Craftside

Lab 35: How to combine Drawing and Collage from the book Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists by Carla Sonheim

With it being "back to school time" I thought I'd share with you one of the most fun lessons you can possibly have from the yummy book Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists!

Click on these pages from Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists to enlarge and read how to combine drawing and collage.

 

For more great tutorials you will have a great time trying, grab a copy of:

Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists
52 Creative Exercises to Make Drawing Fun
By

Carla Sonheim

Carla Sonheim is an artist and creativity workshop instructor known for her fun and innovative projects and techniques designed to help adult students recover a more spontaneous, playful approach to creating. Her innovative ideas are now collected and elaborated on in this unique volume. Carla offers a year's worth of assignments, projects, ideas, and techniques that will introduce more creativity and nonsense into your art and life. Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists offers readers a fun way to learn and gain expertise in drawing through experimentation and play. There is no right or wrong result, yet, the readers gain new skills and confidence, allowing them to take their work to a new level.

Carla Sonheim is a painter, illustrator, and popular workshop instructor at art retreats such as Artfest, Art & Soul. She has been called a "gifted facilitator" and loves to help adult students recover a more child-like play approach to creating. Carla's "Girls" paintings are in showcased in numerous galleries nationwide, as well as in private and corporate collections around the world. Visit her at www.carlasonheim.etsy.com and www.carlasonheim.wordpress.com!

Jane Doe Amineko has a new friend- Rorschach to bring you Crafty Blogger Links this Monday

I'd like to introduce Rorschach. He is Jane Doe's new friend. She calls him Roy for short.

I have a feeling they are going to have a lot of fun together! They enjoyed a simply gorgeous day here in SoCal hanging in the garden with the new Aloe and pumpkin plants.The pumpkin plants seem to be doing well but the first little baby pumpkin that started to grow didn't make it. There is still plenty of time for more to sprout, the plants have new flowers on them every day so we are hopeful! I wonder what they will dress up like on Halloween? Ideas? Well, you are here for your crafty links, so onward ho!

The Crochet Dude
Drew tries out his new video equipment!!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
See how I melted sequins inspired by the sequin singeing technique in the book Dusty Diablos.

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi is giving away a copy of "Dimensional Beading," so hurry over and leave your comment!

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Here are directions for creating a hat-shaped card. Eileen made a Red Hat card but the directions can easily be adapted to make a cowboy hat, a Mexican sombrero or a frilly lady's hat for an afternoon tea or luncheon.

Crafty Princess Diaries
It definitely required a learning curve before Tammy was about to reach 50 sales in her Etsy shop.

Cathie Filian
Check out how Cathie turns an outdated holiday themed cookie stand and a cotton print thrift store skirt into a cupcake stand.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi creates a faux metallic bead with quilted fabric she sews together herself.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen teaches you how to make spectacular backgrounds using Krylon's spray webbing and also shares with you what NOT to do.

About Family Crafts
Grandparent's Day is September 12th... Now is the perfect time to start making gifts to give to your grandparents.

And a bit about the fun book that the pattern for Jane and Roy is from:

Hello My Name is Amineko

by

Nekoyama

Hello My Name is Amineko follows the journey of Amineko the Crochet Cat and his crocheted friends as they eat, sleep, and have lots of fun and adventures. The book comes with complete step-by-step photography and instructions for creating an Amineko of your very own and personalizing this cute cat with different facial expressions, clothing, and even bedding. Hundreds of color photographs tell the adorable tales, and mischief, that Amineko and his friends find themselves in, with complete instructions for knitting adventures of your own.

Born in Tokyo 1967, Nekoyama has been a life-long lover of cats. Cats and their endearing mischief have never failed to cheer her up. She created her first Amineko by accident and has never looked back. Today, she and her husband are the proud parents of many Aminekos. Nekoyama’s first book, A Day In the Life of Amineko, was published in Japan in 2005. 

Good Gracious! Another Giveaway contest of the book Sew Retro and Michael Miller Fabric

Cool news to kick off your weekend! Pop on over to the Sew Retro Blog and leave a comment to be entered to win 5 yards of YOUR CHOICE!!!! of Michael Miller Fabric and a signed copy of the book Sew Retro. (And read an interview with Kathy Miller!) Deadline for entry is 10am ET on Monday, August 30.

These are just a fun sample of a few of their prints!

And a bit about:

Sew Retro:

25 Vintage-Inspired Projects for the Modern Girl & A Stylish History of the Sewing Revolution

By

Judi Ketteler

Sewing never goes out of style, and today it is more popular than ever!  Sew Retro offers twenty-five stylish, vintage-inspired sewing projects—beautiful bags, essential skirts, unique pillows, and more—that are a pleasure to sew, thanks to easy instructions, helpful diagrams, and a pocket of ten full-size patterns.

 

This fun, inspirational book also uncovers sewing’s colorful history, from the introduction of the sewing machine to the modern DIY movement, and features interviews with today’s hottest fabric and pattern designers, including Amy Butler, Betz White, Barbara Brackman, Emma Brennan, Judie Rothermel, and Kathy Miller of Michael Miller Fabrics. Filled with gorgeous project photography and quirky vintage illustrations that bring the 1920s, 1940s, 1950s, and beyond to life, Sew Retro celebrates sewing yesterday and today.

Learn more about  Sew Retro and enjoy bonus projects and tutorials at www.sewretrothebook.com!

Judi Ketteler is never happier than when she’s merging her two passions: sewing and writing. She is a regional contributor for Better Homes & Gardens and has written about sewing, decorating, and other inspiring DIY projects for magazines including Creative Home, Decorating, Do It Yourself, and Quilts & More. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband, son Max, two cats, and a basement full of fabric and glue guns.

Learn more about Judi at www.judiketteler.com.

7 pastel drawing techniques from the book The Art of Pastel: Discover techniques for creating beautiful works of art in pastel

I haven't worked with pastels in a while but this page from The Art of Pastel: Discover techniques for creating beautiful works of art in pastel is reminding me how versatile a medium it is and makes me want to get them out and do a little experimenting.

Click on this page from The Art of Pastel to read about pastel crosshatching, pointillism, removing pigment, creating patterns, using tape, graduating on a textured support and glazing. Want more pastel techniques? Grab a copy of:

The Art of Pastel:

Discover techniques for creating beautiful works of art in pastel

By

Marla Baggetta, Nathan Rohlander, William Schneider

The velvety strokes of pastel have enchanted fine artists for more than a century. From airy strokes to bold marks and soft hues to vibrant shades, the versatility of pastel makes it suitable for a wide range of subjects and moods. Now anyone can experience this multi-dimensional medium with The Art of Pastel.

Inside this comprehensive guide, five artists provide instruction for using soft, hard, and oil pastel—each sharing his or her unique approach. From portraits and landscapes to rich floral scenes, this book contains a wealth of inspiring images that artists can re-create step by step.

Nathan Rohlander holds an MFA in drawing and painting and a BFA in illustration. He is currently an instructor at Laguna College of Art and Design. Marla Baggetta has been a self-employed, professional artist since 1983. She currently lives in Oregon and holds painting workshops. William Schneider’s oil and pastel artwork has appeared in numerous publications, and he is a member of several artists’ associations. He lives in Illinois with his wife and youngest daughter.

Have a great weekend!

Knit leaf coaster pattern from the book The Complete Photo Guide to Knitting by Margaret Hubert

It's Thursday and that means Question day with a book Giveaway. The book is The Complete Photo Guide to Knitting and today you get a free knit leaf coaster pattern from the jam-packed book of knitting fabulousness! Leave your answer to today's question in the comments section of today's post by Midnight ET on Thursday, September 2, 2010:

What is your favorite leaf (real or crafted)?

Mine are Dusty Miller with a close second being fall maple leaves. The Dusty Miller because I love the idea of a leaf being so soft and fuzzy. The fall maple leaves just because the color range is just spectacular.

If you prefer to knit yours, here's a great pattern for knit leaves that I think would look great in green (as they are here) or in fall colors!

Click on the images to read the full pattern and instructions on how to knit a leaf coaster.

 

This great knitting project is from the comprehensive new book:

The Complete Photo Guide to Knitting

by

Margaret Hubert

*All You Need to Know to Knit *The Essential Reference for Novice and Expert Knitters *Packed with Hundreds of Crafty Tips and Ideas *Step-by-Step Instructions and Photos for 200 Stitch Patterns

This volume is a comprehensive how-to book about all aspects of knitting. It's a reference for all knitting techniques, beginning with the basics of how to knit. A large section of the book is devoted to showing different stitch patterns, arranged in style categories for easy reference. Special knitting topics are explored in depth: cables, intarsia, entrelac, Fair Isle knitting, and lace knitting. A whole section is devoted to yarns: fibers, how they are spun, gauge, and how to choose.

Margaret Hubert designs for yarn companies and book and magazine publishers including Crochet, Interweave Press, Quick and Easy Crochet, Crochet Fantasy, and Belle Armoire. She teaches at yarn shops, retreats, and national gatherings and rarely misses a national conference in the needle arts field. Among her specialties, she is a master at free-form crochet and knitting. She is the author of 11 other books including five books in Creative Publishing international’s Hooked series, Knits for Men, Plus Size Crochet, Knit or Crochet–Have It Your Way, and The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet.