न्यू एतस्य Listings

I have finally listed some of my handmade crochet items to Etsy. I have been procrastinating, I'm my biggest critic. I have always made things for my children but never to sell. Today I decided to go for it. Take a look at my shop and tell me what you think.

How to Keep Your Scrapbook Safe

You have put a lot of time and effort into creating the work of art that is your scrapbook. Now that you have made a scrapbook, there are still some added steps you need to take to ensure that the book lasts. If you make time to take a few precautions, your scrapbook will stay safe for many years to come. Ever wonder how museums keep historical documents and paintings intact for so long? Everything is mounted on acid-free archival paper and kept in rooms where the humidity and room temperature is monitored very closely. You don't have to go to quite that extreme; however, there are some protective measures you can carry out that will work just as well.

The first tip to keeping your scrapbook safe is to keep it dry. Humidity and liquids will ruin your scrapbook, photos, and negatives. Always store these items in a dry, sealed container. Avoid placing them in a damp basement or attic where they will be subject to severe humidity. Also, when scrapbooking, keep your drinks away from your materials and photos.

Remember that direct sunlight will damage both photos and negatives. Too much sun will even fade the cover of your scrapbook. To keep your memories safe from fading, store them where they will not be in direct sunlight often. For photographs that you want to display in a frame that will need to be in direct sunlight, consider having a copy made that you can keep in a safe album out of the sun. Having this copy will preserve the photograph even if the framed version becomes faded.

A good rule of thumb to follow when storing your scrapbooks is to think how comfortable you would be if you were the book. Books like to live where you do and if it's too hot or cold for you; chances are that it's too hot or cold for the photos in your book. Excessive heat can cause warping and sticking and the opposite will occur with extreme cold. Never store your scrapbooks in the basement or the attic.

One thing that many scrapbookers do not realize is that the oil from their hands can cause damage to their photographs over time. It is important to keep your fingerprints off your photos as much as possible. You will need to handle your photos while creating your scrapbook, but do so as little as you possibly can. Some professional scrapbookers will wear cotton gloves to work with their photos. Washing your hands frequently will help protect your photos as well.

Remember when you are working with your photos that you are not only creating an album for you to enjoy right now, but you are also creating a keepsake that you can pass on to your children and their children as well. Everything you do in your scrapbook should be done with longevity in mind. Carefully protect your pictures so that many more family members can enjoy them!

A Brief History of Pop Art in Britain and America

After the Second World War there followed a huge transitional period across Europe and the United States. Major reconstruction was the order of the day across Europe and, slowly, an increasing prosperity and abundance was enjoyed by the populous in these territories. It was the dawn of a new era, but it wasn’t until the 1960s that the emerging “consumer” society gave rise to a demand in goods that were simply unobtainable until then.

British pop art can trace its roots back to the mid 1950s. A small independent group comprising notable artists at that time together with critics in the art world put together an exhibition which was held at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in 1956. This exhibition was a focus on the topic of cheap consumer products and the role that they played in modern life. Although it didn’t seem like it then, the exhibition was a major step forward in the art world and a huge departure from what had gone before it. The erstwhile critic, Lawrence Alloway (1926-1992) hailed it as the birth of something new and in 1958 he christened this distinctive style of art as “Pop Art”.

Key figures in the British pop art scene that followed were Richard Hamilton (b. 1922) whose work depicted cars, pin-up models and electric appliances, amongst others. Peter Blake (b. 1932), on the other hand, concentrated on comic strips and pop singers while the magazine collector Eduardo Paolozzi (b. 1924) produced impressive collage prints by recycling and integrating old advertisement material with comic-strip images.

As for the US, during the 1950s the art world was dominated by “Abstract Expressionism”. It was until the early 1960s when art critics and American artists alike began to embracePop Art and give this new style of art their own inimitable American “take”. In 1962, an exhibition entitled “New Realists” was held at the Sidney Janis Gallery in New York. This was ground-breaking in America, not least because the exhibition featured work from artists including Andy Warhol (1928-1987), Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997), Claes Oldenburg (b. 1929), Jim Dine (b. 1935) and James Rosenquist (b. 1933). Of these, Warhol, Lichtenstein and Oldenburg went on to become key figures on thepop art world. Warhol became a household name.

Indeed, Warhol’s fame elevated in 1962 after his “Campbell’s Soup Cans” work was produced and featured in separate works - firstly as individual “cans” and then the same cans aligned in immaculate rows. Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy, possibly the biggest 60s female icons at the time, were also given the “Warhol treatment” in which he silk screened their images, altered the colours and reproduced them in repeated patterns.

Roy Lichtenstein was very much a “comic-strip” artist and produced masses of works using imagery from comics. Starting out in 1960, he painted vastly-inflated images of comic-strip frames formed from the dots of colour newsprint. During the same year, Oldenburg set about carving his own niche in thepop art world, creating large, painted plaster sculptures of sandwiches and cakes ! These were soon followed by huge plastic appliances that were softened to allow them to give a distinctive “droop”. All of it was designed explore the nature of “consumer culture” that was sweeping the nations on both sides of the Atlantic.

With mass consumer commercialism on the rise at an alarming pace (and seemingly with no end in sight) “Pop Art” remains very much alive and is perhaps even more poignant and thought-provoking today as it was even in the mid twentieth century.

Cleaning an Antique Quilt.

f you have just acquired an antique quilt, there are some things to watch for before you think about how to clean it. You need to look carefully at the quilt's age and condition. You also need to think carefully about whether you should wash a quilt. It is a good idea to seek the advice of a professional textile conservationist first. You can find one by contacting The American Institute for Conservation, 1717 K St. NW, Suite 200, Washington DC 20006. It is true that no matter how careful you are, you may permanently damage a quilt by washing it. You should certainly never wash a damaged quilt before repairing it.

There might be stains on your quilt, since old quilts are made of natural fibers which absorb things like body oils, liquids, soils, and other organic substances easily and over time these invisiblestains oxidize and become colored stains. That makes it difficult to know how to pretreat them. Often what we think of as blood stains are really the remains of a dead bug and these stains are nearly impossible to remove. Another problem is dye migration. Changes in temperatures will cause dye migration that results in brownstains in quilts folded and stored for years. Since, the dye has permanently stained adjoining quilt fabrics, most stains caused by dye migration can't be removed. You shouldn't even try because you can do even more damage by trying than they have already. In addition to thesestains, your quilt might have damaged scattered spots known as foxing, which is caused by the growth of molds.

If your quilt is very stained, it may be a good idea to spot treat areas with sodium perborate, the active ingredient in Clorox 2, before washing the whole quilt. Another way to spot clean is to brush a paste of Biz, Ivory Snow flakes or Shaklees Nature Bright on the stained spot and then vacuum it well with the brush attachment of your vacuum cleaner after it dries. Be careful to have all portions of your quilt equally clean. Using lemon juice to bleachstains, or laying linens on the lawn stains is not a good idea as your fabric may be temporarily brightened, but this usually turns to yellow after a while.

If you are going to display your quilt folded over a rack, and there are no holes, rips, frayed seams, stains, delicate fabrics or embellishments etc in it, you may be able to just simply air it outside on a nice warm day to remove dust and dirt and freshen the quilt. You can lay it on the lawn with a clean sheet underneath it and another on top of it for protection, especially from sunlight. If you don't have a lawn, you may hang it over a wide railing with a sheep protector.

You could also vacuum it with the brush attachment of a low powered vacuum cleaner, although you would need to put a clean fine mesh screen over your quilt first, to prevent threads and yarn from getting sucked away, if it had elaborate embellishments or damage. You want to vacuum gently, use a Dust-buster if you have one. Be careful not to pull loose material from your quilt. Hold the vacuum cleaner at least half an inch above your quilt, vacuum both sites, and repeat that if you need to. Never vacuum painted quilts since you may strip the paint off.

In summary, cleaning an antique quilt can be a challenge. A lot depends on the age and condition of your quilt, and whether it has delicate fabrics or embellishments on it. It is probably a good idea to avoid washing it if you can, although you do want to get rid of dust and dirt as much as possible. Always check with a professional textile conservationist first to see what they think about the advisability of washing it.

A Guide To Vintage Pattern Terminology

If you are considering sewing with vintage patterns, then you will definitely want to learn the terminology. Vintage patterns come with vintage terminology, not all of which may be familiar. Here are some of the terms you might encounter.

1. Continuous Lap: A strip of fabric cut on the straight grain and used to face edges of an opening or slit in a garment.

2. Jabot: A ruffle or cravat-like accent attached to the front of a dress or blouse.

3. Lapped Seam: A seam in which one seam allowance edge is lapped over the seam allowance of its joining piece and stitched.

4. Pin tuck: Very small tucks stitched just a pin's width from the fold to slightly shape a garment piece. In the late 1920's, a series of pin tucks were often applied across the naural waistline of a frock for shaping and detail.

5. Plaits: An array of narrow (known today as "knife") pleats often applied at the hem of a dress, the ends of sleeves, or around the neck opening.

6. Shirring: Three or more rows of gathers made by small running stitches in parallel lines. The rows are spaced as desired.

7. Slide Fastener: The original term for zippers.

8. True Bias: Fabric that is cut at a precise 45-degree angle to the fabric grain line.

9. Toile: The French term for fabric pattern. Originally pertained to the muslin test garment.

Today, with the help of the internet and the popularity of all things vintage, it's easier than every to acquire vintage patterns. Sewing with the real-deal pattern in its original form is a great experience and a fun way to re-create those wonderful designs from the past. I hope the above glossary of terms will help you easily navigate the world ofvintage patterns.

Great Techniques For Your Scrapbooking Layouts

If you love doing scrapbooking layouts as much as I do, then you're always looking for new ideas and techniques to try on your next scrapbook! There's nothing more exciting than discovering a new idea that adds creativity to yourscrapbooking layout! That's why I decided to put together this article dedicated to a few of the really cool new scrapbooking tricks I've learned!

The first technique I want to tell you about is how to make pockets in your scrapbooking layouts. Now, there are many different ways this could be done and many different pieces of material that you could make a pocket out of... In this article, I'll go over two ways making pockets for yourscrapbooking layouts can be accomplished.

One way to add a pocket to your scrapbooking layout is to use a piece of posterboard(or any sort of paper with about the same thickness, postcards work great for travel basedscrapbooking layouts.) You should cut the posterboard into the size and shape you'd like it to be before doing anything else. If you want to cut a little design into the pocket seam, now is the time to do that as well.

After your posterboard pocket has the right size and shape, it's time to add it to your scrapbooking layout! To do this, I've found that taking some foam mounting squares and cutting them into strips works best. That way, the pockets seem to stay secure and don't come loose from the background.

Another thing you might like to try with this technique is using two different colors of posterboard. Cut both pieces into the sameshape(or different shapes if that's the creative touch you want to add to your scrapbooking layout) and then cut a design into the middle of one of the pieces of posterboard(like a flower for example.)

When it's time to add your pocket, place the piece of posterboard that DOESN'T have the design cut into it down first and lay the piece with the design cut into it on top of it. This way, the color of the posterboard you have underneath shows through where you cut your design out on the top piece and there you have a creative little pocket!

Another material you can use to make pockets for your scrapbooking layouts is fabric. There are lots of fun colors and patterns when it comes to fabric, which I think is just wonderful! To start making your pocket out of fabric, first select your fabric and cut it down to size.

To securely mount your fabric pocket, I suggest using a hot glue gun instead of foam mounting squares. Make sure you're very careful with the hot glue gun and that you press the fabric down firmly enough before the glue has too much time to cool. If you leave the glue too much time to start to harden before you're able to press it into position, it will not stick right.

Another cool creative little twist you can put on this is to turn your pocket into a button up pouch! This requires only a few extra, very simple steps.

Now, first I should say that it's a lot easier to put your pocket pouch together if you haven't already attached your pocket to your layout. (Though it's not hopelessto turn your existing pocket into a pouch either!)

For the purpose of this article, we're going to back up a step on our fabric pockets to just before we're ready to attach the pocket to ourscrapbooking layout. Just to clarify, this means you should have your fabric pocket already cut into the shape you want it to be in.

For the next step, make sure you cut another piece of fabric that is the same width as your pocket and a little longer than half of it's height. Then, lay your fabric pocket down and take the other piece that you just cut and place one end of it underneath the top of your pocket(just enough to provide enough material tosecure it to the background.) Next, fold the corners in on the top half of the material you just cut and then fold the material over your pocket to measure everything and make sure it fits the way you want it to.

If everything measures out right, the next thing we're going to do is add a button to your pocket. (Keep in mind, we haven't glued or mounted anything yet!) With your pocket pouch still being held in place, place a button over the pouch flap you have folded over the pocket to see how it will look. When you have it positioned right, lift the flap and place the button on the pocket, then place the flap back over it and cut a slot for your button in the flap and sew your button onto the pocket.

Also, an extra tip, it may be easier to pin the folded in corners of your flap in place while you make the cut for your button hole.

All you have left to do now is to glue it all together! For this, I would start gluing the bottom half of the pocket first then, before you glue the top half, measure everything one more time, place your pouch flap where it should be and glue it into place, then finish gluing the top half of your pocket pouch. And, finally, you're ready for the last step!

So far, your pocket and your pocket flap should be glued into place and you should have your button hole cut into the flap and the button sewed to the pocket. Now, you need to set the flaps to stay in their folded position. If you have pinned your flap into place, now is the time to remove your pins and glue it into place with thehot glue gun. Again, please remember to be careful with the hot glue gun, but also make sure you firmly press the fabric together before the glue cools off too much.

The finished result will give your scrapbooking layouts creative fabric pockets that you can button and unbutton! These are really great for keeping little keepsakes in!

Do It Yourself Gift Baskets

There are two main aspects to making your own gift baskets: the basket itself, as well as the decorative elements and stuffing or wrapping materials, and the items that will go inside the gift basket. Be sure to shop for the gift elements that you wish to fill your gift basket with early on. You may have to order certain things online if you cannot find them at local stores.

To make your basket and decorative elements, simply go to your local hobby and crafts store. Typically, stores like Hobby Lobby or Michael’s will have a large variety of baskets as well as nice boxes that you may choose to use instead of baskets. You’ll find that there is a nice spectrum of quality as well. You can choose cheaper wicker baskets for as little as a couple of dollars a piece, or opt for something sturdier, perhaps with metallic support
pieces for a little more.

Choose a basket of box that will be large enough for the items you wish to include in your custom gift basket. Then it’s time to choose the more decorative elements. Typically, you’ll want to add something to the bottom of your gift basket so that the contained gifts are more easily seen.

Instead of choosing something cheap looking like Easter basket grass, choose a more natural element such as natural fibers. You’ll be able to find different sizes, textures and colors or this type of filling material. Once you’ve filled your gift basket, finish it off with some transparent wrapping and bows or ribbons. Whoever receives your custom gift basket will appreciate the personalized nature of your गिफ्ट.

Learn Jewelry Making by Getting Started with Bead Stringing

I often talk to ladies who want to learn how to make jewelry, but they aren't sure how to get started. I can understand this because it isn't always obvious from looking at jewelry pieces to know what would be easy to make, and what would be difficult to make.

Like most things, if you jump in to soon and work on something you're not ready for, you will probably end up being frustrated, start to think you can't do it, and quit. My suggestion is always to crawl before you walk before you run. That way you can quickly build confidence in your abilities and you will enjoy seeing yourself improve as you start to take on more challengingjewelry making projects.

From my experience with new students the best way to learn to crawl when it comes to jewelry making is to learn simple bead stringing techniques first. Doing so will get you comfortable with simple jewelry making techniques, materials, and tools before you move on to try something more difficult. And the nice thing is that you can still make a lot of very beautiful jewelry pieces even with simple bead weaving techniques.

For the most part, bead stringing simply involves running a thin wire or a nylon filament string (that's where the word "stringing" comes from) through the holes in an assortment of beads to create beautiful necklaces, bracelets, or anklets. With all the colors and types of beads available these days the number of different jewelry pieces you can make is virtually limitless.

To complete your jewelry stringing pieces you just need to learn a few simple finishing techiques like how to add a jump ring and a clasp so that you can wear the jewelry piece. You can master those finishing techniques in a short period of time. Once you've done that you will be equipped to create some very nice handcrafted jewelry pieces in no time at all.

Do It Yourself Hydrangea Wreaths

You can either purchase already dried hydrangea flowers from your local craft store, or you can dry your own. The biggest trick when drying your own is the timing of when you pick the flowers. It is best to pick them right before you anticipate your first fall frost. If you pick them mid-summer, they just will not dry correctly.

Dried hydrangea wreaths are so beautiful and versatile in a home, and a lot of fun to make as well.

You can either hang them upside down in a darkened room to dry, or you can set them in a vase upright, even adding a tiny bit of water in the bottom of the vase, although even that is optional. As long as they are picked at the correct time, it’s difficult to fail with them. It’s fun if you can, to pick several blooms from different bushes, as it will provide a nice variety of colors to the wreath. After they are dried, pick off any dead / discolored brown blooms.

Pick the type of base you want to use for a wreath. My personal favorites are either Styrofoam or grapevine type wreath bases. Take some floral wire and wrap it around the wreath, then form a loop of the wire to hang from the wall, and then wrap the wreath again. You might try hanging it from the wall at this point to make sure it lies correctly, and then make any needed adjustments while the wreath is bare.

To do a Styrofoam wreath, use a low melt point hot glue gun. Separate each bloom into smaller florets. Hot glue each floret into the wreath base, actually poking the stem down into the Styrofoam base. With each bloom, space it out over the surface of the wreath, for example; a floret at the top, next left side, bottom, then right side, then inside the circle of the wreath, and outside of the wreath. Continue to do this with each bloom until you fill it.

Balance is what you are looking for. Balance in shape, you don’t want any sticking out way above the others, you don’t want one side of the wreath to be fuller than the other. Try stepping back and looking at a distance and just think “balance of shape”.

The second area to look for is balance of color. This is the purpose of doing each bloom all over, then filling in, so you achieve that balance of color. Give another once over to check on that.

Now, this wreath is either finished, or you can add perhaps add small sprigs of dried baby’s breath to it. Really depends on the look you want. Sometimes the simplicity of only the hydrangeas is stunning.

For a grapevine wreath, it’s the same principal but a different look. You can tie a bow on the wreath if you want (if you do, do so before adding flowers), or ribbon. I like to leave bare spaces on these to be able to see the grapevine portion as well. Again, look for balance. You can also add dried roses to it or any other type of driedflowers or grasses too. You can get really creative with these and come up with very different looks. Experiment to your heart’s content.

If they are in direct sunlight it will be a much shorter time. However, the next year, feel free to strip the old flowers off, and make another with the same base for another year’s worth of a gorgeous hand made wreath!

Many times people expect dried floral arrangements to last forever, and are disappointed when they start looking bad after a few years. This is a misconception. Expect them to look good for about a year, that’s really about all they were meant to last.

Learning to Crochet and It's Benefits

Learn to crochet and see why millions of women and men around the globe have enjoyed crocheting for generations. Crocheting is a great hobby and a great way to make wonderful creations and even some extra cash!

Everyone appreciates something handmade and a crocheted scarf, hat, gloves, sweater, poncho, afghan or other amazing creation can prove to be a terrific gift.Crocheting is something virtually anyone can learn to do if you follow the instructions and learn the basic steps. More advanced crocheting will take time and practice but before you know it you will be making wonderful items for yourself, your family, friends and possibly even your customers.

When you learn to crochet you will learn some basic stitches that can be combined with more advanced stitches to create elaborate, stunning items. You can even learn how to create crocheted flowers and other items that will impress your family and friends and it all starts with learning a few basic stitches.

As you learn to crochet you will experiment with different yarns and needles to find the ones you like to work with. Each yarn has its own texture and it may take some time to get used to them. Crochet needles vary in width which will impact the size of the stitch and the overall look of what you are creating.

There are beginner classes, videos and books dedicated to teaching you how to crochet. Whether you learn to crochet on your own or with an instructor it is a great way to pass some time and create amazing items.

In recent years there has been a resurgence in the interest in learning how to crochet. Many women and men are beginning to learn to crochet to release stress, pass the time, earn extra income or just to make great gifts for family and friends. As a result of the renewed interest in crocheting there are many opportunities for you to learn to crochet whether you live in a large city or a small town or virtually anywhere in between.

Crocheting is a great skill to master and it all starts when you learn a few basic stitches and how to begin to combine these stitches into a great pattern. Starting young is great, but you can learn to crotchet at any age and it is easily something you can enjoy with family and friends. Pick up some yarn, grab a needle andlearn to crochet!