Here are some tips, tricks, and basic information on crafting that we have learned over the years ... unfortunately we learned some of them the hard way - wasting time, money and energy. This information will be especially helpful to those just starting out.
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General Tools |
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General Materials |
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General Mathematics |
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General Techniques |
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Introduction You've always wanted to make something with your own two hands, but you've probably said, "I can't. I'm not talented. I'm not creative. I don't have the time. I don't have any patience." Hey, we're not knitting bedspreads here! Now that takes time and patience. And most of OUR projects take hardly any time at all. You can learn to be creative, but you need to start with someone showing you how to do something. You can make projects exactly like the photographs in our s - that's why they're there. But, we're betting that after you make a few things, you'll start adapting the general procedures and creating your own centerpieces, baskets, wallhangings, and more. And all because you just got started and tried it. It really IS a thrill to make something yourself. You might amaze yourself as well as others. (We've had people in our class groups who have never even SEEN a glue gun, let alone used one. And they walked away with beautifully decorated baskets and ornaments their very first time.) Just think of all the cool gifts you can make for your friends and relatives…newspaper The first time you make something, it will do wonders for your self-esteem. So give it a whirl and let us know how it's going. We have a Contact Us section so you can e-mail your comments and questions if you have any. Before you begin any craft project, we suggest you start with a clear work area. We are not clean freaks, but it is easy to lose track of materials and tools in a cluttered space. A card table set up out of the way (but near an electrical outlet) is a great place to work - you can leave your project and come back to it without disrupting the entire household. We also suggest that you read the tools and materials lists and even the entire set of instructions before beginning a project. Some of us have to work along with the instructions in order to understand them, but that's Okay - it still gets things set up in our minds and helps us get ready to go. Please note: We're not suggesting that you run out and buy everything being discussed in these upcoming pages. You may already have some (or comparable) supplies. But, at some point, you're probably going to need at least some of these items as you go along.
General Tools
Low-Temperature Glue Gun This is a general tool you are going to need for many craft projects. If you've never used a glue gun before, do not despair. Once you've tried it, you'll wonder how you ever survived without one! A glue gun melts glue that comes in a solid stick. The advantage over white glue is that hot glue bonds almost instantly. And it sticks really well! You don't have to hold something in place and then let it dry forever. It's also not like those instant glues in tubes where you always get your fingers glued together. When buying a glue gun (or other tools and materials you may be unsure of), ask the clerk at the store for help. We recommend a low-temp glue gun with a trigger. You will also need to purchase glue sticks appropriate for the gun. When you get home, read the instructions on the package. Cover your work surface with a protective layer of newspaper or use a workboard. (We use a large acrylic cutting board - glue can be scraped off with a putty knife and you can set the glue gun on the board without causing trouble.) After the gun heats and glue starts to come out of the opening, practice on a piece of waxed paper and get a feel for how the gun works, the amount of glue that comes out when you pull the trigger, etc. The amount of glue you will use for your craft projects will vary. For example, if you are gluing a 1/8 " wide piece of ribbon, you will need just a tiny drop of glue - for a 2" diameter flower, you will want about a 1/2" dollop. It is a good idea to get yourself a bowl of ice water and have it in front of you. Any type of melted glue is hot and you need to be careful. As skilled as some of us are, we still manage to get our fingers into the glue. If you dunk them quickly in the ice water, you should have them cooled off even before any bad words come out. Oh, and you may want to get yourself an old towel or a paper towel too, and keep them handy.
Wire Cutters
These are just like the ones in your workroom. They are great for snipping pipe cleaners, stems of silk flowers, anything with a piece of wire inside. It's best NOT to use your scissors because cutting wire will dull or even nick them. (And it's important to always wear your glasses or a pair of safety glasses when working with wire. Always.)
Scissors
You want to be sure to have SHARP scissors. If you can't snip a piece of ribbon cleanly and with no "frays," get a new pair. Get a pair that feels comfortable in your hands. As you become more involved in crafting, and begin doing more detailed work, you may want to purchase a small pair of craft scissors. These are great for trimming intricate edges. Manicure scissors will also work.
Storage Boxes
You may want to get some type of storage box or bag that you can keep all of your tools and supplies in. In a later issue of our newspaper, we will show you how to take a 1/4 peck orchard basket and make it into a tool box. As you craft, save any leftover paint, ribbon, flowers, leaves, etc.- you might be able to use them in a future project. You've have heard the phrase "pieces too small to save." In crafting, there is no such thing! You never know when that one flower will be perfect for the center of a bow! (We also have a box to keep finished projects that we plan to give as gifts.)
General Materials Here are some general materials that will be used in many of our projects. If we have used a specific brand that we feel is better than others, we'll name names!Felt
Felt squares come in many different colors and can be used to line the inside of boxes (or to cover the bottoms). Felt also comes with an adhesive backing, which is really easy to measure and use. When measuring felt for lining or backing, be sure to mark your measurement lines on the wrong side.Flowers, silk bushes, stems, "picks"
We guess that you can get REAL silk flowers - just be prepared to pay an arm-and- a-leg and have trouble with fading and cleaning them. When we refer to "silk," we mean "Poly-Silk" or polyester. As you've probably already seen, or already purchased, there are zillions of florals in zillions of colors. And they're sometimes called different things. Here are our definitions. A flower bush usually has a number of flowers and leaves, all joined together with thick plastic coated wire. A stem normally has 1-3 flowers of the same type, sometimes with leaves attached. A pick is usually short-stemmed and has a few small flowers, maybe different varieties, but they all look nice together. Picks are often holiday- oriented ... ornaments and pinecones for Christmas, leaves and gourds for Halloween or Fall, etc.Mod Podge ®
This is just the greatest all-purpose stuff to work with. We use it mostly in decoupage, but we also use it for gluing and sealing things like small beads. One of our past projects uses Mod Podge ® in decorating the tops of little wooden treasure chests … Tips for Working with Mod Podge ®: . Use light or medium coats of it in your work. Heavy thick coats will sometimes leave hard white residue . Allow to dry thoroughly between coats when sealing or decoupaging.Moss (excelsior)
(preferably green) - this is like green "wood wool." It's great to cover styrofoam so you don't see what's underneath.Paint, Acrylic
Brush-on or spray. Acrylic paints are our favorites because they clean up with water. Small bottles (2 oz.) are available in craft and discount stores - this is normally enough for any project with plenty left over. Spray paint is usually so much faster than brushing it on, but you can't spray in the house. Of course, if you're spraying outside or in the garage, one trick is to put the item to be sprayed inside a cardboard box. This keeps the mess contained while giving you the "well-ventilated" space you will need. [We do NOT recommend spraying paint while your car is in the garage!] Also, see General Techniques, Painting.Papier mache
Some of us "old-timers" (but not Anne) :-) can remember when we made our own papier mache items with newspaper, glue or starch, lots of mess, our hair stuck together ... But now there are so many things available in craft and department stores: boxes, animal shapes, novelties, etc. Papier mache is lightweight and easy to paint and decorate. For example, you can make beautiful gift boxes, and we'll show you how in future newspapers.Styrofoam
There are several kinds of this. We use the "rough" type (also called "Plastifoam") of styrofoam and buy it in the brick shapes. You can cut pieces from the brick with a serrated knife. Another type of foam is a very dense, smooth type. It is used mostly in fresh flower arrangements because it soaks up water, usually called "floral foam". We don't usually use this type in our projects since it can crumble easily when you insert wire stems.Wire
Wire comes in different gauges - the higher the number, the thinner the wire. We usually use 20 gauge wire for making hangers for wreaths and other items that might have some weight to them. Of course, there are other things to use as hangers. See General Techniques, Hangers. Always wear your glasses or safety glasses when working with wire. Always.Wooden craft sticks
Great to have on hand to use as paint stirrers or for mixing colors. Also, when using a glue gun, craft sticks are helpful to press down on the item being glued, rather than using your fingers.Wreaths Wreaths come in all different sizes, shapes, and materials.
Grapevine We absolutely love these. From tiny to huge, there are so many types and a lot of wonderful things you can do with them. We often use 3" wreaths for ornaments and other goodies in our newspaper issues. Willow These are smooth woven rattan-like wreaths with no twiggy pieces sticking out. They usually look as though they are braided! Straw Straw wreaths generally have some type of plastic covering over them to hold the straw on. Wire These are usually just wire circles with a bit of a lattice-look to them. They normally just provide a form that you are going to "build up" with other materials. Evergreen These have pine branches formed into a wreath and are better used for decorating in the colder months like December.
General Mathematics Everyone knows that there are 12 inches in a foot and 3 foots in a yard! Here are some other goodies:
These sets of lines are "parallel" to each other.
These lines are "perpendicular".
This is the "diameter" of a circle, or of a round object like a box (the longest distance across the circle).
This is the "circumference" of a circle, or of a round object (the distance around).
A is the "height" (up and down) B is the "width" (side to side) C is the "depth" (front to back)
General TechniquesBows
This is Carol’s favorite way to make a bow since she can’t tie a knot worth a darn: Take a piece of ribbon and crease it in the middle. Put a dab of glue at the crease. Fold one piece over to the middle, creating a loop and a streamer. Repeat with the other side of ribbon.
Hangers
Pop tops from beverage cans - we use these for hangers for light-weight items like a straw hat wall hanging. The plastic hanger that comes on new socks works well too. Tie a piece of thread (or fine gold cord) at the top of a tiny wreath for a hanger. Make your own wire hanger for a large object such as a wreath this way: Use 18 or 20-gauge wire. To attach a hanger, fold the 12" piece of wire in half; insert folded edge through several strands of wreath material at the back top of the wreath. Pull unfolded ends through loop and pull taut. Insert the unfolded ends through the same strands of wreath material, about 1 1/2" apart, then wrap ends around hanger loop. Clip sharp ends of wire and press ends together with pliers. Be sure the hanger is very sturdy.Painting
Be sure to purchase the correct paint brush for the job, and keep in mind that you get what you pay for. We generally use inexpensive brushes, but keep an eye out for stray bristles that may come out of the brush and get on your project. There are special brushes for stencils that would not work to paint a wooden box. In our instructions, we will tell you if there is a special brush that you need to have for the project. If not, purchase a few multi-craft brushes to start out. Check the package for different uses. Be sure to shake your paint bottle or can vigorously to mix the paint. If it is a bottle that has been sitting for a long period of time, we use a wooden craft stick to stir the paint. We also shake the paint again when we prepare to put on a second coat. You always want your paint well blended. Place a small amount of paint on a paper plate (a doubled piece of waxed paper or aluminum foil works also) and dip your brush there. We do not recommend dipping brushes directly into the bottle - it is too easy to wind up with paint all over the brush. Apply paint to only the bottom half of the bristles. If the paint ends up under the metal and dries, it can work out during another project when you use the brush again … you can wind up painting white that has streaks of colors from previous projects. Be sure to clean your brush as soon as you are done with it. Wet paint is easier to remove than dry. Use a little mild soap, if needed. Tap out any excess water and allow to dry before storing. Depending on the surface, we like applying two light coats instead of one heavy one. You want a nice covered surface to decorate. Try applying the second coat in the opposite direction of the first. If the first coat is applied horizontally, put the second coat on vertically. This will help for a smoother finish. When painting an edge, make your brush stroke from the surface off the edge - this will help alleviate blobs of paint any where on the item. When painting with several colors, apply your darker paint first then the light paint. If you have to touch up, it is easier cover light paint with dark.Perspective
We love projects where you get to sit and be creative. But, once in a while you do need to stand up and look at your work. Sometimes a different angle will show a boo boo or spark your creativity.Decoupage
This French word means "to cut out" and is the art of cutting and gluing paper to a particular object. Put a coat of ModPodge ® or other "decoupage medium" on your object. Apply tissue paper or other paper cut in a design or desired shape. Some papers should be dipped in water before application. We will tell you if this is necessary in our newspaper instructions for specific items. After your paper project has been glued and has dried, it is necessary to varnish or seal it with acrylic.Sponge Painting
This technique is used to give a spattered or "freckled" appearance to an object. Generally, we will use a sea sponge (or natural sponge). Put a small amount of paint on a paper plate. (Always start with your darkest color and work to the lighter color - it gives more depth to the colors.) Dampen your natural sponge and squeeze out excess water. Dab the sponge into the paint and then dab some of the excess paint off onto a paper plate. If you have too much paint on the sponge, it will just leave blobs of paint, not a light spattering of color. If desired, repeat this process with one or more additional colors, allowing each coat of paint to dry thoroughly. Allow the last coat to dry, then apply a light coat of acrylic or other sealer over the object.Dry Brushing
This is an easy technique because it involves wiping most of the paint from your brush with a paper towel and then dragging the brush across your surface.We may add to this list from time to time, but we also may include specific tips in our project instructions in the newspaper.
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