Craft Blog

Here are some great tips for selling your crafting items at boutiques and fairs. Selling your crafting items really is all about getting your crafts recognized. That is what we will be focusing on.

When you look at what you will be selling at your local boutique or fair, you want to focus on what the customers are looking for. So as you are making your crafts, that may be the first thing to keep in mind if you are selling the crafts.

So, if you know that the decorated Christmas wreaths will sell more than the napkin covers, it may be a good idea to make more of the wreaths. However having one or two of the napkin covers is still a good idea. It just may be that you want more wreaths then covers.

Next, you will want to use emphasis on your products and crafts you are selling. This means that you will want to put a focus on your crafting products in a positive way. Here are the ways you can do that.

#1

Use a bright, and inviting set up for your layout of crafts, and information. This is going to be one of the main key things you will want to do. A table or area that is plain can cause a person to walk right on by. Give your crafts the chance to show themselves off by having people look your way. You can use table clothes, lights, lace, posters, and pictures to grab the passerby’s attention.

#2

Display your crafting items in a way that shows each of them off. This means, try not to stack them up, or take from one, by having another over burden the other one. This is important because if there is a great deal of over crowding, people will also just walk by. It is a way that people tend to block out what ever is overwhelming.

#3

Keep your area clean. Nobody wants to purchase crafts when the area they are in is cluttered and dirty. The idea is to have the focus on the crafts. You will not want to have the focus on your breakfast containers from earlier in the day.

This goes the same for your crafts. Keeping them clean, and dust free is just as important. Customers will not want to purchase crafts that are dirty and dusty.
#4

Place your pricing where it can be easily seen. Who wants to have to ask how much this is or how much that is. Often times people will pass items or entire tables for that pure fact. There are people who will ask. However why lose customers because they don’t want to ask, take the time, or are just to shy.

The price you are using for your crafting items is equally important. You don’t want to price so low that it costs you. However, you do not want to be so high priced that people will walk on by. That is not the way to make money. So do a little research. See what other people are selling similar items for. Also calculate how much you put into the items, and how much time it took. Then come up with a good price that will help you sell the crafts.

These are just some tips and ideas that will help you sell your craft items at boutiques and fairs. Make the most of your experience by getting the money you deserve for your hard work.

Tips for painting your crafts and making it last. Painting crafts is an art. The real thing about this though, is that after you have gone through all the work to get the craft to look good, you will want and need it to last. So this is all about getting your painting to look right and making it last. Why waste your hard work.

Lets take a look at the tips for painting your crafts. Lets also look at what you can do to make those treasures that are painted last.

Tip #1

Using the right painting technique for the job will help to create the great look you are going for. This is important because if you want your crafts to look great, the right technique needs to be used.

Tip #2

Prepare your paint, yourself and your work area for great arts and crafts. These are the things you can do to be prepared.

a. Wear old clothing in the case there are spills, etc.
b. Depending on the paint you will be using, you may need a mask, and gloves. Use the manufacturing instructions for safety gear.
c. Make sure the areas you are working in are well ventilated. Most of the time paint has fumes that can cause headaches or other issues.
d. If you can, paint outside. It is not always possible. But, always get enough air so there are no issues from the fumes.

Tip #3

Start with a clean surface when you are painting. The area you are painting on needs to be clear of all loose particles. Also, there needs to be an area that is free of dust, dirt or loose chips. This way the paint will have a firm surface to connect to and will not peel away.

Using a primer can also help. After the surface is clean, the primer will be a base for the paint to grip into. Primer can help the paint stay on longer and help protect the surface from any other damages that would occur over time.

Primer can also help with getting the right shades you are looking for from your paint. The primer is a base coat that allows the true colors to show through.

Tip #4

Paint evenly and slowly. Do not let inpatients get in the way of a good paint job. Rushing the paint process can cause drips, inconsistency and more. The idea is to use a smooth motion that puts a smaller amount of paint in the areas needed. Then you can do additional coats to create the right color. If you put to much paint on in order to get the job done faster, you will end up with runs and inconsistencies. The drips and inconsistencies not only look bad, but also can be cause for pealing.

Tip #5

A finishing glaze will also make your painting last longer. This means that you would use either a glaze in the end of the paint job to go over the other paint coats you have created. Or you can also mix the finishing glaze in with one of the final coats of the paint you are putting on the object.

This finishing glaze is the same as a topcoat. You can purchase this product from your local craft store. In the long run it will be worth the little extra money and time it will take to create a safety barrier against wear and tear, and dust.

Tip #6

Keep your painted crafts clean and free of dust. This is simple enough, however all to often we tend to miss the importance of cleaning crafted items correctly. Do not use harsh abrasive cleaning items on your painted crafts. Using a soft towel that has a small or no cleaner on it. Then simply wipe the crafts off so that the dust and grime does not have a chance to damage the paint.

These are tips for painting your crafts and making it last. This is because if you go through the work to create beautiful crafts, you will want them to last for generations to come.

Handmade items most are not often seen on shelves of big superstores and give people a great feeling of being special. When you think about it, you really don’t want to be seen wearing similar items like a necklace, earrings or a bracelet just as your next door neighbor wears. You want to be able to wear something that says a bit about you and that you know only few people or probably no one has what you are wearing. Handmade items will always be unique because they are not made by machine at a mass production level. Crafters take their time, talents and skills to make their craft look unique even if they are the same type of product, and they always make sure to use only the best and highest quality materials since they are not trying to mass produce.

For making high quality crafts, you need to invest your time, effort and talents to make the items have personality, help someone express herself, and feel unique. The quality of materials used to make the craft, the careful selection of colors, sizes and shapes to produce the craft is what makes the item look like a high quality item. Mass produced items don’t seem to give that same effect. They basically have no personality and it doesn’t say much about a person. You want to make sure that whoever buys your craft has that sense of being special. The majority of people, especially women, like to receive a handmade item as a gift. They like to feel a little bit more loved and important. By giving someone in your life a handmade craft, it simply states that she is special and she deserves nothing but the best.

People like buying beautiful and unique items, but they want them to be items that can last a very long time. This is another important characteristic why many times, people like to have trained artists create and make them one of their most unique pieces. People like beauty, uniqueness, durability, individuality and quality in an item. Nearly all trained artists make their items to last longer because they like to use high quality materials and some of them will travel to find the rarest or the most high quality item to finish their product. Selling high quality items will give you confidence, high reputation and business throughout the year. It’s true that most of the time, the price of a handcrafted item is more money, but if you are a person who values the quality and the beauty of a handmade item, you already know how far superior the items are to the mass produced ones. Buying a mass produced item is probably always the cheapest way to go, but if the item needs to be replaced every so often, then it doesn’t seem cheap anymore. When quality, durability and beauty matter, a handcrafted item is simply the best way to go and more so if this is a gift you anticipate giving to someone important and special to your heart.

There are so many people who like quality handmade items and don’t mind paying what they are worth in order to support the quality, the talents, the skills and craftsmanship of any trained and qualified craft artists. When someone buys handmade items, she is simply supporting traditional arts and crafts techniques passed down through generations and also supporting your small business. You want people to continue doing business with you as long as you offer them high quality craft items. Always remember that most people enjoy having in their possession something truly unique, beautiful and of high quality. When you create something, think of how you are going to make someone feel good when wearing your item and how long the piece will last, and perhaps it can become a heirloom for generations to come.

Here are some great tips for how to decoupage. When you look at the art of decoupage you may find that the result you expected is somewhat amazing. The reason is that even though you may be a beginner, it is a simple art that can create works of art that looks like a professional did it.

The basic thing of decoupage is cut and paste. If you can do this, you can decoupage. The way it works is you cut out several pictures. Then you will glue or paste those pictures onto a surface. Then you will need to cover the pictures and object that the pictures are pasted on with several coats of glue/decoupage medium. This step will be what seals it and protect it.

What you will need for decoupage. Well you can choose to go with the specifically made products or you can make do with some supplies you have around the house. It will clearly depend on what your preference is. Here is what you will want to look at getting for your decoupage projects.

 Item or object that you will decoupage onto. This can be a frame, a vase, a bowl, a box, furniture, shelving, mirrors etc. It really is up to you
 Then you may want some paint and or sealant for the item or object, depending on what it is, for protection
 Now the pictures that you will cut and use for decoupage, they can be pictures of family, a magazine, a book, whatever you want for your design is fine
 White glue for the decoupage medium or purchase the decoupage medium
 Popsicle sticks
 Cotton swabs
 Damp rag
 Brayer that is like a small rolling pin for smoothing wrinkles
 Foam or small paintbrush
 Crafting knife
 Sealer

There are variations of these tools. Though, for the most part you will want these tools or what ever you have that can work like these tools.

Make sure the area you will be doing the decoupage on is clean and covered. This will get sticky from the glue and you would not want it ruined. Then clean the item or object you will be using for the decoupage project. Also, if you are going to paint or seal before adding the pictures this is a good time to do that. Then start the rest of the projects after the paint or sealant is dry completely.

Then you will need to cut out the different pictures you want to use on your project. Be creative, you can even add word art or poetry to make it extra meaningful.
Make sure you situate the pictures where you want them to go before you glue them on.

Stick the pictures on the glue and then carefully place them on the object in the places you want them to go.

Smooth out the wrinkles if there are any. The surface really should be very smooth.

After the pictures are all in place on the object you can coat the object with three parts glue and one part water mixture. This should be done with at least three coats.  This is to make sure the pictures stay in place for years to come. Between each coat the prior coat needs to be completely dry. Then you can use another sealant on the outside to finish off the look.

It really is a simple process. However it is something that you can make amazing artworks out of. These are the tips for how to decoupage. It is easy, fun and a great way to spend an afternoon.

One of the most common ways to use metal today is by making crafts.  There are many different ways to use metal when it comes to crafting, and many different metals to choose from.  Some of the more popular metal craft projects are jewelery, ornaments, metal sculptures/ paintings, wall hangings, and even basketry.  So how do you know what type of metal to use for your metal craft?  Let’s take a look at some different metals and their properties to determine which type of metal is the best for certain craft projects.

Most of today’s jewelery is made with some type of metal.  The process of making the actual jewelery can be quite lengthy, especially if you have to fire and melt the metal to get it to do what you want it to.  For those of you who wish to make jewelery without the hassle of using a torch, you may want to look into using metal clay.  Metal clay was developed in Japan during the 90’s.  It is a clay-like substance that when fired or heated in a kiln becomes a dense metal.  It is used mostly in the fine silver form, but can be purchased in 22K gold.  Depending on the type of clay you pick will depend on what temperature or at all if it needs to be heated. 

Besides metal clay, for most of your metal craft projects you will need something to weld the metals together, and heat them to bend the way you want them to.  A torch is usually the easiest and most convenient way to create metal crafts in a smaller area, but you can buy larger tools for different jobs.  If you know what your project is, then go into a craft store and explain to them what you are doing and they will be able to tell you what the best metals are to use for your metal craft project. 

If you are not interested in making just jewelery, and would like to branch out and make something else, you will want to know a little bit about metals in general before you go out and buy something and realize it won’t work for what you are doing.  Here are a few types of iron and their properties so you can make a more educated decision on what to use for your craft project. 

Iron
If you are working with iron, you should know that in most instances Cast iron is very brittle and will crack easily.  It has a better resistance to rusting than pure iron and steel.  Pure iron, also referred to as wrought iron is malleable so if you are going to be bending and shaping in your craft project this may work great for you.

Steel
There are many different kinds of steel.  Mild steel is strong and easy to shape, and is also very cheap.  High carbon steel is stronger than mild steel, but is more brittle.  Stainless steel is extremely hard and strong and very resistant to corrosion. When working with steel you will most likely need to use a protective coating around your project as it will usually react with oxygen in the air and rust easily. 

Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc which makes it strong, and cheap.  It is one of the softer metals to work with when crafting which may give you more options if you have not decided what craft you are going to do. 

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Safety tips for cutting wood when crafting. Cutting wood in crafting can either be very safe and fun, or dangerous. The key to being safe about cutting wood is in knowing what the safety tips are. Here is a bit of information that will help the crafter in you cut wood safely.

The basic safety tips for woodworking may seem like common sense to some. However, others tend to find that it can be a bit of a challenge when they have never done these things before.

Safety tip #1

Always, make sure to wear safety equipment. Even if you think you are only going to be doing a quick cut, or trim. It is just as important that you wear safety gear in those instances as when you are doing the other long periods of crafting and cutting.

Safety glasses are the key safety gear you will need. However, gloves and sound protection is also a good idea. The main thing is making sure that the gear you use is going to work with the type of tools and cutting you will be doing.

Safety tip #2

Wear appropriate clothing for wood crafting. The clothing you wear should not be loose or able to get into the way by getting entangled into the saw, blades etc.

You will want to wear clothing that protects you from chips that fly back from the cutting. So the idea is snug enough clothing that will have enough of a cover to protect your skin from stray wood.

Safety tip #3

Before you change the blades or make adjustments on a saw, unplug the electrical cord from the outlet.  The reason this is so important is because you could always accidentally turn the saw on again or get electrocuted.

Safety tip #4

Never work on wood crafting or any other crafting for that matter while intoxicated. This is especially true for woodcutting. The more dangerous the tools are, the higher the risk, the more of a chance for injury if you are intoxicated.

Safety tip #5

Limit the other electrical cords you use for safety. Also, be sure to use good quality and in good shape electrical cords. You can use one good sturdy electrical cord for about any 110-volt power tools. Since you do not usually need to have more than one at a time in use, the one sturdy cord should work.

Safety tip #6

Use good quality and sharpened blades and bits. Dull crafting tools are very dangerous. The tools you use need to be in good shape in order to make sure they can complete the job at hand.

Safety tip #7

Check for nails, screws or other metals that would be in, on or around the wood. Any metal objects can not only cause problems with the blade, but can also cause wood to chip and metal to fly. This is dangerous all the way around. There is always a chance for a kickback, which is a common cause for injury.

Safety tip #8

Make sure you are working against the cutter. This is because of the way the tools are made. You want to work with the tool to create the higher level of safety you need. This is the opposite direction of the movement of the cutter head.

Safety tip #9

Do not reach over a blade to remove stray or left over wood cut off pieces. Do not put you r hands anywhere near the blades. This is where many injuries of the cuts in woodcutting happen.

These are the safety tips for cutting woods when crafting. So following common sense and these tips should help to prevent any of the many injuries that can occur in the crafting and woodcutting times.

Safety tips for candle making. Candle making is a great craft for the entire family. You can create amazingly beautiful works of art for gifts, decoration or even daily use. However, there are some safety tips that really need to be followed. This is because of the fact that with heat and fire can come burns.

Though it would seem to be very logical to use safety with candle making. There are still fires, burns and many other problems that are occurring with candle wax projects. So take a little time to learn about some safety preventions.

Lets take a look at some of these safety tips.

Safety tip #1

Keep the crafting area clean and free of clutter. When moving and using hot wax, there is always a chance for a spill, dripping or more. That is why if there are things around the area you are working around. The risk will increase for more of these spills etc. Also, increasing the chance for fires burns etc.

Safety tip #2

Be prepared with fire retardants. This means it is important to have some boxes of baking soda and a fire extinguisher in there are that you are going to be doing the wax crafting. You hopefully will never need them. However it is a good idea to be prepared.

Safety tip #3

Do not pour water on a wax fire. This will simply spread the fire. So be sure not to throw water on the fire. Wax fires need to be put out just like a grease fire.

Safety tip #4

Make sure your cooking area, where the wax will be melted is clean. It is a good idea to put a little drip tray under the area that the cooking is happening. This is because the grease will leak down there, and that can add to the fire hazard.

Safety tip #5

Keep all flammable items out of the area of wax working and cooking. It is a hot area and you would not want to have added risk.

Safety tip #6

It is a good idea to read all of the manufacturer instructions and safety. Each type of wax can be a little different. So make sure you know the products you are working with.

Safety tip #7

Start your cooking temperatures low. Since wax is flammable, a heat that is to high to fast can also add danger. It is good to build up to the temperature you need slowly.

Safety tip #8

Use a wax melt pan or double boiler. This helps to also prevent fires. The use of a regular pan is much riskier because there is no buffer from the heat to the wax. A regular pan makes it hard to control the temperature of the wax and the flash point may be reached faster than you think.

Safety tip #9

Wear safety clothing. This is anything from an apron, to gloves etc. It is important to keep your body safe when working with hot wax. Burns can do much more if you are trying to work with fire. The shock of a burn can trigger you to drop the wax, which in turn can cause a fire.

Safety tip #10

Work with wax in well ventilated areas.

Safety tip #11

If children are helping with candle and wax crafts, be sure to have adequate supervision.

Safety tip #12

Keep crafting and candle supplies put up when not in use. They should not be available for young hands to get a hold of.

These are the basic safety tips in candle making. It seems simple enough. However, if you are not working with safety in mind, you may find that a burns and fires are not far behind.

For a beginner the word "craft" may seem out of reach.  But there are many different types of crafts for beginners; ones they can do and be successful at.  You can start out nice and easy; as you get better you can then branch out and try to tackle new things.  Here are some quick craft ideas for the beginner crafter.

 Handmade Greeting Cards.  Now I know what you’re thinking; I’ve seen those "handmade" greeting cards and there is no way I can make something like that.  You can relax because no one expects a beginning crafter to make those intricate detailed cards.  Start out small and work your way up.  All it takes for a handmade greeting card is some cardstock, marking pens, and some great stickers.  Of course there are other embellishments you can add to them as you get better.  You can come up with your own idea, or there are a ton of places online, or in magazines you can go to find some fun ideas with step by step instructions on how to make them.
 Scarves.  If you want to learn how to knit a scarf is great for beginners.  The size does not have to be exact and there are a lot of simple patterns available to choose from.  You can use big needles and thick yarn so that you won’t have to knit as much as say a sweater.  Try it out.
 Picture Frames.  There are many different picture frames beginning crafters can make.  You can make them out of cardstock, plastic, or wood.  Stamped picture frames can be fun and easy to create.  All you need is a wooden picture frame (which can be found at your local craft store), some paint, and some rubber stamps.  These are all very inexpensive things you can purchase at a craft store.  You can paint the frame a color of your choice, let it dry, and then you can use your rubber stamps to add some design and texture.  You can’t fail with this beginner project.  If you mess up you can simply paint over it and start again. 
 Jewelry.  I am not talking about the jewelry you see in professional jeweler stores.  As a beginning crafter you won’t want to aim that high at first.  Jewelry is a great craft for all ages.  You can make it as simple as putting beads onto string or you can make it more complex than that.  There are also different types of thread to choose from; bead thread, dental floss, fishing line, or even thin metals make great necklaces.  These craft projects make great gifts, or you can keep them for yourself.  Who knows, if you really have the knack for it you can try selling them and creating a business.
 Cross stitch.  Cross stitch is a great craft for beginners because you only need to know how to do one basic stitch.  Cross stitch pictures come in small or big sizes so you can start with the size you feel comfortable with.  Counted, or stamped; either one is a great beginner craft idea.  It may take a little longer than say your first handmade greeting card, but definitely worth the time.
 Scrapbooking.  Anyone can get into scrapbooking, and in fact this is a great way to get in touch with your creative side.  If you have old pictures lying around, then try doing a simple scrapbook page.  If you are short on ideas, then try looking online, or in a craft or scrap book magazine.  Scrapbook pages are unique and can be made to fit a beginner or experienced crafter.

Crafting is a great way to slow down a busy lifestyle and spend some relaxing time on your own, doing something you love.  Craft projects can be as simple or complex as you want them to be.  These are just a few of the quick craft ideas for the beginning crafter.

Making handicrafts for heritage purposes. The idea of handicrafts is that it is a craft that is made by completely by hand. The crafts are useful and decorative devices that are created with the simplest tools.

These crafts often times have a significant religious or cultural base, which is another reason they are often times passed down throughout generation to generation through the heritage of families.

There are several different types of handicrafts. The main thing is that handicrafts are not just crafts for looking pretty. The usually have a function. Here are some of the different types of crafting you can do, in order to make functioning handicrafts that you can have for heritage purposes.

Here are some of the handicraft trades you can think about creating your handicrafting recipes from.

1. Beadwork is a great handicraft that implements the use of beads, string, small trinkets and more.
2. Assemblage is another type of handicrafting that is great for usability and fun. They are usually some type of collage in three dimensions.
3. Cabinet making is a type of handicraft that is really a great and useful type of handicraft. Cabinets are not only a craft but also an art.
4. Knitting is also a handicraft. The fun part about knitting is that you can wear and pass down from generation to generation the beautiful works of art you create for your family’s heritage and for them to enjoy.
5. Metalworking is a very different but beautiful type of handicrafting. You also can use many of the metal working ideas you make in every day life. The idea of metal wire working comes into this category also.
6. Woodcarving is another type of handicrafting that is very beautiful and useful.

There are all sorts of other types of handicrafting ideas. You can review all sorts of different types and recipes in your local library, or online. Here however we will look at a couple handicraft recipes that are easy, fun and usable after being made.

You can create beautiful jewelry or clothing accessories and adornment from bead working. The key is using beads and string to hook the beads on to or together to create beautiful jewelry affects. There are all types of bead working styles.

This link will lead you to several free bead-working patterns. There are several great patterns for holidays, daily use and more. http://beadwork.about.com/
Here are some assembly ideas that are easy to do. This link will make it easier to find some great recipes when you want to assemble useful works of art. http://www.decordelights.com/

Knitting as a handicraft is not as difficult as some of the others. However, it can be tricky to read the patterns, and use the hand movements necessary to make these beautiful and useful works of art. Here is a link that can help make knitting handicrafts easier. http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/archives/2005/06/easy_rollbrim_k_1.php
http://www.knittinghelp.com/patterns/free-knitting-patterns-adult-slippers-and-socks

Metalworking and wood carving and working are other great handicraft that an be absolutely amazing. Here are some great places to look for ideas, patterns and help. http://dir.webring.com/rw?d=Hobbies___Crafts/Crafts/;adv_on=y;t=s

All in all there is a great deal of ideas, information and patterns out there for you to use to create wonderful and useful handicrafts that you will be able to use for heritage purposes. It is up to you to decide where your handicrafting plans will start. Because that is what art is all about. What you can do to create beautiful things for yourself and your family in the long run.

Crafting is a wonderful way to involve your entire family and show your talents and creativity to your friends, neighbors and family members. You can make crafts for indoors as well as for outdoors to enjoy all year long. There are lots of different outdoor crafts that you can choose from to spruce up the look of your front entrance as well as your outdoor garden. You can select good quality outdoor craft projects that the whole family can enjoy not only to make them but also to display them in different spots of your yard to beautify it.

You may want to think of attracting birds and butterflies to your lovely garden by making appealing, colorful and inspired mosaic birdhouse, bird feeders or birdbaths. It’s very attractive to have these mosaic crafts in your garden and the birds will definitely settle for these decorative treasures. The many different colors can be eye catching in addition to the beauty of the spring flowers in your flowerbeds. Their functional aspects provide easy nesting areas for a variety of birds, which will make your garden even more appealing and gorgeous.

To give your home a nice welcome to visitors throughout the year and during holiday seasons, consider making wreaths that match the season you are celebrating. You can use your own creativity to arrange a beautiful wreath using evergreen boughs, berries branches, pinecones, bright yellow flowers, basically anything colorful, unique and that show the type of season you are celebrating. The wreath will simply add beauty to your front door and is very inviting to
guests, visitors, friends and family members. You can also use any items laying around your house such as straw, small pots, flowers and a grapevine wreath to make a very unique wreath for your garden or for your front porch.

How about making an arbor or adding a wishing well in the center of your flowerbed to enhance the look of it for everyone passing by to enjoy. You can use all sort of old pieces of furniture and turn them into masterpieces. You can use them to plant different kind of spring flowers to add colors and interest to a specific spot. Perhaps you can also use an old small wagon as a planter by drilling holes for drainage, add heavy plastic with holes, gravel and soil to make a very useful planter.

Making simple and easy crafts for outdoors would add so much to your yard and value to your house. There are so many craft projects that don’t require special knowledge or skills to make and to enjoy. Your outdoors can look as pretty and attractive as your indoors if only you take the time and effort to create something special to enhance the look of your garden as if it’s one of the rooms inside. Try different things to beautify your yard. Making your very own crafts for outdoors is truly the best and cheapest way to enjoy your garden. Outdoors crafts are very attractive especially when you use your imagination, your talents and skills to create that very unique design. People like seeing special and one of a kind pieces of furniture or handmade crafts on the front porch or in the garden. There are so many ways to upgrade your outdoors using what you may already have or spending a little money. Either way, your craft will simply be outstanding among the colors and beauty of your flowerbeds. It’s really hard for passers to walk by and not notice the crafts you made. Upgrading your outdoors with unique crafts is simply the best decision you can ever make.