If you want info on a craft or can offer info post here.

[flyght-of-fantasy]

Hi everyone!

I too am a rubber stamper/card maker as well as indulging in clay, cross stitch (very rarely), glass etching, candle making, metal embossing, paper making, and various other things that I can't even think of now LOL.

I have my own room in the house that is dedicated entirely to my crafty stuff, although it tends to migrate to other rooms in the house, much to the hubby's disgust!

I also have my own line of embossing powders which I sell verrrrry cheap as compared to the stores! I'll be posting some on ebid soon, I'm just waiting for some kilos I ordered to come in!

I'm on a card-making group on yahoo called Creative Cards, it's an international group. We have over 1000 members and everyone there is wonderfully nice and we love to trade tips and techniques. The group does generate TONS of email though! We also have a swap group so that you can share your creations with others in the group.

Shelly... for folding creases you can get a special tool called a bone folder, or a Lace folding tool (that's 'lah-say' with an accent on the e but I'm too lazy to figure out how to do the accent thingy lol).

Sizzix is a die cutting machine with special dies that cut shapes from your cardstock/paper. You can check out the dies and other products available @ www.sizzix.com.


Valerie

[aries458]

Has your daughter discovered she's won yet? I bet she's delighted isn't she? You ought to post it on here so we can all see how brilliant it is.

I told her, she didn't believe me at first. I found out she won first place over all ceramic catagories I'm proud as a button. Went to the fair last night, but they just closed off the art section when I arrived. I'll have to go down tonight with my daughter and her kids. I want to see the look on her face. She needed the boost, was feeling down about herself lately.

I am actually going to try and do a pottery course this September if it's still running. It's at a local college. I went for two years a while ago and made loads of mugs and stuff, most of which have been dropped . I left as the teacher wouldn't show me how to do slip casting but then a week or so later he taught someone else how to do it.

I'll give you some recipes on here for a simple slip mix. It's easy, inexpensive and you can do it yourself without teachers

Still I don't care even if it is the same teacher as I'll just teach myself stuff. Still I'd mainly be making mugs on the wheel. The best mug I ever made I gave away as a birthday present.

You can still do pottery. If the college is near you, I'm sure they would let you put pieces in you make with the students pieces. Ours does here. If you are a student, then make as much as you can to get your £££ worth

What is the horse hair pottery that you do?

I use a smoothe clay for horse hair pottery. Then apply a clay by-product called terra sigilatta, it acts as a binder/glaze. Fire your pieces to a bisque, then re-fire them with the terra sig. I open the kiln at about 700 degrees (american measurements) and pull the pieces one at a time, out with raku prongs. The horse hair is applied to the piece when it's hot. The hair burns off, but the image of the burned area remains. It smells, but looks great! Another thing I'll heve to get pics of on here.

Also do you only use essential oils in your perfumes or do you make it from petals. I always used to try to make perfume when I was little with hot water and rose petals but it never worked

Most essential oils are steamed through something that looks more like a still...LOL
I had one (home made) but everyone thought I was making hooch!...LOL

[glennis77]

Hi there Shelly2,

Ok let's take your queries 1 by 1! :lol:

My personal preffered weight of card is 210gsm up to 300gsm. The heavier the weight, the harder it is to fold though.
For basic layering (which I described before) though I do use 160gsm so it doesn't make the front of the card "top heavy"

Sizzix is a die cutting machine that gives you ready made shapes to stick on the front of your cards. You don't have to go to the expense of buying one though, as many folk (including me) sell the shapes in packs for you! They give you the opportunity to make very simple cards as well as more involved ones. (More involved meaning you stick 2 or 3 shapes on instead of 1 :lol: joke)

Peel-offs are self-adhesive metallic outlines of pictures and words. You literally peel them off the backing sheet and stick 'em on! Simple, but oh, so effective!

To fold card so it doesn't buckle I find, if you put it down on something flat, then match your corners, put your finger in the centre of the edges and run it to the centre of where it will fold, press down and then keeping one hand one the free edges so they don't move, run your finger along to each edge from the centre, it is more precise.
You can use a bone folder, as has been advised.......obviously the right tool for the job etc, but I find that the straight edge of the plastic handle of my craft scissors gives me a good edge when I can't find the right tool!

If you have satellite TV watch the craft shows on QVC and Ideal World and Creat And Craft (channels 630, 635 & 695 respectively) You will pick up tips and inspiration very quickly. I suggest you by smaller packs than they offer to start with though, as it can get expensive!

Hope all that helps! Give a yell if you want any more info!

[AthenaNI]

My hobbies are......

surface embroidery
cross stitch
whitework
cutwork
hardanger
candlewicking
patchwork and quilting
knitting
crochet
latch hooking
ribbon weaving
rag dolls.

On the last one, the rag dolls, I make the rag dolls to order. I can transfer a photograph to the dolls face. These make very nice presents for Christenings, grandparents etc.

Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll have my personal website up and running with my work displayed on it.

[aries458]

My hobbies are......

surface embroidery
cross stitch
whitework
cutwork
hardanger
candlewicking
patchwork and quilting
knitting
crochet
latch hooking
ribbon weaving
rag dolls.

On the last one, the rag dolls, I make the rag dolls to order. I can transfer a photograph to the dolls face. These make very nice presents for Christenings, grandparents etc.

Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll have my personal website up and running with my work displayed on it.

Hi Jan! That's great! I would like to learn more about quilting. When you get you site going, be sure to let us know!

[busylizziecrafts]

Hi everyone

My hobbies are:

cross stitch
machine embroidery
knitting
patchwork
gardening (I've got my own allotment)

My interest in cross stitch has lead me to setting up my own website selling discounted kits and charts, I also sell kits and charts on eBid.

I quite fancy having a go at candle making one day.....

[gazlannathai]

Hi everyone,

Upon inspection of the mould it is in 2 parts that fit together and you pour in the casting mixture. The problem is that the mould does not seal around the edges and there is no tube to allow the mixture to be poured in. .... What is the best way to seal around the 2 parts of a mould to stop the mixture escaping?

Hi Noraya
There are several ways to do this depending on the volume of castings you'll be making.
For low volume, simply cut two pieces of hardboard to the same size as the side of the mound - put one each side and hold them there with rubber bands - it's a simple method that's quick to apply and remove and I use it when manufacturing the lures in my profile photo - they use a two stage casting involving molten lead and liquid polyesther resin - never have spillage from the lead, and only if I mess up the wire shaft positioning do I get leaks from the resin.
You may need to replace the rubber bands every few weeks - they dont seem to like being in contact with other rubbers - but they're easy enough to buy or collect.

Regards
Gaz

[SimonTemplar01]

Hello,everyone...anyone!
I have recently started dabbling with modelling clay. I have just completed my second figure ( in a running pose) and I would like to make a mould so I can make a copy for my friend.

I have lots of questions, firstly I have used air drying modelling clay, is this the right stuff (it seems to have dried ok). I was thinking of making a laytex mould for it, does the model need to be sealed first ( maybe with PVA glue ?) and then covered in talc or vasaline ?
when removing the laytex, around legs extra, will I need to break the model ?
Having got a mould how do I then use it, whats best to use plaster, plastic resin ?

told you it was alot of questions, any advice would be gratefully received.

Cheers. The saint

[celticqueen]

Hi, I paint on silk, make wooden jig saw puzzles,stone plaques,airbrushing,wooden mobiles, etc.... but I don,t know how to sell.All these crafts are relatively easy, but you need to splash out on a good jig saw for the wooden stuff.about £40 sterling.or if you think about airbrushing you need a compressor and an airbrush, which can be expensive. I am new to ebid, this is my first go at the forum although I am a seasoned ebayer. I agree with many of you about ebay fees , they are losing a lot of sellers with their greedy policies.

[buttons-and-bows]

Hi, I paint on silk, make wooden jig saw puzzles,stone plaques,airbrushing,wooden mobiles, etc.... but I don,t know how to sell.All these crafts are relatively easy, but you need to splash out on a good jig saw for the wooden stuff.about £40 sterling.or if you think about airbrushing you need a compressor and an airbrush, which can be expensive. I am new to ebid, this is my first go at the forum although I am a seasoned ebayer. I agree with many of you about ebay fees , they are losing a lot of sellers with their greedy policies.

Hi first thing to think about is, what is the lowest price you are willing to take for your item, when you have worked that out ( as it is what you may end up getting for it ) then list it at that price.
If you need any help there are some forums above that are help / support sections and you can post there and one of us will help you.
Welcome to ebid, nice to have you here.