Craftside

Recycle your Christmas cards and scraps of pretty paper into mini sewn notebook journals

Got a bunch of Christmas cards and pretty scraps of paper laying around? Why not sew up some cute little notebooks?

All you need to do is cut up a bunch of the paper and fold it in half. I didn't make my pages the same size or even line them up.

I set my sewing machine to the longest stitch length and sewed down the fold.

There you have it.

Looking for more ways to recycle stuff into cute books and journals? Grab a copy of:

Re-Bound
Creating Handmade Books from Recycled and Repurposed Materials
By
Jeannine Stein

Re-Bound shows readers how to take every day materials from around the house, flea markets and thrift stores, and hardware and office supply stores, and turn them into fabulous books. Instead of saying, What can I make a book out of, readers will be thinking, What can't I make a book out of? In Re-Bound, a vintage souvenir wallet becomes a photo album. Last year's trendy sweater becomes a takealong journal. Even potato chip bags get a second life as a handy pocket notebook. This fun pursuit is economical as well as ecological. A variety of attractive, uncomplicated bindings, how-to instructions, and step-outs bring each project to life.

Jeannine Stein (Los Angeles, CA) has been making books for more than 15 years, exploring bindings,
mediums, and techniques. She has studied with notable book artists Daniel Essig, Keith Smith, Kitty
Maryatt, and Charlene Matthews. Her work has been featured in such Quarry titles as Pockets, Pullouts,
and Hiding Places, Beyond Scrapbooks, and 100 Ideas for Stationery, Cards, and Invitations. Her projects have also been appeared in magazines, including Home Companion, Romantic Country, and Stamper's Sampler.

How to make an image have a Pop Art look from the new book 500 Digital Illustration Hints, Tips, and Techniques

This is such a fun way to take a traditional image and give it a pop art look in Photoshop:

 

Click on the image to read the super easy way to give a photo a pop art look. This is just 1 of the 500 tips from the cool new book:

500 Digital Illustration Hints, Tips, and Techniques

The Easy, All-in-One Guide to Those Inside Secrets for Better Image-Making

By

Luke Herriott and Robert Brandt

500 Digital Illustration Hints, Tips, and Techniques is the ideal introduction to this popular subject. The book guides the reader from the basics of digital illustration through to more advanced techniques, with detailed sections on the most commonly-used software programs, including Photoshop, Painter, Illustrator, Flash, Cinema 4D, and 3D Studio. This accessible, yet comprehensive handbook covers all the essential technical considerations of digital illustration, such as file formatting and setting up a document, as well as the creative aspects of working with colors, textures, special effects, and more.

The book is packed with inspiring images covering a wide range of different illustration styles, and with its colorful blend of step-by-step tutorials, quick fixes, and bullet-point tips it is the perfect antidote to boring technical manuals.

Luke Herriott is a graphic designer and the co-author of Instant Graphics and Art Directing Projects for Print. He lives in Hastings, UK.

Robert Brandt is a designer and illustrator, and lives in Brighton, UK.

Holiday Goodness Giveaway!

Here's how it works:

• We ask a question each weekday.
• You leave your answer in the comments section each day to the question (and you can enter each day!).
• We will randomly pick a winner each day to send a free book to!

Today is DAY 19 of 19!

Question:

What part has your computer played in your holiday prep? Shopping on line, graphics, photo altering, greeting card making or just idea getting?

My answer:

All of the above including idea sharing! And thanks to all of you for leaving comments each day sharing your fabulous answers I have loved reading them!

Be sure to read the comments of others; maybe you can pick up a good idea, a new place to find your inspiration, or just a good giggle!

FREE MAKEREADY WRAPPING PAPER!

Want some cool, crafty, AND eco-friendly wrapping paper? Send your receipt showing you’ve bought today’s book to craftside@gmail.com, and we’ll send you a package of this brightly-colored up-cycled wrapping paper made from the “Makeready,” or printer’s scraps, from some of our newest books.  Don’t forget to include your shipping address too!

Reuse that empty milk jug after all your baking to die cut some weather-proof snowflakes

 Using some recycled materials for your holiday crafting means more money to spend on books and gifts!

I can't tell you how many times I go into my recycle bin for supplies. I flip though a book like

1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse
Remake, Restyle, Recycle, Renew
By
Garth Johnson

and I am inspired!

I dug out the milk jug I finished this morning and cut it into a couple of flat pieces.



I went to the Sizzix die cut stashand perfect - a snowflake! I make these in honor of all who actually got a bunch of the real stuff (I went rollerblading this past weekend).



Looking for another good Green Craft book to give to your favorite artist/crafter in your life?

Check out this post over at Re-nest:
10 Green Gifts for the Artist, Crafter, or DIY'er
Best Green Gifts 2009

Green Guide for Artists
Nontoxic Recipes, Green Art Ideas, and Resources for the Eco-Conscious Artist
By
Karen Michel

was picked as a top 10 Green Gift idea.

Holiday Goodness Giveaway!

Here's how it works:

• We ask a question each weekday.
• You leave your answer in the comments section each day to the question (and you can enter each day!).
• We will randomly pick a winner each day to send a free book to!

Today is DAY 17 of 19!

Question:

What is your Crafting New Year's Resolution?

My answer:

Mine is to try to be better about cleaning up after I have finished a project. Even if it is only half way, that's better than none. Also, to try to go through my supplies and organize them a bit better by labeling the outside of the boxes even just a little. I spend quite a bit of time looking for my supplies (one of my tools is still M.I.A. and it is really bugging me!

Be sure to read the comments of others; maybe you can pick up a good idea, a new place to find your inspiration, or just a good giggle!

FREE MAKEREADY WRAPPING PAPER!

Want some cool, crafty, AND eco-friendly wrapping paper? Send your receipt showing you’ve bought today’s book to craftside@gmail.com, and we’ll send you a package of this brightly-colored up-cycled wrapping paper made from the “Makeready,” or printer’s scraps, from some of our newest books.  Don’t forget to include your shipping address too!

Twas the week of Christmas and all through the blog all the crafty bloggers were crafting

Holiday Goodness Giveaway!

Here's how it works:

• We ask a question each weekday.
• You leave your answer in the comments section each day to the question (and you can enter each day!).
• We will randomly pick a winner each day to send a free book to!

Today is DAY 16 of 19!

Question:

What is your favorite craft blog? Tell us about your own or someone else's you love!

My answer:

This is a tough one for me because there are so many out there! One of my favorite things to do is to open the Etsywindow and just watch the scroll flip by and see what comes by chance. Also, StumbleUpon can take you to some pretty wild and crazy places and, true to its name, you really can stumble upon some cool stuff!

Another uber-cute blog is Faerie Enchantment.

I was the oh-so-lucky recipient of one of Lisa's positively magical creations: a two headed fairy!

Lisa Kettell is the author of

Altered Art Circus!
Techniques for Journals, Paper Dolls, Art Cards, and Assemblages

Be sure to read the comments of others; maybe you can pick up a good idea, a new place to find your inspiration, or just a good giggle!

FREE MAKEREADY WRAPPING PAPER!

Want some cool, crafty, AND eco-friendly wrapping paper? Send your receipt showing you’ve bought today’s book to craftside@gmail.com, and we’ll send you a package of this brightly-colored up-cycled wrapping paper made from the “Makeready,” or printer’s scraps, from some of our newest books.  Don’t forget to include your shipping address too!

And now for more super cool crafty blogs:

The Crochet Dude
Drew reveals his themed Christmas wrap and also announces a fantastic giveaway!

The Artful Crafter
Eileen’s been elf-ed! Join in the fun and spread some holiday cheer. There’s still time for a few more elf-ings.

Stefanie Girard's Greeting Card Album Craftiness
Here's how to decorate your Greeting Card Album for Christmas and recycle a card from last year with a fabric die cut!

Mixed Media Artist
Make a stab-bound scrapbook or journal to hold all your Christmas cards and memories this year!

Margot Potter-The Impatient Crafter
Know someone bitten by the Twilight bug? Check out Madge's holiday themed Twilight silhouette ornament and pendant project for iLoveToCreate teen!

Farm Girl Roots, City Girl Style
Where did December go? Linda's sharing her mantel decorations as she ponders her lack of handmade gifts this year. Yikes!

Cross Stitch at About.com
Wishing you Merry and Bright holidays with a cheerful free pattern that's perfect for the holiday season.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Tammy has received the first submissions for her book's gallery, and talk about impressive! Wow! Some amazing metal jewelry by Victoria Tillotson.

Cathie Filian
Check out Cathie's quick video on how to make a Christmas tree from a tomato cage.

Aileen's Musings
As a gift to you, Aileen's created 2 beautiful recipe cards for you to download and print.

About Family Crafts
Find out how you can spread the holiday spirit throughout your entire neighborhood using this fun pass-it-on gift.

Give the Gift of a Good Craft book with a side of supplies

Looking for a Good Gift Idea?

Why not make it a Good Mail Day with a side of supplies?

 

For that paper crafter in your life, grab some glues, stamps, inks, pens, pencils, markers, and more. You really can't go wrong in that, as all crafters know, you really can't have too many books filled with inspiration and techniques or supplies!

Back in this post, there is an inside peek into what should go into a traveling Mail Art Kit. I don't know a crafter that can ever have too many supplies.

One of the sections in Good Mail Day talks about making friends with your mail carrier.

I love my mail carriers, not only my USPS guys, but my UPS guy and my FEDEX guys!

Let's just say they are here a lot.

May the force be with you all in this season of sending!

I know this mail carrier doesn't look too happy but he was way-cool to take a minute out of his super busy day to pose for me. Pretty nice, huh?

Good Mail Day:
A Primer for Making Eye-Popping Postal Art
By
Jennie Hinchcliff and Carolee Gilligan Wheeler

"What is a good mail day?" A good mail day is a day when, instead of just bills, catalogs, and advertisements, your postal carrier delivers artful, beautiful, personal mail from friends and acquaintances all over the world. Mail art is a collaborative art form with a long and fascinating history populated by famous artists as well as everyday practitioners.

The term "mail art" refers to pieces of art sent through the mail rather than displayed or sold in traditional venues. Mail artists often use inexpensive and recycled materials including postcards, collage, rubber stamps, and photocopied images. Mail art is a truly international activity and a fun way to connect with people in every corner of the globe. Readers will learn to create decorated and illustrated envelopes, faux postage and artistamps, find penpals, make a mail art kit, and much more!

Jennie Hinchcliff has been an active part of international mail art circles and communities for over a decade, has curated San Francisco mail art shows, and produces the quarterly mail art zine Red Letter Day. She teaches book arts and bookbinding at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

Carolee Gilligan Wheeler teaches popular classes on bookbinding at the San Francisco Center for the Book.

Holiday Goodness Giveaway!

Here's how it works:

• We ask a question each weekday.
• You leave your answer in the comments section each day to the question (and you can enter each day!).
• We will randomly pick a winner each day to send a free book to!

Today is DAY 12 of 19!

Question:

If a gift comes in the mail, do you:

A. Open it right away.

B. Open it from the shipping box but put it under the tree and wait to open.

C. Open it right away but tell the person who sent it you are waiting to open.

My answer:

You know, I seem to answer my own questions "both" or 50/50 a lot! I just got a present from my best friend in CT and I was going to wait but I couldn't. She sent me such cool plaid stuff! But I think the next thing that comes in the mail I will wait to open. So maybe every other thing I will wait/open.

Be sure to read the comments of others; maybe you can pick up a good idea, a new place to find your inspiration, or just a good giggle!

Recycled film canisters are transformed into pretty and practical storage

Another cool inside peek and fun recycled storage idea from:

Art Making & Studio Spaces

Unleash Your Inner Artist: An Intimate Look at 31 Creative Work Spaces

By

Lynne Perrella

Art Making & Studio Spaces is a visual studio tour, an opportunity to turn the key and discover the inner workings of artists in their ultra-personal, unique workspaces. The mission of the book is to look inside studios in progress, amidst the throes of the artmaking process, and to investigate the thoughts of the artists within.

This book reveals the interplay between artist and studio, and explores how each workspace reflects a different, distinctive creative journey. Photography by Sarah Blodgett, plus contributed photos by some of the artists, combines with personal insights to provide an incomparable studio tour that will inspire you to create your own private work space. Pages from Lynne Perrella's art journal are included, to give further insight into this bottomless topic of "art and where it happens."

Lynne Kendall Perrella is a mixed-media artist, author, designer, workshop instructor, and incurable collector. Her interests include collage, assemblage, one-of-a-kind books, and art journals. She conducts creativity workshops in the United States and abroad and exhibits collage in galleries throughout the Berkshire Mountains. www.lkperrella.com

 

Click on the image to enlarge and read about the very talented artist Keith LoBue.

As you can see, Keith transforms recycled film canisters into pretty and practical storage. I have done this too. Here in Los Angeles all you have to do is make friends with the camera crew and you are very likely to score film canisters if you ask nice!

 

To keep things organized within the film canister, I recycled bottle caps in two of them for tiny chain and findings. For another, I cut a toilet paper tube into about 1/2 inch sections and pinched them into "eye" shapes so I could fit more compartments into the canister. This is good for organizing larger chains and bigger bits. I didn't glue anything in place but if you are in the habit of knocking stuff around you might want to secure all the little bottle caps and toilet paper tube sections.

Holiday Goodness Giveaway Time!

Here's how it works:

• We ask a question each weekday.
• You leave your answer in the comments section each day to the question (and you can enter each day!).
• We will randomly pick a winner each day to send a free book to!

Today is DAY 10 of 19!

Question:

What is your favorite storage container? Do you use the modern plastic style stuff or have you come up with a fun way to recycle some other type of container? If so, SHARE! We all love to get great ideas on new ways to store our stuff.

My answer:

Film canisters are my fave, but I also use cookie tins and cigar boxes, both cardboard and wood. I do love the convenience of clear plastic totes, drawers and Zip lock baggies but I don't love the way they look.

Be sure to read the comments of others; maybe you can pick up a good idea, a new place to find your inspiration, or just a good giggle!

How to make Coffee Filter Pockets from the cool new book: Self-made Stationery by Kazumi Udagawa

I "heart" this new book so much!

Self-made Stationery:

Handmade Goods Designed By Me

By

Kazumi Udagawa

Stationery and other paper products have become not only valuable necessities, but also fashionable goods for artists, designers, students, and all enthusiasts who love paper. Self-made Stationery presents a wonderful array of unique and attractive design ideas for creating your own special stationery and paper products. This book is filled with many photographs and step-by-step illustrations that will guide you in making your stationery crafts. You will be surprised by how your creative skills can be enhanced.

Kazumi Udagawa (Japan) graduated from Musashino Art University in Tokyo. As a designer, she has worked for a sundry goods maker and focused on product planning and development to start up a goods store. Currently, she is a designer for various home products, supplies, and design projects. She also creates illustrations for books and magazines.

Check out this fun way to make a pocket out of a coffee filter:

I love making pockets in my altered book so I thought I would try this coffee filter pocket technique. 

 

I didn't have the same type of coffee filter but I thought the type I did have I could make work, just in a bit of a different way. So you get the technique from the book, and here's how I made mine:

I folded the filter in half lining up the edges and then in half the opposite way but about an inch off center.

Then I trimmed the top layer smaller then the second layer.

I trimmed the third layer just a bit taller then the second layer.

 
 All that was left to do was ink the edges and staple the coffee filter pocket into my altered book. As you can see, the first one I made on the left I folded with all the edges matching and didn't trim them.
 
 

I was in the mood to make some ATCs to put into my sassy new pockets. I have been collecting translation dictionaries so I thought that I would cut out some words and play with them.

Here are 3 I came up with.

 

I cut out definitions of different words in different languages and glued them onto a plain piece of paper. Then I used the Autumn Leaves Scribbles Hearts and Starswith a variety of the Stampology inks to add a bit of design and texture.

I love trying out new techniques and just "playing."

Holiday Goodness Giveaway Time!

Here's how it works:

• We ask a question each weekday.
• You leave your answer in the comments section each day to the question (and you can enter each day!).
• We will randomly pick a winner each day to send a free book to!

Today is DAY 9 of 19!

Question:

What is your favorite paper? Scrapbook, newspaper, construction, tissue, tracing?

My answer:

Washi paper for origami is one of my faves; the other is paper packaging. I love graphics and often times, whether it's vintage or new, the quality of the paper has a great quality to it. I think it's the same thing that makes me like remaking cloths. A garment also has the construction and findings details that add more to its design possibilities rather than just yardage.

Be sure to read the comments of others; maybe you can pick up a good idea, a new place to find your inspiration, or just a good giggle!

Jay Calderin, author of Form, Fit, and Fashion, at the Iris Apfel fashion event at The Peabody Essex Museum

Below is a snapshot taken this past Saturday at The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem MA. Jay Calderin, author of Form, Fit, and Fashion (Rockport Publishers), was on hand all day in the museum’s atrium for an event supporting their fabulous Iris Apfel fashion exhibit! He signed books and he and his students demonstrated the art of draping.

And here is a sneak peak inside:

Form, Fit, and Fashion
All the Details Fashion Designers Need to Know But Can Never Find

Click on the image to enlarge and read about Mood boards. I make collages like this, often called inspiration boards or idea boards. These are really helpful when you need to design a bunch of things with a cohesive look.

An indispensable primer for students and first-stop reference for professionals, Form, Fit, and Fashion guides the fashion designer through the entire design process, from conceiving a garment to marketing it.

This handbook collects the information and ideas essential to planning and executing fashion projects of every scale and distills them in an easy-to-use format that is compact enough to slip into a tote. Linking six central phases in the cycle of fashion--research, editing, design, construction, connection, and evolution--Form, Fit, and Fashion will help designers to develop effective strategies for building a cohesive collection and communicating their vision.

Jay Calderin teaches a wide variety of fashion and professional development courses at the School of Fashion Design in Boston, where he is also the Director of Creative Marketing. He founded and serves as Executive Director of Boston Fashion Week. Calderin’s designs have appeared in the pages of Vogue and Elle magazines.

Another fun photo from the event: The irreverent “Rare Bird of Fashion” Iris Apfel and famed fashion designer Michael Vollbract.

 

I love her outfit!

Fashionistas! Check out this very fun interactive “paperdoll” link…courtesy of The Peabody Essex Museum…

http://pem.org/sites/iris/

Holiday Goodness Giveaway Time!

Here's how it works:

• We ask a question each weekday.
• You leave your answer in the comments section each day to the question (and you can enter each day!).
• We will randomly pick a winner each day to send a free book to!

Today is DAY 8 of 19!

Question:

What is your favorite holiday outfit or accessory?

My answer:

I totally rock the silliness! I have a penguin sweater that is profoundly silly. I also have crazy socks and leggings. I did just make a not-silly reindeer necklace: you can learn how to make it here.

Be sure to read the comments of others; maybe you can pick up a good idea, a new place to find your inspiration, or just a good giggle!

Enter to win a Free Mixed-Media Doll handmade by Linda O'Brien, co-author of Who's Your Dada?

Do you love this original handmade dada doll by Linda O'Brien?

You can enter to win it!

All you need to do is leave your answer to one of these two questions in the comments section of this post by midnight ET on November 24th.

Linda and Opie will choose a winner at random on November 25th. On Thanksgiving Day, November 26th, we will announce the winner on this blog.

Question 1:

What was your favorite doll as a child and why? (Do you still have it?)

Question 2:

What was the last thing you made that simply put a smile on your face every time you looked at it and why?

Just to inspire you, here's my answer to the first question.

My favorite doll as a little kid was my stuffed bunny that I would dress in the pretty clothes my mom sewed for my fancy baby doll. Even then I was mixing things up and doing it my own way! And yes I still have it, the fur is pretty much gone and it has lost its original eyes and nose that have been replaced with buttons, but I still love it!

The answer to the second question I promise to post about soon. I swear it is cracking me up, but it is not quite finished. It will be soon, I promise!

If you like this mixed-media dada doll then you will want to grab a copy of the immensely creative and inspiring:

Who's Your DADA?
Redefining the Doll through Mixed Media
By
Linda O'Brien and Opie O'Brien

Inspired by the "dada" notion of making art from materials that would not typically be combined or expected to go together, and driven by a similar sense of irony and humor, this exciting book by Linda and Opie O'Brien shares their unique approach to making mixed-media dolls. It is not only a "must have" volume for anyone interested in found object art and the human form, it is a thoughtful and provocative exploration of the power, symbolism, and cultural significance of dolls and representational figures.

The authors share detailed techniques for using surface embellishments, creating faces, heads, and limbs, using molds and molding products, and building and transforming disparate objects into whimsical, inspiring dolls. Starting with a variety of substrates--a wood block, a canvas, a tin can, a book, and a box construction--readers are guided step by step through five types of doll constructions.

Included:

-Complete instructions for making a box construction doll, a wood block substrate doll, a two-sided canvas frame doll, a tin can doll, and a book doll

-Numerous variations on each of the core projects for further experimentation

-An inspiring gallery of mixed-media dolls from leading artists who discuss their methods and share their very personal answers to the question: "What is a doll?"

Originally from New York City,Linda and Opie O'Brien are full-time artists living on Lake Erie in Ohio with their cat Angelus and his cat Angel. They teach workshops nationally and internationally. Their work includes jewelry, dada dolls, artist books, assemblage, collage, masks, music, and more, and has been featured in numerous books, magazines, galleries, exhibitions, solo shows, museum gift shops, and private collections.

Beautiful leaf paper cutting pattern from the book The Art of Paper Cutting by Henya Melichson

This paper cutting leaf pattern is so pretty:

Click on the image of the intricate leaf to see it closer. It is from the book:

The Art of Paper Cutting

By:

Henya Melichson

Paper cutting is an ancient, elegant art that dates almost as far back as the creation of paper itself. In today's multicultural world, paper cutting embraces any number of themes, designs, and images. It is an all-inclusive art that requires few tools and minimal materials. All one needs is instruction and inspiration, both of which are found in good measure in The Art of Paper Cutting. The book includes more than 20 projects that feature a range of sizes, subject matters, and techniques. Every project features step-by-step photographs and numerous helpful hints.

Author Henya Melichson has been a paper cut artist for more than twenty years. With a background in painting and drawing, Henya's paper cuts are inspired by diverse ethnic and natural motifs. Her work has appeared at museums in Europe, the United States, and Israel. A member of the Guild of American Paper Cutters, Henya has led seminars, instructed hundreds of budding paper cutters, and been interviewed for television programs.

And if you want to read another review and get more inside peeks, pop on over to Craft Leftovers.

And if you want another pattern from this book and a cool slider card tutorial featuring a deer, pop on over to this post.