Archives: 2009 May

If you want a simple way to give your Christmas messages and projects visual impact, use Christmas clip-art. Using it can be a good decision for people who are not artistic and want to have more professional looking Christmas cards, invitations, scrapbooks and personal web pages. There is ready-made clip art offered on the Internet that can be easily inserted into your word processing program. There are free clip art galleries offered online but some people prefer to buy a subscription so they can access a bigger selection. To avoid browsing through the images one by one, it’s important to use the sites’ internal search engine well.

Santa Claus, holly, mistletoe and sleighs are just a few examples of the type of Christmas clip-art you can find. There are also a variety of text greetings and Christmas messages framed by elegant borders. And if you prefer a lighter touch, humorous Christmas images are available too. These include cute animated cartoons in Christmas themes. Some can even be a little risqué, but that just makes the holidays even more fun.

Some people have extensive Christmas clipart collections they keep on hand to beautify print projects and Christmas greetings. Having the art on hand saves time, which makes things go smoother during the holidays And since the holidays come around every year, having a cache of Christmas clip-art images will save time both now and in the future.

You probably have many old crayons in you home that are seldom used. Before throwing them out, consider using them to make candles. This can be a great way to turn them into something new and useful again. Most children will love the idea of making candles and enjoy knowing their old crayons were used to make them. The candles you make with old crayons make great gifts. 

Discuss safety procedures with your children before getting started. Since the crayons will have to be melted at a  high heat, they may not be able to participate in that part of the candle making process. Assure them that there are many other aspects of the candle making that they can be a part of.

To start, gather your supplies. In addition to the crayons, you will need a wax carton. This can be from milk, fabric softener, or orange juice container. You will also need paraffin wax, two full ice cube trays, a double boiler, and white packing string. If you don’t want to use your double boiler, an old coffee can and a saucepan will work just as well. 

Trim the top off of the wax carton, leaving it approximately six inches high.  Cut the string for the wick at least 8 inches long. You will later trim the wick to fit the holder. To ensure a wick that burns easier, take three pieces and braid them together. Use smaller pieces of string to tie the ends together. The holders for your candles can be anything you desire as long as they are non-flammable. Pretty vases, glasses, and jars work nicely. 

An excellent way to keep the memories of your small baby alive is with a baby handprint kit. There are many types of baby handprint craft kits available. Saving baby hand prints is a tradition that has gone on for centuries. There are many different materials you can use to make your baby handprints such as clay, paper, and ceramic tiles.
 
 Parents and grandparents alike would love to receive a baby handprint kit as a gift. Ceramic tiles are a great place to capture you baby’s handprints. Supplies you will need for this project include a tile that this either four or six inches, a medium brush, a dark color of ceramic under glaze, clear glaze, and a sponge. Wipes or paper towels to clean off baby’s hands should also be kept handy. You should have no problem finding all the necessary materials at your local craft store.
 
 Prior to beginning the project ensure that the tile and baby’s hands are clean and dry. Paint baby’s hand using the dark under glaze being sure to keep the fingers separated. After painting the hand put it on the ceramic tile so you can get an impression of the entire hand. You might also want to paint the name of your baby and the date of birth on the tile. Apply a coat of clear glaze after the tile has dried complexly. Another great way to make a baby handprint is with plaster. Start by mixing some plaster in a small container.
 
 Rub a little oil on baby’s hand and then press it gently in the plaster. To get a complete print you will need to apply gentle pressure to each part of the hand. Baby’s hand will need to be cleaned after you remove it from the plaster. Use a knife or bamboo skewer to etch baby’s name and date of birth in the plaster before it is completely dry. You may also want to draw decorative symbols in the plaster before it dries.