How To Use Embossing Powders
Using embossing powders for your card making ideas is just one of the versatile techniques commonly used by crafters. Embossing powders are a wonderful addition to and card makers or scrap bookers craft box.
Embossing powders come in a huge variety of colours and textures and can easily be used by beginners and professional for card making ideas
Using embossing powders for your projects can create many different effects but you will need to purchase a few basic materials.
The main item you will need to be able to use your embossing powders is a heat gun, these can be found at most craft stores or stamp companies. Some heat guns are better than others, when you are purchasing a heat gun it is worth asking for recommendations from other experts that have used them for their card making ideas.
You will need to have an ink pad, ink pads come in many different colors I find it best to use the same colour ink pad as the embossing powder you are going to use, this will eliminate the ink showing through. You can always use a clear ink pad however if you are a beginner I would start with a color so you can see where you have stamped.
Stamps – a stamp is essential when using embossing powders as this is the foundation of the design, rubber stamps can be found at craft shops and there are simply millions that can be bought over the internet.
Of course you will need embossing powder, again these come in a huge variety of colours, try to math the colour with the theme of the stamp where possible.
To begin embossing it is advisable to wipe the area where you are going to stamp with an anti static bag, I also find a light dusting of bathroom talc works just as well.
Once the area is prepared it is time to ink your stamp. Choose your colour of ink preferably clear but if you are new to card making ideas then a matching color to your embossing powder will be fine. Always take your ink pad to the stamp rather than pressing the stamp into the ink pad, this will give the stamp an even coating.
Once you have inked your stamp you can then press it firmly onto your project, hold your hand flat over the stamp to ensure the entire image is printed, press firmly using the palm of your hand, lift the stamp carefully away from the project and make sure you are happy with the result.
Carefully undo the lid of the embossing powder and generously sprinkle over the stamped image, if you are using a tidy try all the excess embossing powder can be easily tipped back into the pot, I find a folded piece of paper works just as well.
Gently tap the back of the project or card making ideas to allow any excess embossing powder to come off if you can see any odd bits of embossing powder still in places it should not be use a small paint brush to gently remove it.
Use your heat gun to heat the image until it turns shiny, hold your heat gun approximately 6 inches from the paper sweeping backwards and forwards until you see the embossing powder melting. Do not over heat the image as you can cause the paper and embossing powder to burn.
Once you are happy that all the embossing powder had melted you are done. Step back and admire your finished project.
Vicki Churchill writes for a site that specializes in card making ideas
http://www.vickiscardmakingideas.com
providing you with excellent tips and ideas for embossing powders and many other tricks and techniques.
How To Make A Cheap And Easy Gourmet Gift Basket For Mom
Gift baskets are always popular and a great idea to give as a gift whether for Mother’s Day or any other time of the year. Moms love to receive gift baskets. Making your own gourmet ‘mom’ gift basket is cheap and easy. You can fill your gift basket with a variety of inexpensive quality items; you have lots of choices.
I’ve put together a few great tips and ideas for making ‘mom’ gift baskets, complete with instructions on how to make them. You can make inexpensive gift baskets or expensive gift baskets depending on your budget. You can easily customize each basket to your recipient.
First make a list of the mom’s hobbies and interests. List everything you can think of that might possibly pertain.
Suggestions: sports, books, television shows, in-house hobbies, outdoor recreation, camping, workshop, tools, golf, fishing, computer-related, environment friendly, golf, tennis, relaxation, food, chocolate, wine, spa, bath and body, fruit, cookie, etc. These are just a few ideas.
You can find many inexpensive items and products for use in making your gift baskets or filling your gift baskets, at ‘dollar’ stores, craft stores, party stores, discount outlets, flea markets, close-out stores and even at garage sales providing the items are new, etc.
For gift containers you can use: any type of basket, wicker basket, straw basket, bucket, laundry basket, plastic container, purse, tin, seasonal container, large tea pot, large upside-down hat, red hat or plastic storage container-put lid underneath.
Other items: extra-large coffee mug, boot, potted plant holder, wire basket, large pasta bowl, large popcorn bowl, cooking pot, clay pot, colander, skillet, antique trunk, champagne bucket, hamper, Asian-style trunk or picnic basket.
For gift basket liner you can use: tissue paper, shredded paper, shredded newspaper, tea towels, dish towels, hand towels, kitchen towels, colored towels, colored napkins, placemats, or fabric pieces.
For gift basket filler you can use: shredded colored paper, straw, Easter basket grass, crumpled newspaper comics, a bed of wrapped chocolates or other wrapped candy.
For items in the container it’ll depend on the specialty or theme of the gift basket – in this case a mom. Here is a small random sampling to give you a few good ideas:
Gift certificate for massage or spa visit, scented oils, scented massage oils, gift certificate to favorite store, gift certificate for restaurant, loofah, fragrant candle, matches to light candles, CD of nature sounds, favorite artist CD, DVD of newer release movie, how-to video or CD, handwritten poem, perfume, cologne, watch, framed photo, inspirational book, spa pillows, bath pillows, spa supplies, bath and body products, facial and body scrubs, handmade soaps, fragrant soaps, shampoos, hand and foot lotion or fluffy towel.
Flavored teas, green tea, specialty tea, herbal tea, biscotti, tea infuser, healthy snacks, fancy chocolates, boxed chocolates, chocolate bars, hot chocolate mix, specialty coffee mix, homemade cookies, homemade brownies, homemade jams, popcorn, caramel corn, giant-size boxed candy, candy canes, suckers, lollipops, apple, pear, orange, persimmon, mango, papaya, chips, pretzels, nuts, gourmet pasta, gourmet olive oil, pre-packaged food items, pancake mixes, brownie mixes, cookie mixes, wooden spoons, your best chocolate chip cookie recipe, Italian recipes, Mexican food recipes or other ethnic recipes, coffee mug, or potholders.
Garden trowel or other garden tools, garden gloves, work gloves, cold weather gloves, leather gloves, garden picks, seeds, hand lotion, flower pot , small tools, gadgets, playing cards, travel-size games, small puzzles, t-shirt, tickets to events,
small plant, disposable camera, a small book,
Computer-related items, mouse pad, yarn, painting or artist supplies, golf balls, golf tees, golf knick knacks, tennis balls, tennis knick knacks, key chains, small calendars or desk calendars, barometer, outdoor thermometer, science gadgets, electronic gadgets, health-related items, auto-related items or cinnamon sticks.
For gift basket wrapping you can use tulle netting or better yet, cellophane wrap. If you’re going to use a lot of cellophane you can purchase it in large rolls wholesale through the packaging specialty stores throughout the U.S. but should be easily found in craft stores.
Tie off the wrapped basket with ribbon. Wired fabric ribbon is best if you have it.
For bows: You can use pre-packaged bows but making your own bow is easy and a better presentation if you can do it. Use a huge beautiful bow.
Assemble all your gift basket items, the tools you need, etc. Now line your selected gift container. Then stuff the selected filler into the gift basket to give added height to your items. Place, layer and arrange your selected items on the filler in the gift container. Put the larger items in the back, the smaller items in front.
Fill in the holes or prop up with more filler (shredded paper, Easter basket grass, wrapped chocolates, napkins or holiday napkins etc.)
Also you can use ‘picks’ of artificial flowers to fill in small open spots.
Place your cellophane or other wrap under the gift basket. Center the gift basket on the wrap. Bring the cellophane or other wrap over the top of the gift basket and tie it with ribbon and/or a beautiful bow! Use ribbon and bows to match your theme colors.
Tuck a personalized card in the ribbon and that’s it!
General tips: You can find fabric or wired ribbon cheaply at Costco — especially in the fall prior to Christmas or around holidays but often throughout the year in most stores. You can shred colored paper in a paper shredder.
Try to use non-perishable items except, of course, when making fruit baskets. Use freshly packaged food items; packaged crackers and cookies can go stale in a couple of months.
You can find filler flower ‘picks’ at garage sales cheaply. If you buy ‘picks’ wholesale they are usually around a dollar each.
Try not to mix chocolate or other food fragrant items with non-food fragrant items in the same basket.
Also there’s nothing like learning how to make gift baskets from a video or DVD for making cheap and easy gift baskets. You can view it over and over again and share it with your children, other family members and friends. You can even charge for classes with your new-found knowledge and/or start a home based business if you so desire. In any event, making a gourmet mom gift basket can be cheap and easy.
For more information on how to make gift baskets and how to start a gift basket business, go to http://www.HowToMakeBeautifulGiftBaskets.com a website specializing in making gift baskets, gift basket business tips, help, advice and resources including information on drop shipping gift baskets
How To Create Stunning Effects With Decoupage
Most professional crafters will already know and have enjoyed creating stunning cards, scrapbook pages and gifts with decoupage.
Decoupage comes from the French word ‘cut’ and originated in the 18th century.
In its early years decoupage may have been considered a child’s craft as it involves cutting pieces paper and layering them on top of each other to create an image that is 3d.
Today decoupage is becoming more and more sophisticated and quite often I have seen larger decoupage images framed as pictures around peoples homes. The effects decoupage has may make it look complicated but it is actually really simple.
It is important to have the right tools when creating decoupage images for card or scrapbook projects I would strongly recommend you invest in a pair of high quality curved scissors and when cutting remember to have the curve away from your body.
Keep the hand holding the scissors still apart from opening and closing the blades to cut the paper, you will get a far better result if you move the paper and guide it to the scissors rather than the other way around.
You may need to use a scalpel or craft knife when cutting intricate parts of decoupage or parts from inside the image its self. If you do use a craft knife make sure you have a cutting mat underneath before you cut.
Once you have cut your images out the next step is to create layers to go on top of each other, those that have been creating decoupage images for sometime may use silicone gel to layer the images on top of each other but beginners to decoupage will find foam pads are a great way to start.
Remember you do not want to see the foam pads when the image has been stuck down so take care not to place them too near the edge of your cutting.
Then simply layer the images on top of each other to create a stunning 3d look.
Decoupage sheets can be easily purchased on the internet or in craft shops some of which will come with step by step instructions making it even easier for you to know exactly what and where to cut.
You could also try finding your own images on the internet and simply repeating the design at least 4 times then printing on high quality inkjet paper, you will need to be careful with copyright issues if you do decide to try this.
It is also possible to purchase decoupage disks or cd where the images are all ready there all you need to do is print, cut and stick them together.
Decoupage is becoming more and more popular to crafters, if you are new to card making it is something that is simple but extremely effective for card projects giving them a really professional look.
Vicki Churchill writes for a site that specializes in card making ideas http://www.vickiscardmakingideas.com providing you with excellent tips and ideas for rubber stamping and many other tricks and techniques.
American History Through The Eye Of A Needle ~ Part III
In typical Old World needlework, each detail is a particle of the whole; no part of the design can stand alone, whole and complete in itself. The background is solid, the pattern is formal, and a border encloses all.
American women smashed that rigid order to bits. They discarded backgrounds, they discarded borders and frames. They made the details create the whole, and they set each detail in boundless space, alone, independent, complete.
Just as individual freedom suddenly released the terrific human energy that swept the Old World’s Great Powers from this hemisphere and wholly transformed North America in a third of the time that those Old World Powers had held it, so this reversal of meaning gives American needlework an almost explosive energy.
No other needlework is so alive. There are no stiff forms to it, no monotonous repetitions. Leaves and flowers spring vigorously from living stems; buds burst open, squirrels frisk, deer leap, birds fly. Colors are clear and fresh and vibrant. No other needlework on earth is so strong, so free, so full of energy and movement.
Women in the European colonies began this revolution in needlework more than a hundred years before Americans broke clean away from the Old World and began to create a wholly new world.
English, French, and German women in the white towns and red farmhouses of New England and in the great houses of Maryland and Virginia took old patterns of Persia, India, Portugal, Holland and England and wrought them in crewel work transformed by the new American spirit.
They made the feather crest of the Prince of Wales into airy quilting patterns. French women changed the Lilies of France into living flowers. Dutch women on Long Island and German girls in Pennsylvania took the stiff tulip from their painted chests and worked it into their unique patterns of wholly American patchwork.
American women changed the English Rose into the Cherokee Rose, the Prairie Wild Rose, and the Texas Rose that vies with the Lone Star; different patterns all, and all charming.
Then from starving Ireland the Irish women brought the lace that America transformed into the wholly new crocheted lace that is the American “real” lace, the most varied, flexible, and free of the world’s fine laces, the only lace that is made “in the air.”.
The Italians and the Russians brought the cross-stitch; the Spanish brought outline; the Danes brought cutwork, the grandmother of all laces; Madeira sent drawnwork; Scots added the woven plaid, Scandinavians the hooked coverlet that American women transformed into our hooked rug; American Indians gave beadwork; Mexicans gave the Aztec patterns and the desert’s blazing colors.
American women, children of all these lands, took all this and more and made it American in spirit. They changed it, combined its symbols, gave it space and freedom and energy; and they created a new folk art: American needlework.
We are still creating it. As colonial women made such designs as the Log Cabin, the Bear’s Paw, the Tomahawk, the Pine Tree, the Wild Goose Flight; as nineteenth-century Americans made Martha Washington’s Flower Garden, the Oregon Trail, the Lone Star of Texas, the Atlantic Cable, so today American women are making patterns of the skyscraper sky lines, civic centers and parks, airplanes, Hawaii’s Island Garden.
They are working into needlework murals our legends of Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed and Daniel Boone.
Only one form of American needlework is wholly American, without root or kin in the Old World; that is our pieced patchwork. Oh, patches are nothing new. Ancient Egyptians sewed fabric to fabric, and in medieval Europe women applied cloth to cloth. Patches are as old as poverty. In rags and patches the first workers came to America. Patches belonged to workers, to the poor, low-class subjects of the ruling classes. Patchwork was always a task, not an art.
Poverty came across the ocean with the immigrants. Here on the farthest rim of the known world, it became direst need. The smallest scrap of cloth was precious to a woman who could have no more cloth until the trees were cut and burned, the land spaded and sown to flax or to grass for sheep, then next year the wool sheared, washed, combed, carded and spun, or the flax pulled and carefully rippled, retted, dried, beetled, scutched, heckled, spun, and at last the loom made, the warp threaded, the shuttles wound and the cloth woven. Only then could she hope for a few scraps to continue with her craft.
John Wigham has been a professional author and editor for 20 years and is a co-founder of http://www.patternspatch.com an online cross stitch club dedicated to counted cross stitch. Sign up for
Cross Stitch Tips & News at ppp_totw@aweber.com.
A Brief Look at the Historical Development of Picture Frames
The picture frame, as it exists today, is derived from the doorway or entrance to temples, palaces and cathedrals. The earliest examples of frame-like decorations or borders bear a great resemblance to door frames. They were composed of two columns surmounted by a connecting entablature and this form persisted into the 15th century. Even the decorations painted by the artists around the edges of pictures before the introduction of movable frames were similar in form.
As a matter of fact, frames without pictures eventually came into existence because the desire to embellish with Moldings was so strong. Rooms in palaces were arbitrarily paneled with Moldings and their vestigial remains are to be seen today in the senselessly paneled walls of apartments in modern cities.
Movable picture frames for “easel” paintings gained quickly in popularity once they were introduced. Be sides the elaborate and intricate wood-carving, ebony, ivory, tortoise shell and mother of pearl were used for inlaid decoration. Gold, silver and every other metal have also been used for frames.
With the perfection of the technique of making large sheets of glass which were in turn used to cover and protect pictures, frame-making received a big impetus in the 17th century. In the 18th century, when cheaper mirrors were introduced, frames were in greater demand than ever.
This century also saw an invention that was to revolutionize the art of frame decoration – that of the development of molded composition ornaments. The use of this easily handled material, which did away with the need for laborious and expensive hand-carving, drove artisans to other fields. Since then, there has been no large group of wood-carvers devoted solely to frame decoration.
It is interesting to note that during the Renaissance period, when movable frames were first introduced, book decoration reached its highest form. Undoubtedly, the early carvers and framers, besides using architectural designs, took many of their ideas from early illuminated manuscripts. The frames of the Louis’ periods certainly got their inspiration from typographical decorative motifs. Before then, architects and sculptors designed much of the scroll-work, but later goldsmiths were employed for decoration. Overelaboration became the order of the day until all forms were lost beneath the gingerbread.
With the French revolution, people turned away from all evidences of bourgeois wealth and returned to a refreshing simplicity. Until 1850 all Moldings were cut from rough boards by hand, but with the invention of laborsaving machinery, frames could be put on the market for what the raw material had cost previously. This country was fortunately spared from the use of molded ornaments until the advent of the Victorian era. American frames up to that time were relatively simple and dignified, very often using only natural, stained wood and a gilded insert. The carving, when used, was restricted to the classical forms of ornamentation for specific molding shapes.
The frame-makers who constructed the monstrosities of the Victorian era were not content to put one heavily embellished gold frame around a picture of “The Stag at Bay” or something similar, but three or four. This birthday cake was then enclosed in a glass-covered, plush-lined, mahogany shadow-box. This was presumably for protection, but its need is a mystery since the interiors of that time were heavily shaded and hermetically sealed anyway.
Around 1900 there was a fashion for “Oxford”, plush and cork-decorated frames. Hours and hours were spent carving these horrors and fitting them intricately together or in decorating frames with segments of cork. They can be found only rarely today, even in the higher priced second-hand stores, euphemistically called “antique shops”. But perhaps it is too early to drag out another “antique” vogue. Mass production, to some degree at least, has forced a healthy simplification.
At the same time that heavy gilt frames were the vogue for oil paintings, a demand for polished, veneered oak and white enamel frames developed. In order to cheapen the cost of production, a fashion was instituted for bronze frames, i.e., frames finished with gold or silver paint. It did not last long, however, and simple, wide frames in black or dark brown wood of the Flemish type came into favor.
Learn How To Make Picture Frames And How To Finish Them Like A Bought One – Or Even Better!
Click here for FREE online ebook!
http://www.howtomakepictureframe.com/