Needle Arts & Crafts: Granny Squares

I am really into scrap-booking and have the spend a lot of my time making handmade craft items, so I am quite aware of the high prices that the retail art supply stores can charge for supplies. Therefore, I’ll give here a list of my tricks for saving money on supplies while creating unique and artistic items.

• There are a lot of ways you can eventually use that big pile of magazines that has been gathering beneath your bed. I favor cutting out letters in various colors and sizes and putting them together to spell out aphorisms and quotations. Letters can be cut off the cover page, various advertisements and article titles. Mix them all together to establish a nice retro feel.

Another way to find good graphics to include in your collages or scrap books is to search in old magazines. Another good idea is to use for backgrounds in a scrapbook is pages from a fashion spread magazine. They have just a little bit of writing on them, or none at all, and you can count on them to be very thematic. If they do have some writing, you can always cover it up with a picture or other design.

2. A really good idea when scrap-booking is to use Search Engines to find graphics. When I began to put together a scrapbook for my daughter, I searched the internet for phrases like "baby girl" to find appropriate graphics to include. By doing a little searching and looking around I was able to find materials to use and saved a lot.

Using a search engine’s images page can help you find terms that you need for a project that you are working on. You will be able to utilize much of the information in your plans, there will be a lot of data available just print it out and go from there. I’d suggest you only use these graphics for personal purposes though, since some may have copyrights on them. If it is for your own personal use it should not be an issue.

The lack of a printer should not stop you as they are readily available for your use at your local library or school for a small fee. Buying stickers and designs from art supply stores is costlier.

3. Most people do not know that you can make your own glue instead of buying it from the store. Based on the amount of glue required, combine equal parts flour plus water. Until it turns into a pasty substance keep mixing it.

This type of glue should be used right after you make it, as it will go moldy if left out and unused. This must be left to dry totally after it is used; it is very good to use for any kind of paper project.

For a nice touch, add glitter to your glue and use it as paint for decorating items in your scrapbook.

Homemade modeling clay is one type of clay that can be used to make many crafts. Instead of splurging on the stuff at the store, you can make it right in your kitchen with ingredients that you’ve probably already got. Use 1 cup flour, a tablespoon oil, 2 tablespoons cream of tarter, 1/2 cup salt, and 1 cup water. Cook gently for around 3 minutes after mixing all the ingredients in a large pan. Once the mixture is at room temperature, place it in an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Clay will dry out if you fail to seal the container tightly.

E: Supplies are all around you, all you have to do is look around! Paper Plates can be masks with some scissors and markers, A pizza box can be cut up to make a big wall collage, dry pasta can be painted many colors and glued on as a decoration.

You will have unlimited options for creative craft use at home by looking for unique items in closets or drawers. There is more than one use for something you may have saved and have never used.

Take a look at the cool specials on used and new Needle Arts & Crafts: Granny Squares: