By: John Savage
Arts and Crafts are about making things with your own hands and using
your own skills. An individual generally starts enjoying arts and
crafts out of interest. Arts and Crafts projects can be used for
decoration and help our environment by recycling of household items and
extras. You can also make money by selling these items, both online and
offline. This helps our world be a better place and helps earn money,
also!
Crafts activities entail a combination of skill and talent that almost
anyone can learn! Many community centers, schools and churches offer
classes and workshops teaching basic craft skills. Most of these
classes do not take long, are offered day and evening or weekends and
can be fun.
Some of the basic techniques that can help in utilizing your skills in
the area of arts and crafts will be detailed in my blog. The tips and
tricks mentioned in the blog may help you to deploy household
recyclables successfully and you can satisfy your creative quest
without spending much money.
Start a Craft Group and Share Skills
In order to start the craftwork, you can join a community centre group
or a workshop in your area or carry out the work collectively at some
predefined place. In this way you will not only save the cost of
commercial craft lessons but you will also benefit from each others
talents. There are usually one or two members who can teach something
new or are really good at a particular craft and can help those who are
struggling with a concept or who simply cant do a certain aspect of the
craft. You will find that the people who are interested are already
enjoying some form of craft. There is a treasure trove of ideas and
helpers available at workshops.
Various workshops provide free of cost training, free tea/coffee, cakes
etc. along with all the material for the workshop. You can join them on
an individual basis or you can make a craft group with a few interested
people. You can have a wonderful day together and learn new skills.
Sources for Great Ideas:
I. If you find yourself short for the great ideas during craft work or
for pursuing the art of craft, you may employ the Internet. You can use
the Internet to get free card making, scrap booking and other craft
ideas and templates.
II. Friends: turn out to be of great help and fun source of information
sharing. If you happen to find that some materials are not needed on
your project, you can exchange and share them among your peer group,
you can also share your views and material with other people pursuing
the same work by exchanging message boards on Internet scrapping sites.
Its a great way to get some new tools without spending much money.
III. You can join a local crafts group for getting or sharing his or
her ideas its indeed a great way to improve your skills. You can also
make your own group, start by inviting three four people from your
community and make new friends along the way! Making crafts can
fascinate anyone with some amount of creativity.
IV. On weekends have a crop day or card making day; everyone can bring his or her gear and share.
V. Inexpensive craft equipment can be easily found on the various
Internet auction sites. These types of sites are an excellent source
for a wide range of inexpensive crafts accessories.
VI. There are many market places on the Internet, where you can sell
your products. Using a search engine is a great way to find a place to
sell your crafts.
VII. Operate a crafts consignment shop.
VIII. A sales agent for handicrafts could be a way to excel.
IX. Sell handicrafts at fairs and flea markets.
About the Author:
john savage has a Blog where you can read about 101 Easy Craft Projects.
Click Here to visit
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Mitch Johnson
When we do the wood carving to make the ornaments, there are some
guidance which we need to know or learn so we can get the shape which
we want. In this article we will learn the method on how to carve for a
better result.
Ornament carvers, when making delicate carvings such as wall-light
brackets, sometimes laminate sections with the grain of each piece
running in the opposite direction to that of its neighbor. When glued
up, these pieces support and strengthen each other.
A method of making toys in eight sections for the sake of strength, the
grain in every case running the length of the thinner parts of the
horse, the ears, legs, tail and body are all in separate parts. This
type of toy is usually cut out on a fret saw, glued up and then carved
by a knife in the hand. I have used a similar method of construction in
making a carved horse in mahogany for a restaurant sign. The pattern of
the pieces will vary according to the design.
In many woods, such as jarrah, which grow under very dry conditions,
the grain is often wavy but straight in direction. This type of grain
in no way impedes carving. Woods such as lignum vitae, have an
interlocking grain and turn well on a lathe but can be difficult for an
inexperienced carver. In carving lime wood, apple, beech, cherry,
sycamore, pine, oak, and mahogany, you will not find any serious
difficulty as far as grain is concerned, provided you remember the
strength and the weakness of wood described in this chapter.
Carving a log In the previous article I have discussed the seasoning of
wood and the desirability of using dry timber. There is a great risk of
splitting if this latter rule is not observed.
However, I do not overlook the fact that you may have a log of wood in
your garden just asking to be carved. If you are willing to take a
chance on its opening up then by all means go ahead. Cracks are not
necessarily disastrous and can be filled.
I have heard of carvings splitting completely in half but you may not
be so unlucky. First bring the log under cover and jack it up on wood
blocks in a cool dry place. If you can leave it for some months, do so.
Many say that a log should be given a year’s seasoning for every inch
of its diameter.
I have heard a timber merchant say that the center of a large log is
never seasoned. It is not easy to make rules about this as so much
depends on the type of wood and the humidity of the atmosphere. In any
case you should not hasten the process of drying by exposing the log to
direct heat. If you paint the cut ends it will help to prevent
splitting. If a log is kept in the dark, in for instance the cellar,
and then suddenly exposed to the light, splitting will often take
place. I know this from painful experience.
In medieval times wood carvings were often made from the trunks of
trees that had been hollowed out from the back. This enabled the wood
to contract and expand. If, therefore, you hollow out the center of the
log it will help. This is not easy but you can bore a few holes up
through the center with the auger. This may prevent the star shakes. In
the oak carving by W. Soukop (PLATE XVI, page 56 ff.), the figure is
built in sections and the center of the wood removed.
A carving in a large log of wood, such as elm, may develop cracks, but
the wood is very tough and the whole mass holds together. When carving
just to please your self experiment with any wood available,
remembering that most of the fruit woods are excellent for carving. Do
not, therefore, turn your apple or cherry tree into logs for the fire.
We need to know how to handle the logs so they still can be use for
carving. From this article we learned that never dry the woods under
the heat if it was stored in a dark room for quite long time.
About the Author:
Mitch Johnson is a regular writer for www.kitchen-plans-n-designs.com/ , www.mycollectablesresource.info/ , www.goodbudgetholiday.info/
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Mitch Johnson
Wood like any others materials has come up in so many types. But we
need to know their characteristic so we know how to use them for the
wood carving. As each of the woods has different texture and color, we
will need some guidance on which woods that we have to use for our
purpose. In this article we will learn some tips of woods which we can
use.
Wild Cherry (40 lb.) Like other American fruit woods, wild cherry is a
very good carving wood. It needs slow seasoning and tends to split if
dried quickly. The sapwood is light and the heart-wood a reddish brown.
The texture is fine and even and it takes a smooth polish. It is used
also in cabinet work, frames and other decorative work.
Sweet Chestnut (42 lb.)
This wood can be mistaken for oak but it is about twenty-five per cent
lighter when seasoned. The silver grain present in oak is absent,
however. It is easy to work and has been widely used for timber work in
churches.
Ebony (63 lb.)
Ebony, not easily obtained, is black with a fine grain. The tools tend
to blunt because of the rather gritty nature of the wood. It will take
fine detail and a high polish.
Elm (36-37 lb.)
Elm, like ash, is a wood familiar in everyday life. We see it in
wheelbarrows, furniture and garden seats, and like ash it is tough and
strong and suitable for large wood carvings.
Douglas Fir (31 lb.)
This is a very strong wood and quite hard. It does, however, have a great tendency to check, split, shrink, and swell.
Holly (36 lb.)
This wood fine grained and heavy, is pure white in color. As the holly
is of shrub-like proportions, its wood can be used, like boxwood, only
for small objects and carvings, musical instruments, and inlay. Holly
is fairly easy to work and will take detail without breaking or
splitting.
Curly Jarrah (55 lb.)
This wood is rich red in color and is probably the most important tree
found in Western Australia. It can grow to as much as six feet in
diameter. Jarrah carves well and takes a very high natural polish. It
is extremely durable. The grain is straight but with a wavy or rippling
character.
Iroko
This is the West African carver’s favorite wood Exposure to air turns
the wood from straw color to red and the surface hardens. Finally,
however, it becomes hard all through and it is resistant to termites.
Kingwood (70 lb.)
This timber, not easily obtained, is found in Brazil and is similar to
Indian Rosewood. Sizes are small, the maximum being 18 inch in
diameter. The color of the wood is remarkable, almost violet with
narrow, regular black stripes interspersed with wide, lighter bands.
The grain is uniform and the wood will burnish to a fine natural polish.
Lignum Vitae (80-90 lb.)
This is one of the heaviest of all woods and is therefore widely used
for mallets and tools where weight and toughness is required. The
heartwood is dark greenish brown and the sapwood a contrasting yellow.
The fibres of the wood are interlocked and it is impossible to split,
though it can be carved with sharp tools.
lime (33 lb.)
This is a favorite wood for sculpture. It is firm and pleasant to
carve. The color is whitish to yellowish pink. Lime takes stain or
bleach readily, the latter turning the timber pure white. It is
moderately hard and takes a very good polish. Lime is also used for
drawing boards, hat blocks and cabinetwork.
Choose the wood according to their type. From this article we have
learned that each of the wood have their own characteristics and
typical. Before you start the wood carving, recognize the wood which
you have so you will know how to carve it in the proper way for a
better result.
About the Author:
Mitch Johnson is a regular writer for www.kitchen-plans-n-designs.com/ , www.interactivecollectables.info/ , www.goodbudgetholiday.info/
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Mitch Johnson
Plaster bats are easy to make yourself. This is a valuable project for
the beginner because it provides a background of experience for casting
and mold-making. Bats can be made in any size, and a variety of sizes
are needed. In this article you will find the important steps to make a
bat.
Although oilcloth is a satisfactory work surface for the beginner, a
plaster bat is much more desirable. It not only provides a sturdier
support, but it also keeps objects moist while you are working on them.
Unglazed biscuit tiles, 4×4 and 6×6 inches, are adequate for most
projects. They may be purchased from a ceramics supply house for a few
cents apiece.
A 12-inch pie plate makes an ideal mold for a round plaster bat. The
first step in making such a bat is to fill a container with the amount
of water that the pie plate will hold. Add powdered plaster of Paris
and stir to a molasses consistency. The liquid plaster is now poured
into the pie-plate mold. Agitate the plate gently to free the plaster
of air bubbles. At least 24 hours will be required for the plaster to
set and dry properly.
You follow the same instructions for making a square bat, but instead
of using a pie plate you use a square form, perhaps a medium-size
cardboard box. The plaster bat is a porous platform on which you can
work. By sprinkling it with water as you work, you can keep the piece
on which you’re working in a moist, plastic state for a long period of
time. By the same token, a bat can be used for the reverse purpose to
dry a piece of clay which is too moist for immediate work. The porous
surface will extract excess moisture from the clay.
Other Materials
A whirler or banding wheel is also a sound investment for the ceramist
who has advanced far enough to furnish his own studio. Primarily such a
wheel is used for decorating pottery. The top turns freely and so makes
it possible for you to rotate your work constantly. By holding a
paintbrush against the surface as it spins, you can paint straight and
even bands of color on such things as vases and mugs. A whirler can
also double as a small potter’s wheel for forming pottery pieces and
small ceramic figures.
After you have reached the stage where you have made or acquired your
own molds, you will need an assortment of heavy rubber bands to hold
together multi pieced molds while casting green ware. Cutting
cross-sections out of old, discarded inner tubes should supply you with
more than enough.
Your studio should also have the aforementioned crocks or large glass
jars for holding moist clay and slip. The one-gallon jars used for
packing pickles can be utilized for this purpose.
A sieve is also among the much-used workshop implements. The obvious
use of the sieve is to strain partially hardened lumps and impurities
from slip before pouring it into a mold.
About the Author:
Mitch Johnson is a regular writer for www.curtains-n-drapes.com/ , www.myceramicstips.info/ , www.ezceramicshub.info/
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Aaron Trubic
If you’re a knife making beginner, you should probably start with a
simple round-tanged Bowie knife. This consists of a blade with a round
tang to insert into the handle; a pommel and a guard; a handle; and
whatever fixative you use to hold it together. You really can’t go
wrong with this combination.
The first thing a novice needs to learn is safety. Wrap your sharp
blade in masking tape. Beginners are more likely to cut themselves than
old pros, so you should take every precaution not to do this. Remember
that a knife is a dangerous weapon, and you want to live into old pro
status.
Be certain to always wear safety glasses or goggles when working with a
knife, whether you’re sharpening it, drilling it, or sliding it into
the handle. Knives do shatter. You should be aware that some carbon
steel alloys have dust that is hazardous to your health when you
sharpen the blade. You should have a breathing filter available for the
times you must work with these.
Never force the tang into the handle; if it won’t go, you’re not
removing the burs properly. Beginning knifemakers often make the
mistake of not filing off the little spiky protrusions left on the tang
end of a knife blade before sliding it into the handle. If your handle
is pre-made (which is appropriate) and the tang is not going in, it’s
almost certainly the burs.
Purchase starter kits rather than trying to match the different
components of a knife themselves. There are plenty of starter kits,
from the simplest Bowie knife kits to more complex folding knives. By
using a starter kit, you’ll learn how knives are supposed to go
together, and later your own custom knives will be more solidly
designed.
There are several tools you should have. A soldering iron will make a
much more solid join between your blade and the guard than epoxy, but
it does require some finesse. You should have some sort of vise; you
only have two hands, and some of the procedures you will be performing
require an extra hand. Your vise is your extra hand. Always have files
on hand, a whetstone, and sandpaper of differing grains.
Prepare a workspace just for knife making. People often try to work on
the kitchen table or another inappropriate place; but since you’re
going to be clamping things down, generating dust, and otherwise
polluting and damaging your workspace, in the interests of continuing
on good terms with your wife or parents you should work somewhere it’s
safe to damage and/or pollute. Start with a sturdy table, preferably
with a strip of steel bolted down or clamped to it; if the steel strip
is thick and extends over the edge of the table, use this to clamp
knives to while they use both hands to work with the blade, handle, or
tang.
You have access to a vast variety of resources online. From online
stores selling prefabricated knife making kits to books, videos, and
internet how-to instructions on making knives, novices should be able
to easily locate information they need. Read widely. Don’t just read
the how-to websites, either. Go to the different supply websites, and
look at the different materials available, and the different knives
people have designed. You will learn as much from reading about knife
making equipment and materials as you will from a book, and maybe more.
Don’t limit yourself to just reading about modern knives, either. You
are participating in a long and venerable tradition, dating back to
pre-human times, of tool making. As a beginning knifemaker, you should
read about the history of knives, learn about important knives like the
Damascus steel blades of the Crusades-era Saracens, and the Jim Bowie
knife that helped tame the American West. These ancient and historical
knives can teach you a lot about design. Keep an open mind about what
kinds of knives you’re going to make.
Knife making is a great hobby, and eventually, if you master the
skills, you could even make money doing it. But as a knife making
beginner, start small and slow. Learn your basics. Later, when you are
a respected pro, you can try the really fancy stuff.
About the Author:
Aaron Trubic offers knife making advice, tips and information for knifemakers of all skill levels at his website, Knife Making Supplies.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Tom Ambrozewicz
Perhaps the most rewarding type of scrapbook you can make is one that
you intend to give as a gift. Scrapbooks make special gifts for almost
every occasion, because there handmade touches show that you care about
the person. When someone receives your scrapbook as a gift, he or she
may be inspired to create a scrapbook as well, and in this way you can
spread the scrapbooking bug to friends and family members.
There are many different types of scrapbooks you can make for the
recipient. One of my favorite types of themes makes a good gift for a
graduate or someone moving away-use pictures from throughout the years
of the person growing up and end with a recent picture and some blank
pages so the album an be continued. Pages made as a continuation make
good future gifts as well. This is also a good idea for couples
celebrating their wedding or anniversary. Instead of just having a
traditional wedding album, include pictures of both people from before
they met and then create pages of their life together.
Gathering pictures for these albums might call for you to be a bit
sneaky. Talk to friends and family members. Remember, never scrapbook
using a person’s original photographs without asking first. Instead,
make high-quality color copies at your local photocopy center. If you
use the machine correctly, you shouldn’t be able to tell the different
between the originals and the copies. By careful to replace the
photographs exactly as you found them, not only to prevent the
recipient from finding out the surprise, but also as a common courtesy.
Even some people who do not do scrapbooking have very precise systems
for keeping their photographs in order.
If you don’t have access to photographs or want to give a gift to
someone who likes to do the scrapbooking on their own, try making a
layout album for the person. This is an empty album of sorts-you do all
the page designing and let the person crop and add their own
photographs. They can use the album as given or remove the pages in
groups or singularly to add to an album they are currently creating.
Perhaps your best bet for an avid scrapbooker is not an album, however,
but a box full of supplies or a gift certificate to a local craft
supply store. You can still personalize this gift by choosing papers to
coincide with specific events in a person’s life-for example, buy
beach-themed paper for someone who recently bought a beach house, or
buy letter stamps that spell out specific names. With a little
creativity, you can use your love of the craft to give a perfect gift
to anyone.
About the Author:
Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files ready to download if you hate to keep printed files. You can check all scrapbooking tips at Ask-How.info now.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Mitch Johnson
Ceramics has existed for a long period of time. In this article we will learn about the history of ceramic.
Archeologists have uncovered the pottery remains of societies which
antedate recorded history by hundreds of centuries. Some of these
primitive jugs and bowls were made when man still did his hunting with
stone axes. The ravages of time have not marred their utilitarian
beauty, for when a ceramic article is fired properly it is converted
into one of the most indestructible of ordinary things. When it is
shaped with imagination and skill, it can become a work of exquisite
beauty.
Today it is possible for anyone, in his spare time, to produce
eye-pleasing ceramic objects for the home from simple ash trays to
complete sets of dinnerware. With the advantages of modern technology,
the do-it-yourself hobbyist can make ceramic pieces which until
recently could only be turned out by the full-time professional. Best
of all, perhaps, is that ceramics as a hobby is satisfying and exciting
fun.
Despite the many innovations easy-to-apply colors and glazes, electric
kilns, prepared clays enjoyed by hobbyists today, the basic methods of
ceramic manufacture have not changed since the days of prehistoric man.
They have been improved, embellished upon, but not essentially changed.
Of course, there is no precise history of how or when man added
pottery-making to his repertoire of skills. For millions of years he
used what he found lying about him, such things as seashells and
gourds, to transport his precious water supply. Thus, it is not
surprising that the earliest examples of earthenware are modeled after
these naturally formed vessels.
In all probability, man stumbled across this revolutionary discovery as
the result of some fortunate accident. Perhaps some cave children were
playing by a river bank, making mud pies as youngsters still do. Maybe
one inventive child shaped his mud pie after a gourd shell and left his
handiwork in the sun for a few days, where it was baked into the first
man-made ceramic bowl capable of holding water.
In virtually every known primitive culture the secret of making clay
pottery was known. It was learned either by word of mouth or discovered
independently. The tribes-people took such clay as they could find on
the surface of the ground, or by some river bed, and spread it out on
stone slabs. Then they picked out the rocky fragments and beat it with
the hands or sticks to fashion it into the shapes they needed or fancy
dictated. For ages, the tools and techniques were of the simplest: the
fingers for shaping or building up vessels and a piece of mat or
basketwork on which to work.
Then some original genius of the tribe found that by turning his
support he could bring every part under his hand in succession. The
potter’s wheel was born.
It was so amazing to know, how the ceramic was made in the beginning of
time. But whatever the process are, it has created a beautiful pieces
to decorate our living room.
About the Author:
Mitch Johnson is a regular writer for www.curtains-n-drapes.com/ , www.ceramicsforu.info/ , www.goodbudgetholiday.info/
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Louise Nova
I wanted to set out some basic knitting instructions as a refresher so
here it is. All knitting instructions use basically two stitches, the
knit stitch and the purl stitch. Once you know these two knitting
essentials you will be able to follow most knitting instructions which
are just combinations or variations of these two stitches.
Knitting Instructions for the Knit Stitch
Once you have cast on, hold the knitting needle with the cast on
stitches in your left hand. Push the point of the right knitting needle
in between the front of the first and second stitches, pointing the
knitting needle to the right to feed the point through the first stitch
keeping it under the left needle. The knitting yarn should be at the
back of the work. Loop the knitting yarn around the right knitting
needle from back to front, letting the knitting yarn rest between the
needles. Catch the knitting yarn on the end on the right knitting
needle and pull it through the first stitch to the front of the work.
Slip the old stitch off the left needle. The new stitch is now on the
right needle. Now you are getting the hang of the knitting
instructions. It is a good idea to keep the knitting yarn draped over
the right forefinger, this keeps it to the back of the work too. Repeat
this process until all stitches are on the right knitting needle. Now
count the stitches, if they are all there, turn the right knitting
needle around and put it in the left hand. This is the first row from
your knitting instructions. The knitting yarn will look like it is at
the front and you will now take it to the back and start the second row
of transferring stitches to the empty right needle.
Knitting Instructions for the Purl Stitch
The Purl stitch will also be in any knitting instructions. Start with
the knitting needle with the cast on stitches in your left hand. Your
knitting yarn will be hanging in front. Push point of right knitting
needle into the front of the first stitch from right to left. Wrap the
knitting yarn around the tip of the right knitting needle, crossing
over the two needles and hanging once again in front. Slide the right
knitting needle down and back taking the new loop of knitting yarn from
front to back, through the old stitch. Slip the old stitch off the left
knitting needle. If you have followed the knitting instructions you now
have a stitch in purl on the right knitting needle and the yarn is
hanging, once again, in the front. Repeat this process until all
stitches are on the right knitting needle. Now count the stitches to
make sure you haven’t dropped any and turn the work around putting the
knitting needle with the stitches on in your left hand to start the
next row.
I hope you could follow my basic knitting instructions. I have a lot
more information about knitting on my Knitting Instructions blog so
please join me there to learn more.
About the Author:
Louise Nova loves knitting and teaching people how to knit. She also
loves to blog. Knitting for 30 years,she has taught many young family
members how knitting is fun and easy. You can find more information on
her blog at Knitting Instructions
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Mitch Johnson
Once you finish modeling the clay in your desired shape, the last and
important job is to give a finishing touch. This will give your model
it actual looks. So it is very important to know how and what tools are
to be used. This article will guide you in solving your problems and
giving your model perfect shape.
For decorating purposes, you will need several soft-hair brushes with
which to apply colors and glazes. These can also be used for applying
liquid clay (or slip), for mending and general modeling or shaping
purposes. The brushes can be of average quality, such as imitation
camel’s-hair watercolor brushes. Both pointed and flat-tipped brushes
should be in supply. Numbers 3, 5, 8 and 10 will serve almost all
requirements.
Wooden modeling tools also simplify the shaping and decorating of a
clay object. It is easier to push the clay into rough form with a
mallet or a block of wood than with the fist or the heel of the hand.
After the roughing-out has been completed and the large masses are
shaped, more detailed modeling begins. This calls for a few wooden
modeling sticks about 6 to 8 inches long, with thin, flat blades. The
blade ends are used for cutting, smoothing and shaping surfaces and for
welding fine lines. The round ends are used for welding coils together
and for all-around modeling and shaping.
A scratch-point is helpful in etching designs in a clay body. Almost
anything with a sharp point can be used effectively an orange stick or
any piece of doweling which has been sharpened to a point. You can, if
you wish, buy metal scratch-points in most stationery stores. These
will fit into any penholder. If you want to do graffiti work
decorations formed by cutting or scratching through an outer coating of
slip to show the clay underneath a scratch-point is a handy implement.
As you progress and want to try new decorating methods, you’ll probably
attempt slip-trailing, a method by which you achieve designs in relief.
Slip-trailing is much like decorating a cake with the words "happy
birthday". A hand irrigating syringe with a hard-rubber nozzle and a
bulb can be used for this technique. Cost is less than a dollar in the
local drugstore.
Wire-loop tools always find their way into the ceramist’s workshop
because of the varied uses to which they can be put. Again, they are
valuable tools for carving sgraffito designs. Also they are used for
smoothing the surface of pottery and sculpture, especially for cutting
down high places and for hollowing out hand-shaped figurines before
firing. Select three or more loop tools of sizes varying from 8 to 10
inches long, and with different shaped loops.
When working with molded green ware, you will need a fettling knife and
or an elephant sponge to sand off the mold marks and to smooth surfaces
and edges Cellulose sponges or fine sandpaper car also be utilized.
Now you can save a huge amount of money by creating you own made
decorative items, shaping and designing by you as per your taste.
About the Author:
Mitch Johnson is a regular writer for www.curtains-n-drapes.com/ , www.ezceramicsguide.info/ , www.myceramicstips.info/
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Tom Ambrozewicz
Most people who enjoy the art of scrapbooking spend a lot of time and
money creating each page, so it’s a real letdown when you’re almost
finished with a page and you make a mistake. Goofs happen; it’s part of
life, and no matter how careful you are, you will make a few in every
album. However, there are steps you can take to prevent accidents from
happening and ways in which you can fix your album so that nobody knows
the difference.
The most common way to ruin a page, as with a shirt or a rug, is by
spilling something on it. It’s not something you think about a lot of
the time, but protect your work by keeping food and drink separate from
your crafting station. Make sure your family knows that rule as well,
or your child may set a cup near your things, right where you’re bound
to not notice it and knock it over, potentially destroying hours of
work. Also, immediately put your pages into page protectors when they
are finished. Most albums come with these plastic protectors, but in
case you run out, have a back up plan. I like to keep extra page
protectors in a binder, and use them to store pages until I can buy a
refill pack that will fit my album. This will help keep your pages safe
from spills and messy hands.
Other mistakes come from human error when creating the pages. Always
check your spelling before you begin journaling. It’s a good idea to
write it out on a piece of scrap paper before you write it on your
scrapbooking paper. Write your words on the paper before gluing it to
the page if possible; that way, if you make a mistake you can start
over without having to ruin the whole page. If it is necessary to glue
the paper down first, before you do so, cut another piece of the same
paper the exact same size, using the first as a template. If you make a
spelling error, you can easily glue the second piece of paper over the
first and no one will be able to tell. Other mistakes made when
journaling, such as stray marks, can be covered with stickers or die
cuts.
Be open to reworking your design. It is easy to mistakenly lay a
picture or embellishment in the wrong place, off center, or crooked.
Make the most of the goof-often times you will be surprised that the
new look is actually better than the original. If all else fails
carefully cut each element from the background sheet and start again.
At least this way you only ruined one piece of paper instead of
multiple pictures and embellishments. If you find that your hands are
unsteady and you often mislay elements, you might want to invest in
removable tape or glue. You can easily reposition these kinds of
adhesives, so you’ll make fewer mistakes.
Try to laugh at your own mistakes when they are unfixable. Scrapbooks
are homemade, so they will never be perfect. That is part of the charm
of the craft. Blunders are often avoidable or fixable, but those that
are not only give your album character.
About the Author:
Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files ready to download if you hate to keep printed files. You can check all scrapbooking tips at Ask-How.info now.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
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