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CRAFTS |
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PAINTING FURNITURE The fastest was to redecorate is to paint. Try this with some old or unfinished furniture-paint it with the left over wall color. It matches the wall and will make the room look larger. Using the matching color, paint shelves, table, or chest of drawers. When it is placed near the wall it blends in and disappears. The room looks cleaner and larger. The furniture almost looks built-in. The kitchen is a good place for this as many things in it can make the room look full and choppy. I did this in my farmhouse-style kitchen as the accessories make it look full. The shelf unit and small table in one corner were painted the wall color and now have disappeared. It also uses up the last of the wall color which would only be needed for touchups later. |
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LINENS I love beautiful and refined things. Exquisite dining rooms top my list with table linens foremost. Embroidered table linens can be found in antique shops for a price. New ones can be made on a sewing machine without using an expensive array of controls. I’ve embroidered on the sewing machine using just the stitch width control and the buttonhole setting. Sketching the script first on regular copy paper, pinning it on the item, and then going over this on the machine is one way to do this. The other way is to use dressmaker’s chalk or the pens that disappear and marking the fabric itself (my choice). Then practicing the embroidered initials on scrap fabric until I get the right movements, I finish by doing the item itself. Pockets on clothing, robes, etc. can be done before the pocket is attached to the item. The finest way is to do the embroidery by hand but his takes much time in today’s busy world. |
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COMPUTER ART |
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USING THE COMPUTER FOR CRAFTS One reason that I got my first computer-a laptop-was to do computer art. With that and a printer, I set out to do many things. I can create text, for example, for embroidery designs, that I previously did by hand, to use on linens and fabrics. Other uses for computer art are added in the crafts section here all the time so check back often. We have CD-ROMs available for using artwork on the computer with many types of designs. |
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Making Memories-Graduations Memories of graduations include a party or dinner for the celebration. Making an album of all the many pictures of that day is a great way to save memories. Another way is to frame the tassel and program. Here’s an idea: In the many antique and collectible shops there are old cards and even old certificates. Using some of these as a background, the graduate’s program and tassel can be mounted on top. A shadow box frame holds all the memories along with a few special objects. This is a great way to pass on a memory to the next generation for any occasion. |
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