The Crafts & Hobbies Site

The unique qualities of clear acrylic stamps make them a perfect choice for scrapbooking. Stamping on scrapbook pages has always been a challenge. Placing the stamp and avoiding excess ink are a few of the concerns that keep most scrapbookers from trying stamping techniques on their page layouts, but now with the availability of clear acrylic
stamps, anyone can get fantastic results from stamps on their scrapbooking pages.

Clear acrylic stamps, also called polymer stamps, are different from traditional wood block or foam-backed rubber stamps. They are more economical because they are not pre-mounted. Clear stamps are naturally tacky and stick to an acrylic block. They are easily removed allowing you to reuse the block again and again. You simply purchase unmounted clear stamps from any manufacturer, and these work with any clear acrylic mount. Buy a larger mount first that can be used with both small and large stamps. These stamps are also much easier to store, and because they are acrylic, they are lightweight and easy to transport to scrapbooking crops or classes.

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Sewing is an excellent hobby to start, because somebody who has the skill to sew can not only create small repairs on their clothing, but can also create a large number of useful things even with just a little practice. Whether you’re attempting dress making or simply replacing a lost button, the same type of basic skills are utilized.

With just a small amount of free time, anybody can create and plan some excellent sewing projects that help to make your surroundings just a bit more beautiful or to make your life just a little more easier. If you are having some trouble brainstorming, here are some simple ideas that may assist in getting your creative juices flowing.

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In the scrapbooking industry, artist trading cards (or ATC’s) are becoming more popular as trendsetting companies like 7 Gypsies release more ATC supplies and holders. These miniature pieces of art, or in the case of scrapbookers, mini page layouts, are as much fun to trade and collect as they are to create. There are few rules and limits on artist trading cards, and they are quick to make and adapt to scrapbooking materials.

The only strict requirement for artist trading cards is their size. The standard is 2.5″ x 3.5″. This is based on the size of sport trading cards and collectible card games like Pokemon and Magic. The orientation for your design can be either vertical or horizontal. You can use any medium you like, paint, paper, pencil, watercolor, pen and ink. Digital media and collage are very common. Any materials used on a scrapbooking page can be used on an artist trading card. Modern interest in these cards began around 1997 in Zurich, Switzerland. M. Vanci Stirnemann, a Swiss artist, is credited with popularizing ATC’s by starting trading sessions. However, we can trace miniature art back to Impressionist era artists who used business cards showing a sample of their work.

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Many Kids get bored on rainy weekends when they don’t have any work for those days and all their usual games are also over. Then why not try sewing stuff, kids will get to learn something new and creative and proud enough to show it off at their school the next week. There are lots of easy as well as fun projects that anybody of any age group can try and learn and who knows Mom or Dad might have an excellent time as well.

Teaching The Basics

Prior to getting into sewing fun stuff, make certain that you teach each child about the safety and precautions using needles and pins, and how to accomplish a basic stitch through doing some practice on a piece of material.

If you have the money, provide a sewing kit to all of the children as this might give them an awareness of responsibility and an encouragement to sew more. But after the projects, keep the kits in a safe place and out of reach of children.

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Sewing is a terrific hobby to take up, since a person who knows how to sew can not only make little repairs on their clothing, but can make a multitude of useful things, even with just a bit practice. Whether you are substituting a lost button or taking a stab at making a dress, the same basic skills are utilized.

With a modest amount of free time, anybody can plan and create many fantastic sewing projects that help to make life more comfortable or make your environment a little more pleasing.

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This is always the question when you are buying a teddy bear.

First you have to decide what it is for?

Do you want it to comfort you or a loved one?

Do you want cuddly and soft?

Do you want it just for show?

Maybe it’s for a collection. What ever you want the teddy bear for, there is a bear out there for you.

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Admit it. When you were first told that a couple’s first anniversary would be celebrated by the gift of paper, you laughed, didn’t you?

On the face of it, your mirth was probably justified, especially after you had heard wondrous tales where anniversary gifts of gold and ruby and silver and pearl were offered in recognition of the couple’s prolonged togetherness.

And you probably were about six or seven years old, at which age paper conjures up paint daubs, papier mache, unseaworthy boats and glue.

But once you reach adulthood and you do need to actually buy a paper anniversary gift, it does dawn on you that you can really come up with a sensitive and meaningful present that celebrates perfectly their 365th day of wedded bliss.

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Robison Anton Thread is the one of the embroidery industry’s favorite embroidery threads. Robison Anton’s rayon and polyester lines of embroidery thread are ideal for all home and commercial embroidery machines and far superior to old-fashioned spools, has a bright, highly lustrous sheen and is smooth running.

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Holiday gift baskets are a preferred choice for most occasions, Christmas, birthday, anniversary and Thanksgiving.

Let your friends and loved ones savor your thoughtfulness with a holiday gift.

Corporate holiday gift baskets range from elegant wine and gourmet baskets to simple gifts. You can select a corporate gift basket that is elegant and speaks volumes of your taste or a Savory snack gift basket would be a great gift as well.

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The dove, a beautiful white bird, is the universal symbol for Peace. The foundations for this go back to Biblical days particularly the Bible’s Old Testament.

It was in the Old Testament when God had unleashed such torrential rain that the world flooded. Only Noah, his family and the creatures and animals on board the Ark he had built survived.

After Noah’s ark had been drifting for days Noah sent off some of the birds in search of land and after a few days the Dove returned bringing with it an olive branch in its beak to show that land was nearby. Because of this the dove has since become a universal symbol of hope and later it became the recognized symbol of peace.

This image has been known to many people for hundreds of years.

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