Archive for the ‘Self Help’ Category

Clay Pot Crafts

Monday, December 8th, 2008
arts and crafts
Olivia Andrews asked:


If you have an artistic mind and you love you make something decorative and attractive for your home then clay pots are definitely a great idea to work with. You can make different items or can also so some painting on the clay pot in such a way that it will make the plant look better. It may also happen that you not even notice the plant just because the pot is so attractive.

To make a painted clay pot you need to have 4″ clay pot, opaque apple green acrylic paint, opaque blue lagoon acrylic paint, opaque yellow acrylic paint, semi opaque pumpkin acrylic paint, semi opaque white acrylic paint, fine point permanent black marker.

Steps to make a painted clay pot:

1. First using a small ruler and pencil, you should measure the height of the clay pot starting just below the rim. Then mark off the halfway point between the top and the bottom of the clay pot. Altogether you should measure and mark off the halfway point at four opposite places on the pot.

2. Now holding the plastic measuring tape up to the clay pot, connect the halfway points and then draw a light pencil line between all the halfway point marks around the pot.

3. Line up the ruler with each of the halfway points around the pot one at a time and draw a light pencil line from the top of the plant pot just below the rim to the bottom of the pot at this point. You will have 8 squares drawn on the pot.

4. Then you have to decide on the color scheme or arrangement of the colors into squares you have drawn on the pot. In one set of squares you can fill any combination of two colors and in the other one also you can fill other set of colors.

5. Squeeze a small amount of the pumpkin acrylic paint on the paper plate and gather a small amount of paint on the straight edge of the brush and paint along the straight lines of one of the squares with a generous coat paint on the paper plate. Outline and fill in one of the square completely with a generous layer of paint. Now paint the square diagonally across from it pumpkin using the same method as you did for the first one and let the paint dry. Rinse out and shape the brush again.

6. When this paint is drying, you can turn the pot around to other set of 4 squares. Squeeze a small amount of yellow acrylic paint on the paper plate. Outline and fill in one of the squares with a generous coat of the yellow paint. Paint the square diagonally across from it yellow suing the same method as you have did for the first one and then let the paint dry.

7. When the paint on this side is drying, turn the pot around to the first set of 4 squares. Squeeze a small amount of apple green acrylic paint and paint the square diagonally across from it green using the same method as you did earlier. Again let the paint dry and you can rinse out and shape the brush again.

8. Again while this paint is drying turn the pot around to the second set of 4 squares and squeeze a small amount of blue lagoon acrylic paint on the paper plate. Next outline and fill in one of the squares with a generous coat of blue paint. Paint the square diagonally using the same method and let the paint dry.

9. When the paint is drying for the last squares you have painted, it is time to paint the edge of the pot white. Squeeze a small amount of white acrylic paint onto the paper plate and paint the edges.

For further information, visit craft-books.net



Jessie

Craft a handmade Birthday card

Saturday, September 6th, 2008
arts and crafts
Olivia Andrews asked:


If you have an artistic hand and you like to add a personal touch to gift a birthday card then it is very simple to make on at your home. It will require some materials that are usually found at home and time of minimum 15 minutes. Cards craft book helps you in making cards with minimum efforts.

Many times it also happens that you don’t find the right card of your choice and so it is a great idea to craft one of your own. You should collect materials such as a white blank card, birthday border sticker, happy birthday sticker, birthday cake sticker, red balloon stickers, green gift box stickers, blue birthday candle stickers, green birthday candle stickers, yellow birthday candle stickers, blue double note sticker, red double note sticker, yellow single note sticker, red single note sticker, green single note sticker, red bold tip pen.

Instructions for making a birthday card

1. First cut the border sticker from the sheet of stickers. Then cut the border in half and center one half of the border at the top of the card. Once you are satisfied with the look, peel the sticker from the back and press it to the card in the predetermined spot. Center and attach the other half of the border sticker to the bottom of the card.

2. Then center and attach the Happy Birthday sticker below the top border.

3. Next center and attach the Birthday cake sticker below the happy birthday sticker but remember to leave enough room to write the name of the recipient.

4. Now arrange and attach a red balloon sticker on either side of the happy birthday sticker.

5. Then arrange and attach two blue candle stickers slightly above and to the left of the red balloon sticker on the left hand side. Line up a green candle sticker with the closest candle sticker and press it to the card. Attach another green candle sticker next to it with the same spacing between them as between the two blue ones. Repeat with the remaining set of candle stickers, that is the yellow ones.

6. Arrange and attach the double and single note stickers above, beside and below the red balloon sticker on the right.

7. Arrange and attach a green gift box on either side of the cake and then press into place.

8. Write the name of the recipient when you are ready to give the card to someone.

For more information, visit our recommended website craft-books.net



Micheal

Teddy bear craft book

Sunday, August 24th, 2008
arts and crafts
Olivia Andrews asked:


A teddy bear craft book is a guide that enables you to make soft teddy bears. It includes many types of teddy bears such as classic bears, wooly bears, bears to cook, bears to sew, bears in paper card and wood and also techniques such as sewing, knitting, printing, embroidery, making wooden toys and decorating cakes etc.

Few things to know:

1. It includes a useful stitching guide that you can refer when you make a project that includes different stitching techniques that you are not familiar to.

2. There are different tips along with the teddy bear projects that shall help you work with the fur fabric correctly so that your bear turns out to be perfect when it is ready.

3. It includes clear and specific instructions with important tips and reminders for successful completion of the project.

4. There are patterns accompanied with the projects that are full scale or need some adjustment. These patterns are clearly labeled as how they are to be adjusted to create proper size pattern for the project.

5. Teddy bear craft book also has a handy “knitting needle size equivalents” chart accompanied by instructions for the first knitting project.

6. There are also measurements, tension and abbreviation charts included with each knitting project.

This book is very useful for those who love to spend their leisure time by making some decorative and fun items that could be treasured for a long time. One can easily complete the given projects with all the necessary information at his fingertips.

There are different craft books available such as art and crafts book, holiday craft books, ceramic craft books, cross stitching books, home and garden craft books, paper craft books, knitting or crochet craft books, wedding craft book and a lot more from which you can choose one according to your skill and interest.

For more information, visit our recommended website craft-books.net



Willie

Make use of paper crafts

Saturday, August 23rd, 2008
arts and crafts
Olivia Andrews asked:


Do you have an artistic hand that could create beautiful things with the help of paper? Then, you can make use of an arts and crafts book which will enable you to make amazing things by your own that too in a very short span of time. You can make beautiful 3D flowers to scrapbooks that shall preserve the life story of your family with the use of paper.

If you buy these craft items from the market, they could cost you much but if you are making them right at your home you can easily save some money. Things you need to follow to save money for making the paper crafts are:

1. On occasions such as Christmas, New Year you can create gift tags or small gift boxes with the help of used greeting cards. You can also save by keeping the gift wrapping paper with you that could be used later elsewhere.

2. You can also find some used crafters online whereby you can keep an eye on purging ex crafters and get ready to cash in on your good fortune as soon as one has got tired of storing supplies.

3. While you are online, you need to watch the deals in disguise and never judge the book by its cover. There could be expensive book or photo album covers where you can save by buying an inexpensive album and then throw away the inside pages and fill it with your own pages fitted into plastic sleeves. You should also constantly look for ways to convert cheaper products in the ones you require.

4. Always buy in bulk and then swap. This is because when you buy a product in bulk, it saves a lot of your money. Then you can get a gathering of your crafty friends and swap these items like the old barters way.

5. Never pay money for what you can get free. Patterns usually cost much for crafters and if you don’t buy patterns you can buy crafting magazines for more ideas. If you are even tired of these magazines, you can visit online and find out great ideas.

For more information, visit our recommended website craft-books.net .



Roberta