New Crafting Forum - New Graphics Forum

I must be a real sucker for trying out new things, *lol* like I don't have enough to keep me busy. I recently opened a new crafting forum/community called

The Crafter's Lounge

Only today, I created a *new & improved*

Unique Boutique Graphics Community

I have a MSN group also called Unique Boutique that I've had for several years now. There have been a lot of 'technical' problems the last 6 months or so that just don't seem to be getting any better so I thought it was time to move the group to a new hosting site.

I chose Proboards.com

1. they are free

2. I know how to navigate these boards

3. I have more control over boards, moderators

4. love the PM and Email options

5. love that you can customize the forum skins/colors anytime you wish

6. you can create categories, subcategories, boards, subboards, modify, reorder, move, and delete

7. avatars - you can use the ones provided, or you can delete those and make and upload your own ( which I have done in the craft forum so far ) or you can customize your own and link to it from a photo hosting site if you don't want to use the community's.

8. you can lock boards, have polls, designate who can post, reply, appoint moderators to help keep an eye on the boards

If you are looking for another craft forum ( there are lots of them out there now ) or would like to join up with a graphics forum - hope you'll stop by to see me! Tell 'em Neenee sent ya.

Posted by: Neenee
KKL Primitives

The Crafter's Lounge online crafter's community/forum
The Krazy Kraft Lady Blog
KKL Graphics Blog
KKL Kreations Blog
Menopausal Monster Blog

Unique Boutique Graphics Community

contributing editor for:
Primitive Times Magazine a free downloadable magazine for crafters
Primitive Times Magazine Blog

Easter egg Decorating Fun by Angela Wenke

Easter egg Decorating Fun by Angela Wenke

Easter is such a wonderful time of the year, with all the beautiful flowers in bloom, families coming together to celebrate the holiday that I thought I would share some fun, and creative egg decorating ideas. All of these techniques can be used whether you are working alone or with the help of your children. So sit back enjoy a cup of coffee and enjoy these fun and wonderfully easy Easter egg Techniques.

Masking Tape Eggs



Materials:



*Hard Boiled Eggs (dried and cooled)

*Masking Tape

*Craft Knife

*Food Coloring or Egg Dye

*Push Pins

*Cardboard Pieces

*Paper Towels

*Spoon

*Plastic Gloves (optional)

Steps:

1. Start by boiling your eggs and then allow them to cool and dry completely before starting your project.
2. While your eggs are cooling and drying you can make egg stands for our eggs to dry on, by simply folding pieces of cardboard into a triangle shape and securing with push pins. Make sure to test your egg stands by placing an egg on top, to make sure your egg stand can with stand the weight of the egg.
3. Now place your egg into your first color choice, it is usually best to dye your egg at this point in the lighter of the two shades. As this will be the shade that will show once we remove our masking tape. Now allow to dry.
4. Now we are ready for our second color. Next, simply cut different widths of masking tape approximately 10 inches in length using your craft knife. You can even cut curves into your masking tape or different shapes to add a unique feel to your eggs. Try to keep your tape no wider than ¼ inch to keep a uniformed look on your egg.
5. Now choose which colors you will be using on your egg, it is best to keep it simply with just two colors until you become more experienced.
6. Next, apply your strips to your egg, you can use any design you want. Such as having a center point at the top of your egg that all your strips start from, or be creative and use a plaid design. Your imagination has no bounds in this creative project.
7. Once you have applied all the strips of masking tape to your egg, simply dip into the dye mixture. You may want to dip several times to achieve a uniform color and richness of color. Then simply tap dry with a paper towel and place on top of our egg stands to dry.
8. Once your egg is completely dry, carefully remove your masking tape one strip at a time.
9. Your egg is complete! Now if you would like to add a professional touch and make your egg stand out by adding a gloss to your egg you will want to use polyurethane. Simply dip your finger into the polyurethane with your gloved hand, and spread it around your egg. Be gentle as to not crack your egg, and be sure your egg is completely covered and place back onto the egg stand to dry.
10. At this point you could also add a second coat of polyurethane to insure an even coating and higher gloss. And that is it your egg is complete!

Easy Techniques for Decorating:

There are many fun ways to add some texture or a different design to your normal colored Easter eggs. Inside this article I will share some fun and easy tips.

Bubble Packaging Eggs:

Take a hard boiled egg uncolored and let’s add some paint the fun way! Simply take bubble wrap and paint onto your bubble wrap some acrylic paint in color of your choice, now simply roll your egg over the bubble wrap for a fun and creative texture on your egg. You add stripes of different colors or make a tie die effect. This is super simple and it leaves a wonderfully unique design.

Thumbprint Eggs:

This is a fun one for the kids, allow the kids to apply thumbprints in different colors of acrylic paint. This can create a mosaic look to your eggs this year.

Dripped On Eggs:

Take a colored Easter egg and let’s add some fun to our design. Simply take a paint brush dipped in acrylic paint and drip streams of paint or dots of paint all over your egg. This will give your eggs a unique retro design that will be sure to impress.



Light Bulb Sleeve Eggs:

The Sleeves that protect your light bulbs have wonderful ridges that are so much fun to decorate your eggs with. Simply open your sleeve and lay it flat to expose the bumpy ridges and cover in acrylic paint of your choice, and roll your egg over the ridges. This makes a wonderful fence design if you would like to paint a spring garden.

I hope you have enjoyed these super easy ideas for adding a bit of fun and spice to your ordinary Easter eggs this season.

Author:

Angie Wenke is the owner-designer of Heartland Graphics and Heartland Marketplace.

"I started in the craft community by offering crafts of my own I started selling gift baskets and some handmade unique crafts of my own. That is how I met such wonderful crafters, then I started my first site Heartland Marketplace which has been a huge success! Then I started created graphics which has been my true passion and I started Heartland Graphics!"

http://www.heartlandgraphics.org

To find more great articles like these please visit
Primitive World Magazine

Our "Post the Most" Contest Has Begun on Our Forums

That's right!! Starting today, Feb 24th, the Primitive Times Magazine Forum is running a POST THE MOST contest.

We will be awarding prizes to the 3 forum members who post the most between Feb 24 to March 24. The contest is only open to members who are not on the staff at PTM...so you will not be competing against anyone who is a moderator. We will still be around posting with you though!! Our hope is that we will all get to know eachother a little better, learn from each other, and have some fun! I will be keeping track. Everyone starts at ZERO posts.

Check out these great prizes!! Come post on PT Magazine's forum and YOU could win!!

~*~ First prize ~*~
Prim Bunny with Prim Carrots
Retail Value $39.00
Prize donated by Paula of Rusty Pins and Old Lace
You can see more of Paula's products at
Rusty Pins and Old Lace



~*~ Second Prize ~*~
A Webset From Heartland Graphics or Heartland Vintage Graphics
Retail Value $30.00 to $50.00
Take a peek at Angie's great graphic collections at
Heartland Graphics
or Heartland Vintage Graphics

~*~ Third Prize ~*~
$25.00 gift certificate to Berry Country Crafts
Featuring handpainted country signs, pins and ornaments
Berry Country Crafts



I know you are going to want to come post with us now!!
Keep checking back here. Once a week, I will let you all know which members are the ones to beat!

Stop by Primitive Times Magazine Forums Today!

Our Primitive Times Magazine Forum Has Had A Make-Over!!!

We got an anonymous letter the other day with a strange request. The letter was addressed to "All The Editors At Primitive Times Magazine" and was a request for HELP.

HELP, we thought?

Who needed HELP?

Well, it seems someone felt that our Primitive Times Magazine Forum was in desperate need of HELP. Someone thought it needed a pick-me-up, a fresh-look, a new-dew, new duds, in other words - a make-over.

Well, we all mulled that over and decided that maybe the forum did need a make-over. Maybe it was run down (although we couldn't understand that as the forum is still pretty new), needed some new duds (or in the forum's case - new graphics), and needed a bright, fresh, cheery and inviting appearance.

It also needed someone who would always be in the forums corner. Someone to always look out for the forum. Someone to be the "cheerleader." Someone who was creative, imaginative, and just plain "FUN!" We all thought - who better than Lisa? Lisa should be the cheerleader. RAH-RAH Sis-Cum-BAH! CONGRATS, Lisa.

So, our Primitive Times Magazine Forum has had its' make-over. We've revamped, reshuffled, re-aligned, and re-furbished our Primitive Times Magazine Forum.

It is now jam packed with new sections, new graphics, new colors, new images, and best of all - IT HAS BLINKIES!!!!. There are so many new features and sections to the forum now that it's hard to tell it all in one post. But, we'll try.

So, here's our new and/or revamped sections:

Welcome - We are so glad that you came over and joined us! Please feel free to join in!!!

What's New - The latest goings-on!

NEW Contests and Games - We're going to have CONTESTS - Plenty of CONTESTS! Come inside and find the latest Contests and Games to play!

Prim Chat - Here is where you can chat about any thing that you like!!

Joke Central - Share a funny email or jokes you have received!

Movies and TV Chat - Come chat about all your favorite TV Shows and keep up to date on shows you might of missed!

Photo Corner - Please post and share your family photos in here!

Blogger Central - Keep us informed on the new stuff going on in your blogs!

Auction Fun - Do you have auctions going on eBay or Auction Haus, or other auction sites? List your information inside!

FREE Graphics for our Forums - PLEASE only use the graphics on this message board they are brought to you FREE by Heartland Graphics and Heartland Vintage Graphics.

Garage Sale Heaven - Do you have craft items or household items cluttering your home? List your items for sale here!**We are not responsible for trades or sales that fall through**

Freebie Heaven - Who doesn't like freebies! Post those freebies you find here!

Craft Corner (5 sub-boards) - Wonderful Crafts that we love to make and share!

a) Tole Painting Crafts - Place your Tole Painting Crafts Inside
b) Scrapbooking Crafts - Post your Scrapbooking Crafts and Ideas Inside
c) Country Crafts - Post your Country Crafts Inside
d) Sewing Crafts - Post your Sewing and Quilting Crafts Inside
e) Holiday Crafts - Post your Holiday Crafts Inside

Recipes (6 sub-boards) - Great Recipes that you just have to try!

a) Appetizer Recipes - Place your appetizer recipes inside
b) Beverages - Place your Coffee, Hot Tea's, Coco's and Drink Recipes Inside
c) Crock Pot Recipes - Place your Crock Pot Recipes Inside!
d) Main Dish Recipes - Place your Main Dish Recipes Inside
e) Quick Recipes - Place those recipes that take 30 minutes or less inside
f) Side Dish Recipes - Place your Side Dish Recipes Inside

Gardening Tips -Post your gardening tips here!

Sewing Tips and Techniques - Leave your sewing and stitchery tips and techniques here!

Photo Submission - Do you have a photo you would like to share?

Staff Cafe - For STAFF only to chat, submit your articles, and share ideas

Feb. Issue - Let us know what you think about out latest issue and if you would like to see anything added to upcoming issues!

Our Staff's Sites - Come inside and see all sites of our wonderful staff of editors~ See all the deals and specials they have going on~

Submit Your Ideas For Issues - Have any great ideas that you would like to see in our next issue! Please feel Free to share it with us!

Advertising On Primitive Times Magazine - Come inside to learn about advertising on Primitive Times Magazine.

Leave Your Link - Add your link to your website and/or eBay!

Sound Off - Post your upcoming sales or specials here! Once weekly please NO SPAM

Top Sites and Newsletters - Do you offer a FREE topsite or Newsletter?

Boy, that's a lot.

We told you it was jam packed.

So, pop on over to our revamped Primitive Times Magazine Forum and let us know what you think.


Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals, Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns, and Linda's Blog. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer. http://lindawalshoriginals.com

We're Having a St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt On Our Primitive Times Magazine Forum

We're having a St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt and it's going to be loads, and loads of FUN!!!

Come on over and join the St. Patrick's Day Scavenger hunt that we're having on our Primitive Times Magazine Forum!

What's that?

You don't know what a scavenger hunt?

Well, you are in for a treat!

It is game where we hide St Patricks Icons (see example below) throughout our Primitive Times Magazine Forum! We'll be hiding them on Mondays-Wed. On Fridays you get to find the icons! The more points you earn the better!

Here's the OFFICIAL RULES:

1-You can ONLY claim each icon TWO TIMES! When you find an icon post a message like I FOUND ICON so it can be counted.
2-You can play each round which begins on M-W-F.
3-NO CHEATING lol .

PRIZES
1st Place gets ONE MONTH Button ad on Heartland Marketplace and Primitive Times Magazine.

2nd Place gets Banner Rotation for one month on all sites.

3rd Place gets a PLUGBOARD Button animated by Angie!

GOOD LUCK

So, come on over to our Primitive Times Magazine Forum!
and "Sign-up" to play. Just CLICK on the " NEW Contests and Games Section" and then look for the "St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt" thread.

CONTESTS STARTS MON FEB 26, 2007

SEE EXAMPLE OF ICONS BELOW



Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals, Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns, and Linda's Blog. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer. http://lindawalshoriginals.com