# Feeling Crafty but Don't Know Where to Start!!



## shellrow (Feb 8, 2007)

I was walking through the Dollar Tree and Walmart last night. They have all of the fall/Halloween/Christmas Decorations out now. I saw some of the prices that Walmart was charging for the fall decorations such as table runners, pot holders, dish towels, etc... kinda made me think, I really need to get more involved in doing these projects at home. I come to this section of HT to see if you folks had any great ideas going and I saw the links to the beautiful bead jewelry. I fell in love with the creations that you folks have made!! Now I am stumped about what I want to try!! LOL! Perhaps I will have to try it all! I do know that this year I will buy some of the clearance fall/halloween cloth as it goes on sale!! If anyone has any suggestions for a beginner craft ( and I do mean very little talent or creativity here folks! :help: ) please post them! 

Thanks Much!

Feelin crafty me!


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## CraftyDiva (Aug 26, 2003)

I'd suggest doing something you like. If you already sew, try some sewing crafts, your already ahead if your a sewer, the rest is just following directions.

If your starting from square one with little craft experience, don't take this the wrong way, start with kids crafts. You can't get any easier then that, just to build confidence to step it up a notch and try something a little harder. Right now you could start with making some Christmas ornies out of homemade clay (baking soda clay), some food coloring and cookie cutters. If you don't want to use food coloring (it does come out too lite) get some craft paints, they aren't that expensive, less then a buck a bottle. Just get a few colors, cheap brushes (dollar store) and your good to go.

After you master that down then you could move up to using polymer clay to make more ornies (for gifts) once you get use to working with polymer clay and you like jewelry, there's your next step up. It goes on and on, just take small steps, don't invest too much money at the start in case you find you have no interest in the projects. Your not out big bucks.

Feel free to ask any questions here on the board. The folks here are more then happy to help a novice get the bit by the crafting bug.  


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## CraftyDiva (Aug 26, 2003)

If your interested here's the recipe for the homemade clay. I've used this many times to make things, including beads for jewerly. One thing, I do add a few good sqiurts of glue (white craft glue) to the water before mixing it in. Makes the clay a little harder when dried.

Anywho, how to...................................
http://members.aol.com/mrsspyboy/dough.htm


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## shellrow (Feb 8, 2007)

Thank you very much Crafty Diva!! I am going to look into making some jewelry. I was interested a few years ago and I bought a bunch of beads and clasps and such. I think I will dig them out and have another go at it. I always had problems getting the pattern to come out the way I wanted it.  I do want to make some table runners and pot holders that are seasonal also. Lots to do so I should get started!


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

CraftyDiva said:


> I've used this many times to make things, including beads for jewerly.


Any pictures of those beads? I'm very intrigued!


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## CraftyDiva (Aug 26, 2003)

mammabooh said:


> Any pictures of those beads? I'm very intrigued!


I have a pic of a necklace using the beads I made somewhere on this computer. My old computer crashed awhile back and I had a backup and now it's just a question of finding the file. Keeping my fingers crossed.  

I think I'll need to use a photo storing site as well, I know you can't just go from hard drive to post on the forum.


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## CraftyDiva (Aug 26, 2003)

I made these beads over a year ago, my first attempt at faux turquoise.
I rolled out the clay and then used a tube to cut them out, (can't remember what it was from), but it was the size and shape I wanted. Then use a crackle paint finish to get the look of natural stone. You can see indents in some, they shrunk in when dried.

The chips are tiger eye and of course seed beads. No longer own it, gave it to a friend who admired it, flaws and all.

Hope this works...................................


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Oh my goodness, CraftyDiva...that's the coolest thing I've ever seen! If you ever have time, I would love it if you would give me step by step instructions or point me to a website where I could poke around a bit and get some tips. I've taken a lampwork class, but it is so time-consuming and I really don't want to invest money in something that really probably won't pay for itself (it's not like I'm going to become a famous bead designer...I really have no desire to do that). BUT, the thought of making my own beads and being able to tell my cumsomers a little story about how each one was made really appeals to me. 

Thanks for all of the info so far. I think I may have a new obsession.


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## CraftyDiva (Aug 26, 2003)

Honey, talk about time consuming, lol The beads were a PITA to do. Making the clay,cookie cutting them out, rerolling the scraps, more cutting. The easy part.

Making holes to string them halfway thru the drying with a wire. Can't do it right away because the clay is too wet and would lose it shape. Then after they dried (they are gritty) you need to burnish them, can't sand them, you'll be sanding down to nothing. Took a spoon and use the back to rub each and every bead smooth. Are you tired yet? LOL 

Then painting the base coat, wait till they dry, put on crackle paint, watch as it starts to work it magic, throw out the dudes. Seal the beads to make them shine and protect your paint job. Now your finally ready to string them.

If this was priced by the time it took to make them, no one would buy it, thus the reason I kept it and finally gave it up.

There really aren't any websites to show you the works, it's more or less hit or miss. I guess after time it would be more hit, but!

The clay is certainly cheap enough, just go to the kitchen and it's there, it's the time to make the beads that's a killer. Over time you'd get faster making them, getting your own short cuts, etc.

If you have any questions just ask, hope to help.


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## miclew (Oct 13, 2004)

That is absolutely gorgeous! How much money would you estimate you had in that piece (not including your time)?

michele


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## CraftyDiva (Aug 26, 2003)

miclew said:


> That is absolutely gorgeous! How much money would you estimate you had in that piece (not including your time)?
> 
> michele


$10 more or less. The clasp was from a garage sale necklace as were the tiger eye chips ($1.50), seed beads ($1.89 at LBS). Paint, crackle finish and sealer already had in craft stash (let's say $2 for amount used). The necklace is strung on 10lb test fishing line bought at KMart, that I already had for other projects. Misc findings (jump rings, end caps, crimps, ear wires, etc say $3)

For the clay, had some old corn starch wanted to use ( lets say 75 cents for the amount used), as well as the baking soda ( 40 cents, old box used in freezer to deodorize). The glue added to water (25 cents) to make clay. 

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## rkintn (Dec 12, 2002)

Well, the tampon crafts from another thread looked relatively easy  I can't really give good simple starting craft advice. I have a tendency to say hey that looks cool and I jump in with both feet before I realize what it takes to accomplish the look...kinda like Crafty's beads and necklace...that so sounds like something I would attmept and think it would only take a day or so LOL I just kinda stick with quilting and knitting/crocheting.


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