CREATIVE CRAFTING

Posts Tagged ‘gifts’

I don’t often recommend a Polymer Clay Book but this is one  of those books that I love to share.

Celebrations With Polymer Clay by Sarajane Helm contains both the latest techiques and new ways to use old techniques.  I love discovering new books like this.  It has something for all levels of experience.

The books focuses on the four seasons..winter, spring, summer and fall.  It has around 25 projects that revolve around the color palettes of the seasons.  Direction for making decorative masks, jewelry, flower arrangements, cards, picture frames, Christmas ornaments, and even covered Easter eggs.  This book has it all including colored pictures to go along with the instructions.

It also includes some practical tips on how to care for the pasta machine, recipes for mixing different colors for the four season color palatte.  Along with another section that talks about different recipes for colored stains using Flecto Varathane.

How to make lace canes, floral canes, face canes, snow flake canes…the instructions are all here along with how to reduce the cane.  Clear concise directions on how to condition your clay and keep it plyable.

Celebrations With Polymer Clay has a number of guest contributors and the layout of the different projects makes this book a worthwhile addition to you Polymer Clay library.

It is not too late to put it on your Christmas List!

I have been very busy with my scrapbooking as you can see.   I have a lot more pictures but unfortunately I cannot post them all here..sorry Cindi.

Getting busy now making some scrapbook recipe cards for family and friends, incorporating some polymer clay ornaments to give as gifts.  Making Christmas cards is another holiday plan, so I will be busy.

I hope you have enjoyed my few endeavors with my pages.

I have been putting some thought into what I want to give family and friends for Christmas.  Since we are retired and money is not something I have a lot of  they can forget about the electronic toys they want!

So how can I combine my love for crafting (digital scrapbooking by far my favorite) and cooking?  I have an idea to make recipe cards using as a background pictures of family, favorite vacation spots and whatever I can find that would make a nice background for the card, print some of my favorite recipes, then put them in a box that would be decorated by me again with family photos or favorite pictures.

Not only would this be a inexpensive gift but one that is truly given from the heart.  Below is an example of what I am talking about.  See if you can come up with some ideas of your own using digital scrapbooking, favorite recipes and a plain cardboard box purchased at your favorite craft store.

Here is one simple idea I came up with…it will be printed on 4×6 cardstock..remember this is just an idea of what you can do with digital scrapbooking.

Happy Holidays

It is a little early in the season for flowers to be blooming in my gardens.  The daffodils are blooming of course, and the tulips are starting to bud.   But I am anxious.  I love flowers, they make me feel happy.

Polymer Clay also makes me happy..so why not combine the two.   I made Roses, Tulips, Dahlias, Canna and a few that I am not sure what they are, but flowers are free flowing, so I used my imagination.

Now that I have this veritable garden sitting in my hobby/computer room I am not sure what to do with them.  I will put some in little vases to either give to friends or sell at my yard sales this summer, but I think I will make a few more and make them into jewelry!

Each of these flowers is between a dime to a quarter in size, just to give you some idea.

I have been married a few years…40 to be precise.  Unfortunately, or fortunately whichever the case maybe, I don’t remember much of that day only through pictures. I don’t have many of my wedding gifts left, but that is what happens over a long period of time.   The one item I do have and I cherish is a decoupaged wedding invitation given to me by my late brother and his wife. I have always loved it and it has always hung in a place of honor in my home.

It is such a simple gift and yet it is the only one that has lasted a lifetime.   Several years ago in another home, we had a small fire and some of my wedding memories were lost in the water and smoke damage so I no longer have the original invitation, only this reminder.  Yes, it is yellow with age, but it is still a reminder of a wonderful day.

I am sure when my sister-in-law made it she never thought what this gift would come to mean to me and my husband.  It is a reminder of a beautiful day with family and friends.

The reason I am telling you this story is this:  Wedding season is upon us.   The brides will have their lists at various stores of items they need and want, and you will no doubt purchase something for them.  But why not add something personal with the gift.  Something you made by hand for them to remember long after the gifts have worn out.

Making soy candles is an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon, plus if you have never made a candle it is a new experience.  Enjoy and indulge yourself in this endeavor.  However, there are a few things you should know and you should take precautions.

First:  All soy wax is not the same.  Depending on the manufacturers temperature requirements will determine how your candle turns out.  Follow manufacturers directions for temperature.

Second:  If you plan on using electronic equipment to melt the wax, it won’t work and in fact can be quite dangerous not only for your equipment but for yourself.  It is like oil and water…they don’t mix!

Once you are sure about the manufacturers instructions and have the right equipment to melt the wax you are ready to start on your first candle.  Candle making is not hard, so don’t let it intimidate you.  Decide how many candles you want to make.  For every pound of soy wax  melted you should get about sixteen ounces of liquid wax.  To decide how much wax to use you will need to know how much liquid your mold or container will hold.  All you need to do is take some water and fill the container to the level of the candle, now pour the water from the container into a measuring cup this should tell you how many ounces of wax you will need.  Dry this container thoroughly.