Craftside

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!

The Creative Entrepreneur Workshop Pictures and Upcoming Appearances

Today I have lots of pictures,tons of info and a plentitude of creative goodness to share with you.

These first three photos are from Lisa Sonora Beam's mini-workshop presenting material from her new book:

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

By

Lisa Sonora Beam

The Creative Entrepreneur takes readers on an inner journey of creative exploration to discover how to make their dreams of creative livelihood real, as they craft their own artist's business journal. The artist's business journal is a visual, project-oriented, step-by-step approach to business development for artists from all walks of life who are mystified and possibly frustrated by how to make a business out of their creative work.

Without addressing the underlying issues that cause artists to remain business-challenged, no amount goal setting or knowledge of savvy business tactics will help. Once these inner aspects are addressed, readers are introduced to a unique combination powerful business and leadership tools presented in a visual and engaging way that appeals to the way creative types think, learn, and process information. This book will appeal to this audience because it uses visual language to communicate the material and engages the readers, encouraging them to create their own artist's business journal that becomes their own step-by-step approach to creating their own right livelihood.

Lisa Sonora Beam is a mixed-media artist, writer, graphic designer and workshop leader. She is the founder and creative director of Digital Hive EcoLogical Design, a strategic design firm that provides creative and marketing services to green businesses.

Lisa is the sassy lady with long dark hair and the beret standing in the photo.

This is L.K. Ludwig, Mary Ann (our illustrious editor), and Lisa Sonora Beam.

This is L.K. Ludwig, Lisa Sonora Beam, and Carol Parks in Portland in front of Powell's bookstore.

Carol Parks is an LA artist who hosts a number of workshops.

Carol(left) with Lisa, supported the signing, and contributed lots of take home goodies for the attendees, including copies of her great zine, called Art Freak. www.carolparks.com

Speaking of workshops and Carol Parks

here is a rundown of her upcoming class calender and as you can see

Lisa Sonora Beam will be there in March, and a bunch of our other amazing authors like

Lynne Perrella

author of

Art Making, Collections, and Obsessions:
An Intimate Exploration of the Mixed-Media Work and Collections of 35 Artists

will be there November of 2009

Lisa Engelbrecht author of

Modern Mark Making
From Classical Calligraphy to Hip Hand-Lettering

will be there this January

and L.K. Ludwig author of

True Vision
Authentic Art Journaling

will be there in February and next October

   

Upcoming Classes Calendar
	Date	Teacher	Title
	10/31-11/1/08	Jesse Reno	A Halloween Weekend
	12/6-7/08	David Caspar	2 Day Workshop
	1/30-2/1/09	Lisa Engelbrecht	Memento Mori
	2/13-15/09	Jesse Reno	A Valentine Weekend
	2/20-22/09	Bee Shay	3 Day Workshop
	2/27-3/1/09	LK Ludwig	The Secret Life of Flowers
	3/6-8/09	Gail Rieke	3 Day Workshop
	3/13-15/09	Carla Sonheim	All Creatures Great & Small
	3/21-22/09	SARK	Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper
	3/27-29/09	Lisa Sonora Beam	3 Day Workshop
	4/3-5/09	Leighanna Light	All Hands On Deck
	4/17-19/09	Stephanie Lee	Junk Drawer Metalsmithing & More
	4/24-26/09	Jesse Reno	3 Day Workshop
	5/22-24/09	Katie Kendrick	3 Day Workshop
	5/29-31/09	Melissa Manley	Vessels, Etc.
	6/5-7/09	Anne Bagby	3 Day Workshop
	6/12-14/09	Misty Mawn	Pour Your Art Out
	6/23-28/09	Jesse Reno	Master Class
	9/4-6/09	Michael deMeng	3 Day Workshop
	10/23-25/09	LK Ludwig	3 Day Workshop
	11/6-8/09	Lynne Perrella	3 Day Workshop
	11/13-15/09	The Huskamps	Personal Papers

It wouldn't be Craftside if I didn't give you a "sneak peek" and this one is from the pages of The Creative Entrepreneur

It is by the wonderful Carol Parks!

Click on the image to enlarge and read about this AMAZING idea!

The last bit of info I have to share with you is a comment left by Lisa in the last post. It was so informative that I thought I'd repost it here in case you missed it there.

"One thing I'd like to add about the Creative Entrepreneur Mandala: it is a tool you can use anytime to analyze an opportunity (i.e. decide whether or not to say yes to a new product or business idea), and diagnose exactly what is working well, and what could be improved upon in your business.

The world of business is typically dominated by an examination of the "Profitability" area only.

Thus, we get quarterly and annual reports that talk about the numbers, and goals that are set by the numbers.

Of course profitability is necessary to be in business at all. But it's not the whole picture.

Creative types, not surprisingly, shy away from the money and profitability aspect of their business. (I go into WHY we do this in detail in the book. It's a bigger subject.)

The good news: One of the secrets to profitability is developing the other sections of the mandala (value, gifts, flow, heart, meaning, skills, tools).

Creatives are especially qualified to this, because we already innately understand the importance of having all of these factors at play in our lives and work — even if we haven't specifically defined them as such.

More good news: most businesses don't know or practice this, so as a Creative Entrepreneur you have a competitive advantage.

Well, I guess that was more than "one more thing" to add -- but I can't help it. I'm so excited to share this material. I wrote the book I wished I'd had trying to figure out how to forge a career out of my creativity. I hope it is useful!"

Be sure to come see Lisa this weekend at Felt Club along with me and Angela Cartwright.

Click on this Link to see the full schedule and info on the Make and Takes!

Hope to see ya there.

 

Cards, Cards, Cards....I love making cards!

At book club we were going to be celebrating two of our sistah's Birthdays and I was in the mood to make some cards.

So off to the fabulous book:

The Cardmaker's Workbook:
The Complete Guide to Design, Color, and Construction Techniques for Beautiful Cards

by Jenn Mason

The Cardmaker’s Workbook is the only book on cardmaking that a crafter will ever need, and is formatted in a sturdy volume that can kept on the desk and referred to again and again. The book is divided into chapters focusing on composition, color, theme, construction and inspiration. Instructions are clear but concise, making room for large pictures and multiple variations. It has the look of a designer's notebook with sketches and templates that show different card formats. Unlike other cardmaking books available that are occasion driven or aren’t stylized, The Cardmaker’s Workbook provides an inspiring and hands-on tool for paper addicts to use to expand their skills and stretch their imagination.

The designs cover many different styles, from detailed multi-layered beauties to simple cards that can be quickly made and given as a set of stationery.

Jenn Mason is trained in graphic design, designs products for the paper industry, and has a wonderful design sensibility. She is a popular author and designer. She is the author of The Art of the Family Tree, Pocket, Pullouts, and Hiding Places and the co-author of Celebrating Baby and Handmade Gifts.

This page called to me because I am a HUGE fan of repetition. (I think that's why I love knitting and stitching crafts)

(Click on image to enlarge and read the fine print)

So with this page as my inspiration, here is what I came up with:

I used the theme of dots as my element that I was going to repeat and the incorporation of ribbon into my card and bookmark.

I first did a search with ye old Google for "Birthday Quotes" and came up with a couple that I thought fit the two birthday girls.

I then laid them out on the computer using a fun bunny font for the first letter of the quote enlarged super big.

Next I printed them out on a coordinating paper, cut them out and mounted them onto cardstock.

This technique of layering adds another color but more importantly avoids a possible argument with the printer trying to get a piece of cardstock to feed properly. Haven't we all been there????

A quick punch of a hole at the top of the bookmark, oh did I mention that when laying out the type to leave an extra bit of space for this at the top, and thread a bit of Wright's 3/8 inch Creation Station polka dot ribbon through the hole.

To attach the book mark to the card I stapled two pieces of the same Wrights dotted ribbon onto the card.

So I hope my book club babes like their bookmark birthday card!

Veterans Day- Thank you

How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes! 
~Maya Angelou

From myself and all of us at the Quayside Publishing Group a big THANK YOU to all Veterans.

This is an image from the book:

Knitting America: A Glorious Heritage from Warm Socks to High Art
by
Susan M. Straw with the forward by Melanie Falick

The patterns and fabrics of American knitting are an intricate, and intimate, part of the nations history, reflecting the styles and the interests, the concerns and the comforts that touched every homebody, every newborn and newlywed, every homesick patriot in the field.

This is the history that Knitting America celebrates. The first fully detailed, full-color, comprehensive history of knitting in America from colonial times to the present, the book conveys the social and historical realities that the craft embodied as well as the emotional narrative that unfolded at the hands of the nations knitters. With vintage patterns and designs typical of each era, Knitting America comprises a knitted history of American society. Here are the trends and the shortages, the historical happenings and the social movements, the advertising and economic developments that affected knitting and style.

Also included are 20 historic knitting patterns for todays knitters. Beautifully illustrated with vintage pattern booklets, posters, postcards, black-and-white historical photographs, and contemporary color photographs of knitted pieces in private collections and in museums, this book is a treasure of history and craft, an exquisite view of America through the handiwork of its knitters.

Have a creatively thankful day.

Crafty Blogger Links and A Chance to Win A Signed Fender Squire Stratocaster

Enter the Whole Lotta Guitar Sweepstakes

Now through December 15, 2008, enter to win a brand-new Fender Squier Stratocaster,
autographed by Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones at their 2007 reunion concert.

Click here to enter
Enter today for a chance to be the lucky GRAND PRIZE WINNER of THE WHOLE LOTTA GUITAR SWEEPSTAKES! The winner will receive a brand-new Fender Squier Stratocaster, with sunburst finish, maple neck, and vibrato tailpiece. It was signed by all of the surviving members of Led Zeppelin—Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones—at their reunion concert in December 2007 at London’s O2 arena. This guitar is signed on the pickguard with permanent ink (Sharpie).

Presented by Voyageur Press, an imprint of the Quayside Publishing Group. No purchase is necessary to enter. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes runs 11/03/08 though 12/15/08. You must be a legal resident of the 50 United States or District of Columbia and 18 or older to enter.

Click Here for complete sweepstakes rules

Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin: The Illustrated History of the Heaviest Band of All Time
   
By
Jon Bream

They were the heaviest band ever, creating the blueprint for an entire musical genre and becoming a touchstone for an entire generation and their children. Now, to celebrate their fortieth anniversary and December 2007 reunion, here's the first-ever complete illustrated history of Led Zeppelin.This all-star tribute to one of the biggest rock 'n' roll bands of all time features many of today's top American and English rock journalists from Rolling Stone, Creem, Billboard and more, as well as reflections on the band's inspiration from some of rock's top performers, including Aerosmith, Heart, ZZ Top, the Minutemen, the Hold Steady, and others. An appendix features the complete discography.

Glorious concert and behind-the-scenes photography from some of the top names in rock photography covers the band from their first 1968 show as Led Zeppelin through the 2007 reunion. Also included are more than 200 rare concert posters, backstage passes, tickets, LPs and singles, T-shirts, buttons, and more from the United States, UK, Canada, Germany, France, and Japan, all comprising a book as epic as the band it honors. Created from the ashes of the Yardbirds by guitarist and session wizard Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin featured virtuoso bass player John Paul Jones, gonzo drummer John Bonham, and Robert Plant, a vocalist like no other before him. The band singlehandedly defined what rock 'n' roll could be, leaving in their wake a trail of tales as tall or as a real as we wanted them to be.

So how does a book and contest about rock and roll relate to my beloved craft world you ask?

Why I scored a bunch of guitar picks that were a promo item for this fabulous new book. And since I am no guitar player I set work makin' some rockin' jewelry.

First I drilled a small hole in the upper corner of the pick.

I then linked it to a medium sized bracelet chain. I added a large "rock" crystal like bead dangle.

I then decided to mix it up a bit and swapped out the standard jump ring that came with the clasp to an over sized jump ring. I think it looks pretty cool!

Next was a "rosary" style necklace. This means it has a central focal element that the two sides of the necklace are attached to and then a dangle from the bottom point. A guitar pick really lent itself nicely for this style.

I drilled three holes in the pick and linked up the chain. I added a heart charm at the bottom length of chain. I am thinking about interspersing some beads through out the chain. But haven't quite decide what kind yet.

Well, while I am contemplating that, check out what my fellow Crafty Bloggers are crafting up for you this week! And be sure to enter to win the guitar!

Layers Upon Layers
Cyndi has declared that November is "Take a (New) Artist to Lunch Month"! Come and meet extraordinary artists that you probably haven't run into before throughout this whole month!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Why shouldn't your napkins be cozy? Check out a super easy recycled sweater napkin ring project and listen to a cool tune while making them.

The Crochet Dude
Drew's new book of crochet patterns called "Designs for Guys" launched on Sunday! Click the link to see photos of the fun in Houston!

The Impatient Crafter™
Madge visits Terri O Radio for a wickedly fun two part interview on inspiration and carving out time for creativity!

About Family Crafts
Take a few minutes to browse through some photos of home-made Thanksgiving cards. You can also submit your own home-made card designs.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen's been busy finishing up some incomplete art pieces using her new favorite art supply, Shiva Oil Paintstiks. Come take a peek and see why Aileen loves them so much!

Alexa Westerfield a.k.a. Swelldesigner
What are you thankful for this season? Express and share those blessings in this simple pumpkin painting project!

Cathie Filian
Making your own Thanksgiving centerpiece is not as hard as one might think. Cathie Filian has a few simple ideas that can be made with everything from dried beans to texture paint.

Crafty Princess Diaries
What does The Matrix have to do with crafting? Listen to Morpheus and he will tell you.

Cross Stitch at About.com
Add some flair to your Thanksgiving decor with these free Cross Stitch Patterns.

Ready, Set, Stitch- Oh my! Only 7 weeks to Christmas!!!

Are you:

A. Starting to panic about Christmas.

B. All calm and together about Christmas.

C. Both.

My answer is "C"

I feel like I've got plenty of time and just starting to get in the groove, but the panic sets in because I don't have a plan. I tend to go though life splitting the fence between being all prepared and organized and flying by the seat of my pants.

Well, this book is like comfort food for the crafter. It is packed full of great techniques and fun projects.

Ready, Set, Stitch
Learn to Decorate Fabrics with 20 Hot Projects

By

Susie Johns

Fun, fast, and fashionable stitchery by hand and machine.

Ready, Set, Stitch provides crafters with everything you need to create 20 easy projects you’ll love to wear or display in your homes. The step-by-step instruction begins at the beginning, with the basic types of stitches (flat, crossed, looped and knotted) and an overview of floss, threads, needles, and notions. You will learn a wide variety of hand techniques -- couching, smocking, cutwork, and whitework -- and free-motion machine embroidery, too. Projects include a lacy scarf, an evening bag, pillows, placemats, a jewelry box, a decorative picture frame, and more.

Ready, Set, Stitch provides you with a sampler of techniques for embellishing fabric -- and offers them a wide range of fashionable projects to make as they learn.

The spiral, stand-up format makes it easy for readers to follow the instructions while they work on each project.

This book has the series’ characteristic features: clear written instruction and step-by-step sequences, inspiring photographs of finished objects (on models in the targeted age group), and a helpful glossary of specialty terms.

Susie Johns and Caroline Smith specialize in developing innovative craft projects on a variety of subjects. They have edited and contributed to many publications including Needlecraft, Essentials, and Embroidery magazines and have written books on different craft techniques, including sewing, collage making, and embroidery. Among other books, Susie is the author of Ready, Set, Crochet (CPi) and Caroline has written So Easy… Home Sewing (St. Martin's Griffin.)

I am really into hand stitching and adding a bit of bling is perfect for holiday decorations.

Here are 6 ways to stitch bling on.

So armed with all these great tutorials I decided to get stitchin'!

I laid out my supplies:

A triangle of green wool felted sweater

a bunch of round silver sequins

3 snowflake sequins

1 large round silver sequins

4 beads

Kreinick Metallics Fine #8 Braids 005HL ( Black high luster)

I then stitched the small silver sequins on using the two-stitch method to form garlands on the tree.

I sewed the snowflake sequins on with the bead method.

One down, tons more holiday crafting to go!