Ribbon is one of the least expensive and easiest to find craft items in the world.  You don’t need a specialty craft store; your local Walmart has more of it than you will ever imagine.  And you don’t have to plan too far ahead.  If you buy ribbon in a variety of widths and colors, concentrating on colors you like and interesting patterns and textures, you will have enough to keep you busy.  Another thing ribbon is great for?  The emergency gift!  If you suddenly need a gift and wish it was a handmade one, don’t despair.  Head to your ribbon box, get your hot glue gun, glitter and various other craft supplies and in a half hour, you will have a finished gift in hand.

This page has ideas that never occurred to me and I am pretty creative in this sort of crafting.  It presents 50 ways to use ribbon in crafting.  But what I really like is that as I read down the list (which I printed and recommend you do the same) I thought of more ideas.  It is like a brainstorming session.

My favorite idea?  Well, I liked several but I would have to give the “blue ribbon” to tying a ribbon around a sketchbook or journal.  That has a nostaglic feel to it.  And I also like the idea of making a mobile out of dancing bits of ribbon - what a wonderful way to add some color and movement to hot summer day and keep flying bugs away at the same time. 

50 Ways To Use Ribbon

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 

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.

I lost my glue gun.  Don’t ask me how; I don’t know how anyone could lose a glue gun.  But I did.  I am suspicious my son may have disposed of it for me - being afflicted with rather severe autism he is prone to rearranging my things, and sometimes throwing things out he does not feel are necessary.  At any rate, I am in the market for a new one.  I happened to see an ad on this blog about a glue gun and I decided to go take a look at it.  I am impressed and am considering purchasing this one.  When I tell you about it, you might want to take a look for yourself.  A good glue gun can make all the difference in crafts, and certainly in home maintenance as well.

What attracted me to this glue gun was the portability factor.  I have had “cordless” glue guns in the past - they have stayed warm for all of a minute, if that.  And if I have a cord, it seems it knocks everything off the table with the efficiency of a Labrador’s wagging tail.  I find that frustrating when I am working with small and intricate craft parts.  I also get really annoyed when the cord pulls the glue gun to the floor and I wish I had never started the entire project.  A truly cordless glue gun could reduce my irritability factor about 10 points.

It is advertised as ergonomic, having soft grips, and an anti-drip feature.  But what I think is really neat is that this glue gun has a blog!  There are many more things we can do with glue guns than we use them for typically.  This blog provided some inspiration and ideas to use this tool to its fullest extent.  And being a blog, we can be sure more ideas will be forthcoming.

Take a look.  I think you will like it.  Maybe the “loss” of my glue gun isn’t so bad.  This one is reasonably priced and it appears to be a lot more useful.

Click on the link at the top or here

Cold Heat Freestyle Glue Gun

Cold Heat Glue Gun Blog