Crafters Love Crafts Newsletter – Issue #003

Crafters Love Crafts – https://www.crafterslovecrafts.com

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Would You Like To Share Your Craft With The World?

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I would love to have your stories on your favorite crafts. Share your opinions and reviews with other crafters. Please go and share you craft at Review your favorite craft

Please let me know what you would like to see in this newsletter. Do you want more articles or instructions on how to make a craft? Please contact me and I will use your advice.

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Hi Gang, your friendly crafter here!

Well it is my favorite month of the year. Christmas is just around the corner and I am not ready! I still have 3 quilts to finish. The tops are all made; I just have to finish quilting them. I hope all of you aren’t as behind as I am.

This months article will be about making you own Christmas gift wrap, but first some craft tips.

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Here are a few Crafty Tips

• If you have an old spice rack, don't throw it away. If you don't have one, grab one at a garage sale of thrift store. They work great for storing small bottles of craft paint, glue, fabric glue, decoupage, etc. Set the spice rack on a counter or hang it on the wall in your c craft room.
• Old rubber gloves are great for pulling caps off markers. Cut a piece off the top of an old glove, and it works just like the rubber jar lid openers.
• If you put lotion on your hands before you hot glue something, the glue will not stick to your hands, preventing burns.
• Instead of using plain old thumbtacks, decorate your bulletin board with large, fancy buttons. Glue them atop the top part of a thumbtack, allowing the glue to harden completely.

You have spent a lot of time making your own Christmas gifts. It is so much more satisfying and enjoyable than spending lots of money and the gift won’t mean as much as one that you made yourself.

The question then is,” why not make the wrapping paper too?”. There are some very simple ways to make your own gift-wrap and they can be very stunning!

You can get rolls of butcher wrap very inexpensively. You can also get rolls or paper from your local newspaper office. Craft stores also have craft paper that you can use. I have found that butcher wrap works best.

Stamp Paper

Use rubber stamps to create your own holiday theme on plain paper. Think of what the person likes. Is she an outdoor person? Then use stamps that fit an outdoor theme. There are so many different stamps that you can find something for everyone.

Bubble Wrap

This is a great way to use that old bubble wrap that you just can’t seem to throw away. You will need the bubble wrap, plain paper, tape, paint brush and paint with a few drops of liquid dish wash mixed with it.

Tape the wrap to a flat surface. Using different colors of paint, paint the wrap. While the paint is still wet lay the paper over the top to transfer the colors. Carefully lift the paper and allow to dry. Now wasn’t that easy!

Print Wrap

Materials you will need are butcher paper, cookie cutters and paint.

Take your cookie cutters and dip them in paint (put your paint in a saucer). Now apply the cookie cutters with the paint and make your designs. You can use different kinds of cutters and also if you want you can use some Christmas stamps with your cookie cutters.

Just Bag It!

Use plain brown paper bags and use your Christmas stamps to make a special gift bag. You can also use the cookie cutters to make designs on the bags. Kids love to make these gift bags. You can dress them up with ribbon or some glitter.

Salt or Glitter Wrap

You will need butcher paper, cookie cutters, glue and salt or sparkles for cookie decorating.

Lay the butcher paper out flat. Put your glue in a saucer and dip the cookie cutter into the glue and place on the paper. Using a spoon sprinkle the salt or glitter on the glue areas. Gently more the paper to make sure that you get the glue covered with the glitter. Allow the glue to dry and then pour off the excess.

Picture Perfect

Create a new tradition by identifying gift recipients with their photo instead of a tag. Use tiny frames that you can make out of cardboard and decorate the frames. You can also get the frames at craft stores but it is much more fun to make and decorate your own. Insert the photos in the frames and you now have a very personal gift tag.

Hand crafted gifts made with someone special in mind are always precious. But don’t stop with the gift. Make that hand designed paper and it just makes the gift that much more special.

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I wish you all a joyous and safe Christmas and New Years and I'll talk to you again next year, 2008!

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Talk to you again soon and remember to just keep on crafting!

Kindest Regards,