Craftside

"Cutting Edge" ATC's and Business cards

Last week I shared this cool page with you

(click on image to enlarge)

from

The Creative Entrepreneur
A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real

By

Lisa Sonora Beam

It was a design by Carol Parks.

I said I had an idea and as promised here it is:
I went through my W magazines with my masked grid ruler to see if the face and one hand would make it into the space.
I then cut the ATC out with the scissors that I die cut using the Provo Craft scissor die cut roughed in.

To attach the scissors to the card I cut a piece of 26 gauge wire about 4 inches, bent it in half with a tiny silver bead in the fold and slid each half of the scissors on both wires.

I punched a tiny hole in the card and slid the wires through.

I then folded the wires to the side just as you would a brad and curled them into a loose flat question mark going in opposite directions.

I printed the words "Cutting Edge Crafter" out on sticky back paper in a whole bunch of different fonts and sizes.

I cut them out and stuck on ones that I felt worked in each space.

I will stick on the back all my pertinent info for trading the ATC's.

I liked how the ATC's came out so I thought I'd try business cards. What do ya'll think? I kinda like them, but am I prepared to make enough to hand out? Hmmmmmmm.

If you're looking for more ATC inspiration grab a copy of one of my favorites:

1,000 Artist Trading Cards:
Innovative and Inspired Mixed Media ATCs

By Patricia Bolton

One-Piece Wearable done recycle-style

So in yesterday's post I showed you this cool pink polka dot skirt I scored at Swap-o-rama-rama.

And this is the dress I "modeled" for you a while back

that was one of the killer designs from:

One-Piece Wearables
25 Chic Garments and Accessories to Sew from Single Pattern Pieces

By

Sheila Brennan

I had to send the samples back but loved the dresses so I guess I was just going to have to make them. So being the recycler seamstress that I am I came up with snazzy dress:

And here is how I did it:

I cut the elastic waistband off.

Opened the two side seams with a seamripper long enough to go from my neck to under my arm plus an inch or so to make the new casing for the ribbon tie.

I then top stitched the new arm openings.

Then I folded down the top edge of the fabric about an inch and topstitched the new neck casing.
All that was left to do was thread a black ribbon through both the front and back casings and I had myself a new one-piece wearable upcycled dress!

And if you happen to be wondering about that fun striped bangle you can check out a close-up of it here. It is made by covering an old bangle bracelet with.....an old sweater!

If you need more inspiration and techniques for altering clothing grab yourself a copy of

Altered Clothing
Hip Fixes and Transformations with a Needle and Thread

by
Kathleen Maggio

A treasure for sewers, crafters, and creative fashionistas.

Sewing, like all of domestic arts, is experiencing a renaissance of interest, especially for the “DIY Generation”. This new and growing group strives for individuality and the satisfaction of wearing custom garments that make a personal statement. Altered Clothing is a collection of ideas and projects that provide the resources and inspiration for creating personal fashion from existing, used, and vintage clothing and fabrics. Rather than having to discard a favorite pair of jeans because they just are worn through or are cut wrong, this book provides creative redesigns. Rather than buy new mass produced fashions, it is easy and economical to take what you already have in your closet and create not only a fashion statement—but a political–statement. With knowledge of some basic sewing technique (barely necessary with today’s available technology), anyone can turn old clothing into new favorites with a little creative inspiration and embellishment. So simple that even basic mending tasks can become fashion opportunities.

Kathleen Maggio started making clothes for herself at age nine. She has taught fashion design at Mayer School and Pratt Institute. She currently teaches pattern making, draping and construction to juniors in the BFA program at the Parsons School of Design in New York City. Photographer Tim Maggio owns a business that integrates photography, technology, and design. Both live in New York City.

Crafty Blogger links, a day late but still free! and Pictures from Felt Club 2008

About Family Crafts
It is easy to plan ahead and get a jump on making that perfect holiday gift for everyone you know! This collection of books contains something for everyone.

This is what the Shrine looked like before we all set up our booths.

The Impatient Crafter™
There's a free holiday themed project every week until Christmas at The Impatient Crafter™! This week it's a jaunty snowman ornapendant that both you and your tree can wear.

Here's our booth all set up before all these people came in:

The Crochet Dude
See how Drew spends his day in the studio with this short video!

Here is, from left to right, Stefanie Girard, Lisa Sonora Beam and Angela Cartwright.

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Check out the Creature Comforts charity sewing event I went to at the Santa Monica Museum of Art.

Layers Upon Layers
Come meet Ellwood T Risk, contemporary collage artist with a political slant.

Lisa Sonora Beam teaching her Mini Journal Make & from the book The Creative Entrepreneur
A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real

Cross Stitch at About.com
Use a child's drawing for a pattern or give them some graph paper and have them design their own!

Here is Angela Cartwright with her two current books and her soon to be released  In This Garden: Exploration in Mixed-Media Narrative (available for pre-order)

Crafty Princess Diaries
Pull yourself off the PC once in a while (after you read this post), and grab some craft time for yourself.

Cathie Filian
Thanksgiving is just around the corner…swing by Cathie’s blog for recipes, crafts and entertaining tips – plus, a recipe for a pumpkin pietini.

Here are the Sweater Surgeons gettin' busy making some needle felted ornaments. Patterns available here.

Alexa Westerfield a.k.a. Swelldesigner
Easily create elegant pumpkin jewel décor projects using leftovers from your bead stash!

This is the view of the Swap-o-rama-rama from across the balcony. The Quarry booth banner can be seen in the bottom right underneath.

Aileen's Musings
Let the voting begin! Aileen invites you to come vote for your favorite Art Muse doll and help choose the winning dolls!

Here is just a big wide shot I liked.

What a great event!

So now onto the crafting, well sort of. I am going to tease you and only give you the  "before".
Ya'll have to come on back tomorrow to see what I turn this cool pink polka dot skirt I scored at Swap-o-rama-rama into.

Hint: There is a photo of a different version of the project I will show you how to make tomorrow in a past post.

Felt Club Was Fabulous!

So yesterday was Felt Club

and Quarry Publishing had a great double-wide booth there!

It was an amazing time, jam-packed full of lovers and creators of crafty-goodness.

It didn't seam the the fact that Los Angeles was burning in practically every direction was a deterrent at all!

I will have lots of photos to share with you from the event very soon!

But Angela Cartwright already got a bunch of photos up when she got home yesterday, they include one with the cover of her new book, In This Garden: Exploration in Mixed-Media Narrative (available for pre-order)

and with fellow authors Lisa Sonora Beam and myself!
Pop on over to check them out.

I think the highlight for me was to be interviewed by Threadbanger!

and I sold out of my book,
Sweater Surgery
How to Make New Things from Old Sweaters

before my scheduled signing and make and take!

And I got to meet another author, Jeannine Stein, who has a book coming out that let's just say is on my favorite topic! (Does that leave you hanging, or what?) Again, I promise more soon! You can read an article by her over at the LA Times.

Well that's the brief news for now, but I promise more.

Denim Decoration, A Blue Christmas, in a Good Way

First, hit play, for music to listen to while reading this post to help get you in the mood for today's project.

With the coming holidays our thoughts (and heads) turn to making decorations.

I like to mix things up, a lot and I like to make Christmas trees.

So as I was flipping through:

Jean Therapy
Denim Deconstruction for the Conscientious Crafter
By
Scatha G. Allison with Marla Stefanelli
(Foreword by Wendy Tremayne, creator of Swap-O-Rama-Rama)This Sunday!!!!

I spotted this head-turning effect using the different tones of blue denim on a headband and this got my creative wheels spinning.

And this is what I came up with:

An "ombre-esque" denim Christmas tree.

Here's how I made it.

I went through the denim stash and pulled out 5 shades of denim. Tip: consider the back side for a color variation.

I made a pattern by wrapping a piece of paper around the Styrofoam cone I was using for the base. I then divided up the pattern into five sections.

I then cut out each piece from the denim with a half inch extra around all sides. This is to allow for the top edge to be folded over and the bottom to be under the next layer.

Then I simply pinned each piece of denim in place starting from the top working my way down. The top piece went on with no folding over, but starting with the second one I chose to fold the top edge over to the underside. Totally your call. (You could even fringe the edges for a more fluffy look)

Hot glue could be used as well.

I haven't decided how I am going to decorate this tree. I did test drive dangle earrings with french earring wires and they hooked nicely over the top folds.

I was also thinking of pinning beads and sequins on to. Hmmmm

Got any other wacky ideas crafty-peeps? Leave me a comment, I would love to hear about them!