Posts Tagged ‘crafts-hobbies’
Preparing For a Leather Craft Project
Once you’ve decided on your leather craft project, you’ll need the right tools and room to do the work. Being prepared ahead of time will make your task more enjoyable and give you a sense of satisfation when you’re done. If you’re like most of us you’ll probably be working on more leather craft projects over time, so creating a designated area is probably a good idea.
What to Cut On:
Regardless of the project, you’ll need to cut your piece of leather. Choose a flat surface protected with a rubber mat. The latter will help protect your tools and prevent them from becoming blunt. Alternatively, you can purchase a self-healing cutting board that comes with a grid work. Any cuts made in the board seal up. This product is readily available at such shops as Staples.
Marking the Cut:
Use a ruler or yardstick and a pencil to mark the cut. Just make a light mark with the pencil. A rounded edge will help if you’re cutting a curve. Then place a metal straight edge along the line you have drawn. Using the tip of an X-acto knife, cut along the line, keeping the knife against the metal edge
Trimming the Edges
If you want to trim the edges of the leather, lay the piece out on a flat surface. Make sure the leather is damp, and keep it so by using a spray bottle full of water.
You’ll need what’s called an edge beveling tool to smooth the cut edges. The two prongs that form its V shape need to be positioned so that they are facing upward on both sides of the edge.
Keeping the tool at a 45 degree angle, with your index finger on the top of the tool, push it away from you along the cut edge, holding the leather craft piece firmly with your other hand.
As you work, small strips of leather will come off. It’s a good idea to practice on small scraps of leather before using the leather craft beveller, so you feel comfortable with it and what it can do.
Tools to Use
* Cutting board, preferably self-healing kind
* Ruler, pencil, metal straight edge, rounded edge
* X-acto knife
* Leather craft edge beveling tool
Summary
* Use a cutting board
* Mark where you want to cut before you cut!
* Dampen the leather when trimming the edges
* Butt the knife against a straight edge or a curved edge for more control
More on Tools
For working in leather crafts, consider the basics: an awl and spare point, a retractable X-acto knife and spare blades, a retractable knife with a break-off blade and a rotary punch.
In addition, you’ll need needles, a lump of beeswax and some waxed linen thread. As well, a pair of pliers to pull the needle through the leather is a must, and scissors you can use for cutting the leather.
Then there are edge slickers and bevellers that are used to finish the edges, drive punches for bigger holes and thong cutters for making laces. A T-square, compass and yardstick are essential to ensure that your leather craft piece is measured accurately.
If you’re just starting out with leather crafts, you might not want to spend a lot of money on tools. Once you’ve worked with the basic set and completed a few leather craft projects, you’ll have a better idea of what tools work best and what you use most.
At that point, a little research and some comparative shopping can lead you to acquiring better quality leather craft tools that will enhance your work. Of course, even the most expensive tools won’t help if you haven’t taken the time to develop and perfect your skills.
If you do your very best with what you have, it doesn’t matter if you can’t afford the most expensive leather craft awl or the latest knife. Quality will show anyway.
Summary
* Start with a basic leather craft tool set
* Buy better quality tools once you’ve completed some projects and have a better idea of what will enhance the quality of your work
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Money Making Hobbies – Which Ones?
Which ones can be money making hobbies? A friend made a life-sized cow out of plywood once. He painted it, put it in the yard, and people started asing if he would sell it. He soon had a waiting list of customers for his plywood cows. With a profit of about fifty dollars each, he wasn’t getting rich, but isn’t making money with your hobby more fun than a job?
Money Making Hobbies – Two Approaches
The first approach is obvious: Look for ways to make money with your existing hobby or hobbies. What do you produce that other people might want? Do you collect dolls? You might produce a newsletter for other doll collectors, or buy and sell doll furniture.
The second approach is to think of all the hobbies you might take up that can generate a second income for you. When I found that I really enjoyed making walking sticks as a hobby, I sold more than a thousand dollars worth one summer. There are probably things you would enjoy doing that can make some money.
Get creative in your thinking. Look at the list of activities or hobbies below, and see if you can think of a way they can be used to make money. Do you like to travel? You might become a tour guide, or write articles for magazines.
Painting … Crafts of all sorts … Sewing … Caring for animals … Talking … Playing with computers … Traveling … Rock Climbing … Stamp Collecting … backpacking
How To Make Money With ANY Hobby
In the past, you could argue that not all hobbies can be money making hobbies. This is no longer true. If you go to my sites, you’ll notice the ads. I just copy and paste some code (no selling involved), and make a little bit everytime you click on one. In a matter of days, with almost no money, you can have a website up where you write about your favorite hobby, and collect for the advertising clicks.
Steve Gillman has been studying every aspect of money for thirty years. You can find more interesting and useful information on his website; http://www.UnusualWaysToMakeMoney.com
Fun with Origami!
Storing origami
This is a great question. Many people want to hold on to their special crafts for years to come. While there is no specialized container that you can get for origami that is going to preserve them, you can do a few things to make sure your models last.
* Store them in a dry, sealed container. The less moisture that enters, the better. Also, if you can keep them out of the sun, they won’t degrade or discolor like most other paper does.
*Use quality paper. If you use poor quality, thin paper, the chances of your origami creation being damaged is greater.
* Coat your model. You can get art sprays from your local art shop and this essentially puts a coating on the outside of the paper, and it gives it protection.
* Limit the handling of the creations. I know it is fun to show them and maybe even play with them, but if you have one that you want to keep for a long time, handling it might reduce the lifespan of that piece.
Sunlight and water are going to be the worse enemies for your origami models. If you can find a way to make sure that neither gets in regular contact with the paper, then your models should last a lifetime.
Jeremy Hansen is a recognized expert on everything Origami and author of the book “Origami Secrets Revealed: Everything You Need To Know And More”. For more great information like this you can check out his website at http://www.m5info.com/origamisecrets.html
Invitation Envelopes ? Make or Break Your Party
What will separate your party from all the other events of the season? Of all the planning that goes into your special occasion, there is no excuse to forget about specialty envelopes. Your invitation is the first impression that you and your party will have. There are many ways to make your invitations and envelopes the hit of the party.
How important are the invitation envelopes? The invitation envelope is the first contact that you will have with your guest list. You are working hard to create a theme for your get together, and your envelopes need to reflect the theme. If you are having a wine tasting party, let your guests know immediately when they grab the mail. For a baby shower, your envelopes should reflect baby images.
Choose Your Envelope ? Tough to Decide
Envelope styles are cooler than ever. Many craft and scrap booking stores have some of the best options no matter what your theme is. Some of the best envelopes are those that have never been seen before. Here are some of the latest design ideas:
- Vellum. This semi-transparent paper is smooth. It is available in glossy and matte, in just about any color you can imagine.
- Square envelopes. A shift from the norm is the square version of the commodity. The square shape definitely sticks out in the mail.
- Clear Translucent. A unique alternative that offers a glimpse inside.
- Foil-lined. Linings are a great way to add color and texture to your invitation. Set the color theme of the evening.
- Linen. Classy, yet relaxed. Linen envelopes should be reserved for special occasions.
- Metallic Foil. More than just lining, the metal sheet-style envelope leaves nothing to be desired.
- Plastic button and string envelopes. Trendy and vibrant. A summer pool party complete with waterproof invitation envelopes.
These are just a small selection of the envelopes that are available. You’ll be surprised how inexpensive these party favors are. Buying in bulk is still the best option. Envelopes are sold in units from one to one thousand.
Personalize Your Invitation or Envelope
Now that you have some ideas for the style and design of the special envelope for your gathering, there is more work to do. Customize your envelopes and make a theme that best represents your party plans. The ideas are numerous, but all are quite easy to put together. Create them yourself, or enlist the help of your friends. Some ideas that never go unnoticed:
- Stickers. A classic, yet favorite method of adding charm. Everyone likes stickers, and they can be found in every variety.
- Paper doilies. Add vintage form to your favorite envelope.
- Rubber stamp kits. They’re available in all shapes, styles, and themes. You can pick your own color.
- Glitter. A fan favorite for young and old. All colors and sizes.
- Yarn and ribbon. Available anywhere. You make the design how you want it.
Getting the most out of your gathering begins with the planning. For your guests, it begins with the invitation. Make them excited for your event as soon as they look through the mail.
Robb Ksiazek is an author and publisher for Checks-4U.com. He has researched and written about the little things that make a difference in the paper supply industry, from personal and business checks to envelopes and address labels. Turn the ordinary into extraordinary.
Choosing The Right Mat Board Colour For Your Art Work
The framing industry has no books, no set theory, not hard and fast rules on how to pick colours. There are some personal opinions from various writers but that’s all they are. However it is not as hard as you may think.
The obvious starting point is to go for a colour that’s in the picture, then vary the shades from darket to lighter to see which suits best.
An Inner mat is the smaller window just surrounding your art work and it is usually used to sharpen the image. Darker inner mat will increase the contrast between the light and dark areas of the picture, making the image easier to see. Therefore, adding an inner mat is both decorative and functional.
An outer mat is a bigger window closest to the glass, and sitting just on top of the inner mat. There is one or two rules I can give you for choosing the outer mat. Always make the outer mat border at least 2 1/2″ (60mm). 2″ mats do not work. The wider the mat the more you see the picture. The other rule relates to the surroundings. The colour of the outer mat you choose should have NOTHING to do with your taste or the colours in the room. If you do your job correctly you should see the picture, not what surrounds it. Many people make mistake by starting to use their personal taste or decorator themes in framing.
You can practice choosing the right mat board colours using the Smart Framer program on our web site. Upload some of your own digital photos and frame them.
With more than 30 years of experience in the business of picture framing, Gary Leete is the owner of Melbourne-based FrameCo Picture Framing Supplies, a company that specializes in DIY framing tools, start up kits and framing accessories. For further information on FrameCo products and services, feel free to email frame@frameco.com.au
Woodworking Tools: Right Selection And Care Will Save You Money, Part 3
Woodworking: Tools Of The Trade, Part 3 – Tools For Measuring & Marking
A civilization’s maturity and intelligence is judged, in part, by the diversity and sophistication of its tools. When it comes to woodworking, the human race is quite advanced. There are general tools that work well in many situations, and there are specialty tools made for one specific purpose. There are tools that require only manpower and a rudimentary knowledge, and others that utilize computer programs, a wide range of knowledge, and a powerful motor. We have even learned how to harness power for our tools and package it in a small battery component, giving us the freedom to take our tools wherever we need them.
It is truly amazing and wonderful to contemplate the vast number of tools and all that woodworkers are capable of doing and creating with the help of these tools. And for many people, working with tools is one of the thrills, or even obsessions, of woodworking.
Woodworking and related tools have become so popular that there are numerous companies that manufacture these tools and thousands of places to purchase them. Combine that with the vast numbers of different types of tools and it can get overwhelming, especially if you are new to woodworking. Our experts helped us focus on the basics to develop an overview of those tools needed to get a good start in woodworking.
In the most basic terms, a woodworker needs four kinds of tools. They need a place to work, tools for cutting and shaping, tools for assembly, and finishing equipment. This simple statement provides the basis for the following discussion of woodworking tools.
The tools listed and described here represent just the tip of the iceberg. In keeping with the philosophy that it is best to learn the basics first, and to not invest large sums of money until a person is certain that they have an ongoing interest in woodworking, the emphasis is on hand tools, with a few basic power tools thrown in. These tools should prepare you for a variety of beginner projects and give you a solid foundation of equipment and knowledge to build upon.
Tools For Measuring & Marking
Most basic measuring tools are not complicated instruments that require special care. Yet making proper cuts is a key component of basic woodworking skills. It is important to have an accurate rule, a means of marking angles, and something to mark with.
Rulers
There are several types of rulers, but the most common are a metal tape measure, a 24-inch wooden folding rule and a wooden zigzag rule, which can be as long as eight feet. Tape measures have a long tape wound up inside the case and are especially handy for jobs with long pieces of wood. They also have a lock to hold the tape at the desired length.
Selection Tips
When buying wooden rulers, look for sturdy material with both standard and metric markings and a catch or pin for holding the rule closed when folded. Tape measures should also have both types of measurements and a sturdy tape. You should be able to find quality rulers for under $10. If buying used, be sure that all the numbers and markings are legible and that the spring to retract the tape measure and the lock to hold the tape are in working order.
Care & Maintenance
Most rulers simply need to be wiped down from time to time, especially the metal rulers that are susceptible to rust. Also with a metal tape measure, it is a good idea to hold the blade and let it return slowly back into the case. Simply releasing the lock and letting the blade whiz back inside can result in the tape coming unsprung.
Squares
A square is used to make angles and check for true and square joinings. It also has measurement markings. There are many different types and as with other tools, certain squares work best for certain types of tasks.
A miter square is for marking 45-degree angles. A try square is shaped like an “L” for marking 90-degree angles and checking for true squareness, and a sliding bevel is adjustable and is used with a protractor to mark angles up to 180 degrees. A combination square has settings for both 45 and 90-degree angles.
Selection Tips
Generally these three items will provide what you need for marking angles with reasonable accuracy. Those made from wood and metal are usually less expensive and slightly less accurate, but are fine for most general projects. You can purchase wood and metal squares at hardware stores or home centers for $10 to $15, although a good combination square may be quite a bit more.
Care & Maintenance
Squares are low maintenance tools. They need to be wiped down after use and the material should be checked periodically for rust or rot. The rivets or locking nuts should be checked for tightness and function. Beyond that, they don’t require much additional maintenance.
Marking Tools
A sharp pencil can be used for marking, however many woodworkers feel that a marking knife is a better choice due to its superior accuracy. Unlike a pocketknife, a marking knife is beveled on one side and flat on the other to allow for a thin, straight mark. In addition, the small cut can help guide the cutting tool. A marking knife is one of the most inexpensive tools to purchase.
An awl, which is a sharp, pointed piece of metal attached to a round wooden handle, looks similar to an ice pick. It is typically used to mark or start nails and screws. Its sharp point can also be used to scratch a marking in a softer wood. Awls typically sell for under $10.
Some woodworkers use a marking gauge, which has a fence to keep it flush to the board and a writing tool on the other end to mark the cut as the tool slides along the edge of the board. Other measuring tools include a compass or divider for drawing circles and marking increments and plane gauges or other tools used to determine if a piece of wood is flat and true. A quality woodworking compass can be expensive to purchase, often costing over $30. Most gauges are under $20.
Care & Maintenance
The care and maintenance for these marking tools depends on the tool and the material from which it’s made. The main consideration is that the tool be sharp. Most can be sharpened with regular sharpening methods, either by you or the hardware store.
Accurate measurements, correct angles and true joins are the basic elements of good woodworking projects. In addition to the items listed above, there are many gadgets and specialty tools for measuring and marking. Beware of fad gadgets and stick to the essential tools you will need to get started. As you gain a better understanding of different measuring and marking situations, you will be able to determine which tools you need to add.
Tool Summary
This completes part 3 of the condensed overview of some of the tools that are commonly used in beginning woodworking projects. As you can see, this topic could and has provided the content for entire volumes of books and in order to fully understand the possibilities in woodworking and create quality projects, it is critical that you develop a more in-depth knowledge of the tools you plan to use.
It is also important to note again that each type of tool has its own care and maintenance needs that are often more specific than what has been touched on here. The details have been left out of this book to avoid overwhelming someone who is brand new to woodworking. However, their omission does not mean they aren’t important.
“Failing to care for your tools is ridiculous from a financial standpoint,” stated shop teacher, Kevin Warner. “Why spend $20 on a good quality handsaw or clamp and then allow it to go dull or rust? Not only will you loose money, your work will suffer because your tools won’t perform as intended. And it will take you more time in the long run. Taking good care of your tools is one of the first steps in becoming a serious woodworker.”
Copyright © 2005 by Ferhat Gul. All rights reserved. You may redistribute this article in its unedited entirety, including this resource box, with all hyperlinked URLs kept intact.
Ferhat Gul is the publisher of the brand-new “Woodworking Beginner’s Guide – Tips From Experienced Woodworkers to Help You Get Started”, made just for people who love woodworking. This comprehensive, yet compact woodworking introduction for beginners is easy to read and helps to save time, money and effort.
