Have you noticed the high prices of craft supplies? Me too!

To find cheaper crafting materials, crafters often visit flea markets, garage sales, and consignment stores. These are all wonderful sources for less expensive craft supplies, but there's one place even cheaper - and everyone has access to it.

The outdoors. Mother Nature has a spectacular array of materials useful for craft projects, and it's free.

For free craft supplies, try looking in your own yard, open spaces and trails, friends' yards, city parks, or even next to roadways. Be aware that removing items from some areas, such as national parks, is illegal.

I've used several natural items in my craft projects. Here is a short list to help you with ideas:

Pine cones Rocks big and small Bark Sticks, twigs and branches Flowers Leaves Sea shells Sand Abandoned bird nests Feathers

Natural materials often need some type of treatment to be usable. Pine cones, for example, have sap and bugs and so should be heated in an oven before using in your craft projects.

Flowers and leaves will need to be dried for use in certain projects, like collage or card making. You can press between newspaper and heavy books, or even make your own flower press to accomplish this. Look for instructions online.

Rocks, sea shells, sticks, and bird nests need to be cleaned prior to use. Sand can be sterilized by heating in an oven.

Take a step outside. It's amazing what you can find in nature to use in your craft projects. And best of all, nature's craft supplies are free.

A baby shower is a huge event in the life of the expectant mother. Not only is it a ceremonial occasion that prepares the expectant mother for the new role of motherhood, but it also serves to introduce close friends and family to the soon to be new addition to the family. Such an important occasion should include floral decoration. For this reason, it is very important to think about your ideas for baby shower floral arrangements that you would like to include.

What could be better for a baby shower than a bouquet that features ideas for baby shower floral arrangements that include baby's breath? Baby's breath is a hardy flower that blends well with other flower types. Baby's breath features a wispy branch system along with hardy yet unassuming small white blossoms. Baby's breath is photo perfect for a infant shower that includes other flower types.

If you are looking for ideas for infant showers floral arrangements that highlight simplicity and innocence, then you should consider using daisies. Daisies are a very common flower in many bouquets. They are popular for their neutral simplicity, and a bouquet of daisies symbolizes newness, freshness, and new beginnings. Daisy bouquets can be cut with baby's breath, introduced in the previous paragraph, to yield a bouquet that symbolizes both innocence and potential. Nothing could be better for a baby shower.

If you are looking for floral arrangement ideas, you would be remiss if you did not consider daisies and baby's breath. Both of these flowers symbolize innocence and hope, and they also blend well with other flower type.