For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com

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Duct Tape Crafts Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Duct Tape Crafts Author: Ken Marlborough Father's Day crafts are a perfect way for kids to show their love to their fathers without spending a huge amount of money. Father's Day crafts are articles made out of material available around the house and fashioned into cute gifts by kids. Father's Day crafts are especially popular with girls.The greatest advantage of Father's Day crafts is that they can be prepared by children as young as three or four years old, thereby giving them a chance to know the true meaning of the celebration.There are various examples of items and articles that can be created by children out of materials like glue, cardboard, crayons and other simple materials found commonly in households. Hand-made cards are good examples of simple father's day crafts.The various materials used for making Father's Day crafts include cardboard, felt, paper, glue, Popsicle sticks, crayons, markers, scissors, papier-mâché, construction paper, shoe boxes, cereal boxes and juice containers.Some examples of crafts are given below:Business Card Holders, using Popsicle sticks, craft paint, glue and various decorations.Pad Holder, using Post-It Pads, cardboard, markers and crayons, glue, scissors and a magnet if the pad holder has to be magnetic.Billiards Clock, using felt paper of various colors, black marker, glue, scissors, corrugated cardboard and a set of clockworks.A Party Pot, which is basically any material of pot painted and then glued with decorative paper.Cute bookends with personal messages of photos can be created out of cardboard cartons, newspapers, papier-mâché, paste, and painting material.Door knobs and wall hangings can be made from cardboard, decorations and crayons.Fathers Day provides detailed information on Father's Day, Father's Day Cards, Father's Day Crafts, Father's Day Gift Baskets and more. Fathers Day is affiliated with Mother's Day. ... crafts-4 Crafts : A Great Winter Hobby Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Crafts : A Great Winter Hobby Author: Debbie Jensen Whether you are in the winter of your life or whether the time of year is winter where you live, working on crafts can really liven up the days! Crafts don't have to be messy or expensive, but they have to be something you are interested in. What's fun about working on crafts is that you can throw away your mistakes. In time, most people who habitually work on crafts have to give them away or sell them; otherwise, they won't have the space to store them.Personally, I don't recommend storing completed craft projects. Due to evolving trends in home décor, I have found that craft items can quickly become out-dated too. Instead, give them away and try to find good homes for your crafts. You know how some people try to find good homes for their pets? Do not some people diligently try to make sure that the caretakers and the pets are well-suited for each other prior to handing over their pets? Well, the same is holds true for crafts. Don't give your crafts away to people who will be unappreciative or who will store them for you. When giving your crafts away, be mindful of the home decor and settings of which your crafts will be placed. Give them to those who would like them for sentimental reasons if for nothing else. You should even consider donating them to care facilities for terminally ill children or senior citizens.Don't ever forget, if you give your artwork to someone?it's theirs to choose what to do with it?in spite of what you have into it. Let it go! Move on to your next piece and have fun crafting!(revised 2/12/2006)Debbie Jensen, Graphic Designer and Photographer http://www.debjensendesigns.com ... crafts-3 Child Crafts Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Child Crafts Author: Karen Lavender Looking for something to entertain the kids when it's raining or too cold to go outside? Child crafts can keep kids busy for hours- and best of all, child crafts can be educational. There are child crafts you can make with kids of all age groups, from preschoolers right through high school aged teenagers.When the weather isn't cooperating, give your kids a variety of child crafts to work on. Clear your kitchen table off and gather some basic supplies- it's time to get crafting! Some kids prefer to come up with their own child crafts; letting their imaginations take over and making things out of miscellaneous supplies like toilet paper rolls, paper, yarn and glue. Other kids prefer to have instructions and patterns for making specific child crafts. You can find child crafts ideas in magazines or online if you aren't feeling creative enough to make up your own.Popular Child Crafts for PreschoolersBefore getting started making child crafts, gather all the supplies! As your preschooler is running around the house, go on a search for paper, glue, crayons and safety scissors. Child crafts can make use of nontraditional items as well, so look for empty shampoo or dish soap bottles, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, string, shoe boxes and paper bags. Let your imagination be your guide.Child crafts for preschoolers should be fairly simple to make, as well as quick in order to hold their attention. Help them make binoculars from toilet paper rolls, or puppets from old socks and markers. Add yarn hair. A favorite child craft of many children is creating “yarn masterpieces”. Give your child glue and different colored pieces of yarn. Let the child place glue all over their paper (gluesticks work great for this project) and then lay out pieces of yarn over the glue in whatever shape they want! It's like painting with yarn.Child Crafts for Older ChildrenAs children get older, they are capable of more detailed child crafts. Let grade school children create a city out of cardboard boxes. Flatten a box or two to create the city “ground”, and using smaller boxes, egg cartons, and construction paper, let your child build a city. Draw roads with markers, make trees and houses. Drive matchbox cars through the city, or make your own cars out of egg cartons or other objects.Children love clay and play dough. You can follow child crafts recipes to making your own dough for the kids to play with. Other child crafts that involve food are potato stamps and macaroni necklaces.Create musical instruments with coffee cans, and elbow macaroni. Make your own bubble solution with equal parts dish soap and water, and let your kids blow bubbles in the bathtub for a special child crafts treat!Warren and Karen have been involved in the internet for a number of years and run several websites. They are most interested in providing opportunities for people to connect with information relating to business, health and creativity. Check out their Child Crafts blog for more information. ... crafts-21 Easy St. Patrick Day Crafts for Kids of All Ages Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Easy St. Patrick Day Crafts for Kids of All Ages Author: Lori Bedard Crafts have always been a great way to spend some time with your kids and others. If you teach a Sunday school class, or a 4H group, you’re constantly on the lookout for fun and easy crafts. No matter the ages of the children you’re working with, this is a great time to teaching sharing, tolerance, encouragement, appreciation of others work, pride in your own work and much more. Use the time to enjoy each other. Don’t expect perfection. Stress enjoyment and putting forth your best effort. When you’re done, share your crafts with others.Kiss me, Blarney Stone Critter3-6 inch long smooth stone (washed)Green paintAssorted other colors of paintGlitter, eyes, scraps of lace, pipe cleaners etc.GlueNewspaperPlace newspaper on table. I use old adult t-shirts as cover-ups for the kids. Paint stones green. Allow to dry. Decorate with paints and assorted scraps of lace, fabric, glitter and whatever else your imagination dreams up. This allows a lot of room for different ages, abilities and creative styles. Now you have crafted your own personal Blarney Stone.Easy Shamrock Necklace CraftHeart cookie cutter (or plastic glass to trace)Heavy poster board in green or whiteYarn or heavy stringGlueScissorsPencilsGlitter, paint, markers etc. for decoratingUse the cookie cutter to make a pattern for your shamrock. Make sure you overlap the ends of each leaf, not leaving the center of the shamrock too thin. Don’t forget to add the stem, making it thick also. For young children, it helps to make a ‘template’ they can trace and cut out. Some children can make the shamrock design themselves. If you’re working with very young children, it helps to have the shamrocks already cut out. Next, punch a hole in the top of the shamrock. Now use glitter, paint, markers and whatever else you have available to decorate your necklace. If you’ve used glue, allow time for them to dry. Finally cut yarn (or string) and pull through hole in top. Tie and slip your shamrock necklace on.Extra: If your children are older, you can use your shamrock template to make cutout cookies. Trace around the template with a knife. Add green sprinkles and bake according to the recipe. Now share your shamrock cookies.St Patrick’s Day PuzzlePicture with Irish themePoster BoardGlue (or spray glue)ScissorsPen or markerGlue picture to poster board. Take care to smooth out all air bubbles, and to have the whole picture glued down. Allow glue to dry. Use the marker to make lines for the puzzle pieces on the back of the poster board. Carefully cut out on the lines. For younger children make fewer pieces. For older children make smaller pieces. For extra fun, have the children make each others puzzles.Variation: Have the children drawn their own picture to use for the puzzle, or color a picture from a coloring book. Remember, St Patrick is said to have driven all the snakes out of Ireland. Snakes, people in long capes, wooden staffs. What could be more fun for kids to draw?Lori Bedard has been sewing, and crafting since she was 5 years old. Her first love was making doll clothes for her favorite dolls. Since then she has been a mother of two, a Sunday School teacher and a 4-H leader. She has recently begun a website, http://www.easycraftsonline.com where she hopes to feature new crafts every month. ... crafts-2 Finding Some Solutions Within Bird House Crafts Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Finding Some Solutions Within Bird House Crafts Author: Karen Lavender Looking for something to entertain the kids when it's raining or too cold to go outside? Child crafts can keep kids busy for hours- and best of all, child crafts can be educational. There are child crafts you can make with kids of all age groups, from preschoolers right through high school aged teenagers.When the weather isn't cooperating, give your kids a variety of child crafts to work on. Clear your kitchen table off and gather some basic supplies- it's time to get crafting! Some kids prefer to come up with their own child crafts; letting their imaginations take over and making things out of miscellaneous supplies like toilet paper rolls, paper, yarn and glue. Other kids prefer to have instructions and patterns for making specific child crafts. You can find child crafts ideas in magazines or online if you aren't feeling creative enough to make up your own.Popular Child Crafts for PreschoolersBefore getting started making child crafts, gather all the supplies! As your preschooler is running around the house, go on a search for paper, glue, crayons and safety scissors. Child crafts can make use of nontraditional items as well, so look for empty shampoo or dish soap bottles, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, string, shoe boxes and paper bags. Let your imagination be your guide.Child crafts for preschoolers should be fairly simple to make, as well as quick in order to hold their attention. Help them make binoculars from toilet paper rolls, or puppets from old socks and markers. Add yarn hair. A favorite child craft of many children is creating “yarn masterpieces”. Give your child glue and different colored pieces of yarn. Let the child place glue all over their paper (gluesticks work great for this project) and then lay out pieces of yarn over the glue in whatever shape they want! It's like painting with yarn.Child Crafts for Older ChildrenAs children get older, they are capable of more detailed child crafts. Let grade school children create a city out of cardboard boxes. Flatten a box or two to create the city “ground”, and using smaller boxes, egg cartons, and construction paper, let your child build a city. Draw roads with markers, make trees and houses. Drive matchbox cars through the city, or make your own cars out of egg cartons or other objects.Children love clay and play dough. You can follow child crafts recipes to making your own dough for the kids to play with. Other child crafts that involve food are potato stamps and macaroni necklaces.Create musical instruments with coffee cans, and elbow macaroni. Make your own bubble solution with equal parts dish soap and water, and let your kids blow bubbles in the bathtub for a special child crafts treat!Warren and Karen have been involved in the internet for a number of years and run several websites. They are most interested in providing opportunities for people to connect with information relating to business, health and creativity. Check out their Child Crafts blog for more information. ... crafts-19 Crafts , Malls, Marketplaces, and Ebay Drop Off Stores Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Crafts , Malls, Marketplaces, and Ebay Drop Off Stores Author: Lori Bedard Crafts have always been a great way to spend some time with your kids and others. If you teach a Sunday school class, or a 4H group, you’re constantly on the lookout for fun and easy crafts. No matter the ages of the children you’re working with, this is a great time to teaching sharing, tolerance, encouragement, appreciation of others work, pride in your own work and much more. Use the time to enjoy each other. Don’t expect perfection. Stress enjoyment and putting forth your best effort. When you’re done, share your crafts with others.Kiss me, Blarney Stone Critter3-6 inch long smooth stone (washed)Green paintAssorted other colors of paintGlitter, eyes, scraps of lace, pipe cleaners etc.GlueNewspaperPlace newspaper on table. I use old adult t-shirts as cover-ups for the kids. Paint stones green. Allow to dry. Decorate with paints and assorted scraps of lace, fabric, glitter and whatever else your imagination dreams up. This allows a lot of room for different ages, abilities and creative styles. Now you have crafted your own personal Blarney Stone.Easy Shamrock Necklace CraftHeart cookie cutter (or plastic glass to trace)Heavy poster board in green or whiteYarn or heavy stringGlueScissorsPencilsGlitter, paint, markers etc. for decoratingUse the cookie cutter to make a pattern for your shamrock. Make sure you overlap the ends of each leaf, not leaving the center of the shamrock too thin. Don’t forget to add the stem, making it thick also. For young children, it helps to make a ‘template’ they can trace and cut out. Some children can make the shamrock design themselves. If you’re working with very young children, it helps to have the shamrocks already cut out. Next, punch a hole in the top of the shamrock. Now use glitter, paint, markers and whatever else you have available to decorate your necklace. If you’ve used glue, allow time for them to dry. Finally cut yarn (or string) and pull through hole in top. Tie and slip your shamrock necklace on.Extra: If your children are older, you can use your shamrock template to make cutout cookies. Trace around the template with a knife. Add green sprinkles and bake according to the recipe. Now share your shamrock cookies.St Patrick’s Day PuzzlePicture with Irish themePoster BoardGlue (or spray glue)ScissorsPen or markerGlue picture to poster board. Take care to smooth out all air bubbles, and to have the whole picture glued down. Allow glue to dry. Use the marker to make lines for the puzzle pieces on the back of the poster board. Carefully cut out on the lines. For younger children make fewer pieces. For older children make smaller pieces. For extra fun, have the children make each others puzzles.Variation: Have the children drawn their own picture to use for the puzzle, or color a picture from a coloring book. Remember, St Patrick is said to have driven all the snakes out of Ireland. Snakes, people in long capes, wooden staffs. What could be more fun for kids to draw?Lori Bedard has been sewing, and crafting since she was 5 years old. Her first love was making doll clothes for her favorite dolls. Since then she has been a mother of two, a Sunday School teacher and a 4-H leader. She has recently begun a website, http://www.easycraftsonline.com where she hopes to feature new crafts every month. ... crafts-18 Organizing Your Crafts - How To Keep Your Sanity Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Organizing Your Crafts - How To Keep Your Sanity Author: Brandi Clark The year is 1991. She has moved from a small town to a large city where she awaits a double lung transplant due to Cystic Fibrosis. The young girl is 12 years old but her spirits are high. To state the obvious, she's scared. But she knows her choices are limited and this is what she needs to do. Besides being scared for obvious medical reasons, she's scared of being in a new city. She comes from a small town where everyone knows everyone and one usually bumps into about six or seven friends at the local grocery store. Now, she's been uprooted from the life she knew to a new life in an unfamiliar metropolis. Time moves slow. She and her family are anxiously waiting for the call in which the transplant team will say it's time for her transplant. But wait is basically all she can do. Her mom decides that it’s time to make a few crafts. A time for her and her daughter to spend time together. How about decorate the new apartment with their own creations? Sure, most people would buy pictures and such to hang on the wall. But they decided to put together puzzles, paste them, and hang them on the wall. Their own special touch to a new, strange place. Sure, she and her mom have always made crafts whether it be dough ornaments, or painting wooden ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree. But these crafts were special. They meant something different. Her defining moment in crafting came in the Christmas of 1991. She and her mom had went to buy some more crafts to make for decorating the apartment for the holidays. She’s glueing a miniature plastic deer into a miniature shadow box. The box is decorated with a miniature plastic tree and batting for snow. As she is glueing the deer, she realizes, for the first time that she really enjoys crafting. Sure, she’s always enjoyed it. But this time it had meaning. She felt like she was “at home.” As the old saying goes it was “home away from home.” The crafts her mother bought and they had made together, passed the time, made a new place seem comfortable, and grew her love of crafting. Decorating with crafts is a wonderful way to make a new place feel comfortable, to pass the time, spend time with family, and can even calm the nerves a bit! I received my transplant call on February 2, 1992. I’m now doing fine, the deer ornament still decorates our tree at Christmas and I'm still crafting!Floral Creations was started by my mom and I so that we could make crafts and share them with others. Floral Creations offers handmade Red Hat Society gifts, baby shower favors, home decor, and unique gifts. Floral Creations is all about variety!Check us out at http://www.visitfloralcreations.com ... crafts-17 Baby Shower Crafts : Welcoming the Newcomer Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Baby Shower Crafts : Welcoming the Newcomer Author: Brandi Clark The year is 1991. She has moved from a small town to a large city where she awaits a double lung transplant due to Cystic Fibrosis. The young girl is 12 years old but her spirits are high. To state the obvious, she's scared. But she knows her choices are limited and this is what she needs to do. Besides being scared for obvious medical reasons, she's scared of being in a new city. She comes from a small town where everyone knows everyone and one usually bumps into about six or seven friends at the local grocery store. Now, she's been uprooted from the life she knew to a new life in an unfamiliar metropolis. Time moves slow. She and her family are anxiously waiting for the call in which the transplant team will say it's time for her transplant. But wait is basically all she can do. Her mom decides that it’s time to make a few crafts. A time for her and her daughter to spend time together. How about decorate the new apartment with their own creations? Sure, most people would buy pictures and such to hang on the wall. But they decided to put together puzzles, paste them, and hang them on the wall. Their own special touch to a new, strange place. Sure, she and her mom have always made crafts whether it be dough ornaments, or painting wooden ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree. But these crafts were special. They meant something different. Her defining moment in crafting came in the Christmas of 1991. She and her mom had went to buy some more crafts to make for decorating the apartment for the holidays. She’s glueing a miniature plastic deer into a miniature shadow box. The box is decorated with a miniature plastic tree and batting for snow. As she is glueing the deer, she realizes, for the first time that she really enjoys crafting. Sure, she’s always enjoyed it. But this time it had meaning. She felt like she was “at home.” As the old saying goes it was “home away from home.” The crafts her mother bought and they had made together, passed the time, made a new place seem comfortable, and grew her love of crafting. Decorating with crafts is a wonderful way to make a new place feel comfortable, to pass the time, spend time with family, and can even calm the nerves a bit! I received my transplant call on February 2, 1992. I’m now doing fine, the deer ornament still decorates our tree at Christmas and I'm still crafting!Floral Creations was started by my mom and I so that we could make crafts and share them with others. Floral Creations offers handmade Red Hat Society gifts, baby shower favors, home decor, and unique gifts. Floral Creations is all about variety!Check us out at http://www.visitfloralcreations.com ... crafts-13 Handicrafts of Kerala Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Handicrafts of Kerala Author: Jayachandran.R Handicrafts of Kerala Kerala, the Gods own country Situated in India has a rich tradition of Handicrafts. Kerala's traditional handicrafts are a class of its own. The artisans of kerala have traditional expertise in carving in wood, jewellery design, both gold and silver and also in other mediums. Making idos and figures in metaletc. The gifted artisans makes beautiful idols of Lord Krishna, Ganesh, Goddess Saraswathi, Lakshmi etc. in sandal wood ,elephants in rose wood and other art works in varieties of other woods.These items are showcased in http://www.aayurmart.com Life size models of Kathakali, and models depiciting snake boat race of kerala are exclusive masterpieces of kerala aritisans. The idols of Lord Nataraja in dancing posture and the various lamps (vilakku) which are essential for every ceremonies of keralities are also created by artisans. Industrial arts and handicrafts form an invaluable part of the Cultural heritage of Kerala. Metal crafts have the pride of place among the traditional arts. Bell-metal casting is an old time industrial art. It has involved mainly two kinds of activities. Images or idols of deities made out of copper, bronze and brass are used for consecration in temples and other religious purposes. Huge Varpus (shallow basins of hemispherical shape), multi-layered lamps and household utensils are all made of these metals. These products are noted for their high degree of perfection.Lamps of the most artistic beauty are also made by Kerala craftsmen. The Greek lamp (Changalavatta), the Archana lamp, the Arati Dipa etc., deserve mention in this context. The Aranmula metal mirror has attained fame among the products of the bell metal industry. A product of an accident in metal casting, it is made of an alloy of copper and tin and resembles the glass mirror in every respect in point of utility. The Koftagari work, one of the popular metal crafts of India, is also being practiced by a few artisans in Trivandrum. Figures of deities, landscapes, floral designs and fancy articles of a wide variety are produced in Koftagari.Wood craft is one of the ancient arts of Kerala as is testified to by the temples and churches of the State which abound in wood carvings. Items of furniture like chairs, tables settees, sofas, almirahs, cots, radio castings etc., and models of animals and deities, toys and Kathakali accessories produced by Kerala craftsmen are very much in demand. The models of caparisoned elephants and the carvings of Kathakali dance-dolls are items of popular demand.http://www.aayurmart.com showcases some of the items. The craftsmen of Kerala have also developed a variety of handicrafts using the rich wealth of flora in the State. Screwpine mat weaving is one of such handicrafts. Such articles as pillow covers, cushions, vanity bags, purses, hats etc., are also made of screw pine. The art of weaving bamboo-reed mats, baskets and fancy articles is also one of the simplest of Kerala handicrafts. Kora grass is similarly used for making mats of different sizes and colours. Rattan is used in the manufacture of articles of daily use like chairs, settees, teapoys, cradles, trays, shopping bags and a variety of other utility-cum-fancy articles. The coconut shell is used for the manufacture of such articles of utility and beauty as lamp stands, flower vases, ashtrays etc. Coir carpets and mattings produced in many attractive designs and colours find a ready market in India and abroad.Lace and embroidery work of high quality is being done by women in several parts of Kerala. The Talangara village of Kasaragod taluk is famous for the textile cap making industry. The cotton caps manufactured here find a ready market in the African and Gulf countries.Ivory carving is another traditional art of Kerala. The art was given an impetus by Swati Tirunal Maharaja. An ivory throne made by Swati Tirunal is still preserved as a show piece. The craftsmen engaged in this art at present produce a variety of models of mythological characters, animals, birds, cigarette cases etc., to cater to different tastes. A typical specimen of ivory carving produced in Kerala is that of the snake boat (Chundan vallam) and it is cherished by tourists to the State as a memento. The craftsmen engaged in ivory carving also use other materials like the buffalo born for practicing their art.The jewelry of Kerala is noted for its artistic perfection. Each caste or community had its typical ornament. An ornament of the Nair women was Nagapadam or serpent hood, so called after the shape of the pendant. An ear ornament called Toda, a double convex disc, was worn after dilating the earlobes. Mukkuthi was an ornament for nose and Kappu for the wrist. The most important ornaments for the neck were Addyal, Yantram, Avil Mala and Puli Nakham. Cherutali was a kind of necklace worn loose over the breast by Namboodiri women while Kasu Mala and Oddyanam were used by Tamil Brahmin. A kind of heavy guilt brass ring called Mekka Motiram was worn by Christian women after boring their ears in several places. Ottezhapathakkam, Kombu, Tala etc., were also typical Christian ornaments. Though most of the traditional ornaments mentioned above have become defunct now, the Kerala women are still found of ornaments, and jewelry items like necklaces, bangles, chains, earrings, studs etc., are now made by Kerala goldsmiths in a variety of attractive designs.Apart from the main crafts described above, there are also a few others which deserve mention. Granite carving is one such art, which is mainly centred in Chengannur. The granite workers manufacture a variety of articles like idols, household equipment, pillars, survey stones etc., which are in great demand. The manufacture of musical instruments like Chenda, Maddalam, Mridangam, Edakka etc., is done in some places. The costumes and accessories required in Kathakali and Teyyam are being manufactured by some craftsmen. In Tellicherry, the home of Indian circus, the peculiar kinds of umbrella required by circus companies are manufactured. Being a maritime State, Kerala has its own handicrafts based on marine materials. Conch-shell articles like paper weight, pin cushions, ashtrayas, studs etc., are made by craftsmen in the Trivandrum area. In Kasaragod area articles like bangles, vanity bags and name boards are made of glass beads. Thus the legacy of Kerala in the field of arts and crafts is a rich and varied one.About the AuthorJayachandran.R.Author is a freelance content writer who also owns http://www.aayurmart.com. For more details mailto:ayurmart@gmail.comBrought to you by AA ARTICLES ... crafts-1 Turn off the TV and Get Involved with Crafts for your Kids Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Turn off the TV and Get Involved with Crafts for your Kids Author: Karen Lavender Looking for something to entertain the kids when it's raining or too cold to go outside? Child crafts can keep kids busy for hours- and best of all, child crafts can be educational. There are child crafts you can make with kids of all age groups, from preschoolers right through high school aged teenagers.When the weather isn't cooperating, give your kids a variety of child crafts to work on. Clear your kitchen table off and gather some basic supplies- it's time to get crafting! Some kids prefer to come up with their own child crafts; letting their imaginations take over and making things out of miscellaneous supplies like toilet paper rolls, paper, yarn and glue. Other kids prefer to have instructions and patterns for making specific child crafts. You can find child crafts ideas in magazines or online if you aren't feeling creative enough to make up your own.Popular Child Crafts for PreschoolersBefore getting started making child crafts, gather all the supplies! As your preschooler is running around the house, go on a search for paper, glue, crayons and safety scissors. Child crafts can make use of nontraditional items as well, so look for empty shampoo or dish soap bottles, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, string, shoe boxes and paper bags. Let your imagination be your guide.Child crafts for preschoolers should be fairly simple to make, as well as quick in order to hold their attention. Help them make binoculars from toilet paper rolls, or puppets from old socks and markers. Add yarn hair. A favorite child craft of many children is creating “yarn masterpieces”. Give your child glue and different colored pieces of yarn. Let the child place glue all over their paper (gluesticks work great for this project) and then lay out pieces of yarn over the glue in whatever shape they want! It's like painting with yarn.Child Crafts for Older ChildrenAs children get older, they are capable of more detailed child crafts. Let grade school children create a city out of cardboard boxes. Flatten a box or two to create the city “ground”, and using smaller boxes, egg cartons, and construction paper, let your child build a city. Draw roads with markers, make trees and houses. Drive matchbox cars through the city, or make your own cars out of egg cartons or other objects.Children love clay and play dough. You can follow child crafts recipes to making your own dough for the kids to play with. Other child crafts that involve food are potato stamps and macaroni necklaces.Create musical instruments with coffee cans, and elbow macaroni. Make your own bubble solution with equal parts dish soap and water, and let your kids blow bubbles in the bathtub for a special child crafts treat!Warren and Karen have been involved in the internet for a number of years and run several websites. They are most interested in providing opportunities for people to connect with information relating to business, health and creativity. Check out their Child Crafts blog for more information. ... crafts-6crafts-9 Buying Genuine American Indian Jewelry & Crafts Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Buying Genuine American Indian Jewelry & Crafts Author: Sam Serio Buying American Indian jewelry & crafts can be fun, exciting and confusing. Whether you’re considering a gift of American Indian jewelry & crafts for someone special or as a treat for yourself, take some time to learn the terms used in the industry. Here’s some information to help you get the best quality American Indian jewelry & crafts for your money, whether you’re shopping in a traditional brick and mortar store or online.Whether you're drawn to the beauty of turquoise and silver jewelry or the earth tones of Indian pottery, some information about American Indian arts and crafts can help you get what you pay for. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous retailers are selling imitation American Indian arts and crafts to unwary consumers.According to the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, any item produced after 1935 that is marketed as "Indian," "Native American" or "Alaska Native" must have been made by a member of a state or federally-recognized tribe or a certified Indian artisan. That is a non-member Indian artisan who is certified by the governing body of an Indian tribe.3 Tips for Buying Genuine American Indian Jewelry & Crafts1. Buy from an established dealer who gives a written guarantee or written verification of authenticity. Ask if your item comes with a certification tag. Not all authentic Indian arts and crafts carry this tag, but those that do are certified by the Department of the Interior (DOI) to be genuine. This sample tag identifies the artisan as a member of the Oklahoma Indian Arts and Crafts Cooperative. However, you may see a different name and logo appearing in the circle on the item you buy.2. Get a receipt that includes information about the value of your purchase and any verbal representations by the salesperson. For example, if the salesperson tells you that the piece of jewelry you're buying is sterling silver and natural turquoise and was handmade by an American Indian artisan, make sure this information is documented on your receipt.3. Before buying American Indian arts and crafts at powwows, annual fairs, juried competitions, and other events, check the event requirements for information about the authenticity of the products for sale. Many events list their requirements in newspaper ads, promotional flyers and printed programs. If the event organizers don't say anything about the authenticity of the American Indian arts and crafts for sale, get written verification for any item you buy that is sold as authentic.For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com ... crafts-8 A noble cause with profit too. Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   A noble cause with profit too. Author: Ms.Lakshmi Devi What started out, as an export of hand-woven fabric and bed linen to the United States, with special customers, like exclusive boutiques is today Kalpa Druma - the one place you'd go to for quality handicrafts. From the States, we went to Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It was only in 1994 that retail operations began with Kalpa Druma, by sourcing handicrafts from all over the country for a niche people.The specialty of Kalpa Druma is that we have crafts from all over India, from every nook and corner. Every season we come out with something different and new. We have designers working with us and we work with very specialized craftsmen, about 150 of them. Soon we diversified into home textiles.Since we did a lot of printed linen that became a logical extension into ladies clothing. It was another big area that we never thought we would start, but we did finally. Till now we were focussing on products. But over the years we have realized that we need to present our craftsmen instead of just their products alone. So we have shows where they will feature a particular craftsman and make it an exhibition of his products. The proceeds go back to him. A noble cause with profit too.About the AuthorMs. Lakshmi DeviExind Corporation26, Lady Madhava Road,Mahalingapuram,Chennai - 600034Tel: +91-44-28171547+91-44-28117652Fax: +91-44-28111681Brought to you by AA ARTICLES ... crafts-5 Mothers Day Crafts : Please Don't Buy Another Uninspired Mothers Day Gift! Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Mothers Day Crafts : Please Don't Buy Another Uninspired Mothers Day Gift! Author: Ken Marlborough Father's Day crafts are a perfect way for kids to show their love to their fathers without spending a huge amount of money. Father's Day crafts are articles made out of material available around the house and fashioned into cute gifts by kids. Father's Day crafts are especially popular with girls.The greatest advantage of Father's Day crafts is that they can be prepared by children as young as three or four years old, thereby giving them a chance to know the true meaning of the celebration.There are various examples of items and articles that can be created by children out of materials like glue, cardboard, crayons and other simple materials found commonly in households. Hand-made cards are good examples of simple father's day crafts.The various materials used for making Father's Day crafts include cardboard, felt, paper, glue, Popsicle sticks, crayons, markers, scissors, papier-mâché, construction paper, shoe boxes, cereal boxes and juice containers.Some examples of crafts are given below:Business Card Holders, using Popsicle sticks, craft paint, glue and various decorations.Pad Holder, using Post-It Pads, cardboard, markers and crayons, glue, scissors and a magnet if the pad holder has to be magnetic.Billiards Clock, using felt paper of various colors, black marker, glue, scissors, corrugated cardboard and a set of clockworks.A Party Pot, which is basically any material of pot painted and then glued with decorative paper.Cute bookends with personal messages of photos can be created out of cardboard cartons, newspapers, papier-mâché, paste, and painting material.Door knobs and wall hangings can be made from cardboard, decorations and crayons.Fathers Day provides detailed information on Father's Day, Father's Day Cards, Father's Day Crafts, Father's Day Gift Baskets and more. Fathers Day is affiliated with Mother's Day. ... crafts-21 Easy St. Patrick Day Crafts for Kids of All Ages Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Easy St. Patrick Day Crafts for Kids of All Ages Author: Lori Bedard Crafts have always been a great way to spend some time with your kids and others. If you teach a Sunday school class, or a 4H group, you’re constantly on the lookout for fun and easy crafts. No matter the ages of the children you’re working with, this is a great time to teaching sharing, tolerance, encouragement, appreciation of others work, pride in your own work and much more. Use the time to enjoy each other. Don’t expect perfection. Stress enjoyment and putting forth your best effort. When you’re done, share your crafts with others.Kiss me, Blarney Stone Critter3-6 inch long smooth stone (washed)Green paintAssorted other colors of paintGlitter, eyes, scraps of lace, pipe cleaners etc.GlueNewspaperPlace newspaper on table. I use old adult t-shirts as cover-ups for the kids. Paint stones green. Allow to dry. Decorate with paints and assorted scraps of lace, fabric, glitter and whatever else your imagination dreams up. This allows a lot of room for different ages, abilities and creative styles. Now you have crafted your own personal Blarney Stone.Easy Shamrock Necklace CraftHeart cookie cutter (or plastic glass to trace)Heavy poster board in green or whiteYarn or heavy stringGlueScissorsPencilsGlitter, paint, markers etc. for decoratingUse the cookie cutter to make a pattern for your shamrock. Make sure you overlap the ends of each leaf, not leaving the center of the shamrock too thin. Don’t forget to add the stem, making it thick also. For young children, it helps to make a ‘template’ they can trace and cut out. Some children can make the shamrock design themselves. If you’re working with very young children, it helps to have the shamrocks already cut out. Next, punch a hole in the top of the shamrock. Now use glitter, paint, markers and whatever else you have available to decorate your necklace. If you’ve used glue, allow time for them to dry. Finally cut yarn (or string) and pull through hole in top. Tie and slip your shamrock necklace on.Extra: If your children are older, you can use your shamrock template to make cutout cookies. Trace around the template with a knife. Add green sprinkles and bake according to the recipe. Now share your shamrock cookies.St Patrick’s Day PuzzlePicture with Irish themePoster BoardGlue (or spray glue)ScissorsPen or markerGlue picture to poster board. Take care to smooth out all air bubbles, and to have the whole picture glued down. Allow glue to dry. Use the marker to make lines for the puzzle pieces on the back of the poster board. Carefully cut out on the lines. For younger children make fewer pieces. For older children make smaller pieces. For extra fun, have the children make each others puzzles.Variation: Have the children drawn their own picture to use for the puzzle, or color a picture from a coloring book. Remember, St Patrick is said to have driven all the snakes out of Ireland. Snakes, people in long capes, wooden staffs. What could be more fun for kids to draw?Lori Bedard has been sewing, and crafting since she was 5 years old. Her first love was making doll clothes for her favorite dolls. Since then she has been a mother of two, a Sunday School teacher and a 4-H leader. She has recently begun a website, http://www.easycraftsonline.com where she hopes to feature new crafts every month. ... crafts-2 Finding Some Solutions Within Bird House Crafts Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Finding Some Solutions Within Bird House Crafts Author: Karen Lavender Looking for something to entertain the kids when it's raining or too cold to go outside? Child crafts can keep kids busy for hours- and best of all, child crafts can be educational. There are child crafts you can make with kids of all age groups, from preschoolers right through high school aged teenagers.When the weather isn't cooperating, give your kids a variety of child crafts to work on. Clear your kitchen table off and gather some basic supplies- it's time to get crafting! Some kids prefer to come up with their own child crafts; letting their imaginations take over and making things out of miscellaneous supplies like toilet paper rolls, paper, yarn and glue. Other kids prefer to have instructions and patterns for making specific child crafts. You can find child crafts ideas in magazines or online if you aren't feeling creative enough to make up your own.Popular Child Crafts for PreschoolersBefore getting started making child crafts, gather all the supplies! As your preschooler is running around the house, go on a search for paper, glue, crayons and safety scissors. Child crafts can make use of nontraditional items as well, so look for empty shampoo or dish soap bottles, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, string, shoe boxes and paper bags. Let your imagination be your guide.Child crafts for preschoolers should be fairly simple to make, as well as quick in order to hold their attention. Help them make binoculars from toilet paper rolls, or puppets from old socks and markers. Add yarn hair. A favorite child craft of many children is creating “yarn masterpieces”. Give your child glue and different colored pieces of yarn. Let the child place glue all over their paper (gluesticks work great for this project) and then lay out pieces of yarn over the glue in whatever shape they want! It's like painting with yarn.Child Crafts for Older ChildrenAs children get older, they are capable of more detailed child crafts. Let grade school children create a city out of cardboard boxes. Flatten a box or two to create the city “ground”, and using smaller boxes, egg cartons, and construction paper, let your child build a city. Draw roads with markers, make trees and houses. Drive matchbox cars through the city, or make your own cars out of egg cartons or other objects.Children love clay and play dough. You can follow child crafts recipes to making your own dough for the kids to play with. Other child crafts that involve food are potato stamps and macaroni necklaces.Create musical instruments with coffee cans, and elbow macaroni. Make your own bubble solution with equal parts dish soap and water, and let your kids blow bubbles in the bathtub for a special child crafts treat!Warren and Karen have been involved in the internet for a number of years and run several websites. They are most interested in providing opportunities for people to connect with information relating to business, health and creativity. Check out their Child Crafts blog for more information. ... crafts-15 Mango Wood Handicrafts - An Ecological Choice Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Mango Wood Handicrafts - An Ecological Choice Author: Svend Nelson Illegal logging especially of tropical woods rightly has received negative press in recent years. However, there are examples for ecologically sustainable use of timber in home decoration.One of these examples is the use of mango wood, especially for hand crafted gifts and collectibles from Thailand.Historic reference to the fruits of mango trees dates back to about 4000 B.C.: In the Hindu Vedas referenced is made to mangos as the "food of the gods". Appreciation of the sweet richness of the mango fruit is plentiful the world over and reaches into colloquial use of language: in Central America for example a handsome male is referred to as a “mango”.The fame of the wood is more recent that of the fruit of mango trees. Mango trees grow fast and are replanted permanently for the fruit business, thus making the usage of the by-product mango wood for handicrafts a very obvious and ecological choice. Mango wood gifts are natural decorative items that come in a variety of shades and grains and an ecological dream at the same time.In Thailand, mango wood crafts such as vases, bowls and tableware are hand crafted piece by piece. Glass containers enable mango vases to hold water and have become a popular collectible in Asian art décor.Mango wood vases are carved from a solid piece of wood and then fired in a kiln to achieve an attractive finish for these unique gifts from Thailand.Svend Nelson is a university lecturer and Internet entrepreneur specializing in online business strategy and marketing. While he is active in various industries; his online presences in the arts and crafts industry include Thailand handicrafts and ceramics from Vietnam. Svend lived and worked in various countries across Latin America, Europe and Asia before settling on Koh Samui in Thailand. ... crafts-14 Clay Pot Crafts : Make a Bell for the Porch Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Clay Pot Crafts : Make a Bell for the Porch Author: Paul Duxbury Clay pot crafts are a cute way to make home decorations. In clay pot crafts, clay flower pots can be crafted into a variety of decorative things that appeal to gardeners. Usually, the crafter begins with new pots. The pots are often decorated with paint as well as being tied together with rope or cord to create things.Pots for clay pot crafts can be purchased in many different sizes, from tiny ones not more than 2 inches in diameter, to huge ones over a foot across. For a beginning project, start with smaller pots. The beginner should also choose clay pot crafts that don't use too many pots in too elaborate a design.An example of a good craft for someone new at clay pot crafts is to make a bell from two clay pots. Buy one pot that is about five or six inches in diameter, and another that is very small. You will use the small one as the clapper for the bell. You will also need some decorative cord, two large wooden beads, and paint in desired colours. You may also wish to purchase some glue-on jewels to decorate the bell. The bell makes a nice decoration for a front porch.Cut the cord two feet (60 cm.) long. Fold the end over 3 inches (8 cm.) and tie in an overhand knot, making a loop. This loop is for hanging the bell from a hook or a nail. Now turn the larger clay pot upside-down. Pass the loose end of the cord down through the hole in the pot. Lay the pot on its side and slide one of the large wooden beads up the cord until it is about 10 inches (25 cm.) from the loose end. Now tie the cord around the bead so that the bead cannot slip from its position on the cord. If you have done this correctly, you can lift the pot by the loop. In clay pot crafts, the beads must be large enough to stop the cord from going through the hole in the bottom of the pot.On the loose end of the cord, you are going to attach the small pot in the same way. Slide the small pot up the cord to make it easier to tie the other large wooden bead on the end of the cord. Now when you lift the entire arrangement by the loop, the smaller pot should hang freely inside the larger pot, making a pleasant sound when it claps against the larger pot.Decorate the outside of the larger pot with paint as desired. You may like to paint it in black and white patches for a Holstein cow theme. You may also like to decorate the top of the bell with silk or dried flowers and greenery and a ribbon bow.For a variation on this craft, make three of the bells and hang them from a horizontal piece of driftwood or other interesting piece of natural wood. When making hanging clay pot crafts, always make sure the beads are large enough and are tied tightly in place, because the clay pots will break if they fall to the ground.Other clay pot crafts include making a large doll or scarecrow of nested pots strung together and painted. The doll can sit on a chair or a step of the front porch. Paint his face to look like a scarecrow, a jack-o-lantern, a gnome, or a child. Clay pot crafts are especially suited to being displayed outside.Paul is Head of Training for a major UK Charitable Organisation. He owns one of the UK's Leading Information Providers PK eBooks (http://www.pk-ebooks.co.uk) and has recently launched http://www.profitable-crafts.co.uk ... crafts-12 Valentines Day Crafts Crafts Back To Snippet Back To SITEMAP   Valentines Day Crafts Author: Tim Bryce "Manage more, supervise less." - Bryce's LawWhen I got into the work force back in the mid-1970's it seemed everyone dressed in a suit and tie, drank black coffee, smoked their brains out, and worked their butts off. Today, golf shirts have replaced suits, herbal tea and bottled water have replaced coffee, nobody is allowed to smoke, and rarely does anyone work beyond 5:00pm. More importantly, we used to care about the work we produced; there was a sense of craftsmanship, regardless of the job.My Brother-in-law in Cincinnati conducted me on a tour of his company's machine-tool shop years ago and showed me how he could take a block of aluminum and convert it into a high-precision machine tool. It was a pleasure to watch him work, as it is to watch anyone who knows what they are doing, be it a waitress, a programmer, a laborer or a clerk.Quality and service used to be considered paramount in this country. If it wasn't just right, you were expected to do it over again until you got it right. We cared about what we produced because it was a reflection of our personal character and integrity. But somewhere along the line we lost our way and craftsmanship has fallen by the wayside. Why? Probably because we no longer care.In today's litigious society, employees are acutely aware that it is difficult to be fired due to poor performance. They know they will still get paid and receive benefits, regardless of the amount of effort they put forth. Consequently, there is little to encourage people to perform better. Money isn't a motivating factor anymore. People now expect bonuses, raises and other perks to be paid out regardless of how well they perform during the year.We've also become a nation content with doing small things. America used to be known as a powerhouse that could tackle large projects, such as building skyscrapers, designing innovative bridges and tunnels spanning substantial bodies of water, engineering transcontinental railroads and highway systems, conquering air and space travel, and defending freedom not just once but in two world wars. If you really wanted something done, you talked to the Americans and no one else. Now we get excited over iPods, cell phones, and other electronic trinkets.Many believe Craftsmanship is in decline due to the general apathy found in today's society. Maybe. I tend to believe it is due to an erosion of our moral values. Let me give you an example. Having a child in college, my interest was piqued recently by an article describing the pervasiveness of cheating and plagiarism in our schools. It is not my intent to make a political statement here but many of the students mentioned in the article rationalized their cheating on the fact that one of our past Presidents cheated and lied under oath, and got away with it. They figured if it is okay for the Commander-in-Chief to act this way, it was an acceptable form of behavior.Arnold Toynbee, the famed English historian, observed, "Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder." If the moral fabric of our society dies, our story is told as evidenced by other great civilizations that long preceded us. Our perspective needs to be realigned: Our personal and professional lives must be viewed as one. As Toynbee remarked, "The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play." By doing so, we identify more closely with our work and assume a greater pride in workmanship. We do not need to hear this from our boss, but rather from within. As strange as it may sound, I see Craftsmanship as being patriotic in nature; doing a good quality job is part of leading a good and honorable life and builds on the individual's esteem, the company he works for, and the country he lives in.The biggest problem though is that we have forgotten how to manage people. The manager's primary goal is to create the proper work environment for employees to produce the desired work products. This is different than a supervisory capacity that directs how each person performs the various tasks of a job. In fact, I encourage managers to manage more and supervise less. I cringe when I see a manager try to "micromanage" either a Fortune 500 company or a non-profit organization.Yes, people need to be trained in order to properly perform their work but following this, employees should be mature enough to supervise themselves. In the old days, management stressed discipline, accountability, and structure; three ugly words in today's workplace.Understanding CraftsmanshipSome might say craftsmanship is a simple concept that we should intuitively know. Not true; most people today have no comprehension as to what makes up a good craftsman; they have either forgotten or it has simply passed them by. Craftsmanship can be found in any field of endeavor imaginable, be it in the product sector or service industry. Craftsmanship, therefore, is universally applicable to any line of work.Craftsmanship is not "workmanship", nor is it synonymous with quality, although the three concepts are closely related. Let's begin by giving "Craftsmanship" a definition: "The production and delivery of quality goods or services from highly skilled workmen."Quality relates to the absence of errors or defects in the finished product or service. In other words, finished goods operate according to their specifications (customers get precisely what they ordered). Such products are normally durable and require minimal maintenance. Craftsmanship produces quality products. In the absence of craftsmen, a rigorous methodology or assembly line process is required to produce quality goods using workers without the expertise of craftsmen. Such processes detail "Who" is to perform "What" work, "When", "Where", "Why" and "How" (5W+H), thereby assuring a quality product or service is produced. Such is the underlying rationale of the ISO 9000 certification as used by many companies today. The point is, quality is not the exclusive domain of the craftsman.Craftsmanship is also a human trait. Some might argue a computer or industrial robot can produce quality products and are, therefore, craftsmen. However, we must remember these devices are programmed by human beings in accordance with the rules of the craftsman. As such, they are an extension or tool of the craftsman.Craftsmanship can be found in either the overall work process or a section of it. For example, there are craftsmen who are intimate with all facets of building furniture, such as a table, a chair or desk, and can implement the product from start to finish. However, as products grow in complexity, it becomes difficult to find people suitably qualified to build them from the womb to the tomb. Consider military weapons alone, such as the complicated ships, tanks, and airplanes we now use, with thousands or millions of parts to assemble. Such complexity makes it impossible for a single person to have the expertise to build the whole product. The same is true in the service sector where different types of expertise and capabilities may be required. In other words, craftsmen have a specific scope of work. The scope of work may relate to other types of craftsmen through a chain of work dependencies, e.g., Craftsmen A, B and C concentrate on separate sub-assemblies which are eventually joined into a single product.AttributesSo, what are the attributes of a craftsman? What makes a craftsman a craftsman? There are three basic attributes described herein:1. Possesses the necessary knowledge and skills to perform the work.The craftsman is an expert in his field of endeavor; so much so that he could easily serve as an instructor in the subject matter. But the craftsman is also smart enough to know that education is not a one time thing, that his world and field evolve as new tools and techniques are introduced. As such, the craftsman is a student of his profession and is constantly looking to improve himself. This is exercised through such things as continued education, routine certification, studying books and trade publications, and industrial groups. The craftsman willingly participates in trade groups, often at his own expense, in order to network with his peers.It is Important to note that the craftsman does not need to be told he needs periodic training to sharpen his skills. Instead, he takes the personal initiative to stay on top of his game. Further, the craftsman has no problem with a periodic job review; in fact, he welcomes it for it might bring out a weakness in a skill he needs to sharpen.2. Attention to detail.The craftsman understands and respects the process of building/delivering a product or service and is acutely aware of the penalties for cutting corners. Earlier we discussed the need for a methodology that specifies 5W+H. The craftsman is intimate with all details of his scope of work, so much so, he could probably write the methodology himself. Further, his intimacy of the work process means he can produce a reliable estimate of time a