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Crafty Topics
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Share tips and techniques on beading and jewelry making in our forum. Forum members share information on making and using beads, selling handmade items in the UK, UK craft and bead fairs, and rate beading suppliers.
http://ukbeaders.forumup.org/
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Crafty Tip
Save all your silver and gold scraps from your wire wrapping projects. When you've collected a handful of mistakes and trimmings, you can turn them in to a jeweler, or mail them off, and they pay you for your scraps.
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More than simple rag dolls, this fabulous collection of free cloth doll patterns has something for everyone. An eclectic mix of pins, collectible and fantasy dolls. With names like "Bildgewater Bedbug", "Mama Uglioni", and "Captain Underpants" you know you're going to find something to stir your creative muse. Site includes a list of charities looking for cloth dolls. Dollmaker's Journey also offers for sale many dollmaking supplies and designer doll and doll clothing patterns.
http://dollmakersjourney.com/freepatterns.html
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Crafty Tip
If you really mess up the face, just make another face on the other side of the doll and cover your mistake with hair.
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Free illustrated instructions covering the making of bedding, blinds, curtains, cushions, ornamental trimmings, curtain tie-backs, window top treatments and finishing touches. There is also a sewing guide which will teach you all the basics of binding, piping, seams, stitches and more. Site also has a forum where members share tips on completing the projects on the site and other topics related to window coverings.
http://alternative-windows.co.uk/index.htm
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Crafty Tip
Never presume that 2 windows are exactly the same size even if they look identical. Take all the measurements in either inches or centimetres. DO NOT MIX THE TWO.
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Womenfolk is a place of inspiration for women where women's creativity is encouraged. A wonderful resource on the history of quilting along with many free patterns to make your own authentic period quilts.
http://www.womenfolk.com
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Crafty Tip
In an interview one old-time quilter recalled how she cut a pattern. First she cut the pieces out of newspaper and then traced and the pattern pieces onto sandpaper. By using pattern pieces cut from fine sandpaper, they don't slide on the fabric.
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A research team from Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska gathered information from more than 1400 individuals on ways to improve the marketing of crafts and other products to tourists. This article contains information on what tourists are buying, how they find places to buy crafts, where they shop for crafts, their budget for crafty items, their criteria for selecting crafts to purchase, what types of tourists buy which type of crafts, and a host of additional useful information for marketing crafts.
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/modtd/33809809.html
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Crafty Tip
Successful craft producers promoted themselves and their products by:
- providing business cards and hang tags
- signing their work
- using a logo
- offering limited edition information
- providing written biographical data
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Free tips on getting started with your stained glass project, cutting, grinding, foiling, soldering, finishing, and repairs. Practice your craft with our free patterns. Be sure to visit our new section on warm glass. Don't forget to sign up for our free newsletter. If you plan on being in the Ottawa, Ontario area, be sure to drop into our store. We also offer a wide variety of classes, space is limited - so book early.
http://www.stainedglassstuff.com/learnstuff/start.php
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Crafty Tip
Try to view the glass you are thinking of using in the same light source as where the finished piece will be displayed. Don't use a light table, as they almost always use a fluorescent light bulb which gives off a blue white light and will make your glass look a lot different than light from a regular incandescent light bulb or sunlight.
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Billy Bear's Crafts shows you how to make several different Teddy Bears. You'll also find a listing of some of our other crafts located throughout our site. Site also has online puzzles and games and a wonderful assortment of activities for children.
http://www.billybear4kids.com/show/teddy/crafts.htm
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Crafty Tip
Grab a chair and share the space with your child while they visit the world of the internet... play and learn together!
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Lasting Impressions with Panache offers high quality, handcrafted art rubber stamps for the crafter, paper artist and scrapbooker. Available unmounted and mounted wholesale inquiries welcome. We also carry accessories and embellishments such as ink pads, beads, Acrylic Mounts, glues, glitter, color pencils, lyra pencils and other rubber stamping tools. We offer a growing resource of free tips and techniques for new and experienced stampers.
http://www.lasimppan.com/techniquepages.htm
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Crafty Tip
Be careful with glue sticks that go on blue and dry clear. Some brands will actually bleach some colors of cardstock. Shades of blues are particularly susceptible to bleaching with a glue stick. by Julie Warner (one of the many rubber stamping artists in our Creative Crew)
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Huge range of free beading instructions, including instructions for magnetic wraps, tigertail chokers, crystal earrings, chain bracelets and more. We also have a full online store, where you can find the glass beads, findings, semi precious beads and more needed for your project.
http://www.eurekabeads.com.au/free-beading-instructions-c-27.html
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Crafty Tip
To finish an elastic beading project, either add a clasp using crimps (be aware that this will weaken the elastic), or tie a strong knot, dabbing a little clear nail polish or glue to strengthen.
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We make beautiful hand crafted candles, bath items, potpourri, shower favors and much more. We also sell wax and soap embeds and other supplies and kits so you can make your own creations. Check out our site.
http://www.candlesbathandpotpourri.com
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Crafty Tip
When pouring layers of melt and pour soap, spray each layer lightly with alcohol to help it to adhere to the next layer without leaving a noticeable pour line.
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