Mother's Day Crafts For Toddlers - Easy Bookmark Mother's Day Craft For Toddlers

Finding an easy mother's day craft for toddlers is not always that easy. I know that most people consider making bookmarks rather boring but, we must keep in mind that the toddlers probably haven't made any yet, so for them, making a bookmark for mom is new. This easy bookmark craft is also a fun way to teach the little ones what happens when different colors are mixed.

Remember, this craft for toddlers needs to be done under adult supervision and the little ones will need help with some of the steps.

This is what you will need for this mother's day craft:

• A small piece of white poster paper
• A decorative pair of craft scissors (called zigzag scissors by some)
• 4 Colors of thin watercolors (you can find watercolors powder to make these at any crafts store)
• A medicine dropper
• Thin ribbon in a color of your choice
• A punch to make a hole for the ribbon

Method for this mother's day craft:

1. With your decorative scissors cut a piece of your poster paper to the required size for a bookmark. (Bookmarks do not always have to be the well known size, I have a very pretty one that my granddaughter made that is quite big and it is beautiful. A bigger bookmark also gives you more space to work with.)
2. Now you have to splatter a little bit of clean water on your bookmark. (Not too much because we do not want the bookmark to become too soggy!)
3. Draw one of the colors, of your paint, up into the medicine dropper and drip the paint on different places on the bookmark.
4. Wash the medicine dropper and repeat the procedure with the other the other three colors.
5. You will notice that the colors will flow a little and where they mix the colors will change depending on the colors you used. For the little ones it may be a good idea to use the primary colors.
6. Keep an eye on the kids so that they do not get over exited and use too much water and paint, as the bookmark will then become very soggy and the end result will not be satisfactory.
7. Let your bookmark dry completely.
8. Punch a hole in the bottom of the bookmark and thread the ribbon through the hole.
9. Make a not in the ribbon to keep it in place.

Kids really love doing crafts that can be used in some way. With this mother's day craft for toddlers they make a gift for mom that she will be able to use for many, many years to come. I hope you and your toddler will enjoy this easy mother's day craft for toddlers.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Recycled Craft Ideas - Crafty Ideas to Recycle Tins and Cans

Recycled craft ideas are a great and inexpensive way to make use of items commonly found in your home.

Tins and cans come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and with a variety of contents - but don't throw them out once you've used up the contents!

Here are a few fun ideas for recycled tins and cans:

Pretty Picnic Flower Pots

If you're having a picnic party theme at home, get a few medium sized tins that would suit having a few freshly picked flowers in them. Near the top, make two holes on opposite sides - probably best to ask your dad, husband or brother to help! Thread some pretty ribbon through and tie it at the top, this will be used to hang the tin from the branches of trees or the rafters of your patio. Go into your garden and pick a few pretty fresh flowers and some foliage, and pop them into the tins with some water. If you have the time and creativity, you could also glue some pretty fabric to the tins, or spray paint them in the color/s of your theme.

Pen and Pencil Holders

Everyone will ask you where you got them! Choose the size or sizes that suit you, then decorate the tins on the outside - you could glue fabric around and finish with a trim of pretty cord at the top, or spray paint them the color you choose.

Gift Containers

Here again you can use any size or shape that fits the gift. Simply wrap it with colored cellophane paper and tie together at the top with a pretty ribbon.

Candle Holders

These are lovely for an evening function, to line a path or down a staircase outside. Try find some low tins or cans, tie a pretty ribbon/bow around each one, and use a tealight candle or other low candle inside.

Waste Paper Baskets

Using the same suggestions above, either cover them with some pretty fabric and finish off with a trim of cord or feathers, or simply spray paint to the color you want.

Craft Supply Containers

Label them with the contents they're going to hold. You can even get quite creative - instead of storing them in a cupboard or shelf unit (which would probably be more difficult to get to) keep them on top of a spare desk or dresser, but dress them up first! You can wrap them with pretty leftover pieces of fabric, even rope, or spray paint them to the color/s you prefer.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Craft Show Tips

Helpful craft show tips. Have an added advantage when selling at craft shows. Make good use of these practical ideas.

How to choose a craft fair

Know what to look for in a craft show and make sure it is the right opportunity for selling your crafts. Consider these criteria when deciding on renting a booth at a show. What are the entry fees? Is there a straight fee for the booth or does the promoter take a percentage of your sales? What other products are for sale at the show and will your product fit in with the general style of the show? What sort of attendance numbers can you expect? How many vendors are there and how many are selling similar products to you? How much marketing and advertising do the promoters do for their craft show?

How to set up your craft fair booth

Craft show tips for setting up a good booth include the following. Delineate your space by using a canopy or display boards. Set up your display tables in either a Y, L or U shape for easy access to your crafts. Customers must be able to easily reach your display and move around freely. They need to be able to pick up the crafts without too much effort. Put your table at the right height. Often the table is too low for comfortable viewing making customers bend over. Avoid tables that are too wide making it difficult for customers to reach across to items at the back. Avoid cluttering your booth with too much product. If you provide too many different options it becomes overwhelming and customers will often choose nothing. Use attractive signage to inform people about your products and draw them into your booth.

Craft show tips for displaying your products

Help customers visualise using your crafts by displaying the product as it would be used. Create an attractive arrangement of candles, use mannequins and display busts to show off clothing and accessories, fill your ceramic vases with flowers. Highlight the benefits of your product in the display. Light the candles so that customers can see how they burn and enjoy the smell they create. Create different levels, a flat row of crafts is uninteresting. Use risers or display items to do this. Use background colors that complement rather than compete with the products.

Come up with different sales strategies

You have a wonderful product but you still need to come up with great ideas to keep your product selling. What about combining items at a special price? For example pair up a handmade candle with your handcrafted soap for a beautiful bath experience! Make use of the many different holidays by offering customers a holiday related deal. Offer special promotions like a lower price for seniors. Tailor sales promotions to the type of people likely to attend the craft show.

Selling at craft fairs requires preparation and imagination! Don't be afraid to try something new and create a great craft fair booth that brings in the customers and makes the sales.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Is Quilling a Paper Craft That Children Can Do?

Yes, children will definitely love quilling as a fun paper craft to do with all kinds of colored paper strips! You can show kids how to roll the paper into different shapes and then give them a chance to create something unique on their own. You may want to give them paper that is a little bit wider so they can handle it more easily. Making coils and scrolls are simple enough for most children to do and then you can give them some guidance as they glue them together into a design or you can allow them to create whatever they desire! If your child is having trouble rolling the coils, then help them out with that and allow them to do the gluing.

Kids especially love to try to make their favorite animals and cartoon characters with quilling. Older children can look at photos or drawings of the items they would like to quill and can get design ideas that way. You could even draw a basic design on paper and have them fill in the design with different quilled shapes similar to a puzzle! Allow your child to have fun twirling the paper and gluing their coils and scrolls down however they like.

Quilling is a great craft for kids since it requires very few supplies and is inexpensive so you can allow them to use as much paper as you'd like! Children will enjoy giving their quilling works of art as gifts or using them to decorate pieces of paper or cards for others.

The Christmas holiday is an especially great time to have your children helped with quilling paper since they are sure to have fun making santas, wreaths, trees, and other holiday decorations. They can even add beads, glitter, sequins, ribbon, or other embellishments like buttons to jazz up their paper quilling creation. Have your child draw a tree on a piece of paper and then use quilling designs to decorate the tree! You can even give this as a gift if you want to frame it or add their design to a holiday gift card.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Nature Craft - How to Make a Leaf Lady

Hi, and welcome to the making of the leaf lady, this guide will show you how to make a leaf lady with just a few leaves, a couple of coloured drawing pencils some firm paper and also tracing paper and a tube of all purpose glue.

It`s just a few steps, actually four steps to complete this craft marvel. The best time to make this craft is in the Autumn when the leaves have fallen off the trees.

Step one: So let`s get to it and trace a picture of a lady in a skirt, draw the lady's head, neck, body all the way down to the hem of the skirt but don`t draw the arms or legs, then place the tracing paper upside down on a firm piece of paper and rub the outline of the lady with a pencil this will print the lady's outline to the firm paper. Then draw the lady's face and neck with your coloured pencils, skin coloured pencil and a black pencil to draw the eyes, nose and mouth.

Step two: Gather your leaves, large ones for the skirt all the same colour but not green more smaller leaves and grasses and rats tails for the hair and bodice and thin leaves for the arms and ears of wheat for the lady to carry.

So start with gluing the leaves to the paper and your starting point is at the hem of the skirt, working your way up to the middle where the lady's skirt ends and here bodice begins, placing the leaves inside the skirt and on the line of the tracing.

Step three: For the bodice use small thin leaves to fill out the body just under the neck use your design skills, to mix it up with the leaves and use long thin leaves for the arms so glue these in very carefully.

Step four: Finally glue some rats tail`s for the hair then place some ears of wheat in the arms of the lady to complete this great nature craft.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Craft Ideas - Sources of Craft Project Ideas

Finding a good and ready supply of craft ideas is a continual quest for those who love crafts. The challenge is to match your level of expertise with those on offer.

Most of the time you will want something that raises your dame a notch. Something that takes you out of your comfort zone and stretches you to apply your existing talent to new ideas. But there will be times when easy, fun crafts might be preferable.

Unless you already have a preferred supplier you will need to wade through various sites to see what is on offer.

You may of course like the tangible 'hold it in your hand' monthly magazine to give you the ideas you are after. There is something about a magazine that suggests ownership and having. Sometimes downloading a project may not sing to your creative senses sufficiently.

I like nothing better than sitting down to a cup of tea and going through a monthly magazine. I can anticipate the crafting pleasure to come. Mind you, I do allow myself to set aside that time - and I do not call it an indulgence. It is making the most of my investment in me!

Ideas can come to us from many sources.
- friends who have made projects
- weekly or monthly publications
- online subscriptions
- random as and when bookshop/craft fair/Expo purchases

If you are lucky enough to be expert on one area you may find you do not need to 'spend' money at all. Your spend will be entirely emotional as you absorb ideas, maybe write them down, take a photo, or get an inspiration.

Some people like to start their own Ideas Book. Make it as special, simple or elaborate as you like. You will want to pick it up and let your mind mull on the ideas inside. Pack it with photos, photos, scribblings, crayoning and fabric swatches etc. It will be a great resource to come back to late. All the great and good designers have one in their bags all the time!

The fashion, home and stationery industries are brimming with ideas. Just keep an eye on the news, gossip and must-have sections of the papers. If you are able to, take inspiration from your favorite artists.

In other words, have those antennae out all the time picking up possible ideas.

-share excellent websites
- recommend quality mags
- show a friend how to make something
- sit in on a class or run one yourself
- sign up for an online craft course

Be open and a sponge and you will find your natural 'seek and find' will draw you towards lots of great craft ideas.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Craft Club - Weekly Crafts to Your Inbox

The Craft Club years ago was a pretty stuffy, dull affair. You would sign up for a monthly book or activity kit and wait for it to arrive by snail mail. The process was simple and the surprise was everything.

There was something exciting about the unknown thudding onto your doormat. Many a coffee was sipped whilst thumbing through the monthly Craft Club offer.

These days we want something more immediate. The Internet feeds our need for instant gratification. We can choose, pay and download in a matter of minutes.

With this amount of choice it is important to choose the kind of Craft Club that meets your interests.

- Do you want to receive something through the mail or will you be equally happy holding something you print off from your P.C.?
- What about delivery options?
- Can you manage to keep up with weekly crafts or would a monthly package give you more time to get things done?

When Book Clubs first came along I was one of the first to sign up to a regular monthly post delivery. You need to weigh up how much value you will get out of your Club. The regular 'deal' may sway you, or you may be tempted by other subscription features.

Whatever it is that gets you to sign up, be sure to give it your full attention. Allow yourself time to devote to your crafts, whether that is reading, playing, or serious making.

Enjoy the anticipation, and the doing. Share your experience with others. Many folk enjoy crafting together. You may like to do the same with your package.

The commitment may help you to devote yourself to time out. A weekly or monthly project could speed up your learning time. And you may well find yourself mastering a chosen technique faster than if you did craft 'when you could'.

I tell myself that my time crafting is not a luxury but a necessity. It keeps me up to date and helps me chill out too. If you need to justify your time out, that is fine too. Make sure you give your time to a Craft Club worthy of you. Check out their details and consider if they sound like people you could put your trust in.

If they make the grade, they are likely to have more that a Craft Club to feed your crafting appetite.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Making Memories Slice Vs Provo Craft Cricut

If you are in the market for a die cut machine, you may find yourself wondering whether to buy the Provo Craft Cricut or the Making Memories Slice. Here is a feature by feature comparison to help you narrow down your choices.

Portability
When it comes to portability, the Slice wins. Smaller than a five inch square and weighing less than two pounds, it can also be used cord free.

Versatility
The Cricut easily wins the versatility category. First, it can make die cuts in a wider range of sizes. For example, Provo Craft's premium die cut machine, the Expression, has the capability to make cutouts ranging in size from a 1/4 inch to 23 1/2 inches, in quarter inch increments, as opposed to the Slice, which makes cutouts from one inch to four inches in size, in half inch increments.

The Provo Craft model also has a larger selection of cartridges available, and even includes licensed designs, such as Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Sesame Street, Hello Kitty, and even Hannah Montana. These cartridges also include creative features, which can be used to further embellish the die cuts - for example, by cutting layered pieces, shadow accents, and blackout backgrounds.

Price
The Cricut's versatility comes with a hefty price tag. The machines, cartridges, and most of the accessories cost more than comparable items for the Slice. For example, Provo Craft's three die cut machine models range in price from $300 to $500 and cartridges cost anywhere from $50 to $100, as opposed to Making Memories' digital design cutter, which costs $150 for the starter kit and with design cards priced at approximately $35.

Ease of Use
This ones is a toss up, with both brands offering intuitive buttons and menus. Some users prefer the Cricut's paperfed method for making cutouts, while others like the Slice's place and cut abilities.

In summary, the Making Memories Slice is great for scrapbookers who are looking for an inexpensive way to highlight their paper crafts with handmade die cuts. It also may be best for someone with limited storage room for storing craft supplies, as well as for those who like to attend crops and other community style scrapbooking events.

The Provo Craft Cricut, on the other hand, may be better suited for those wanting more than a basic die cutter, with its versatile creative features and range of die cutting sizes. However, prospective owners should be prepared to not only find a suitable place in their scrapbooking area for storing this larger machine, but to also spend more money for growing their cartridge and accessories library.

Which machine is best? As you can see, it is really hard to say, because what may be right for one person may not be the best for another. The Making Memories Slice vs. the Provo Craft Cricut - two great machines, one difficult choice.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Jewelry Artists - Learn a New Beaded Craft

Do you consider yourself a jewelry artist? As artists we enjoy learning and exploring about other or new media in order to expand or to enhance our imagination.

Do you feel aggravated or frustrated at times when you are on demand to create or produce a new innovated fashion creation?

May I suggest you take a detour and look at beaded fashions in order to create a new line of contemporary or trendy jewelry?

There are new beaded jewelry projects weaving into many jewelry making techniques that are familiar to you.

You are able to learn of the beading how to by using video on demand. As a new user of on demand video here is a checklist of the benefits of this service:

• Learn at your own pace in the privacy of your home or jewelry studio.
• Enjoy personal convenience and economical savings.
• Select your level of interest.
• Instructional details are clearly defined.
• Learn on your time schedule.
• Professional tips and tricks from a professional instructor.

As you learn about beading beads for necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, there will be many jewelry making ideas that will be born from your imagination.

• As a jewelry artist you have learned many jewelry making techniques but as artists we constantly have to ignite our creativity to expand our jewelry gallery or to keep our jewelry photography album bursting with ideas.
• We need to be prepared as there are times when our creativity goes to sleep at the wrong moment. It is a blessing when we can look at our photo album and find the right jewelry idea for the customer at the right time for their special occasion.
• Knowledge is power, therefore, as artists we can never fall asleep at the steering wheel. Nowadays, we have the convenience and ease of working with video on demand to better our skills as craft artists.
• As you work with video on demand one major element that you will enjoy in the instruction is the camera lens magnifying the workspace. You will be able to view the jewelry assembly with ease.
• And there is nothing better than your own personal professional jewelry instructor at your fingertips.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Craft Business Basics - What is an Affiliate Program?

One of the things you can do to boost your craft business is participate in craft-related affiliate programs or run your own. Not sure what an affiliate program is? Well let's explain.

Although affiliate programs really came into being with the internet, they are based on a common business principle that has been used for centuries. If I help sell your craft for you, you pay me a percentage of the profit margin. It's how most high street stores work. When you buy a tin of beans, some of the money goes to the store and some to the people who put the beans in the tin!

Affiliate programs work pretty much the same way. Except nobody gets paid until a sale is made. OK, but what good is this to your craft business?

There are two ways to look at it. If you have a website or blog you might be able to find complimentary products to your own that have an affiliate program. For example, let's say that you sell hand-made candles. You might be able to find someone who made soap who runs an affiliate program. If you help sell those soaps you get a cut. It does your business no harm, but your customers might also be interested in that product.

In reality, all you do is add some code and a graphic to your craft blog or website. That code tells the vendor who sent the customer and if they buy something, you get the credit.

It's a win-win situation. You can sell soap to compliment your candles but you don't have to pay out for any stock, or store it, or handle deliveries. The person running the affiliate program does that for you. From their point of view, you're out there selling for them but they don't have to pay you a salary, you get paid when a sale is made.

Is it worth the effort? Well if your craft business can find another compatible one, why not? It's a "reward for effort" kind of business but in the main, your effort is little more than drawing people to your craft site - something you would be trying to do anyway. It can add a valuable extra income stream to your craft business. Indeed some crafts people make a full-time living out of affiliate compensation alone.

Next time we'll look at this from the other side. How you can profit from adding an affiliate program to your craft business.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Stone Craft In India - A Preview

Different kinds of rock originated on earth after numerous geological activities. These rocks with their different compositions came to be called stones like Redstone, Soapstone, Sandstone, Limestone, Marble, Granite and many others. Indian landmass is also made up of several kinds of rocks and the stone obtained here has been used in making forts, palaces, temples, sculptures, household items and for other miscellaneous purposes. In India, stone crafting traditions have their roots in pre-historic times, as at that time the weapons and other tools were made of stone. More professional approach in stone craft came in 7th century BC. During this time, several guilds of stone carvers and masons existed in India. During Maurya rule stone craft reached to its perfection. A number of rock stupas, rock cut caves and Buddhist chaityas were raised during this period. In India, all kind of stone sculptures and structures used to be made according to Shilpshastra, an ancient Hindu treatise on sculpture and architecture.

Region Wise Study of Stone Craft in India

In India, there are some regions that are specifically rich in stone culture. A classical culture prevails there of stone crafts. Depending upon the type of stone found and the tools used, the style and the finishing has been different and unique.

Stone Carving Practices of Orissa:

Stone carving is one of the major handicrafts of Orissa. Several archaeological monuments, rock-cut sculpture, carves and magnificent temples testify the claim.
All these have undergone intricate and very fine stone carving by the deft hands of the artisans. The temples of Puri, Konark, Lingaraj, Parasurameshwar and Mukteshwar are just the wonders crafted in stone. Whereas the stupas erected at Lalitagiri, Ratnagiri and Udaygiri are just par-excellence. The art of stone crafting reached pinnacle in the ancient and the early medieval period in Orissa with detailed exploration of each and every nuance of the stone craft. This art has automatically passed on to the present generation from their earlier generations. The present breed is not far behind its predecessors in creating the exact replica of the old masterpieces. Similarly, small sculptures are also made in big quantity catering to the huge demands of the visitors and the locals.

Stone Carving Practices of Rajasthan

Rajasthan has, though scarcity in wood and forest but it has abundant stone mineral.The landmass of Rajasthan is rich in different rocks like Granite, marble, Quartzite, Slate and other metamorphic rocks. The forts and palaces of Bharatpur, Baroli, Ramgarh, Nagda, Ajmer, Chittor, Mandsore, Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Udaipur have been made using these stones. The jaaliwork or the latticework of Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, and Bikaner is of fine quality and intricate finish. Rajasthan has most significant quarries of marble at Makrana. The marble mined here is used profoundly in the world famous stone sculpture of Taj Mahal as well as the stone wonder, Dilwara Jain Temple at Mt. Abu. The artistry in Dilwara Jain temple is exquisite, fine, intricate and just fascinating. Different places of Rajasthan are famous for different kind of stones found. Kota is the center of production of grey stone which is used in floor making. Similarly Barmer and Ajmer are famous for Yellowstone and granite respectively. Beautiful statues of deities are made using the soft stone mined from the quarries of Dungarpur. Jaipur is the place where sculptures of all kinds are made by white marble. The statues of deities carved in Rajasthan are sent to all areas of the country.

Stone Art Practices of Uttar Pradesh

Mathura, Varanasi and Agra are the famous centers for stone craft in Uttar Pradesh. Some pieces of stone sculptures have been found from the excavations at Mathura and other adjacent areas belonging to Maurya period. The interesting fact is that lavishly used stone in these sculptures is the red sandstone mined from the Chunar. It indicates that this land once used to be the center of stone carving art some thousands of years back. During medieval period under the Mughal rule, several beautiful palaces and forts were constructed chiefly with the help of stone. Some fascinating examples of the stone sculptures if Uttar Pradesh are: Red fort of Agra, The Taj Mahal, the palace of Fatehpur Sikri, The tomb of Akbar at Sikandara and many more.

In the present times the focus of the stone craftsmen is changing towards exploring new kinds of stones as well as new article to be made. Nowadays they make the stone sculptures that beautify the home or the gift articles like candle stands, ashtrays, jewelry boxes, and Taj replicas. Carved pillars, railings and fireplaces are the architectural objects that the craft persons are making.
Rupbas near Agra and Karauli are the quarries which have produced the red stone used in the forts and palaces Agra, Delhi and Fatehpur Sikri.

At Varanasi the stone used is not hard marble but soft stone called Gorara. This is the stone that is brought from the Hamirpur and Mahoba areas. This stone has a unique quality to change its colors on polishing. Bowls and the servicing dishes are the popular products made of gorara stones. Sonia and Kalimohal areas of Varanasi and Gokulpura area of Agra are the centers of the main activities of stone craft in U.P.

Stone Art Practices of Southern India

In southern India, the temple architecture of Hoyasalas at Halebid and Belur are most exquisite and splendid example of stone craft. 57 Feet tall stone statue of Jain saint Gomateshwara at Shrabanbelgola is another example of marvelous stone art. Similarly, the ruins of Vijayanagara Empire at Hampi in Bellary are also the samples of glorious Indian tradition of Stone craft.

Other classic stone examples of stone craft in the southern part of India are: Meenakshi Temple Madurai and its 1000 pillared mandaps, Chidambaram Temple with beautiful panels depicting 108 karanas of the Natya Shastra, Kanchipuram accommodating a number of temples from he era of Pallawas to Nayaks and Granite carvings at Mamallapuram and Chingalpet. The Kailash temple at the Ellora caves is the monolithic structure whose craft is just unique and astonishingly beautiful.

Source : ezinearticles.com

The Incredible Hulk Kid's Crafts

The Incredible Hulk is a really popular super hero these days. Although it first became popular decades ago, it is now regaining popularity from the recent Hollywood movie. Now kids all over America are clamoring for anything that is related to this action hero. If your kid is among these children, then he will likely be very interested in doing crafts that are centered on the Incredible Hulk. After all, when kids really like something, they tend to want to do anything that has anything to do with it.

A good project for your son to do is to make his own Incredible Hulk picture. Give him some creative items, like construction paper, regular paper, markers and colored pencils. From there, he should have free reign to make an Incredible Hulk of his very own. Once he is finished, have him cut out his creation and stick it to the wall. You can also put it on the refrigerator to show how much you liked his creation.

Usually, when kids like a character such as the Incredible Hulk, they like to wear clothes that represent this fact. Many fabric stores sell special fabrics with the Incredible Hulk printed on them. From this fabric, you can make pajamas for your son. It's even better if he helps with this. He will like the fact that he had a hand in the making of what he wears to bed. He will also like that his favorite super hero is represented on these new pajamas.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Balloon Craft For Kids

Balloon is all time favorite toys for babies. This is called the heartbeat of every party.

Balloon Fish

Balloon fish is easy to make as well as children will enjoy making it. For making this balloon fish you need a small round shaped balloon, a long balloon, black marker and a bit of another big balloon.

To make the balloon fish, blow the big balloon but it should not blow fully. Now, twist it and fold it easily at will. Tie it at the end. Take a round balloon and inflate it until it reaches to oval shape. Tie the longer balloon round the shorter balloon in such a way that both ends of the round balloon project a little at the end. On the front of the fish, make a small loop from the longer balloon; this would resembles the shape of lip of fish. Again, twist and make another lip of fish.

Twist it at an equal distance from the either end to form the bubble and make sure the round balloon cannot turn around. Now, try to twist both the end bubbles together to make the tail of the fish. When the balloons are tied together, tie one end of the piece of long balloon and inflate one end of it and twist a little before half point to form the bubble. Insert the flat end inside the long balloon behind the lips and inflate the other half of the bit and tie the end. Rotate it to hide the end knots downwards and you have the eyes for your fish. Now, use the marker to draw eyes and fins on your fish in desirable manner.

Balloon People

To make a person with balloon is not a difficult thing also, it doesn't take much time. Even children can make this easily. To make a balloon people, you need a balloon, paper, marker, tape, coin and sticks.

Take a paper and draw the feet with it. Now, blow the balloon and use the marker and sticks to make the face. Tie the balloon. Color and decorate the feet and make a hole in the center. Put the tied end of balloon end between the holes. Try to make standing position but there is any problem in standing, you can use coin down the both feet as it will support the balloon and make it stand.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Candle Ingredients For Your Candle Making Success

Many people often think about making their own candles. The question is which candle ingredients are the best for your new candle making craft?

Making candles is fun and rewarding if you can make your candles out of good ingredients even if you're on a shoe string budget. This way you can start your new hobby and save money as well.

The best candle ingredients make the type of candles you would already buy. Do you like white candles with your bath or rose floating candles that sit harmoniously on your pond or pool?

Firstly, which candles are you really enthusiastic about? This is the best way to choose your ingredients. Do you like plain vanilla or mysterious purple candles? Pink floating candles or very large pillar candles?

For example I like white soy candles because they're refreshing and the wax washes easily off your pouring pot or double boiler. They make a wonderful pillar candle or tapered candle which is perfect for creating a harmonious peaceful atmosphere after a tiring day at work.

You can create the atmosphere you're in your own perfect day spa.

The right candle ingredients you'll need are:
* Candle wax

* Specific candle molds

* Color or dye packets if you'd like to add color to your candles

* Fragrance or scents (essential oil if you'd like to create an aromatherapy or healing scented candle).

* The candle wicks are cut to the length of your specific candle mold.

A thermometer can also come in handy plus a measurement cup to test out your candle ingredients. Have a think about whether you'd like to try anything special like beeswax candles as well.

You might find you prefer the easy way of buying beeswax sheets from a craft shop with some wicks and simply folding the beeswax sheet over the wick for a quick easy candle you can make in under five minutes. There is no mess and you'll crate the same peaceful harmonious atmosphere your grandmother or even romantic and mystical scholars and artists of the medieval days would have experienced.

So, in choosing your ingredients, remember it's what candle you'd like to make that is important but also just as importantly what atmosphere you would like to create. Choosing the right candle ingredients for you can add so much to your home's atmosphere and aid in your mental and emotional health with a lovely peaceful atmosphere.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Handmade Crafts - An Excellent Choice As Gifts

Handmade crafts can make a unique statement. These crafts can be excellent gifts also. Good handmade crafts are in great demand worldwide. Gifts made out of natural resources are greatly pursued by people around the world for gift giving purpose. Each is unique in its design and appearance. As far as gift-giving tradition is concerned, handmade crafts occupy an important role. It shows your special care by choosing a handmade craft as a gift.

The intricate designs, carvings on the craft etc. are the product of creative and talented people working number of hours to produce these crafts. Different medias such as paper, wood, clay etc. are being used to create handmade crafts. Each and every one gets special attention from its maker and quality is assured during the manufacturing process itself.

Handmade craft is a great choice in decorating your office or home. They can bring more pleasantness and relaxation in a busy environment. Including these in the corporate gift list is an excellent idea. It pleases your clients and they will definitely admire the selection of those gifts. Handmade crafts as toys for kids makes them more creative and imaginative.

Handmade greeting cards are products of pure imagination and talent. Handmade greeting cards make use of various medias that comes from Mother Nature. When you select these types of greeting cards, you can impress the receiver of those greeting cards with your selection. These greeting cards have got a personal touch in them and help the relation ship to be growing stronger than ever before.

Handmade crafts are a true reflection of nature, culture, history and tradition. Next time when you are giving a gift, choose a handmade gift. They are unique and it creates an impression, which is beyond compare.

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Creativity Management - Synergy of Craft and Art

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.

There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.

There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.

Synergy of Craft and Art

The synergy of craft and art combine to produce quality creativity. The exact definition of art depends on the precise endeavour, but craft can be more universally articulated and includes:

a) Structure. Ideas are much easier to develop when they are situated within a framework.

b) Process. A coherent work process increases output and a consistently refined process consistently refines and improves the quality of output. Improves methodology, knowledge and procedure to eventually maximise performance.

c) Incremental productivity. Breaks up a larger whole into smaller, more manageable pieces. Produces more output than a "do your best" approach.

d) Prolific production. Increases the probability of quality occurring. The most valuable creations tend to be produced when the creator is being most prolific.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Prerequisites For a Good Craft Website

Craft making is a process, which earns a craft man enjoyment, job satisfaction as well as money. If you are a good craftsman there are plenty of opportunities to make your business a success by making your products popular through a web site There are some simple things to keep in mind while designing a website for a craft.

Choose a good design that matches with your craft product.

The design is very important as far as any craft related website is concerned. A good design complements the content and the product offered through a web site In other words, the design of a web site has to be done in such a way that the visitor feels that he could experience the product through the web site.

Web site Content.

Since your web site is related to crafts, it is fair to include the origin of this particular craft and how these special products can help their users In the home page itself, display some fast moving and attractive products and include a short description of it. Explain what makes your products unique and identify their special uses. Use your writing and convincing skills maximum while creating the product description. This has to be done with passion and care.

Integrate a payment method

A good payment system is necessary to convert the instant demand for your craft product. A good payment option is Paypal. It is simple to install in your web site and easy to manage. You can integrate shopping cart products available into your web site to make buying a simple process.

Building Links From other web sites

As a part of making your website popular, you need to build good incoming links from other websites. This has to be done at a slow pace. Identify a web site where your link can naturally be placed. This means, you need to put your links in a web site where it should have been naturally found. Never place a link in an inappropriate category website as it will give wrong impression to search engines also.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Craft Business Basics - Your Own Affiliate Program?

The last craft business basics article looked at the profit potential of other people's affiliate programs. This time we'll look at how you can increase your income by running your own.

Having affiliates for your online craft business is like having an extra sales force. They will reach people that you would never come into contact with. They can multiply your profits many times over.

It isn't difficult to implement an affiliate program either. Although most of us get a bit concerned about adding extra code to our craft websites and you might imagine the management could be quite difficult, we are fortunately offered an easy way out. For a small percentage, someone will manage most of it for us!

There are a huge number of software packages that you can install yourself to run your affiliate program, there are companies online who will manage it for you (although you need to be doing quite good business to make this affordable) or there are shopping carts that incorporate the ability to run an affiliate program alongside your sales. They vary in their ease of implementation but if you build your own website you should be able to handle it. If you didn't, then you'll need to get back to the person who did. That will obviously cost you a few dollars but it's probably worth it in the long run.

The affiliate program you run in your craft business should be appropriate to the goods you sell. Some will only work with eBooks and downloadable patterns, some will work with "real" products and some work for both. You'll need to spend some time evaluating each before you choose the one that's right for you. If you aren't sure, ask lots of awkward questions and see who gets back to you promptly and with decent answers!

The question which most craft business owners ask is how much should they pay their affiliates? The answer is as much as you can afford. It has to be worth the affiliates time and effort or nobody will be interested. On digital goods it's usually between 25 and 50% - and it can go higher. You might think that's a lot but think about it for a moment. Once your digital product is finished there are no production or distribution costs so why not make it as attractive as possible to your affiliates?

For real goods, affiliate payments are usually in the region of 5 to 15%. You have to think harder about your profit margin here. Remember, you never pay an affiliate until a product has been sold and you have been paid, so if you have to give away half of your profit margin but you make five or six times as many sales, it's probably worth it.

Of course there are no guarantees, and adding an affiliate program to a craft business isn't for everyone. There is great potential but there is also some investigative work to do beforehand and some ongoing management. You might get many people join your program but few will actually put in a lot of effort. 90% or your payments will go to 10% or less of your affiliates. Nevertheless, it gives you the chance to reach many more customers for very little outlay.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Books - Hobbyists Learn Their Craft by Reading

With today's economy, many people have rediscovered or found a hobby that is personally fulfilling, exciting, and allows expression of creativity. Finding meaningful, creative activities to do individually or as a family has become a popular pastime, since frequent restaurant and retail shopping trips are no longer feasible for many people on a budget.

Even for those who are not economically strained, hobbies and crafts can be a source of personal accomplishment and even stress relief. Hobby and craft books can provide a multitude of ideas for both novice and expert crafters on any budget. Numerous works of literature in this area is available for anyone seeking or continuing a hobby or creative activity. It is very helpful.

The subject matter offered for craft and hobby enthusiasts varies widely, as do the types of books with regard to length, presentation, and even expertise. From soap making to sewing and from gardening to woodworking, the literature for crafts and hobbies is not only easily accessible, but interesting and informative to a variety of consumers. For example, perhaps a full-time, stay-at-home mother would like to pursue scrap booking to record her children's milestones and memories. A number of book choices are available to her in order to offer ideas and ways to get started and continue with her new-found interest, despite her limited time.

Or maybe a recently-retired business man is interested in devoting the majority of his day to a long-time passion of rebuilding vintage cars. He will have no trouble locating books specific to his needs that will manifest his ideas and creativity with antique automobiles.

Many children and teenagers have begun pursuing hobbies and taking up crafting as of late, and an abundance of craft and hobby literature is written and published for their specific needs and levels of experience.

With recent environmental concerns, younger generations have become interested in vegetable gardening and subsequently cooking their grown vegetables to showcase personal sustainability. A large amount of books have been published on this subject and are specifically tailored to younger audiences.

Parents can also find information to aid their children in pursuit of a craft or hobby, as well as books that provide instructions on engaging in a hobby as a family. Pursuing a hobby together as a household is extremely rewarding and strengthens family bonds; some examples include: gardening, quilting, sewing, cooking, and baking. Many families find great satisfaction in pursuing a common interest together.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Arts & Crafts to Improve Your Child's Learning

Making a craft of any particular form is the way an individual can show creativity in what they are doing. Often you will find that when crafts are made there is a specific purpose in mind, perhaps Christmas or Birthday presents, or just a simple thank you to a friend or relative. Many arts can be inexpensive and the real purpose behind the craft regardless of whether it is practical or for display is to offer something you have created by hand to a person who you think will appreciate the receiving of said craft.

A simple definition of crafts is a project that requires a step by step process to reach the required result. There are a multitude of forms of arts and crafts from paper folding, knitting, sewing, crocheting, beading or painting, the end result is the vision the creator had from the outset. There are many more different forms than these but this gives you an idea on what a craft can be considered. Crafts can give to children great assistance with creative skills allowing the children to learn from something they do and use their own creativity in producing a desired result.

Many crafts of course will require the initial purpose of the items involved, whether you are knitting and require knitting needles, wool and a pattern, or whether you are creating a collage requiring a base board, glue and materials for the collage. Some types of crafts of course will be more expensive to create than others but again this all depends on the purpose of creating the item and the intended recipient for which the craft is made.

You will find that there are many places you can purchase items for craft making, almost all malls or shopping centers will have a craft store of some sort where you can purchase most of the required items you will need. This does of course depending on the project you have in mind. The best way to start out is to use as much of your home materials as you can perhaps starting with a collage or similar and then lead on to further more creative and complex crafts as you see your children becoming more competent. There are many inexpensive options such as cutting up old magazines and perhaps the purchase of glue, beads and glitter etc that you can use for your initial projects and then your child will probably give you ideas on what form of craft they might want to proceed to next.

When you have the opportunity perhaps to work on crafts with your children you will find that while the event itself is fulfilling your children also improve their interaction skills and their creativity can begin to flourish. You may even discover your child is very artistic in one field or another. Add to that the sense of accomplishment your child will feel at completion of a task and you are on to a win-win situation.

Not only do you get to spend more time with your child but you find you will open avenues for discussion of every day events and you may find that you yourself enjoy the process just as much as it is benefiting your child. Not to mention the desired craft at the end of your endeavors.

When creating craft items this will improve the thinking and problem solving skills of your children as they themselves think of perhaps alternative crafts for your next project as well as ways to make your current project more eye catching or even more useful to your intended recipient. Making items also allows them to make small decisions of their own in the artistic content of whatever it may be you are creating which in turn gives them confidence and the ability to feel they have the ability to perhaps master larger tasks.

Building the self esteem and confidence in a child is a process learned over time and using crafts as a tool for your child to take part in the entire process and see the results is a great step in assisting in this area of your child's growth. Make sure that your child is involved in the entire process from what the craft will be or how it will eventually look and give them the freedom to express their creativity. You will only reap benefits in time spent with your children and their opportunities to learn.

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Elvis Themed Crafts for Your Home

People in nearly every generation love Elvis and they like to show this appreciation with crafts. There are certain things that make Elvis special. He was a hit in his own time and he continues to be a hit well after his death. You can use these crafts for many different reasons. If you are a particularly large Elvis fan, then you may want to decorate a room in your house with these crafts. Or, you could celebrate either your own birthday, or Elvis's birthday with these crafts as well.

The biggest Elvis craft is the velvet Elvis. This is a painting of Elvis made on black velvet. You can do this yourself fairly easily if you have some proficiency in painting. Even if you do, this can be a really fun activity to do that can really get your creative juices flowing. Find a picture of Elvis's face that you really like, and then paint that image onto the velvet. You can then hang this up in your home's regular décor, or you could use it as a focal point for a party. What you choose is completely up to you.

Elvis crafts are great because you can really show your appreciation for your favorite entertainer. These crafts are easy to do so that you can have fun with the making of them as well. Don't be afraid to use your imagination while making crafts related to Elvis. You could use his music and his movies for inspiration while you create.

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Making Romantic Boyfriend Crafts For His Gifts

When it comes to giving your special boyfriend something fantastic as a Valentines Day gift or anniversary gift you are probably going to want to do something that is from the heart. Even though at first though some people would not believe that a gift you make yourself such as wood wall letters that spell out names or a favorite saying is a good gift. But whatever it is that comes from the heart is always going to be the very best gift to give. Once you sit down to finally think about what you can do for your boyfriend you are going to want to concentrate on romantic boyfriend crafts.

Maybe you feel that you are in love or maybe you just care enough to want to make sure that your boyfriend gets something that is more romantic then a package socks. Then no matter what the reason is behind your desire to give your boyfriend a nice and romantic gift you need to make sure that it is something that will take him by surprise. Being original is the best way to go or at least original enough to where he has not already received the same type of gift before. Talking with friends and family can probably help you in coming up with ideas for boyfriend gifts that they have come up with in the past.

Romantic boyfriend crafts are by far the best gifts you can give him so make sure that you are keeping that in mind if any of your friends try steering you to some crazy poster they saw in the local mall. If you are not a creative person naturally then you may need that little bit of an extra push in making sure that you come up with some of the best romantic gift ideas. Although it would be nice if you were able to come up with something all on your own, very few people are able to do that.

Where To Find Excellent Ideas

There are plenty of craft books out there that may be able to help guide you in the right direction. Just check out the local bookstore or to save a little cash you could even see what the library has to offer. If that idea is not working for you and you want some more updated ideas then search out some different craft magazines. Around the holidays there are generally all kinds of articles out there about the specifics of what someone can make for that special person in their life.

Joining online forums is also a great way to learn about some new romantic boyfriend crafts that you can put together as a gift. By chatting with people your own age from all over the world you will be surprised at what you are able to come up with. Just keep your eyes open and really try using your imagination. Within a short period of time you should be able to come up with the perfect idea that will simply blow your boyfriend's mind and make his heart melt for you.

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Halloween Crafts for Older Kids - One Of Your Kind!

Very often, Halloween crafts that older kids will enjoy are tough to find. Usually, older kids find traditional crafts either too easy or too childish for them to try. But there is no need for despair. If you let the older kids express themselves and allow them to make their own decorations, there are a number of Halloween crafts that you can come up with. The main point in engaging older kids in Halloween crafts is adapting the crafts used by the younger kids and letting the older kids do as they please.

Here is a terrific way of introducing Halloween crafts for the older kids. Let the children express themselves however they wish and encourage their creativity. Give encouragement even when they are carrying out their crafts and give them suggestions here and there to make their crafts better. If you take the crafts that are intended mainly for the younger kids and adapt them for the older ones, you will have some wonderful crafts. Here are some ideas you can use.

Take white foam meat trays, which are available at any grocery store. If you are using the ones you bought meat in or the store used for storing meat, ensure that they have been cleaned and are sanitized. Size plays a big role for the older kids and the bigger, the better. Have the kids draw ghost shapes on the tray using a pen or a pencil. Then ask them cut out the shape, funny or scary. Make two small holes, one hole at the bottom of the cutout and one at the top. Then take two pieces of yarn, attach one to the top for hanging the ghost, and attach the other at the bottom and to a bell. If these are attached to trees outside, they will jingle in the wind, and the kids will simply love it.

A scary zombie seated on the front porch is another terrific Halloween craft idea for older kids. You need to collect some old or unwanted clothes and ask the child to stuff them with straw or newspaper. It should be stuffed so much that it looks like a live person. Using a scary mask will add to the effect. You can make this activity even more fun by asking the child to remove the stuffing on Halloween night and use the same clothes to dress up. Then when other kids come for trick or treat, he or she can scare them all by jumping up suddenly.

You just need to try a little hard when it comes to Halloween crafts for kids who are older. If you take the time and effort, there are a number of possibilities available to you. You could even ask the older children for some ideas. The main idea is to have a lot of fun.

Source : ezinearticles.com

The Beauty of Gel Candle Making

Candle making is becoming a popular craft of many people nowadays. This is attributed to the fact that candles, besides being very useful in lighting and warming a certain place, is also becoming a valuable decorative material and expression of so many emotions. A person savvy with making candles, gets to save a lot of money and is able to personalize each piece according to his taste or qualities of the person to whom he will be offering it to as a gift.

Before, we only used candles to be the boring and monochrome sticks sold at the store. Now, candles come in more exciting shapes, sizes and colors. Add to this the innovation made to the materials or basic components used. Among the most popular variations in this craft is gel candle making.

Since the use of gel in making candles is still relatively new, one will have to train and study the proper way to come out with the perfect piece. The process is very easy though and a lot safer than when using other materials. For starters in gel candle making, one must learn the different types of gels that can be used and mixed with other materials like colors and fragrances. After that, one can already proceed with the actual work. Once a person gets the hang of the craft, he will learn that gels can be so much more fun to use. Besides, the possibility in terms of mixing and matching colors in every piece is just so endless.

Another benefit of making gel candles is that it the pieces produced are more durable and have better burning quality. The gel can last for a very long time especially when put in a glass or another container that does not melt or burn. It can also come with beautiful decorations and accessories.

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How to Purchase Small Pleasure Craft Accessories?

Each and every boater, irrespective of the types of boats they own, needs specific boating accessories to maintain their vessel and to keep them in excellent working condition. A majority of people don't possess thorough knowledge about the different varieties of boating accessories that are required to appropriately preserve the boating machinery year after year. If you own a small pleasure craft, the first and foremost thing that you need to do before purchasing any kind of boating accessories is decide what are the things that you really require for your boat. It is always good to prepare a list of desired items and numbering them according to their importance. You should always remember to place the safety equipments at the top of this list.

Once the list is ready, you can proceed with your research about what accessories are to be purchased immediately and which can be left out for the moment. There are lots of shops and retail outlets that deal in small pleasure craft accessories including boating and yachting stores. However if you are looking for reliable as well as cheap accessories, the best place to shop are the online stores. Always remember that all the online prices do not comprise of the shipping charges until you arrive at the checkout page; thus when you are comparing prices of different boating accessories always keep in mind to take this factor into consideration. If you are searching for the latest and more advanced small boating accessories, glance through all the boating specialty outlets and latest boating journals.

If you are interested in purchasing items at discounted rates, you can always log on to the eBay and Amazon websites. Since there are tons of shopping websites which deal with boating accessories it is always preferable for you to spend some time in comparing the different models and prices of available along with their warranties and return policies.

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Production and Pricing of Craft Show Items

This is where you can really make or break your craft show career. Being able to produce quality crafts as efficiently and affordably as possible is the key to making a tidy profit from craft shows.

How Production Evolves

How you handle production of your craft show items will evolve over time. Initially you may produce all your craft items alone. This will likely be the most cost effective way to start your
craft show creations. As your business grows, you may decide it is best to find employees who can recreate your artistic flair - so you can build more products and increase your overall revenue.

Time and experience will help you streamline your production cycle for maximum efficiency. You'll learn as you go how long it takes to produce your craft show items, how long to allow for
drying, setting or baking, what quantity of supplies you need for a certain amount of inventory and how much inventory you'll need for a one-day craft show. Basically, you are going to get
better and smarter about how to build your craft show items - so you can maximize the profit!

Always have some form of quality control if you're working alone, such as a friend or family member checking your crafts for sturdiness, appearance, etc. If you make jewelry, have someone else try on a necklace to make sure the clasp works, it doesn't fall apart while putting it on and that you are pleased with the appearance. If you have put a frame around a small
painting, ensure the frame's sturdiness, so your craft customer isn't disappointed when it falls apart. Think about how you will transport your products during the production process, making
them sturdy enough to travel or finding strong packing materials through your suppliers.

Over the years, your products will evolve as you make modifications to existing designs and add new products. With feedback from customers and keeping abreast of current trends, as well as developing new skills and interests, you'll probably add new products and remove slower-moving ones. As soon as you see a steady decline in sales, consider dropping the product--don't get attached, this is business. You can always use slower products as bonuses, gift items or for raffle drawings or donations.

Pricing

The crucial question about pricing is: How do I price my craft show products for the best results--good sales and good profit? Can I have both? You may fear that if your prices are too low, you could incur the wrath of your competitors or make less profit. If your prices are too high, your sales will drop. The right price is one of the most significant factors in contributing to your success or failure--and one of the most difficult factors to decide upon.

There are several schools of thought on how to arrive at the best price for your work. Again, time and experience will be your best guides. It is easy enough to raise or lower your price with each craft show you attend and eventually find the best fit. You may even find yourself changing prices at different craft shows as you learn the shopping patterns of your customers. If someone seems interested then walks away, ask them why they didn't buy and if they say price, ask what they would be willing to pay. If you get the same information repeated several times, it's an indication of what customers are willing to pay--at least at that craft show!

Although you need to test your prices, don't make drastic price adjustments in the same weekend, as customers may complain. Make smaller adjustments in different towns based on craft show results and customer feedback. Sometimes the difference in improving your sales can be as small as $1.00, such as lowering a $12.00 item to $10.99. And sometimes selling fewer items at higher prices can be more profitable in the long run.

Take time to consider your price carefully. Consider cost of supplies and labor, craft show fees, transportation and other expenses involved. The efficiency of your production will also have an impact on how much profit you can make from your craft show items, and ultimately both will determine your success on the craft show circuit!

Source : ezinearticles.com

Craft Show Items For Kids

Here are a few tips for coming up with a craft show items for kids that are not only going to keep them happy for hours, but also help you make a nice profit at the end of the day.

o Keep it interesting - If kids aren't interested in a toy or craft, they aren't going to humor you and play with it. No, they are simply going to put it down and forget about it - probably never to touch it again. The key to a craft that kids are going to enjoy is making it interesting. Challenge their minds and add a twist to the craft in order to make it a hit.

o If they build it - Showing kids a finished craft and how 'cool' it could be is one way to attract their attention. Providing them an outlet to try and duplicate the craft is another way to make an impact. Puzzles, building blocks, pictures and other items are a great way to get kids involved in the craft show scene.

o Parent / child interactive - Parents are often on the lookout for activities or items that can help improve the interaction with their children. Coming up with craft show items that parents can use to connect with and entertain their children are great. Things like homemade kites, games, build-your-own-crafts, art projects are great ideas that can keep parents and their kids entertained.

o Get active - The hula-hoop is a very basic example of how a simple idea can turn into a major success story. Now, I don't expect you to sell millions of crafts at a craft show, but a good craft that can get kids active is another way to make a decent profit at a craft show. One item that comes to mind is a fun and cool homemade hackey-sack (foot bag).

Parents often look for items for themselves at craft shows - but many of them keep an eye out for something their children would like as well. And, there is no resisting the child whose eyes are wide open and an ear-to-ear grin because of an amazing craft at your craft show booth. If you can come up with something that the kids like, then you can bet that parents are going to flock to your booth to pick up on your craft show items.

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Traditional Craft Making - Making it Survive

Traditional craft products are the best among various craft products. Traditional crafts men have got many years of rich experience in their field and employ unique methods in carving beautiful products. These products turn out very amazing and are very good for giving as gift for any occasion. These craft products include toys made from natural materials, food products, handmade soaps, jewelry etc.

Due to lack of interest and initiative, many good craft making processes have become extinct from this world. Another factor that lead to this gruesome situation is that the manufacturer has to spend lot of time and effort on every piece resulting in higher price, which makes them less attractive. It also suffers from lack of good marketing and other ways of promotion.

The only way to preserve these invaluable craft products from being extinct is to create awareness among people about the benefits of using traditional products above modern products. Another benefit of using traditional products is that the quality of product is supreme as it is being refined over the centuries. Every country has got its own distinct craft products, which depicts their culture and tradition in a more meaningful way.

If you are a traditional craft man, you will find it easier to market your craft products through the Internet. Starting a web site with some content related to your stuff and product display can create an interest among prospective buyers. Put your web site links to other similar sites or directories in order to bring good traffic from search engines.

Source : ezinearticles.com

How to Make an Art or Craft Portfolio?

Having a portfolio is still a very valuable tool for every crafter or artist with a business. Today a crafter or artist may keep their portfolio in a binder or keep digital images in an online portfolio. Each has it's advantages and you may wish to have both. A binder is accessible without a computer and you can keep in your car or take it with you when you meet with people. With an online portfolio you can send a link to the website through email, or print it on your business card, and a person can see your work without having to meet with you in person.

If you think a portfolio will help you, the most important thing to do is to begin it now, with whatever you have. Don't fuss on perfection before you have an existing portfolio. Books are written about professional portfolio making and seminars are taught at art schools, however, you can always improve the content and the appearance of your portfolio later. You can't, however, recover lost opportunities because you didn't have one to show to people interested in seeing what you do.

A binder portfolio can include small 2-dimensional art and photographs of larger or 3 dimensional art. Choose a binder of adequate size, but keep in mind that larger binders are more difficult to carry or take with you. Whatever style of binder you choose, do not permanently affix any of your photographs or art. This way, you can swap better pieces or photos for the least ones in your portfolio easily. Usually 12 - 24 items makes a good portfolio.

Sometimes, if your work is particularly small, for example, as with jewelry, you can make a sample case of the items instead of a binder containing photos. For a digital portfolio you will need a web page or other online location and digital images. Some artists choose a website that shows items they have for sale, and this doubles as a portfolio. It must, however, be kept current to display only what is available for purchase.

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Craft Business Taxes Advice

If you own a craft business, taxes are unfortunately a big part of owning a business. There are however some basic guidelines you can follow when figuring out how much you should be paying.

First, I am not an accountant but I do however own two business and pay my taxes accordingly. Second, this is assuming you are living and working in the United States.

If you do not have an accountant I would highly recommend getting yourself a good one. An accountant will not only be able to save you a lot of money in the long but they will make sure you are paying the right amount of taxes so you do not get into trouble.

Okay, lets get into some general guidelines you should follow.

1. Expect to pay at least 25% of your income in taxes. When you are self employed you have to not only pay the regular taxes like everyone else but you have to pay the employers side of the social security tax.

2. You have to send in quarterly taxes if you are self employed. If you neglect to send in quarterlies then you will get fined. Also if 90% of your taxes are not payed by the end of the year you get penalized.

3. Claim all of your income. Don't think you can get away with only claiming some of your income and keeping the rest a secret. It won't work and if you get caught they get to decide just how much you did not claim. Now it is a pretty good bet they will come up with a higher figure then what you actually did not claim and you will have to pay them on their figure not yours.

Also if you do not pay taxes on all of your income you could end up losing everything you have and have worked so hard to get.

4. Now for the good stuff. Because you are self employed you get to write off business expenses.

Keep receipts for everything.

You need to talk to your accountant on what you can specifically write off for your business but some generals are your supplies to make your crafts, any expenses you incur listing your crafts online or registration fees for craft shows.

Your gas or millage you use on your car anytime you use your car for business. That includes going to the craft store to get supplies or a trip to the post office to mail your product to your customer.

If your store is online you can write off your Internet bill each month.

If you spend money on learning how to market your craft business or on marketing your craft business that is a right off as well.

Make sure you keep your receipts in a safe place and keep them for 8 years minimum. This is your proof if for some reason you ever get audited. This can be hard at first but you have to get in the habit of putting your receipts in the same spot every time you get one. What works really good for this is those 11x14 coupon envelope things that have the different slots in them with the little labels you can make. This works really well to keep all of your receipts organized and makes life a lot easier come tax time.

When you own a craft business taxes are not only an important part of your business but they are a mandatory part.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Inflatable River Craft - The Best Inflatable Boats For Fishing

In this article I'm going to outline some of the most effective and practical inflatable river craft for fishing. What, you've never considered an inflatable boat for fishing rivers? Well you probably should, seeing as how inflatable river craft can be much less expensive than traditional river boats and equally as effective. Not to mention the fact that this type of boat boats are incredibly convenient.

The biggest thing to keep in mind with regards to inflatable river craft is the quality of the materials that the boat is made from. An inflatable boat for fishing needs to be manufactured from the highest quality materials. Not only this, but make sure that the manufacturer has a quality welding process for the seams. Seams are where most of the problems with air loss tend to occur.

Good manufacturers stand behind their boats with money back guarantees and manufacturer warranties. Some will even offer free or discounted shipping deals and free trial periods so that you can make sure their inflatable boat is everything they said it was. The best inflatable boats for fishing are made by quality manufacturers such as Sea Eagle and Outcast. In any case, either of the river craft listed below are a great choice for anglers.

1. Inflatable Pontoon Boats - Inflatable pontoon boats are excellent river fishing tools. These inflatable boats give the angler the ability to easily travel a river, fishing or stopping and fishing the entire way. There are personal pontoon boats for 1 or 2 anglers made by Outcast and Sea Eagle makes an inflatable pontoon boat called the FoldCat, which is a bit larger. Both of these manufactures make quality boats. The Outcast personal pontoons can be a bit difficult to initially assemble, but are great boats. The FoldCat is assembled in fifteen minutes, and it easily moved from fishing spot to fishing spot. Inflatable pontoon boats are a great choice for anglers.
2. Inflatable Kayaks - Inflatable kayaks are also excellent for river fishing. These boats can be used in a bit rougher water than inflatable pontoons. Inflatable kayaks are also good for lake fishing. I like to use mine for river fishing, moving from spot to spot as I navigate down river. I wear my waders and stop the kayak at any "good looking" hole to fish. Sea eagle makes some great inflatable kayaks that make excellent Inflatable River Craft. There are also some high quality inflatable kayaks manufactured by Aire that are very good, but can be a bit pricey (at least for my blood). Inflatable kayaks are incredibly maneuverable, and as long as you buy your boat from a quality manufacturer, last for many years, if not a lifetime.

Either of the boats listed above are both great choices for anglers. The "best choice" ultimately comes down to the type of fishing that's most enjoyed. Think about the kind of fishing you enjoy most and make your decision accordingly. Either type of inflatable river craft will serve any angler well.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Tasty Halloween Crafts Using Stencils For Cookie Decorating

Here's a Halloween Crafts project that's not only fun, it's good to eat. You see, as a stencil designer, I'm always searching for new and creative ways to use stencils. And as a person who loves to eat (especially sweets), it just seemed natural to find a way to use stencils with food, right? So I drew up some scary Halloween stencils (a witch, a ghost, a cat, a bat, a skull and a spider) and went to work trying to figure out how to get the images onto a cookie.

Well, I told you how much I love food but now I have to admit that I'm no Betty Crocker. I can't tell you how many different ways I tried to transfer a perfect image from a stencil onto a cookie. I bet my husband and me each gained 20 pounds eating all the disasters. Not to mention all the money I spent at the grocery store and the local craft supply house. All of this only to find out that the easiest, least expensive and most obvious way was the best method of all. So, here it is - that is, how to decorate Halloween cookies with stencils. Oh yeah! Don't miss out on the hints and tips I've added at the bottom for some great creative ideas.

Well, first you need to find a few stencil designs that will fit on cookies. There are many printable Halloween stencils on the internet. It's best to locate a stencil that is a single overlay design (that means it's finished with just one sheet or layer). You'll find a couple of designers have stencils made for cookies so they are the right size and proportion. Once you found the stencils that appeal to you all you have to do is print them out. If they are not the right size to fit on a cookie just resize them on copy machine and follow these next steps.

Trace the stencils onto a sheet of stencil film such as acetate or mylar. Make sure the images have approximately 2 inches between them. Use a scissors to cut the traced drawings separate of each other with 1 inch of blank space surrounding them.

Use a craft-knife to cut out the objects of each stencil. You have several options for craft-knives. I prefer to use an X-ACTO with a Fine Point Blade pictured here. Make sure your blade is sharp at all times or you won't get a good clean cut. I find it's easier to rotate the stencil so that you are always cutting with your wrist at a comfortable angle.

Since you are working with food, wash your stencils really well and dry thoroughly.

Bake cookies with your favorite recipe. Since I already admitted that I'm not a baker, I'll let you know that I used the boxed up ready to go version where you just need to add an egg. But if you are a skilled chef, go ahead and make your goodies from scratch. Sugar cookies work best because they have the smoothest surface after baking. A cookie with too much texture is not going to produce a good stenciled image. I like to slightly flatten the tops of the cookies right after they come out of the oven with a spatula. If the stencil can lay flat on the cookie you'll get a much better image than if it has to roll over rounded edges. Let the cookies cool.

Prepare your "paint" by adding water to powdered sugar. You want to get a thick consistency that is very smooth. It doesn't take very much water. The mixture should not drip easily off the end of a spoon. Make colors by adding food coloring. For black, mix red, blue and green in equal number of drops.

Place the stencil on top of the cookie. Use a finger to dab the sugar mixture into the stencil openings. Just like with a regular stencil, use a dabbing or up and down motion to dot the surface with color and not a rubbing back and forth which will encourage color seeping under the stencil edges. In stenciling, you always want to use a little paint so that it does not seep under the stencil. No difference here. The best tool is an index finger to lightly dab the confectioners' sugar and water mixture over the stencil opening. Make sure your finger is not dripping with the "paint."

Carefully remove the stencil by pulling directly up. You don't want to drag the stencil over the wet color mixture which will smear the color. It might take a little practice but remember you get to eat the mistakes.

Here are those hints and tips that I promised you:

You may want to make a different size cookie than the normal 2-1/2 or 3 inch circle. No problem! Just take the paper copy and reduce or enlarge the size to fit the area you want to place the picture. Then move on to the tracing. This is great if you want to make a large cookie cake too!

When you are cutting out the images for the stencils, don't throw away the parts that you cut away. They can be used to make negative images on the cookies. Of course, it's a bit trickey to remove the stencil piece after you have put the color all around it but with a little practice you can have this down to an art. And just think of the creative cookies you can come up with these new options.

If you use a recipe for a highly textured cookie, like oatmeal or chocolate chip, you can put a base layer of powdered sugar and water to create a very smooth area and then stencil your image on that. Actually that can just add to how creative you can be with decorating cookies with stencils. For example, you can put a background of a black circle on top of the cookie behind a white ghost. Make sure that the first layer of color has dried thoroughly before adding your image.

If you can't find mylar or acetate at your local craft supply store, try transparency films at an office supply house. Just make sure that the material will accept pen or ink so that you can trace on it and that it will be safe to use with food items. Also, you have a large number of suppliers of stencil films on line.

So now you know how to stencil images on a cookie. You can make little cookie treats for all of you ghosts and goblins that come knocking on your door. Have fun this Halloween and Happy Stenciling!

Source : ezinearticles.com

Making Soy Candles That Smell Really Good

You have probably seen candle making kits at craft stores right? For all the supplies they can be really affordable and it's a project your kids can enjoy as well. What usually comes with a cheap price is bound to have cheap ingredients that you may want to avoid like paraffin. Sure they are easier to make and cost less, but who wants to enjoy a candle with a nice fragrance that releases toxic chemicals that cause cancer? Not me or my family! A great alternative are Soy Candles. If you want to know how to get started, here's how:

If you are making a 100% soy candle, first you will want to purchase a good quality natural fragrance. I don't recommend essential oils; they smell great in the bottle but don't release a lot of fragrance when burned. Use about 1/2 to 1 ounce of a blended oil fragrance per pound of soy wax. After melting your wax, remove it from the heat and let it cool a bit (the exact temperature will depend on the type of wax and fragrance you are using).

Stir in the wax and pour into your container. Now the trick with 100% soy wax is to let it "cure" for at least a week before burning. In addition you can add a small amount of coconut oil to the melted soy wax which helps the fragrance release during burning. If you use a soy blend you won't have to let the candle "cure" or use coconut oil, however you have to be careful what the soy is mixed with. Some of the soy "blends" contain paraffin, something you definitely want to avoid.

Candle making is a fun easy craft to do in your home, without a lot of special equipment. Much of the fun is experimenting with different blends of natural waxes and custom fragrance mixtures.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Crafts for a Great Survivor Party

If you love the CBS show Survivor, then you would likely enjoy crafts based on the show. This is especially good if you have people over every night that there's a new episode of the show on. Or, you could use these crafts for a party on the night of the Survivor season finale. It's up to you how you use these. Just remember to be creative and have as much fun as possible.

A good way to incorporate Survivor crafts into your party is to have mock tribal councils. You could make your very own immunity idol. Try to make it look as authentic and awesome as possible. This is best made out of wood, but that can take a lot of time to make. Instead, go for easier materials or compile already made objects. In some Survivor seasons, they would have a necklace represent the individual immunity. This can be a lot easier to make than a group immunity idol.

Another craft you can do for your Survivor party can be related to the food you serve. You could make all of your food out of food that the survivors would eat, such as rice, fish, and bananas. This could be the appetizer to a more filling meal later on. Then your guests could feel as if they are on the show that they are watching. With these great crafts, your Survivor party will be very memorable. It's one thing to just invite people over to watch TV and quite another to make it an event.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Where to Find Origami Patterns For Kids - Paper Craft Ideas

If your child is interested in learning origami or you think he or she would be interested in learning origami, there are several places to find origami patterns for kids.

Whether your child is a beginner or needs advanced patterns, there are tons of places to find them, and often they can be found for free or extremely cheap- this is also a good way to learn origami yourself. Origami is an interesting hobby, and relatively simple- not to mention inexpensive- to do, there are many cultures where it is considered a true art form.

A really excellent place to find origami patterns for kids is craft websites specifically for kids. There are several good crafting websites out there which will provide you with either links to websites containing the patterns themselves or they will have the patterns on the website itself. A simple search engine search will help you find these easily enough.

Not to mention, there are several good online craft forums and message boards out there that will help you to network with people as well who will be able to help you find the patterns you are looking for. Posting a "wanted" message on a forum or message board is an easy and effective way to find what you need.

There are numerous monthly magazines and bi-monthly magazines out there specifically for crafts, and some even dedicated to origami itself. These can be a wonderful resource to find origami patterns for kids as well. You don't even have to subscribe to them yourself, most of these can be found in craft stores, art supply stores and even book stores.

If you can't find a magazine or website that you feel would suit your needs, there is always the option of buying actual BOOKS of patterns. These can be found in craft stores, art supply stores and especially book stores. Online auction websites and used book dealers online are an especially inexpensive way to find these books.

The added bonus to an actual book retailer is the fact that you can specially order exactly the book you want or need. This is a good way to find origami patterns for kids, especially if you have a preschool, childcare or classroom program to teach origami to children.

It's not necessarily good money sense to special order pattern books if it's only you and your child(ren) doing origami, unless you are both very serious about continuing the hobby and learning more about it. Origami is a beautiful craft and it's a great way to make art with your own two hands, but it takes patience and is sometimes very time-consuming (depending on the pattern).

But, unlike with other hobbies, it's easy enough and inexpensive enough to just start over with a fresh sheet of paper and see what unfolds, or rather- folds!

Source : ezinearticles.com

Finding Success With Your Craft Products

People prefer craft products than products, which are mass-produced for their quality, uniqueness and safety to use. Craftsmen who have got good idea of their products and sales potential can make their products popular within no time. For this purpose as a craftsman you should have good knowledge about how to market your product successfully.

In a competitive market finding success with craft products is not easy. It involves lot of research and effort on your part to find the niche market for your craft. The age groups of people who will use your products, purpose etc. are some of the vital information you need in order to promote your products successfully in a competitive market. Always think about new methods to promote your craft products by employing unique methods. One of such method is to generate unique gift ideas that are suitable for different occasions and different age groups.

Having a good website of your own can help you in selling your products. This web site should be developed in such a way that the content should highlight the benefit, quality and uniqueness of your craft products. Good payment integration with Paypal or Google checkout is also necessary if you are trying to sell your products to end-users who are living in distance part of the world. Get some good testimonials from your loyal customers and put it on your home page. Testimonials have got power to attract more people towards your products. You can also use your web site to find people who are interested in becoming dealers for your products in other markets.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Handmade Crafts Around The World

Handmade crafts made from wood, glass, ceramics, metal, leather are ideal gifts for any occasion. These crafts from around the world reflect a rich tradition of the originating country. Different styles of craft making are employed in different parts of the world. Each piece of handmade craft has a distinctive style of their own. Its uniqueness provides a good reason to appreciate these products and craftsmen who work behind them. Since machines are not employed in the making of these products, the craftsmen should be extra vigilant while making these products. In many cases a small mistake on the part of craftsman will be a disaster. There are many training schools around the world, which imparts training on these traditional crafts. It's a great fun to learn these craft making techniques and it provides an avenue to earn extra income for many people.

The main problem Handmade Crafts facing is the lack of proper marketing and sales promotion. With proper marketing and sales promotion, these products can fetch reasonably good returns to those who manufacture them. Genuine Handmade Crafts are in great demand all over the world.

Source : ezinearticles.com

Crafts for Celebrating a 1st Birthday

As far as special occasions go, nothing beats the 1st birthday. If you have a baby, and he or she is just about to celebrate their very first birthday, then you should definitely consider having some crafts themed around this event. Although some people don't have a party for their child's 1st birthday, they still can benefit from celebrating it in this way. A good theme for crafts that celebrate this event is to make them baby themed. Depending on your new child's sex, the crafts can either be themed light pink or blue. If you'd rather use a color that is more neutral, a pastel yellow is perfect for the job.

A good craft to make, whether it's your child having the 1st birthday or you are sending it to someone you know, is a birthday card. Handmade birthday cards are much more valuable than store bought birthday cards because they show the people that you give them to that you care. Although your recipient will only be one years old, the parents may save the card for when they are older and can appreciate it. This is especially the case if the card is particularly artistic or thoughtful.

When it comes to presents for a 1st birthday, you can add a personal touch by creating personal name-tags for them. Make these tags by hand, taking care to write the baby's name neatly and prettily, and stick them on whatever presents you bring. This has a similar personal touch as the homemade birthday card that will no doubt cause a lot of heads to turn.

Source : ezinearticles.com