Crafting Secrets

(NU) – A home featuring traditional wood crafts, folk art and hand-carved furniture exemplifies a unique style of beauty. Whether you proudly display family heirlooms or collectibles gathered throughout the years, the addition of wood as a classic backdrop throughout your home will set the stage for these historic treasures and enhance your home’s sense of warmth and style.

Here are some tips for adding wood decor to your home.

* Start with the entrance. An impressively detailed, hand-carved wood door will set the tone before anyone even takes a step into your home. A stately carved wood door informs those entering the home of your own personal style.

An elaborate wood entry system, like those available in the Jeld-Wen IWP Collection, features extraordinary details that emphasize the wood’s character. These doors are created by artisans who carefully craft each masterpiece to match and highlight a home’s architectural details.

* Include interior decorative wood pieces. From windows, doors and furniture to clocks and artwork, decorative pieces are available in the wood species and style of your choice. Many of these pieces are still being created by hand. Artisans utilize their skills to replicate the exquisite works of old-world craftsmen, as well as create new, original designs. Craftsmen construct each piece individually, often choosing and planing the lumber themselves to bring out the true beauty of the wood.

* Create your own style. Continue your wood theme throughout your home when selecting moulding, cabinetry and any additional woodwork. Using the same species all through your home creates a truly harmonious, classic feel. Or, use a blend of species by coordinating two or three different types of wood to create a varied, somewhat eclectic look.

From maple, pine and oak to mahogany and rosewood, these woods complement each other and promise an exotic design that will add interest and character to each room.

* Mix and match old with new. When decorating, match hand-carved wood items with factory-built accents, which are stylish yet economical. Handcrafted tables, cedar chests and armoires blend seamlessly with manufacturer-made wood picture frames, clocks and candlesticks. Mixing in your antique treasures will add that final touch, giving your home the individuality you desire and a proud display of your prized possessions.

Whether your home’s style is colonial, country or shaker, handcrafted elements instill a bit of style and tradition. Look for local craft fairs and galleries to find artisans in your area.

Are you looking for a way to increase quality time with your children? The craft of woodworking is practical and fun. Depending on how much time and effort you want to put into the creation, woodworking with your kids can teach them valuable skills while they have fun in the process. While woodworking does have some difficult aspects, children are capable of doing most of the process – with a little supervision on your part! Before deciding on your project, take a moment to consider a few of these points.

Evaluate Your Workspace and Equipment

Take stock of your resources like tools and space first. Nothing is more frustrating than getting halfway through a project and realizing you don’t have the tools or the room to complete it. Look through the instructions, buy all of the tools beforehand, and get the kids to help organize everything. Decide together where you’ll work on the project and clear more space if you have to.

Where’d Everybody Go?

Have you ever started a project with the kids only to look up and find you’re suddenly the only one left participating? Try to tailor the complexity of the project to the attention span of your children. Some children might only have enough patience for a project that takes a few days – or even a few hours. Undertaking larger projects with younger children might mean you’ll end up finishing it alone. Older children, on the other hand, might get excited about larger projects and see it through until the end. You know your children best and how long you’re able to hold their attention, use it to your advantage.

Keep It Interesting

Find a specific project you and your children can get jazzed about. Working on a project that isn’t satisfying will just end up being a chore nobody will want to finish. Whether you’re recreating a Victorian style house in miniature or carving animals and trains out of wood, the possibilities are endless.

Do Research Before You Begin

Even the most experienced hobbyist needs to do some research before undertaking a project. Beginners who have never done woodworking before will find a great deal of information online or at their local library. Talking to woodshop teachers at one of the local high schools or contacting your local hobby store will help too. Do some practice projects first. Start your children with small projects and work your way up to something more involved. The bigger project will seem much easier and cause less frustration with everyone involved.

Woodworking is a very rewarding activity for you and your family. If you take the time and make the proper evaluations before beginning, the entire project will fall into place easily and instill a sense of accomplishment in the whole family. The bonds created will have your kids remembering the good times for rest of their lives. Take the time to find a new project and see how it can bring your family closer together.

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Contact: www.PetalwinktheFairy.com
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Contact: www.PetalwinktheFairy.com
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