[LearningAsIGo]

Just curious :D

[LearningAsIGo]

I do random things, especially with my wedding last month (pomander, shower guestbook, painted some decorations, etc.)

I mostly enjoy wood painting, sewing, and jewelry making. :)

[alkalineangel]

I knit, sew, scrapbook, and make blankets.

[Emland]

I sew, quilt and scrapbook when I get the chance.

[alkalineangel]

I am learning to quilt... but Im learning by hand, so Im quickly becoming frustrated... ;)
I make crafts for Christmas. We like to give homemade gifts, last year I made painings, this year will be blankets probably... in the past ai made soaps, candles, scented oils, bath salts... etc. I try to match the item to the person receiving it. The candles were fun. I matched scents to people... it was hilarious when everyone started passing them around.

[GlindaofOz]

Knit and crochet. I want to start sewing

[Tuscany]

I like to paint and add my own touches to food containers and flower vases. Then I fill them and give them to people.

I have also just gotten into candle making.

[UsBlkgal]

Knit and crochet. I want to start sewing

By the way. Have you tried crocheting and knitting wire bracelets and necklaces? (With the crochet hook and knitting needles.)

[firmbeliever]

I am no expert in any craft, I dabble a little in one or the other... :p

Painting (expecially acrylics)
Sometimes fabirc painting too (the odd t shirt... )
Handmade cards
Sew (a little)
Embroidery (when I have the time and patience)
Bead work (still trying... )
Now learning to make party favours (not really make but packing them in beautifull wrappings in different themes)

And hopefully learn new crafts as I go along...

If you have ideas do please share... :D

[Clough]

I like to make small musical instrument kits. One of them would be thumb pianos. There are over 1,000 of them made by kids in the vicinity where I live. I make all of the parts and the kids put them together. They are worth about $60.00 - $75.00 each. No kid has ever had to pay a cent for one of them.

[UsBlkgal]

Clough, what in the heck is this art that you mention? I am constantly amazed at what the human being can come up with in the field of arts and crafts! How do you go about learning this art? Where does it originate?

[Clough]

Clough, what in the heck is this art that you mention? I am constantly amazed at what the human being can come up with in the field of arts and crafts! How do you go about learning this art? Where does it originate?

Hi again, UsBlkgal!

Information and images about thumb pianos can be found on the following links:

Thumb Piano - Google Search

Thumb Piano - Google Image Search

It originates with a desire to help others to understand about music and musical instruments and for one to find a way to achieve that goal.

Over many years, I have been teaching students about multi-cultural music. I have found that the thumb piano is one of the ideal instruments in which to show similarities as well as diversities between instruments contained in boxes and/or resonating chamber, as evolved from the basic drum which came from a hide stretched across a hollow tree trunk. Centuries later, it evolved into the marching drum, banjo, guitar, instruments of the violin family, etc. The list is almost endless.

I had trouble making my kits at first when I started this nearly twenty years ago. But, thanks to a friend who is a former junior high woodworking teacher, I was finally able to mass produce the parts for the kits.

Basically the thumb pianos that I make are a rectangular box. Then you have a bridge on which metal tangents of a certain length are placed. The metal tangents are held in place with some screws through another piece of wood above the bridge. I am trying to make this simple as far as a description, but it is hard to do. But, I think that you will get the idea of basically how they look if you go to link to the image search that I have provided above.

I love woodworking! Basically, they are masterpieces (If I might brag a little!) made of junk! You can find damaged pieces of paneling that are ideal to use for the tops and bottoms of them, then you cut them to the size that you want. Inexpensive wood lathe planned down so that it is almost smooth works great for the sides. You can get oak for the bridge and fixture above it, from discarded pallets, that you just plane down and then cut to the sizes that you need.

The metal tangents for the notes are made from blued, polished spring steel. Making them is the hardest part of this whole process, because all of the notes must be individually cut and shaped accordingly so that they don't scratch the fingers when they are being plucked. The thumb pianos that I make are tuned diatonically, therefore, we can play pieces that we can recognize on them. (Guess who gets to tune the hundreds of notes when making a batch of the kits for a few classes?)

The kids learn how to use a screwdriver, (righty-tighty, lefty-loosey) sand, and also paint as well as being educated about the evolution of musically instruments according to the cultural traditions from which they have evolved. This has been a great experience for many that has involved art, shop and music teachers all at once. It is interdisciplinary as well as a sharing of the teaching talents of many people. A great way to get various departments working together towards one goal.

The same thing can be done with simple dulcimers.

[cerisa]

I love to dabble in paint-on anything, on fabrics for wearable art for instance. Or sometimes because an article of clothing is the wrong color. I love naturecrafts,dried flowers, twig wreaths, vases. Papercrafts, handmade papercasts. Edible art, sugar decorations for cakes etc. Lately I am making succulent plant mosaics. I have done commercial art, murals for church, etc. But mostly I just have fun with whatever comes to mind. Seeing something beautiful and pricey in a shop is the BEST inspiration.

[UsBlkgal]

I just saw a thumb piano on the internet site of a company called: "Lark in the Morning". Of course I have seen them before but never so many different shapes! I have been buying ethcnic musical instruments from all over the world. I.E. I bought an autoharp and an e flat cornet! (I have played trumpet for thirty-six yrs and have never seen or played something so so strange!) Anyway I saw all kinds of things. I.E. A African Musical instrument, a story tellers drum, a Zulu cocoon rattles, and an ocean harp to name a few.

[NeedKarma]

I dual boot Vista and Ubuntu.

[crazymomjulie]

I like to crochet, knit, glass beaded jewelry, cross stitch, embroidery punch, canvas stitch, and am now trying my hand at sewing

[UsBlkgal]

I have some new instruction books on wire crochet and wire knitting books! You can actually use some of the knitting needles and crochet hooks. But alas, I can't seem to find the time to utilize them. The photos in the books look cool and extremely unique! The stitches are basic stitches too, by the way.

[Clough]

alkalineangel agrees: amazing! Nothing is better for a child than the gift of music.
LearningAsIGo agrees: What a wonderful gift! How very interesting, thanks for sharing :)
UsBlkgal agrees: he is always helpful and goes beyond the call of duty where sound advice is needed!

Aww, gee! Thanks so much for the comments!!

[Nicca619]

I enjoy scrapbooking and especially papercrafts. I have a blog dedicated to my projects, thoughts, swaps, and contests that I run that are scrap related. Im really into altered scrap art!

[CMM_Kaleido]

I knit, crochet, sew some, bead (only a very little these days), and make cards--but my passion is for oil pastels--crayons for adults!