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Send Your Teen To Camp … Maker Camp, That Is!

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Summer can be long and boring when you’re not intellectually engaged. However, that doesn’t mean you have to sit in a classroom or stare at a textbook. If your teen is sick of the summer blahs, send them to Maker Camp. And don’t worry, they won’t have to miss a day of their summer job.

Maker Camp is a free virtual camp for crafty teenagers. No need to bring a sleeping bag or pack bug spray – all you need is a computer and an urge to create. This is the forth week of Maker Camp, but it’s far from over. From now until August 16th, teens can participate in crafty field trips, create innovative projects and join a daily Google+ hangout with fellow campers.

 

Here’s what’s happening this week:

Today- Learn to make and use a silkscreen for personalized designs

Wednesday – Build a device for colossal spin art fun and make a digital flipbook

Thursday- Animate anything with a handmade phenakistoscope

Friday – Hack with Hallmark field trip

Saturday and Sunday – LED throwies for beautiful lighting or party decoration

Don’t forget! Google+ hangouts take place every single day at 1 p.m. Central. All you have to do is head to the Maker Camp site to join.

 

Take advantage of the last few days of summer and get your teens crafting. There’s still plenty of time to get involved and get to work!

FaveCrafts 365 Healthy Hands Happy Hands

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Your hands are the soul of your creativity. Without your hands, there is no handmade! Working with naturals, paints, glass, and many other craft materials can seriously dry out your hands. It’s important to stop and take care of those precious hands while you are crafting. Watch this video to learn some important hand care!

Hands On Projects!

Hand Made Ornament

Dad’s On Hand Card

Fingerless Gloves!

Scrub and Buff Soap

Celtic Wire Ring for some finger bling!

FaveCrafts.com 365 Handmade Brown Paper, No Problem!

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Recently I was asked to make some handmade brown paper for a friend who just opened a wonderful Hair Salon and Spa. He wanted an arty look to the price cards for his shop’s line of products. I loved the idea and volunteered to make the paper. Heck, I’ve been making handmade paper for over 15 years. Well, play the video and find out if I was successful or not!

Would you like to make some paper? We have a great tutorial about how to make handmade paper here plus lots of great projects that use handmade paper like our LOL Card, Handmade Paper Roses, and From the Heart.

Do you make handmade paper? Is there a part of a craft technique that gives you a little trouble now and then? Please leave a comment!

Ask Maria “Spring and Summer Color Trends 2010”

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Dear Maria,

What colors will be hot for spring and summer? Our we going to see the same old pastels for spring and bold colors for summer or are we going to see something different?

Michele R

The Color Wheel Company makes handy tools for helping you select colors for any craft project.

ANSWER

The colors you see for spring and summer 2010 depends a little on your region of the world. Every region has its own color sense and spin on the dominating colors for a season. For example, in Florida dark hues will never make it in the Sunshine State for spring or summer. We tend to want cooler, lighter shades because of our climate and lifestyle.

Pantone has selected Turquoise as the Color of the Year for 2010.

The runways are another matter! And the fashion designers are showing Mother Nature with stony minerals, fruity bolds, plus faded, washed out colors of sea greens, juicy oranges, stormy sky blues, and warm neutrals. Turquoise, parrot greens, and salmon pinks are quite hot. It’s like going to a garden party and being served fluffy cupcakes and cherry tarts.

Home décor and lifestyle colors for spring and summer include cobalt blue, tangerine, hot pink, serious purple, splashy blues, English garden greens. Pick a flower, any flower! Home décor stylists and designers are being inspired by roses, daisies, heather, mums, tulips, and begonias. Green and yellow are the blenders. Transparent colors are also very popular as glass is a leading material being used for accent pieces within every room in the house.

To the joy of crafting, Maria, Craft Expert at FaveCrafts.com

We hope you enjoy this new regular feature on FaveCraftsBlog.com, Ask Maria. We welcome you to ask our Craft Expert, Maria Nerius any questions you might have about art, crafting, and creativity. Maria has been a craft professional for over 25 years designing, writing, and teaching art and crafting with a hardcore passion for handmade. Send us your craft questions.

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