Growing your own crystals is great fun and amuses the kids on hot summer days.

Whether you grow your own as decoration, jewelry, or for some other use — would you believe as a deodorant, it’s really very simple.

So let’s start with the deodorant. You may have seen “safe” forms of deodorant in healthy living shops. Often they come in the form of large crystals of Potassium Aluminium Sulphate, or Alum.

They have the advantage of being free of Aluminium Chlorohydrate, which has been implicated in ill health. Natural deodorant crystals are suitable for the most sensitive skin, are hypoallergenic and last a long time. Furthermore, they won’t stain your clothes or discolour your skin.

If you prefer the decorative side of crystal making, just add some food coloring to the mix.

You can grow these crystals quite easily with a little bit of knowledge. You will need :

* An ounce of Alum from a local store or online at Pans Pantry.
* A glass jar.
* A clean stick.
* Warm water.
* Thread.
* Small, sharp stones, cleaned well.

Method
1. Pour enough warm water into the jar to cover the stones — but don’t put the stones in yet.

2. Add the Alum and stir well until it stops dissolving. A small residue will be left.

3. Add food colouring if desired.

4. Tie a small stone to the thread and the other end to the stick. Place the stick across the top of the jar so that the stone dangles in the liquid.

5. Put the jar in a warm place to aid evaporation.

The first crystals will appear in a few days. You can add more Alum to make them bigger.

The biggest crystals can be rubbed under arms as a “safe” home-made deodorant.

Creativity is the fuel that drives the crafter. It is an expression of ideas that brew about in our heads. Sometimes the creativity well runs dry though, and a little help is necessary. Other times it is fun to see what other people have created and expand our own ideas. “The Creative Life,” is a television show, with a corresponding Web site, that features everything from traditional crafting to the new recycled art so popular today.  

‘The Creative Life’ is your new one-stop show for step-by-step how-to segments and tips and techniques for creating unique items for the home. From decorative painting to building, gardening to cooking, sewing to home decor and everything in between, Cheryl does it all, and takes you on location as she explores every nook and cranny of ‘The Creative Life.’
The Creative Life Web Site

“The Creative Life” presents not only ideas but free patterns on the Web site.  If you have been unaware of this show, you can also find the PBS scheduling so you can watch the production in your local area.  You can also see different clips from the show.  For the crafter, “The Creative Life” is a “creative” approach to crafting that will be become a useful resource.

The Creative Life 

Inspiration comes from many quarters.  Professional designs are of course one of the best ways to become inspired.  You can also do “knock-offs” of a professional design for yourself.  But where do you find some unique ideas, particularly with the industrial, layered-up, stripped down, boho fashions of today?  Easy!  You look at a New York All-Nighter Hangout that makes them already!

Studio 1am

Do you have sore hands from knitting or crocheting?  I sure do.  My hands get so tired and feel so painful from marathon hours of knitting.  Many crafters have this problem.  Some crafting days I feel like my finger joints are on fire and the rest of my hands are just plain worn out. 

There are some things you can do if you have this problem.  As I said, it is a common problem with crafters and also with computer users.  With those of us on the Internet doing knitting blogs - well, we have a double whammy. 

The 5 X 5 X 5 hand workout is something that should help you a great deal.  Exercising your hands in a way to relieve pain and stiffness, will help you avoid repetitive stress injuries. 

On this page, you will also find a product called Handeze Massage Gloves.  This is another thing that will help hand pain during crafting.  They can be ordered online in several places and Berroco has taken any risk of getting the wrong size away.  They have a hand sizer that works right on your monitor. Set your screen resolution to 640 X 480 to have the sizer work accurately.

Hand pain is a difficult problem for crafters and computer users.  We love what we do and even when it hurts, we keep doing it.  There is no point in telling a knitter to stop knitting because of hand problems.  Taking care of your hands and taking some steps to ease problems through prevention can extend the time you can spend on the needles.