Craftside

365: A Daily Creativity Journal: Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life!

Do you set creative goals for yourself every day? Do you need a little help with keeping those goals? I have got the answer for you! I bring you Noah Scalin's new book 365: A Daily Creativity Journal: Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life!.

I am so excited about this! I haven't stopped thinking about what my "create art every day" object/theme will be for the coming year, but I am rolling around a few and trying to figure out what will be doable and fun. Here are 2 sample pages that give you an idea of the help this book provides.

Click on these pages from 365: A Daily Creativity Journal: Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life! to enlarge and read the daily art help, hints and tips.

In addition to these types of pages, there are some really cool interviews.

This is a great book to kick the year off and keep you going throughout!

365: A Daily Creativity Journal: Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life!

by

Noah Scalin

The concept of Noah Scalin’s "365 method" is simple but inspired: Choose a theme or medium, then make something every day for a year. Noah made 365 skull-themed projects... now he invites you to choose your obsession and get creative! The book offers 365 project prompts to kick start your creativity, plus plenty of room for journaling, sketching, and jotting down ideas. Learn how to choose your subject and document your work, and see examples from other artists and crafters who took the 365 challenge. In addition, master new techniques to incorporate into your projects, including quilling, clay-making, paper pop-up engineering, and more. Share your progress with other 365-ers at www.MakeSomething365.com. With 365: A Daily Creativity Journal you’ll get charged up, get messy, and get inspired, and you’ll see how making something every day can change your creative process—and change your life forever!

In 2007, artist Noah Scalin came up with an ingenious idea: he cut a skull out of orange paper and posted it on his blog with the note, “I’m making a skull image every day for a year.” His year-long art project became an award-winning internet sensation that resulted in the book Skulls, as well as landing him in the New York Times and on the Martha Stewart Show. He lives in Richmond, Virginia.

www.noahscalin.com

www.skulladay.blogspot.com

Craftside at Unique LA! Come make something crafty with us December 11-12, 2010

OK crafty peeps. If you haven't already started, it's official holiday crafting time! Craftside will be at the super fabulous Unique LA shopping and more extravaganza this December 11th and 12th!! Please come join us for lots of fun Make and Takes, score yourself a free pack of MakeReady wrapping paper (made from recycled print runs) and have a fabulous time shopping for unique gifts! I will post shortly the full schedule of Make and Takes so you can plan all your fun! But just in case you were wondering, I will be there with my stash of recycled wool felted sweaters and Sizzix Die cutter so you can make something eco-friendly fabulous!

And the Bead Brain herself Cathi Milligan of The Glass Studio will host an amazing glass fused mosaic pendant. You will definitely want to make one!

There are two ways to attend UNIQUE LA: purchase pre-sale online tickets or come to the show and purchase tickets in the lobby of the California Market Center during the event.

Show: December 11th & 12th, 2010, 11am – 6pm both days

Where: California Market Center’s Penthouse (110 E 9th St – Map It)

Cost: $10 at the door or in advance (kids 12 and under are free)

Admission includes:

• Free drinks & a hosted bar (IZZE, Honest Tea, Dry Soda, Function, and cocktails by ROOT)
• Unlimited re-entry for both days
• Your very own collectible tote bag, exclusive to each show… The Holiday artist is secret for now, but the Spring tote was designed by LA graphic designer Keith Scharwath! Sweet.
• Free eco workshops and cool handmade activities all weekend, brought to you by Your Daily Thread , 826LA and Common Thread Studio and us, Craftside!
• Family/Kids creativity zone and seating area
• Access to giveaways and door prizes all weekend long
• Souvenir copy of the Vendor Directory + Mini Magazine

Grab your friends, take a free family portrait, or hog the entire scene and get snapped by the fabulous Oh Snap! Studios. The exclusive one-of-a-kind set is built just for the show – you’ll want to pose all day long!

And now for your immediate crafting pleasure, I bring you crafty links!

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi is working away at finding more uses for expanded squares.

Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter
Madge's lovely and talented daughter Avalon whips up a super cute embellished hat and scarf this week for ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts!

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Who couldn't use another tote bag? Here's a Koi Beach-Themed Tote from Eileen for your beach holidays or just to use when you miss the beach and warm weather.

Crafty Princess Diaries
After much feeling around, Tammy has definitely determined which baby yarn she thinks is the softest.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi has a two part name tag making project highlighted this week.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen offers you Starbucks upcycled bird ornaments to create. Gather the kids and have fun making these ornaments to hang on your tree, give as a gift or use as a tag!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Book Review: Wild Color, Revised and Updated Edition: The Complete Guide to Making and Using Natural Dyes

A bunch of cute pastry decorating ideas from the new book 1,000 Ideas for Decorating Cupcakes, Cookies & Cakes

As soon as the weather cools down, I get the itch to bake some tasty treats... and eat them too. Let's not discuss yesterday, OK? The new book 1,000 Ideas for Decorating Cupcakes, Cookies & Cakes is just the ticket to kick up the creativity with the yummy treats. I have a huge collection of cookie cutters which just happen to have a recent addition that is featured in the upper left photo (yes it's a cute Ikea Hedgehog cookie cutter). Incidentally the manger scene my family put up as part of an advent calendar had the cutest hedgehog as part of it! So I guess that's the origin of my hedgehog love.

It hadn't occurred to me to frost it like this, but isn't it adorable? I also had the idea of making half my cookie dough chocolate and half plain sugar cookie. Then cut the hedgehogs out of both, then cut them like the photo and put them back half and half to get a similar effect.

 

1,000 Ideas for Decorating Cupcakes, Cookies & Cakes

By

Sandra Salamony and Gina M. Brown

This exciting 1000 collection presents glorious full-color photographs of delicious, decorated desserts. From extravagant wedding cakes and clever birthday cakes to cupcakes and cookies that are miniature works of art, these delightful delectables provide endless inspiration for anyone who loves decorative baking and entertaining. An appendix in the back of the book includes basic recipes for cakes, frostings, and fondants.

Sandra Salamony, author of 1000 Jewelry Inspirations, is a creative director, writer, and artist living in Traverse City, Michigan. Her sister, Gina M. Brown, is an architect and textile artist, also living in the Traverse City area. They are coauthors of 1000 Artisan Textiles (Quarry Books, 2010).

How to make a see through window Sizzix die cut frame with Chinese brush painted bees

Happy Thanksgiving! Among all the many things I am thankful for, my ability to always have the opportunity to try new things is definitely close to the top of the list! I tried this great tutorial on how to paint a bee from the kit Chinese Brush Animals Painting Kit. I thought these bees would look cute on this Sizzix die cut frame with a floating fall leaf in it.

Here is how I made my floating leaf window frame.

I found the fall leaf on a walk that coordinated with the color of the bees.

Then I followed the step-by-step instructions for painting the bees in Chinese Brush Animals Painting Kit.

You want to paint some bees too? Try this bee and dragonfly painting tutorial.

Here is another shot of the floating frame. I should mention I simply sandwiched the leaf between two squares of plastic I recycled from some packaging and then between two of the Sizzix die cut frame.

And on the back I just played with watercolors:

Want to try some more painting tutorials? Then grab this amazing kit full of everything you need:

Chinese Brush Animals Painting Kit:

Professional materials and step-by-step instruction for the aspiring artist

by

Lucy Wang

This kit pairs the popular subject of animals with the elegant art of Chinese brush for a unique and lively artistic experience. The 40-page guide by Lucy Wang shows beginners how to render a variety of adorable animals, stroke by easy stroke. And aspiring artists will find all the essential tools for learning this art form, including a set of watercolor paints, an ink stick and stone, paper, and more.

Lucy Wang was born in Taiwan and graduated from the National Taiwan College of Arts in Taipei, Taiwan, where she studied with several master artists. In 1993, an invitation from the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon, Georgia, brought Lucy to the United States, and she continues to exhibit in both Taiwan and the United States. She has taught Chinese brush painting for more than 20 years and is a popular demonstrator for art groups and a frequent juror for exhibitions. Lucy’s work has been published on magazine covers, and her television program “The Magic of Chinese Brush Painting” is broadcast on several San Diego cable television stations. Her paintings were selected for use by Blue Mountain Note Cards, published by the Audubon Society and UNICEF, and made into cross-stitch patterns by Candamar Designs.

How to draw a pilgrim, Native American, cowboy and English Guard from the book Illustration School: Let's Draw Happy People

I thought with Thanksgiving being tomorrow this page from Illustration School: Let's Draw Happy People on how to draw a pilgrim, Native American, cowboy and English Guard would be fun to share. Oh, and scroll down for some fabulous shopping SALE news at Qbookshop.com for your favorite craft books and more!

Click on the pages from Illustration School: Let's Draw Happy People to enlarge and read how to draw the pilgrim, Native American, cowboy and English Guard.

Like to draw cute people and things? Then grab yourself a copy of:

Illustration School: Let's Draw Happy People

by

Sachiko Umoto

Created by one of Japan’s most popular artists, this book provides detailed and complete instruction for illustrating fun and appealing characters and elements that celebrate life. The author’s special and distinct style is simple, appealing, happy, and cute and offers artists, crafters, and art enthusiasts—with and without experience—the instruction and inspiration to draw in the Japanese character style. This book is for artists and crafters of all skill levels that want to bring their own illustration to their work. It offers both entertaining and fun drawing instruction and techniques along with inspiring and sweet unique-style characters and elements.

by

Sachiko Umoto, born in 1970, graduated with a degree in oil painting from Tama Art University (Tokyo). In addition to her work as an illustrator, she also produces animation works for Usagi-Ou Inc. She is the author of An Introduction to Making Illustrations with One Pencil Workbook and An Introduction to Sketching with One Pencil Workbook (both published by MDN Corporation). She dearly loves dogs and Hawaii. Visit her online at http://umotosachiko.com.

And:

 

This Thanksgiving, we're giving thanks to our wonderful Craftside readers by offering 30% off everything at Qbookshop.com, including the newest Craft books. Just enter promo code FEAST in your Qbookshop cart between now and midnight CT on Monday 11/29. Click here to start shopping!