learn Hand Crafts

friendship necklace technique is really easy

2011-06-11T04:13:00.000-07:00

You could easily use this same string technique to make a friendship bracelet, an embroidery thread anklet, or even to wrap your hair in beautiful colored embroidery floss for a carefree summer look.

What You Need:
Embroidery floss or yarn in different colors

Cotton twine or something similar to use as a base for wrapping
Scissors
Cardboard bobbins or pieces of cardboard
Optional: Brass nuts and washers

Instructions

How to Make a 2-Tone Necklace:
Step 1

Take each of your chosen embroidery thread colors and wrap them each around its own piece of cardboard. This makes them easier to manipulate and cuts down on tangling.
Step 2

Cut a long piece of cotton twine or rope, and tie the two colored threads to the rope leaving at least 3 inches of slack.

Step 3

Tape down the slack to a flat surface or safety pin it to something that will help keep it in place.
Step 4

Lay the color that isn’t being used (shown here in purple) in your left hand, along with the rope, and hold them taut.
Step 5

Take the active color (shown here in red) in your right hand, pass it over the rope, loop it under and back through the opening. Pull up and to the right to tighten.

Step 6

Repeat the knots until you are ready to switch colors.
Step 7

Switch colors by putting the inactive color (red) in your left hand and the new active color (purple) in your right. Repeat the steps. If you're a lefty, of course do the switch up and use opposite hands.

Step 8

Once you’re done knotting with the floss, if you'd like, you can add a few nuts and/or washers to the necklace. Undo the large starter knot and tie both open ends together, creating your very own friendship necklace! Trim any extra rope and tread. Done!
More Friendship Ideas...

Use this knot for Friendship Bracelets and Friendship Hair Wraps

Now that you know how it's done, you can use this easy knotting technique to wrap just about anything cylindrical. Try with a length of your friend's hair, or make bracelets...

Fashion Idea: Make a ton of these friendship necklaces at different lengths, using any color combination and wear a whole bunch at once. A great summertime look.

learn Make a Beaded Ring Link

2011-06-02T12:19:00.000-07:00

Materials:
Tools:
Various seed beads or small beads
Tigertail™ or stringing cable
1 Crimp Tube Chain Nose Pliers
Wire Cutters

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut a small piece of Tigertail™ or stringing cable. The length of cable depends on how big you want your ring to be, just keep in mind you will be running the cable through twice and will need some extra length. Next, string seed beads or other small beads onto your cable in whatever pattern you choose (be creative

Step 2: String a crimp tube onto your cable and pass both ends of the cable through in opposite directions.

Step 3 : String the cable through your beads a second time.

Step 4 : String through the crimp tube a second time, again passing the cable ends in opposite directions as in Step 2.

Step 5: Using your chain nose pliers over crimp tube squoosh the crimp tube flat.

Step 6 : Trim ends close to crimp tube. I left mine naked, but you can use a crimp cover if you like.

Pretty!

You can link multiple rings together to create a chain.

I think I’ll be using this chain to make some earrings!

Tips:
If you are going to link your bead rings remember to link them before you complete each link!

If you plan on using crimp tubes or crimp beads often, you may want to pick up a pair of crimping pliers. They are specifically designed to crimp in a two step process that will give you a much cleaner result than chain nose pliers.

Experimentation is key in any craft, but certainly true here. Don’t be afraid to try something different; you might surprise yourself with the results.

how make nice HAWAIIAN LUAU CANDLES

2011-05-29T14:21:00.000-07:00

SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Coconut Shells
Wick
Scent
Blue Candle Coloring (Blocks or Liquid)
Artificial Flowers
Glue Gun or Glue Dots
Votive Wax
Vybar 260 (optional)

Step 1
Attach the wick to the bottom of the coconut shell with either hot glue or glue dots.
Step 2
Heat the wax to 180 degrees and add the scent and coloring to the wax. Pour the wax into the coconut
shell until it is within ¼” from the top of the shell so it will not overflow. (To get a ripple affect in the wax to
look like water you can add more vybar to the votive wax).
Step 3
After the candle is cooled you can decorate the coconut shells with the flowers you have picked. You can
glue them to the front of the shells with the hot glue or the glue dots. Make sure they are not hanging over
the coconut shell near the wicking. This would be a fire hazard

learn make Felted Red Cherry Earrings

2011-05-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

Such fun to wear, light as air and so easy to make.
Step 1

Use 18.5 micron Superfine Merino wool to make the felted beads in a size to suit, about a 1/2 inch diameter works well.
Step 2

Tie a firm knot in one end of a length of waxed cord, thread on one bead, then pass cord through the earwire loop.
Step 3

Tie a loose knot and add the second bead and then tie off with another loose knot.

TIP: Do not firmly tie the last two knots until the earrings are equal in length.

learn make Orange Bowl Candle

2011-05-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

Supplies needed:
Wax Orange Bowls
Pre-tabbed 5” wicks
Candle Gel
Fruit slices scent
Wax fruit salad assortment
A melting pot for wax
A thermometer
A stove or hot plate
A suitable work area lined with
aluminum foil or wax paper

STEP 1
Prepare your work area – gather your materials. Place your gel into an electric melting pot, with a
temperature control or directly on you stove burner on med/low heat.
NOTE: Presto makes a 6-quart pot with a control and it sells for under $30.
STEP 2
Attach a pre-tabbed wick to the bottom of the wax bowl with hot glue or pour a bit of melted gel in the
bottom over the wick tab. Arrange the fruit salad in each orange bowl keeping the pre-tabbed wick
straight and centered in the middle of the bowl.
STEP 3
Heat gel to 250 F and keep it at this temperature until the gel appears as a clear liquid. Add your
scent, stir well (then stir again) and allow the gel to cool to 200 F.
STEP 4
Pour gel at 200 degrees in a circular motion around the fruit. Watch your gel temperature carefully on
this step because pouring your gel too hot will cause your wax pieces to melt and streamer to the top
of the candle. This takes practice and patience!
STEP 5
Enjoy your candles! Watch them burn and enjoy the fragrance that you picked. Handmade candles
also make great gifts. Your friends will enjoy receiving something that’s handmade and if the directions
are followed properly you will have made candles that are a better quality than what you can buy
in most stores!

learn how Make a Hemp Bracelet with Ceramic Beads

2011-05-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

what need

12 feet of Hemp twine, 20 lb. test (~1mm thickness)
8-10 ceramic beads with large holes (large enough for two strands of twine to pass through at the same time)
4 small leaf shaped charms or leaf shaped beads with wire-wrapped loops (optional)
Measuring tape
White glue

how step by step

Step 1: Measure around your wrist (or the wrist of the person you are making the bracelet for) using a measuring tape. We'll call this your WM (wrist measurement).

If you've printed out these instructions, write your WM here ______

Step 2: Cut two 6 foot lengths of twine.

Step 3: Fold the cords in half. Make an OH to form a 2 strand loop just big enough for your closure bead to pass through. You should now have a bead-sized loop, a neat, tight knot, and 4 strands of twine.

Step 4 : Make 2 SK's.

Step 5 : Thread a ceramic bead onto your filler cords. (See the picture on the right).

Step 6 : Make 2 SK's, then thread another bead onto your fillers. Continue alternating 2 SK's and beads until the bracelet is your WM long. Measure only from the OH knot on the loop, not the end of the loop. End with 2 SK's.

The picture on the left shows a detail of the beads alternating with 2 SK's

Step 7: Make one more SK, then thread one more bead onto your fillers. This bead will slide through the loop closure.

Step 8: Make a tight overhand knot at the base of the last bead, using all four strands of twine. To end the bracelet here, cut off the excess twine and dab some glue onto the knot for safety. Let dry. To attach the bracelet to your wrist, slip the closure bead through the closure loop. Done!

Step 9 (optional): Try tying some leaf charms onto the ends of your twine before cutting off the excess. I had some leaf charms that already had wire loops on them so the twine passed easily through the loops. Tie each charm using a simple OH, then cut off the excess. Dab a bit of glue on each knot for safety and let dry.

Note: Adding charms onto the bead closure will make it harder to take the bracelet on and off because the charms have to pass through the loop too.

learn Make a Bead Lizard

2011-05-17T15:42:00.000-07:00

Creating a bead lizard is easy and fun - anyone can do it!

You Need:
1⁄8" (3mm) wide ribbon, cut to about 40" (~102cm)
(You can find this at Michael's - 50 cents for 10 yards, last I checked.)
30 primary color pony beads (I used black - we'll refer to these as #1)
Note: Pony beads come in a variety of sizes. I used 9mm, but 7mm would work, too - it would just make a smaller lizard.
20 secondary color pony beads (I used orange - we'll refer to these as #2)
2 pony beads for the eyes (I used glow-in-the-dark beads for this - we'll refer to these as #3)
Optional: Keychain, lanyard hook or other object to hang your lizard on. Please see the bottom for instructions on how to do this.

Step 1

String 3 #1 (black) beads. Let one of them drop down to the middle of the ribbon, and hold the other two together, an inch or so from the end.
Step 2

Take the other end of the ribbon and string it through those two beads in the opposite direction, so there's a ribbon end coming out of each side of the two beads.

Hold the two ends of the ribbon flush with one hand and pull the two beads down to the center of the ribbon with the other.

You should now have two (very short) rows of beads.
Step 3

Next, string on one #3 color (the eyes), one #1 color and another #3 color, in that order. Put the other end of the ribbon through them in the opposite direction and pull them down to the center of the ribbon, as before

You should have a little "triangle" now.
Step 4

String on a row of two #1 beads, and then a row of multicolor beads, in this order: 121

Make sure you're going through the beads with both ends of the ribbon in opposite directions for each row, and always pull tight.
Step 5

This time, we're only going to use one end of ribbon. On that end, string two #1 beads and three #2 beads.

Next, you're going to use that same end of the ribbon to go back through the two #1 beads, without going back through the three #2 beads.

You might have to rearrange the 'claw' a little bit, but you've just created one leg!
Step 6

Repeat on the other side, so you have the two front legs completed.
Step 7

Next you're just going to continue as before, stringing row by row, like this:

121
1221
121
Step 8

Leg time again! Make two legs, one on each side, just like in Steps 5 and 6.
Step 9

Almost done. String on a row of two #1 beads, and then you're at the tail.
Step 10

For the tail, you're just doing one bead per row. I like to alternate between the #1 and #2 beads, starting with #2. You can make your tail as long as you want, though the 40" ribbon won't go far past eight or nine beads.

My lizards usually have six beads in their tails. ;)
Step 11

The final knot to secure your bead lizard is really easy with ribbon - you just need to tie two overhand knots. Sometimes, I tie two knots, then slide the ribbon ends back through the final bead, then finish with two more knots, just to make it extra secure.
How to Attach Your Bead Lizard to a Keychain or Lanyard Hook

Basically, all you have to do is tie the ribbon on the keychain/hook using a Larks Head Knot. You then skip that first row and start with two #1 beads.

learn how to make ankle bracelets

2011-05-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

Here are the instructions:

Gypsy Hemp Anklet

Hemp twine, 20 lb. test (~1mm wide)

A pendant or charm

1 bead for the bead closure

Measuring tape

White glue

Useful Links:

Glossary of Hemp Jewelry Making Terms

How to Make an Overhand Knot (OH)

How to Make a Square Knot (SK)

How to Make a Switch Knot (SW)

Step 1 : Cut two 5 foot lengths of twine.

Step 2: Make the loop side of a switch knot clasp by laying folding one length of twine over the other (leave the second unfolded) (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1

Step 3 : Use the crosswise cord as your knotters. The fold cord will be your fillers. Make 2 SK's around your fillers (Fig.s 2, 3, 4). These knots will be your sliding closure. Give it a test slide by grasping the knots with your forefinger and thumb, and holding the loop with your other hand. You should be able to slide the knots up and down the filler cords.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Step 4 : Slide the knots you just made up so that the loop is small (see Fig. 5).

Fig. 5

Step 5: Make a switch knot (Fig.s 6, 7) about a thumb's width in size (see Fig. 7), securing with an SK (Fig. 8).

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

Step 6 : Determine how long you want your necklace to be, then follow this pattern: 1 SW, 2 SK, until your work measures 1/2 your finished necklace measurement.

Fig. 9

Fig. 9 - hemp necklace detail

Step 7 : Grab the ends of 1 filler and 1 knotter cord that are adjacent (next to each other). Slide your pendant or dangle onto those 2 cords. (See the top photo of the finished necklace to see how this will work)

Step 8 : Continue the 1 SW, 2 SK pattern until your necklace measures the desired length.

Step 9 : Using all 4 cords, tie a tight OH close to the last SK.

Step 10 : Try to fit the cords through the hole of your closure bead. If your bead doesn't fit onto all 4 cords do the following. Cut 1 or 2 cords off close to the knot and dab some glue onto it. Don't cut off more than 2 because your bead closure will be too flimsy to last for long.

Step 11 : Slide your closure bead onto your remaining cords. Leave a little slack on the cords, and tie an OH using all remaining cords.(Fig. 10).

Fig. 10

Step 12 : Dab some glue on the end knot and trim. Let dry.

To close the necklace, slip the bead through your thumb's width-sized switch knot. Slide the first 2 SK's away from the end loop (the first loop you made) to close securely. The roughness of the hemp cord should be enough to keep it from slipping open again.

Alternatively, you can slip the bead through the first loop instead.

Now you can check that off the To-do list. Hemp necklace making. Done!

Read more: Groovy Hemp Necklace Making http://www.how-to-make-jewelry.com/hemp-necklace-making.html#ixzz1LU04VJ4a

floral garland:

2011-03-27T06:02:00.000-07:00

How to make a floral garland

1. Allow the flowers to stand in a preservative solution in a cool place for several hours.

2. Measure a piece of floral wire to fit the size of the persons’ head. Allow a little extra at each end. Coiled wire is better for head garlands, because it takes a circular shape. Make a

hook and eye at the ends of the wire. Bind the wire with stem wrap floral tape.

3. Wire and tape the individual flowers and leaves.

See stem wiring instructions

4. Tape the individual flowers and leaves to the taped wire.

5. Add ribbon streamers down the back.

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Flower Brooch

2010-09-14T03:36:00.000-07:00

Materials:
150cm fishing line,
100 gold size 8/0 hex beads (also known as 2 cut beads)
200 red size 8/0 seed beads
35 black size 8/0 seed beads
1 ivory 6mm imitation pearl

Ball base: Start with 5 beads, crossover on the last one (bead 5)

Add beads 6, 7, 8 and 9 onto the blue thread. Cross through bead 9 with the green thread.

Add beads 10, 11 and 12 onto the green thread. Cross through bead 12 with the blue thread.

Add beads 13, 14 and 15 onto the blue thread. Cross through bead 15 with the green thread.

Add beads 16, 17 and 18 onto the green thread. Cross through bead 18 with the blue thread.

Pass the green thread through beads 1 and 6.

Add beads 19 and 20 on the blue thread. Cross the green thread through bead 20.

Pass the blue thread through bead 7.

Add beads 21, 22 and 23 on the green thread. Cross the blue thread through bead 23

Pass the green thread through beads 8 and 10.

Add beads 24 and 25 to the blue thread. Cross the green thread through bead 25.

Pass the blue thread through beads 11 and 13.

Add beads 26 and 27 on the green thread. Cross the blue thread through bead 27

Pass the green thread through beads 14 and 16.

Add beads 28 and 29 to the blue thread. Cross the green thread through bead 29.

Pass the blue thread through beads 17, 19 and 21.

Add bead 30, and cross over.

Take the blue thread and pass through beads 28 and 26.

Take the green thread and pass through beads 22 and 24.

Tie off, but leave the thread. The base is done. It should look like a ball with lots of holes. Now you will add the petals.

The diagram shows where the petals need to be added, basically there will be 3 rows on the beaded base. The first and last rows will have 5 beads, the middle row will have 10 beads.

For the first row, just pass ONE thread through the bead next to it. You will be working with this thread only for now. And you will be working on this circle of 5 beads, which will be outer row of petals, and is highlighted in yellow.

Thread on 20 gold hex beads, and then pass the thread back through the bead on the base where you started, to create a loop of beads. (The thread path for the first row of petals is shown in the diagram). Pass the thread into the next bead in the circle, add 20 gold hex beads, and loop it back through again. Continue this all the way around the circle of 5 beads on the base.

At this stage I like to add a brooch back, if I’m using one, then tie off the thread.

Now pick up the other thread and pass the it through to a bead in the next row. This second row is highlighted in pink, and will have 10 beads in it. Note: this row of beads doesn’t sit perfectly straight, but has a slight zigzag pattern to it.

This time add loops of red size 8/0 beads, I used 20 because the seed beads are smaller than the hex beads, but play it by ear these loops should be a little smaller than the loops in the last row. Make this row like before, passing through a bead, adding the beads for the petals, and passing back through that bead, then pass into the next bead. Continue all the way around forming 10 overlapping petals.

Now you’ll be up to the last row, which will have only 5 beads in it again. This row is highlighted in green. This time add only 7 black seed beads to each of the five beads on the base.

To make the flower centre, bring the thread from the bottom of the work up through the centre of the base, add the pearl bead, and cross the other thread through the pearl. Pass each thread through a bead near it, as in the diagram. Weave the threads through some beads until the threads meet. Tie off and cut. Your beaded flower is now finished!

Turtle Treat Box

2010-08-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

Fill it will a surprise for a fun favor the kids can make themselves.

You need:

Round Paper Mache Box

Assorted Woodsies

10mm Wiggle Eyes

Tacky Glue

Light and Dark Green Acrylic Paint and Brush

Small Treats and Filler (Optional)

Instructions:

Select woodsie pieces for turtle head, feet and tail. You can use round oval or teardrop pieces. Select from the leftover pieces for the spots on the turtle back. Paint all pieces dark green. Let dry. Paint the paper mache box light green let dry. Glue on head, feet and tail to bottom. Glue spots to top. Glue on wiggle eyes.

Turtle Bag

2010-08-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

This turtle can be glued with fabric glue or stitch up with a needle and thread.

You need:

1 Piece of Lime Green Felt

1/2 Piece of Green Felt

Lime Green Pattern and Regular Green Pattern

Fabric Glue (Fabri-Tac is the Only Kind That Really Works)

Toothpick

10mm Wiggle Eyes

Beanbag Fill (You can make 5 turtles with one bag)

Scissors, Tablespoon and Stapler

Polyfill (We sometimes have scrap filler. When placing your order indicate you would like some and when available we will include it with your package.)

Instructions:

Print patterns. Staple all around the outside lines to felt. Cut out. Dab fabric glue all around the very outside edge of one of the lime green circles leaving 2" without glue. That will be the side of the turtle where the stuffing and beanbag fill are added. Place the legs, the head, and the tail in position as shown in the diagram at right. Dab glue on top these parts so your turtle won't leak filler. Place the other large lime green circle on top, lining up the edges. Press edges together. The head, tail and feet will be sandwiched between. Let sit five minutes. Spoon 4 tablespoons of beanbag in the opening. Place a few tufts of polyfill inside to puff the shell up. Dab glue on the open edge. Press together. Glue circles to top of shell of shell.

To make a pocket on the bottom of your turtle, dab glue around the outside edge of three sides of the lime green rectangle. Press onto the bottom of the turtle.

Iris folding card

2010-06-02T02:07:00.000-07:00

Materials used

Textured ivory double-fold square aperture greetings card 100 mm (3¼ in) square.

Iris folding strips in five clours of your choice.

Adhesive tape

Craft knife

Cutting mat

Metal edged ruler

Method

The design is placed on a layout pattern showing the position of the folded strips of paper.

Select three different coloured or patterned papers that harmonise together.

Cut your paper into strips 20 mm wide.

Fold each strip in half along its length with the patterned side out. It is easier to fold if you score the paper along the fold line first. The back end of a craft knife and a ruler can be used for this.

Lay your Iris folding pattern on your work surface.

Lay your aperture card over the pattern with the wrong side facing towards you. Fix it to your pattern with tape.

Take a folded strip of patterned paper and place it on section 1 of the pattern. The folded edge should be against the line of the pattern. Trim each end of the strip so that about 5 mm overlap the edge of the aperture at either end. Fix the strip to the card with small pieces of adhesive tape at each end.

Select a strip of another colour and fix this in position 2.

Add a third coloured strip in position 3.

Work around the pattern adding the three different strips in sequence until your design is complete.

The small hole left in the middle of the design can be covered with a flat piece of paper in a colour of your choice.

Mount the finished pattern on the front of your greetings card.

how you can used leftover wax and make a beautiful and unique candle

2010-05-29T04:23:00.000-07:00

You Will Need:

Wax Cut-outs (See Pillar Embellishment Tutorial)

Pre-Tabbed Wick (of the appropriate size for your cut-outs)

When you make your wax cut-outs to embellish a pillar candle, you should have quite a few leftover shapes. If not, you can follow steps 1-5 of the Pillar Candle Embellishment Tutorial to create the shapes.

Simply thread a pre-tabbed wick through the hole in each of your wax shapes and push all the way down onto the wick tab.

Arrange the shapes as desired. You can align them for a straight shape, or twist them for a spiral look.

For better adhesion between the layers, you can melt the top of each shape with a heat gun and press down with each new shape.

When you have used up all of your wax shapes, trim your wick to about 1/4" and enjoy!

how you can make Charm Bracelet

2010-05-26T05:24:00.000-07:00

Gather all your orphan beads, wire charm experiments, some buttons, and anything else you think would look cool. Make a pleasing mix that seem to go well together.

Use headpins and the wrapped loop technique to turn your beads into bead dangles.

Get a 1/4" or 1/8" roll of ribbon in a coordinating color, and a chain link toggle bracelet (commercially made or make your own with a 6 1/2" piece of chain link chain, 2 jump rings or split rings, and a toggle clasp).

Using snippets of ribbon, tie the charms, dangles, and button onto the chain link bracelet with surgeon's knots.

Snip the ribbon ends so that they hang free (about 1/2" long looks nice) and put a spot of white glue or clear nail polish on each end of ribbon if you don't want the ends to fray.

Using snippets of ribbon, tie the charms, dangles, and button onto the chain link bracelet with

Snip the ribbon ends so that they hang free (about 1/2" long looks nice) and put a spot of white glue or clear nail polish on each end of ribbon if you don't want the ends to fray.

strawberry pincushion

2010-05-20T02:39:00.000-07:00

What you need

Red cotton/felt

Tiny clear beads or white embroidery thread

Side plate or bowl, or a pair of compasses

Dressmaker's chalk or pencil

Scissors

Needle and thread

Stuffing

Pen and paper

Green felt

What to do

1. Draw around a small plate or bowl on your fabric, or draw a circle with a pair of compasses. Cut one quarter of the circle out.

2. If you use red polka dot fabric, you won't need to add the "seeds". If you just have plain red stuff, make little stitches all over your material, or sew on tiny little glass beads. It's easier to do this now than when it's sewn up.

3. Fold the red fabric in half, right sides facing.

4. Back stitch along the long edge of the strawberry until you get to about 1-2cm before the point. Instead of continuing to sew along the edge, sew a curved bottom on to your triangle, so once you turn it inside out it'll have a nice rounded end.

5. Fill with toy stuffing (or chopped up old tights if you're on a budget).

6. About 2mm from the top edge of the strawberry, do a running stitch all the way around. Now pull the thread so that the top of the fabric gathers together. You should be able to see your strawberry taking shape. Stitch across the top to hold this gathering in place.

7. Cut a few "leaves" from the green felt (I made two: one smaller, one larger), then sew them on to the top. Add a "stalk" and voila! All done.

flowers Free Standing Arrangements

2010-04-11T02:14:00.000-07:00

Free Standing Arrangements

1. Fill a shallow container with foam that extends one inch over the top. Secure the foam with hot glue, floral clay or floral tape. Define the shape of the design with the line flowers and leaves.

2. Place the focal flowers and leaves, turning the vase as you go so all the sides are even.

3. Add filler flowers to integrate the design.

flowers The lazy "S" or "Hogarth's Curve"

2010-04-11T02:07:00.000-07:00

The lazy "S" or "Hogarth's Curve"

1. Anchor the foam securely. Bend the stems gently into graceful curves and insert them in place so they balance.

2. Add the focal flowers following the lines of the upper and lower curves.

3. Cluster filler blossoms and foliage around the central flowers maintaining the rhythm of the ‘S’.

flowers Oval arrangements

2010-04-11T02:02:00.000-07:00

Oval arrangements

1. Secure the floral foam. Determine the height with line flowers, then frame in the outer edges of the oval shape with light colored flowers and foliage.

2. Place the largest, strongest or brightest flowers in the focal area.

3. Fill in around the larger flowers and leaves with the filler flowers.

flowers Minimal Arrangements

2010-04-11T02:01:00.000-07:00

Minimal Arrangements

1. Adhere foam to container. Insert vertical line flowers to determine the height, and secure the horizontal line flowers to give the basic outline of the arrangement.

2. Place the focal flowers.

3. Fill in with filler flowers as needed.

flowers Crescent Arrangements

2010-04-10T05:41:00.000-07:00

Crescent Arrangements

1. Secure foam in container. Determine length of crescent and insert curved line flowers or leaves to follow the crescent form. Angle the shape to balance in the container.

2. Insert the focal flowers fairly low in the bowl to achieve balance, stability and depth.

3. Fill in around the focal flowers with smaller flowers and foliage. Place wisps of filler flowers that gracefully taper off the ends.

flowers Triangular Arrangements

2010-04-10T05:32:00.000-07:00

Triangular Arrangements

1. Secure floral foam. Determine the vertical height and horizontal width with the smallest line flowers and/or leaves. Make the height higher than the width.

2. Position the largest focal flowers in the heart of the arrangement and slightly lower to give weight and balance.

3. Fill in with the filler flowers and foliage keeping within the triangular shape.

flowers arranging

2010-04-10T05:17:00.000-07:00

Eight Basic Flower Arranging Designs

If you are used to working with fresh flowers, it will take some time to get used to all the possibilities and limitations when using silks. Though so similar in use, artificial flowers are an entirely different art form. The line, focal, filler technique is an excellent way to design artificial and dried flower arrangements.

Horizontal Arrangements

1. Using a relatively shallow container, anchor foam with a lot of glue or use anchor pins, and position sprays of line flowers to establish the shape of the design.

2. Insert focal flowers in the middle so they gently droop over the lip of the container on both sides, reach towards the line material and extend on either side of the middle. Leave room for filler flowers.

3. Fill in and around focal area with filler flowers and foliage

Vertical Arrangements

1. Wedge or secure foam in a vase with hot glue. Cut the stems of the tallest flowers or leaves to reach three or four times the height of the vase.

2. Place the focal flowers vertically within the diameter of the vase.

3. Fill in the areas as needed with filler flowers.

Jewelry Screen

2010-03-14T03:44:00.000-07:00

Main supplies:

Elmers® Foam Board- white

Elmers® Craft Bond™ Tacky Glue

Elmers® Painters® Opaque Paint Markers-Brown, Pink

Elmers® Washable 3D™ Glitter Paint pens- silver, red

White Plastic Canvas Mesh- #10

10” pink rick-rack or ribbon

Basic Supplies:

Elmers® X-ACTO™ knife

X-ACTO ™Self healing mat

Utility scissors

Pencil

Ruler Instructions:

1. With X-ACTO knife, cut two 8” x 10” rectangles from foam board. Mark a 1” border around all sides of both rectangles with pencil and cut out with X-acto knife.

Cut one piece 1 ½” x 8 ½.” Set piece aside

2. Cut 1 ½” circle from cardstock. Mark a line down center with a pencil. Using the circle as a template, mark scalloped around the opening edge of one rectangle by lining up the marked line with the opening. Mark scallops on both long sides and one short side.

3. Use paint markers to color the scallops pink and the remaining space brown. Color the 1 ½” x 8” piece solid Pink.

4. Use glitter pens to make dots in center of each scallop. Alternate silver and red colors. Alternate colors for smaller silver dots and larger red dots on solid pink piece.

5. Assemble the screen. Cut plastic canvas sheet to 8” x 10” by lining up edges with one rectangle and cutting around edge with scissors. Sandwich plastic canvas between foam board pieces and adhere with glue. Fold rick-rack/ribbon in half and glue to top of screen. Glue solid piece over ribbon to top of screen.

School Spirit Key Chain

2010-03-14T03:24:00.000-07:00

Main supplies:

Two 1 yard long pieces of Pepperell® Rexlace® Plastic Lacing in school colors

Two pony beads in school colors

One lanyard hook

Basic Supplies:

Fiskars® scissors

Ruler

Starting Tips :

Always measure the correct amount of Lacing needed for your projects.

Find the center by folding your lacing in half and lining up your ends.

Do not pull your stitches too tight but tight enough to hold together.

Be consistent in tightening stitches.

If you have to stop use a paper clip to hold your ends together – no unraveling.

Instructions :

Cut 2 pieces of plastic lacing each piece 1 yard long. Use two school colors.

Begin the Square Stitch following the diagrams. Do seven Square Stitches

Add a pony bead and push up to stitches.

Continue and do another three Square Stitches and add second pony bead.

Do another seven Square Stitches. Keep the last stitch loose.

Finish by inserting one end up through the center at a time as shown. This is done by picking up any one strand and taking it around the strand to its left, then up through the middle of the last stitch.

Continue with the remaining three strands. Slowly pull on these strands to close the gap. Trim ends.

Add lanyard hook to beginning stitch.

how to make Fancy Birdhouse

2010-03-14T03:18:00.000-07:00

Main supplies:

Paint: turquoise, pink, orange, lavender, light green, black, white

Brushes: ¾” flat, #8 flat, liner brush, checkerboard brush

Basic Supplies:

Wood, hammer and nails

8” light weight chain and screw eyes for hanging

8” ¼” dowel

Tin can 4.25” tall

Birdhouse detail:

2 roof pieces – Using 1” lumber, cut 2 roof pieces – 6.75” X 3” and 6.75” X 3.75”. Cut the front and back 5.5” tall at the peak, 3.75” wide, and 3.5” to the roof slope. The front needs a 1” hole and below it, a 3/8” hole. The back needs only the 3/8” hole. See photo for placement. The ¼” diameter dowel needs to be 7.75” long. The tin can is a regular 13 to 14 oz vegetable can.

Painting directions:

Basecoat:

Roof – light green

Front & back – lavender

Roof edges – orange

Inside walls and edges, can – turquoise

Dowel – pink

Paint dots on the roof with the #10 flat brush using pink.

Use the liner brush with black to paint a wavy line on the roof edges. Embellish with brush tip dots in lavender.

Use the checkerboard brush to paint stripes across the back and checks on the front with white. Line them with double rows of black.

Ring Pillow

2010-03-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

Items needed for ring pillow:

Ring pillow in color and shape of choice

String pearls in color of your choice

1/8" ribbon in your wedding colors

Silk flowers to coordinate with you wedding colors

ivy

2 metal craft rings in silver/gold

Hot glue gun or craft glue

Directions:

Shape and glue on ivy in an "S" shape to center of pillow, glue your main silk flower to top center of ivy and pillow, add smaller flowers down the ivy until desired look is achieved, make a bow with ribbons leaving long trails and glue ribbon and pearls at base of pillow. Add the metal rings to the bottom of the ribbons and you will have your finished Ring Bearer's Pillow

wedding toast.

2010-03-13T06:58:00.000-08:00

Materials Needed

2 Paper Roses – two different colors

Plastic favor champagne glass

Seed pearls

™Hershey Kiss

Tacky Glue

Take your champagne glass, turn it over so the base is facing upwards, and cover the stem and top with very small dots of glue. Put a pearl on each dot of glue. Let Dry

Take your first rose ( these are the medium sized paper roses) and open it up by pulling the petals out. Open it as far as you can without pulling off the petals. Take the second flower and pull it apart completely.

3.Put tacky glue on the top ( new top) of the glass. Then glue the first flower on it. Let Dry. Make sure to press the petals down so they will stick. Pull out the leaves so they can be seen on the edge.

2.4.Take the petals of your other rose and glue them around the flower to fill in empty spaces on the base of the glass. Let Dry.

5.Place a small dollop of glue in the center of the flower and place your Hershey Kiss on top. Let dry

Bees Wax Tapered Candle

2010-03-13T06:33:00.000-08:00

matrials

Bees Wax Sheeting
ScissorsCandle Wick

For this project we are using beeswax sheets, which come in a variety of colors.
The candle wick we are using is a medium thickness suitable for our candle dimensions. Sheet wax works best when you are in a warm environment or the sheeting may crack.

1: Cut your wax on a diagonal to get a tapered effect, this piece is half way across our sheet and around 2 inches in from one side. Using your Scissors cut along the edge. You can vary your measurements just take note of them if you wish to make more than one candle the same size.

2: next start by cutting you candle wick to length. It needs to sit flush at the bottom and over hang around 1 inch at the top of the candle , remember you can always trim the lenght later. You are rolling your candle from the largest/widest end to the smallest so the wick goes at the biggest end.

3: Press the wax tightly around the wick, this insure that your candle will burn correctly by providing it with an even source of wax for fuel.

4: applying a firm pressure roll the candle up, making sure to keep your bottom edge even so that it will stand up.

If you make a mistake just unwrap it and start again.

5: Once you get to the end of your candle press the end firmly into the candle to stop it unrolling.

Its now ready to burn. You can embellish your candles with ribbons, raffia and even cut out shaped of different coloured bees wax.

How to make Italian meringue buttercream (Part 1)

2010-03-12T06:30:00.001-08:00

How to pipe Italian meringue buttercream (Part 2)

2010-03-12T06:27:00.001-08:00

'Icing Friendly' Cake Recipe

2010-03-12T06:01:00.001-08:00

There are thousands of cake recipes in the world but some types of cakes simply have the buoyancy, mass and support that is needed to support fillings and icing.

Here's a traditional and fail-proof recipe for an Icing Friendly Cake...

Butter Cake

This is the classic recipe that is used to create tiered confections for wedding cakes.

Butter cake has a firm, moist texture that makes it perfect for tiered designs.

The almond extract is optional but if you are making a wedding cake it is a very traditional additive.

You could also add extra vanilla, rum flavoring, cognac or brandy, orange blossom water or rosewater instead of the almond flavoring if you prefer.

1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

3/4 teaspoon Almond Flavoring (optional)

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray pans with vegetable pan spray or grease pans.

In mixer bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Mix in vanilla and almond (or other) flavorings. Mix in flour with baking powder and salt.

Add flour mixture alternately with milk, starting with the flour.

Pour into prepared pans. Bake until toothpick comes out clean. Cool ten minutes in pan. Loosen sides and remove.

Cool completely before decorating.

Makes 7 1/2 cups batter which will give you either two 8" round cakes or one 6" and one 9" round cake.

Crafts with Fabrics

2010-03-02T01:10:00.000-08:00

Cool autumn days offer the perfect chance to invite a child to share your favorite hobby. We all got started one way or another, but lucky are those who can say, "My mom (or my dad) taught me how!" Remember the thrill of learning to use a sewing machine for the first time or how exciting it was to make something as a child that the whole family took notice of – perhaps even cherished forever. With a little enthusiasm and ingenuity, you can make this craft activity the best ever and spend quality time with your child, too.

When playmates are scarce or the chilly autumn air sends you indoors, get your fabrics out and see what you can whip up together. It doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult – in fact, it’s better if it’s an easy project that allows time for talking, laughing and dreaming. The idea is to have fun together so take the stress out by choosing a project that you will enjoy also. Here are three simple choices right for any age.

Cut a square of fabric and fill it with fragrant lavender buds for a sachet. Draw the edges up and tie it off with ribbon or raffia. Several of these can be made up in an hour; one for grandmother, one for sister, and so on until you have a basket full of sweet gifts.

A 4" strip of fabric cut with pinking shears will fold in half lengthwise for a first effort on the sewing machine. Sew up the side, tack on a fancy button and it becomes a treasured bookmark for back to school.

A half yard of a pretty cotton print makes a no-sew table runner for the kitchen table. Let your child draw some flowers or shapes to cut out of a contrasting fabric backed with iron-on adhesive. Then you can apply them right to the fabric runner. (Certainly consider sewing them on instead if your helper is interested in trying that.) Finish by fringing the edges of the runner and put it on the table for dinner that night. If there is enough fabric and time, you might want to make napkins and use the contrasting fabric for a little decorative design on each corner. Maybe your child will be more interested in using this technique to make a banner for the wall in her room.

Whatever you do will reward you with precious memories of the time spent together, and you never know exactly how important that effort will turn out to be. Look what it did for me.

Cupcake Candles

2010-03-02T01:01:00.000-08:00

Learn how to make these adorable candles using the "whipped wax" technique.

You Will Need:

Pillar Wax (such as IGI 4625 or IGI 1343)

Container Wax (such as IGI 4630)

Pouring Pitcher

Whisk

Cupcake Cups

Muffin Pan

Wick (appropriate for the size of your cupcake cups. We used C-60 for standard-size cups)

Fragrance

Dye

1. Melt your pillar wax in a double boiler, add your fragrance and dye, and mix thoroughly. Place your cupcake cups inside of the muffin pan. Pour the wax into the cupcake cups, almost up to the top. For this layer, pour the wax at about 140-145 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. When the wax starts to congeal, insert your pre-tabbed wick, just as you would do when making a votive candle.

3. When the wax has completely cooled, carefully peel the cupcake cups away from the wax and place the candles on a cookie sheet or on top of newspaper or paper towels to catch any excess wax when you add the frosting.

4. While the wax is cooling, prepare your whipped wax. Melt your container wax in a double boiler and add your fragrance. For white frosting, do not add any dye. For colored frosting, add a few drops of your desired color. Take the wax off the heat and whisk it as it cools. As the temperature lowers, it will start to congeal. Continue whisking the wax as it lightens in color. Soon it will begin to look like whipped cream. When the temperature reaches about 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit, scoop the wax onto the top of your cupcakes and use a fork or spoon to smooth it out for your desired look.

5. To make "syrup" to drizzle on top, re-melt any container wax used for your frosting, or melt new container wax if you'd like to use a different scent. Add more dye for a darker color, and mix thoroughly. Allow the wax to cool until it thickens. At this point, the wax will have a "gooey" congealed look. Carefully drizzle the wax over the top of the frosting.

6. Non-flammable decorations, such as wax hearts, can be added while the frosting is still warm.

7. Allow to cool completely, trim your wick, and enjoy!

February 05 2010 admin2 6 Comments

Filed under: Techniques

Mini Pumpkin Candles

2010-03-02T00:36:00.000-08:00

Turn everyday items into adorable candles!

You Will Need:

Small Pumpkins or Gourds

Paring Knife or Pumpkin Carving Saw

Container Wax (IGI 4630 works great!)

Fragrance Oil (optional)

Pre-Tabbed Wicks

Ribbon, String, or Wire (optional)

1. Prepare Your Pumpkins

First you will need to prepare your pumpkins or gourds to make them suitable for use as candle containers. Cut a wide hole in the top of your candle and pull the top off. Empty the entire contents of the pumpkin. This includes seeds, strings, gunk, anything. It is very important to clean the pumpkin out entirely to prevent any fire hazards.

2. String the Pumpkin (optional)

To create a hanging candle for your porch or garden, poke two holes across from each other on either side of the pumpkin and thread your ribbon through. Important: Make sure that your string or ribbon is long enough to prevent a fire hazard. The top of the string should be more than 7 inches away from the flame while hanging. Tie a large knot in each end of the ribbon on the inside of the pumpkin and make sure it is secure. Pull the knot into the hole to act as a plug to prevent the wax from leaking.
3. Fill Your Candles

You may or may not wish to fragrance the wax before you pour it. The finished candles will be small and won't give off much of a scent throw when burning, but if they are for decoration, someone may wish to pick it up and smell it. We added Sweet Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil to ours. Pour the melted wax into the pumpkins to just below the rim. Wait until the wax starts to congeal slightly on the edges and place your wick in the center just as you would when making votives. Make sure your wick is not too big, or it can present a fire hazard. We used C-30 Cotton Core wicks for these.

4. Keep Your Wick Trimmed

Once the wax has completely cooled, trim the wick to 1/4 inch long. As it burns, be sure to maintain this length and to trim your wicks if the flame gets too big. Never leave the candles burning unattended.

Repaint kitchen cupboards

2010-02-28T05:47:00.000-08:00

Cleaning materials, including sugar soap solution • Fine grade sandpaper • Dustsheets • Paint brushes: 2-inch for general use and 1-inch for fiddly bits. Stiff brushes for oil-based paints and softer for water-based • Rags • Primer • Undercoat • Eggshell or gloss paint • White spirit for cleaning brushes

Painting the cupboard doors and drawer fronts is a great way to rejuvenate a tired or dated kitchen without having an entirely new kitchen expensively installed. Plus, you get green brownie points for reusing rather than replacing.

Four days for one project may sound excessive, but it's no longer than the disruption of having your kitchen replaced. Each stage can be done in a couple of hours in a small kitchen (including drying times). Dedicate one day to cleaning and prep, one to priming and one to undercoating. For the topcoat, oil-based paints need a day per coat. After the final coat, allow at least a day for it to become touch-dry.

The right paint for the job

Gloss or eggshell are traditionally used to provide a hard-wearing, wipe-able finish. Gloss is good but it shows up any imperfections, and getting a good, even finish requires skill. Eggshell is easier to use and more forgiving of less‑than-perfect brushwork.

To remove or not to remove

It seems obvious to remove cupboard doors before painting them but, counterintuitively, painting them in situ is better. It means that you can do both sides and the top and bottom in one go – and you avoid the tricky business of rehanging them correctly. Do remove handles and knobs though: imagine the scene a few months later when you want to change the door furniture and your new knobs don't cover the bare, unpainted section left by the old pieces.

Preparation

Give everything a good clean. Wash down thoroughly to remove all dirt and grease, making sure you get into all nooks and crannies – especially on panelling. Use a multi‑purpose liquid cleaner or sugar soap, which will get rid of grease and also helps prepare the surface. Allow to dry thoroughly. Rub down wooden and painted units with fine sandpaper and wipe them down with a slightly damp cloth to remove dust. If you have laminate cupboard doors, you don't need to do this.

Painting

First you must prime. For wooden doors, use a wood primer or multi-purpose primer/undercoat. For laminates or spray-coated finishes, use a melamine primer. One coat may be enough but, if you are covering a dark colour or very shiny surface, two is best.

Next comes the undercoat: one coat is usually enough but if it looks streaky apply two. Finally, add the top coats. Two coats is the norm but sometimes extra coats are necessary to get an even finish.

Good a good finish

Take your time. Don't overload the brush, and use the paint sparingly – if you put it on too thickly it will form drips. Ensure your strokes are even: up and down is best but sometimes you have to go side-to-side on areas such as moulded parts of panelled doors.

Kitchen handles

A good way to liven up an old kitchen is to change the knobs and handles. The choice of design will be dictated by the position of the existing fixing holes. New ones must either use the existing holes or cover them up.

Make a template marked with the position of the existing holes and take it when you shop for new fittings. Look for interesting old door furniture in antique markets or shops, salvage yards and online.

Upholster a stool or drop-in dining room chair pad

2010-02-28T05:39:00.000-08:00

Remove the seat pad. On a dining room chair they slot in, but if not, try using the end of a hammer to pull out nails. Remove the old cover and the tacks or staples holding it in place. Discard the old padding if it is damaged or inadequate. If you can't remove the seat you will need to pull and scrape off as much of the old padding as possible if it's damaged.

You will need

• Fabric (substantial enough to withstand wear and tear) • Foam seat padding (optional) • Something to remove staples or claw hammer to remove tacks • Scissors • Craft knife • Hammer and tacks/staple gun • Pencil or tailor's chalk If you need to make new foam padding, use the seat base as a template and cut out a new foam pad the same size.

Now cut out the cover, again using the base as a template, adding around 10cm to each side for turning in.

Place the fabric, wrong side up, on a flat surface, and position the seat base on top. Pull the fabric over tightly and put one staple or tack in the centre of each edge's side. Check each time that the fabric is straight. Now tack or staple each edge of the material down, leaving no more than 2cm between each staple. Pleat the corners by pulling in one side and tacking or stapling it down. Then do the other side. Then do the middle bit of gathered material. Trim the edges for a neat finish.

If you're worried about the bottom of the base looking messy, you can cut out a template of the base that is slightly smaller and tack or staple it on to the bottom. Replace the drop-in pad.

How to Make a Mother Day Bracelet

2010-02-24T00:40:00.000-08:00

Tools:

Crimping pliers or Magic Crimping Pliers

2 pair chain-nosed pliers or 2 pair of flat-nosed pliers, or 1 of each

Flush cutters

Masking tape, alligator clips, or bead stoppers

Bead board (optional)

Measuring tape

Bead List:

Note about bead amounts - Depending on the children's names, and the size of the mommy's wrist, you may need more or fewer.

sterling silver 4.5mm letter beads

(for the name or names of the children)

5810 5mm Swarovski Pearl White

(same amount as you have letters +2)

6mm aquamarine chalcedony faceted rondelles (3)

small Bali bumpy spacer beads (8)

6mm faceted bicone swarovski crystal faceted bicone beads

(2 of each birthstone color)

6mm sterling silver seamless round beads (2)

Findings:

Sterling silver twisted 6.5 mm jump rings

2mm sterling silver crimp tubes size 2 (6)

Sterling silver Mom heart charm

Sterling silver puffed heart charm

Sterling silver toggle clasp

.018" silver plated 19 strand nylon coated beading wire

French wire, size medium

Stringing Your Mother Day Bracelet

Step 1: Line up your beads

Start by lining up your beads on your bead board or on masking tape facing sticky side up. This makes it easy to move them around and rearrange them if you need to.

Step 2: Prepare your Beading Wire

Cut your nylon coated beading wire about 2.5 inches longer than the person's wrist size. Put a piece of masking tape, an alligator clip, or a bead stopper at the end of your stringing wire.

Step 3: String, Look, Rearrange, Fuss...

Don't finish either end yet. String your beads onto your wire. It's OK to string and restring until you're happy with the design (I usually have to rearrange a few times until I like the look).

Here's the design I finally decided on:

~

Step 4: Measure

Put masking tape or a bead stopper on the open end of beading wire. Measure your strung beads. Make sure that they are all pushed together. Your string of beads needs to measure the same as your wrist measurement less about 1/8th of an inch. Add or remove beads from the ends as necessary.

Step 5: Crimping one end of the bracelet

Call me paranoid, but I usually double or even triple crimp my bracelets to make extra sure they don't come apart. This bracelet is triple crimped on each end.

Take your tape off one end and string a crimp tube, a sterling 6mm bead, and 2 more crimp tubes.

Form a loop at the end of your bracelet by stringing a 1/2" piece of french wire onto your beading wire, then stringing your beading wire back through the 2 crimp tubes, the sterling round bead, and the 3rd crimp tube, and the next bead in line too.

French Wire is a coil of very fine wire that fits over your beading wire. I use it on the toggle end.

Tighten up everything nice and snug by pushing your beads and crimp tubes close together. Crimp each tube.

Take the remaining piece of tape off your bracelet.

String 1 crimp tube, 1 sterling round, and your last 2 crimp tubes onto your unfinished bracelet end. String the clasp. String the end of your beading wire back through the sterling bead and crimp tubes tighten the beading wire.

Crimp your crimp tubes.

I like to use my Magic Crimping pliers (to see what these pliers look like, see the lefthand pic below) because it turns my crimp tubes into little round balls that look like beads. You can use crimping pliers to crimp and fold the tube, or squash the crimp tubes flat with your pliers instead.

Lefthand picture: This picture shows a different clasp, but I wanted to show you how your crimp tubes and beading wire should look in this step.

Righthand picture: Legend: C=crimp tube, SR=sterling round (obviously, these tube are already crimped) See how my crimp tubes look like liitle beads?

Step 6: Attach the Toggle Bar

Your toggle bar usually has a jump ring attached to it. Use it to attach the toggle bar to your french wired loop.

Step 7: Trim your nylon beading wire close with flush cutters.

Step 8: Attach Your Charms

Your charms should come with jump rings attached. Use them to attach the charms to the toggle clasp end of your bracelet (either to the loop of the clasp, or around the beaded part of the bracelet)

Step 9: Finish it Off and Pack it Up

Admire your work, and wear it around town for a day to make sure it won't fall apart or fall off. Finally, if all is well, wrap it nicely in a pretty box for your lucky friend or mom.

Don't forget to write a nice little card explaining what materials you used, and about the birthstone crystals. Brag a little! Make sure your gift recipient knows how much time and thought you put into the gift!

Variations

This bracelet could be made lots of different ways. Here are some ideas:

Make a 2 or 3 strand bracelet with a child's name on each strand.

Use sterling silver rounds instead of the pearls

Make matching mother and daughter bracelets.

Make a Grandmother bracelet with "GRANDMA" in letter beads, and all the birthstone crystals of her grandchildren.

The easy way to make jewellery

2010-02-22T07:28:00.000-08:00

I made the pieces below to give you an idea of what can be done with fabric: alter them, add to them, do whatever you want to get the necklace you really like. And the best thing? There's no need for clasps, chains or those pesky pliers.

Fabric chain necklace

Fabric

Ribbon

Iron

Needle and thread/sewing machine

A safety pin

What to do

1. Make as many links as you need. To make each link using ribbon: cut it to size, fold it in half, iron it in place, then sew all the way down one side. To finish (this keeps the link flat) sew it all the way down the other side too.

To make each link using fabric: cut it to the appropriate length and four times wider than you want the link to be. Fold the fabric in half, iron, then unfold. Fold each edge to the centre and iron in place. Fold this in half lengthways again, then sew all the way down the edge to secure. To finish, sew it all the way down the other side too.

2. Assemble by sewing up one link first. Next, thread the next piece of fabric through this loop and sew it up. Repeat until you have a long chain.

3. Cut three long strips of fabric, then use a safety pin to fasten them together at the top. Plait all the pieces together, then knot the end to the last link. Take the safety pin out and tie the top of the plait to the other end of the chain.

4. Add a bow and you're all done.

Ring and chain necklace

Three rings (I used two curtain rings and one old earring - the big pink asymmetrical one)

Scraps of fabric

Needle and thread

A chain

What to do

1. Cover each of your rings in fabric: you can do this any way you want, but I used strips of material folded in half lengthways and sewn on so that the frayed edges faced the outside. I kept ruching the fabric up to create the ruffles.

2. Sew the three rings together securely.

3. Sew the chain on to the back of the rings.

Tips

• Don't worry about the fabric fraying - just pretend it's meant to be like that and no one will know any better.

• Knots really are secure, so just tie things together if you can't be bothered to sew it.

• Even the smallest piece of fabric can be used on a necklace, so keep any scraps you have left over from other craft projects.

• Look for offcuts in haberdasheries (I got 1/2 metre of Amy Butler material in Liberty for £2.40 a few weeks ago) and buy cheap clothes in charity shops to cut up if you like the fabric.

Lesson 2 - How to Make a T-Shirt: Part II

2010-02-22T02:33:00.000-08:00

Lesson 1 - How to Make a T-Shirt - Part 1

2010-02-22T02:31:00.000-08:00

Make your own bracelet

2010-02-21T03:06:00.000-08:00

Make your own Giles Deacon ruff t-shirt

2010-02-21T02:42:00.000-08:00

. You can make a new t-shirt by taking a pattern from your favourite one. Pin the t-shirt as flat as possible front-side down on paper and mark out the shape of the front, the back and the sleeve panels, adding a 1cm

sewing allowance to the seams and as much of a hem turn-up as you want.

2. Use your pattern to cut out the front and back t-shirt

panels, and a pair for the sleeves.

3. Stitch the shoulder seams together and (if you have a sewing machine) overlock the seam edge.

4. Stitch the armhole seam and overlock the seam edge.

5. Stitch both side seams (sleeve hem to the t-shirt hem) and overlock the seam edges.

6. Sew some ribbing around the neckline, leave raw or hem.

7. Fold the hem and sleeve hem up and topstitch these down.

For the laser-cut ruff1. these shapes and print out onto paper.

Dog

Rabbit

Pacman

2. Use your new camo paper templates to mark out these shapes onto any fabric you like. (If you don't want your cut fabric shapes to fray, buy some Fray Check from any haberdashery shop and apply to the cut edge to stop them fraying.) We used a paper fabric during the show, but you can use anything: plastics, meshes, paper, FedEx envelopes.

3. Use a fabric-covered Alice band (buy one from any pound shop) as a ruff base for your cutout shapes. These make perfect necklace shapes.

4. Layer up your camo shapes into bunches and put some stitches through the middle to hold in place. Add buttons and anything else you like.

5. Pin the camo cut shapes to the Alice band, then hand-sew them on.

6. Walk tall and wear your ruff with pride!

Make your own Celia Birtwell stencil print bag

2010-02-21T02:19:00.000-08:00

For the bag1. You'll need: A sewing machine, a sponge, four fabric paints, scissors, tailor's chalk, pins, a ruler, four pieces of paper, card, a scalpel, and 2m of black fabric.

2. Download and print out the stencil on card. Using a scalpel, cut out each stencil using the registration points.

The stencils are here (in pdf format):

Green
Red
Blue
Pink
(Please read the copyright information below).

3. Line up the paper horizontally on your fabric and pin in place. Add 1cm allowance at each end and 2cm at the top and bottom. Mark in chalk.

4. Cut around the pattern, and cut notches where seam allowance starts, and down the middle of the bag where it will fold.

5. Place your first stencil on the fabric and lightly sponge on paint. Line up the registration points to ensure stencil stays straight.

6. When the paints have dried, fold 1cm in at the top of the bag, and iron into place. Fold over again, and stitch along the top. Repeat this on the other side.

7. Turn the bag inside out, and in half, matching up the notches. Pin both sides of the bag, and sew 1cm along the edge.

For the handles8. Draw four rectangles 6cm by 60cm. Cut out and separate into pairs. Stitch around three sides of each pair, leaving one 6cm side open on each. Turn inside out. Pin one end of each handle to bag, and box-stitch to secure. Fold the open end under, and box-stitch.

How to make molded rose cake decorations

2010-02-20T07:26:00.001-08:00

How to make a Beaded Candle Decoration

2010-02-20T07:24:00.000-08:00

how make to string a one-strand bracelet,

2010-02-18T06:10:00.000-08:00

Tools:

2 pair chain nose pliers or 1 pair flat nose, 1 pair chain nose

1 pair flush cutters

Materials

10 inches nylon coated stainless steel stringing cable

Toggle clasp

4 crimp tubes or crimp beads

your choice of beads

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Step 1:

Cut 10" of stringing cable

Step 2:

Put a beadstopper or piece of tape on the end of your cable so the beads don't fall off.

Step 3:

Lay out your design. I like to start in the middle and work outwards. You'll need about 6" worth of beads for a 7" wrist.

Step 4:

Start stringing your beads.

Step 5:

Measure the length of your strung beads. You'll need about the same amount as your wrist size less one inch. (The extra inch is for your clasp).

Step 6:

Take the tape off one end of your cable, take off last bead strung, then string a crimp tube, the bead you just removed, another crimp tube, then one half of your toggle clasp

Step 7:

String the end of your cable back through the 1st crimp tube, the bead, and the 2nd crimp tube.

(Remember to leave enough length on the other end!)

Step 8:

Snug everything up nice and squoosh each crimp tube with your chain nose pliers.

Give the end a tug to make sure everything is secure.

Step 9:

Do the same on the other end with your remaining half of the toggle clasp.

Step 10:

Try on your bracelet for one last size check.

Step 11:

If everything is A-OK size-wise, trim the ends of cable with your flush cutters

The Finished Bracelet!

Flowers

2010-02-18T04:59:00.000-08:00

Main supplies:

Coats and Clark metallic and neon threads

Card stock – assorted colors

Templates – round, square, etc.

Basic Supplies:

Decorative punches

Scissors

Decorative edge scissors

Tape

Instructions:

1: Punch or cut a shape from cardstock.

2: Tape the end of the thread to one side of the shape. This will be the back.

3: Bring the thread to the front between two points. (Fig. 1) Pull across the front then to the back again passing through two points. Note. The number of points you leave between where the thread comes up from the back and the point where it goes down, determines whether you will have a small or a large opening at the center when finished. (The fewer number of points between the thread, the larger the center will be.)

4: Bring the thread to the front between the next points on the circle, pull across the front then to the back passing between the points next to the first. (Fig. 2)

5: Continue wrapping the thread around the shape until you end at the place where you started. Tape the end to the back.

How to Keep The Bottle Feeding Clean?

2010-02-17T07:54:00.000-08:00

The most important and paramount thing while feeding the baby is the cleanliness of the given milk. It has to be clean and germ-free. Breastfeeding mothers don’t have to worry about it because their milk is perfect but mothers who use formula milk to feed their babies always have to think about the bottle sterilizing and teats cleaning.

Sterilizers

Mothers who decided to bottle feed their children must have an adequate bottle sterilizer to keep the feeding bottles always clean. There are bottle sterilizers which work by placing them in a microwave. These types are the cheapest and it is their greatest advantage but before using them you have to make sure that your microwave is clean, especially after cooking there some spicy food. If not, you have to clean it. And if you decide to go somewhere it will be a bit problematic to take the sterilizer and the microwave with you. Its portability is far from being perfect. The best choice but a more expensive one is purchasing an electric bottle sterilizer. It is very simple in use. First you have to wash the bottle then place it into a plastic tray and then place the tray into the sterilizer. Pour into the sterilizer some water – not more than is recommended by the manufacturers and your electric sterilizer will do the rest. There are also types of sterilizers which can work both as electric and microwave ones; this means you can put the plastic tray with the bottle in the microwave as well as in the electric equipment.

Cleaning

Before using any type of sterilizer you have to wash the bottle very thoroughly. There is a special brush made for bottle cleaning. A feeding bottle has to be washed in warm soapy water and the teats have to be cleaned with salt to disinfect them and peel the film of remained milk. And before sterilizing make sure that the teats and the caps of the bottles are not left on.

Some more suggestions

Sterilizing is not the only thing mothers have to follow to keep baby feeding germ-free. Formula milk can provide perfect conditions for bacteria to thrive if it stands in a warm place for a long time. If you bottle feed your baby you must mix the milk powder with water just before feeding and never give your baby the milk which was prepared for a previous feed. Formula milk has never to be made in advance, if you are going to have a long trip, take with you some warm water in a thermos flask and the baby powder milk and mix it when you need it. Your hands have to be washed well before making your baby’s formula.

Every baby has to have his or her personal bottle, so never share it with another one, because it can be a good way to share germs as well. Containing more sugar than breast milk baby’s formula can become a real problem for your baby’s teeth – cause decay. To a void it you should never put baby to bed with a bottle giving him or her opportunity to suck the bottle for hours, because the sugary liquid flows over the baby's upper front teeth and dissolves the enamel.

Bottle feeding is as safe as breast feeding if you follow the guidelines above and it gives your baby all the nutrients he or she needs.

Ideas And Tips On Fabrics For Your Bedroom

2010-02-17T07:44:00.000-08:00

Many houses have at least two bedrooms. These days, people have become more affluent so they can afford to build homes with 5 bedrooms upwards. In fact the richer ones build houses of twenty bedrooms or more. But of course you don't have to own such houses before you can make yours a little paradise. Just getting the right bedroom furniture can do wonders for your bedroom.

One major aspect of your bedroom decoration is your flooring. Is an aspect that cannot be discountenanced because it usually makes a lot of difference in the look of your bedroom. In fact, in any house decoration, whether the bedroom or the kitchen, the floor decoration speaks volume.

Depending on the size of the room and of what nature of room one is trying to do, one can achieve a sizzling look by having mirror on the wardrobe doors. By doing this you have conserved space. But the truth is that if well done with the right furniture, you have not just conserved space you have created beauty.

When you are trying to beautify your bedroom with the right furniture, always pick colors that will be mood enhancing and that will always whisper things like 'take it easy' or relax'. Your colors must never be loud.

When thinking of furnishing your bedroom, note that it can take time. It's not always something that can be done instantly and effortless. You can end up spending quite a while rearranging several times.

Lots of couples have confirmed that the right kinds of bedroom furniture have helped to improve their love lives. You see, if you get the right bedroom furniture, with the right colors and right ligthenings, the bedroom can really heighten your sense of romance and keep your relationship alive whenever you are together in the bedroom.

If you can afford to, I highly recommend spending good money to make your bedroom look very lovely. Most times, the kind of bedroom furniture you use will determine how beautiful, attractive and romantic your bedroom will look.

The fact that we always start our day in the bedroom and end it in the bedroom shows that we should do all we can to make it the most beautiful place in our homes. The absolute best way to make the bedroom beautiful is to give it the best of furnishing. If you can't do this yourself, then get an expert to do it for you.

How to Make Handmade Nylon Flower (Stocking flower ) - Do It Yourself

2010-02-16T04:42:00.000-08:00

How to: Nylon Flower DIY Lotus

2010-02-16T04:39:00.000-08:00

How to Make a Paper Rose for Valentine's Day

2010-02-16T04:30:00.000-08:00

Materials for Valentine's Day Hand Card

2010-02-16T04:26:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids : Materials for Valentine's Day Hand Card

Pencil case from polimer clay with millefiori tecnique

2010-02-08T13:43:00.001-08:00

How to create a striped cane in 5 minutes

2010-02-08T13:41:00.003-08:00

Popular jewelry made with polymer technique

2010-02-08T13:39:00.003-08:00

Art Jewelry - Making a polymer clay jellyroll cane

2010-02-08T13:38:00.001-08:00

How to Accomplish Sea Carapace Candles

2009-07-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

How to Accomplish Sea Carapace Candles

Collecting sea shells forth the bank is a admired kid's summertime activity. This accessible sea carapace candle ability shows you how.

When completed, besprinkle sea carapace candles about your affair table forth with added bank souvenirs, such as starfish and beach dollars. Larger shells can be acclimated as altered centerpieces, or emphasis pieces in the bedchamber or bath.

The absolute gift for a seaside-themed party.

Bar of paraffin

Wicks

Metal wick holders

Double boiler with a cloudburst lip

Shells

Stubs of black candles

If you can't acquisition metal wick holders, abolish the wicks bargain tea lights. Use stubs from black candles to accomplish candles in assorted shades.

Method:

Clean shells in a 10% achromatize solution. Rinse with air-conditioned baptize and let dry.

Cut up the paraffin block into abate chunks with a aciculate knife. Use the paraffin as is, or you may ambition to add $.25 of black wax for altered blush combinations. Experiment with blush blends, but bethink that the wax will be a adumbration darker back it dries.

Cover a abiding apparent with artificial or newspapers. Balance one of the shells on a baby cup and boring cascade in the broiled wax. Immediately abode the wick and wick holder in the centermost of the shell. Light up and get pleasure your admirable sea carapace candles

Easy Origami

2009-07-03T17:38:00.000-07:00

Easy Origami

Origami is an art of cardboard folding, accordingly all you should charge is a allotment of cardboard and you can alpha folding abroad after any problems, right? Materials

In origami, you ability not aloof charge paper? Paper

Foil Backing

Scissors or blades

Glues and paints and added ability goods

Paper

You can about use any blazon of cardboard in any blush that you want. But, in adjustment to accomplish your origami fun and not frustrating, it ability be best to use accepted printer paper. If you use thinner paper, you ability breach or abrasion out the sheets. If you use added paper, it ability not be the easiest to assignment with, and the folds get added difficult to accomplish as the cardboard folds over it.

Colored band cardboard (standard printer cardboard in a color)

Colored architecture paper

Newspaper

Plain white paper

Commercial origami paper

Colored and apparent white band cardboard can be bought inexpensively for aloof a few dollars and best of your basal origami creations can be fabricated with this paper. You can additionally use architecture paper, but it is heavier, and you won't accept a lot of luck accomplishing wet folding.

Many accomplished origami enthusiasts will use bartering origami paper. This affectionate of cardboard is hardly lighter than accepted band paper, but it is absolutely added abiding than its band counterpart.

One of the added advantages of application bartering origami cardboard is the actuality that it is alone black on one side. The adverse ancillary of this origami cardboard is white. This is acutely accessible if you are designing or architecture dual-colored pieces like a zebra, for instance.

Foil backing

This isn't a above account in origami, until you get into added intricate designs. Many accomplished origami artists use antithesis aback cardboard for assertive items that you aren't activity to be able to bend with approved paper. These items ability include: antennae on insect designs, and possibly baby legs on any of the added creatures that amuse your fancy.

You can usually acquisition antithesis backed cardboard in a ability abundance and it can absolutely expensive. Scissors and blades

Although traditionalists ability accept a botheration with application scissors and blades to advice cut paper, it does accept to appear sometimes. Many of the origami patterns alarm for a aboveboard allotment of paper, and unless you get bartering origami paper, you ability accept to cut your own to size. A acceptable brace of scissors or an artist's brand and a beeline bend will do the trick

Picture Anatomy Crafts for Your Kids Party

2009-07-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

Picture Anatomy Crafts for Your Kids Party

One of the best accepted affair favors is a affected account of the affair bedfellow taken at your kid's party. He or she could be assuming off a asinine hat or affair costume, assuming an abandoned affair bold stunt, or cutting a face abounding of frosting and ice cream.

When the decorating is done, artlessly cement account to the aback of the frame.

Here's a begin of anatomy account and decorating abstracts kids can use:

Decorate with brilliant stickers.

*Cut frames from altered black ability foam. Layer the cream squares for a altered effect. Decorative cream pieces in abounding altered shapes and capacity are accessible at your ability store.

*Make a simple ability stick anatomy and adorn it with faux gems, sequins, sparkles, or stickers.

*Fashion a anatomy with ability clay.

*Use faux ability fur to accomplish a absolutely "wild" attractive frame. Great for a boscage themed party.

*Tie one end of a continued breadth of bright yarn to your agenda square. *Glue tiny Barbie baby accessories such as combs, brushes, sunglasses, and purses. Ideal for a Barbie affair or little girl's dress up party.

*Brush a aboveboard of agenda with white ability glue. Sprinkle ability beach assimilate the cement in altered colors and patterns. Shake balance beach assimilate newspapers and let dry.

*Use alfresco treasures such as tiny ache cones, leaves, and baby stones to accomplish a attributes frame. Perfect for a garden affair or bug party.

*Apply geometrical shapes of acquainted in a artistic pattern.

*Cover your anatomy with appealing fabric.

*Apply black adobe shapes to your agenda square.

*Different shapes of macaroni accomplish absorbing anatomy decorations. Try elbows, wheels, bowties, and fussily.

*Tiny black pompoms accomplish a beautiful bendable frame. Administer commutual colors in rows.

*Tear off one inch pieces of consciousness-expanding tissue paper. Pinch amid fingers, dip in cement and administer to your frame.

*Small broiled beans or peas laid out in intricate patterns accomplish a altered frame.

Kids will adulation the hands-on affair action and parents will get pleasure their child's account displayed in their own abnormally artistic frame.

Make a Butterfly Napkin

2009-07-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

Nice Wall Hanging - household-ideas

2009-07-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

broken glass Nice Idea

2009-07-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

Beautifying a clay pot

2009-07-01T16:00:00.000-07:00

Haw To Make Crown of Friends

2009-06-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

Bathroom Taps, The Fresh Designer Accessory

2009-06-28T06:26:00.000-07:00

Bathroom Taps, The Fresh Designer Accessory

Bathroom Curtains are a call for every ablution and with the best now accessible to consumers they no best accept to be a addled purchase. Previously, curtains were curtains and the focus was on the brittle ceramics that you bought with the cast name actuality the above affairs point, admitting in the accepted bread-and-butter altitude this appears to accept been reversed. Consumers are now seeing curtains as a fashionable accession to their ablution and as such are spending added focus and money on these than that of their germ-free ware, artlessly because the cast name of your toilet and ablution is no best credible as the best important aspect of you affairs a fresh bathroom. This is actual credible with the arrival of own branded' articles which are cheaper than proprietary brands and in best cases, attending absolutely the same, by apery designs. Whether you are surfing the internet or abnormality about a exhibit you will appear up adjoin this affair of whether to go branded or unbranded as the two will be sat ancillary by ancillary and typically, the above aberration amid the two will be that of the price. This of advance is not consistently the case with some consumers actual accurate to their branded articles and seeing a branded name as one of acumen and giving them allotment of mind.

The focus on curtains is not alone due to the accouterment in appearance but in absorption on the quality, as whilst a ablution is aloof an account that you ample with baptize (though understandably the abstracts acclimated and array of the abject do alter depending on archetypal and access all-embracing quality), the tap has a cardinal of affective genitalia and there is annihilation worse than a decrepit tap back it all goes wrong. Consumers are now spending that little bit added money for not alone a fashionable account but a artefact that they can await on for the activity of their bathroom.

Curtains acclimated to be actual simple in agreement of their appearance and tended to appear as a set of colonnade curtains with capricious styles of handles and never actuality decidedly flattering, admitting the 80's avocado blooming and acceptable ablution suites didn't advice this cause. Today there is a advanced ambit of styles from the apprehensive colonnade tap to the mixer tap and alike the ablution battery mixer tap and with designs capricious dramatically. Typically, back a architect creates a ablution apartment they will actualize a ambit of curtains to acclaim it, from the actual simple and accepted to the accurate and affected Victorian to a avant-garde and glassy styling, abundant options to accumulate you cerebration for a continued time.

Bath battery mixer curtains accept additionally entered this architecture appearance in actuality amid into tap ranges so that the brassware on your ablution and washbasin both match. The ablution battery mixer tap is credible as a applied band-aid to a showering botheration in the conception of a battery ablution to allay bottleneck in the morning, whilst advancement that analytical styling.

In all, what's important in your best of tap is in ensuring it adulation the appearance of your ablution and the brassware is that finishing blow to your absolute room, article that you will be appreciative of and ultimately, article that is fit for purpose.

Soap Authoritative Techniques for the Beginner

2009-06-28T06:11:00.000-07:00

Soap Authoritative Techniques for the Beginner

Soap is one of the world's oldest and best broadly acclimated bogus articles available. Throughout the ages, the allure of soap has changed, yet the basal methods for soap authoritative accept remained actual abundant the same. Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) and blubbery acids, originally from beastly tallow, are mixed. A actinic acknowledgment accepted as blueprint takes place, and like magic, soap is created.

It's not all absolutely as accessible as that, and if you've anytime attempted authoritative your own soap, you apperceive this. For some abecedarian soap-makers, aloof accepting the actinic acknowledgment to arise is according to award the Holy Grail. Many accept ashen over batches that won't trace (the aboriginal signs that the action is working), or batches that separate, abrogation a blend behind. Even added are afraid about the use of Lye, which in its own appropriate is a abrasive actinic that needs to be handled carefully.

If this sounds like you, all is not lost. Here you will acquisition some of the best techniques for authoritative soap successfully.

Measurement Accuracy

Making abiding your abstinent amounts are authentic is a ample allotment of acknowledged soap making. Measurements should be done application an authentic scale. To accomplish abiding you are accepting the actual amounts, calibrate your scales afore use.

Check and Amend Ingredients.

Make abiding you didn't balloon anything. Did you leave article on the adverse and not acquaint it to the mixture? Fix it by accomplishing a re-melt and abacus the missing additive at this time.

Use a Stick Blender

A stick blender, aback acclimated properly, will accomplish your soap authoritative action abundant easier. Start by duke active and about-face to the blender afterwards accepting your capacity mixed. Use the blender in abbreviate bursts, active by duke in between. This will accumulate you from accepting a apocryphal trace from the whipping.

Avoid Calefaction Loss

Heat accident can account problems with the arrangement of your soap and accord you a cool or breakable accomplished product. Best of this calefaction is absent during stirring. If you are experiencing this problem, access your antecedent bond temperature by 10 to 15 degrees. You should see your soap arise out bland and firm.

Double Verify Trace

Often, if your soap gets too algid or you accept afflicted it to the point of whipping, your admixture will thicken up and arise to be accessible to pour. If you cascade it like this, however, you will aloof end up with a blend that never sets up appropriately and will not accomplish specification. Aback you anticipate you see a trace, aback off for a second, let the admixture achieve for a moment, and again amend for a trace.

Use Only Activated Fragrances

Using the amiss aroma can account actual affecting break problems. Accomplish abiding that the fragrances you use accept been activated for use in algid action soap making.

As you can see, authoritative your own soap is not for the unadventurous, but can be advantageous and somewhat addictive. Whether you're authoritative soap for fun or because of allergies, befitting the aloft tips in apperception will absolutely advice the action go smoothly

Making the most beautiful flowers with colored paper

2009-06-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

Why drink water?

2009-06-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

Your body is 60% water -- and not drinking enough can wreak havoc from head to toe. Up to half of all Americans suffer chronic mild dehydration that can cause fatigue, headache, loss of appetite, dry eyes and mouth. As we age, thirst becomes a less sensitive indicator of dehydration, so don't wait until you're thirsty to grab a glass. If you work out, drink more during intense physical activity, when dehydration is a real threat -- your body rapidly loses water through sweat and vapor in exhaled air. A rapid water loss of 5% of body weight can reduce muscular work by 20 - 30%.

Use Salt for Grease Fire

2009-06-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

Keep salt near stove in case of a grease fire. Following a spill, sprinkle with salt immediately. When oven is cool, brush off burnt food and wipe with a damp sponge.

Cleaning Your Car

2009-06-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

Cleaning Your Car

Windshield Cleaner Club soda Spray on the windshield and clean dry. Array Cleaner (Removes built-up acid) Baking soda Water Sprinkle baking soda assimilate array terminals. Sprits' with baptize to dampen. Sponge off with water. Air dry. Cleaning Polish (shiny, careful accomplishment agnate to wax)
½ cup flakes of grated duke soap
½ cup water
½ ounce beeswax
½ cup jojoba
onto a bendable cloth, again addict to a flash with a bendable cloth. Vinyl Smell Reducer and Natural Engine Decease ¼ cup abrasion soda 1 gallon balmy water Dissolve abrasion soda in balmy water. Rinse thoroughly. Covering Wash
¼ cup vodka
¼ cup distilled vinegar
3-4 drops of jojoba or olive oil
Combine all capacity in container. Pour admixture assimilate a bendable rag and rub into leather. Bug Remover ½ cup baking soda Liquid soap Combine baking soda with abundant aqueous soap to accomplish a paste. Rinse well. Foggy Windshield Go to your jolters abundance and shop for a chalkboard eraser.

Handmade Soap

2009-06-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

Homemade Soap

A nice anatomy and face soap. This is a comfortable and affable handmade soap. One of the capital capacity in soap is lye (sodium hydroxide, Noh). Lye is acutely abrasive alike at allowance temperature, and in this compound it is heated. You should consistently abrasion shoes (not sandals), continued pants, a long-sleeved top, and gloves (I use elastic gloves). There is no allowance for mistakes back ambidextrous with lye.

9 lbs. blubber (this is additionally alleged blubber or beef fat)

1 alembic lye

3 c. baptize

2 c. auto abstract

1/4 oz. aerial aroma oil (optional)

You will charge a ample basin or bottle bowl.This charge be able of captivation all the water, auto juice, and fat with some allowance to spare. Alike stainless animate will corrode. Finally, you will charge some glass, ceramic, and/or board molds to cascade the soap into. I use bottle baking dishes; two 8 1/2" × 14" bottle pans will accomplish confined of soap that are about 1" to 1 1/2" blubbery Again, DO NOT USE METAL CONTAINERS, as they will corrode. Render the fat. To do this, cut the fat into hand-sized pieces and abode in a ample pot and awning it. Calefaction on a average calefaction until all the fat is melted.

Cool the fat so that it is beneath the baking point of water. Add an according aggregate of baptize to the fat, and accompany the admixture to a boil. Take the fat out of the pot. Scrape all the non-fat band off the basal of the fat (the ancillary of the fat that was at the fat-water interface). Measure out six pounds of rendered fat (be authentic with this measurement). Set up your soap-making assignment area. On a table, put your basin tub, the basin of fat, the opened alembic of lye, a alembic with the water, and a alembic with the auto juice. If you will be abacus scent, accumulate its alembic nearby. Additionally abode your soap cast containers nearby. Accomplish the soap: Cascade the baptize into the basin tub. Very anxiously cascade the lye into the tub. Activity the lye to deliquesce it in the water. Then alpha abacus the fat to the water/lye mixtures with the continued board spoon. Add the fat a bit at a time and activity until it's all melted. Back the soap is firmer but not yet hard, cut into confined with a knife. Wrap in apple-pie affection rags and abundance in a cool, aerial abode for 3-6 months. The easiest band-aid is aloof to abrasion gloves back you're charwoman the pan. It apparently additionally helps to ablution with acutely hot baptize so that the actual soap (and fat if there is any) melts and dissolves in the water. Makes 6 pounds of soap

Some of the work Asattan cassettes

2009-06-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

How to decorate Flasks oil and vinegar

2009-06-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

How to decorate Flasks oil and vinegar

Grapes grape tree

2009-06-20T19:45:00.000-07:00

clean up pan after boiling milk

2009-06-20T19:40:00.000-07:00

After you have heated milk in a pan, you will find that the pan is quite messy. Well here is a simple tip to make that clean up easier

If your recipe calls for scalding milk, all you have to do it rinse out the pan with water before adding the milk and the milk won't stick to the pan. Great for the fast clean up!

Fuse It & architecture it

2009-06-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

Cleaning Your Grill

2009-06-19T19:38:00.000-07:00

1. Remove gas cylinder if gas grill is to be stored inside. Store your gas cylinder outside.
2. Check for leaks or damage to the hose valve regulator assembly. Refer to your Use and Care manual for leak testing the assembly. Inspect the hose along the entire length for charring, cuts or kinks. Replace with a Sunbeam® hose valve regulator if any damage or leaks are noted.
3. Clean and check burner for damage or excessive corrosion. Remove burner from the bottom casting. Use a wire brush to remove corrosion or burnt-on food. Inspect the burner seams to make sure that the burner is not coming apart. Check and make sure that the burner ports are clear and not clogged with
rust or food residue. Make sure that the burner does not have holes in it caused by corrosion. (Usually the top of the burner or along the burner ports will rust out with use.) Coat burner lightly with cooking oil to protect from corrosion while in storage.
4. Clean excess grease and food drippings from inside of the bottom casting. Regular cleaning of the bottom casting of grease and food drippings will reduce the amount of flare-ups during cooking. Use warm soapy water for cleanup or use a degreaser solution. If you have lava rock for your heat
distribution medium you may want to replace with Sunbeam®/GrillMaster® lava rock. Lava rock is a very porous rock that traps a lot grease. If you have ceramic briquettes for heat distribution, flipping them over to the clean side is all that needs to be done. If your briquettes are broken, replace them with Sunbeam/GrillMaster ceramic briquettes. Cleaning the grill for storage will make getting the grill ready for spring easier.
5. Use the appropriate size grill cover if grill is to stored outside. The regular use of a Sunbeam/GrillMaster grill cover will extend the life of your grill.
6. Clean venturis and check for spider nests. Remove burner from grill bottom. Look inside lower end of venturi tubes for insect nest, cobwebs or wasp mud. To remove insect nests, cobwebs or wasp mud, use a Sunbeam/GrillMaster
flexible venturi brush. Replace the burner assembly into the grill bottom. Make sure valve orifices are inside venturi tubes.
The story of barbecue is the story of America: Settlers arrive on great unspoiled continent, discover wondrous riches, set them on fire and eat them.
~Vince Staten
Two methods work for non-stick grilling when cooking outdoors. Spraying the grill with a non-stick cooking spray, or cutting a potato in half and using the cut side to wipe the grill. The juice from the potato will prevent meat from sticking...

Dusting Hints

2009-06-19T19:36:00.000-07:00

To clean and preserve the color of ivory: Place the article in a basin of cold water. Allow to set for 24 hours. Remove from water and lay the item on a clean, dry towel. Do not wipe! Air Dry only. If any water remains , plea blow the water out. If any water is remaining, the ivory color will become destroyed. Be careful!
PICTURE FRAMES
Dingy or rusty gilt picture frames may be cleaned by simply washing them with a small sponge moistened with oil of turpentine or spirits of wine! Take care that the
sponge does not become saturated. The sponge should be damp, not soaking. Gently wipe off the dirt and rust. DO NOT WIPE DRY...Let the frames dry themselves.
Another method to clean gilt frames: Carefully dust the frame. Make a mixture of 1 ounce of baking soda and 3 egg whites. Beat well. Wash the frames with this mix.
Touch up scrapes with gold paint.
Do you have discolored wooden bread boards or rolling pins? Try rubbing with 1/2 a lemon and then rinse with clear water.
Cleaning Vases
Do you have a white film on the inside of your vases?
Fill the vase with vinegar and let set for a couple of hours.
If you have bottles of perfume or cologne which you do not care for, don't throw them out. Try putting some in your bath water. The ratio of water to perfume will make for a nice smelling bath!
Lemon Juice
will remove adhesive tape and gum from hands and clothes!
Need a good toilet bowl cleaner? Inexpensive, too? Try this! Get a a bucket or pail and add 2 quarts of water, 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide and 1 tablespoon of household ammonia. Mix well. Pour this entire mixture into the toilet and put the toilet lid down. Let the solution set for 30 minutes. Open the lid, scrub with brush and flush! Easy and makes your toilet bowl sparkle!
Need to clean up your glass topped outdoor furniture?
Rub in a little lemon juice (can be from a bottle) Dry with paper towels and make it shine by rubbing with a newspaper! If you have any scratches on the glass top, try rubbing in some toothepaste and this should remove the scratches.
Oven Cleaning
To remove grease from inside ovens and broilers, put small pan of ammonia in oven at night and close the oven door. In the morning, remove the pan of ammonia.The grease inside the oven will wipe off easily!
Ammonia Clean Up
For quick and easy cleanups, get a spray bottle and fill 1/2 with water and 1/2 with ammonia. Why pay a fortune for other cleaners, when this works just as well (and kills germs) I use this for cleaning counters, and wiping down appliances. Spray on, wipe off! Also good for cleaning wastebaskets and garbage cans.
Cleaning Copper Bottom Cookware
Do you use RevereWare Cookware? Or cookware with copper bottoms? I do, and try this easy copper cleaner solution! Rub the copper with Worcestershire Sauce, let set for a minute and rinse off! You can also try rubbing with catsup, but I like the sauce method better.
Cleaning Pots and Pans
Do you have pans and pots with stubborn burnt on food?
Sprinkle baking soda and add a little water. Let sit for about 1/2 hour. Now, wash with dishwashing liquid. Makes it much easier to clean!
Got ink on your nice carpet?
Don't panic. Blot up the ink with a cloth or blotter. Next, take a sponge and wet it with a solution of Lysol and Water (ratio 1 teaspoon Lysol to 1 Quart water) Gently sponge area till ink is gone. Get clean spong and rinse with water and then dry.
Did puppy have an accident?
Sponge the area with a solution of 1/2 cup of white vinegar in a quart of warm water. May need repeat application.
Chewing gum stuck on carpet?
Rub the area with ice cubes till gum is ice cold. Scrape up with a spatula. If stain is still there, you can try using a dry cleaning fluid.
Nail Polish spill?
Use nail polish remover, but apply withan eye dropper. Wait a few minutes, and wip with a clean, dry cloth.
Kids leave a red lollipop to melt on your carpet? Or a popsicle? Remove the food item, then sponge with warm water. If this doesn't work, take a teaspoon of very mild detergent (like ivory snow or dreft) and mix in a 1/2 pint of water. Sponge this on with lukewarm water.
Cigarette burns:
Clip the ends of the blackened tufts. Rub the spot with water and a soapless cleaner

Haw To Clean a teapot

2009-06-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

To clean your teapot. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot, and then wipe away the grime.

Warning: Do not put a ceramic teapot on the hob as it will blow up. Instead boil the whole pot inside a big pan of water and vinegar and then boil.

Tips related to packing clothes

2009-06-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

To reduce wrinkles, fold your garments in tissue paper or wrap them in plastic bags. Wrap several shirts or blouses around a piece of cardboard.
Or place one end of a long garment face down against an inside wall of the suitcase and let the other end hang out. Then lay several shorter items on top of it and fold the end over. Alternate the layers so that the garments cushion one another.
Tuck small items, such as socks and handkerchiefs, into collars and along fold lines.
Don't fold clothes that are going into a duffle bag; roll them.
In a three-section suitcase put the heaviest items in the middle.
Make sure that heavy items are always at the bottom of the bag when the luggage is upright. Don't overfill it.
Put the delicate clothes into a hanging bag first. Centre garments on hangers and bring their sleeves slightly to the front.
Use a dry cleaner's garment bag as a hanging bag in an emergency. Use a child's book bag or a rucksack for personal bits and pieces. On short trips a picnic basket is handy for carrying frequently used items.

IVORY CARE

2009-06-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

IVORY CARE
To clean and preserve the color of ivory: Place the article in a basin of cold water. Allow to set for 24 hours. Remove from water and lay the item on a clean, dry towel. Do not wipe! Air Dry only. If any water remains , plea blow the water out. If any water is remaining, the ivory color will become destroyed. Be careful!
PICTURE FRAMES
Dingy or rusty gilt picture frames may be cleaned by simply washing them with a small sponge moistened with oil of turpentine or spirits of wine! Take care that the
sponge does not become saturated. The sponge should be damp, not soaking. Gently wipe off the dirt and rust. DO NOT WIPE DRY...Let the frames dry themselves.
Another method to clean gilt frames: Carefully dust the frame. Make a mixture of 1 ounce of baking soda and 3 egg whites. Beat well. Wash the frames with this mix.
Touch up scrapes with gold paint.
Do you have discolored wooden bread boards or rolling pins? Try rubbing with 1/2 a lemon and then rinse with clear water.
Cleaning Vases
Do you have a white film on the inside of your vases?
Fill the vase with vinegar and let set for a couple of hours.
If you have bottles of perfume or cologne which you do not care for, don't throw them out. Try putting some in your bath water. The ratio of water to perfume will make for a nice smelling bath!
Lemon Juice
will remove adhesive tape and gum from hands and clothes!
Need a good toilet bowl cleaner? Inexpensive, too? Try this! Get a a bucket or pail and add 2 quarts of water, 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide and 1 tablespoon of household ammonia. Mix well. Pour this entire mixture into the toilet and put the toilet lid down. Let the solution set for 30 minutes. Open the lid, scrub with brush and flush! Easy and makes your toilet bowl sparkle!
Need to clean up your glass topped outdoor furniture?
Rub in a little lemon juice (can be from a bottle) Dry with paper towels and make it shine by rubbing with a newspaper! If you have any scratches on the glass top, try rubbing in some toothepaste and this should remove the scratches.
Oven Cleaning
To remove grease from inside ovens and broilers, put small pan of ammonia in oven at night and close the oven door. In the morning, remove the pan of ammonia.The grease inside the oven will wipe off easily!
Ammonia Clean Up
For quick and easy cleanups, get a spray bottle and fill 1/2 with water and 1/2 with ammonia. Why pay a fortune for other cleaners, when this works just as well (and kills germs) I use this for cleaning counters, and wiping down appliances. Spray on, wipe off! Also good for cleaning wastebaskets and garbage cans.
Cleaning Copper Bottom Cookware
Do you use RevereWare Cookware? Or cookware with copper bottoms? I do, and try this easy copper cleaner solution! Rub the copper with Worcestershire Sauce, let set for a minute and rinse off! You can also try rubbing with catsup, but I like the sauce method better.
Cleaning Pots and Pans
Do you have pans and pots with stubborn burnt on food?
Sprinkle baking soda and add a little water. Let sit for about 1/2 hour. Now, wash with dishwashing liquid. Makes it much easier to clean!
Got ink on your nice carpet?
Don't panic. Blot up the ink with a cloth or blotter. Next, take a sponge and wet it with a solution of Lysol and Water (ratio 1 teaspoon Lysol to 1 Quart water) Gently sponge area till ink is gone. Get clean spong and rinse with water and then dry.
Did puppy have an accident?
Sponge the area with a solution of 1/2 cup of white vinegar in a quart of warm water. May need repeat application.
Chewing gum stuck on carpet?
Rub the area with ice cubes till gum is ice cold. Scrape up with a spatula. If stain is still there, you can try using a dry cleaning fluid.
Nail Polish spill?
Use nail polish remover, but apply withan eye dropper. Wait a few minutes, and wip with a clean, dry cloth.
Kids leave a red lollipop to melt on your carpet? Or a popsicle? Remove the food item, then sponge with warm water. If this doesn't work, take a teaspoon of very mild detergent (like ivory snow or dreft) and mix in a 1/2 pint of water. Sponge this on with lukewarm water.
Cigarette burns:
Clip the ends of the blackened tufts. Rub the spot with water and a soapless cleaner.

Privacy Policy

2009-06-15T18:12:00.000-07:00

Privacy Policy for http://www.household-ideas.co.cc/ If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at raafat13@msn.com. At http://www.household-ideas.co.cc/, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by http://www.household-ideas.co.cc/ and how it is used. Log FilesLike many other Web sites, http://www.household-ideas.co.cc/ makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable. Cookies and Web Beacons http://www.household-ideas.co.cc/ does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser. DoubleClick DART Cookie .:: Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on http://www.household-ideas.co.cc/..:: Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to http://www.household-ideas.co.cc/ and other sites on the Internet. .:: Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html Some of our advertising partners may use cookies and web beacons on our site. Our advertising partners include ....Google AdsenseThese third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on http://www.household-ideas.co.cc/ send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see. http://www.household-ideas.co.cc/ has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers. You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. http://www.household-ideas.co.cc/'s privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites. If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.

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2009-06-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

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2009-06-15T17:53:00.000-07:00

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2009-06-15T17:48:00.000-07:00

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2009-06-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

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2009-06-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

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2009-06-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

How to Decorate a Drinking Glass

2009-06-14T19:19:00.000-07:00

Blog Archive

2009-02-08T12:28:00.000-08:00