time with their kids. And personally, when I take my kids out for 4th of July or any family-oriented festivals, that’s what I came to do-spend time with my kids-and I don’t shop either.
*One time a magician kept coming to my booth for the purposes of flirting with my sister all day. He was so corny and aggressive with one magic trick after another, he actually deterred people from my booth. Others were afraid to come under my gazebo for fear of being roped into some ridiculous trick.
This was at the Merriam Turkey Creek Arts and Crafts Festival in Merriam, Kansas.
*One time a woman wearing a huge and tacky plastic flower brooch asked me if she could “commission a bracelet” for herself. I’m quite certain I wouldn’t have been able to make anything tacky enough for her liking and I might also add, my bracelets were $10…not profitable enough to bother with any “custom orders” on a lower end item like that.
*Some people at craft fairs are cheap and will try to either look at yourself to steal your ideas and make it themselves, or barter with you. I once had someone ask if they could pay me $5 for earrings I already had marked at $6. I told them that a craft fair isn’t a garage sale and that I thought my prices were already low enough. Then she took out 6 dollars and paid. I thought to myself “if she had the $6 why did she offer $5? Just to see if she could get away with it?” Or then, there’s my favorite line when someone looks at your jewelry and leans over and says to their shopping companion “We can make this.” That is just plain rude. Then there are the people who want $5 worth of gift wrap for a $5 item. I am there to make money, not provide a community service.
*The tackiest award ever goes to someone who was shopping at my booth at the Spring Arts and Craft Fair in my hometown of Lawrence, Kansas. “Can I buy your silver hoop earrings without the bead work?” the rudo asked. I smiled, said “sure” and removed all my beads from the hoops. Wrapped them up and charged her the amount it costs me for a whole package at my wholesale price for the one pair. I figured if she was that rude and stupid, it was her loss. It was insulting and she was probably going to make her own project out of them, but oh well, it was still money in my pocket.
*There have also been people who smoked inside my gazebo, let their dogs stick their front paws on my white table cloths, threw things away in my personal trash can like stinky food that drew flies, asked if they could use my cell phone, or tried to sell me some tacky product of theirs-like a toilet paper holder covered with a towel and fake flowers…and then there was the guy with knock-off sunglasses who kept hitting on my sister.
I am currently trying to have a website. So far, it is not near as successful as home parties either, but look me up in a year and I’ll give you my opinion. Or look up my jewelry designs at [http://www.feminineflairjewelry.com]
Emily Foster
Jewelry Designer and Owner of Feminine Flair Jewelry
[http://www.feminineflairjewelry.com]
Tacoma, WA
Created and written by Emily Foster, Jewelry Artisan/Designer and owner of Feminine Flair Jewelry, [http://www.feminineflairjewelry.com]
Author: Emily Foster
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Duty on LCD/Plasma TV
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Now that the weekend is here, the kids need something to do. So, why not create your own weekend camp for your kids? The best part of camp is doing great craft projects that get the imagination going. Therefore, step number one in starting your own weekend camp is to set up projects that they can do on their own or with just a little bit of supervision from you. Here are some crafty projects that you can set up quickly and easily.
One project is to fill empty bottles with coloured sand. All you need is an empty bottle (with lid), sand (from either the beach or the store), coloured chalk, wax paper and a funnel. Start by putting a small bit of sand on the wax paper. Then roll the chalk in the sand until the sand changes colour. Next, use the funnel to fill the bottle with the coloured sand. Finally, repeat these steps using different coloured chalk until the bottle is completely filled. Put the lid on the bottle. If you like, you can create a label for the bottle putting the year or the name of the beach the sand came from.
Another project is to make your own pinwheels. Start by cutting out 4 squares from construction paper. On each square, cut a line from each corner to almost the middle of the square. Then take one corner and fold it over to the center. Glue the corner to the center. Repeat this process of folding each corner to the center and gluing it in place. Hold the paper together until the glue has dried. Then use a stick pin to attach the center of the pinwheel to the eraser part of a pencil. Give the pinwheel a gentle tug to see if it will spin easily. Once you are happy with the way the pinwheel spins, then use stickers or glitter glue to decorate the pinwheel. Finally, take it outside and let the wind spin the pinwheel around and around.
A third project kids can make is to decorate their very own hat. This way they’ll want to wear their hat more and that will help protect them from the sun. Buy a variety of craft jewels and fabric paint and let your child decorate the hat anyway that they want. Tip: If you buy jewels, you can attach them to the hat with permanent fabric glue. Don’t use white craft glue or a hot glue gun, as this will not stick to the fabric.
A fourth project you can do is to have the kids make their own clay beads for necklaces and bracelets. Simply take some no-bake modeling clay (choose a variety of colours) and take a few pinches from two colours or more. Roll the clay together until it forms a small ball – either round or oval. If you are using more than one colour, you’ll end up with a marble effect with all the colours mixed together. Once you have rolled the clay into a small ball, then stick the ball on a wooden skewer. Remember to keep the balls from touching one another and let the clay balls dry for 3-4 hours. Once they are dry, take them off the skewers and they’re ready to make them into necklaces and bracelets.
Another project idea for kids is to create their own pet rocks or pet seashells. Start by gathering some rocks and seashells from the beach. Then put some newspaper on the table and put out a variety of supplies like paint, rolly eyes, miniature doll clothes, beads or anything else you want. Then let your kids go wild and create their own pets by gluing them together, painting them and gluing on eyes or whatever else they want. They’re cute and a great way to keep the kids busy.
Looking for some more projects for your kids to do? Then check out Beautiful Creations at http://www.beautifulcreations.ca/ProjectIdeas/FreeProjectsForChildren.htm for great crafty ideas for kids that will get their imagination going. Still, looking for more ways to inspire your kids to be crafty and creative? Then visit http://www.beautifulcreations.ca/Crafts/CraftKits.htm to see tons of crafty kits just for kids!
Author: Joanne Jones
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Canada duty tariff
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I will provide you a few ways to capitalize on the stones and other hardened material like stones (glass, beads), and then can take it and run with it from there. The beauty of this type of craft is that you can find the stones you want inexpensively – and you can hike up the profit margin. When you are buying the stones in bulk for your craft show items, it makes it easy to keep the costs down and the profit margin up!
Here are 3 ways you can incorporate stones into your craft show items:
1.) Mosaics – Mosaics are a craft that allows you to create a picture or design out of a variety of materials. You piece the stones and other material and it looks like a patchwork of pieces that eventually comes together to form a great picture. This art form is enjoying a renaissance in the craft show world, and it might be time for you to get involved.
2.) Jewelry – Everything from bracelets to necklaces and even smaller, basic rings can be made. Depending upon your experience making crafts and working with metals – you might be able to create elaborate jewelry for craft shows. Once people show a desire for your work, the popularity can spread like wildfire. Take some time to find out what other people are making for jewelry – and then come up with something completely original and you might just have a craft show winner on your hands.
3.) Decorative pieces – You can make stand alone decorative pieces from larger stones, or you can use nice, polished and colored stones to trim your other craft show creations. Stones make great highlights for some pieces – for example, it could be trim on a birdfeeder or nice stones can be inset into pottery. You can come up with a variety of ways to use the stones as a part of another craft show item.
With the multitude of stones available (and those that come in bead and colored glass), you can surely make it a part of your craft show item. They are inexpensive and they are versatile in their use. Why not add a little pizzazz to your craft show booth and maybe even a few dollars to the bottom line by working with stones.
Rob Goyette shows you how to make your craft show business profitable in his best selling ebook: Craft Show Success Secrets. Visit his site: craft shows.
Author: Robert E. Goyette
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Digital Camera Information
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Happily, I finally have a studio, in the largest bedroom upstairs I now have all my threads, my stash of canvases and all my needlework and design books. This represents a great step forward for me as the stuff used to be all over the place. And that space was stolen from the dining room, breakfast nook, my closet, and a ton of other places. I have been an expert of finding space when you don’t think you have any.
The key to organizing your craft stash is to know what you have. This accomplishes two things. First, you don’t buy the same thing more than once (and believe me I’ve done that often). Second, you can then find ways to store and keep track of everything.
Start with one area of your stash: in my case, these are threads, canvases, projects, books. Spread it all out and put like with like. For example, if you are arranging canvases, sort them into small, medium, and large, started with threads, not started with threads, and the charity pile. If you are lucky you can find a container to store everything. I still do this every time I put away threads from the last few projects.
Storing Large Items
Most crafts have some large items. These often require special storage.
Do they need to be flat? Think about plastic underbed containers (cheap) or flat drawers (more expensive). My dream is to have a set of flat architect’s drawers for needlepoint storage.
Other ideas include an empty dresser, a set of wire drawers, or even a plastic bucket or large basket if the items can be rolled.
Thread Storage
Threads can be stored neatly in all kinds of containers. Decorative tins are inexpensive and found at thrift shops. Baskets are pretty but are open. Often you can find lots of plastic buckets around in cheerful colors. Cigar boxes have a lovely smell and are beautiful.
In organizing thread, you need to decide if you want to have threads by type or by color. Decide this by thinking about how you dream about threads. I think about texture first, so I’ve organized by thread type. When organizing your threads, put them in piles according to type (or color). You will need a container big enough for each group of threads. Splitting up threads (especially overdyes) into more than one container can make it difficult to find things. I had my Watercolours in four baskets, warm, cool, multi and neutral, but sometimes two skeins of the same color would go into different baskets. The new bin is large, but I know where the thread goes.
Yarn Storage
Yarn presents different problems than thread because the skeins are bulky and there are so may of them. If your stash is not too big, store them in baskets. I have even used wicker laundry baskets and an unused bathtub for yarn storage. If your stash is large, invest in those canvas storage boxes. They will keep your yarn away from moths, but they won’t cause the yarn to deteriorate the way plastic does.
A less expensive alternative is to use old pillowcases, but be sure to tie them securely.
Storing Bits and Bobs
Every activity has little tools or items which don’t fit well into the other categories. These can be stores in inventive (and often lovely) ways.
Stick-like things, such as brushes or pens can be stored in jars, glasses, or vases. If you don’t have any vases, go to thrift shop to find inexpensive ones.
Flat things, such as die-press cuts, should be stored flat, either in file folders (I like patterned ones) or in sets of flat drawers.
Small, easy to lose items, like beads or buttons, should always be stored in containers which close tight. These can be as simple as disposable food storage containers, or as complex as bead storage systems. But get them into something — there’s nothing worse than spilling beads everywhere.
The Tool Box
Most crafts have a set of tools which are used often. These should be corralled into some kind of storage. My beading tools, which are used all the time are in an open box on my worktable. My needlepoint tools which are used often are in a tray on my stitching table. The less used tools are in a tin box under the table.
Book Storage
Books can be organized or not, I would say mine have always been semi-organized. I put groupings of similar things together, like stitch dictionaries. Being a compulsive book purchaser this doesn’t ever work for long.
Now that I have the space, I organized the books and put them into the same room. It rarely stays this way, but at least now I have a “go to” room for finding them instead of playing hide and go seek around the house.
The Big Picture
Once you know what you have you need to look for places to store stuff. Do you have tables with empty drawers? My floss (now my daughter’s floss) is in the coffee table drawers. Is there an old dresser and space in the house or garage? Turn it into canvas storage. Is there space near your stitching chair? Buy a basket and store your current projects in it. Use unused tote bags, storage space in your closet, the corner next to your nightstand. As long as there is a tiny bit of space and a container, it can help you get organized.
One last point, at least once a year, review your stash and donate stuff you won’t use to charity. This makes room for new pieces you will stitch.
Janet M. Perry is one of the leading writers of needlepoint stitch guides in the world. She writes innovative guides for needlepoint canvases from over 20 designers. She puts into practice her motto to make needlepoint fast, fun and affordable.
She is an expert in needlepoint, both on the Web and through her writing as the Needlepoint Pro for Cross-Stitch & Needlework magazine. She works with deigners, shops, and thread manufacturers on new products and regularly reports on trends in needlepoint.
Her newest book, Needlepoint Trade Secrets, will be available in the summer of 2007 on Amazon. Visit her website (http://www.napaneedlepoint.com) or blog (http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com) to learn about my newest products.
Author: Janet M. Perry
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Netbook, Tablets and Mobile Computing
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A Hawaiian luau is a fairly festive event, mostly famous for ham and pineapples. It’s not hard to see why you’ve chosen to hold one. Now, all you need is some kind of crafting project to tide over the guests while the food finishes cooking.
One of the easiest craft projects for a festive party like this is to make a beaded necklace, so I’d recommend making Hawaiian leis. The ingredients are fairly easy to come by, virtually any crafting store that you come across is going to have more than enough beads and string for any number of guests and designs that you could come up with. Although you could always go the traditional style and use flowers to make yours.
Now the method for making these is quite simple, first you’ll need to come up with the design for your lei. Such as color scheme, number of small beads to large beads, if you intend to use flowers, etc. Alternatively, it can sometimes be fun to just make it up as you go along; nothing says you have to have a plan.
You’ll want to make sure that your string for the lei is long enough to go around your neck and still have plenty of leeway for tying together at the ends. Finally you simply string the beads together and tie the ends of the tread together, you may want to use some glue to either hold the last beads in place or to hold the knot on the string together. Otherwise there is a chance the beads will go flying everywhere if the knot comes undone.
If you want to use some flowers, you’ll need to put a hole through them to string them together. However, you should remember that unless you use dried flowers, they will wither and die on the lei. “
Mrs. Party… Gail Leino takes a common sense approach to planning and organizing events, celebrations and holiday parties with unique ideas for luau party supplies and fun luau party games She explains proper etiquette and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free holiday printable games and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Themes including luau Party Supplies to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or “just because” parties. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.
Author: Gail Leino
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Digital Camera Information
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When you start a craft project, do you end up spending more time looking for your tools and supplies than you do actually working on your craft? If you do, you are not alone! If you do any type of crafting or creative work, the supplies you use can quickly spread out and take over your home. The more crafts and hobbies you do, the more need you have for organization.
Organizing your supplies and tools will allow you to quickly locate the items you need to complete a craft. Organization will also save you money you won’t need to run out at the last minute and purchase a new pair of scissors or skein of yarn to replace the one you can’t find!
There are two different ways to organize your craft supplies, and chances are one will be better for you than the other. If you only work on one or two types of crafts, like scrapbooking and knitting, it is easier to make yourself a complete kit for each craft. That way you can pull out your scrapbooking bag and get started, without grabbing tools from a bunch of different locations.
If you do a huge variety of crafts– beading one day, sewing the next, and making soap a week later, then you should organize your supplies by type. That way you won’t need to dig through your sewing stuff to find your scissors every time you want them for a project.
Organizing by Craft:
If you decide to organize your supplies by the type of craft they are for, make a kit for each craft you do. Ideally, the kit will include everything you use to complete the craft, along with your tools and raw materials.
Start by gathering all of the supplies you have into one area. Doing this will allow you to get an idea of exactly how many items you have, and how big of a container you will need to store them. Once you have everything in one place, select or purchase a container to fit all of the items. Check out the storage section of your local craft store, and the scrapbook section as well– croppers have mastered the art of storage, and you can use their pieces for any craft you’d like. You should also check out the selection of tackle boxes at your local sporting goods store, they are designed with small items in mind.
Pick up an inexpensive pencil box for tools like scissors, tweezers, needles, and related items, so you can find what you need quickly. Use small containers like film canisters and plastic storage containers to hold little items so they don’t get lost.
Place your items in the storage container, with the largest things like books, fabrics, and other big pieces on the bottom. Top with the smallest items, and close the lid. When you are ready to work on a project, simply pull out your box and get started, without wasting time looking for loose items and supplies.
Organizing by Type of Supply:
Creative people often excel in more than one area. It is not unusual for someone who enjoys on craft like quilting to spread out into beading, embroidery, or even knitting. As they learn more techniques, they acquire more supplies. If this sounds like you, you will probably work best if you sort your items by type.
Having all of your fabrics in one location can help you pick out things for a project very quickly. If you sort them by color, you can get a good sense of what you have and what you need, before you head to the store. You can also store all of your scissors and cutting tools together, and grab a handy pair whether you are sewing or working on a paper craft.
Begin by sorting your items by type – put all the beads in one location, all the fabrics in another. Markers and pens stored together, as can adhesives. Choose a container for each type of item, and label the container. That way when you work on a project you can gather what you need, and get a good sense of what supplies you have on hand.
Organizing in this way can help the creative process as well – sometimes just seeing your materials all together can help you see things in a new light, and trigger new ideas.
No matter which technique you choose, organizing your stash of craft supplies can help you find things quickly, and spend more time crafting and less time seeking out lost items.
Whether you’re looking for craft supplies or finished items, Factory Direct Craft has it all. If you feel the creative urge, you can get just about any craft supplies you may need. Whatever you need we’re sure to have!
Author: Jessica Christman
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Panasonic Lumix G2
Filed under Bead Craft Ideas by on Sep 6th, 2010. Comment.
If you are a crafter or scrapbooker, you probably know someone who is as enthusiastic about making things as you are. And you probably also know many others who have never tried crafting and swear they don’t have a creative bone in their bodies. Both types of friends are a great opportunity to share your love of crafting, with a “made to order” Crafting Kit as a special gift.
When creating a gift for the seasoned crafter or scrapbooker, get a feel for what they already love. Is it fabric crafts? Candles? Stenciling or stamping? Card making? What are their tastes in colors, styles and embellishments? What have they finished lately – and what projects have been languishing?
For the non-crafters in your life (who need some serious converting), consider what other interests they have. Do they travel? Raise a family? Cook or read? Do they admire certain artists or decorating styles? Do they like the things you create?
Now, think about these craft kit gift ideas. They are more than gifts – they are an opportunity to create something wonderful.
Candlemaking 101
Take an aluminum saucepan – an old one is fine – or buy a new wax melting pot. Fill it with the basics: paraffin, stearic acid, candle wicks, a wax thermometer, fragrance oils, and wax dyes (or crayons). Include a mold and instructions. For the seasoned candle maker, get extravagant with the scents and dyes, as well as specialty wicks. Tie it all up in a ribbon.
Embroidery Fun
Take an embroidery hoop and several needles, a pattern and instructions, and enough embroidery thread to finish it. Fold them all into a plain shirt or jacket that is crying for embellishment and place in pretty box. Choose the difficulty of the pattern for the beginner or expert.
Beading Time
Start with an empty egg carton. Fill each compartment with an assortment of beads, sequins, and other stringables. Include several yards of beading thread or wire, and instructions for an appropriate project like a pin or bracelet.
Decoupage Your Heart Out
Start with a plain paper mache box or container, or an empty cigar box. Fill it with the essentials: decoupage medium, brushes in various sizes, manicure scissors, and patterned paper, collage sheets, or printed vintage images. Write “Decoupage Me” on the box and tie with a ribbon.
Crochet Anyone?
Begin with a simple sewing case or gift bag. Fill it with several crochet hooks and skeins of yarn, a yarn needle and a beginner’s book of small projects.
Stamping Mad
Into a gift box, put an assortment of rubber stamps for an upcoming holiday or event, stamp pads in several colors, a blender pen, and blank card stock and envelopes. Address one to you.
Paper Mache Dreams
Combine a package of small, round balloons, a bottle of liquid starch, craft paints, and instructions for several beginner projects like hanging jack o’lanterns, Easter Eggs or Christmas balls. Wrap the box in newspaper with a bow made of torn strips.
Stencil It In
Fill a plain paper mache or cardboard gift box with an assortment of small craft stencils, acrylic paints, tape or stencil adhesive, and stencil brushes, as well as spray varnish or lacquer.
Gingerbread Mobile Home
For the cook, find a good gingerbread house project, buy all of the imperishable ingredients, forms and decorations, throw in a set of wooden spoons, and deliver it all in a basket saying “Congratulations On Your New House!”
Ribbon, Ribbon, I’ve Been Thinkin’
For the amateur weaver, find project instructions of simple woven placemats made of ribbon on a fusible web backing. Supply the plans, the webbing, and all of the ribbon for a full set. Put it in a bog with the tag “I’ll be over for dinner in three weeks.”
Scraps Again?
Select a recent photographed event in your friend’s life. Gather together a small scrapbook, appropriate papers and embellishments to fit the theme. Add whatever essentials, like glue sticks and mounting squares, you think will be necessary. Present them in a gift bag, with an offer to go through the photos and help get the layout planned.
I hope these ideas are enough to get your creative engine turning. These gifts can be made even more personal with your offer to help them get started. You may discover that you have kindled a dormant crafting interest – or sparked an aficionado’s ambitions. These are truly gifts that keep giving – in fact, the final creation may come back to you with “interest.”
Scott Henderson founded Vintage Image Craft (http://www.vintageimagecraft.com) for crafters and scrapbookers who love creating with vintage images. Visit for free ideas, techniques, instructions and vintage image downloads.
Author: Scott Henderson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Humorous photo captions
Filed under Bead Craft Ideas by on Sep 4th, 2010. Comment.
Beaded jewelry making is a good idea of making your own jewelry out of glass beads. It started almost 3,000 years ago but it was used for denoting wealth and social status that only high class society people are allowed to wear beaded jewelry. Nowadays this jewelry is used by many for fashion purposes. You can make beaded jewelry on your own even though you’re not a jewelry designer. If you have the talent then enhance it by creating different kinds of beaded jewelry.
There are different kinds of glass beads that can be used for making necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings. The commonly used glass beads for jewelry making are crystal beads, seed beads, coral beads, plastic beads or even sterling silver and gold beads. You can even make beaded jewelry in different colors like red, blue, yellow, black, white, pink, violet and green. The most common beads used by jewelry designers are the Italian seed beads and Camilla glass beads because these beads has varieties of shapes and designs that can theme your jewelry in different purposes. In order to make amazing jeweleries you must choose the best glass beads.
There are techniques that you need to know such as stitching, stringing, knotting and wire wrapping. These techniques will make your jewelry definitely look extraordinary among the rest. There are also different of strings or thread used like silk, nylon, string, twine and plastics. The C-Lon and nylon are the preferred threads used in this craft because of their quality. Never ever use sewing threads or dental floss in stringing beads for they break easily and they are not appropriate for threading beads as well.
Beaded jewelry making will be successful if you will use the basic materials and follow the procedures carefully. Just create colorful and elegant jeweleries by mixing and matching different shapes and styles of beads. You can also use your extra beads at home to make them into necklaces, bracelets and anklets for accessories. Now that you know all these things about this beautiful craft, get those hands working and start making your own jewelry.
Tiffany Leffler is a glass beadmaking expert. Learn Ground-Breaking Secrets Of Making Your Own Glass Beads! Discover more information about beaded jewelry making, visit http://www.glassbeadjewelrymaking.com.
Author: Tiffany Leffler
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Unix inter-process communication (IPC)
Filed under Bead Craft Ideas by on Sep 1st, 2010. Comment.