December 15, 2009
by Tammy
7 Comments
While I am still challenged when it comes to faces, I think this little crochet banana turned out pretty well. Every time I stitch an amigurumi project together, I am still amazed at how easy and fast it is!
December 13, 2009
by Tammy
1 Comment
Cross Stitch at About.com
Having a hard time finding time to stitch during the holiday season? Read Connie’s time-saving tips and share your own.
Farm Girl Roots, City Girl Style
Another project from the past–a quick and easy baby quilt.
Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi is giving away a copy of Chain Style by Jane Dickerson! Come leave a comment and you’ll be entered for the drawing.
Stefanie Girard’s Sweater Surgery
Die cut, stamped and shrunk deer Christmas necklace made with inspiration from the book Beyond The Bead
The Artful Crafter
Just look at the darling ornaments you can make from mini clay flower pots!
The Impatient Crafter
It’s Project #2 from Madge’s Retrofabulous Christmas Craftabration! Perky Pixie Ornament!
About Family Crafts
Do you make your own Christmas cards? If you do, please take a moment and share your designs and then browse through the pictures of other peoples’ creations.
Aileen’s Musings
Aileen’s found a great use for those left over cards you have! Check out her Recycled Christmas Card project.
Cathie Filian
Whip up a vintage style wreath for the holidays!
Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
The 19 Days of Holiday Goodness Giveaways is week 2, leave your answer to the day’s question and you are entered to win a free book and while you’re there check out how to make pockets from coffee filters, crochet a 4 color spiral, some cool fashion insights, a whole bunch of recycled clothing ideas and a bit of architecture.
December 10, 2009
by Tammy
2 Comments
The hat is still on hold for a little while longer. I have decided to try to whip up the amigurumi banana for my nephew as part of his Christmas present. I found the pattern at Amigurumi Paradise, which also has an adorable free monkey pattern available too. (Thank you to Barbara for letting me post the picture above.)
While I basically plan to give his mom a little money to buy him something he needs/wants/likes, I wanted to have something for him to actually open as far as presents. He’s only four, and right now pretty much lives off of crackers, apple juice, and bananas. So, I thought an amigurumi banana might be funny to give as that extra something to wrap. Plus, he did seem to like the frogs I made awhile back. The instructions look pretty straight-forward, so hopefully, I’ll have my own to show you before Christmas rolls around.
December 9, 2009
by Tammy
5 Comments
I have been on the look-out for select jewelry designers to participate in the gallery section of the new book I’m working on. In particular, I need pieces to reflex the various techniques in the book, one of which is metal work, fabrication and also soldering. Of course, the first person I thought of for fabulous metal jewelry is Victoria Tillotson. Her work has been sold in HSN, through various boutiques, and her web site as well; Plus she has an excellent book out, which I reviewed a while ago.
Anyway, I received her jewelry submissions for the book the other day, and I was totally wow-ed by them. I mean…they look great in her on-line shop, but when you see them in person, there’s just no comparison. They are hefty pieces, well-constructed, and finished to perfection. Even my husband, the extra meticulous engineer, was very impressed. I’m so honored to be able to include some of her jewelry in my book’s gallery!
December 5, 2009
by Tammy
1 Comment
About Family Crafts
Check out these creative gift wrapping ideas. You simply cannot give someone a fabulous homemade gift using ordinary, store-bought wrapping paper. You can easily and quickly personalize the wrap as well as the gift.
Aileen’s Musings
Looking for Christmas card ideas? Aileen shares her idea using a Starbucks coffee sleeve and challenges you…
Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
The 19 Days of Holiday Goodness Giveaways is in full swing, leave your answer to the day’s question and you are entered to win a free book and while you’re there check out how to make a Christmas tree from a tomato cage, some cool Steampunk jewelry, a ribbon wreath, and a great beer and turkey leftover recipe.
Farm Girl Roots, City Girl Style
Linda built a house–a gingerbread house, that is! Check out photos and learn more about this party concept that’s taking Chicago by storm!
Mixed Media Artist
One of Cyndi’s readers shared a fabulous craft idea using her own custom-printed fabric…and you can do it too!
Stefanie Girard’s Sweater Surgery
See how to make a Max from the Grinch antler headband from recycled sweaters
The Artful Crafter
A bead spinner is not required, but certainly recommended, to make a beautiful seed bead Christmas tree like this one created by Shaaron.
The Impatient Crafter
Madge is feeling Retrofabulous this holiday season! Check out this vintage inspired mixed media jewelry project idea!
December 3, 2009
by Tammy
10 Comments
I finally splurged and bought myself a little early Christmas present, a set of bamboo crochet hooks! I have had this on my want list over at Etsy for some time. I already have a handful of bamboo hooks and love them, but I have had a heck of a time finding some of the larger and smaller sizes in bamboo. Plus, it is nice to have more than one of the same size sometimes when you have more than one project going on. For example, I use size G, H, and I a great deal, and I like to leave the hook with the project so I don’t space out and forget what size hook I started with (not like that could ever happen to me š
I just got these in the mail the other day, so I haven’t used them as yet, but one thing I’m very impressed with already is that you can easily read the numbers and letters on the hooks. The other bamboo hooks I have (and love) have the numbers and letter so light that I worry they will wear off at some point. I even tried marking the end of the hook with a marker, but that is getting smushy now.
Considering they were about $24 for 13 hooks (including shipping), I think this is a great deal. I’m to the point that I really don’t like working with metal hooks any more, so I’m thrilled to have this complete set.
What are your thoughts on bamboo hooks and knitting needles? Love them? Don’t get the difference?
December 1, 2009
by Tammy
1 Comment
I discovered this fiber call for entries, and it looks interesting, especially if you live in the Toronto area:
“Toronto Arts and Fashion WeekCall 4 Fashion Designers and Visual Artists
Two Deadlines: (RECEIVE)
December 22, 2009 (Early Deadline)
January 9, 2010 (2nd Deadline)
Call 4 Fashion Designers and Visual Artists
Toronto Arts and Fashion Week 2010
April 21-24 2010
Toronto Arts and Fashion Week produced by Fashion.Art.Toronto. |FAT| is looking for contemporary fashion designers and visual artists to showcase their work for the upcoming festival in April 2010.
From contemporary fashion to street wear, to experimental ideas and avant-garde collections, Toronto Arts and Fashion Week features over 40 runway shows from the best emerging and established, national and international designers, setting the standard for a new era of cutting edge presentations on the catwalk.
In itās fifth year, Toronto Arts and Fashion Week also exhibits photography, short films, videos and large projections from over 100 emerging and acclaimed, national and international artists annually. In addition, we showcase cutting-edge, dynamic and forward-looking performances from performance artists, fashion designers and dancers along side sculptures, installations and large multimedia art works that reflect on the notion of the body, clothing and fashion.
We are currently accepting proposals in:
Fashion Design
Photography
Video
Performance Art
Installation/ Sculpture
Dance
Music
ā¢ Submitted proposals should reflect on the notion of clothing, the body, fashion and the 2010 theme āMade With Loveā
2010 Thematic Approach: āMade With Loveā
The 2010, fifth anniversary edition of Toronto Arts and Fashion Week titled āMade With Loveā approaches design and art from the intelligence of the heart. It explores the complexities and range of human feelings and the way we relate to the world from an emotional point of view. Love is explored on a broader scale as a complex emotion through four explicit themes: Longing, Lust, Rage and Joy. Artists and designers will interpret and reflect on the human condition; their own and our collective state of being, expressing their ideas through art, design, performance and music.
Starting this month, those who are interested in participating can download applications through our website: http://www.getfat.ca/
For application inquiries, please contact: vanja@alternativefashionweek.com “
November 29, 2009
by Tammy
0 comments
The Artful Crafter
Whatever the holiday, make cute pop-up place cards to organize the dinner table and delight guests of all ages.
The Impatient Crafter
Madge is ready for Christmas so bring it on! Check out this retrolicious frame she designed for iLoveToCreate.
About Family Crafts
Does your family have any creative Thanksgiving traditions. You can read about other people’s Thanksgiving traditions and then share your own.
Aileen’s Musings
Aileen invites you to join a creative challenge with her called the Erosion Bundle Project. Take a peek at her pictures and find out exactly what erosion bundles are!
Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Craftside’s got yummy pumpkin cookie and biscuit recipes, an inside peek into Bead Quilled Jewelry, eco friendly recipes for casein glue and an all-purpose cleaner, and starting Monday- The 19 Days of Holiday Goodness Giveaways starts, answer each day’s question and you are entered to win a free book every day!
Cross Stitch at About.com
The 2009 Holiday Ornament Collection is ready! Whip up some super quick back stitch ornies or cross stitch some more colorful ones.
Farm Girl Roots, City Girl Style
Don’t fence her in! Linda shares the story of her Fences and Ferns Quilt and how creativity can prosper even in dark times.
Mixed Media Artist
Mixed media artist Nicolette Anderson shares her lovely work!
Stefanie Girard’s Sweater Surgery
See a necklace and bracelet made from the same Blue Moon Beads pendant with a how-to video with me.
November 28, 2009
by Tammy
0 comments
When you are doing your holiday shopping this year, don’t forget that you can often get two times the gift out of one purchase. For example, I bought a few gift items and my Christmas cards this year through the Human Society of the United State’s on-line shop. This way I’m helping to support a cause that is important to me, getting the word out to others about it (via the cards mainly), and giving some gifts to a few animal lovers on my list to boot.
November 27, 2009
by Tammy
5 Comments
One of the reasons we didn’t have any company like we usually do during Thanksgiving – other than the fact that I’m writing like a wild woman lately and my house is a disaster because of this – is because our guest room (aka sewing room, storage room, etc.) is now a photo studio. We have set it up in order to take photographs of the jewelry we are making for a new book my husband and I are working on together.
Above is a picture of the set up. All of this, other than the extra table lamp in the center, came in a very cool kit I got off Amazon.com. It includes the tent, white and black backdrops, and two adjustable lamps with two special high out-put photographic fluorescent bulbs, 45 watts each. This kit got some excellent customer reviews, and I have to admit that I agree. It has really made a difference to have this set up while working on this book.
I know photographing crafts and jewelry especially can be very challenging, and while there are lots of way to make a tent yourself, I think considering this whole set up (not including extra lamp, camera, and of course, camera tripod) is worth the money.