Crafts after BC is good for the soul

Spar - where in the world did you come up with that idea?  It sure doesn't look like it is made of old newspaper - it is exquisite.  I just love when you can recycle stuff - trash to real treasure.  Can't wait to see what you do.

spar, those look fun to make. It is like a paper mache (sp) bead but when you varnish it that makes it more durable. When I was in elementary school (long time ago) at vacation bible school, we made barrel beads out of wallpaper strips. We cut the wall paper into long triangles (about 1 inch to an inch and a half at the bottom and about 8 inches tall. wrapped the wide end of the triangle around a round toothpick and kept wrapping until we got to the tip, used some glue at the narrow end to hold everything together and laid them aside to dry. After they dried, we strung them on some string and sprayed them with spray varnish for at least 2 times. After the varnish dried, we strung them on dental floss with pony beads and faceted beads to make pretty necklaces. You can do it with old newspaper, maps, anything that will be interesting.

edited to add: here is a link to a fun page with better directions than I wrote. http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/paper-beads-664236/

Sheila

Dental Floss is good for stringing beads.   Pretty cheap also.   

If you loop the end over the last bead and under the next to last one, it is sort of a knot, but more of a loop over - make sense?    

Kathleen, years ago when I was still in jr high (i think), we were driving into town and my mom saw a small armless rocking chair on top of a trash can. She pulled into the church parking lot next to the house and my older brother ran over and picked up the chair. It needed a new piece of cane bottom and the paint job on it was chipped badly. My great grandfather took that rocker and made it look like a new piece of furniture. It is now a treasured piece of furniture in my home. And after I moved into my home, a rental home up the street was being cleaned out and there was a small table (kitchen table height with large legs) put out with the trash. At the time I was needing a table for my son to put his hermit crab cage on in his room. I walked up the street, picked up the table and carried it back to the house. It has a Formica top on it and the base/legs are painted white. I probably could strip the base back to the original but it still looks decent for a side table in his room. When I moved into my house, I told people that I would graciously accept any donations of furniture. I got a sofa that needed new cushions, a small side chair, and a dining room table and chairs. We still visit the 'Habitat for Humanity Re-store' if we need another piece of furniture to replace something that has worn out.

Sheila

Lucy, that is why I said I did them a loooong loooooong time ago. My mom and I considered renewing that project at church several years ago but that was dropped. We also made corn necklaces one time. The teacher took dried field corn, soaked the kernels in water with food coloring in it so that they changed colors. We took the softened kernels, pierced them with a needle and threaded them on dental floss, put a narrow leather (shoe lace like) strip to connect the two ends (so the hard corn wouldn't scratch our neck), hung them up to dry and sprayed them with varnish. I don't remember how long that necklace lasted but that was fun at church camp.

TOB -- love the avatar and love the jacket.  In fact, it is stunning!  Unfortunately, I can't even figure out how to thread the machine.  For a while my sister and I had two sewing machines and neither of us sews!  Of course, we have 3 irons still in the box and neither one of us irons.

I do collect dolls and Patricia Loveless, a local artist, told me she has been sewing since she was 5 years old.  Her dolls and their clothes are exquisite!

  See for yourself

She has done even more elaborate hats.

Thank you, Kathleen.  Gorgeous detail in the dress and hat. That takes time and real skill.

As for the avatar, it is part of my pig obsession (I collect pig anything) and my company motto.  The most frequent question I get from prospective customers is "can you ______?"  I often embroider the backs of my jackets and vests with my company name, several flying pigs and our motto, "Where Pigs Fly".   When I get that question, I tell them that the answer is on my back.  It's always good for a chuckle. 

Spar, I use a large eye tapestry needle that is dull, not sharp, or I end up stabbing myself (not the most coordinated gal on this thread...!!).  They also call them "craft needles", usually right there with the plastic canvas sheets.   And I always use a needle threader.   It does not have to be flexible and I find the plastic needles are often too thick.   

Does anyone make rice bags you can heat up in the microwave? What type of rice, what is the best fabric to use?   How much rice ?    Thanks for any info.   

PM me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deborye - can't wait to get your web site.  I love crafts!