The Crafty Princess Diaries

Tammy Powley’s Crafty Weblog

December 3, 2014
by Tammy
2 Comments

My Book of Essays Published!

Look what showed up at my front door (in a box with other copies)!

I have had kind of an off day, working on some not-so-fun school stuff and feeling generally icky, may be fighting off a cold. When I heard the door bell ring, I had just managed to take a short nap with the hope I would gain some energy, so I was a little irritated that I had to get up and lug a box inside. I had completely forgotten about this. I expected it to be published after the first of the year. So, yeah, me! It’s done! Two years of my life wrapped up between a softback cover….


It is also listed on Amazon.com already: Women of Florida Fiction: Essays on 12 Sunshine State Writers

December 2, 2014
by Tammy
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Paints and Pendants

A Bead A Day
Are you inspired to create jewelry by the objects around you? How about a cornucopia bracelet?

Carmi’s Art/Life World
The pendant I have featured can be located on my computer in a file called “Resin Disasters.” How I saved it is on my blog.

Holiday Crafting with The Artful Crafter: Kids’ and Christmas Card Projects
Looking for little crafty gifts or something to keep the kids busy on a snow day? The Artful Crafter has just the thing!

Beading Arts
Cyndi’s got three copies of a brand new DIY magazine to give away…check it out!

Grace and Hope
Cherie thinks about grace and hope this week as she paints and even does the dishes!

November 25, 2014
by Tammy
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No Podcast This Week, Happy Thanksgiving!

Like I’m sure most of you….at least those who will be celebrating Thanksgiving this week….this is a time we are all super busy, getting work caught up with our “real” jobs, getting the house clean and ready for visitors, and shopping for way too much food. While normally I would have recorded an episode of my video podcast this week, that just was not going to happen! I am squeezing in a little bit of crafting but not nearly enough either. So look for the next episode (hopefully) next week, and if you have missed any episodes, you can take some time to catch up: Crafty Princess Diaries Podcast. I am only up to 8 episodes, but I think I’m starting to get a better feel for the whole video podcasting business.

Here is wishing all of you, even those who are not in the US and plan to eat turkey this week, a wonderful holiday!

November 24, 2014
by Tammy
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Book Review: Beaded Bracelets

Beaded Bracelets: 25 Dazzling Handcrafted Projects is published by Running Press and written by Claudine McCormack Jalajas. In the US, the book retails for $18, in the UK L11.99, and in Canada $21.00, and it was published in 2014. Regular readers/viewers will remember that I did a giveaway for this book this past year and also mentioned it during one of my bi-weekly video podcasts. As promised, though, here is a little more detail on the book.

It is nice to see someone paying attention to bracelets for a change. So often, necklaces are the main focus of many jewelry making and beading books that I review. And, I have to say, I love all the designs in this book. There is even a few gallery type pages in the front of book so that you can see them all together without having to flip through, and each photo includes a page reference.

While you will find a fair amount of crystal beads and other components in the book, the projects primarily focus on using seed beads and bead weaving techniques such as peyote, herringbone, and right angle weave. Seasoned bead weavers will be able to pick this book up and “go” very easily. The step by step instructions include color-coded illustrations. However, though there is information on materials and the illustrations are very detailed, I suggest totally new bead weavers be prepared to supplement the instructions. For example, check on YouTube for some basics when it comes to some of the stitches used.

November 23, 2014
by Tammy
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Book Review: Pretty Quilled Cards

Lark Books-Pretty Quilled Cards by Cecelia Louie has been on my “to review” stack for awhile. It came out in March 2014 and is published by Lark. Retails price in the US is $17.95.

Its subtitles describes basically what you will find inside: 25 + Creative Designs for Greetings and Celebrations. All but six of the twenty-five projects are greetings cards, but that is what actually made me think of picking this up right now. With the holiday season here, it seems like the perfect time to get your creative paper-arts juices going and create hand-crafted cards.

The book’s front matter explains the basic tools and supplies you will need, which surprising isn’t that much, and then the techniques area breaks down basic paper scrolled forms that are later referenced in each of the projects. As an added bonus to this book, many of the cards include templates that you can color photocopy and use so that you are able to duplicate exact projects from the book.

There is a lot of detail in this book. I mean that in a a few ways. First, the instructions are detailed nicely so that you have a very clear understanding of how to complete the projects. But, also, the projects and actually the technique of quilling is pretty detailed too. This could be good or bad, depending on the type of crafter you are. If you enjoy intricate, though not necessarily difficult, craft projects, then this type of crafting will appeal to you. If you don’t like to to have to be too exacting, then it probably won’t. Given how beautiful the finished results are as shown throughout the book’s photographs, paper-art lovers will be drawn to this book.

November 23, 2014
by Tammy
0 comments

Flowers & Holiday Decor Ideas

What can you say in 30 words?
Over the past year, Andrew has participated (off and on) in Erin Prais-Hintz’s 30 Words Thursday Project. Erin has selected entries from different participants of the challenge to create a book to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association.

Art Bead Scene
Check out our Art Bead Palette Inspiration from Brandi and Zesty Frog!

Knitted Sampler
When you can’t figure out which knit stitch to use, why not use all of them?

Christmas Stocking Advent Calendar
This charming Christmas Advent Calendar will add to your holiday decor, delight kids of all ages, and be used for years to come.

Carmi’s Art/Life World
Who knew that scissors designed to shred your private papers could create gorgeous flowers too?

Beading Arts
Cyndi shows you how to combine some easy shibori silk petals into lovely flowers.

Children of God
Being God’s child was the inspiration for these prints.

November 20, 2014
by Tammy
1 Comment

Knitted Sampler Scarf


If you have attached any of my video podcasts, then you have seen the as-yet-unfinished knitted scarf I have been working. I’m using some super soft baby alpaca yarn, and I have been surprised at how much I have enjoyed working on this project. I was unsure about even starting another scarf since I have made so many, but scarves (at least for me) are a good way for me to continue to practice my knitting skills. Plus, the yarn is wonderful to work with, and I have decided to make this for a friend who I know will appreciate it, slipped stitches and all!

I’m calling this my sampler scarf because I am just trying various stitch patterns as I create the scarf. For example, I do a few inches of garter stitch, then I do some ribbing, and so on, whatever I feel like doing at the time. As it turns out, while knitting this scarf I have realized that my favorite stitch as far as the finished look is the seed stitch. I just love the texture it creates. I’m not sure if I’m up to the task, but I’m thinking about making a second scarf using only seed stitch. I think it would look amazing!

November 19, 2014
by Tammy
0 comments

Beads, Buttons, Flowers, and Silk

BIG NEWS!
Andrew shares that he’ll be co-teaching two classes with his sister at the Bead&Button Show 2015 in Milwaukee! Check out pictures of their class samples!

Bears, Bunnies, and Birds!
Enjoy some cute amigurumi goodness with episode 8 of Crafty Princess Diaries Podcast.

Personalized Thanksgiving Clothespin Magnets
Use these cute clothespins as place cards for the kids at Thanksgiving dinner or clip them to gift cards or a few photos of each child. After Thanksgiving, the kids can use them to post their artwork on a magnet board or refrigerator or just hold papers together.

Carmi’s Art/Life World
The Happy Flappers Necklace with Fabric by Kelly Panacci features a new fabric line!

Beading Arts
Cyndi starts a two-part series on how to make some beautiful pleated shibori silk ribbon flowers!

Peace I Leave With You
Cherie reflects on John 14:27 and the topic of peace.

November 10, 2014
by Tammy
4 Comments

Episode 8: Bears, Bunnies, and Birds

Welcome to Episode 8: Bears, Bunnies, and Birds! I talk about my crafting adventures up until about 13:30 into the podcast, and then after that I talk about some personal stuff for the rest of the show, which is just a few minutes since the total time runs at 19:40.
Here are links to places I mention during the show:

My Youtube Channel

My Instagram Account

Lion Brand (You can find the Buddy Bear free pattern here.)

Fresh Stitches (Mike the Monster is a free pattern, and Blair the bunny and Gordon the flamingo are paid for patterns.)

Knit Picks (This is where I get the Brava yarn I like for amigurumi.)

Domino’s House (This is a no-kill cat shelter in Palm City, FL.)

Women of Florida Fiction (This is the book I have coming out sometime in 2015.)

November 9, 2014
by Tammy
0 comments

Loads of Crafting Links!

Carmi’s Art/Life World
Decoupage has really come along way with the addition of new tissue papers…check out this hot pink, cheetah pattern reindeer head.

A Bead A Day
You’ve heard of sampler quilts and even a candy sampler, how about a Swarovski pearl sampler? Lisa was so taken with her sampler bead strand, she made it into a bracelet.

Acrylic Paint Stamping Technique
Pigment inks are the most common media for art stamping, but there are others. Eileen experiments with acrylic paint stamping as she starts designing her Christmas cards.

Beading Arts
Cyndi made some really fun new double-wrapped bracelets using Offray ribbon. Come see how it’s done!

More Mini Canvases
Cherie plays with some mini canvases.

Carmi’s Art/Life World
Have you had a craft fail? If you have, and could laugh about it, you’ll love this new book.

Art Bead Scene
October Monthly Challenge Recap of Entries.

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Check out what Andrew and other participants of the Inspired by Reading Book Club made in response to “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” by Neil Gaiman.


Bat Out o’ Hell Halloween Treat Basket
Make cute Halloween treat baskets using Eileen’s Bat Out o’ Hell basket template and design.

Beading Arts
Have you seen Michelle Mach’s new book, “Unexpected Findings”? It’s a lot of fun…

What Is Failure?
Cherie contemplates hope and failure with her latest print.