Anyone who’s watched television in recent months will have seen adverts for mechanical painting systems that promise to eliminate dirty paint trays and messy rollers that have to be washed out after use. They are usually promoted as being quick and easy to use with flawless results, enabling even the clumsiest painter to transform a room in a fraction of the expected time.

But do these miracle paint systems really work and are they value for money? We tried a system priced at the lower end of the market and felt rather disappointed, especially as the paint container, which was located inside the roller, flipped open halfway through the job and we ended up with a rather irritating spillage on our kitchen floor!

The roller on this particular system was also disappointing, having a slightly longer pile that would traditionally be more useful for painting artexed ceilings.

Checking out consumer reviews for the more expensive models, it seems that the machines themselves are prone to breaking or malfunctioning after a few uses and there have been complaints that paint coverage is rather thin. Perhaps there isn’t a hi-tech solution to decorating those awkward spaces and ceilings after all, and it’s best to employ traditional methods.

Any professional painter and decorator will tell you that the secret to hassle free decorating is in the preparation. Walls should be washed down so that they are free from dirt and greasy marks, holes should be filled in and rubbed down and skirting boards and window and door frames should be neatly masked with a good quality masking tape to create clean lines and avoid unsightly splashes of excess paint.

Floors also should be protected and light fittings unscrewed so that you’re not painting around them, which delivers an amateur finish.

Investing in some good quality paint brushes is a must. Cheap brushes easily lose their filaments, which can become stuck to the wall and cause excess paint to get onto the ceiling when you’re working on the top border. Some decorators swear by rollers, but the finish is all in the action, as paint is worked in from side to side. Simply rolling up and down won’t offer an even result.

Alternatively, good quality paint pads are easy to use and offer more control. They come in different sizes, and are less likely to cause splashes than over-loaded rollers. They’re also easier to clean under running water and if you invest in reasonable ones, they have plenty of life in them, which makes them an economical choice.

TO ADVERTISE ON CRAFTMODO USE CONTACT FORM AT TOP RIGHT

Josie Russell, 23, is a phenomenon. Fourteen years ago she, her sister and mother were subjected to a random hammer attack which killed two of them, leaving Josie alive but with severe brain damage.

Josie almost died before reaching hospital. The years that followed were a struggle to overcome her horrendous brain damage and escape the traumatic memories.

Today, Josie Russell is revealing her artistic talent to the world with intricate textile images of her beloved Snowdonia, North Wales in the UK.

Newly-graduated, she has begun exhibiting original fabric works created with scissors and sewing machine from scraps of unwanted material.

She says: “Only the bare minimum of my materials are bought new: canvases, certain threads, or spare parts for my sewing machine. The rest: frames, buttons, beads, ribbons, and off-cuts of strange, striking fabrics, are sourced from extensive rummaging in my local charity shops, recycled from my own clothes, or else kindly donated by generous family and friends.”

Josie works part-time at her local Tesco supermarket. She adds: “I feel a deep connection with the countryside, so perhaps it is no surprise that the unspoilt mountains, flora and fauna of North Wales form the present basis for most of my creative work.”

It’s a heart-warming story and illustrates the power of crafts to turn desperate lives around.

There’s a website that expains a great deal about the arts and crafts of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Here’s a taster:

The Highlands and Islands of Scotland have provided a natural home for craft for many years inspiring makers through the beauty of the environment, the rich mythology and the wealth of natural materials.

All across the Highlands and Islands there are makers working in ceramics, furniture and wood, glass, jewellery and metalwork, lettering, musical instruments, paper, textiles and basketmaking. Using a range of skills and techniques they create objects which can be functional, decorative, or both, using metal, fibre, wood, glass, resin and clay.

The indigenous crafts are also very important in the Highlands and Islands, including the traditional skills and products of spinning, weaving, knitting, basketmaking and woodworking.

Craft is an integral part of the economic life of the Highlands, and the diversity of work combined with the growth of e-business means there is a great deal of potential for growth. In 2004 HI~Arts worked with the Scottish Arts Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to develop the pilot phase of a national website to promote and strengthen crafts in Scotland.

That website, www.craftscotland.org is now part of a national organisation, craftscotland, and creates a virtual gateway showcasing contemporary Scottish craft and promoting the quality and diversity of work to both national and international audiences. The site highlights work by skilled makers from all over the country, some of whom are at the very beginning of their careers and others who are internationally recognised as being at the top of their profession.

If you are interested in Scottish crafts, go to www.hi-arts.co.uk/

Buttons come in all shapes and sizes, from 6ins at the high end to tiny baby buttons.

Making buttons is an interesting hobby, and I’m told it has many fanatical adherents. Perhaps the most interesting from a hobby point of view, are photo buttons. Hobbyists can use their own bespoke pictures — perhaps of family members — to decorate their buttons.

American Button Machines make every type of machine imaginable, and supply the materials to make the buttons. They list possible users of their photo button maker as:

* professional photographers
* sports teams
* churches
* schools
and for use as commemorations of important family events.

Available sizes are:

* 2 1/4″ Photo Button Machine System
* 3″ Photo Button Machine System
* 3 1/2″ Photo Button Machine System.

If you’re looking for a satisfying new craft you might not have thought of before, why not try button making?