Whether you hand embroider or use a machine to stitch your designs you can make them look more special with hot fix crystals. These are crystals that can be fixed securely into place one by one onto any porous surface. You'll need a special heat wand which can be purchased for as little as £19.99 then crystals can be bought in all different colours for 80p per 50.

This is so much easier than sewing beads individually or spending hours with sequins and a tube of glue - forget having sticky trails of glue across your beautiful project - Hot fix crystals are quick and easy to use!

Cardmakers and other crafters will find hot-fix crystals a great addition to their designs as they stick fast and won't pop off card if flexed.

Hot-fix crystals will adhere to leather, fabric, card, bamboo, baskets and even wood. Jazz up your jeans, bejewell your belts, bling up your boots!

You can download some free embroidery designs for your embroidery machine from AnnTheGran .com - I've found almost all of these designs to work very well - it's a great place to look for stock designs. 

If Ann doesn't have what I need then I like to log onto emblibrary.com - this is an American site - the designs are not free but they are just brilliant. On this site you can get designs especially designed to take hot fix crystals. Once purchased, you can sell items sewn with the design (though not the design itself) How about selling your design items on eBay? 

If you currently make dancewear or find yourself embellishing leotards for the kids' (or your own) dance group this could be the very thing you've been waiting for - just take a look at "simply come dancing" to see - this is how the professionals do it!

I only occasionally sell on eBay to promote my online store so you can buy from me here or visit ShaggyDogCrafts.com if I'm not currently listing items.