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2009
Crafty Cheats and Tips!
by Clare
by Caroline
Here a few crafty cheats and tips – little ways to help save you money…
If you have any tips you would like to pass on then please let us know!!
- To set chalk, flock or glitter on your papercrafts, use a cheap value hairspray. Its acts as a fixative and the cheaper the better as it won’t contain any conditioners which might ruin your paper.
- Anyone got any cheap paper fasteners from stationers? Paint over the tops with a nail varnish of your choice to match with your projects. They very often have a nice big domed head so you could be more adventurous and try sticking beads or crystals on the top to create a coordinated project. Or dip them in embossing ink, then your powder and heat.
- Do you use a little tray with your embossing powders? To stop the powder from sticking dust with talc before use.
- Cheap eyeshadow makes a great alternative for craft chalks. Also anything made of talc and mica that looks powdery and shimmery can be used like powdered pearls and cost you a fraction of the price. Check out your local £1 shop!
- Make your own glue dots – from your local DIY shop get some 100% silicone. Place some dots onto wax paper and let them sit for a day or two. You now have glue dots!
- Reuse your empty tomatoe puree tubes. Cut off the bottom and top and cut along the side, wash clean and then flatten out. You now have a lovely pliable piece of metal ideal for embossing.
| Posted in Tips & Tricks |
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I use cheap eye shadow as chalk but haven’t heard of any of the others
Thanks for sharing Caroline
Great tips, thanks!
Might have to get my heat gun out and start glittering some split pins, (I have loads here somewhere) thanks for the ideas.
I have also found in the cheap pound shops Nail decoration kits are very good, tiny sparkly bits and sometimes really fine glitter.
Plastic canvas makes a great guide for piercing or dots (either sheets for doing straight lines or things like circles for shapes) and is way cheaper than something like the Tim Holtz design ruler.
Clear hot melt glue can be used to make “dew drops” – just form dots on a craft mat or non-stick foil and leave to dry. You can colour with Copics or alcohol inks if you want or dab pearlised nail varnish on them to make faux pearls.
Drinks cans also make a good source of metal – you can iron it to flatten the curve of the can. Put a sheet of paper behind it if you’re going to emboss it in the Cuttlebug folders otherwise it tends to split along the embossed lines.
ooo there are some brilliant ideas here, thank you! My head has gone blank now but will think of one or two to add I hope X
They are all great ideas..x I like the idea of colouring paper fastners. I’ve just cut open & washed out an empty tom puree tube & the colours are gorgeous. Can’t wait to have a play..xx
Fab tips – Here are a few of mine:- At the bottom of the packets of recordable cd/dvds are always blanks… great for altering also, make your own stamps – use cheap foam and run thro’ your die cutting machine, use with paints or ink pads – great for backgrounds…xx
Some fab ideas to try, I already heat emboss some large paper fasteners I rescued when an office I worked in went paperless – I have loads – also look great with alcohol inks.
Will definately try the drink can or tom puree tube for embossing tho.
Thanks for the great tips xx
Some great ideas here. Thanks for sharing! I have a whole heap of old eye shadow and nail varnish that could be used.
Hi, great tips! I’m new to craft and this site but find it really relaxing and it’s great to know there are some cheap alternatives!
Will definitely try out some of these tips, there are some great ideas here. Just wondering if the eye shadows contain oils or grease – wouldn’t that run out in the long term to stain my card on the back side? I wonder if anyone has made a long term test?