Craftside

GIANT Spider Web Halloween Decoration

So ya got a ball of string laying around and looking for a BIG Halloween decoration?

I have the idea for you, A GIANT Spider web!

How to:

Run straight lines of string from points around your yard wrapping each one around the center point once to secure a single center point.

Starting in the center wrap the string around the straight lines working in one direction (clockwise or counter clockwise, crafter's choice!)

Done!

I did say easy right?

 

Now I know this photo is blurry but I really like the shot of my friend, Maria taking pictures looking up at the web.

But my web needed a spider, dontcha know. So off to my wonderful copy of:

Wild & Wonderful Fleece Animals:
With Full-Size Patterns for 20 Cuddly Critters
By
Linda Carr

Fleece is soft, warm, easy to work with, and simple to sew—requiring no lining or edge-finishing. Even brand-new sewers can make the perfect gift in a weekend, or less!

This book provides easy step-by-step instruction to make a range of cuddly fleece creatures to keep or give away--in a variety of colors, textures, and patterns. Each of the 20 animals is featured in a full-size photograph, along with a variation in one or more colors or sizes. There are easy-to-follow line drawings and step-by-step text instruction for construction and assembly of each one. Linda adds her own creative touches to each of the simple shapes--decorative trims, bright appliques, and quick, secure closures. Full-size tissue patterns and templates are included for each of the projects. Fleece fabric is easy to find, and the selection of colors, patterns, and textures is increasing in larger craft chains and in traditional fabric outlets.

Includes full-size, fold-out patterns and templates for each of the 20 projects.

Linda Carr designs toys, dolls, and kids’ and doll clothing for Vogue patterns. She has worked with Vogue to create many licensed patterns, including Jim Henson’s Muppets, Cabbage Patch Kids, World Wildlife Federation toys, and the Madame Alexander series. Linda was featured in the February 2007 issue of Vogue Patterns. She is also the author of Classic Cloth Dolls: Beautiful Fabric Dolls and Clothes from the Vogue Patterns Collection.

So I gathered up the pattern pieces that come in the book and my supplies to make this great spider.

I cut out my pattern pieces. I am, as usual mixing it up a bit. I didn't have black fleece but I did have a black wool felted sweater, and it works great with fleece. Also, be the queen of plaid, I decided that my "Plaidspider" was to have a plaid belly.

I marginally deviated from the directions by using double sided fusible "web" hehe to adhere my plaid belly fabric to the underside body piece.

I sewed up the spider as indicated by the super easy directions and great illustrations.

I did make one more slight change. I had giant fluffy pipe cleaners that I used for the legs that hooked very nicely to Plaidspider's web!

Click on images to enlarge and see the great little smiling face!

Like the ghost in the background pop over to Sweater Surgery to see how I made it from, yes a sweater!

OK now I went a bit crazy with the pictures but they were so cool!

 

Please note: Superfly is "caught" in the web!

Now here I am just being downright silly. This isn't a chainsaw it is a hedge trimmer , but hey, it looks cool hu?

A grip friend of mine lit the web for night by placing and pointing the lights at the same level as the web.

Papier Mache Skull with a Surprise Natural Rust Effect

Since getting this book I have had my love of Papier Mache rekindled.

Contemporary Papier Mache
Colorful Sculpture, Jewelry, and Home Accessories

Contemporary Papier Mâché is a colorful collection of papier mâché projects by artist and teacher Gilat Nadivi. With an emphasis on recycling everyday items to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces, Nadivi instructs readers on how simple materials, basic techniques, and a healthy measure of imagination can be combined to make a range of distinctive creations. Projects described in the book are diverse; they include human figures engaged in everyday activities, animals that are tall, small and in between, home accessories such as picture frames, bowls and magnets, and more.

Recycling is an inherent component of almost all papier mâché, and Contemporary Papier Mâché really takes this principle to heart. Old wires and hangers act as bases for human figures, empty rolls of tape become fashionable bangles, discarded water bottles are transformed into women's figures. After trying out a few projects in the book, readers will find their eyes open to the artistic potential waiting to be discovered in basements, garages, and recycling boxes.

Tools for these projects are minimal, and supplies are easy to find. As for guidance and inspiration, readers will find plenty of both within the pages of Contemporary Papier Mâché. The book begins with a chapter on materials that describes the supplies readers will need for the projects. This includes basic materials such as papers, glues, work surfaces and paints, as well as fabrics and other decorative enhancements. It also includes suggestions about items that can be reused (and revived!) through papier mâché. The techniques chapter describes various papier mâché methods as well as painting and lacquer application.

Gilat Nadivi (Tel Aviv, Israel) has been working with papier mâché for more than fifteen years. After studying at the Beit Berel College of Fine Arts, she embarked on her career as an artist, beginning in mosaic and moving on to papier mâché. In addition to running her own studio, Gilat instructs students of all ages in papier mâché, an art she describes as therapeutic, relaxing, and enormously rewarding. Nadivi has participated in several exhibitions and workshops.

One of the projects in Contemporary Papier Mâché is a bowl made by casting the outside of a bowl (second picture down on the left of the cover). This got me thinking, thinking about all my fun cake molds and this is what I came up with:

Let me tell you a bit about it.

First I debated putting a release in the mold before putting in the papier mache, I decided not too. So it was a bit of a challenge getting it out about 2 weeks after I put it in. It took about that long to dry. But check out the amazing effect caused by the moisture being directly on the metal-rust!

It was completely unexpected, unplanned and a total surprise, but how cool is that?

If you are into papier mache click on Papier Mache below or on the right to see more papier mache projects!

I haven't figured out if it needs any further embellishment/surround/hanging accoutrement??

Any suggestions are welcome!

And as I was adjusting the photo for this here blog posting I played around with the brightness/contrast features and color adjustments in Photoshop like in this posting - The Complete Guide to Altered Imagery and I'm not kidding!. Here are a bunch of the adjusted photos for you to enjoy/download and play with too!

My Crafty Chica Empowerment Guardian Entry and Glittering Tip

Here she is:

Our Lady of Plaidbunny, The Guardian of Scissors and Protector of Safe Cutting.

I just so happen to have this wood coffin in my Halloween decorations and I thought it would make an excellent grotto for Our Lady of Plaidbunny. I lined it with scrapbook paper and decorated it with found objects, pom poms and of course more glitter!

You may be wondering how I got those great little glitter bunnies on Our Lady of Plaidbunny. Well let me tell you:

First I used a paper punch to punch out a bunch of bunnies from paper (in a coordinating color to my Crafty Chica Glitter-Bollywood Blue.

I then rolled a tube of Scotch tape with the sticky side out and placed it into a Snappy Tray. I then spread a bit of white glue onto each paper bunny and stuck it on the sticky tape tube.

I sprinkled the glitter onto the bunnies and allowed to dry. Then I poured the excess glitter back into the container.

The bunnies were ready to then glue onto Our Lady of Plaidbunny. I just love how the black (Be Bop Black) glitter has bits of green in it that pick up the green in the plaid fabric

If you need a bit of inspiration for your Empowerment Guardian or anything else you have that needs your special touch, grab a copy of  The Crafty Chica Collection
Beautiful Ideas for Crafts, Home Decorations and Shrines from the Queen of Latina Style and get crafting!

The Crafty Chica Collection
Beautiful Ideas for Crafts, Home Decorations and Shrines from the Queen of Latina Style

By

Kathy Cano Murillo

Over 60 colorful craft projects, decorations, and shrines that celebrate “Latino Style”.

Kathy Cano Murillo, known as the Crafty Chica, launched her publishing career with two lively books: Making Shadow Boxes & Shrines and La Casa Loca, which means “the crazy house.” All of the projects that she designed for those two books are now featured in this classy-meet-campy companion collection of Latino-American pop art. The projects include everything from party gear to home decorations; garden accessories to gifts; and shrines to jewelry. More than 60 fabulous ideas incorporate paint, fabric, collage, embellishments, and a heavy dose of glitter. A book that every hip crafty chick needs in her collection.

Kathy Cano Murillo is a syndicated crafts columnist for The Arizona Republic and Gannett News Service. She is known for her pod-cast and web site, www.CraftyChica.com, which receives 900,000 hits a month. She is the author of five creativity/crafty books and makes regular appearances on local and national TV demonstrating her projects.

Here is the info for the Contest the Crafty Chica is holding-The Deadline is Friday!!!!!

1. Decorate one of the Crafty Chica Empowerment Guardians. Available at select Michaels stores or on Amazon.com.

2. When you are finished, take two pictures of it: One of you holding it, and another of it by itself.

3. Upload the picture to the Flickr Crafty Chica Inspiration Gallery with the header: CONTEST ENTRY. In the caption area, share the name of your Guardian, what her theme is and how you hope she will inspire you.

4. Send The Crafty Chica an email with the link to your Guardian, your name, age, and city you live in.

Deadline is Friday October 10th. A panel of crafty folks will choose a winner and The Crafty Chica will announce it on November 1st.

Entries will be scored on creativity, originality, innovation, and the personal inspiration that went into it. It can be healing, comical, kooky, happy, serious - whatever moves you! *Enter as many times as you want (a different guardian for each entry)!*

Winner will receive a paid spot on the Crafty Chica 2009 cruise. You'll share a room with another cruiser - however if the winner has a family member who wants to go, that family member will receive a reduced rate! That is a smokin' deal! Keep in mind, they depart from San Diego, so you will have to provide that transportation. The prize pack includes your room, all workshops, meals, and basic beverages. Does not include incidentals, you will need a credit/debit card upon boarding for those.

If you are already signed up for the cruise, you can still enter and win!

Susan's Beautiful Quilt-Almost Done!!!And Crafty Blogger Link Monday

Here is the current look of Susan Stein's journal class quilt for this year. 

"So far we have silk fusion, discharge, foil, rust dyeing, monoprinting, photo transfer, paintstiks, melted Tyvek, Misty Fuse sandwich, ribbon netting, brayer painting, sunprinting, fabric beads, distressed felt, screen printing, and nature printing on a discharged background shadow." says Susan

Only two months left of class and four techniques:

Angelina,

painted Wonder Under,

meat tray printing, and

stamping with found objects. 

"People here in Minnesota seem to like the Southwest theme of my sample this year and I'm having just as much fun teaching the techniques as when we started five years ago.  The students come up with the greatest ideas!" says Susan Stein.

Well I couldn't just tell you what was coming up, this is Craftside and we here want to give you a "sneak peek" so here are the pages from:

Fabric Art Workshop:
Exploring Techniques & Materials for Fabric Artists and Quilters
By
Susan Stein

A comprehensive source of all the newest and most popular fiber art techniques!

This technique-driven book explores a wide range of new possibilities and materials available to fabric and journal artists. Each unique technique is presented with an inspirational, full-page photo of a fabric journal page. How-to steps with photos explore all the possible results from applying the technique. The reader can create journal pages and/or quilt blocks, which can be sewn together to make one large journal quilt, matted and framed individually, displayed on a meditation screen, or used as book pages sewn into a traditional journal format.

Full-page fabric journal block to introduce each technique
Step-by-step photos for exploring and executing the technique
Gallery showing ways to display and use the fabric journal blocks
Great value. Like two years of classes rolled into one book.
Beautiful "journal page" opens each of 28 technique chapters
All techniques are easily mastered by anyone. No complex dying involved. All products are readily available at craft, fabric, and quilt shops.

Susan Stein owns a successful quilt and fiber arts shop in St. Paul, Minnesota called Colorful Quilts and Textiles. She stocks all the cutting edge products for quilters and fabric artists who love to go beyond basics into fabric painting, dyeing, fabric manipulation, and other fiber arts. Susan frequently focuses on contemporary quilts in collage style. She teaches monthly classes on the techniques that will be taught in this new book. In 2003, Susan was voted Minnesota Quilter of the Year. She has written two other quilting books and has researched and contributed to numerous CPi titles, including Baby Quilts, When Quilt Designers Think Small, and SINGER The New Quilting by Machine.

These pages explain beautifully the "Angelina Fiber Techniques"

Click on images to enlarge.

So if you want to check out another cool technique from Fabric Art Workshop click on Susan's name below or for all 27 grab yourself a copy of Fabric Art Workshop!

The next book- Fabric Art Projects:Fashion and Décor Items Made from Artfully Altered Fabrics

is in photography right now and will be released May 2009, be sure to look for it.

It's Monday so that also means......Crafty Blogger Links!

Here is the crafty-goodness that's happenin' around the blog-land:

Layers Upon Layers
Be inspired by artist Nicola Dale's amazing book arts!

Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter™
Margot has made the executive decision to split her blog in two. Introducing the brand spanking new The Impatient Crafter™ blog! A new destination for all things crafty!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
A 10 commandment bracelet is in surgery this week and gets a make over into an asymmetrical necklace.

Crafty Princess Diaries
As crafters we have an advantage over most folks because we can often wear what we make. See what Tim Gunn from Project Runway has to say about what to wear this season and how accessories play a part.

Cross Stitch at About.com
Connie's been having some fun with FurTaStitch floss. See what she's been up to and learn more about stitching with textured flosses.

Cathie Filian
Take a sneak peek at the Emmy Nominated, Halloween craft show, Witch Crafts on DIY Network and check out the complete project list (with instructions) from the series.

Aileen's Musings
Stop by and meet Zoraida the good witch, she's just flown in on Air Broom. She wanted to be here in plenty of time for the Art Muse Contest Aileen is hosting!

About Family Crafts
Want to surprise your neighbors this Halloween? These unique gift ideas will get your entire neighborhood into the Halloween spirit!

Oh and one more thing, I have a HUGE Halloween craft that I am simply busting out with joy in how good it came out. I will post soon about it, because I am sure you all will want to do it!!!

PS. It was sooooo easy too!

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!