The Easy Way to Make a Special PresentWe all know someone who is difficult to buy a present for. Someone who has everything they need and would not appreciate 'normal' gifts. Often this will be your parent or an older relative or neighbor, and they can be a problem to buy something for. Well, this is a simple way to make a unique gift that they will be happy to accept. When you take the time to produce something that relates only to them and their interests it will always be happily received. The idea is to make a picture that includes something that they are especially interested in. This could be a hobby or any other interest they have. This is a quick and easy technique. You simply choose your theme (their hobby or interest), paint a silhouette of it onto a colored background and frame it. You could paint a colored background onto a canvas panel or use already colored paper. I noticed my local art store had colored card that had a range of colors merging into each other, this would be ideal for this technique. The theme of your silhouette is really the creative part. The easiest thing would be to use their hobby as the theme. Look through some copyright free clip art until you find an image that you could use for the outline of the silhouette. If they like fishing it could be a fisherman/fish/fishing fly. For a golfer it could be a set of clubs/golf hole with flag. For someone who likes to cook it could be related to cooking. If they are keen church-goers a silhouette of their church may be appreciated. A lot of people like to receive a silhouette of their home. For car enthusiast a silhouette of their car is a good idea. In which case you could use a digital camera and take a picture of their church, home or whatever you have decided to include in the picture. You really can use your imagination for this. When using clip art you have a huge range of options (probably too many!) to choose from. You don't have to be great at drawing! Also, you can use a computer graphics package to blend together two or three images for your final silhouette shape. Be sure to adjust the size of the final image to make it the correct size for the painting surface you have chosen, and print it out. As this is a gift you can make it whatever size you choose. Once you have painted or found a suitable background, then trace around the outside edge of the image for your silhouette shape. Use carbon paper for this. The silhouette shape can be painted in using acrylic paints - don't make the paint too thin though! Another alternative is to use a permanent marker, not a normal marker as it will fade over time, and that would be disappointing for the person receiving the gift. Silhouettes look very effective and traditional in black. However you could use a darker shade of one of the colors in the background for an alternative look. For example if the background was a pale green the silhouette could be in a dark green. This all adds to the uniqueness of your gift. If you are using a colored card it will be better to use a permanent marker as the water in the paint may cause the card surface to buckle. Fill in the silhouette shape and leave to dry. Then frame the silhouette picture. **A distinctive gift for a special person.** This type of personalized gift is always appreciated and shows that you have put some thought, time and effort into the present. Another major benefit is that no one else will be giving exactly the same gift! This is an excellent technique if you can't find a suitable card. You can make your own special card. It is most effective if you choose a very simple shape for the silhouette when using this method in card making. Cards are generally a lot smaller and look best when you use less detailed shapes. Use this system and say goodbye to gift buying problems for that hard to please someone. Catherine Calder is the author of the Acrylic Painting Course. This step-by-step course teaches you how to paint using acrylic paints. All stages of each of the 12 painting are illustrated. Ideal for beginners or anyone new to using acrylic paints. For a free preview of the course visit http://www.learnanddo.com/acrylic.asp Sign up for the free report on 'How to Paint Abstract Pictures for Pleasure and Profit' at http://www.AcrylicPaintingCourse.info Known for their delicious, custom-made treats, Shelley's Cookies are great for any occasion. Every frosted cookie is made from our own family recipe and elaborately decorated by hand. Any customer can create their own design to be applied. We do company logos for corporate events and supply cookies for special events such as wedding showers, baby showers, birthdays, holidays, and whatever occasion is important to our customers. The best part about our cookies is the delectable taste! http://www.shelleyscookies.com/
MORE RESOURCES updated Fri. April / 26 / 2024 The Benefits of Gentler Hobbies Next Avenue The nostalgic crafts that are making a comeback Yahoo Movies UK 6 Craft Hobbies Everyone's Talking About In 2024 Country Living UK Crafts retailer Joann files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as consumers cut back on pandemic-era hobbies The Macomb Daily Lancaster Countians win PA Farm Show ribbons for crafts, hobbies, plants, square dancing LNP | LancasterOnline Having a hobby tied to happiness and well-being Harvard Health Craft and hobby classes in St. Louis St. Louis Magazine New restaurant and new crafts store planned for Bradenton shopping center development Bradenton Herald Joann fabric and hobby stores enter bankruptcy; post-pandemic craft decline cited - The Mercury News One Tank Trips | AdhDiy Craft Cafe KSHB 41 Kansas City News 8 Craft Hobbies Set To Be Popular This Autumn And Winter Country Living UK The Latest Craze in Hobby Crafting: Becoming a 21st-Century Blacksmith The New York Times The 20 Most Relaxing Hobbies to Try This Year Country Living UK 4 Craft Hobbies To Try Out This Summer | Best Summer Crafts 2023 Country Living UK Joann craft retailer files for bankruptcy St. Louis Post-Dispatch Where to pursue a new hobby in Chattanooga NOOGAtoday The Alphabetical Guide To Craft Hobbies | A-Z List Of Crafts Country Living UK Rug Tufting: An Old Craft That's New Again Next Avenue Best new hobby deals for 2024: Lego kits, DIY jewelry making, ClassPass subscriptions, and more Mashable 8 new hobbies to try in the St. Louis area Ladue News Second Saturday event at Factory attracts shoppers, crafts: in photos Columbia Daily Herald Meet Mike Larisey, owner of Maritime Hobbies & Crafts Ltd Downtown Halifax Looking to pick up a new hobby? Indigo Studio is here to help. inputfortwayne.com Craft fairs, Hobby Con in Williams Lake this weekend Williams Lake Tribune Cobblestone Crafts listed for sale after four decades for $679K HollandSentinel.com London Named UK's Craftiest City | The Most Creative Areas Country Living UK The Heritage Crafts On The Brink Of Extinction Country Living UK OPINION: A love letter to arts and crafts Indiana Daily Student Where to try new hobbies in San Diego County in 2023 The San Diego Union-Tribune The Best Craft for Each Zodiac Sign Best Life The Hobby Lobby Controversy, Explained The Mary Sue Katie McAllister has a multitude of hobbies that all correlate to crafts The Central Trend Bored at home? Now’s the perfect time to pick up a new hobby CNN Underscored West Virginia Hobbies & Crafts: A 25-year success story Huntington Herald Dispatch Business Intel: Crossroads Hobbies and Crafts Roanoke Times Leny Handy Crafts: How a hobby became a business Manila Bulletin Handicrafts and hobby store giant Milbby to open its first branch in the province on the Costa del Sol Surinenglish.com Endangered Crafts and the Destinations Keeping Them Alive (Published 2019) The New York Times How to Keep Hobbies Organized — Using the Kit Method for Hobbies Apartment Therapy Best craft classes for adults in Los Angeles Los Angeles Times Yo! Easter offers skills, sports and hobbies for everyone | City Of Wolverhampton Council Wolverhampton City Council Best craft kits for kids that could inspire a new hobby Evening Standard Hobbies and Crafts Theme Cruises Cruise Critic Hobby Lobby vs. Michaels: Which craft store is better? Business Insider 30 Best Hobbies for Women - Creative Activities to Fill Your Free Time Good Housekeeping The 16 biggest controversies in Hobby Lobby's five decade history Business Insider Business Intel: Salem Hobby Shop Roanoke Times Dawn's Folly grows from hobby corner to shop selling handmade goods Port Clinton News Herald Lost trades: The industrial origins of crafts and hobbies National Science and Media Museum 20 Summer Hobbies You Can Start Today The Everygirl After 40 years, Herb's Hobbies & Crafts closing The Intelligencer Nobel prizes most often go to researchers who defy specialization – winners are creative thinkers who synthesize ... The Conversation 103-year-old-Columbia woman stays active through crafts and community Columbia Daily Herald Hobby Lobby To Discontinue 40% Off Coupon Curtis Tucker Arts and Crafts Are Experiencing Surge in Popularity Amid COVID-19 Smithsonian Magazine Hobby Lobby, Michaels, or Joann: Which Is the Best Craft Store? Business Insider Best creative hobbies you can do at home in lockdown Stylist Magazine Druid City Makerspace offers room for people who create arts, crafts Tuscaloosa Magazine
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