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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Personalized bookmarks..

Dussera vacation has begun and I have a huge stack of books to read! Picture of a cute donkey is an inspiration for this project. I decided to make a magnetic bookmark using the picture and some old magnets I still had on my refrigerator so the project was completely free. Definitely my kind of project!
Supplies you will need:
Picture, Magnet sheet, Scissors, Glue, Card stock

Directions:
Cut the plain card in to a thin long strip. Fold it into half.
Cut out and adhere the picture to one half of the card. Then cut 2 strips of magnets and glue it to the card as shown in the picture.
Fold over and admire your fabulous new bookmark. I love how the magnets keep the book mark in place.
So easy to make! I can't wait to make them as gifts.

You can even customize these bookmarks by using pictures of your friends and family.
Enjoy making some fun personalized bookmarks!
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! If you tried making these bookmarks then click some bright pictures and send them to me at artchitrasutra@gmail.com. I like kind comments too. Please feel free to drop a note! :) Thanks for stopping by!



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Note: Images that are not watermarked are collected from various sources on web.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Sketching with Color Pencils..

This tutorial is written for the beginning to intermediate colored pencil artist.
1.Transferring the picture
Okay, you've got your pencils sharp and ready to go. Now how do you get the picture on that cool surface you picked out?
I always use the graph method. With the graph method, you either draw a graph on the original or use a graph lined acetate cover on the original. Then draw a faint set of lines on your surface, drawing each section of graph to match the section of the original. This is a another great method to use if you need to enlarge your sketch. Just change the size of one set of grids.
2. Put base colors in
After tranferring the picture onto the surface, color your sketch with light layer of appropriate colors.

3. Develop colors, highlights and shadows
Start blending the colors and add some greys in shadows and heavy white in highlights.
4. Blend, add more colors, subtract colors as necessary
Now add another layer of colors. Darken the colors and add the rest of white tones and complementary shadows. Work on punching up the contrasts.

5. Finishing touches
Use an eraser to remove unwanted lines or marks and make your sketch more smoother and the colors more subtle.
There you go! Any questions?? Then please write to me at artchitrasutra@gmail.com. Please feel free to drop a note! :) Thanks for stopping by!
Linking this post to The weekly story 50

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Crafturday Creative Mess 5 - Rock star!!

Today in Crafturday Creative Mess, I am featuring one of my favourite bloggers Gail Jacobson. I love reading Gail’s site “Cant stop making things “. It contains instructions to make crafts that don't require special skills or expensive materials yet result in professional looking items that you can use or proudly give as gifts.
In this episode of C.C.M gail teaches us how to transform a simple plain rock into a beautiful gift.
Supplies you will need:
1.Smooth rock
2.Foiling pen (gold leafing or rubber stamp department of Michael's)
3.Silver embossing powder
4.Stazon black ink

Tools:
1.Heat gun
2.Small alphabet rubber stamps

Instructions:
Draw a star on the rock with the foiling pen. Let it dry until clear (about 5 minutes).
Place the rock on a piece of copy paper and cover the star with silver embossing powder. Turn the rock over and tap it lightly to let the excess powder fall onto the paper. Use a small paint brush to remove any stray bits of powder. Fold the paper slightly and pour the excess powder into its container. Replace the lid (important - you don't want to accidentally melt all the powder in the container). Heat the star with the heat gun until the powder melts and the lines get shiny.

Stamp "You Are A" on the rock.

Now that you (hopefully) read one of Gail’s cool posts and learned to love her as much as I do, would you like to connect with her? If yes then please visit www.cantstopmakinthings.com

You have to subscribe, it is more than great. It is fun, refreshing and a must see. Gail adds a new post each week. All the instruction and downloads are completely free. Enjoy!
I would love to hear if you have visited Gail’s website.

Final shot
You can now get Chitrasutra’s updates delivered straight to your inbox. Hope you will use this cool opportunity to stay connected with me.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! If you tried making these then click some bright pictures of your rocks and send them to me at artchitrasutra@gmail.com. I like kind comments too. Please feel free to drop a note! :) Thanks for stopping by!
Linking it to The weekly story 50

Images: Cant stop making things

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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Eco friendly cane furniture....


These days everybody is conscious about the harmful impacts of artificial things. Everybody is trying to go green and use eco friendly products that are widely available at present. Furniture is no exception. If you really want your home to be eco friendly you can go for wooden furniture, cane furniture etc. Furniture manufacturers can offer you a number of options. Going for eco friendly furniture has got other benefits as well. They are available at a reasonable price. Moreover they can give your home countryside feel. You don’t need to compromise your sense of style and aesthetic beauty. These days it is possible to go trendy with eco friendly furniture.

Cane furniture, also known as rattan or wicker furniture, is known for its strength and durability. Cane as a raw material, is very tough and resistant to damage and it is impossible to work with cane when it is in its raw, unprocessed form. It needs to be treated with heat so that it is soft enough to give the desired shapes.

Wicker style furniture  is commonly used as patio, garden or indoor furniture around the world. Most furniture designed in the wicker style is made of natural wood or fiber pieces that are woven together. A popular type of wicker style furniture is constructed from rattan.

It is also easy to find small and large tables in the wicker furniture line of products, they will often be glass topped. Wicker furniture can often be purchased as an unfinished product or a finished one. You can purchase an unfinished wooden piece and choose to paint or stain it the color you want to have. Traditionally, the finished pieces are found in white, natural look and black, although there have been more garden colors incorporated into the synthetic patio wicker furniture such as green and brown. Wicker is also used as indoor furniture in bedrooms as an accessory chair or in four season rooms as complete sets.

With today’s focus on being environmentally friendly and using renewable resources, we think wicker furniture deserves is place in the sun once again. Wicker has a rich history, and has had a significant influence on modern furniture design.

Rattan, the material used in making wicker furniture, is harvested mainly in Indonesia, and is a fast growing, renewable crop. Although an arduous task to harvest it, Rattan makes a viable alternative for local industry instead of logging tropical woods in their rain forests.

The process of creating wicker furniture is labour intensive and time consuming. The canes must be heated and curved over a bending iron to make them malleable enough to weave. Once the frame has been set, the canes are woven to create a chair – a process that can take up to 14 hours. The time put into creating each chair is often shown in a higher market value.

Regular Cleaning and Maintenance
Regular cleaning of cane furniture is essential for lasting durability. The key idea is to be gentle. You can use a small amount of detergent or oil soap, then dunk a soft-bristled brush into the solution and carefully brush it over the piece. Be careful not to soak the cane. If the surrounding wood gets wet in the process, wipe it dry with a soft cloth. The chair should then be dried off with a soft cotton cloth. If a cane piece is very dirty or dusty, vacuum it first, then clean with a brush. While you are cleaning, check over the piece for any breaks or loose pieces; if they are minor, you can repair them with wood glue. After cleaning, allow cane furniture to dry completely before using.

Cane can withstand moisture to a certain extent, but will become limp, loose and saggy with too much water. The best thing is that cane will resume its size and shape when it dries, but you should not disturb the strands of wicker reed when they are damp. Otherwise they will dry in the new position they’ve been changed to.

Although there is a glut of cheap knock-off wicker furniture on the market – primarily from Poland and Yugoslavia, if you do your research and keep eyes open for quality you can usually find great deals on lushpad for cane, rattan and wicker and also at consignment stores, garage sales and auctions.









So go on, double up on your environmental karma by buying used furniture that is also made from natural, renewable materials.
I hope you liked the post.If you love cane furniture like I do and if you have cane furniture at your home then please click some bright pictures and send it to me at artchitrasutra@gmail.com!

Note: Images that are not watermarked are collected from various sources on web.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Crafturday Creative Mess 4 - Old newspaper to the rescue!

In gift wrap emergencies when you've got the present but need some wrapping, here's an idea for turning a magazine page or a news paper into gift wrap and a bow. There may be better ways to stick this thing together, but I used what I had on hand: glue. Double stick tape should work, too.


Supplies you will need:
News paper or magazine, Glue, Scissors and finally a gift to wrap :)


Instructions:

1.Cut a magazine page lengthwise into 9 strips, 3/4" wide. Leave 3 of the strips full length. Cut one inch off 3 of the strips. Cut two inches off 2 of the strips. Cut the last strip down to 3 1/2" long.


2.Twist each strip to form a loop at both ends and staple it in the center. Shape the last, short strip into a circle and secure it with a glue dot.


3.Layer the 3 longest pieces on top of each other, spacing them evenly and securing each with a glue dot. Add the next two groups of pieces, doing the same. And finally, stick the loop into the center.


I hope you liked this tutorial...... if yes share this post with your friends. If you have tried making them, then click some bright pictures and send it to me at artchitrasutra@gmail.com and i will put up your pictures on my blog. Please feel free to drop a note! :) Thanks for stopping by!
Linking it to Crafty JC challenge #9: Recycle , Cheerful stamp pad challenge #25-"Let's Reuse", The weekly story: wk 49 and Artsy- Craftsy-September

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Note: Images that are not watermarked are collected from various sources on web.

Friday, September 16, 2011

A thousand sheets give away....

My blogger friend Amy who loves to play with paper is giving away 1000 sheets of paper. Wanna see what 1000 sheets of paper looks like? Take a look-see.....
I really wish to win this give away this time. Do check Amy's blog and you will become a fan of her creations too.


Give away open through Friday, September 23rd

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Recycling Mason Jars...

This is definitely not a new idea but one that has been used in many ways over many years. Decorating with mason jars. Now I understand if you are thinking that decorating with mason jars is old fashion and not very modern but allow me to show you a few ways that you can use these jars to create classic, up to date, beautiful decor.

Mason jars as planters.
Candles + mason jars = PURE BEAUTY! I love the idea of hanging mason jars in a tree. It creates a beautiful, whimsical look.

Simple. Elegant. Romantic.This is such a simple idea with huge impact. Understated beauty!
Or place some freshly cut flowers in these jars
Why not use them as a drinking glass? How cute are these mason jars and straws!
Mason jar lanterns

If you have tried recycling mason jars then click some bright pictures and send it to me at artchitrasutra@gmail.com I like kind comments too. Thanks for stopping by :)
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Fabric flowers made easy!!

Fabric flowers are whimsical accessories that work with everything from flirty summer ensembles to casual, feminine work clothes. A fabric flower brooch can brighten up a tired outfit, and a fabric flower hair tie can give a plain ponytail romantic appeal. You don't have to scour the stores for fabric flower accessories. With a few supplies and an hour or two of effort, you can create one, or several, simple fabric flowers.


Take a polyster satin cloth and cut circles in different sizes.
Light a tea light or votive candle and burn the edges or center of each cut-out circle. Rotate the edge of each circle slowly over the flame to create an open flower with crinkly edges. The speed at which you turn your fabric will depend on how long it takes the edges to begin melting and how much you want the edges to melt; the more they melt, the crinklier the edges will become. Hold the center point of the circle over the flame to create a flower that puckers in the center. When burning the centers or edges of your circles, always hold the back side of the fabric toward the flame.

Layer the burned circles one on top of the other, with the largest at the bottom and the smallest at the top. Hand sew a few stitches through the center of the flower to hold the layers in place.
And your beautiful fabric flower is ready.....

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! If you tried making these fabric flowers then click some bright pictures of your fabric flowers and send them to me at artchitrasutra@gmail.com. I like kind comments too. Please feel free to drop a note! :) Thanks for stopping by!
Note: Images that are not watermarked are collected from various sources on web.