Crafts

Don't know what to do with the billion or so little photos of your kids that come in the package you just bought? Here's a hand little idea that will help you use up those pictures while making...

A wave pattern can be made using a variation of a simple double crochet stitch. This wave pattern adds interest to crocheted wash clothes, blankets, towels, and other projects. The wave pattern is...

After celebrating my daughter’s birthday, I am always left with dozens of beautiful greeting cards. I hate to throw them out, but I also hate to stuff them into an already overflowing drawer. ...

Memory boards are very important for the home office or just to keep everyone on the same page throughout the day. Instead of basic, lifeless boards, you can customize one to fit your décor...

The Bernina Activa sewing machine series are great to use and are strong enough to handle even the most prolific of sewers. The Bernina Active 135 and the Bernina Activa 145 provides different...

Creating a nice fluffy chef hat is simple and fun. Kids love to create them, and it’s a safe and inexpensive craft project that doesn’t take much time from start to finish. Best of all, you...

Felt ornaments make a nice addition to the Christmas tree. They give the tree a touch of rustic spirit and are fun to make. Older children can make these ornaments with a little adult supervision.

If you love to paint as I do, this is pretty much simple to paint. It comes out cute too. I made up my own pattern. As you can too.

Making air freshener is not as complicated as it sounds, here is an easy recipe for making gel air freshener at home.

The invention of paper figures is nearly as old as paper itself. According to Women of Texas at the University of Texas, "Japanese paper figures date back as early as 900 A.D." The first printed...

Add decorative touches, draw stories or transform old sheets, towels and clothing using crayons. Yes, those sticks of colored wax called crayons can be applied to all types of surfaces, including...

Clay molds are useful for capturing even the smallest levels of details from a modeled object. Since polymer clays are safe for use on your skin, making a clay mold of your face is a quick and...

Flowers, such as roses, that are part of a flower arrangement or given to someone for a special occasion can be preserved to last forever--or at least a long time. Flowers that have been preserved...

A toddler pillow can be useful and comforting for a toddler both at home and occasions away from home when the toddler must sleep. Toddler pillows are smaller than adult pillows, which makes them...

Sodium carbonate acts as a flux (fusion agent) in the production of common glass, also known as soda lime glass. Other ingredients in glass include sand and limestone, with elements such as iron...

Newspaper can be rolled, soaked and turned into fireplace logs that produce flames of different colors. The resulting color depends on the chemical you use during the soaking process. Soaked...

If you are an avid collector and user of rubber stamps, and you notice that your stamps have become sticky with ink buildup, there are a few inexpensive ways to clean your rubber stamps. Before...

As any parent knows, dryer lint is something you always have on hand, in seemingly endless supply. While most of us toss our dryer lint into the garbage, you can recycle your dryer lint by making...

The radial arm saw has a sacrificial front table that you must replace from time to time after use. Most radial arm saws are built with a steel frame and a wooden tabletop. The main reason for...

Making a leg hole with an elastic casing to wear over a cast or amputated limb is a project that you can complete if you have a few necessary sewing skills and a sewing machine. Because you cannot...

The best way to melt glycerin soap and make new bars of soap is to use melt-and-pour soap bars. Melt-and-pour base is made from glycerin and comes in a variety of flavors, including plain, goat's...

Marshmallows roasting over the crackling fire. . .the sound of the wind ruffling the trees. . .the smell of untouched nature. Give your children a pre-camping lesson and relive the joys of camping...

A homemade dart can be constructed from a few materials that you may have around the house. The dart is accurate, fairly durable and can be launched with a rubber band. Although shooting the dart...

Make a statement with any envelope that you send by embossing the mailing address or creating a raised seal on the back for effect. You can emboss envelopes for wedding invitations, graduation...

Aluminum is a durable and sustainable metal that is thin enough to be recycled into homemade crafts. Crafts like aluminum can airplanes, sharks, purses and lampshades; or commercial aluminum...

Sodium hydroxide, or lye, is a major ingredient in soap-making. It is the lye that turns fats into soap and it's impossible to make soap, from scratch, without it. For those who would like to make...

Feather flowers were popular in Victorian times, when ladies crafted intricate displays of feathered flowers in glass domes. While the ingredients have changed (florist balls have long replaced...

Greeting cards are an excellent way to keep in touch, mark the holidays, or send some good cheer to your friends, family and colleagues. Greeting cards are also very expensive. However, with just...

Love beads are an iconic fashion symbol from the 1960s. The youth of the counterculture that emerged during that era became known as hippies or love children. Protesting the war in Vietnam and...

Custom made shelving is a great way to solve storage needs and dress up empty wall space at the same time. Using tools and materials from your local lumberyard or home center, you can make simple...

From Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts, making your own neckerchief slide provides a fun way to make your uniform your own while providing a great project for your den or troop to work on. These slides...

Picture frames are the traditional choice for displaying photos, but many objects that started out life as one thing can easily be transformed into fabulous holders. Decorating a shabby chic decor...

Ribbon flowers are delightful accessories for weddings, birthdays or any celebration. There's no need to rush out and buy expensive reels of silky ribbon to make the flowers; you can use scraps of...

Patterns are used in a variety of arts and crafts. They act as a template for creating shapes out of materials such as fabric or clay. Each material requires a pattern made from a different...

The next time you take the kids to McDonald's for a Happy Meal, the hamburger chain's signature meal plan for children, save the flimsy cardboard box holding the burger, fries, dessert and...

The history of printing dates back to the second century in ancient China when the emperor declared that the works of Confucius be carved into stone. In the eighth century, the Buddhists went a...

The fox is a major part of Japanese folklore and a popular character in many animes and mangas. Making fox ears can be a fun craft for Halloween or any special occasion. The ears are relatively...

In perfumery, alcohol is used as a preservative and to help disperse the scent. As the alcohol evaporates it sends molecules of the scent into the air. It is possible, and perfectly acceptable, to...

A customized mug is a fantastic gift for a friend or loved one, or a great reward for yourself. With the spread of on-demand printing online, creating custom items from shirts to mugs is now an...

Many of us have seen that signature scene in the film,"The Ten Commandments" when Moses brings down the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments written by the hand of God. This scene, taken...

Woodworkers use planers to smooth rough wood and to uniformly reduce the thickness of a board. Planers can remove up to 1/8 inch of wood with each pass by means of three knives attached to a...

Have a blast making signs---literally---by learning this craft to create one-of-a-kind nostalgic-looking creations. Once an art that required time and physical effort to carve out words and images...

Shea butter is made from shea nuts -- tree nuts, indigenous to West Africa -- and is used for dry skin, stretch marks and as a massage oil. In its unrefined state, shea butter is slightly yellow...

A tiara headband reproduces the appearance of a circlet tiara while fitting around the head from top to bottom. By making your own tiara headband, you can not only customize the design with your...

The Cricut Expression cutting machine is one of the hottest scrapbooking tools. Although this machine is commonly used for scrapbooking, it can also be used for vinyl cutting. A sheet of vinyl...

A band saw is a power tool designed to cut wood with a long, ribbon-shaped blade that is most ideally suited for cutting straight lines. While a band saw is not the most intuitive choice for...

Parade floats are a great way to advertise a business or organization while giving something back to the community. In order to make an impression, your float will need eye-catching, large props...

Decide what kind of sky you like. "Sky blue" can mean a lot of different shades. Using acrylic paints or water colors changes the look of your sky too. Using acrylic paints, you can mix and match...

As the world gets smaller, it sometimes seems like it's also getting colder. Etiquette and other niceties get lost in our endless rush to do more. Writing letters on personalized stationery is a...

Dried flowers capture the essence and natural beauty of spent flower blossoms. You can easily turn dried, pressed flowers into custom jewelry designs using pendants and charms designed for photos....