Jewelry parties are fun for any skill level.
If you want to throw a party that's a little different from the run-of-the-mill birthday bash, potluck supper or cocktail get-together, consider an art party. Once considered mainly a theme for children's birthday celebrations, art parties have begun to be popular for adult get-togethers as well. Whether you and your friends are bonafide artists, skilled crafters or enthusiastic dabblers, there are many art-themed parties from which to choose.
Jewelry
Plan your beading party to make it fun for novice and expert alike. Even beginners can make simple bracelets---string 12 inches of elastic string on a beading needle, and tie a large knot (or a small bead) in the end of it. String beads along the elastic until it is long enough to fit on your wrist, and then knot the ends of the string together and cut off the excess. Dab a bit of clear fingernail polish on the glue, and pull the string until the knot is hidden inside a bead. To make simple beaded earrings, string beads onto head-pin wires in any combination you like. Bend the top of the head-pin wire at a 90-degree angle from the beads, and use wire cutters to snip it off 3 cm above the stacked beads. Use needle-nose pliers to curl the 3 cm of wire into a nearly complete circle. Slip this circle through the loop on a fish-hook earring wire, and close the circle on the head-pin wire with the pliers.
Glass Painting
Paint seasonal designs on glass votive candleholders or monogrammed pitcher and glass sets. Clean glass surfaces with rubbing alcohol or glass cleaner to remove any dirt or oil. Using paint designed specifically for glass painting, squeeze the designs directly on the glass using squeeze tubes, or paint them using small brushes. If you are painting monograms, either make the letters freehand with a brush, or use a stencil and a sponge or a stippling brush. Let the paint dry for 24 hours. If you will not use the glass item for food, it is unnecessary to bake it. To make the paint oven safe and dishwasher resistant, after the paint has dried for 24 hours, put the item in a cold oven, and set the temperature for 325 degrees. When the oven has reached 325, bake the item for 40 minutes. Turn the oven off, and allow the item to cool before removing it.
Decoupage Boxes
Supply your guests with small, lidded wooden boxes, a soft paintbrush and a pot of decoupage glue. Assemble wrapping paper, magazine pictures, scrapbooking paper, Victorian "scrap" art, photographs, tickets, postcards, menus, theater programs, maps, illustrations and any other decorative paper items with the theme or the look that you like. Cut, tear or burn the edges of the pieces you choose, and arrange them to the same size as one side of your box. Using the paintbrush, cover that side of the box with a thin layer of decoupage glue. Working quickly, lay the images on the glue---try not to move them once they're stuck down, as the paper will be fragile, but you can smooth them gently with a damp rag or sponge. A little bit of wrinkling is okay. Repeat until the entire box is covered, trimming the papers carefully at the edges of the box and lid. When the box dries, paint the entire surface of the box with another thin layer of decoupage glue. You may stop there or sand the box lightly with steel wool or very fine-grit sandpaper and finish with one more layer of glue.
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