Craftside

How to make a dog paw print plaque from the I Love Dogs! Activity Book

Congrats to Malachy, the Best in Show this year at The Westminster Kennel Club Show! If you have a four-legged friend you love and want to make something special to honor them, why not make this paw print plaque featured in the book I Love Dogs! Activity Book: Pup-tacular stickers, trivia, step-by-step drawing projects, and more for the dog lover in you!.

Click on these pages from I Love Dogs! Activity Book to enlarge and read the recipe for salt and flour clay then the directions on how to make a dog paw print plaque.

More about the Walter Foster book:

I Love Dogs! Activity Book
Pup-tacular stickers, trivia, step-by-step drawing projects, and more for the dog lover in you!

by the

Walter Foster Creative Team

Illustrator: Diana Fisher

Kids are sure to have a tail-wagging good time completing the pooch-inspired activities in this activity book. Inside, kids can learn how to draw an array of favorite dog breeds by following easy, step-by-step instructions. They can also increase their canine know-how with fun-fact trivia cards, answer entertaining diary prompts, and even learn how to make doggy treats. Full of stickers, postcards, bookmarks, and other canine accessories, this book is a must-have for all dog-loving kids!

More than 80 years ago, Mr. Walter T. Foster set out to prove that anyone can learn to draw. The “how to” art books he wrote, illustrated, printed, bound, packaged, and shipped on his own soon grew tremendously in popularity! Today the Walter Foster Publishing company carries on the tradition, developing books and kits that encourage creativity and spark imaginations.

 

Dr. Grymm at the Mark Twain House and Museum

The Steampunk Bizarre Exhibit:

October 1, 2011 through January 15, 2012

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Open during regular museum hours. Exhibit included with admission.

Dr. Grymm Laboratories presents the third annual 2011 Steampunk Bizarre Exhibit, featuring the works of 21 national and international artists that explore the unknown alternative world of Steampunk and Mark Twain. A complete Steampunk experience like no other, featuring special events, performances and interactive oddities! Opening reception will be on October 1, 2011. Funded by Hartford Steam Boiler and Foresite Technologies.

So if you are into Steampunk and in the Hartford area, pop on over!

The Mark Twain House & Museum

Phone: (860) 247-0998

351 Farmington Avenue

Hartford, Connecticut 06105

Parking is free!

More about Dr. Grymm's book:

1,000 Steampunk Creations:

Neo-Victorian Fashion, Gear, and Art

By

Dr. Grymm

Steampunk is a burgeoning counter-cultural movement; a genre, community, and art form. The Steampunk movement seeks to recapture the spirit of invention, adventure, and craftsmanship reminiscent of early-nineteenth century industrialization, in part, to restore a sense of wonder to a technology-jaded world.

Packed with 1,000 color photographs, 1,000 Steampunk Creations features a showcase of stunning jewelry, fashion, accessories, headgear, artwork, home decorations, and curious contraptions.

Dr. Grymm's alter ego, Joey Marsocci, proprietor of Dr. Grymm Laboratories, has been a freelance designer of theme park attractions, toys, puppets, graphic marketing, film props, and private consignments for more than 18 years. His custom contraptions and sculptures have been seen in Steampunk exhibits and publications around the world, including the Steampunk Exhibit held at the Oxford University History of Science Museum in 2010 and The Cosmopolitan Hotel of Las Vegas, NV. He also hosts an annual Steampunk art show, Steampunk Bizarre, which takes place in Hartford, CT and is the feature artist of the 2010 documentary entitled "I Am Steampunk." Visit his website at http://www.drgrymmlaboratories.net.

Want to see more inside? Then pop on over to Qbookshop and hit the Google Preview button.

Read, Craft, Repeat!

Craftside Make and Take Schedule at Unique LA December 11th-12th and Crafty Blogger Links

This coming weekend is Unique LA and here is the schedule for free make and takes in the Craftside area:

Saturday December 11th

12-2 Cathi Milligan of The Glass Studio - Glass fused mosaic pendant

1-4 Nancy Langdon author of Sewing Clothes Kids Love - Torn silk holiday fascinator

 
12-2 and 3-5 Linda Swingle - Fine Artist - Winter Goddess painted card

2-3 Stefanie Girard author of Sweater Surgery - Die cut recycled wool felted sweater flowers

3-4:30 Christi Friesen author of Polymer Clay and Mixed Media—Together at Last - Polymer clay and mixed media Steampunk heart charm

Sunday December 12th

12-2 Cherryl Greene Club Scrap Snowman holiday card

3-5  Cherryl Greene Judikins Stamped Holiday card

12-2 and 3-5 Linda Swingle - Fine Artist - Winter Goddess painted card

1-3 Jeanine Stein author of Re-Bound: Creating Handmade Books from Recycled and Repurposed Materials - Mini envelope book

2-3 Stefanie Girard author of Sweater Surgery - Die cut recycled wool felted sweater flowers

3-5 Lauren Andersen - The ChainMaille Lady™, will be offering a chainmaille make and take project.

I hope you will come and make something with us! Also pick up a pack of free Makeready Wrapping Paper.

Now onto what my fellow crafty bloggers are up to this week in blog land:

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Calling clay and gourd crafters: do you have any suggestions to help Kathy with a cracking problem on her wonderful clay Santas?

Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter
Madge shares a Pink Ribbon Necklace project she created live on Jewel School at Jewelry Television!

Mixed Media Artist
The Bead Journal Project is starting up again for its fourth year! Registration ends soon!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
See how to make recycled sweater and zipper Christmas trees (or hats).

About Family Crafts
If you are in search of a special gift for a crafter or a wannabe crafter, check this collection of ideas and resources.

Aileen's Musings
Check out part 2 of Aileen's Pomegranate Liquor and download a freebie background while you're at it.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi downloads a cute Christmas graphic to make this fabric ornament.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Ta da! The 10-inch-squares crocheted baby afghan is done!

 

Recycled Die Cut Envelope inspired by the new book- Cut It, Paste It, Sew It: A Mixed-Media Collage Sourcebook

Today's project is inspired by the new book Cut It, Paste It, Sew It. Which, since it's Thursday, means that it's also time to leave your answer to the day's question to enter to win Cut It, Paste It, Sew It. The question is a super fun and silly one!

Fill in the blank for this classic bumper sticker:

"My other car is a........."

Mine actually says, "My other car is a sewing machine." Leave your answer by midnight ET on Thursday, September 9th 2010 and you are entered to win a copy of Cut It, Paste It, Sew It. Now onto what I made and a great tip on how I did it.

I die cut a bunch of fun tiny envelopes from our MakeReady wrapping paper. Our MakeReady wrapping paper is made from the recycled print runs when the books are being set up to print.

How I made my little recycled die cut envelopes:

First I picked the image I wanted to use as my focal point on the tiny envelope.

Now to get really good placement I recycled the clear packaging the Sizzix die came in and die cut the envelope. I should note here that I taped the plastic to the die at one end before running it through the die cutter. The idea here is that it will hinge in place and be able to fold back out of the way when I run the paper through the die cutter. You can see how it looks in the above photo on my bird die.

In addition to the surrounding outline of the envelope I used the clear part of the envelope itself so that I could use the score lines as guides as well. I know it's a tad hard to see. Photographing clear plastic does pose a bit of a challenge.

If you like making all sorts of things out of all different and unusual elements I bet you will love this book as much as I do! To see more inside pages pop on over to the Qbookshop link and click on the "Google Preview" button.

Cut It, Paste It, Sew It:

A Mixed-Media Collage Sourcebook

By

Chisa Itou

Cut It, Paste It, Sew It offers both insight into the materials, techniques (both familiar and experimental), and inspiration from a collection of 10 international artists who bring their own distinct style and methodology to the art of collage. The book covers all types of materials including paper, fabric, wood, and found objects. It shows the artists at work in their studios as well as providing information on their work process and their sources of inspiration.

This book is unique and new in the material it features, with a high-design-style presentation that is unique in itself. This book offers completely original materials and methodology from talented designers and artists that have not been seen before. The content is presented in an easy and fun presentation that makes it accessible to beginners while at the same time inspiring to more experienced artists with content that isn’t available through online blogging or magazines.

3 of the 1000 hats from the new book-1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats By Annie Modesitt

Is this not the cutest giant pom pom baby hat you ever saw? It was designed by Katheryn L. Oats and was contributed to the book 1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats by Tot Toppers. It rekindled my love of the pom pom on this warm summer day and I just had to go and make a pom pom (with a hat attached). I made mine Sweater Surgery style. Scroll down to see the full how to on making a hat and giant curly pom poms from a recycled sweater.

But before I get to what my scissors have been up to inspired by this amazing hat included in 1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats, I want to ask you a question and as our thanks for answering you are entered to

win

a copy of 1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats by one of my all time favorite designers Annie Modesitt.

Leave your answer in the comments section of this post by next Friday Midnight EST, July 9, 2010 and you are entered to win 1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats.

Question:

What are you knitting now?

What are you thinking about knitting now?

What do you wish you were knitting now?

What do you wish someone would knit for you?

or

Got a good hat story that just needs to be shared?

1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats

By

Annie Modesitt

And now onto what this inspired me to make:

A double giant curly pom pom hat made from a recycled sweater!

The polka dot hat with the two dangle pom poms is a project from Sweater Surgery (and on the cover in the upper left there.) It is my favorite hat and I wear it all the time in the winter. So I thought why not make another hat with even bigger pom poms?

 

Off to the sweater stash and this little green one with embroidered snowflakes seemed like a good choice.

I cut out the shape of the hat and stitched it first with a straight stitch and then zig-zaged the raw edges (this is not a felted sweater).

I turned it right side out and now it was pom pom makin' time. I cut a strip of the sweater about 3 inches wide and 9 inches tall. It is important that it be in this orientation! I then did a straight stitch down the center to secure the knitting.

Then I unraveled the knitting!

 

Here is a closeup. All that was left to  do was sew a giant running stitch with some heavy duty thread (by hand) down the center stay stitches to gather all these great curly yarns into a pom pom and sew them onto each point of the hat.

By the way, there is another project in Sweater Surgery that uses this curly edge cutting technique. It is a scarf that I wear a lot and the yarn curls are still there. I think if it needed to be washed the curl would go away.

So if you're looking for a book of a 1000 great hats, grab a copy of:

1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats

By

Annie Modesitt

This fabulous collection of knit hats, curated and presented by well-known knitter and author Annie Modesitt, is sure to delight and inspire. The book includes both original designs and well-knit examples of hats of all styles for men, women, and children alike.

The top 10 original designs were selected by the author and received prizes, and those 10 award-winning hat patterns are included in the back of the book!

Be inspired by the large array of styles: berets, bucket shaped hats, cloches, hoods and masks, origami folded hats, pointed tips, round and sculptural hats, stocking caps, cabled hats, crocheted hats, lace hats, felted and embroidered hats, stranded colorwork, swirled crown hats, and more!

Enjoy the creative designs, colorful personal photographs, and hat fashions of your fellow knitters!

Annie Modesitt taught herself to knit at age 25. Her work has appeared in Interweave Knits, Vogue Knitting, Knitters Magazine, Cast On, Family Circle Easy Knitting, McCalls Needlework, and several family-oriented magazines. Author of Confessions of a Knitting Heretic, Knitting Millinery, and editor of the 2006 Accord Crochet Pattern A Day Calendar and the collection of fiber essays, Cheaper Than Therapy, she has also contributed to many knitting books including Stich N' Bitch, Scarf Style, Wrap Style, the Vogue Knitting Book, Weekend Knitting, and Holiday Handknits, Twist & Loop, and Men Who Knit And The Dogs Who Love Them. Annie's the inventor of the astoundingly clever Flip Knit, a low tech, portable alternative to knitting videos.