From Linda
Photo tips :
------If you are trying to take a photo of one of your paintings, never spay with a sealer before you take your photo. This includes even a matte sealer because even matte sealer has a slight shine that can be picked up by your camera.

------For those who use a scanner to take their photos of paintings, the same applies here. Scan your project before sealing. Same for PC Camera, No sealer!

------Try not to use a flash. Take your project outside on an overcast day, or after the sun goes down between 4 and 5.30 pm is the ideal time.

------ If you are taking your Photo with a PC Camera, use a piece of white poster board quite a bit larger than your project that you want to Photograph. Center your project in the middle of the poster board and make sure that when you snap your picture that your project is totally boarded by your poster board.

Submitted by Nancy Smith
------I keep extra needles on hand, when doing plastic canvas. So if I'm 
using a lot of one color for a project; I cut off and thread them up to 
makes things go faster.

From Linda @ Artistic Seasons
-----Leaves can be preserved by microwaving — a  method that reduces the drying time to minutes. 
(Be sure to put a cup of water in the microwave to  avoid damage.)
 Put one or more colored leaves folded in a paper towel and weigh it down with a dish to prevent the leaves from curling.
 Microwave on high for 2 minutes, and check. If the leaves are dry and crisp, they are done.   If not quite dry, try another minute. If too dry, start over and halve the time. Spray the leaves with hair spray as the final step of preservation. 
 

From Linda 
-----When painting on t-shirts or any fabric, apply a piece of  contact paper [slightly larger than the design you  want to paint] to the inside of your project.
This makes it impossible for the paint to bleed through to the opposite side of your  material, and also insures  that your fabric will not shift while your working.   This is especially helpful when working on sweatshirts.   The contact paper will keep  your fabric from stretching  while you paint.

From Stacie @ Pine Hollow handcrafts
------To remove dried acrylic paint from brushes, soak in rubbing alcohol.

 ------Always use warm water to rinse brushes in. Hot and Cold water makes the paint stick to the bristles.

 ------After washing brushes, use regular hair conditioner to reshape the bristles. Let dry & rinse again before using (again use warm water)

 ------After drying moss & flowers, use diluted acrylic paint and spray the color back on! (I use trial size hair spray bottles)

 ------Save some money & make your own grapevine wreaths and swags! Just soak vines in your bathtub overnight. In the morning, bend them into shape and secure with wire.

 ------To prevent peeling of appliqués from adorned clothing due to washing--(quick fuse appliqués and fabric softener do not mix!)--make your fusing material about 1/4" shorter all the way around than your design. Once fused, sew around the edge with a contrasting thread. This will make your clothing projects durable and add to the overall picture or design!

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