Most tiled walls suffer from two major problems; first the undulating surface in the room, with natural light on it meekly appears to be gray. Secondly that grout had seen better days and has turned unappealingly grubby with or without the effects of light. There are variety of mosaic tile craft ideas that include handmade and painted Mediterranean tiles, that are universally admired for their rich and glowing tones that come with a depth of color.One can choose from a variety of mosaic tile craft that ranges from a warm a palette of closely related subtle earth shades that produce a folksy homey look. Now the light hitting the ripples in the tiles has something to play with, and reveals that many layers of color built up by repeated color matching. Each layer in the mosaic tile craft is a shade slightly different from the one beneath, which gives global interest to the surface.The technique can be applied to any mosaic tile craft pattern not just white. However it would be a great idea to blank out any hideously distracting color in the white or better still, one can make use of ivory colored tile paint before you begin building up your beautiful mosaic tile craft glazes. They would look nearly as effective on a turquoise or avocado base.Although a variety of colored grout is easily available for mosaic tile craft projects, the color palette available now is well worth making your own by simply coloring the water with which the powder grout is mixed, by using universal stains or acrylic paint that is easily available at any home improvement or crafts store.It is important to plan your timing right from the day one. The schedule for an ideal day at work would be raking out the old grout that has paled. After this one must clean and condition the tiles. After this one can also paint on the first coat of glaze to all the tiles. In the evening one can also paint on other subsequent coats of glaze and varnish.This can be followed by applying new grout on the next day. It is important to accumulate all inventory and supplies that would be required before staring mosaic tile craft. Grout removing tools are an important accessory when it comes to do-it-yourself mosaic tile craft projects. One must also assemble ceramic paints, cleaner conditioner glaze and varnish. It is advisable to use the same brand for compatibility.

Knitting and crocheting both have similar definitions in the dictionary which is a method in which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth or other fine crafts. Although they have similar definitions in the dictionary and can both produce beautiful results there are differences.Crochet derives from a French word meaning hook and consists of pulling loops of yarn through other loops. It’s hard to pinpoint the beginning of crocheting because there were not any surviving examples prior to the 1800′s but there were knitted products that they had discovered. To crochet you are basically working with one active loop and using a single crochet hook you pull your yarn or thread through that loop. There is an art called Tunisian crochet where you work with more than a single loop but generally you only use a single loop. The size of your crochet hook will determine the denseness of your item the bigger the hook, the looser the crocheting. Some of the early crochet hooks were as simple as bent needles where they had added a cork handle but there were some more expensive ones that were crafted out of silver, brass or ivory and set in a variety of handles. Today crochet hooks come in a variety of sizes and materials such as aluminum, plastic, steel and even bamboo. If you are fortunate enough to know a talented wood turner you can even have one made for you and then you can decorate the handle by added beads or decorative stones to it.Knitting is derived from the word knot, which is believed to originate from the Dutch verb knutten, but it is similar to the Old English cnyttan which means to knot. Knitting consists of using two knitting needles where you pull a new loop through an existing loop. Your existing loop is held on one of your knitting needles until another loop is passed through them and it switches over to your second needle. When you get into knitting circular projects such a seamless sleeves, you may use up to 4 needles or a set of circular needles. There are basically 3 types of needles, or sometimes they are called knitting pins. The most common type consists of two slender sticks anywhere from 10-16 inches long that are tapered to a point on one end and typically a knob on the other end to help prevent your stitches from slipping off. Dropping a stitch in knitting can mean unraveling your work back to your dropped stitch and starting again. If you do drop one hopefully you notice it right away to safe yourself some frustration. Another type of needle is straight sticks that have tapered points on both ends. These will allow you to knit from either direction. One of the variances on this type is the cable needle, which usually isn’t straight, but dimpled in the middle to temporarily hold stitches while others are being knitted. The third needle is a circular needle which is long, flexible and pointed on both ends. Typically there is about 5 inch rigid tips on each end, with the flexible cable in the middle.No matter if you are crocheting or knitting you can find some great patterns for anything from hats to rugs so make sure you give this a try. Either craft is a perfect hobby for a relaxing night at home.

Craft containers distinct from vases and centerpiece designs are sometimes considered floral decorations as well as containers used in designing craft. They are rendered in many styles and designs. Overtime they have been branded with their specific seals denoting the designers’ expertise. In online craft stores you would frequently find this occurring.For example Martha Stewart’s containers have been branded even though she might not have invented the design, but the designer has obtained a franchise to do so. It is amazing how simple materials are utilized in making these containers. These include match boxes, powdered tins, biscuit boxes and tins among many other everyday items which the average person tends to discard as useless.The moral in utilizing this Martha Stewart theory of craft containers’ design is to teach children how they can make full use of items which are recycled or simply dumped. Precisely, it is creating ingenuity while contributing to the fertility of young minds. It is very useful for development in modern societies.As you shop for craft containers remember to check out that collection since you would be making a vital impact on the next generation creating a people who make an impact on their surroundings through craft production. Know that this is not where the containers begin and end. There are more sophisticated items out there unrelated to Martha Stewart which you need to browse as you visit online stores.Have you heard about the Stancup disposable craft container? It is used to store paint during craft production, especially, constructed to dispose of broken glass after the task is completed. It is important that you protect yourself and others while building your craft. Stancup disposable craft container offers the protection every craft enthusiast would love to enjoy.There is also the pouring bowl container kit which consist of a pouring container, vanilla scent; ivory dye; one pound premium wax; votive wicks and molds along with a thermometer. Definitely this is for the advanced craft designer who is creating a masterpiece.When viewed from the perspective of floral decoration containers are considered in relation to containers designed as craft to store live and artificial flowers. They often carry an oasis to preserve the vegetation when alive. Whichever way you perceive craft containers know that they can be purchased from online stores found just within the reach of your computer. Research them fully to find the best deals and just what you desire.

Many of the oldest beads found in archaeological sites throughout the world are carved. This speaks well to the prosperity of the culture who manufactured them: Because beads are not necessary for survival, the people who made them must have had ample food stores to devote so much time to making them. Beads are small; it takes a whole lot of them to make a big impression. Making copious amounts of them was an indication of the true “wealth” of those who made them.Ancient people carved beads out of materials they had at hand. Although these materials were in some cases not necessarily abundant, they usually possessed some attractive or unusual aspect. These anomalies were made into beads, as well as those made out of more ordinary samples of the same raw materials.Carved beads were made from a variety of hard, but not-too-hard-to-carve raw materials. Historians speculate that the first beads were used as fasteners, much like buttons, snaps, or zippers are used today.Wood: Historically, wooden beads have been carved of small pieces of wood with exceptional qualities, either in their grain patterns, their scent, or in the sacredness attributed to them by various religions. Trimmings of the olive tree and mature rose bushes were used because of the great beauty of their woodgrain and the hardness of their wood. Sandalwood beads are light-colored and lightweight. They also possess a faint aroma that is said by Eastern religions to be soothing to the soul.Shell: From the time we started to eat from the sea, humans have been using shells for utilitarian items. Beads carved of multi-colored conch or mother-of-pearl shells have also been found in the archaeological record. Small shells were pierced and strung or used as clothes fasteners.Bone: Requiring their furs and skins for warmth and clothing, and their meat for survival, the animals early humans killed provided a steady supply of bones. Hard, but soft enough to carve, bone provided the raw materials for carving a variety of implements, including tool handles and beads.Ivory: Primarily the ivory tusks of the now-extinct mammoth, along with elephants, ivory provided materials for early humans to carve into a variety of decorative and utilitarian objects. Sometimes the teeth of smaller animals were carved, or left as-is and drilled with a hole to use as a bead.Antler: These often-shed adornments vary in their composition and level of hardness throughout the animal kingdom. Some antlers are easy to carve, others are harder. Their final used depended a great deal on the properties of the raw material. Dense, hard antlers were used as handles for tools and other implements, while slightly softer antlers were sometimes carved into household objects and decorative items like beads.Stone: Precious, semi-precious, and regular stones have all been carved into beads at one time or another during the course of history. Tombs of leaders and the wealthy ruling class contain beads carved of precious stones, many of them faceted. Commoners used beads carved of semi-precious or unusual, garden variety stones, until the process for manufacturing faience–a clay-like substance with an outer coating of glass–was discovered.Humans have been carving utilitarian and decorative items, including beads, out of hard substances as long as we have been living in small settlements, according to the archaeological record.Copyright Sharon Shares, 2011

A lot of people start card making for an easy hobby, not only does it let you show off your creative flare but many people find it very relaxing and rewarding too.The BasicsThe most important item for card making is the actual card itself. This will normally consist of a single sheet which has a crease in the center which when it is folded gives you the blank greeting base.There are many types of card blanks available for sale but don’t feel overwhelmed by the choice as when just starting out the most popular size for budding crafty beginners is A6. This measures when folded in half 148mm x 105mm (almost 6″ x 4″) so they are not two large and daunting to work with when you are first starting.Colour ChoiceThe most popular colour is of course white but you can get so many different coloured card blanks. Perhaps you are thinking of making a welcome new baby card and want to use the colour’s pink or blue. Ivory is also a popular colour and perfect for wedding and christening cards.I have been making cards for a few years now and my favourite card blank size is square 140mm x 140mm. I mainly use white card when I am crafting.Card QualityOne thing to look for when you are buying card blanks is the quality also known as the gsm, this is the card weight. The most popular weight is 210gsm as this is a versatile card and able to go through most household printers, so perfect if you want to print greeting cards for your wedding, Christmas or create some invites.300gsm is a heavy weight card, you may want to use this if you are using decoupage or a lot of embellishments on your card. This will allow the card to stand up well without it falling over when on display.SizeThere are many different sized card blanks available with the most popular being A6 as previously mentioned, A5 which is double the size. DL cards are tall and slim and these make lovely wedding invitations then the various sized square cards.Don’t ForgetWhen buying your pre-creased blanks don’t forget you will need envelopes and if you are planning on selling them to friends, family, co-workers or at craft fairs then you will need clear cello bags which are designed to show off the card inside the bag keeping it in perfect condition.

Since ancient time, beads are extensively used to make the decorative items when other decorative item is fashioned out of stone, turtle shells, animal horns, deer hooves and freshwater clams. These handcrafted products required more intricate work and these designer range can be expensive as well. As per the modern day bead crafts includes crafting artistic jewelry, decorative items and other accessories to be worn or displayed. You can choose amongst the exciting range of bead crafts in a huge variety of colors and shapes. A versatility of beads used were significant of the kind of technology prevalent in that scenario. It comes in attractive shapes as well as in modernized designs in the vast marketplace.At present scenario, there is a number of options from where you can get all exquisite range of bead crafts. Nowadays, various B2B portals have comprised a long listing of bead crafts manufacturers and displayed their variety of handcrafted products along with images and descriptive detail. One can also find the complete detail of any existing company and their contact detail which make you ease to deal directly with any company. You can opt amongst the immense of handcrafted collection which is available in the market in numerous shapes and designs like oval, cylindrical, square, heart and flower. An exotic range of bead crafts includes beaded jewelry which looks classy for its blend of conventional designs in vibrant colors so that perfectly goes with any kind of apparel. The most common decorative bead crafts are widely used for its exotic appearance so that definitely enhances the beauty of your home d茅cor.There are unlimited possibilities of bead crafts in a variety of designs and colors. The most common use of craft beads are in making of varied kind of jewelry like bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings and decorative items. It provides you a huge selection of material through which you can find all the products as per your requirements along with the huge variety. Using various kind of colored beads, it can be prepared in intricate designs to make beautiful decorative items. Bead crafts manufacturers are being involved in producing beads by using varied material which includes glass, metal, terracotta wood, plastic, stone, bone, ivory, ceramic fiber, shell, coral, gemstones and many more.Now, bead crafts manufacturers presents a variety of beads that have been displayed on many B2B marketplace that are widely used to make jewelry and decorative items for centuries. Since ancient period, varies stones, animal horns, bones, shells etc. were extensively used to make different jewelry and decorative items. Now, In the modern age period, many other item has been existed in the arena for making of decorative products as well as jewelry like various stones, metals, pearls, diamond, beads and many more. There is a vast marketplace of bead crafts manufacturers that are being used for several purposes because it exhibits a uniqueness along with the conventional charm.

Its modern amenities and its placement in the middle of nature make from a garden studio the ideal place for creative activities. On the one hand, you don’t’ have to worry about having the minimal toilet facilities, on the other, you couldn’t find a quieter place allowing you to concentrate on your ideas or hand work. Such a place would be a real heaven for a writer, a place of seclusion where to give up temporarily all the relations with people or problems that are foreign to the creative process.If, on the contrary, you are the socializing type or writing is your profession, what better idea for a sabbatical year than trying ways to improve your future classes by a sort of pilot creative writing classes to be taught here and now to your favorite or doctoral students? Nature would be not only inspiring, but also a perfect setting for those looking for the same quiet natural space outside the stifling academic space, too formal and standardized. The same would hold true for some pottery classes, if pottery is your hobby or academic subject. The dirt would be contained in such a workshop.But maybe you are creative in other, scientific ways, so again what better space for a laboratory where only you would have access, monitoring daily the evolution of ‘your’ microbes or whatever samples? Or, even if your creative endeavors are rather of the analytic type, what setting would be more appropriate for a reading room, library, study room or whatever you would like to call it? If crafts are your passion, what better place for a craft workshop where you can materialize your skills, whether you like making pots or weaving baskets? You need attention and utmost precision, and this quiet room would allow you both.If you are not working with words, plain ideas or with your hands but with intangible feelings, you may have a garden studio for your artistic endeavors, either taking nature as your model or just conveying on the canvass the interior landscapes of your soul. No better helper than the peace around for an accurate expression of those. If sounds are your raw material, no problem: you may get a garden studio with the proper acoustics for a music studio or a recording room and, in addition, with the adequate sound proofing, to make sure your activities remain known only to yourself.So whatever the means of your creativity, a garden studio is so made and placed as to facilitate them as no other space could. Either as an artist or craftsman’ s ivory tower or as a place where to share your creative output for feedback or pedagogic purposes, a garden studio would respond to the expectations of the most demanding or idiosyncratic creator.

Looking for something to do with your children on those rainy days, when everyone seems to be cooped up indoors? When my daughter was small, we used to do craft projects together. It quickly became a ‘rainy day’ tradition in our household.I feel it’s important to spend quality time with our children. These days, too many children are sitting in front of a television watching TV shows, or playing video games. I don’t find this to be quality family time.Here are 4 easy craft projects that you can do with your children.Soapy Bath Crayons1 c. grated Ivory Soap
1/4 c. warm water
food coloring
plastic cookie cuttersMix water, soap and food coloring together in an old bowl. Stir the crayon mixture until it begins to stiffen. Remove the mixture from the bowl and knead until it’s the consistency of a very thick dough. Spoon crayon mixture into plastic cookie cutters or other plastic molds (play dough molds work great too!). Press down firmly. Place the plastic cookie cutters in your freezer for 10 minutes. When firm, pop the bath crayons out of the cookie cutters. Allow them to air dry overnight.Play Dough2 c. flour
1 c. salt
4 tsp. cream of tartar
2 c. of water
4 tbsp. oil
food coloringPlace flour, salt, cream of tartar, water, and oil into a large pan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until dough comes away from the edge of pan, and makes a soft ball. Cool on a sheet of waxed paper. When cool, add food coloring. Store in plastic containers or in plastic bags.Finger Paints2 c. of plastic liquid starch
1 c. of Ivory Snow detergent flakes
food coloringCombine liquid starch and Ivory Snow in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer until the volume is tripled. Divide, add in food coloring as desired. Store in covered containers in the refrigerator.Blowing Bubbles Refills1/2 c. liquid dish detergent
5 c. water
1 container with lid
1 bubble blowing wandMix water and dish washing liquid together in a large bowl. Don’t over mix. Pour liquid into empty bubble blowing containers.Tip: When you spend time crafting, please remember to take photographs. It’s a great way to preserve all of these wonderful memories.Take advantage of those rainy days, and spend some time crafting with your children.

The citations are criminal, he said. Woods did not know the potential fines each person faced. Penalties may vary by individual, depending in part on the alleged wrongdoing. As of Friday afternoon, the citations had not all been issued.

The months-long investigation into the illegal buying ended with the arrest of Lebouef and Sternbach last spring. Authorities seized about 1,000 pounds of walrus ivory, including more than 150 tusks, two polar bear hides, hundreds of other wildlife parts and firearms, including fully automatic weapons.

Lebouef and Sternbach have pled guilty to multiple violations of the Lacey Act for selling the illegally obtained animal parts, and for federal weapons violations. In addition to buying with cash, the couple sometimes traded snowmachines and drugs and, without having a license, cigarettes and guns as well.

St. Lawrence Island is an 1,800-square-mile chunk of land 750 miles west of Anchorage. It has little in the way of an economy, so many people have turned to harvesting walrus tusks and carving or scrimshawing them into artwork.

The practice provides critical cash to buy bullets, gas, whale bombs and other items for hunting seals and walrus and harpooning bowheads. It’s so important that Akeya and others travel some 60 miles northeast of Savoonga to a group of islands where they don diving gear to recover fossilized ivory from the seafloor.

Such ivory is dark, and Lebouef didn’t that. He wanted fresh white ivory from recently dead walrus. Akeya said he sold Lebouef a female walrus head for mounting for $500 after a carcass washed up near Akeya’s hunting camp along the beach.

Akeya, who delivers meals to elders in the tribe, said on Friday that he hadn’t received any citation.

“Am I in trouble?” he asked earnestly.

Ronald Kingeekuk, 21, was also surprised to hear he’d be getting a citation. He said he sold a single tusk to Lebouef for $400, and used the money to buy gas and grub last spring for his whaling crew.

“I thought he had a permit (to buy the ivory) the whole time,” said Kingeekuk.

Akeya said he and others might fight the citations by hiring an attorney, if they can find one. He added that everyone had learned to be more careful about who they sell to. As for himself, he said he’s learned a valuable lesson: “Do not trust the white man.”

(MELBOURNE, Fla.) – The lifetime collection of the late James W. Pihos, formerly of Las Olas Isles, Fla., plus two prominent Miami estates, will be sold at auction the weekend of May 5-6 by Matheson’s AA Auctions, in the firm’s gallery facility located at 600 East New Haven Avenue in Melbourne, on Florida’s Space Coast. Start times both days will be 11 a.m.

Internet bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com.

Mr. Pihos, who passed away about a year ago, was a major player in the McDonald’s restaurant chain, owning 36 franchises. He also had a discerning eye when it came to putting together his fine collection of 18th and 19th century Chinese coral and ivory carvings. All of these will be offered in the auction, most without reserve (but all lots will carry modest opening bids).

Massive red coral figural group, one of 33 to be sold.

“Mr. Pihos had huge Lalique doorhandles leading into the magnificent master bedroom of his estate home, and that may offer a little insight into the world of a man who lived life large and only bought the very best,” said Lloyd Matheson of Matheson’s AA Auctions. “His red and white figural coral pieces – there are 33 in the sale – and his ivory carvings are just outstanding.” The Laliqe doorhandles, incidentally, will also be auctioned as part of his overall collection.

Much of Mr. Pihos’s collection will be sold on Saturday, May 5. Also offered that day will be other Chinese lots, to include jade and other hardstone carvings, porcelains and pottery, cloisonné and cinnabar, and jewelry (to include Bulgari, Tiffany, Chanel, Corum, Caroline Dadlani, David Yurman, Girard Perregaux, pearls, diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds).

Silver will also change hands on Saturday, to include Georg Jensen, Tiffany, Gorham and antique English silver. Then, on Sunday, May 6, the session will be packed with fine furniture, decorative arts, lighting and artwork. Furniture will feature a black lacquer ware ivory and ormolu mounted bedroom suite, carved rosewood Chinese furniture and bronze Gucci pieces.

Decorative arts will include Japanese mixed metal vases, Meissen figural groups, crystal (Lalique, Steuben and Baccarat), Picasso ceramics, Karl Mann vases and more. There will also be magnificent and monumental Baccarat chandeliers, sconces and lamps and other lighting. The artwork will feature original paintings and works on paper by a host of noted international artists.

The Chinese coral figural groupings from the Pihos collection are certain to attract keen bidder interest. One example, with a pre-sale estimate of $30,000-$50,000, is a fine and massive angel skin coral and melon colored coral group (circa late 17th century, the Chia-ch’ing imperial era). Carved of a single branch, the piece depicts an emperor on a throne surrounded by subjects.

Also carrying a pre-sale estimate of $30,000-$50,000 is a stunning bronze side table by Diego Giacometti (1902-1985), the renowned Swiss sculptor and designer, and younger brother of the sculptor Alberto Giacometti. Also in the sale will be tables by Gucci (est. $3,000-$5,000) and Philip LaVerne (est. $4,000-$6,000) who, with his father Kelvin, made cast-bronze tables.

Yet another lot with an expected $30,000-$50,000 selling price is a monumental oil on canvas painting of a lion in repose by Charles Robert Knight (N.Y., 1874-1953). Knight was best known for his animal-in-landscape paintings, but he was also known for dinosaur sculptures and other prehistoric renderings. The painting in this auction is attractively housed in a period frame.

Another artwork of note is an ink drawing with wash depicting a reclining nude figure by Leonard Tsuguhary Foujita (1886-1968), a French-Japanese painter and a contemporary of artists such as Picasso, Georges Braque and Henri Roussea. The work being sold, Nu Allonge, is signed and dated lower left (1951), is double matted in a gold leaf frame and is 7 ¼ inches by 12 inches.

Also from the artwork category, an original oil on canvas of a woman playing the piano by James (Francis) Day (N.Y., 1863-1942), is expected to fetch $10,000-$15,000. The work is signed lower right and measures 30 inches by 34 inches. Other artworks in the auction are by such notables as Pablo Picasso, Auguste Rodin, Nicola Simbari, Joan Miro and Paul Jacoulet.

Asian objects will be featured all weekend and one lot is so intriguing it borders on being priceless — a Chinese figure of a standing Quan Yi, with an inscription on the base that translates “Gift from Sima Yan to…” (illegible). Sima Yan was the first emperor of the Jin Dynasty (265 to 420 AD). If it’s authentic to the period, the estimate of $15,000-$20,000 is wildly conservative.

Another ancient Oriental lot is a rare pair of grey pottery Taoist mask two-piece door knockers, from tomb doors dating to the Warring States period (475-221 BC). When a thermo-luminescence analysis/report was done at Oxford (authentication papers included ), it stated the date of the last firing was 1,800-2,000 years ago. The knockers should realize $10,000-$15,000.

Two Chinese lots carry identical pre-sale estimates of $3,000-$5,000. One is a spinach jade table screen mounted in a fretwood stand (16 inches by 10 ¾ inches overall). The 18th century screen came from Yuan Ming Yuan, Peking, in 1860. The other is a pair of porcelain foo dogs attributed to the Ming Dynasty (circa 1368-1644), with ivory glaze perched on fitted stands.

A carved ivory and inlaid lacquer birdcage, attributed to the Ch’ien Lung period and removed from the Imperial Palace in Peking, China by Anglo-French troops who invaded in 1860, is expected to bring $7,000-$12,000. The dome cage has ivory rod sides above a collar of red lacquer ware, inlaid mother of pearl insects and floral motif, with a nifty cloisonné feed jar.

A Louis XV ebony striking bracket clock, with bracket (circa 1750), should command $10,000-$15,000. The “Festeau Le Jeune A. Paris” clock comes in a cartouche-shaped case and is mounted with scrolled ormolu having an eagle in a pierced pendant. Also due to be sold is a Yamanaka silver and jade inkwell with turquoise Buddha (est. $2,500-$3,000) a pair of Japanese Shibavama vases (est. $2,500-$3,500); and a Greek terracotta figural group, attributed to the Hellenistic period (2nd-3rd century BC), showing a Bacchanal procession (est. $3,000-$5,000).

Previews will be held on Friday, May 4, from 10-5, Saturday, May 5, the first day of the sale, from 9-11 a.m.; and Sunday, May 6, from 9-11 a.m. All purchases will be subject to a 17 percent buyer’s premium (in-house) and 20% (on LiveAuctioneers.com) for total purchases up to $200,000; and a 12 percent premium for in house and 15 percent Liveauctioneers.com over that.