Craftside

Eye candy from the new book 1,000 Incredible Costume and Cosplay Ideas

I am kicking off this glorious week with a bit of eye candy from the new book 1,000 Incredible Costume and Cosplay Ideas: A Showcase of Creative Characters from Anime, Manga, Video Games, Movies, Comics, and More. If you like to make costumes, wear fun outfits, or just love really cool photos of interesting garments, you will love this latest installment of the 1,000 series from Quarry Books.

I love the way the fabric is floating in the wind!

More about the Quarry 1,000 series book

1,000 Incredible Costume and Cosplay Ideas: A Showcase of Creative Characters from Anime, Manga, Video Games, Movies, Comics, and More

by

Yaya Han

Allison DeBlasio

Joey Marsocci

1,000 Incredible Costume and Cosplay Ideas provides a broad and detailed glimpse into the ingenious artistry and attention to detail behind some of the most fabulous costumes you can find. Featuring costumes from popular convention-goers to professional craftsman, this stunning, photo-filled book by Joey Marsocci and Allison DeBlasio of Dr. Grymm Laboratories walks you through scads of your favorite characters as imagined and created by fans.

Yaya Han is a US-based costume designer and cosplayer with 13 years of experience, an artistic model, and a widely-recognized ambassador for cosplay. Her intricate and lavish creations have won awards and acclaim nationwide, and she has been invited to appear as a guest, panelist, judge, performer and host to over 100 conventions and other events all over the world. To find out more information about Yaya, see more photos, and find out where she’ll be next, visit her on the web at www.yayahan.com

Allison DeBlasio (Mrs. Grymm) and her husband Joey Marsocci (Dr. Grymm) own Dr. Grymm Laboratories, a custom prop fabrication and fine art business based in Connecticut. They plan an annual Steampunk art exhibit called the Steampunk Bizarre which was hosted at Mark Twain House and Museum in the winter of 2012. Their first book, 1,000 Steampunk Creations, has been featured in the New York Times, CBS Morning News, and an episode of Selling NY on HGTV. Dr. Grymm has also appeared on the PBS OffBook series and the BBC America World Wide news speaking about his Steampunk Artwork. They live in Middletown, CT and have two children who both love costumes and props already! Visit them online at http://www.drgrymmlaboratories.net.

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And now onto more craft, food, design, art, and home news.

Walter Foster

Artist Spotlight: Alain Picard author of Pastel Basic

QuarrySPOON

Recipe for white raspbery chardonnay bundt cake

Motorbooks

Louvers made easy: Tips from Sheet Metal Fabrication Expert Ed Barr

Whole Home News

How to fix bald spots in your lawn: 4 steps to a better-looking yard space

RockPaperInk

Playing With Type: Using Found Type

Father's Day Craft Tutorials
It's not too early to think about what you'll create for Dad or Grandpa. Father's Day is June 16th!

Money Gifts
With Graduation coming up, one or more of these creative money projects would make a perfect gift for a special graduate.

Art and Poetry
Cherie makes new pictures using her poetry.

Art quilt batting experiments
Have you ever mixed waxed paper with your quilt batting...?

Breaking Out the Good Stuff
Why have fabulous yarn if you do not use it? Crafty Princess is treating herself for a change.

 
    

Recipes for Cocoa and Green Tea Rubs from the book Don't Break Your Heart Cookbook

For today's Tasty Friday I have recipes for a cocoa rub and a green tea rub from the book Don't Break Your Heart Cookbook: Reduced Sodium Recipes for a Healthy Heart - Flavoring Food with Herbs, Spices, and Fresh Wholesome Ingredients.

These are great ways to add flavor to poultry, meat or fish.

 

 

The following recipes provide ways to incorporate herbs and spices into your cooking. They are also featured in some of the recipes in this book.

Cocoa Tea Rub

Makes about 6 tablespoons (90 ml), enough for 1 pound (450 g) of poultry or meat

 

Ingredients:

 

2 tablespoons ( 30 ml) green tea leaves

2 tablespoons (30 ml) black tea leaves

2 tablespoons (30 ml) natural cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ground cinnamon steps

 

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

2. Rub on poultry or meat prior to cooking.

 

Green Tea Rub

Makes about 6 tablespoons (90 ml), enough for 1 pound (450 g) of fish

 

Ingredients

 

3 tablespoons (45 ml) dried green tea leaves

1 tablespoon (15 ml) onion powder

1 tablespoon (15 ml) dried basil

1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) ground cumin

 

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

2. Rub on fish prior to cooking.

 

More about the Race Point cookbook:

Don't Break Your Heart Cookbook

Reduced Sodium Recipes for a Healthy Heart - Flavoring Food with Herbs, Spices, and Fresh Wholesome Ingredients

by

Shara Aaron, MS, RD

Monica Bearden, RD, LD

Learn how to select, cook and flavor your food for heart healthy, delicious meals the whole family will enjoy.

Nutrient rich ingredients full of flavor were the criteria for recipe selection. Saturated fat and sodium is limited, but what makes this book unique is that the recipes will make use of the growing body of research showing that prevention and wellness can be achieved with the use of heart healthy fats, fiber, certain vitamins and minerals, and phytochemicals.

 

Each chapter focuses on an ingredient or collection of ingredients and their evidence for heart health and wellness. Nutrition facts for each recipe are included, along with sidebars and tidbits of information on the ingredients regarding their healthfulness as well as tips for buying and cooking these ingredients in general.

 

At the back of the book will be pantry makeover suggestions and 10 days of menus using the recipes to help the reader follow an overall heart healthy diet and manage their weight.

Shara Aaron, MS, RD and Monica Bearden, RD are dietitians with years of experience communicating about health, wellness and food, as well as researching the cardiovascular benefits of foods and beverages. They regularly appear as guests on television and radio shows, as well as provide expert opinions in print media. In addition, they co-wrote The Baby Fat Diet and Chocolate – A Healthy Passion and are owners of NutCom, LLC, Nutrition Communications.

 

Shara Aaron, MS, RD, and Monica Bearden, RD have shared their passion and expertise in nutrition, flavorful food, and cardiovascular health to create a book of 125 unique and delicious recipes compiled from a variety of sources, including chefs with a background in nutrition, that not only tantalize taste buds, but also address the needs of a heart healthy diet.

 
    

Crochet magic wand pattern from the new book How to make 100 Crochet Appliques

Really, shouldn't everyone have a magic wand? Now they can! In just a few minutes you can crochet a magic wand using this pattern from the new book How to Make 100 Crochet Appliques: Patterns for Fun Flora, Fauna, and Icon Patches

Yarn

colors A (gray) and B (bright yellow)

shown: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece,

CW135 Slate Charcoal (A), CW343 Sunflower

Gold (B)

Hook

F-5 (3.75 mm) or size that creates a firm

fabric with chosen yarn

Not ions

large-eyed yarn needle

Wand

Rnd 1: With A work Rnd 1 of Basic Circle (page 125). Join with a Sl st

in next st, ch 13.

Rnd 2: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in ea of next 11 ch. Sk next st of

circle, Sl st in next sc. Sl st in each of next 4 sc around circle, and in

opposite side of each ch. FO. Weave in both yarn tails.

Star

Rnd 1: With B, ch 2, 5 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Join with a Sl st in

first sc.

Rnd 2: (Ch 1, dc, picot, ch 1, Sl st) in same sc. *(Sl st, ch 1, dc, picot,

ch 1, Sl st) in next sc. Rep from * 3 times. Sl st in first sl st. FO.

Nose

(Make 1)

Foundation: With B, ch 4.

Row 1: 2 dc in 4th ch from hook. turn. (3 dc)

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in ea st across. FO, leaving a 10” tail for sewing.

Assembly

With RS of both pieces facing, use tails of star to sew star to narrow

tip of wand. Weave in remaining ends.

Streamers: Cut two 9" (23 cm) lengths of B, and fold each in half.

With WS of wand facing, use hook to pull center of each folded

strand through center of star from RS to WS. On WS, knot the

looped strands together securely. With RS facing, trim ends of

streamers to desired lengths.

 

More about the CPi book:

How to Make 100 Crochet Appliques:

Patterns for Fun Flora, Fauna, and Icon Patches

by

Deborah Burger

This charming book presents 100 crocheted patches arranged in sections by theme, including farm animals, ocean life, feathered friends, flora, techno, holidays and special occasions. Crocheted appliques are skillfully photographed, and written instructions are accompanied by stitch diagrams. A beautiful photo gallery provides ideas for how to use these easy-to-crochet appliques, with simple instructions for applying them to other surfaces.

Deborah Burger has taught crochet for 20 years, through Girl Scouting, various community centers, summer camps, at her local yarn shop, and the John C. Campbell Folk School. She is active in the online community Ravelry, and has written articles and patterns for Interweave Crochet and the e-zines Crochet Insider and Crochet Uncut. She lives in Jonesborough, TN.

How to fold an origami Pegasus out of a dollar bill from the book Extreme Origami

Do you love origami and dollar bill folding? Well, I have a treat for you today. Posted over at Race Point's Scribd site you will find the full 3 page tutorial on how to fold an origami pegasus out of a dollar bill.

To learn all about this legendary art form, check out the entire book Extreme Origami: Transforming Dollar Bills into Priceless Works of Art.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

We will randomly pick a winner to receive a copy of Extreme Origami: Transforming Dollar Bills into Priceless Works of Art.

Giveaway runs from May 15-29 and is open to US and Canadian residents only. By entering this giveaway you will be automatically signed up for our Craftside family e-newsletters.

Extreme Origami: Transforming Dollar Bills into Priceless Works of Art

by Won Park

Won Park has taken the ancient art of origami to a whole new level. Using American currency, Park transforms dollar bills into creative works of art. He relies on the fibrous quality of the paper to fold, bend and twist hundreds of times per model without tearing. With no cutting and no pasting, Park is able to incorporate the details on the bills into his model designs. His signature koi fish is folded in such a way that the patterns on the dollar bill become the scales on the fish, and even the facial features fall in exactly the right place. His designs include a wide array of vehicles, animals, and mythical creatures. In this book, step-by-step instructions are provided for 20 distinct models that are bound to challenge even the most proficient folders. The challenge includes: a Formula 1 race car, a toilet, a butterfly, a koi fish, a scorpion, a sea turtle, a fox, an ox, a marlin, a car, a praying mantis, a dragon, a spider, a stag beetle, a stegosaurus, a bat, Pegasus, a fighter jet, a battle tank, and a pig. All models can be made with either one or two dollar bills. Why worry about the declining value of the U.S. dollar? Follow the instructions in this book, and you can transform your dollars into works of art!

Specializing in the art of money folding, Won Park (Honolulu, HI) creates beautiful and original origami works from dollar bills. Some thought provoking, others whimsical and funny, his work can be found gracing the covers of numerous financial books and also in magazines articles and in other types of media.

www.orudorumagi11.deviantart.com

   

Interview with Stacie Dolin co-author of Book Art Studio Handbook

Today I have a special treat for you. I have an interview with Stacie Dolin, co-author of Book Art Studio Handbook: Techniques and Methods for Binding Books, Creating Albums, Making Boxes and Enclosures, and More.

   

1. What does your workspace/ design space look like?

  

My workspace is mostly in a corner of my dining room - I store supplies and materials in an old sideboard, and presses and a papercutter are in the room as well.  I do design work in my office, which also serves as a bookbinding library.

2. Do you save your mistakes/ or designs you don't love right away -or ditch them?

  

I save many of my mistakes and failed designs and use them to experiment with solutions.

3. What's on your "next to try" list?

  

Nothing specific, but I like to explore new techniques and methods!

4. Do you ever work with recycled materials?

  

Occasionally I'll re-purpose some old cloth or fiber for book use.
 

5. What music do you listen to when designing?

   

I listen to NPR/WBUR pretty much all the time.

6. How long does a design take you to create?

   

I hate to say "it depends", but it depends!  Sometimes simple is best.  I spend a lot of time going back and forth with a client in order to come up with a design that is exactly what they want.
 

7. How do you organize your supplies? 

  

All of my tools are in an old machinist's chest.

Paper is organized by text or decorative.  Leather is on loose rolls in a large basket.  

8. What books/magazines do you read?

   

Cabinet, The Bonefolder, Print, I also read a bunch of book-related blogs.  

9. How would you describe your personal style?

  

I like to incorporate aspects of other crafts (knitting, spinning, paper-cutting, tatting) into my work. 

10. How do you determine what a design is going to be made with?

  

I'll try out many different mini-models/samples of things to find the right material and make sure that it works well with any other materials on the book.  No bleeding, shrinking, glue reactions, etc.

11. Do you have a collection of anything?

  

Oh man.  I have a house full of assorted ephemera and books.  So in many ways I have a collection that consists of a little bit of everything.

12. How did your book come to be made? 

  

Amy invited me to join her in writing a book after she replied to a call for authors.

13. And the all important question (from Ravelry) what is your favorite swear word?

   

I'm going to have to go with the multi-use "f*ck" (and it's variants)

And the bonus round:

  

14. Name 10 things you've done that probably no one else has. Stacie had four, but wow are they impressive!

• Learned to drive by driving cross-country for 6 weeks with no license.
• Knit my own wedding dress.
• Had my tonsils grow back.
• Lived in a big old house where I had 76 roommates over the course of 9 years.

Thanks Stacie for sharing!

-----------------------------------

Check out  book designs in an Online Exhibit made by 11 members of the

New England Chapter of The Guild of Book Workers at their site.

More about the Quarry book:

Book Art Studio Handbook:
Techniques and Methods for Binding Books, Creating Albums, Making Boxes and Enclosures, and More

by

Stacie Dolin

and

Amy Lapidow

How to Make Books, Albums, Slipcases, and More

There’s nothing like making your own sketchbook, or wrapping a favorite book in the perfect homemade slipcase. And you can create it all yourself! Select the tools and materials you’ll need, master basic book-binding techniques, and practice your new skills on 12 eye-catching projects. Then explore the gallery of variations for more inspiration to make each book form your own. Whether you’re an experienced book binder or new to the art, Book Art Studio Handbook will help you take your books to the next level.

 

With Book Art Studio Handbook, you’ll learn how to:

 

- Set up your workspace or studio

- Choose the right board, paper, book cloth, and other supplies for your project

- Fold a textblock, make a sewing template, glue a cover, and practice other essential techniques

- Create albums: Imagine your photos in an Accordion Album with Frames, for example

-  Create books: How about a flexible Tacketed Book to customize?

- Create enclosures: From Slipcase to French Box

- Challenge yourself: Try your hand at an advanced project, such as a Travel Journal

Stacie Dolin is a bookbinder and consummate crafter located in Arlington, MA. After working in the silkscreen industry for a number of years, she moved to Boston to study bookbinding at the North Bennet Street School. She now teaches numerous bookbinding workshops and does independent binding and book repair. When not playing with books, Stacie knits, spins, and quilts, and looks for ways to integrate her fiber activities into her bookbinding.

Amy Lapidow is a hand bookbinder, trained through The North Bennet Street School and several other institutions including Rare Book School and CBBAG. She teaches through the NBSS workshop program, where she has developed classes on a number of bookbinding concepts. Her personal interest is taking historic bookbinding structures and updating them by using alternate materials and for contemporary uses. Her work has been seen in 500 Handmade Books and as part of the exhibit One Book Many Interpretations at The Chicago Public Library, where she combined a classic binding style with QR codes. She lives in Somerville, MA.