Showing posts with label Holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holiday. Show all posts
ArtFire Friday, November 21, 2008

Tip #1
This year, why not buy a free range turkey for your table? These birds are allowed to run in fields, rather than being restricted to a cage. Do your food shopping at your local farmers market, rather than a chain store. These grown holiday fixings are generally better for you, and you support local farmers with your purchase. Also consider getting a free-range turkey this holiday, as these birds haven’t been raised in cages.

Tip #2

Most families celebrate Thanksgiving by feasting on a wide variety of side dishes and holiday fixings. But no matter how hard we try, it’s near impossible not to end up with a huge pile of holiday leftovers. While some fixings are still tasty weeks after the holiday has passed, many foods end up collecting mold. This year, try not to make so much food. Make enough for everyone to be satisfied, but there’s really no need for the 3 serving per guest standard.

Tip #3

Instead of shopping for new fall decorations, spend some time at home with friends and family crafty new decorations. With countless easy to follow art tutorials on the world wide web, why waste time and money purchasing new fall accessories?

Tip #4

Try to downsize the trash generated by your household this Thanksgiving. This can be as effortless as substituting washable plates for paper ones, tuber-ware for plastic wrap, or cloth napkins for paper napkins. Pick up food materials that contain the least amount of wrapping you can find (and remember to carry your own grocery bags with you!). When the party is over, don’t just throw your scraps and leftover bits into the trash, use them as the foundation for a compost pile in your backyard.

Tip #5

These tips aren’t just great for the holiday season—they work all year around! Going green is a snap with the right mindset and enthusiasm, so why not give it a try?

Keep on creating artisans, and always buy handmade to support fellow artists!

-Sara


ArtFire Friday, October 31, 2008


Orchid by Sfbeads $35
Check out this darling handmade decoration, prefect for fall home decorating. Orchid stands about 8 inches high, and is sure to put a smile on the face of everyone this Halloween!

Click here to view the item for sale on Artfire.com.

Fall Pumpkin Pincushion by Verybigjen $20
This handmade pincushion is custom made when you order it to be completely one-of-a-kind! Great for Halloween, fall, or just anytime you’re doing needlecrafts.

Click here to view the item for sale on Artfire.com.

Halloween Lampwork Glass Beads – Pumpkins 4 Candy Corn by beadsnsuch $20
This bracelet looks good enough to eat! It’s 100% handmade of Moretti, Lausha and Czech glass. A great treat for any child or adult!

Click here the view the item for sale on Artfire.com.

Autumn Handmade Fall greeting Card by Kards $2.5
This blank greeting card was specially made to encompass the feeling of fall. Send it to someone to wish them a Happy Halloween, Thanksgiving, or just to let them know you’re thinking of them.

Click here to view the item for sale on Artfire.com.



Looking for more festive goodies? Check out our seasonal crafts section.


Thanks for reading, and have a Happy Halloween everyone!

-Sara
www.artfire.com
ArtFire Tuesday, October 28, 2008

So you’ve added the finishing touches on your children’s handmade Halloween outfits, you’ve put out the healthy Halloween treats for visitors, so what else do you need to do to make sure your family has a happy Halloween this year? Most parents know better than to let their children treat-or-trick alone or eat unusual candy, but in the rush of the holiday, people usually overlook a few significant safety precautions. Listed below is some helpful advice for a fun and safe Halloween with your family this year.


1. You and the kids should eat a complete dinner before going out trick-or-treating. This way you and your children will be less likely to pig out on candy. You’ll also need your stamina for showing off your cute artistic costumes to the neighborhood, and a full meal can provide you with the energy you need.

2. Make sure you and your kids wear particular shoes. Trick-or-treating generally allows for a lot of as you parade from home to home. And while sneakers might not go with your specially made costume, you’ll thank yourself for choosing comfortable footwear as the night progresses. Save the six inch witches’ boots for the costume party, wear something reasonable on your feet.

3. If your pet is going out with you (perhaps even wearing his or her own handmade Halloween outfit), make sure that they are on their lease at all times. While your pet may be used to running freely about, on Halloween night there’s probably going to be lots of other animals and people out trick-or-treating that your pet is doesn’t know. This can result in your pet getting frightened and responding in uncontrollable ways (running away, getting aggressive with another pet). So please keep in mind that even if your animal is the nicest, kindest soul to ever grace the earth, for your pet’s own well-being and the well-being of others, use a lease!

4. Always walk with your kids from house to house—don’t let them run. Children can get overly excited on this sugar-filled holiday, causing them to run around carelessly. This can result in them bumping into objects, falling down, or getting involved in other accidents (especially when it’s dark out). Make sure they remain near you and always on the sidewalk. Don’t cut across lawns or driveways, which are often poorly lit at night.

I hope you found these tips to be useful! Thanks for reading, and remember to buy handmade this season to support local artists!


-Sara




ArtFire Friday, October 24, 2008

As Halloween draws closer and closer, major chain stores have begun displaying their Halloween costumes and decorations. But most shoppers understand that Halloween outfits from mainstream stores lack originality and quality. The majority of them are designed to be worn only that one night, and therefore they are made with second-rate materials. For a high-quality specialized Halloween costume, shoppers must turn to the craft marketplace.

Artisans in the marketplace should take advantage of this growing demand. Offer people a handmade alternative to low-quality factory produced merchandise. Give them the chance to select style and uniqueness over the mass-produced bland alternative. When shoppers decide to buy handmade this Halloween, they know that they will be the only person at the Halloween party with that costume. That’s because handmade outfits are completely one-of-a-kind and original.

While times are hard for most people, artisans need to keep making handmade. If crafters note trends in the marketplace, they’re more likely to be successful this with their arts and craft business. Right now, demand for Halloween crafts is quickly increasing, and artisans should act on that.

So everyone, remember to buy handmade this Halloween!

-Sara




ArtFire Monday, October 20, 2008

Halloween Pumpkin painting can be easier and safer than carving, and it often results in a more creative craft product. A painted pumpkin will last longer than a carved one, especially if you live somewhere with humid or chilly weather.


Finding the Right Pumpkin

If you’re not a painter by nature, you’ll want to start with a big pumpkin, as those are easier to work with. But if you’re skilled with a paint brush, you could choose to try painting a complicated design on a small baby pumpkin. No matter what the size of your pumpkin, buy one with a nice bright shell, no soft spots or bruises, and a thick strong (preferably greenish) stem. Make sure you buy your pumpkin from local farmers rather than the grocery store, as you should always support small business owners, even on the holidays.

Choosing the Right Tools
If you don’t already have some on hand, go out and get some acrylic paints and a light all purpose glaze. Keep some Q-tips nearby for touch-ups during the artistic process.

Plan it Out First!

If you just start painting without a clear idea of what you’re doing, you’re probably going to end up with a crummy looking pumpkin. To avoid such a mistake, try lightly drawing a design on your pumpkin with a pencil before you begin painting. Pencil lines tend to show up rather lightly on a pumpkin’s surface, which makes for a great blueprint as you paint.

Dive In!

One of the most important principles of painting is to begin with the background first and work forward. In the case of your pumpkin, this would translate to painting your pumpkin’s tongue before the teeth, painting the whites of your pumpkin’s eyes before adding lashes and pupils, that kind of thing. You should also to wait for the paint to dry before adding new features. This will help prevent swearing and unnecessary mistakes. Acrylic paints tend to dry in 5-10 minutes, so you wouldn’t need to wait long.

Adding Final Touches
Once your paint has completely dried, lightly coat the pumpkin with your all-purpose glaze. Glaze will help prevent chipping and peeling of your painted surface. It is vital that your pumpkin is totally dry before you add the top coat of glaze, otherwise you could smudge your painting and destroy all your hard work. Also remember to transfer your pumpkin inside during bad weather to better preserve your finished artwork.

Other Fun Pumpkin Craft Ideas

Why stop at just painting a pumpkin? You can also create mixed media pumpkins creations! Add some fake hair, fake ears, or fake arms and legs to make your handmade pumpkin creation look truly one-of-a-kind this holiday season!

-Sara



ArtFire Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Photo from InventorSpot

Specialized costumes for your pet can be an amusing addition to any Halloween, but owners know that store bought animal outfits tend to be expensive and cheaply thrown together. Luckily, pet outfits can be made by hand, either from scratch (for those who are skilled with needlecrafts) or adapted from other Halloween outfits.

Getting Started

If you’re not an expert with a needle and thread, don’t worry. Just because you’re making your animal’s outfit by hand doesn’t mean you need to start with nothing. Depending on how big your pet is, you can start with a child or baby’s Halloween costume, easily found at your local thrift store. These outfits can be reworked it to fit your animal with just a little time and some crafting knowhow. If you’d rather not adapt your outfit from another’s, you can also try finding a pet Halloween outfit pattern online.

Measure and Test

A child’s body is shaped very differently from an animal’s. No matter how big or small your pet is, you’ll need to take measurements on your animal and do small changes to the outfit. The best way to do this is to try your costume out on your pet as you make adjustments.

Remember Safety

Consider your pet’s overall happiness as you work. The costume shouldn’t be too tight, and should allow for easy breathing through your pet’s mouth and the nose. Make sure your pet has easy control of his/her legs, head, and tail. The outfit should be easy to put on as well as take off. Remember, if you dress your pet in a poorly fitted costume, he/she will try to wiggle out of it. Also, remember your pet’s physical needs. If your pet needs to use the bathroom while dressed up, will he/she be able to?

Fun Costume Ideas

Dogs tend to be easiest to dress, but with some support cats can also wear costumes. If your animal is not used to being dressed up, you’ll want to go with something simple. Maybe a bright red vampire cape, or a pink tie, or maybe little devil horns.

If you plan on taking your pet trick or treating, you could try making matching or themed outfits for both of you. This year, try going as a couple witches, or maybe you could dress as the pet and he/she could be the master. Since you’re making the costume yourself, you can let your imagination run wild!

Click here to check out some of the fun clothing the crafters at ArtFire.com are making!

Click here to check out my Behind ArtFire Beta Blog!

-Sara