Expert: Nanetta Bananto - 8/23/2002

Question
Hi, I would just like to ask you if you have any reccomended crafts for me to do. Im 14. and Bored. Ive done polymer-(sp?) clay beads, hemping all the time, writing, drawing, painting, coloring, and a few other things, but if you have any new interesting inexpensive crafts I could do, that'd be groovy. Thanks
Peace Love and Life,
Serenity

Answer
Dear Serenity - Wow!  That is a wide-open question.  Have you gotten into stamping at all?  Talk about inexpensive-a few supplies can open up a whole world of possibilities.  Stamps are expensive, but you can make your own-easily.  You need: 1. A linoleum/woodblock cutter with a fine v tip.
2.  Erasers - I like Colorific, Magic Rub, etc.  Even the cheap ones are good.  This would be a good time to get them as well, with school starting.  3. A stamp pad.  4. A pencil or ball point pen. 5. Paper.  6. Your imagination.  

Draw a design on the eraser.  Remember that what is cut away will be negative space (unprinted).  Also, remember that you are impressing, so the end product will be a mirror image.  So if you are doing words, they need to be backwards.  That's it!  You can transfer designs with carbon paper if you want, but I am guessing you would rather express your own ideas.  

 What can you do with them?  Here is the fun part.  Stamp designs onto paper to make cards, stationery, little books, tags, gift wrap-you get the idea.  You can also use them on polymer clay.  This is way cool!  You use baby powder as a release agent, so the clay doesn't stick to the stamp.  I use the little travel bottles-they cost about 50 cents and last for-ev-er.  You can make pendants, beads, little book covers, serenity stones, magnets. I love to use translucent clay and antique with water-based oil paint in burnt umber.  You can also use acrylic. You make interesting clay by mixing translucent with rose petals, spices, glitter, embossing powders-even dirt!  They look like stone.  Try it!   
You could get one of those skin-friendly ink pads and stamp your friends.  Think Celtic, Flowers, whatever is cool.

You can stamp those little paper mache boxes.  It is nice to coat with sealer.  Then stamp wrapping paper for the inside and the gift tag.  Color some in, leave some plain.   Now that is a gift to impress.  The holidays are coming up.  Maybe it holds a necklace using the same stamp.

There is a great technique using a stamp pad and a make-up sponge with brown ink that makes a lovely antiqued or airbrushed look.  Go to http://www.sculpey.com/Projects/projects_AsianProverbBook.htm and check out my Asian Proverb book.  You can even download the proverbs.  You use the same technique with your own stamps, make a template out of a sheet of plastic or cardboard.

If you are into polymer clay and want to try more than beads, check out the Glass Attic   http://www.glassattic.com/ It has some really great techniques.  

Let me know if any of this interests you and feel free to write back any time.  Keep creating!  Peace - Nanetta