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Jewelry Making | WaterColor Painting | Writing

Jewelry Making At Home Helps The Homemaker Juggle Her Finances

By Ann Marier

Jewelry aking is becoming one of the biggest home based businesses in the world. 80 per cent of home based jewelry making is done in the home by women. It is a great alternative for the homemaker who needs to stay home to be with her children. This self employer does not have to worry about daycare or babysitting expenses. Kids get to soccer practice, dance class and cheerleading daily. There isn’t any overhead and the working hours are up to you.

Depending on the style of jewelry you are making depends solely on you. You are your own boss. Home based jewelry making businesses are easy to organize and there is no cap on creativity. You set the length of your day and you decide how much vacation to receive each year. Home jewelry making can be a very lucrative career. But a home based business depends on self-motivation.

Jewelry Trends

Success in the jewelry making business depends greatly on jewelry trends. Of course there will always be a demand for earrings, rings and necklaces. But following the current trends in jewelry will lead a home based jewelry business to success. Turquoise jewelry is one style of jewelry that is here to stay. Silver jewelry is usually a staple in every woman’s jewelry box, as well as, gold and silver cross necklaces.

Power beads are an example of a trend in jewelry making. The beads that are made into bracelets all are supposed to have a mystical power to them. They could bring you wealth, love or good health. Large ‘honker’ rings and oversized earrings were other notable trends. Bracelets made out of hemp or natural twine also shot to fame at one point in time. Colored fired glass was another beautiful trend in jewelry making.

All one has to do is go to a local craft show to see the many booths full of jewelry to discover the latest look. Many home based jewelry making businesses use local fairs and bazaars to sell their jewelry. EBay and the internet is another selling tool.

The more artistic and creative the artisan is in her jewelry making, the more successful she will become. It is not unusual to discover that many of the great jewelry lines today have come from women who started jewelry making businesses in the home. Whoever said, that the woman’s place is in the home, obviously was clueless to the power of the woman!

About the Author: Ann Marier has written many articles on family life and different general health issues. Her latest articles tell you all you need to know about jewelry making as a hobby perhaps even a part time business
Source: www.isnare.com

Easy Water Color Painting With Nine Tools

By Nancy Wigal

Water color painting is challenging and tends to frustrate many beginners. This article will highlight some of the essential tools to help you overcome that challenge.

Soft sponge: Keep plenty of small, soft sponges to erase water color painting mistakes. The removal process consists of warm water and a sponge. Gently pat the affected area until the mistake disappears.

Paper: It's best not to start off with a cheap paper grade. There are perfectly adequate rag-content papers you can use for practice. However, you should switch to a hand-made paper as quickly as you can. It takes paint better.

Along with the type of paper, consider the grade. You can achieve consistent effects under ideal conditons when you use the same grade of paper again and again.

Next, consider the weight. As a beginner, you'll use a lighter weight, possibly 72 pounds. However, as you gain experience and become more competent, you'll discover the lighter paper won't hold up when you apply a heavy wash.

Finally, the paper texture must be right depending upon the artist's technique. Some artists prefer the rough paper because it softens edges and creates textures. The 300-pound rough is a good choice.

Sand paper is used to scratch off paint where you need more white, and masking tape is useful to cover areas that you will either leave white or paint later on. If you want to create softer effects, an ordinary butter knife can scrape paint.

You can use mat knives to nick and scrape paint areas to highlight white accents. Wet down paper with a cosmetic sponge - you can even use it as a paint brush! Paint rags are necessary for wiping brushes and creating cloud effects.

Here's something you may not have thought of - a hand mirror. Use it to look at your picture in reverse. When you view your water color painting in reverse, many things become immediately clear, such as picture balance.

A low sketching stool will help your water color painting, because working close to the ground is easier on you. Correct your sketches before committing to painting with a kneaded eraser.

Gather these tools and paper to help you create and paint the best water color paintings possible! Good luck, and happy painting.

About the Author: At last - you can paint water colors perfectly without wasting paper and paint. Discover this long-lost art book with the secrets for water color painting and drawing. www.easywatercolorpainting.com
Source: www.isnare.com

The Facts Of A Writer's Life

By Mridu Khullar

So, you dream of becoming a famous writer? You want to get that article on paper as soon as possible and see it published. You've got great ideas for a book that you'll be starting any day now. But do you know what it's really like to lead a writer's life? Read on to find out.

1. Rejection is a part of life.
Face it. You will be rejected. No matter how good you are, how well versed with the techniques, how intricately detailed. One fine day, you'll wake up and find a rejection in the mail. Don't get disheartened. It happens to all of us.

2. Rewriting will have to be done
No matter how good your vocabulary, or how well-written your material, there will come a time, when one editor will ask you to rewrite your work. Take this as an encouraging sign. It just means that the editor likes your work, but needs you to work out a few details to suit his needs.

3. Deadlines have to be met
Meeting deadlines is an important part of your career. Miss one deadline, and you can be sure you'll never be writing for that publication again. Be careful not to take on so much that you cannot complete in time. It will ruin your reputation and make you seem unprofessional.

4. Writer's block is not a myth
Regardless of what you may have heard, writer's block is a reality. You will wake up one day to find that somehow you can't seem to write any more. Relax. It's just a phase. Keep your motivation high, and you'll be back in no time.

5. Distractions, Distractions, Distractions
If you work at home, you're even more prone to these distractions. Your child needs food, clothes need washing, you need a cup of coffee. And when all that is taken care of, the phone will ring. It'll be your hubby calling just in time, to remind you of an errand that you almost forgot to do.

6. Can't do without a thesaurus
No matter how good your vocabulary or how witty your writing style, the fact of life is that you will need a thesaurus. There will be times when you can do without an overused word, or a better expression. It's times like these when you absolutely must make use of a thesaurus.

7. You can't please everyone
Everyone is different. Where there'll be dozens of people to appreciate your work, there will be many others who will tear it apart with their criticism. You have to learn to take the good with the bad.

8. Have extraordinary patience
Editors are a strange lot. They need their time, and we need our patience. Don't go checking your mail the day after you've sent your query. Chances are you'll be waiting a long time, before word comes in on that one.

9. Money doesn't come easy
In the writing world, money doesn't come as easily as it appears to from the outside. You may write dozens of articles each week, and expect lots of cash to come in from their sale. Or you may expect your book to outdo the target that you'd set for it. You never know - it just might, but every one cannot be Stephen King. And you’ll probably have to learn to live with the fact that no movie will be made from your first novel.

10. The road is long and hard
The road is bumpy, and there'll be times when you'll want to give up. But the destination is just as rewarding. Don't let the long road ahead, deter you from your dreams. And don’t ever give up.

About the Author: Mridu Khullar is the editor-in-chief of www.WritersCrossing.com, a free online magazine for writers. Sign up for the free weekly newsletter to get a complimentary e-book with 400+ paying markets. Also check out her e-book, "Knock Their Socks Off! A Freelance Writer's Guide to Query Letters That Sell," available at www.writerscrossing.com
Source: www.isnare.com

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