Top 5 tips for creating an amazing photo book

(ARA) - In today’s digital era, it’s easy to design and publish your own photography book at an affordable price. In fact, Americans will produce 17 million photo books in 2009, according to a Futuresource Consulting estimate. Wedding books, family photo books, and artistic collections of photos published in a coffee table book are especially popular for commemorating special memories.

Samira Kordestani, a professional book designer, offers these tips to help you get started on your own masterpiece:

Choose a publishing platform that gives you professional-quality options.

Blurb.com offers free Blurb BookSmart software, which makes it easy to design an incredible book using professionally-designed layouts. Select from many book sizes, small or large, and simply drag and drop your photos into the layouts of your choice. Once you order your book, it takes only one week to publish and deliver it to your doorstep.

Decide on a story or message for your book.

Great photo books tell a story. Whether it’s an event or a themed collection of images, think about your vision for the book before you begin and then select your favorite photos to help tell your story.

Remember that you are creating a visual experience, not just a book.

Play around with design options on your first several pages. Try out different backgrounds, photo borders and page layouts. Once you’ve discovered the look you like best, keep it consistent throughout your book so that each page has a connection with the next.

Typography is just as important as your photos.

If you are adding captions, stories or other text to your book, select a font and text size that works well with your overall book design. The placement of text should visually complement your photos and other design elements.

Select compelling cover photos.

The front cover of your book should tease the subject of your work, and create an emotional hook that inspires you to want to see more. The back cover is your opportunity to share a final message.

If you are interested in having a photography book published but are short on time, you can always contact a professional book designer through BlurbNation, a community of experienced designers available for hire. For more information, visit www.blurb.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Candy crafts -- a sweet way to keep kids occupied

(ARA) - School’s out, the neighborhood pool is open and you are responsible for keeping the family active and engaged this summer. Whether you are taking a beach vacation or spending a day around the house, you can easily fill the time by planning several simple, budget-friendly, do-it-yourself activities. Ideal for indoor or outdoor time, these activities go a long way in creating personal summer memories without doing a number on your budget.

Theme day

The cost to take the family to a baseball game, amusement park or museum adds up quickly. This summer, think thrifty and save on the admission fees by organizing a craft day around the theme of your favorite family outing (think aquarium, ballpark and carnival). For example, bringing the enjoyment of America’s favorite pastime to your living room or backyard is easy when you buy several plain cotton baseball caps, tube socks (they only cost a dollar or two each) and T-shirt paint. Use the materials to let your kids personalize baseball apparel and then suit-up, grab some peanuts and gather the group to play catch in the backyard, for an impromptu tournament on your favorite gaming system or to catch a double-header on the tube. It’s a ballpark outing for a fraction of the cost.

Have your candy and craft with it too

Most families make weekly (if not more frequent) trips to the grocery store, so turn your next routine trip into the beginning of a new project by strolling down the candy aisle. “The grocer’s candy aisle has a collection of candy in virtually every color and shape, which means endless crafting possibilities,” explains candy expert Beth Kimmerle. “Candy is tasty and fun for kids of all ages, and is an affordable tool for crafting.”

Start by making candy jewelry. It is a perfect activity for your princess, but also trendy for your prince given the popularity of sports necklaces and bracelets for boys and girls. Gather an assortment of brightly colored Life Savers Gummies, tie a knot in a piece of ribbon to keep your candy from slipping, and thread your “jewels” onto the necklace. Once you have a full string, adjust the candy so there are equal amounts of ribbon on each side. Tie knots on each end to finish and voila, you’ve got the trendiest kid on the block. While you are lending a hand, don’t forget that gummy candy is a yummy treat while crafting. Who knew jewelry could be so inexpensive and tasty?

Treasure your trash

Next time you start to throw away packaging, leftover candy or craft items, stop and envision these items as your next treasure and creatively think of ways to reuse them. Re-using the items helps you to be less wasteful, while also saving you money and giving you “gems” to finish your crafts with a unique touch.

If your kids love trucks, drum-up some fun on a weekend and help them create something fabulous on four wheels from common items found around the house. Try the following simple exercise and in no time you’ll be watching your kids proudly race their handmade creations across the kitchen floor or back porch.

To make a truck you will need:

Egg carton
Berry basket
Craft paint and paintbrush
Scissors or craft knife
Twine
Glue
Cardboard
Colored paper
Gum foil
4 Hubba Bubba Sour Gummi Tape packages
5 Hubba Bubba Glop packages
2 Life Savers candies
4 Altoids mints

Instructions :
Note: Cutting with sharp implements should only be done by adults.

Using an Exacto blade or sharp scissors, cut a 3-inch by 2-inch front window area from the berry box. Paint the egg carton orange to use as a truck body and paint the berry box white to use as a truck cab. While those parts are drying, paint your four empty Hubba Bubba Sour Gummi Tape packages black for truck wheels.

Cut a 6-inch by 4-inch piece of cardboard and glue the same size piece of orange craft paper to the top. Next, to make the truck’s load, stack the six empty Hubba Bubba Glop packages and glue them onto the orange board. Tie twine around the board as straps, tightly securing twine at the bottom of the board. Now, glue the finished load onto the back of the egg box.

Glue Life Savers candies for lights below the front window area of the white-painted berry box and glue the finished cab to the front of the egg box. When the wheels are dry, glue 2-inch silver circles with smaller red 1/8-inch foil circles on top of the painted Hubba Bubba Sour Gummi Tape packages and glue Altoids in the middle to finish the wheels.

Finally, glue the wheels evenly to the bottom of the egg carton truck. Let them dry completely and then go have fun.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Another Cricut Card Idea ~ Making a Dollhouse Card using the Wild Card Cricut Cartridge

How about using the Wild Card Cricut Cartridge with your Cricut Expression machine and create a custom handmade greeting card just the way you picture it.

Ya gotta love the Cricut Expression machine. I had to make a birthday card for my niece. I knew that she was making a dollhouse with her mom, so I wanted to make this handmade greeting card special. After finding out her colors that they were paining the dollhouse, I decided to use the same colors for the handmade card.

Using my Cricut Expression and the Wild Card Cricut Cartridge was the perfect choice for my cricut card idea. All of the samples showed this Wild Card Cricut Cartridge being used for moving/change of address, but I decided to make it a dollhouse instead.

I set my Cricut Expression to cut the card at 7" and it was a great size since I wanted to embellish this handmade greeting card with some cute card and scrapbooking embellishments that I have.
I used a pink rhinestone for the door handle, I had a 3D EK Success sticker of a white picket fence that I cut down to size and also some fun stickers of palm trees to accent the front door. I finished it with a pink butterfly 3D sticker again from EK Success.

For the inside I went trough all of the rubber stamps that I have (and that's a lot of rubber stamps, good thing that I have my rubber stamping supplies organized in containers that are labeled) but what I decided was to make the inside of this handmade greeting card very simple and just used a rubber stamp that said Happy Birthday.

I love the way that it turned out.
Wishing Riley a Very Happy Birthday!

For more details and pictures be sure to visit Joans Craft World.com

7 Woodworking Projects For Enthusiasts

Don't you sometimes feel that your hands just beg at you to leave that computer and that desk for a moment and go to make something with them? That's precisely what attracts many people to do-it-yourself projects. The human is born to create - and although many of us create a lot of great things using the keyboard, nothing can be compared to making a "real world" thing yourself, with your own hands.

One of the most appropriate materials for doing projects yourself is wood. It's affordable, relatively easy to use, friendly to the environment and longlasting. If you are an enthusiast or even just a beginner, here are seven great ideas for woodworking projects that you can do yourself and be proud of the result.

A stool
Building a wooden stool is probably the simplest project you can do. If this will be your first woodworking project, it's great idea to start with making a stool. There are all kind of stools, but a very simple one can consist of just three boards - one for sitting and two for "legs". For more stability one perpendicular lath can be added between the legs. You can also build a stool that has four legs, but that's a bit more complicated.

A bench
The benches are pretty simple too, depending on the design of course. I consider them slightly more complex woodworking projects than the stools because they are longer and more than one body can sit on them. A simple bench can be made by six pieces - one long and wide plank for sitting on it (can be a compilation of several boards if you don't have a wide enough one); three vertical planks for legs - one on each side and one in the middle; and two horizontal ones that will connect the legs and ensure more stability. Of course I would recommend you downloading a bench plan with somehow better design than what I described.

A table
The projects are getting slightly more complicated, but not much. The first three projects has a lot in common, because they consists of a plank and several legs. One of the reasons tables are slightly more complex is that they need longer legs - which requires the legs to have some additional support if you want a stable table. Tables also can be rounded, folding or have all king of extravagant designs - there is more room for experimentation and creative work here.

A toy
There's nothing better for your kids than a wooden toy. The warmth, nature feeling and simplicity of the wooden toys can't be replaced by today's plastic or remote controlled toys. Making a wooden toy can be very simple or quite complex depending on the toy, the number of details and level of preciseness it requires. One great idea for a woodworking project is to make a wooden horse riding toy.

When making toys, special attention should be paid to finishing works as you don't want the child to cut itself on some chop.

A swing set
We are moving onto a more complex project. Building even a simple outdoor swing set requires connecting many parts, some basic level of engineering and a good amount of work. Of course you can pick a simple swing plan to start with - just one long transom attached to a low tower on the middle. Such a swing, often called a "saw swing" can be used only by two kids at the same time.

An outdoor shed
If you are ready for a more serious project, you can consider building an outdoor wooden shed. The sheds consist of large parts like walls, door and roof and include not only woodworking - you may need to use concrete or gravel for the foundations, to learn how to dig holes, how to install lagging and so on.

Building an outdoor shed is not a project for absolute beginners - you need intermediate experience. So if you are looking for a first DIY project, start with tables or benches.

A treehouse
Here's one even more exciting but fairly involved project. A treehouse is a great gift for your kids and not only for them. But it really requires a very serious planning and good quality of materials and work. If your treehouse is unstable, your kids can be impaired in case the house get broken and fall down.

Making a tree house combines woodworking, engineering, landscaping and even gardening knowledge.

Remember: don't start an intermediate or advanced project before you've done something simple. Even a stool can be exciting if you like the design and love to work with wood.

Choose something that you like. The wooden swing sets are probably my most favorite do it yourself projects becuase they are moderately complex, offer a lot of options for creativity and at the end bring a lot of fun. And even if you are a total beginner, you can still build the simplest possible outdoor swing!

Macrame - A History of Knotted Art

When and where did macrame come from?

Who first saw the decorative potential of a simple piece of rope?

Macrame is the ancient craft of knotting rope or fiber in geometric patterns to create decorative and functional items. While several ancient cultures had knot tying tehniques and art forms, the form of macrame we use to day has its origins in ancient China. The word macrame is Arabic in origin, and means 'fringe'.

Over the centuries, macrame spread throughout the Orient and Europe, thanks in part to sailors and seafaring merchants, who practiced the art of knot tying for utility and decorative purposes. Macrame techniques were used in the Middle Ages to craft mourning jewelry from human hair, a practice that continued into the 19th century. By the Victorian era, macrame was a popular and fashionable pastime in England, used for lace, decorative details, and clothing.

The 1960's and 1970's saw a resurgence of interest in knotted crafts, with macrame plant hangers, wall hangings, accessories, and jewelry. Vivid colors and bold patterns are a hallmark of the time.

Macrame shows up in a surprising number of fashion and home accessory items available today. From hemp jewelry to woven tote bags, macrame has made an impact on fashion and in the home. Today's macrame features softer, more soothing colors and a greater array of fibers, textures and embellishments. Macrame is a good solitary craft--all you need is a length of cord, a pair of scissors, pins, and a work surface, so it travels and stores well.

Samantha McNesby

How to Make Soap From Scratch

How to make soap from scratch is a skill that at some point in the last few generations has been lost or forgotten by many. If you were to ask your grandparents if they had ever made soap, I can guarantee you either they have or their parents had. The reason soap isn't being made as frequently as it was generations ago is because soap is so commercially available that people would just rather run to the grocery store than take the time make their own.

I can understand this, today our lives are so busy and hectic it's hard to find extra time to set aside for making soap, but I will tell you what you are getting at the grocery store, regardless of what the label says is very hard on your skin.

Natural soaps are lylcerin based and this is a natural compound that is easy on the skin and very nurturing. During commercial soap making, the glycerin is stripped from soap and is replaced with harsh chemical softeners that can leach the skin of natural moisturizers.

How to make soap from scratch is best accomplished with a great recipe to follow. Soap from scratch isn't very difficult to make, but it can be dangerous. The dangerous comes from handling a compound called "Lye". Lye is a chemical that is found in drano, but you don't want drano, you want pure Lye which can found in your grocery store right next to the drano.

When you make soap it is a delicate mixture of lye, water, and essential oils that will give your soap the scent and color you are looking for.

Once you have followed your recipe to a "T" you need to pour your soap mixture into a mould to form your new soap. Moulds can be made from various items, you could use a stainless steel rectangle baking pan, a clear pyrex baking dish, pvc pipe capped off makes a great mould for soap as well. If you want fancier soap, you can go to a candy making supply store and purchase candy moulds. These are great looking novelty soaps, that are fantastic for gifts or even for resale.

How to make soap from scratch is a fun and rewarding skill to learn. Don't let this skill become one that is forgotten and only big name companies have the secrets.

Great soap starts with a great recipe. How to make soap from scratch isn't very difficult to learn, it simply takes time and extreme care. Just as anything else made with the hands, the more care put into it, the better it is. Learn Learn How to Make Soap Here!

Craft Ideas For Easter - Candy Craft Project

Step 1. Choose an Easter container (it can be a basket, mug, or box) that you want to use in your arrangement. Note: The bigger the container, the more candy you will need to use to make a nice candy arrangement.

Step 2. Take a piece of floral foam and cut it so it fits snugly into the container. You can use hot glue to secure the floral foam to the bottom of the basket. The foam should be about an inch lower than the edge of the container.

Step 3. Prepare the decorative Easter grass; its color should go well with the container. Cover the foam with the Easter grass securing it with floral pins as necessary.

Step 4. a) Take a packaged chocolate bunny. Using hot glue, secure two pieces of bamboo skewer to the back of the package. b) Insert the packaged chocolate bunny in the middle of the arrangement.

Step 5. a) Prepare Peeps you want to use in your candy arrangement, carefully separate the Peeps using a knife. Insert the sharp end of a skewer into each of the Peeps. b) Tie a piece of curling ribbon of the corresponding color around each stick. c) Insert the Peeps into the container to achieve the look you like.

Note: You should not sell this type of bouquet; if you want to make candy bouquets for sale, the candy wrappers must stay intact.

If you would like to see this Easter candy craft project with photos, go to this page
Happy Easter to you and your family!

Lana Glass - Founder of the Site Incredible Edible Crafts More Candy Craft Projects

A Closer Look at the Cricut Cartridge Line

There are more than seventy-five cartridges in the the Cricut cartridge series, and the collection continues to grow. Most people simply do not have it in their budget to buy them all.

With so many to select from, it can be overwhelming trying to decide which ones to buy. In determining which ones to keep on your want list, and which ones to eliminate, it can be helpful to take a closer look at your individual personality:

Do You Have a Flair for Words, or for Design?

Do you like to illustrate your scrapbooks and paper crafts with cutout shapes and designs? Or do you like to put your focus on the written word, captioning your layouts and cards with just the right word or phrase?

If you are an illustrative type, then it's likely you will want to grow your collection of shape cartridges. On the other hand, if you have a flair for words, you will want to focus on the font series.

Do You Have Any Children, or Are You a Kid at Heart?

Do you have an interest in making die cuts with kid appeal? If you have children, or even if you are just a kid at heart, you may be interested in the licensed character series. Both Sesame Street and Hello Kitty are popular sellers, as well as several Disney-inspired cartridges, including Mickey and Friends, Winnie the Pooh, Pixar Cars, Tinker Bell and more.

Are You the Thrifty Type?

Most cartridges have a suggested retail price in the range of $90 to $100. However, if you are the thrifty type, the Solutions Cricut cartridge line may appeal to you. They sell for approximately one-half of what the other ones do, coming in at a suggested price of $49.99.
If you are the thrifty type, make sure you also keep your eye out for special deals. Many brick and mortar craft stores, as well as online shops, significantly reduce the price of cartridges during special sale events.

Do You Work in the Educational Field?

The Classmate series was specifically designed for use in the classroom. If you are a teacher or work in the educational field, the Classmate line is worth a second look as a teaching resource.
As you can see, although the Cricut cartridge line is extensive, not all of them appeal to everyone. By taking a good look at your own personality type and how you will use the cutouts you make, you can narrow down your choices.

This article was written by Dawn Hall. If you would like to learn more about the Cricut cartridge series, she invites you to read her blog. If you are looking to save money on Cricut font cartridges and other styles, you may be interested in comparison shopping on her website.

6 Essential Tips For Scrapbooking Beginners. Or, Where in the World to Begin?

Join me as I am about to take my first steps into what I call the totally overwhelming world of scrapbooking. There's just so much to decide. Photos aren't the issue, I have dozens of them, all stored away for the day when I officially call myself a scrapbooker. It's the hundreds of accessories that go along with scrapbooking that paralyze me. The papers and pens,not to mention the stickers and tags...where to begin? So, I've decided to meet my fears head on and start my first album. So now what?

Luckily, I have a few friends who can honestly be called 'gurus' in the scrapbooking universe. They love the craft or hobby, whichever term is most appropriate. I lean more towards 'craft' for these three gals because if you ask me, they are true scrapbooking artists. The albums they produce are beautiful family heirlooms that I have only been able to admire longingly. There's no way I can even begin to create such albums. Or is there?

Since it is merely my fear of 'messing up' that's probably the underlying issue here, I've come up with a way to approach my phobia on my own terms. I'll research the art from a beginner's standpoint and perhaps help other newbies in the long run.

So, for all you scrapbooking virgins out there, skulking around in the craft stores, side-stepping the scrapbooking aisles for fear that a Cricut may jump out and get you, here are 6 essential tips to help ease the pain of 'where to start.'

1. Scrapbook Album and page protectors. Huh? Well, I know what an album is of course, but what is a page protector? That's the clear sleeve like thing that you put over your completed scrapbook page. Keeps everything safe. Many of the scrapbookers I've talked to prefer 12x12 albums because there's lots of space for multiple photos and the goodies, or embellishments, as they're more appropriately called.

2. Paper. Duh. This may seem like a simple item, but there's so many different kinds of papers to select from it's ridiculous. If you know your scrapbook theme, then a good suggestion is to choose a patterned theme to go along with the story you're telling. Seasoned scrapbookers will tell you to always put your photo on a solid paper though,so choose some solid papers as well.

3. A good pair of scissors. Apparently, that's all that's really required to start, but I bet one of those fancy paper trimmers make the whole process easier.

4. Something to stick it all on the page with. Or, a good adhesive. A glue stick will work of course, but there are lots of other sticky items to choose from (of course there are.) Photo tabs are a good choice if you want to remove pictures from a page for some reason and not tear the page. Glue sticks are good for applying embellishments.

5. Black pen or other journaling method. That part I can do without help, but there are many folks for whom handwriting is a challenge, so printing out journaling from the computer is a super alternative. Journaling, as I've been told, is simply a story or personal account of the event taking place on the page.

6. A good beginner's scrapbooking idea book or online resource. Let's face it, I need help, so good layout ideas will hopefully get my creative juices flowing and get me going once I have all of the essentials gathered for my first album.

So, there you have it. My 'where to begin' list of essential beginner's scrapbooking supplies. There's no reason to go overboard and purchase too much 'stuff' when it's the stuff that kept me from starting in the first place. The idea is to start small and enjoy the process as much as the end result. Wish me luck!

Sherry Frewerd publishes websites and blogs on various family friendly topics. Find free clip art to use for scrapbooking or crafts at 'Free Baby and Kids Clip Art' http://freebabyandkidsclipart.homestead.com/

Which Cricut Machine Should You Buy?

There are three models of the Cricut machine, popular personal die cutters made by the Provo Craft company. With three good options, it can be difficult to decide which one to buy. Should you start small and buy the original Personal Electronic Cutter? Or is the Expression model worth the extra investment? How does the Create, the hybrid model currently being exclusively sold by Michael's Craft Store, stand up against the other two machines?

In a number of ways, all three die cut machines are the same:

All three models are cartridge-based.
You can only produce cutouts based upon the cartridges you own. Each cartridge comes with a keyboard overlay, which is used in selecting specific cuts. The cartridges are not machine-specific - they can be used in any of the three models.

Basic operation of all three machines is the same.
If you own the Personal Electronic Cutter, you will have no problem operating the Cricut Expression or Create (and vice-versa). Why? Well, the basic operation of all three die cutters is the same.

Here's a quick rundown of the process. After plugging in the selected cartridge and corresponding keyboard overlay and turning on the machine, you are ready to start making die cuts. Materials, such as paper or cardstock, are placed on a special cutting mat, which is then loaded into the machine with the press of a button. With another press of the button, the selected design is chosen. All that's left is to select "Cut". The machine does the rest of the work.

All three Cricut machine models use the same accessories.
It was already mentioned that the cartridges are not machine-specific, but this is also the case with most of the other accessories. It does not matter which model you own - the replacement blades, inks, different tools, such as the Cricut spatula, and Design Studio software, can be used with any model. The one exception is the cutting mats. The machines accept different sizes of the mats, and you must get one that is compatible with your specific machine.

Now that you know how the Cricut machines are similar, you are probably wondering how they are different. They vary in several ways:

The size of die cuts produced by each machine are different.
The Personal Electronic Cutter has the capability of making cutouts ranging from 1 inch to 5-1/2 inches in size, in half inch increments. The Create can produce die cuts ranging from 1/4 inch to 11-1/2 inches in size, in quarter inch increments. The Expression gives users the most versatility, producing cutouts from 1/4 inch to 23-1/2 inches in size, in quarter inch increments.

They weight and size of the machines vary.
The Personal Electronic Cutter and Create are both small, portable machines. These models are good for crafters who like to take their projects on the road, and create scrapbook layouts and other projects in group settings. They are also suited for those who do not have a specific area in their home set aside for crafting, because these die cutters are easy to pack up and put away in between uses. The Expression, on the other hand, is much heavier and larger. If you have a crafting room or corner, and do not have the concerns of moving it frequently, it's a good choice.

The three Cricut machine models have different modes and functions.
There are several different modes and functions. For example, the fit to page mode will automatically adjust the size of the die cut based upon the size of the material loaded in the machine. The center point function allows you to align the cutting blade over the center of the material, so that the cut is made around it. The Expression machine has the most versatility as far as the availability of modes and functions. Next in line is the Create, and third place goes to the Personal Electronic Cutter. More information can be found regarding these modes and functions in the machine handbooks, which are available in PDF format on Cricut.com.

The price is different for each model.
The Personal Electronic Cutter is the most inexpensive Cricut cutter, with a suggested retail price of $299.99. The Create is $100.00 more, at $399.99, and the Expression is $499.99. Please note that all three machines can be purchased at significant savings. Many retailers run special sales or have a lower everyday price than the suggested retail price. It's a good idea to shop around when buying your first Cricut machine.

This article was written by Dawn Hall. Find out more about Cricut, including additional information regarding the Cricut machine models, on her website and blog.

Printable Crafts - Creative Arts and Crafts to Do at Home

Printable crafts are a great idea for a rainy day at home with the kids. Let's face it though, you don't have to be a kid to enjoy doing crafts. The list of possible crafts is endless. Below there are a few favorites that you might be interested in.

Origami is a traditional Japanese form of art, a technique of folding paper into different shapes or ornaments representing forms such as those of flowers or animals. The online printable will have an image with lines of where the item should be folded. There are printables available online for all different skill levels. Most offer simple directions.

A mobile is a hanging sculpture created from ornaments, string and sticks. Mobiles can be made of many things. Printables will often be ornamental shapes or pictures. The printable crafts available online will sometimes require you to add your own string or sticks.

Paper Dolls are paper representations of characters or humans. These dolls are usually cut out and put in a stand. The printables for paper dolls work better if printed on a heavy paper or card stock. The paper dolls usually will include changes of clothes or accessories to make play time more imaginative and exciting.

Coloring Pages are available in abundance. These pages can be fun but can also be educational. There are many pages that are "workbook" pages that will require a child to complete a lesson or skill. Some coloring pages are offered as complete coloring books. This option is great for keeping children busy during long car trips. Themed and level appropriate activity books are also available. These usually include coloring, reading, math, science and some kind of social studies skills.

All crafts come in a variety of seasonal choices like pumpkins, christmas ornaments and turkeys. Some crafts are colored some require coloring. Other crafts may require additional supplies such as glue, string and scissors. If your child is in love with a particular character that they have seen on television or in books. These character sites often offer crafts specifically themed to that television show or character. This offers an additional bonus of saving money by not having to purchase the "specialty" craft and coloring books from the store.

When searching the internet for printable crafts, be sure to use only reputable sites. You should not allow your children to search for the crafts by themselves because there are many sites that offer adult themed crafts that are not for children's eyes. There are sites that are specifically geared toward printables for teachers. These sites offer a great selection and can usually be trusted.

There are many other printable crafts available on the internet. When searching the internet, phrase your search query to include specific theme key words. There are many that will suit your particular situation.

Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about printable crafts, please visit Fun Arts and Crafts Ideas for current articles and discussions.

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Aluminum Can Crafts - Interesting Craft Ideas

Kids love crafts, and aluminum cans are a perfect craft base because they are in abundance. The aluminum makes them sturdy and sometimes waterproof (depending on what is put over them).

Free Aluminum Can Crafts - Ghostie

For this project you will need to gather an aluminum pop can, clear acrylic spray, white and black paint, fishing line, paint brush, masking tape and scissors. Before you begin, remove the tab from the top of the can. The can will need to be crushed in a certain way, so it might be a good idea to have some extra cans around in case the originals don't get crushed the way you'd like them to. For the silhouette of the ghostie, crush the top part of the can in one direction, opposite the bottom portion. If sharp edges remain, these should be smoothed over with masking tape. Depending on the type of paint you're using and the colors in the crushed can, it may take several coats to cover the can so it appears simply white.

The black paint is now used to create the mouth and eyes. The opening of the can, where the tab was pulled, should be used as the mouth, and eyes can be hand painted above that opening. Wiggle eyes can be used, but it's best to glue these on once the whole project has been sealed. Allow the paint to dry, and then use one more dot of white inside the black eyes. You can then create a 3-d effect with the eyes to allow the white dots to dry then add two more black dots. This makes it look like an pupil and gives it a little more interesting detail. Seal the ghost with acrylic spray using as many coats as you wish. Attach the fishing line to the back of the ghostie then hang it from a window or doorway!

Free Aluminum Can Crafts - Christmas Tree

You'll need 27 emptied and rinsed aluminum cans, Christmas tree lights (one or two strands), spray paint, a hot glue gun, a foam core board or piece of plywood, and duct tape. Arrange the cans by creating a trunk of three cans in two rows, glued together with hot glue. On top of this, six cans are glued together and lay on top of the "trunk." On top of the six row (or first layer), create a five can "branch," then four, then so on, until you have one on the top, so it resembles a Christmas tree. Spray paint the tree whatever color you'd like, secure the lights with duct tape, pushing the lights between the cans. Glue your tree on to the piece of plywood if it is to be hung outside, or use the foam core for indoor use. Try using stickers as ornaments, and even a tree topper!

Free Aluminum Can Crafts - Cow

Items for this project include white, black and pink paint, white felt, wiggly eyes, an aluminum can (crushed) and acrylic spray paint. Crush the can so the head of the cow (top of the can) is crushed above the bottom portion. If there are jagged edges in the tab (which needs to be pulled out), soften with masking tape. Paint completely with white paint, allow to dry. Pain black cow spots on the can (they resemble clouds), and a pink nose on the tab portion of the can. Attach white (or black) felt triangles to the back of the cow's head. Seal with acrylic spray and when this process is complete, glue on wiggly eyes. Instant cow! Following these simple directions and with minor adjustments, you can make an entire barnyard!

Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about free aluminum can crafts, please visit Free Crafts Center for current articles and discussions.

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Make an Easy No-Pattern Apron

Here's a simple and useful project -- a simple, easy apron. You'll use just one yard of fabric cut into four pieces -- actually, you don't even have to "cut" the fabric, you can just tear the fabric into the proper sized strips! Fabric choices would be any broadcloth or patterned cotton -- something easy, cheap, and WASHABLE (it is an apron, after all!)

Begin with a piece of fabric 1 yard long by whatever length it comes in -- most probably 44 inches. We'll use the selvedge sides as the sides of the apron -- that way we don't have to finish the seams!

Next, cut a strip 2 inches by 44 inches -- the width of the fabric. That was easy enough -- so do it again. Now, cut a last strip 11 inches by 44 inches.

The results are 4 pieces of fabric -- two pieces 2 inches by 44 inches, one piece 11 inches by 44 inches, and one piece 21 inches by 44 inches. We'll make a drawstring from the two 2 inch pieces, a large pocket with the 11 inch piece, and the body of the apron with the 21 inch piece. (Note: You can follow step-by-step photo directions at the link in the resource box.)

First, we'll make a casing for the drawstring. On the 21 inch piece, fold over and press down about 1/4 inch from the top of the apron towards the wrong-side. Next, fold another 2 inches at this folded edge, again towards the wrong side. Sew a straight stitch along the bottom of this fold. Do not sew the edges -- this is where we'll insert the drawstring!

Now we'll do the pocket portion. Match the 11 inch piece to the bottom of the 21 inch piece -- match right sides together. Sew a straight stitch along the bottom of the piece. Turn rightside out, match the sides of the pieces and sew a straight stitch along the sides. You now have a 44 inch wide pocket along the bottom of the apron -- you may want to sew some straight stitches up this wide pocket to divide it into sections.

Almost done -- join the edges of the two 2 by 44 pieces and sew together -- making a single piece 2 inches by about 88 inches. Fold in half along this 88 inch width (right side together) and sew a seam along the edge to make a long tube. Turn the tube rightside out. Now, tuck in the raw edges on each end of the tube; sew the edges closed. Insert the tube into the casing at the top of the aprong -- and you're done!

A 21 inch deep apron easily reaches from the waist to below the knees -- but you can make it deeper if you wish. Just begin with a fabric piece longer than one yard.

Joey Robichaux operates Sewing Machines and Sewing Projects at http://www.using-sewing-machines.com -- offering free sewing projects and reviews of older mechanical sewing machines. Follow this particular project at http://www.using-sewing-machines.com/221/apron.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joey_Robichaux

Deck Your Halls With Easy Christmas Crafts

Nowadays, you don't have to spend a lot to decorate your house, even during the holidays. This coming December, try making these easy Christmas crafts to liven up your homes during the holiday season.

CHRISTMAS WREATHS
A wreath is an easy Christmas craft that you can make. When making a classic Christmas wreath, get three or more separate pieces of wire and twist them around each other. This serves as the base of the wreath. You can also buy a ready-made base composed of wire or wood from the local store.

Once you have the base ready, you can start adorning it using different materials. You can use pine boughs and glue them to the wreath base. If you're looking for a more traditional look, try using Holly leaves. Use small artificial fruits and place them loosely around the wreath. You can also add ribbons and glitters to make the wreath more festive.

CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS
Making personalized Christmas stockings makes the holidays even more fun for children. Draw two outlines of a sock on a red piece of fabric, and cut around it. Sew the two pieces together to make a basic Christmas stocking.

You can now start adding your personal touches to this easy Christmas craft. You can use fabric paint, glitter-and-glue pens, or iron-on letters to write your name on the stocking and draw other designs. Sew or glue buttons, beads and ribbons around your name. Finally, don't forget to sew a ring at the top of the stocking, so you can easily hang it on a hook.

CHRISTMAS ANGEL AND SANTA
The best way to complete your Christmas tree is to add an angel at the top. Use a pinecone for the angel's body and get two dry leaves of approximately the same size for the wings. Coat the wings with spray sealer and glue them to the back of the pine cone. Next, get a circular piece of wood and draw in a face. Shape a thin gold wire like a halo and attach it to the angel's head. Finally, attach the head to the pine cone body.

Another easy Christmas craft to make is a Santa. Use a small sock and fill it with cotton balls. Tie or glue the back. Next, cut out eyes, a mouth and a nose using felt paper and glue it onto the sock. Use red foam for the hat and several pieces of white yarn for Santa's beard. Finally, you can attach a pin or a magnet at the back.

These are only some easy Christmas crafts you can make. There are many other things you can choose from or create, such as Christmas balls, door hangers and even miniature Christmas trees. Try it!

Katya Coen provides information on Christmas craft patterns for All Christmas Crafts.

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Win $500 in Arts & Crafts Supplies!

You can never have enough arts and crafts supplies, and what could be better than winning $500 worth of goodies? Plaid Online is holding a sweepstakes where you can get the chance to win one of 3 $500 craft-supply prizes. Contest ends 1/31/09. See site for rules.