Rainy days can be a drag for children and adults alike. Despite the weather outside though, there is fun to be had inside as well. Rainy days are the perfect time to break out the arts and crafts that will drive away the rainy day dreariness. Crafts are perfect for all ages and ensures that nobody is left out.

Crafts for Small Children.

Children age two and up can sit at the table with paper and crayons. While the younger children may not have a long attention span, coloring will help to keep a child entertained when it is not feasible to play outside. Cut out some shapes on paper and let the children decorate the shapes. For more fun, break out some glitter markers and some stickers. Foam is also a good option for younger children. Foam does not tear easily and is very versatile which makes it a good material for young children to craft with.

Crafts for school aged children.

Children who are attending school are likely more adept at handling items such as scissors and glue. Popsicle sticks are a great item to have on hand for rainy days. Popsicle sticks can be used to build houses, picture frames and many other things. The possibilities are unlimited and your child’s creativity is the limit. Paints are also a good idea. Lay out some paint, brushes, paper and some water and paper towels for cleanup and let your kids paint the day away.
If the children are in middle or high school, they are adept at doing more than coloring or painting. Craft ideas for older children include painting on a canvas, scrapbooking and other paper crafts, as well as building crafts out of wood and other items. Cross stitching and fabric arts are good deterrents from the weather outside as they are time consuming.

Crafts for adults.

There are many different crafts that adults can do. Jewelry making and scrapbooking are two of the most popular activities. Sewing, whether by hand or machine, is an activity that can take up a lot of time and therefore drive away the rainy day blues.
Crafting does not have to be and is not age oriented. There are many different craft types, with different levels of difficulty available for pre-school age children all the way through adulthood. Keeping craft supplies on hand will make a rainy day easier on everyone.
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Coronavirus pandemic is taking its toll on everybody right now. More and more precautionary measures are being taken to save masses from the infection. Such preventive measures include effective lockdown and personal protective equipment such as face masks and sanitizers. Wearing a face mask is compulsory in some areas, and even some stores can restrict you from entering their store if you’re not wearing your mask. A face mask is scientifically proven to prevent infection from spreading.

Why do we need a facemask extender?

Some of us have long and tiring jobs, and more places are now requiring their employees to wear a mask. Eventually, one will have to wear a mask most of the time during the working hours, and it can leave you with some pretty bad bruise marks on the back of your ears due to tension caused by the elastic band. It is a painful experience, and almost all medical workers are suffering from it daily these days.

A facemask extender can be a lot helpful in this situation. It helps reduce tension on your ears so you can wear your mask for more extended periods without any discomfort.

How to make your facemask extender?

Crochet Extender:

This extender is washable and is really comfortable on the back of the head.

Things you’ll require:

• Colored Yarn
• Some buttons
• Basic crochet skills
• Thread and a sewing needle
• A pair of scissors
• Yarn needles
• A ruler
• A crochet hook

These items can be purchased in our Supplies shop.

Steps:

1. Take your preferred yarn, but make sure it has a bit of elasticity. It ensures comfort upon wearing.
2. Using your crochet hook make a starting chain of 21 chains (or your desired length).

3.  Then make double crochet on the second chain from the top using the hook.

4. After making double crochet on the second chain, continue making double crochets till the 18th chain.

5. Stitch the last chain to your desired type. I’ve made mine a bit round by making two half double crochets then double crochet, triple crochet, double crochet, and a half double crochet. However, as a beginner, I won’t recommend you do this. If you’ve been making crochets for some time then it’ll be a piece of cake for you.

6. Now start making half double crochets for the next 18 chains.

7. After reaching the 18th chain, stitch this end to your desired type. You can try making both ends different too. However, I’ve made mine circular, like in step 5.

8. In this step, you’ll have to skip over the first half double crochet you made and then continue making half double crochets for the next twenty stitches and then join at the end.

9. Using scissors cut the string from yarn. At this point, your crochet face mask extender is nearly ready but needs some significant additions which we will address in the next step.

10. Sew in the remaining thread with the crochet so that no loose end remains insight. Cut off the remaining thread with scissors.

11. Attach the buttons and make sure you pass the thread multiple times through buttonholes so that they remain locked in their place.

12. There you go. Your DIY face mask extender is ready.

Or simply purchase a ready-made Ear Mask Extender from our supplies collection to save you the hassle. Shipped quickly to you.

The initial Presentation of

your products online has a significant impact on sales. Under qualified product pictures erode consumers trust. Fortunate enough, you don’t need to spend thousands on equipment or hire a professional to create beautiful product photography that will instill faith in your online store and get results.
This article shows you how to save money on product photography and improve your store’s look and performance.

Camera

It’s important to invest in a good professional camera. Fortunate enough for you they have become very affordable.

Be sure to choose a camera

with professional grade lenses

that can capture video

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Try out this Nikon D7000 in terms of its price vs. performance its not the best there is but it is perfect for starters. In terms of lenses a 105mm lens should give a beautifully focused shot, get one here by Sony . while a bit expensive, it is great for close-up work and jewelry product photography.
You may also use a smart phone to assist in taking pictures such as an iPhone 5 which has an 8-megapixel sensor and can produce professional grade shots. I also encourage you to explore using your smartphone after you have the proper setup before committing to purchasing a higher-end camera. You may be surprised at the quality similarities between an iPhone and a professional camera.

Lighting

You will need some good lights. Of course the sun produce great results. But the Sun is fickle. Try using the Elinchrom D-Lite 4 Kit, which includes two lights, tripods, and attachable diffuser squares and it gets the job done perfectly. While there are many photography lighting kits available, what’s most important for your setup is to get lights that operate in “continuous” mode versus flash only as this allows you to use them for video as well. In fact, It is best to shoot even still photographs with lights in continuous mode as this makes previewing the shot easier and adds depth to the result.

Tripods

Use if You need to take longer exposures. Holding your camera by hand will produce blurry images that are not very appealing to shoppers.

Photo Setup

It is best to shoot products in front of a classic continuous background often white, neutral grey or natural. It’s a simple and professional look that is often used by major online retailers. Fortunately, it’s simple to achieve by using a few rolls of craft paper.
Craft papers can make a nice do-it-yourself product shoot background setup if done properly.
Try to add complements to your photo such as a peice of which the product in scope can/may be used or worn with. (NB. Try not to overpower the targeted product with its complement. Color, size…etc) this also gives you the opportunity of selling multiple products in one shot.
Place your setup near a big, sunny window if you want natural light, or in a dark room if you want to use your photo lights.

Eliminate unwanted Shadows

Avoid harsh backlighting and other setups that cast shadows on the surface of the object. Keep the lights on the same side of the object as your camera, or slightly off to one side.

Clean Up

Fingerprint on your product or dust on your lens produce poor, amateur results. Buy some microfiber rags and polish and/or prepare products carefully before shooting.

Don’t be Afraid

The biggest obstacle to doing something new is often ourselves. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Be creative. It is ok to make a few mistakes on your way to gaining a deeper understanding of the process. Not only will your sales increase, you will learn a new skill along the way.

Leave your comments and questions

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