The craft industry is certainly working overtime these days to bring us more and more interesting products to work with. Unfortunately no one craft store would be able to keep all of them in stock, so from time to time we show some of these products that just might pique your interest or inspire you to greater creativity.
Who would have thought a few years ago that indoor fountains would become so popular or that you would be able to find the materials for making one at a craft store? Now there is a company that has made it not only easy to acquire the required materials, but it helps you know what to put with what and how to do it. The company is Fountana and the items available include the basic container (there are several choices of size and style), pumps (two sizes) and a variety of rock formations, along with collections of stones, beach glass, etc. Directions and suggested designs are also supplied. Each item is priced separately with the average total price for all of the components running to about $40 (figure A).
Stenciling your walls has become a popular way of decorating and has certainly gone far beyond just adding a few flowers or fleur de lis around the border. We've featured stenciling artists on the show who have stenciled even complete wall settings; however, these are almost as intimidating to some folks as painting the walls would be. Now FeFiFaux has made available stenciled scenes and/or parts of scenes that have been printed on adhesive backed wallpaper (figure B). All you do is add water, a sponge, a bit of elbow grease to rub the stencil on the wall, and you've done it! Scenic decorating at a swipe of the wrist! The prices range from $34.95 to $59.95, which makes these especially practical for folks who live in apartments or who change their minds frequently (figure C).
A very clever little book on the craft scene is one titled Cut Up This Book , and no matter how horrifying that sounds to a true book lover, that's exactly what you do in this case. The book, from River City Rubberworks, has page after page of templates that you cut out, score and fold where indicated and use to make a variety of envelopes and folders. The book includes all the directions as well as the templates. Some are very clever. The price for the book that you cut up is $12, and there is an envelope on the inside back cover for keeping all those templates in one place (figure D).
A most interesting product and one you may have already seen advertised in many places is called Magnetic Creations from General Paint and Manufacturing Company. The paint, which is gray in color, has many iron bits in it so that when you apply it to any surface, it makes it capable of attracting magnetic items. The company recommends applying one or two coats (we applied two), and then painting over it with the paint of your choice. That's all. Your entire wall is now like a refrigerator door! We also tried it with wallpaper instead of a coat of paint over it. It worked ! The product comes in a half-gallon container, and the package that was supplied to us contained the paint, foam rollers, a videotape and a paint stirrer. The half gallon is supposed be enough to cover an 8' x 10' wall (figure E).
Resources Magnetic Creations
paint, foam rollers, a video tape and a paint stirrer
GPM — c/o Magnetic Creations
Cary, IL
Toll Free Phone: 800-850-0113
Cut Up This Book! -- templates
River City Rubber Works
Wichita, KS
Phone: 316-529-8656
Toll-free Phone: 877-735-2276
E-mail:
info@rivercityrubberworks.com
Website:
www.rivercityrubberworks.com
fountain kits
Fountana
San Francisco, CA
Toll Free Phone: 877-966-7242
URL:
www.fountana.com
Trompe L'Oeil
rub on stencils
Fe Fi Faux Finish
Goleta, CA
US
Phone: 805-968-1905
E-mail:
fefifaux@cox.net
Website:
www.fefifaux.com
Also in this Episode
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