Craftside

"C" is for CHA- Sweater Surgery Warm and Fuzzy Flowers from recycled wool sweaters

Do these little bloomin' beauties make you crave spring? Well if you are somewhere cold I hope they do! They are warm and fuzzy 'cause they are made from recycled wool sweaters!

I will be at CHA hosting a Make and Take and book signing from 10:00-12:00 on Sunday in the Quayside Publishing Group's Booth #2552 to promote my book:

Sweater Surgery
How to Make New Things from Old Sweaters

By yours truly,

Stefanie Girard

Contemporary crafters are thriving on personalizing, modifying, and altering fashion as not only hobbies but as a lifestyle.

Why repurpose your sweaters? Because you can't buy sweater fabric by the yard. Sweaters get damaged or go out of style but we still love the prints, colors, and textures. You don't have time to knit it from scratch. It's ecologically correct. And most of all--it's fun!

Sweater Surgery shows you how to upcycle all your slightly worn, slightly damaged, or plain old out-of-style sweaters into fabulous new items for your wardrobe and your home. Readers learn how to choose, cut, restitch, felt, and embellish old sweater fabric, transforming it into beautiful handbags, mittens, scarves, hats, hoodies, skirts, jewelry, soft toys, pillows, and more!

Complete instructions for 27 projects, plus a huge gallery of exciting ideas for further inspiration.

I have a degree in industrial design from Pratt Institute and worked as a set decorator and prop master for 10 years in the entertainment industry. I have produced, written scripts and edited Web content for television shows and have been covering these creative topics for HGTV, DIY Network and Lifetime TV. I have designed and written directions for over 400 craft projects for clients.

But if you can't make it to CHA here are the patterns for you:

 

Click on image to download and print.

To see pictures from last year's CHA, click on the link below or to the right. And for more
Sweater Surgery projects and patterns hit those links!

On to today's question, "If you make flowers, what do you like to make them out of. If you don't make flowers but grow them or buy real ones, what is your favorite? And why?"

I'm not quite sure if pussy willows are a flower but they are my favorite! I love to craft with the little soft buds.

And my namesake, which my grandmother used to call me, Stephanotis.

Happy Inauguration Day!

A "Bunch" of fun ideas from Faux Florals and Candles

I thought I'd share with you a few ideas from the soon to be released (available for pre-order now):

One-of-a-Kind Wedding: Faux Florals and Candles
BY

Laura Maffeo, Colleen Mullaney

This series is filled with ideas to inspire today’s bride-to-be. Each volume is filled with extra-special touches that will quickly and easily personalize any event—whether it’s held in a ballroom or at the beach.

Centerpieces in bloom, candlelit walkways, perfect accessories for flower girls and groom—these are just a few of the many decorative details in Faux Florals and Candles. There are a wide range of projects and additional design ideas for the planning, ceremony, and celebration. Readers can choose from among the easy step-by-step projects or look for inspiration in the photo gallery of design ideas to create their own signature style.

Laura Maffeo has worked as a stylist with Martha Stewart Weddings, Home, Seventeen, Family Circle Home Crafts, and Everyday with Rachael Ray. She is the author of Girls’ Night In: Fabulous Ideas for Evenings with Friends.

Colleen Mullaney was formerly editor-in-chief of Jo-Ann magazine, Family Circle Home Crafts, and FTD in Bloom. She is the author of Faux Fabulous Florals and Punch: Celebrations in a Bowl.

Even though this book is part of a wedding series the wonderful ideas are so easy to spin for other occasions.

I wanted to share with you this centerpiece that's got it all!

(Click on image to enlarge.)

I can totally see using red and green candies in the tall vase and poinsettias around the base.

And making this project with little red, white and green little flowers:

 

 

Now on to day 10 of our:

15 days of Holiday Goodness Giveaways!

Simply leave your answer to each day's question in each day's comment section and we will randomly pick a winner of a book from each day's commenter. You can enter every day but you are only eligible to win 2 times! (You can go back and answer previous day's questions. We will be drawing the winners after the first of the year.)

10. Do you ever sell your handmade goodies at craft fairs or elsewhere?

My Answer: I have designed and sewn tons of costumes and sold them at belly dancing classes and events. I love sewing for belly dancers, they are such a great group of girls with great spirit. One of my favorite things to do is to make a girl feel great and pretty. Other than that I make something once and I am on to the next idea. Except for ATC's-my new love!

Be sure to sign up for our Electronic Newsletter, (top right) to get more crafty goodness!

Easy Halloween Decoration Inspired by The Book Faux Florals In Glass

Right off the bat (Halloween bat that is) OK that was bad, no really this new book that just came does not automatically scream-Halloween decoration, but yes! It does, to me anyway.

Faux Florals in Glass
34 Unique Floral Designs Using Clear Vases and Other Glassware

This is the first book of its kind to deal specifically with faux floral arrangements in glass containers. The transparent element creates special challenges for the crafter/designer. Parts of the flowers and foliage that would be hidden in an opaque container will be exposed, so many traditional floral arranging methods don’t work.

Ardith shows that the transparent nature of glass is really an opportunity to be creative and have fun. Materials like colored floral foam and aluminum wire can be used to greater advantage in glass containers. There are many innovative ways of shaping the wire stems of faux flowers, building support structures, and using the newest materials on the market.

Ardith Beveridge, author of Fabulous Faux Florals, Faux Floral for Your Wedding, and Wreaths and Wallflowers is a master floral designer, educator, and judge and an expert on wedding designs and trends. She is the instructor in twelve series of DIY videos, an endorsed design education specialist for Teleflora wire service, and a master designer for FTD

The arrangements are really phenomenal in this book! With the great directions and photography I was ready to give it a try.

I grabbed a big giant glass jar and filled it with rocks from the yard.

Also from the yard, a big dead branch.

And voila...

Bonus, really cool shadows!

I couldn't leave it alone, I added fun little Halloween bugs to the branches. They simply nestled into the branches.

This book is really innovative and a great source of techniques and inspiration for making your own Faux Florals in Glass throughout the year!

Watermelon Centerpiece from Suddenly A Centerpiece

Happy 4th of July all!
If you're looking for a last minute centerpiece-try this Watermelon one from:

Suddenly a Centerpiece
Assemble These Clever Table Designs in No Time at All
By
Sher Simon

Anyone can quickly pull together one of these twenty-five original table centerpieces for entertaining or seasonal decorating.

Suddenly a Centerpiece presents 25 projects that will instantly transform a dining table from blah to brilliant. Each centerpiece is super-easy yet interesting, beautiful, and impressive. The projects require no crafting experience and combine wonderful craft materials, faux florals, candles, foods, or textiles with decorative objects and dishes that you already have. A little of that, a little of this, and you have a centerpiece to perk up your table. Full of fresh ideas, the designs include centerpieces for every season, holiday gatherings, and casual or special entertaining.

25 table centerpieces for entertaining or seasonal decorating.

The only project book about just centerpieces.
Projects are sensational and surprisingly easy-crafters will love them, and the craft-challenged can easily make them.
Projects use a wide range of materials and accessories sold in craft, fabric, and discount stores.

Sher Simon is a floral consultant to home furnishing stores and private clients. She gives popular workshops on faux floral designs. She lives in the Twin Cities.

If this isn't enough 4th of July crafting pop over to Sweater Surgery for a fun, quick, and easy flag clip accessory you can whip up in a jiffy!

Wonderful Quotes and Mother's Day Flowers

In honor of Mother's Day I thought I'd share with you the dedication page from

Jenn Mason's

The Art of the Family Tree:
Creative Family History Projects Using Paper Art, Fabric and Collage

Aren't these two sentiments just wonderful?

So in honor of all those mega-fabulous Moms- Here is a great floral arrangement from the book:

Faux Florals for All Occasions:
35 Faux Floral Arrangements for Contemporary Living

By

Camilla Svensson Burns

Covers all the basics in faux-flower arranging for the beginner -- from materials to tools to design philosophies.

Faux Florals for Every Occasion is a fresh approach to silk flower arranging. The author, a renowned floral designer, takes the reader beyond everyday expectations and inspires creativity with 40 sumptuous and contemporary designs. Remarkable advances have been made in the look and feel of silk flowers, and today hundreds of varieties are widely available. You can choose from traditional faux roses to slender lilies, delicate freesia and gossamer poppies all as vibrant and real looking as the freshest cut flowers. The benefits of using faux flowers are immediately apparent upon opening this book but readers will also be seduced by the practicality of going faux. They last longer, are less expensive, don't wilt, are allergen-free and can be used again and again in different combinations to suit the season or a special occasion. No experience is necessary to create the beautiful designs featured in this book. The author demystifies the art of flower arranging with step-by-step instruction and a simple, concise approach illustrated with gorgeous color photos. Whether novice or expert, this book will unleash your creativity and give you the resources that you will delight in and return to year after year.

Features 40 gorgeous designs and simple step-by-step illustration.
Includes seasonal arrangements for weddings, christenings and anniversaries, as well as displays for celebrations such as Valentine’s Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Halloween, and New Years.
Full of ideas and inspiration for experienced faux floral arrangers, including contemporary displays that combine silk florals with natural elements to fire your creativity.

About the Author
Camilla Svensson Burns is an internationally renowned floral designer based in California. She has over 10 years of experience working with flowers running her own flower shop and now specializing in fresh and faux floral designs for weddings and special events. Camilla is one of California's premier floral designers and her work has been featured in many premier industry magazines.

So why not make an arrangement for mom or you can follow the "teach a man to fish and he'll eat for life" philosophy and get Mom a great craft book so she can pick up some new crafting skills that will bring her continuous joy.

And hey, if you're more into the paper crafting pop over to this post:

The Art of Paper Quilling by Clair Sun-ok Choi

for a wonderful quilled flower project you could whip up in a jiffy!

Go all Moms!