Creative Tips
Take your portable OTT-LITE TrueColor lamp with you the next time you go to the craft store to buy supplies for a new project. Gather your papers, pens, inks and stamps together and ask to plug in your OTT-LITE to make perfectly sure that you have exactly the colors you want before you get the supplies home. This will save you time and energy by having the perfect color combinations before you leave the store!
-Kathryn Bieber
There is a wonderful trick that has really saved my hands from the stains of paint many times. Before beginning a painting project, rub a good quality moisturizer (one that is non-oily) on your hands and wrists. Not only will it soften your skin, but when you're finished or ready to take a break from your project, the paint on your hands will wash off easily and quickly. This will come in handy when you don't want to show up to a dinner party that night with dabs of your painting project all over your skin.
-Kathyrn Bieber
Celebrate your child's or grandchild's first artwork by capturing it in cross-stitch! Transfer the child's artwork onto graph paper and stitch these precious, simple drawings onto Aiado cloth. The frame the piece and and hang it in a place of honor for everyone to see. You and your child, or grandchild, will be so proud.
-Kathryn Bieber
Get yourself a color wheel. All you need to use it, is a desire to learn the basics and some time to play. Test your chosen color palette against a color wheel as an exercise in developing a good color sense.
-Cynthia Rutledge
Before I start any beading project, I like to sample my colors and play with the techniques that I envision using in the design. I usually make a small square of Peyote Stitch, using 11/0 seed beads as a base, then play with stitches, embellishing techniques and color placement for the design that I have in mind. I rarely use colors straight from the tube, or bag, as it is impossible to know how the colors will react when used next to each other.
-Cynthia Rutledge
When you take photos, always get closer than you think you should because it makes such an improvement in the end result. When selecting ink and cardstock colors, be sure to look at your photos under OTT-LITE TrueColor lighting so your designs will complement the photos.
-Dee Gruenig
When I stamp for a scrapbook page, I never stamp on the page directly... I stamp on sticker paper and play with the design until I’m satisfied, and then I place the stamp design on the page. You’ll see the value of OTT-LITE TrueColor lighting in your very first design and realize that true art has greater value when shown in the right light.
-Dee Gruenig
Brush strokes are like the letters of the alphabet. When practicing brush strokes, put a piece of tape on the end of your brush handle. This creates a little flag. The flag should not wave except on the half-circle stroke. If it does, you are practicing those strokes incorrectly.
-Priscilla Hauser
If you display or sell your crafts, to give your work the best appearance, display it on a soft, contrasting color fabric such as velvet or velour.
-Maria Nerius
A priceless tip from my great-grandmother that I always do: When you make an afghan, weave several strands of all the yarn colors used through the edging of your work and leave them there. They'll be unnoticeable. Then, years down the road, when the afghan begins to wear, you'll have them right there to use for repairs, and they'll match perfectly.
-Agnes Russell
When choosing colors for a crochet project, first work up a swatch in stitches intended for use in the final pattern design. Sometimes, the texture created by the stitches will alter the appearnce of the colors, and it may be necessary to make changes to lighten or darken shade tones.
-Katherine Eng
Tie leftover links of yarn (in many colors, at least one yard long) and roll into a big ball. Work the scraps together with one or two strands of a single color, using a large hook, to make rag-look potholders, placemats or rugs.
-Katherine Eng
When working crochet in rows, always turn the right hand edge of the piece back away from you, rather than towards you. This will create a flat, even edge without any ridges.
-Katherine Eng
Perle cotton #8 has a wide range of colors that match up beautifully with size 11 seed beads. If you have difficulty getting a bead needle through your bead, make a "self needle". Cover the end of the perle cotton lightly with clear nail polish. When it is dry, cut this tip with a rotary cutter or razor blade on a cutting mat to form a very sharp needle-like point. Now you can thread most any size bead.
-Gwen Blakely Kinsler
When basecoating a piece, if you use a large oval brush, you’ll reduce the chance of getting any ridges in the paint and end up with a very smooth surface.
-Jane Ball
Whenever I work with a solid block of single color seed beads, I randomly use shiny, medium matte and matte finishes for extra liveliness and light reflection. In contrast to a uniform seed beaded surface, the end result is exciting and full of life.
-NanC Meinhardt
To use sensational but oddly shaped buttons on a cardigan, make buttonholes on both bands of the fronts. Buy some smoother coordinated buttons with shanks, then sew these buttons, back-to-back, to the fancy buttons. Use them like cufflinks through both layers of the front bands, smooth button through. This also gives you the option of two different looks, plus lets you use the sweater for both males and females, if the style warrants.
-Joan Schrouder
