Daruma dolls are representations of the historical Indian priest Bodhidharma, a sage who traveled throughout Japan and China in the 5th or 6th century AD. Bodhidharma is credited with establishing Chan Buddhism in China and Zen Buddhism in Japan. Legend has it that Bodhidharma achieved enlightenment, or satori, following seven years of meditation either in a cave or as he was facing the wall of a room at the Shorinji Temple in China. During this time he moved neither his... Read More
Little is known of the early history of Kokeshi Japanese Wooden Dolls. One school of thought believes that Kokeshi dolls have their origins in the practice of spiritualist religion. Wooden dolls were thought to contain the spiritual essence of the dead and were often made for honorary remembrance.The modern history of Japanese Kokeshi dolls began in the latter part of the Edo Era (1603-1867). Originating in the Tohiku region of northern Japan, famous for it's hot springs and rejuvenating spa... Read More
In today's world, everything that's old can be described as antiques and generally speaking that's quite true. A product is considered to be an antique if it is over a hundred years old or is rare enough to have some value. In other words, these are old items that are in limited supply.An antique is something collectible. It may be a piece of antique furniture that you want to collect to enhance the look of a room, or a piece... Read More
In order to mould leather armor, soak it in water until it becomes pliable and soft. Then place it in the mould until it dries and hardens.Cuir BouilliThe application of heat will make the leather harder. If you were making a cover for a shield, for example, or other pieces of leather amour, the leather would be dipped quickly in boiling water before being moulded. This is called 'cuir bouilli', a process employed in making leather armor.Using vegetable tanned leather... Read More
To think that in the beginning the only sewing patterns used were to measure from ankle to dirt and chop off the animal skin so that it would not drag on the ground. Now you can get sewing patterns for everything from a simple square sewn together to create a throw pillow to an elaborate wedding dress. You can find sewing patterns by the thousands at any fabric or specialty store, and find specialized catalogues, which cater to custom sewing... Read More
Ah, the sweet smell of fresh flowers, herbs and fruit. But what if you don't have room for a flower garden or a fruit tree? What about if you always over or under water your herb garden? What happens when your house just doesn't get a lot of sun? And what about when you try and try but you just don't have that coveted green thumb? Sigh. And even if you could grow that prize winning dahlia, what happens in... Read More
A few years ago I read a statistic that said that genealogy was the second largest hobby in the United States ? second only to gardening. It was no surprise to me as I have been finding and documenting my family tree for almost 30 years. Over that time a lot of people have asked me, "Why genealogy? What do you get out of it?" There are a lot of reasons to find out about your family and I'll cover... Read More
Feel sad, tired, or a little bit stressed? Something as simple as an aromatherapy candle could help you relax and feel happier. But not all scented candles have this effect. Let's find out how to select an aromatherapy candle that can lift your mood.When you burn an aromatherapy candle, it releases small quantities of essential oils. The chemicals penetrate your body and effect your brain in a certain way. Of course an aromatherapy candle can't cure severe depression or anxiety,... Read More
Do you love burning beautiful, scented candles? And do you know that you can easily make them yourself? It is exciting and not at all difficult. Here are 12 easy steps to creating unique candles that you can burn at home, give as gifts, or even sell.Materials for gel candle makingYou will need: gel zinc wicks (cotton wicks can't be used for gel candles because they absorb too much gel) essential oil for fragrance liquid color dye embeds (optional)... Read More
This is where you can really make or break your craft show career. Being able to produce quality crafts as efficiently and affordably as possible is the key to making a tidy profit from craft shows.How Production EvolvesHow you handle production of your craft show items will evolve over time. Initially you may produce all your craft items alone. This will likely be the most cost effective way to start your craft show creations. As your business grows, you may... Read More
Virtually everyone has the knowledge they need to make a fortune. Everyone has an interest, hobby or has knowledge about a particular subject. It could be anything, and I really mean anything! From gardening to model planes, childcare, from dog training to sports, everyone has knowledge that someone else wants. The problem is that most people have no idea how much their knowledge is worth because information online is worth much more today.The internet has become a force to be... Read More
Crafting with young children really isn't about creating something in particular. Most young children don't have the foresight to see what a project is going to be.For young children it's more important that they have the opportunity to play and experiment with art. Kids need to use as many of their senses as possible to get the most out of crafting. This allow them to try new sensory experiences, as well as learn causal relationships.These are my 10 favorite crafts... Read More
According to the dictionary, collage art is an artistic composition made of various materials (as paper, cloth or wood) glued on a surface. The word comes from the French word "coller," meaning to glue or to paste.It really is that simple! You use any materials or found objects that you like and glue them down to create a piece of art. You can call it by other names: montage, assemblage, or decoupage. But it all comes down to the same... Read More
If you want to keep your comic book collection in tiptop shape, comic book supplies will become part of your collecting life. As soon as a magazine is printed there are natural environmental forces going to work to try and destroy the ink and the paper. You have put in a lot of time, effort and enjoyment in acquiring all your comics. You don't want them to turn back to the dust and elements from which they came do you?... Read More
The potential for enjoyment of Bonsai trees is enormous. These are the dwarf-sized trees that have been developed in the Asian countries of China and Japan for many hundreds of years. Most people have to go out to a forest to experience the marvelous plants that we call trees.But in the hands of a master Bonsai creator, the beautiful trees can be reduced in size to the point where they can be brought indoors to be enjoyed at any time.... Read More
Use vegetable-tanned, light-colored top-grained leather for tooling leather. If you're not sure what you have, test the leather's ability to take a pattern by wetting a corner and making lines with different objects like the edge of a coin.When working with a large piece of tooling leather, tape or glue something to the back to prevent the leather from stretching when you are working on it.The first step involves cutting a design into the leather, followed by creating depressions with... Read More
Finding the right product to sell at a craft show is extremely important in finding success on the craft show circuit. You may already have an excellent craft product or line of products you are creating or even selling, or you may be looking for a craft to produce in order to enter the business. In either case, market research is going to help you find a craft show product that you can produce at a low enough cost to... Read More
Stamping is one of the most versatile crafts around because there are so many different options that you can use to enhance even the most basic stamp. When you look at some colored stamped images, you may be overwhelmed by how beautiful they are. Some look like works of art that have been meticulously painted by tiny little brushes. For a beginner, or even intermediate stamper, they make look overwhelming. The truth is however, that coloring stamped images does not... Read More
You may have heard the terms proof coin and un-circulated coin, but what's the difference between these two? To understand the difference between a proof and un-circulated coin, let's first answer the question, "What is an un-circulated coin?"Un-circulated means a coin has not had any wear, such as the wear a coin might experience when it is used in commerce. Handling a coin, as well as improperly storing a coin, can result in wear on the surface of the coin.... Read More
Do you control your stash or does it control you? I have become the master of my stash. When my husband found out that his sock drawer had become yet another place for cross stitch supplies, it was either get it under control or end up in divorce court. Being a stay at home mom of four, I quickly realized that being a single mom would seriously hamper my stash purchasing power and set off to become as organized as... Read More
