Classic Fashion Jewelery- Perfect Valentine's Day Gift

Artists love anything that represents beauty. In fact all of us love beauty but artists can appreciate beauty in unique manners. They'll appreciate any abstract art or antiques in the perfect way just as intended by the maker of that art. But Art lovers too live in this contemporary world only. They have to interact with people who might be loving and understanding art. It might so happen that whom the artists happen to love are not so much of art lovers. When it comes to giving gifts to our loved ones, who else then artists can choose the perfect beautiful gift. However, sometimes, you might have to pick up gifts that follow contemporary trends. With Valentines day approaching fast, it will be good to review what all gifts can you offer. And what else is more liked by anyone than fashion jewelery!


Heart shaped jewelery is always the perfect gift for any woman on Valentine's Day. Any heart shaped jewelery - rings, pendants, earrings- anything hearty will do. Just pay attention to the quality of design and workmanship of the piece. Dangles too are a good choice. You can choose cupid dangles to make it a valentine's special. Whether contemporary or vintage, will be decided by the taste of the receiver. If you don't have any idea about that, just peep once into her jewelery box and you'll sure get to know. Vintage jewelery, in fact, is very popular these days. Charms and charm bracelets are hot favorites too. Lovely heart pin and romantic brooch are classy too. Now thinking- whether silver, platinum, or yellow gold? Once again look into her jewelery box!

And for those ladies who are thinking all the night long, what's the perfect valentines gift for her man then remember cuff links are the perfect and 'never out of fashion' gift for him. You can even choose from among bar clip or a silver pendant necklace. If he is a guy who loves trendy items then a leather & silver cuff bangle bracelet will also be a good valentine's day gift. If you want to make your gift very very personal then you can present him an engraved ring with both of your names shining in the inner part of the ring.

Any gift that comes from heart is a lovable gift anyway. So, just follow your heart and select that special gift for the special someone!

CPSIA Impact on Hand Made Toys – The Action Plan

Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is going to be effective on Feb 10 and everyone's talking about it. Its more than possible that many small time crafts persons can come close to shutting down their businesses. It's true for all- those making kids garments, kids quilts, toys, even soft toys- anyone involved in making any thing for children below 12 years of age, no matter what their scale of operation is. You can be a 'stay home mama' making kids party costumes, a hobby crafter making 'one-of-a-kind' pieces, or owning a small studio for making stuffed toys- you have to comply with CPSIA and get your product tested for lead and phthalates contents by a third party even if the costs are more than your earnings. It would seem wise to close down shops than to get the products tested! So what can you do?

Reach out to the CPSC, your elected representatives, and the key members of the Committee On Energy and Commerce. The Committee On Energy and Commerce is the congressional committee that sponsored the CPSIA. They can call a hearing to delay, amend, or repeal CPSIA. Until January 30th, 2009, CPSC is taking public comments on Section 102 of the CPSIA.

The most comprehensive source for information and action for those who are in toys industry, is the website of the Handmade Toy Alliance. You can sign up for their newsletter or join their Google group.

Blog about CPSIA. Reach the media. Write a short note on what CPSIA could mean for small businesses. Include relevant press article and begin with any personal press contacts, if any. Use Social Media to let your voice heard.

Art Nouveau – The Antique Jewelry Unraveled

Those who desperately love antique jewelery, are not new to 'Art Nouveau Jewelry'. However, the one who has just started to fall in love with antiques might be willing to know the journey of this elegant style of Jewelry. There might be some collectors too, of Art Nouveau Jewelry, who have many exclusive pieces to their credit but might wonder why there's difference in each of them. So, here's the Art Nouveau Jewelry unraveled for all who are in love with it.


The Rise of Art Nouveau Jewelry

Art Nouveau literally means 'new art'. It is a complex and innovative European artistic and design style
which saw its growth in the Victorian era roughly between 1890 and 1910. The term 'Art Nouveau' is derived from 'La Maison de l'Art Nouveau', a shop owned by a dealer Siegfried Bing in Paris. Not only jewelery, it found expression in a wide range of art forms including architecture, interior design, furniture, posters, glass, pottery, textiles, and book illustration. With the beginning of industrial age and jewelery being mass produced, this style grew for bringing originality and beauty back to jewelry. Characterized by curves, undulating lines, brilliant colors, natural themes and delicate detail, it is akin more to art than traditional jewelry. René Lalique, the French jeweler and glassmaker, was one of the leading exponent of Art Nouveau along with Louis Comfort Tiffany, the artist who worked with glass.
Lalique diverted the historical styles to base his designs on plant, bird, and insect forms and used enamel, ivory, glass, and horn as well as semiprecious stones and gems. He placed importance on design rather than on the intrinsic value of materials.

Britain and Art Nouveau

The jewelery made in Britain was pretty much different from those made in France as the decorative motifs featured here, were still primeval figures and floral tributes combined with interlace patterns of Celtic origin. These jewelery pieces were made in finely crafted silver enriched with polished stones and enamels. They were anything form belt, waist buckles, clasps, to hatpins and pendants. Most of the designers' work drew inspiration from religious iconography of the Renaissance, from Medieval and Scandinavian folk art. Some of the designers who influenced Art Nouveau here included Archibald Knox, Oliver Baker, Jessie King, Kate Fischer, John Paul Cooper, Sybil Dunlop, Arthur and Georgina Gasken, Henry Wilson, Harold Stabler and Omar Ramsden.

Art Nouveau in America

Up till the first few years of the 20th century, most of the American jewelry was imported from Europe. The first large-scale production began when corporations such as Gorham of Rhode Island, and Krementz of New Jersey began to manufacture Gallic imitations. Tiffany and Co. became the most outstanding & prestigious jewelry establishment when in 1902, Louis Comfort Tiffany opened an art jewelry department, which concentrated on Byzantine and Oriental kind of jewelery pieces that were also popular in England.Tiffany began experimenting with new combinations of colors and materials and was the first to make jewelry out of lava glass. Another artist, Madeline Yale Wynn, explored the artistic nature of different non-precious metals such as copper, pebbles and rock crystals, rather than the more used precious and semi-precious metals and stones.

Blue Pottery- Delight of Pottery Artists and Collectors

Pottery as a vocation had been there for ages. Pottery as an art had been recognized a little later. Only the artists and the pottery collectors can tell what they feel about this art. Among many techniques of making pottery, one that is much popular among the art connoisseurs is that of Blue Pottery. With the increasing demand, the Blue Pottery manufacturers produce it commercially though the importance of craftsmen remains. They regularly experiment with it to create new colors and items that can well adjust with the modern urban lifestyles all over the world. And thus, Blue Pottery nowadays, are not only blue but comes in a wide range of colors. In fact, going by prescribed definition of pottery, blue pottery can not even be called pottery as the basic raw material used in its making is not clay!


How Blue Pottery is Made

Though considered Turko-Persian in origin, Blue Pottery is widely recognized as a traditional craft of Jaipur, the pink city of India. For making a Blue Pottery, quartz, green glass, a variety of salty powders, borax gum and a form of soil known as Fuller's earth are grounded and sieved through a wire mesh. It is then mixed with water to make a dough-like paste which is pressed on to molds. The paste may or may not be put on the potter's wheel for making it smooth. The items, thus given shape, are hand painted with metallic oxides then dipped into a glaze of glass, borax, and lead oxide. Most of the artists prefer conventional floral or arabesque patterns to be painted on Blue Pottery. These items are then baked in fire in which process, glass melts, but the quartz remains. After baking, the metallic oxides turn into bright colors- Cobalt oxide becomes a deep blue, Chromium oxide becomes green and so on. The interesting fact here is that the artist doesn't know if the finished product will have the exact intended shade. The sad part is that after putting so much efforts, if the finished product doesn't turn out to be satisfactory, it has to be disposed off. A blue pottery can never be reworked.

Caring For Blue Pottery

A range of items, mainly decorative such as ashtrays, vases, coasters, small bowls and boxes for trinkets and even jewelery are made through blue pottery. Blue Pottery items are not water tight and so they are very fragile. As such care has to be taken while collecting or using them. They are prone to cracks and splits with slightest stroke. If using blue pottery vases for decorating fresh flowers then insert plastic in them to prevent any damage. Blue Pottery should always be cleaned with damp cloth. Commercial cleaners should never be used for the purpose.

Tips For Buying Wooden Furniture

Although a variety of metals and other materials are used these days for making furniture, yet the good old wooden furniture have no comparison. Whether New, Used, or Antique, wooden furniture lend a sheer elegance to our homes. They can be hand carved and made by expert craftsmen or mass produced by wooden furniture manufacturers. In any case, they have their own beauty and utility. However, for getting that perfect look, certain points have to be kept in mind while buying wooden furniture.

Wood Construction: The durability of furniture depends on quality of wood. Solid Wood, Veneers or Particle boards, all are used for making wooden furniture these days. Solid board, either softwood or hardwood lumber, is better than any other boards. Solid boards are glued together side by side along the edges and often a number of boards are used to make the wood mores table. Identify solid board by following a seam to the end where there is the "end" grain. Many veneers are glued over the edges to look like solid wood, but they are always faced on the end and show no end grain. Sometimes, artificial veneers are overlaid on plywood or particleboard. A plywood core is lighter and less expensive but it can swell if it gets wet. When damaged, particleboard often fractures because the material is so hard that it cannot absorb a shock.

Furniture Color: Old painted furniture can always be stripped down and polished or repainted, so don't be much bothered by layers of paint or varnish which does not fit your decor. However, ask for what finish has been used because factory finishes are often difficult to change. Furthermore, naturally dark wood can't be lightened. If you want to lighten the wood of old furniture later, find a portion, most probably on the back or inside of the furniture, which is exposed and has not been varnished or finished. Rub across the wood with a slightly wet finger. This will tell you the color the wood will be when varnished with as natural stain.

Joints and Other Tit Bits: Check the wood to see that it is not cracked or split. Also look for splits in the joints. When the furniture is placed in a centrally heated room, these joints will eventually come apart as the wood shrinks. Ensure that the back panel of wood furniture is nailed and screwed, not just stapled and whether the hinges are solid, secure, and strong enough to support the weight of the door, if any. For larger items like dressers, even screws, nails and glues fail sometimes. So look for traditional mortise and tenon joints in them. Knobs and pulls should feel substantial. Check for levelers on the bottoms of large pieces of furniture. Chairs may wobble, so try to see how easily they stand on all four legs.

Drawer Construction: A smooth drawer is a good indication of overall furniture quality. Never go for drawers without guides as it can make the drawer bind when it is opened and closed. Roller guides and center-mounted metal guides> usually have built-in drawer stops. Many drawers have glue-blocks to strengthen the bottom. Doweled and dovetailed drawer joints represent a high degree of craftsmanship. However, present day machine technology, good bonding glue and pneumatically driven staples coated with resin are also low cost options that too provide durability. Old and badly stored chests of drawers may be damaged by dampness which leads to swelling and the drawers do not open and close easily. Carefully check the drawers to see if they are beyond repair otherwise beeswax might help drawers to slide.

Antique Furniture: Extra care has to be taken when antique furniture is bought. For ensuring you are buying real antiques and not mere a reproduction, seek advice from an antiques expert. Always make sure that what you are buying will fit into the doors of your home. Often large antique items were made for specific locations on special orders. Look for any boreholes and active woodworm. Fresh woodworm can be detected by tapping the wood. Dust coming out from the holes indicate active woodworm. it is important to treat the wood, but more important is to see if the damage to the wood will affect the stability and structure of the furniture. If also there are no active woodworm, treatment should be done as a precautionary measure.

Dinnerware- The Present Trends

Art is what gives satisfaction to our sensibility and it truly knows no boundaries. Art has come down to our tables in the form of exclusive and artistic dinnerware. Dinnerware embodies in itself art, history, and industry. As an art, it is conceived and given shape, color, pattern and design by the artist and then is manufactured by dinnerware industry in such a manner that it doesn't lose its functionality and can be used for intended purpose over a period of years, and even centuries, thus creating history. In fact, decorative art is strongly reflected in the history of dinnerware. Whether it be cubist or impressionistic, classical or deco, Mediterranean or Oriental, decorative dinnerware has always been there in a wide variety of range as an everyday item and also as a collectible.

Present Trends of Dinnerware

During its journey, dinnerware has been through many changes. The present trends of dinnerware can only tell whether the artistic inclination remains in it even today or not.

Vibrant Colors and Patterns:

Dinnerware in bright oranges, yellows, gold metallics and blues are giving warmth and life to the subdued background of homes. Ethnic prints including Native American patterns, African motifs and Asian batiks truly stand apart against the vibrant color scheme.

Browns and Blacks:

It's true that white will never lose its place but for a while, browns and blacks are in limelight. Brown with all its shades, from dusky to coffee and even dark chocolate, are in great demand. These colors are even contrasted with colors like yellow, blue and green to bring dramatic effects. Black is also there to shine with pride. Contrasted mainly with whites and sometimes with golden shades, black is here to stay.

Eco Dinnerware: The passion for clean environment has led to recycled dinnerware which is fast catching up with the masses. Apart from being made from recycled products, these items reflect shades of green- jades and olives- along with attractive patterns representing nature in form of leaves and other foliage etc.

Fancy Grapics: Odd, unconventional, peculiar and even hand drawn whimsical and abstract graphics are gaining unimaginable popularity. They are, all the more, adding interest to our tables.

Irregular Shapes: Any shape other than round is in. Although the standard round plates and bowls can never vanish but the shapes like star, squares, geometric shapes, organic shapes are fast making ways into hotels, restaurants, home kitchens and dining tables. Appetizers are now served on rectangular plates, and entrees in oversize bowls. Even colors of dishes are considered while finalizing dessert plates, such as a plate with rose-colored outer edge and gold trim for creme brulee!

Are you now thinking whether we really eat with our eyes first? Yes, of course!

Leather Craft – An Introduction

Leather with its royal feel and looks attract everyone. Leather art works are priced possessions and making them with own hands can be quite adventurous for art lovers. Not only art works, leather craft can also create everyday items with the help of leather art supplies. These items can be anything from bags, wallets, purses, belts, caps to clocks, show pieces etc. The list can go on, the only requirement is to let loose your imagination.

The processes given here are only introduction to the basics of leather craft which can be done by anyone with some basic tools that are included in leather craft kits available in leather stores, e-commerce sites, etc. To thoroughly learn the leather craft skill, one will have to attend classes meant for the purpose, often organized by leather stores. There are many leather clubs, guilds and associations too, for spreading the art of leather craft.

Stamping: For providing distinct imprints to leather,stamping is done with the help of stamps that come in different shapes and sizes. Leather is dampened with water through wet sponge. It is wet enough when the leather becomes dark and is cold when touched. Wetting makes the leather soft for easier impression. The stamp is placed on the leather and with the help of mallet, it is stroked so that the design gets imprinted on leather. The stamped leather is then dyed.

Sculpting: Leather sculpting is also very popular technique for giving various shapes to leather. Sculpting is done on slightly wet leather. If it dries, it become tough to give shape to it. If, somehow, the work has to be left unfinished then the leather is placed in fridge inside a ziplock bag and to restart the work it is brought to the room temperature. If the edges start drying then little water is dabbed with the help of wet fingers

Carving: To make three dimensional designs, leather is carved out with the the help of such tools as beveler, swivel knife, seeder, pear shader etc. A wide variety of patterns are commercially available to make the task easier.

Dyeing: Colors can be made for dyeing leather or the premixed leather dyes can be brought from hobby shops or leather stores. Generally, dyes mixed with alcohol or spirits are used so that leather can absorb it quickly and the color stays on it. Antiquing stains, highlighters, oils or shoe polish can be used to define certain portions more elaborately.

Painting: Before painting is done, a thin coat of gesso is applied for better painting surface. It makes the leather white and seals out moisture so that the leather doesn't lose its shape while painting. Professional quality artists acrylics are best for painting leather. First few coats are thin coats, basically washes, and later coats can be applied by drybrushing, depending upon the effect that is desired. Unlike dyeing, the paint doesn't get absorbed into leather and therefore care has to be taken not to bend or twist the leather otherwise the paint can crack or flake off. After painting, matte acrylic varnish can be applied to the surface for getting rid of too shiny appearance.

Antiquing- The Art Of Antique Appearance

Many art lovers like to possess antique items. Whether it be antique furniture or antique jewelery, there are many takers for them. However, antiques have their own range of prices, which is obvious, looking at their timeless beauty. So, what should they do who love antiques but can't afford to pay for them? Someone has rightly said, Where there's will, there's a way! The antique lovers have found out the art of antiquing for satisfying their craving for antiques.

Antiquing
Antiquing involves a variety of methods used to produce an appearance of age and wear. It can be applied to a number of surfaces and materials, including wood, glass, metal, plastic, paint, etc. Some of these methods use glazes that allow colors to blend into crevices so as to give an antique appearance. The antiquing process usually involves numerous steps to obtain the proper finish. Antiquing, as an art form, is also taught within some art programs, sometimes associated with jewelry, metals or furniture design programs.

Give Furniture an Antique Look
If you want to have antique furniture, try antiquing your old furniture yourself. Here are some tips to do the same

• Sand and clean the intended furniture thoroughly. Remove heavy grime with a wire brush and with the help of a barely damp cloth, remove the sanding dust.
• Paint the furniture with a light-colored base coat such as beige, yellow or cream to start with.
• After the base coat dries completely, apply a second coat of paint with colors such as burnt umber, sienna or olive.
• Wipe away the second coat of paint before it dries, with a rag. Be careful to leave some of the darker finish in the corners & cracks.
• Lastly allow the furniture to dry completely. And here's your antique piece of furniture!

Tips to Decorate with Bedsheets

Are you a person who strive to get artistic touch to everything? Do you find yourself bored with your present home furnishings? Are you trying to get rid of that old bed sheet but can't do it as it is not so old? Have you bought bedsheets that don't interest you enough to use on your bed now? Do you want something beautiful and inexpensive too? If even one of these questions generate a 'yes' as an answer then this is where you'll find creative ways to use your bedsheets.


Pillows and Cushions: Use bedsheets to make covers for pillows and cushions of shapes that interest you- rectangle, square, heart shape or round. What all you want is pillow forms, scissors, threads, and needle or you can simply get stitching kits including all the required items and make that exquisite pillow cover. You can even use ribbons, laces, beads, sequins etc. to embellish these covers to your entire satisfaction.

Curtains: Use your bedsheets to make curtains of various styles- swags, valence, paneled curtains or cafe curtains. If you are comfortable with sewing, make it yourself and if not, then get some professional help or you can manage to learn it from net about how to make curtains.

Quilts: They are simply adorable- the colorful quilts. You can use a number of sheets for making interesting patterns. Use embroidery, appliqués or beads to embellish the quilts and you'll amazed to know how you don't recognize your bedsheets now!

Round Table Covers: Do you have a round table, and not getting the right sized table cover? Use your bed sheet to cut a circle from it, wide enough to cover the table down to the floor, sew the hemline and here is your round table cover ready for your use!

Mats: Have you bought mats made of rubber or coir but now you don't like their feel. Just cover them up with bedsheets and colorful, soft mats are ready for use. You can permanently sew them up with the mats or temporary arrangements, like attaching with the help of Velcros, can also be made.

These were only few of ideas that can be applied for using new bedsheets to decorate as well as reusing them for required purposes. Let your imagination do rounds to find out more interesting ways to use those bedsheets!