It’s March!

Celebrate Youth Art Month, National Craft Month and the arrival of Spring!

Crafts

Get Organized, Get Green and Get Crafting

We’re pleased to recognize National Craft Month, “a nationwide consumer awareness program designed to draw attention to crafts and the benefits derived from craft activities.  Celebrated each March by consumers and the industry alike, activities and promotions take place nationally and locally.”

The myriad of craft subjects is intoxicating, but some seem to leap out as timely and interesting.  Organization, in all forms, is a hot topic and one from which nearly all of us can benefit.  Green crafting is a relatively new twist on an old theme but one the industry has wholeheartedly embraced.  And what craft article would be complete without some tiny hint of “how-to”?  We’ll look at some fast, easy and fun egg crafting ideas.

Organization – just the word can make some shudder. But organization is the part of quality crafting that makes the entire process flow smoothly and remain enjoyable.  Start with the mental process of organizing and order.  If you are doing 45 different crafts, try to center on fewer.  This will automatically eliminate tons of clutter.  When you make the selection, box up and label all the items you won’t be using immediately.  Stack them in the attic or an empty closet (yeah, sure).  Now, take a look at what you have left.  Collect and group the items for storage.  Lidded tubs stack neatly in a column and the contents stay clean and ready for use.  Be sure to label the outside for quick and easy identification of the contents if containers are not transparent. 

You might have paints in varying degrees of disuse.  Throw away all that are getting solid, are already hard, have broken caps or are leaking.  Find a location to store good, but not needed tubes that will give them protection from drops, pressure and heat.  You will know they are usable and readily available at any time in the future.

Fiber artists have a huge task of organizing – color, texture, volume, shimmer, etc.  Plastic tubs help here, too.  Shelves allow fabric to be seen for quick selection.  Stackable milk carton-style storage boxes help organize by “family.”  Again, written labels for anything not clearly visible help a lot, no matter what craft material is stored.

While these suggestions may seem obvious, sometimes we just have to see it one more time for it to sink in.  Organization is essential, no matter the craft/art endeavor.

Green crafting is the new term for recycling, but is applied to crafts specifically.  So, for all of us who have, for years, collected little “things” for crafts projects at some later date, you were green and didn’t realize it.  Whether you are a “dumpster diver” or a conscious collector, the use of boxes, tubs, clear zip-top bags, glass jars and such containers will help you to organize.  One of the coolest studios ever had buttons, costume jewelry, ribbons, beads, rhinestones, laces and small artificial flowers displayed in jars that looked like décor but were really a concentrated storage system.  The colors and textures were amazing and every jar, large and small, held a different type of material.  You can use your organization for more than de-cluttering.  It can be a creative statement.  Imagine that!

And, last, one of the joys of childhood might have been egg decorating at Easter.  Many adults still enjoy this, so here are some easy decorating ideas to share.  A favorite for any age is the use of crayons on hard cooked egg shells.  After designing the surface, dip it in the color for great relief color combinations.  You can dip first, let dry, and then draw with crayons and have a color on color tone.  Another way to decorate is with strips of tissue paper.  Simply glue small tabs of pastel or colorful tissue paper over the surface of the cooked eggs.  Any excess glue should be brushed over the outer surface so that there is an even sheen on the paper.  Dry thoroughly and they are ready to hide in dry locations.  Create a “golden” egg with tiny torn pieces of metallic gift wrap.  Have a patriotic theme with red, white and blue – add stars.  Glue on ribbons and lace or apply themed stickers.  There is no limit to the cool looks you can create. 

So visit your retailer for all your craft needs—to see what new products are available, what workshops may be offered and definitely for inspiration!

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 18 No. 4 — March 2008