By Carol Duvall
No matter how old an idea may be, it is always new to someone. Here are a few crafting tips and suggestions that perhaps will be new to many of you.
- Save those outdated rubber stamp catalog. Many of them will make great coloring books for the children or good design ideas for you. Some, such as Limited Edition, even have project stamps so the youngsters can color first, then cut out and make something!
- Keep all of those rotary blades on a key ring chain then hang it in a convenient spot or put it through a hole in a letter opener or wooden dowel and keep it handy in the container that holds pens and scissors and the like.
- Those small plastic pill containers that have many compartments for different pills for different days of the week also make good containers for many of the really tiny tools you might use in crafting.
- The X-Acto flat blade makes a wonderful scraper for getting rid of mistakes when painting on metal or glass. It can do the job better than the more frequently used #11 pointed blade.
- Wonderfully handy though not always easy to find (check your art supply stores) is Hunt's very tiny-bladed knife. It looks like a pen and the blade is retractable, making it easy to take it with you without worry of cutting something or someone inadvertently.
- The auto supply store can often be a good place to find handy crafting helps. The small metal bristled brushes that resemble suede shoe brushes make good tools for cleaning those too, too tiny paint tube tips that are too small to hold even a straight pin. Pinch a bunch of the wires together with your fingers and push the paint tip up and down on them. One is bound to get into the tip and clean out any leftover paint.
- The auto supply store is also a good place to buy a super strong spray adhesive in case you are in need of one.
- For larger places where you need a double stick tape try double stick carpet tape. It's not only larger but also stronger.
- Again, for something stronger, try OOPS! Painter's Swipes. They are like baby wipes but stronger. This can be helpful if you need to get more than washable paint from your fingers.
RESOURCES :
3M spray adhesive
3M Product Information Center
Website: www.3m.com
OOPS! Painter's Swipes
Available at local hardware shops.
Homax (formerly Rhodes/American)
PO Box 5643
Bellingham, WA 98227
USA
Phone: 360-733-9029
Toll Free Phone: 800-729-9029
E-mail: homax@homaxproducts.com
Website: www.homaxproducts.com
X-Acto craft knives - Hunt
Available at craft, hardware and home improvement stores nationwide.
Hunt Corporation
Toll Free Phone: 800-879-4868
Website: www.hunt-corp.com
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