Local Library: For old, colorful magazines and books that can be used in collage, mixed media and altered art.

Recycle Groups: Join the groups in your area on some recycle websites. You might get a bag of fabric scraps or some old leather item for your next project.

Online Communities for Classifieds: Check the network of online communities, featuring free online classified advertisements. You might get something at lower prices.

Thrift and Resell Stores: Most of them have a section of art and craft supplies. Otherwise too, you might find other items that you can turn into craft supplies especially when you need fabric or books.

Family, Friends, and Neighbors: Check with them. Exchange items among yourselves. What is a waste for them, might be useful for you and vice versa.

Local Shops and Decorators: Upholstery, furniture shops and decorators might be willing to sell their scrap to you at very low prices. Don't hesitate to ask them though politely. Grocery shops can also give you wooden crates etc.

Local Dollar Store: Not all will be quality material but it's a good location to look at and stock up on some basics like paint brushes and storage containers.

Children's Discarded Stationary: Look into the discarded stationary items, pencil boxes, bags etc. of you own or relatives, friend's children. You might find craft paper, crayons, paints etc. from there.

Discount Websites: There are many discount websites. Check them, see what online bargains can you get. You might find promotional codes and free shipping offers, saving yourself a lots of money.

Where To Find Inexpensive Art and Craft Supplies is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

Of course, unlike that dream home or skyscraper, if a story collapses in on itself no one dies, though the reader may wish they had. But does there have to be life-and-death consequences at stake for the consumer before they should expect quality craftsmanship in the product they purchase? Certainly not.

Now given that I'm a self-proclaimed architect flunky turned student of the craft of novel writing for the past ten years who has had many a story come crashing down all around me, the reader and presumably fellow student of the craft is within their rights to dismiss what follows as they might a grain of salt. But before you do I should tell you that I did manage to craft at least one story that remained standing all on its own. And believe it or not, the darn thing may even be on a bookstore shelf near you.

Curiously, there is essentially only one difference between the many stories littering my office floor in heaps of collapsed rubble and the one standing tall atop a bookstore shelf. The many were built by blindly pounding one word to another, whereas the one was built by closely following a methodically conceived blueprint. And like any building's blueprint, my story's blueprint was crafted in layers, each layer a culmination of all preceding layers. And this is my grain of salt to you, the blueprint of a story.

Crafting a story is done from the inside out. And at the core of any story lies its premise. Thus, the first layer of the blueprint develops this premise, which functions much like a building's foundation. The four cornerstones of this foundation are the story's thematic elements (those subliminal messages the author wishes to communicate to the reader), the emotions it should evoke in the reader, novel ideas to be presented, and most importantly the stakes (hopefully worst case scenarios from both the protagonist's and antagonist's respective points of view). The second layer builds upon these cornerstones and establishes the story's climax. But the climax comes at the end of the story, you say. And that's like writing a story from back to front. It's also much like a builder who first renders an image of his finished project long before he breaks ground, or, in this case, the first scene is written. The craftsman must be able to envision his project in its completed form before he begins construction. Without worrying about details, create the best dramatic portrayal of the conflict between antagonist and protagonist while incorporating all four elements of the premise.

The next layer is that of the synopsis, or loose, chronological narrative of the plot. Starting with the rendered climax, work out toward the beginning and ends of the story, filling in all that's required to understand and feel the climax and to accept the consequences of the ending. From this layer move on to the scene-by-scene outline. Here the synopsis is segmented into specific scenes in whatever chronological order is necessary to obtain the desired emotional effect.

With the outline complete, the story is now ready for construction. It's time to write the manuscript; time to pound one word to another by following the blueprint or scene-by-scene outline.

And when that bag of words is finally empty don't hesitate to step back and let go of the story. Take it from an architect flunky. Your story may not become a bestseller, but because you crafted it from the inside out and from back to front it will stand on its own, perhaps even on a bookstore shelf near me.

Crafting a Novel From the Inside Out and Back to Front is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

To make a painted clay pot you need to have 4" clay pot, opaque apple green acrylic paint, opaque blue lagoon acrylic paint, opaque yellow acrylic paint, semi opaque pumpkin acrylic paint, semi opaque white acrylic paint, fine point permanent black marker.

Steps to make a painted clay pot:
1. First using a small ruler and pencil, you should measure the height of the clay pot starting just below the rim. Then mark off the halfway point between the top and the bottom of the clay pot. Altogether you should measure and mark off the halfway point at four opposite places on the pot.

2. Now holding the plastic measuring tape up to the clay pot, connect the halfway points and then draw a light pencil line between all the halfway point marks around the pot.

3. Line up the ruler with each of the halfway points around the pot one at a time and draw a light pencil line from the top of the plant pot just below the rim to the bottom of the pot at this point. You will have 8 squares drawn on the pot.

4. Then you have to decide on the color scheme or arrangement of the colors into squares you have drawn on the pot. In one set of squares you can fill any combination of two colors and in the other one also you can fill other set of colors.

5. Squeeze a small amount of the pumpkin acrylic paint on the paper plate and gather a small amount of paint on the straight edge of the brush and paint along the straight lines of one of the squares with a generous coat paint on the paper plate. Outline and fill in one of the square completely with a generous layer of paint. Now paint the square diagonally across from it pumpkin using the same method as you did for the first one and let the paint dry. Rinse out and shape the brush again.

6. When this paint is drying, you can turn the pot around to other set of 4 squares. Squeeze a small amount of yellow acrylic paint on the paper plate. Outline and fill in one of the squares with a generous coat of the yellow paint. Paint the square diagonally across from it yellow suing the same method as you have did for the first one and then let the paint dry.

7. When the paint on this side is drying, turn the pot around to the first set of 4 squares. Squeeze a small amount of apple green acrylic paint and paint the square diagonally across from it green using the same method as you did earlier. Again let the paint dry and you can rinse out and shape the brush again.

8. Again while this paint is drying turn the pot around to the second set of 4 squares and squeeze a small amount of blue lagoon acrylic paint on the paper plate. Next outline and fill in one of the squares with a generous coat of blue paint. Paint the square diagonally using the same method and let the paint dry.

9. When the paint is drying for the last squares you have painted, it is time to paint the edge of the pot white. Squeeze a small amount of white acrylic paint onto the paper plate and paint the edges.

For further information, visit craft-books.net

Clay Pot Crafts is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

Pick a theme and stick to it.

It may take time to establish the exact theme desired, but this is one of those steps that the entire Christmas scrapbooking operation hinges upon. It will determine your content, direction and outcome. So pick carefully and thoughtfully, for the Christmas scrapbooking idea that you save may well be your own. Changing themes for your Christmas scrapbooking has the same result as what Abraham Lincoln said about “changing horses in mid-stream.”

Collect material that reflects your Christmas scrapbooking theme.

Remember that anything goes, and the world is your source of material for your Christmas scrapbooking. Consider all kinds of paper ephemera; namely, cards, newspaper clippings, letters, lists of all kinds, tickets to shows, cartoons and any other physical artifacts from the life of the subject or subjects of your Christmas scrapbooking. Consider stuffing it all into a big basket until you can sort through it all and refine your selection.

Remember the special can be found in the mundane.

Life is made up of many simple moments and you want to capture those that reflect the passion of the theme of your Christmas scrapbooking. Everyday photos are just as important as those commemorating important events. Take pictures often so there’s a lot to choose from. Even a Christmas scrapbook can hold a memory of summer if it is pertinent to the theme presented in your Christmas scrapbooking idea.

Design each page as a whole story in itself.

You may want to use creative design techniques such as paper piercing, punch art and inking as well as simple color schemes to differentiate the pages of your Christmas scrapbooking and insure that they stand alone. Create a title for each page and lay out everything, along with a caption for each item, to see how it all looks in your Christmas scrapbook before gluing it all down. Balance your photos and captions first and then decide which technique will accent that page uniquely. Remember too that not every inch of space on a page in your Christmas scrapbooking need be filled. A little space between photos and captions is a good thing, as Martha Stewart used to say (and probably still does).

Display your photographs proudly while Christmas scrapbooking.

Photos are the heart of most scrapbooks and different showcasing techniques can render unique holiday flair to your Christmas scrapbooking. Some thoughts along these lines might include: old fashioned photo corners, matting shots against Christmas scrapbooking colors to set the images off from the white paper and silhouetting photos (cutting them out of their backgrounds). This last technique works best with full-bodied images.

Capture the specific and unique qualities of your Christmas scrapbooking family.

One way to do this is to find quotations, stories, jokes and cartoons that pertain specifically to your Christmas scrapbooking family. The extra care you take in selecting these items cannot fail to show in the final presentation of your Christmas scrapbooking product. You can also use markers to draw your own cartoons, family portraits and doodles, should you feel so inclined. Let your children dictate photo captions. Sometimes, they have great Christmas scrapbooking ideas. Use your imagination with your Christmas scrapbooking and create decorative borders with fingerprints, handprints and even foot-prints, if you can figure out a way to handle them artistically without ruining your carpets. Have fun and let the child in you come out and play for a little while! That’s what Christmas scrapbooking is all about!

Go for Imperfection.

If you are going to have children participate in your Christmas scrapbooking, you will have to let go of the idea that results will be perfect (whatever that is). Leave the masterpieces for the likes of Michelangelo. (Your Christmas scrapbooking won’t include ceilings anyway.) Settle for finishing the project with all the children putting in their two cents.

Buy products of higher quality that will last.

It is the effort behind your Christmas scrapbooking that will surely touch the heart of its recipient. Spend a bit more to transform your Christmas scrapbooking idea into an heirloom that will stand the test of time. Make sure the papers you buy for your Christmas scrapbooking are free of the plant component, lignin, which will cause fabric and photos to turn brown. It should say “lignin free” on the package. As far as paper goes, buy 12-by-12-inch, acid-free, 100-pound stock pages in many colors, pre-cut with holes and laminated on the edges. While you are at the store, stock up on acid-free markers and double-sided tape, rubber stamps and pads, glue sticks, adhesive photo corners and pinking shears or other such “crazy” scissors that make decorative edges.

Be guided only by your imagination. Things may turn out differently than originally planned, but that only proves that art really does imitate life. Most important, have fun while working on your Christmas scrapbooking project. You are sure to look back on it with love and pride as you pass this new family heirloom on to future generations. That’s a true Christmas legacy and a gift that will withstand the test of time!

Christmas Scrapbooking: Some Tips and Tricks is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

Crafting, whether its a very simple creation or a large project, it gets the creative juices flowing, new ideas start to form, you start thinking of different ways to approach a craft or how to make it better!.

You will find yourself using parts of your brain, that have been asleep!. You will become inspired to try something else, and you will feel energized!.

If you are very stressed, and just can't think of anything to create, then get a craft kit, something simple that you would think you would enjoy, something that will take your mind off of everyday things and is not too difficult. Once you have completed the kit, you should and will feel proud of your accomplishment. Take stock of what you just created, did you like it?, or would you like to try something else?.. There is a ton of craft ideas out there and supplies on the market like never before, but start off with something very simple.

This is how I started out, I was seriously ill about 15 years ago, and while recovering, I needed to take my mind off of the daily needs of my illness, and started painting with paint by numbers!, something I knew would turn out right, but I felt good when it was done, and started freehand painting, and have loved it ever since. I also love sewing, and have made many recycled denim pillows, quilts and more.. have fun, start a craft that will fill your heart and soul with gladness!. This will spill over into your everyday life, and you will look at things differently!

Crafting is Good for the Heart and Soul is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

One way is to have your arts and crafts on display in local restaurants that you use yourself.

Depending on the shape and size of your arts or crafts, this can be a very lucrative experiment!.. You should make sure to use a nice restaurant that you yourself go to, make sure its not really a fast paced one, as you want people who are lingering over a nice meal to notice and appreciate your art that may be hanging on the wall by their table, or that decorative shelf housing your crafts in a corner.

Start by taking yourself to dinner with a friend or family at this particular restaurant that you like, and while eating, and relaxing, try and notice walls or corners, where your creations would look great.

Pick your best tasteful pieces, that you feel would suit the restaurant, and then approach the owner, during the daytime when he/she is likely to be there planning the day, and talk to him/her about the idea of hanging your art (show the owner your pieces) maybe give him/her some idea of where you were thinking it should go, so as to take the guess work out of the equation, and make the owner feel like its not another project he has to deal with!

Come up with a deal, that he/she gets a percentage of the sale, and then make sure you give him/her your business cards and brochures, and also that there is a business card with the price of the piece with the piece. Do not put a great big read "for sale" sign on the piece!, you need something subtle and tasteful, possibly in the bottom right corner of the piece. If you have 3D creations that need to be on a shelf, then make sure your business card is attached with the price written on the back neatly or typed on..

This is another great way to get you and your business known in the community, and is a great way to get people to look at, and appreciate and hopefully purchase your creations!

Sell your Arts and Crafts in Restaurants is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

Where do you start? The first thing you must do is empty out the room you want to organize. This is especially important if the space is small. A cleared room is as full as creative possibility as an empty canvas. As you pull out drawers and sift through supplies you will need another area to put everything. If the weather is nice, take it outside. The next step is to categorize and sort your supplies. Group like items together in plastic bins, on a tarp on the ground, or just in piles. Identifying each pile with a sign is helpful if you have a lot of stuff. Use whatever system makes sense to you. When I organized my kitchen drawers I put all wooden tools together- wooden handled rubber spatulas, citrus juicer, toast tongs, etc. This made sense to me because they had something in common and were all relatively the same size. Do what makes sense to you because it is your space.

Storage containers are important to keeping your space orderly. I recommend purchasing several different sizes to accommodate a variety of crafting supplies. You never know. You might be inspired while sorting and realize you bought the perfect container for a particular need. Clear containers have a lot of benefits. The most obvious is that you can see what’s in them. Also, they are available in many stores. Because there are so many sizes and shapes, you can organize your entire space with them. Coordinating in this way adds to the overall feeling of calm. Particularly with crafts, having a container with several sections or dividers is helpful. They are small enough for a drawer and keep all those little pieces in one location. I have one with all my different needles in it. I keep the machine, hand sewing and knitting needles all in one spot. On the outside of the box I taped my needle guide and it serves as a label for the box as well as an easy reference.

The last item to fixing up your craft space is shelving. Storage boxes and containers will fit nicely stacked on shelves. You will be able to find shelves in every shape and size to accommodate your personal space. Your supplies should be easy to see and to get to.

Next time you walk into your space you will feel calm and your mind will be free to focus on your craft project not your chaotic space.

Craft Clutter Creating Organizational Calm is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

Bats

There's no need for you to buy plastic bats for Halloween since you can make your own. You can easily cut patterns or two dimensional bats from construction paper or cartolina. Bat Halloween arts and crafts for kids can also be creatively made out of egg cup cartons to hang or out of clothes pins to clip on curtains.

Pumpkins

These days, you don't have to worry about messy pumpkin carvings anymore. You can easily have pumpkin paper lanterns as Halloween arts and crafts for kids projects. If you don't like lanterns, you can still make pumpkins out of paper plates, milk containers and construction paper. One other great alternative would be pumpkin baskets made of paper mache.

Witches

Witch Halloween arts and crafts for kids can be made out of paper plates and cardboard. As an alternative, you can create a witch doctor look instead of a western witch by incorporating beaded necklaces and homemade stuffed voodoo dolls.

Spiders

One favorite Halloween arts and crafts for kids is the spider. Spiders can be as simple as construction paper or egg cup carton hangers. They can also be made of pom poms or colored cotton balls.

Vampires

Vampire masks with fangs can be easily made with paper plates. More imposing ornamental life size vampires however can be made out of coat hangers and black garbage bags.

UFO

Aliens and UFOs are not common Halloween figures but stories of alien kidnappings and abduction makes great Halloween tales. Make UFOs out of paper plates that you can hang from the ceiling. You might also want to complement the ships with cookies shaped like stereotypical aliens instead of ginger bread men.

Worms in Cans

Worms in cans can be made of brown crepe paper. They can seem yuckier to the touch though if you use gummy candies and cooked spaghetti.

Ghosts

Ghosts can also come in variations. You can make ghost Halloween arts and crafts for kids made of socks, packing foam, old cloths, crepe paper, helium filled balloons, white painted jars, tissue and clay.

Mummy

Use tissue paper or gauze and wrap it around a jar for a mummified figure. Cut out some eyes from construction paper and stick them on the jars before you put on the tissue so you can have the eyes slightly covered and just peeking.

Cats

What's Halloween without black cats? Use paper plates to create cat masks or some cotton and crepe paper to create billowing streamers.

Skeletons

White or luminous paint on a black figure would be perfect for the usual skeleton man. You can however create a good looking skeleton with different kinds of pasta.

Best Eleven Variations on Halloween Arts and Crafts for Kids is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

Not Just Another Jack-O-Lantern

People display the same old boring Jack-O-Lanterns year after year. Wouldn't it be nice to create something different from the rest? But first, learn how to make the basic Jack-O-Lantern.

First, draw a circular outline around the stem of your pumpkin. Carve out the outline at an angle you have a cone shape under the lid. Twist the lid off the pumpkin. Remove pulp with a knife and scrape insides with a spoon.

Draw your favorite Jack-O-Lantern face or pattern on the pumpkin and cut through the outline. Place a tea candle or flashlight inside.

Knowing the basics of making a traditional Jack-O-Lantern will help you move on to using different vegetables and fruits as homemade Halloween crafts materials. You can use green peppers for goblins, mandarins for mini Jack-O-Lanterns, red peppers for lil' devils, and melons for pale ghosts.

Witch Kitchen Jars

If you want to add an interesting flavor to your Halloween kitchen with homemade Halloween crafts, the best project would be witch kitchen jars. Your homemade Halloween crafts materials for this project could be endless.

The first step to do is to simply paint the lids with spray paint so the old labels will be covered. Popular colors are black, red, silver and green.

Next, fill the jars with virtually anything in it, such as mushrooms, rice, dried fruits, vegetable roots, and spices. Fill with water.

Once you've thought of a name like "Brain Stew" or "Goblin's Eyeballs", play around with your Word Processor's font styles and print your label out on paper.

To make the labels of your witch kitchen jars look aged and old, you can brew tea bags in just-boiled water, remove, and let the tea cool. Pour tea into a spray bottle and spray on your label. Let your label dry on wax paper. Once dry, stick the label on your jar using glue. Brush on varnish if desired. Finish off by tying old-fashioned twine around the neck of the jar.

Halloween Treats

After you've made some homemade Halloween crafts, it's time to cook up real edible Halloween treats! This homemade Halloween crafts project is especially fun to make for kids. All you need are spoons, candy melt and a few other materials for decoration.

Melt according to its instructions. Then dip each spoon into your candy melt, scoop out and lay the melt on parchment paper until it is cool enough to remove. Cover candy with clear cellophane and secure with a ribbon or string.

Cut out an egg carton and paint them on to create fun hats for your candies. Attach yarn to the hats for "hair" and draw on eyes and mouth on the candy plastic with markers. Use green candy melt for witches, white for ghosts, and orange for Jack-O-Lanterns.

Now that you have these few tricks up your sleeves for your homemade Halloween project, think of other things you can find in your kitchen to create something spooky and entertaining!

Ideas for Homemade Halloween Crafts for Dracula’s Chef is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

For super easy Halloween crafts for kids costumes, search your closet for old, new, frequently used, and discarded outfits and accessories. You'll be surprised what you can create with these. Start off by thinking of basic themes such as caped characters, princesses, and other characters from cartoons/fairytales. Here are some costume ideas:

Blood-Red Riding Hood

For a no-sew bloody Red Riding Hood Halloween costume, you can use your red hooded sweaters. Attach any red cloth or fabric (this could be from a pillowcase, old bed sheet, towel, or table cloth) to the backside of the sweatshirt with safety pins. Wear a skirt to complete the Little Red Riding Hood look. If you're going to wear a red-colored skirt, the better!

Bandages and fake blood will complete your Bloody Red Riding Hood look. Making fake blood is an easy Halloween crafts for kids: just mix cornstarch, corn syrup, and red food coloring. For your "scratches", use a red pen or marker. You can now be a Bloody Red Riding Hood who seemed to have barely escaped the Big Bad Wolf!

Batman

Kids will find this Halloween crafts for kids easy and exciting! In making the mask, simply measure the distance between your eyes and apply it on the surface of a paper plate, where you will punch two holes for vision. After punching the two holes, draw out a bat outline and cut out this outline. You can find free bat templates over the Internet and print them out. Next, paint the whole mask black with fast-drying poster paint. You can also purchase a pack of black paper plates if you can find one. Then, punch holes in the sides so you can attach garters, which will secure the mask over your face.

To complete the Batman look, don on a black or gray sweatshirt and black sweatpants or tights. Attach a black fabric to the back of the sweatshirt with safety pins.

Sleepwalker

A sleepwalker costume is another easy Halloween crafts for kids. All you need are your PJ's, a set of curlers, and a teddy bear (or voodoo doll to scare off guests).

Nature Princess

A nature princess costume is an easy Halloween crafts for kids. For this costume, you will need a nightgown, some flowers, dried leaves and some twigs. Tie the flowers together, suspend upside down, and let them dry under the sun. Make a wreath for your crown out of the twigs and dried leaves by using strong glue and your glue gun. Add the dried flowers and eggshells for more interest. You can also purchase a rubber snake to wear around your neck.

Now you realize that in finding easy Halloween crafts for kids, you need not look farther than your old closet and your very own backyard. You can think of hundreds of other themes around materials you already have in your home.

Easy Halloween Crafts for Kids: Backyard and Closet Costumes is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

A Milk Carton Cow Costume

A milk carton that resembles a cow at the same time would be a really cute no-sew costume to make! Young kids will especially love making this costume themselves. Simply cut out the flaps and a hole on two sides of a carton box for the arms to go through. Have your kid paint the box with a white base and black spots using non-toxic poster paint.

Accessories for this Halloween crafts for kids costume is a tail made of paper and yarn which you can attach to the lower part of the box. Simply cut out paper ears and horns and glue to a headband, which your kid can wear to complete the whole look.

Closet Costume

Costumes as Halloween crafts for kids does not always involve creating your own costumes. If kids will rummage through their old clothes, they will find items which they can assemble together creatively for their Halloween costumes. For example, they can use a red hooded sweatshirt for a Little Red Riding Hood costume; their PJ's for a Sleepwalker costume, and a black sweatshirt and pants for a Ninja Costume. Just add accessories like a basket, a teddy bear, or a mask made out of a plain T-shirt.

The Halloween Hats

There are easy Halloween crafts for kids that can show you how to make Halloween hats. For a witch's hat, draw out a semi-circle at the edge of a piece of black paper using a circular template. Cut out the drawing, fold the piece into a cone, and fasten with staples/glue. Cut out a circle (larger in diameter than the cone's bottom) from the same black paper and then glue or tape the cone on its center. This is your witch's hat. To make a sorcerer's hat, simply use the cone and paste cutout paper stars on it. You can also use glue and glitter to create the stars.

Making Halloween Wands

A witch is not a witch, nor a fairy a fairy, and sorcerer a sorcerer if they are without a wand. For this easy Halloween crafts for kids project, use a paintbrush instead of a pencil or straight tube for the wand stick. A paintbrush usually has a more elegant shape.

To make a Halloween crafts for kids' wand, spray-paint the whole paintbrush and let it sit to dry. Next, draw and cut out two identical paper starts. At the brush-end of the paintbrush, stick the two stars back-to-back, with the brush in between. Use other shapes for a witch's wand such as a half-moon. For a sorcerer's wand, place glue on the brush to harden it. Wind yarn or twine around the paintbrush for a Harry Potter-like wand. Spray-paint the whole paintbrush with gold or brown for that realistic effect.

To make any costume realistic and interesting-looking, always remember to add its matching accessories. Both are simple to make with easy Halloween crafts for kids.

Easy Halloween Crafts for Kids: Simple Costumes and Accessories is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

Scrapbooking is a hobby that is rapidly increasing in popularity. Everyone has photographs and bits and pieces of their lives that they would like to preserve. Scrapbooking is an excellent way to do this. You will not have to look far to pinpoint which parts of your life you would like to preserve in a scrapbook. Many people begin their scrapbooking by chronicling their wedding day photos and small mementos such as wedding invitations, guest's lists, and perhaps dried flowers.

Possible scrapbooking themes do not end with weddings. The birth of a child is a time that is precious to all parents. Scrapbooking ideas for a new baby include baby shower photos and invitations, ultrasound pictures, and perhaps even ribbons and balloons. Any items of sentimental value can easily be incorporated into your scrapbook. Most parents like to continue this theme with scrapbooks that follow the growth and development of their child.

Another excellent topic for a scrapbook would be an activity or club that a person cherishes. Sports and similar activities are great ideas for a scrapbook. A collection of team photos, rosters, and team memorabilia would create a permanent record of these special times in a person's life. You could even consider having team-mates or club members 'autograph' your scrapbook beside team or individual photos.

Family reunions and activities are fantastic themes for scrapbooks. Family photos, amusing happenings or anecdotes, and a schedule of events are great ways to remember the treasured times spent with family. Bringing your scrapbooks to each year's reunion is sure to spark conversation and fond memories. You could even create a scrapbook to be given away to the family member who brings the oldest family photo or as a prize for the oldest or youngest family member present

There are numerous ideas for scrapbooking based on various aspects of your life. Office parties, job promotions, and starting your own business are fun scrapbooking concepts. Work related scrapbooks give you an opportunity to introduce a bit of light-heartedness into what is normally a professional, routine atmosphere. Caricatures of staff members, business cards, photos, and humorous quotes from co-workers are excellent ideas for a work related scrapbook. Your co-workers will surely be impressed and appreciate your efforts.

The possible themes for scrapbooks based on your life are almost endless. The only requirement for scrapbooking is that you base them on the people and activities that are important in your life. Over time, your scrapbooks can become an important tradition to you and your family. Scrapbooks can invoke laughter, tears, and most importantly, create quality time spent with your friends and family reminiscing about the precious moments in your lives.

So, go ahead, call all your near and dear ones for a reunion of the scrapbooks that you have made and cherish the good old memories.

A Scrapbooking Reunion – 4 Occasions To Make Your Kid Feel Special… is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

Combining Music & Art

Part of providing the right environment for encouraging creativity is by joining your child in exploring the fun of arts and crafts for kids. One activity is to take a sketchbook and some oil pastels (they produce better results than crayons) and turn up some great music. If you love classical music, that's a good choice. However, any type of music will work as long as you feel it's appropriate for your child. Now using these arts and crafts for kids create a picture of using the music as an inspiration. When the song is over, compare your efforts and talk about the types of emotions you both felt from the same song.

You can repeat the activity with different types of music and compare those results, too.

Cloud Inspiration

We all know that some people can see shapes and designs in clouds, right? Well, practice with your child for a few days and get in the habit of talking about the shapes you see in the sky. Then take your trusty arts and crafts for kids outside, including colored pencils or paints and some paper, and each of you should draw something you see in the clouds. Don't talk about what you're creating on the paper until you're both finished.

Magazine Story

If you want to encourage both your child's artistic skills and writing ability, gather some old magazines and start clipping out pictures together. Then bring in the arts and crafts for kids. Let your child glue some of the cutouts into his or her sketchbook. Then using colored pencils write a story to go along with the images. The story can be written right on the page or can be type of up neatly, printed off, and glued in as well. By combining both of these elements, along with the arts and crafts for kids, you'll be challenging your child to definitely think outside the proverbial box and come up with something truly unique. Then you can share your stories with one another.

The Story of the Day

If the two of you aren't together during the day, take about 15 minutes each night before dinner to recreate some of the highlights of your days using arts and crafts for kids. Then you can share them and talk about them over dinner. This can be a great way to work out any stress or negativity either of you are feeling if you've had a bad day. It's very therapeutic no matter what age you are.

Arts And Crafts For Kids And Other Creative Exercises is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

Hourglass Quilting Block – Beginner Block Quilting Series is a post from: Watthamai Crafts

The printer is a wonderful invention. Over time it has just kept getting better. Thanks to special printer paper one can now print their own t-shirt designs at home. Most department stores carry t-shirt paper. Simply select the picture you want to put on it, print it out on the special paper then iron it on to your t-shirt. It works exceptionally well and papers can be purchased for light and dark t-shirts. This is a good craft for any age group. Design your own unique t-shirt print that no one else will ever have. It can also be a great gift item.

Similar to the t-shirt idea, there are also great types of sticker paper that one can use in the printer. Try making your own stickers or print out your favourite pictures in a sticker format. Those who collect stickers and keep a scrapbook album of them might especially enjoy this type of craft. Stickers can be a lot of fun and this craft would be perfect for adding in to a kid's birthday party. Everyone gets their own stickers that they can take home.

Statues may not be something we all are inclined to make. However, you can buy statues already made but not painted. This leaves the hand painting of the piece up to you. There is no better way to have something original like a scaled dragon or howling wolf done exactly how you want it. The best part is that when you are finished you have a wonderful décor piece to place within your home. Don't hesitate to give these as gifts. Anyone that receives one will be impressed with your handy work.

Even a basic object like a mirror can be the ultimate craft item. There is no end to the ways you can decorate a mirror. Create a border using feathers or even something like iron. Use lettering to spell your name or initials along the bottom. In just a few minutes a regular mirror can be doubled in value simply because you added some accents on to it. This works just as well with candelabra and candle holders.

A touch of design can add a whole new look to something that's just been sitting around the house. Go beyond the regular and the boring.

Crazy Fun Crafts is a post from: Watthamai Crafts