Craftside

"F" is for Flora and Fauna from Angela Cartwright and Sarah Fishburns' new Book- In This Garden

It's sneak peek time from the soon to be released (April 2009):

 

In This Garden:
Exploration in Mixed-Media Visual Narrative

By
Angela Cartwright and Sarah Fishburn

In This Garden acts as a showcase for a collaborative art project
sponsored by artists Angela Cartwright and Sarah Fishburn.
The project explores the theme of gardens as a metaphor
for peace, beauty, tranquility, reflection, and creativity,
while at the same time offering readers an inspiring collage
workbook that explores the techniques, methods, and the
insights of the participating artists.

In This Garden includes memorable garden-related quotes that artists can use in
their own work, a blank garden gate template, and a
gallery of garden-themed imagery that readers can alter and
use in their own artwork.

Angela Cartwright's art and photography is
exhibited and collected internationally. Her
unique techniques are explored in her book Mixed
Emulsions. Known for her acting roles in Make Room
for Daddy, The Sound of Music, and Lost In Space, she
curates A Studio Gallery in Los Angeles, California
where she makes her home and garden.

Sarah Fishburn (Ft. Collins, CO) describes her work as
mixed-media narrative. Her art has been featured in
numerous magazines and a shelf full of books.

I picked this page to share for it's simple beauty. It is by Tiffini Elektra X.

So what was I going to make my garden walls out of? That was the first step in this endeavor.

It came to me! My Ennis House Block stencil.

This is one of my favorite design elements! And I think this project is perfect for it's maiden craft voyage.

Here is my first wall cut out. One of my ideas is to place vellum on the back and to weave things into the spaces. Well off to cut 3 more and think up some more ideas on how to grow my garden!

If you have an idea, please leave it! I would love to hear. As my thanks, you'll be entered to win a free book of the week!

Scrapbookers' Delight posted a photo with Angela at CHA, she's got some great designs over there so pop on over to check them out!

"D" is for Demiurgic- Crafting with Quayside Authors is filled with demiurgical power!

Demiurgic

Dem`i*ur"gic\, a. [Gr. dhmioyrgiko`s.] Pertaining to a demiurge; formative; creative. "Demiurgic power." --De Quincey.

One of the bonuses to my "crafting with a letter each week" has been that I have to head over to Dictionary.com and go to the thesaurus section to find a word that I want to use for my topic that begins with the week's letter. I am learning new words! Whoo hoo!

In addition to learning new words I had the amazing opportunity to learn new crafting techniques at CHA. Christi Friesen author of

Polymer Clay and Mixed Media—Together at Last

taught us how to work with polymer clay and mixed media! Everyone was really into it!

  

Christi has the most infectious personality, she really is passionate about what she makes and speaking of vocabulary, she makes up a lot of her own words that are so fun!

Here we are after making Jenn Mason's Heart card from The Cardmaker’s Workbook.We all really got into it.

Click on image to enlarge to see the details.

One of the cool techniques used in this card is making an "X" with the staples to attach the layers together. Simple yet a very cool effect.

Lisa Engelbrecht author of Modern Mark Making
From Classical Calligraphy to Hip Hand-Lettering really knows how to enable people's creativity. She brought tons of her letters for people to color in with beautiful pens. A quick and easy project that anyone could do and be completely in love with the result.

Here are the 2 that I did.

Angela Cartwright signed copies of her new and simply stunning book  In This Garden: Exploration in Mixed-Media Narrative, the sequel to In This House.

So there you have it, a sampling of the crafting at CHA.

ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. No, not really I am exhausted yet invigorated.

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.

Felt Club Make and Takes-Sweater Surgery ornaments and Mini Journals

As promised I have crafty people and project details for you today.

The first bit of fabulous news is we will be holding a raffle at Felt Club!!!

Sunday November 16, 11 AM-7 PM

Felt Club Holiday 2008 happens @ the Shrine Auditorium Expo Center, 700 W. 32nd St., LA CA 90007. Click here for directions.

All you will need to do is stop by our booth and leave your info to be entered to win all sorts of fabulous craft books!!!

Now while you're at our booth be sure to meet us!

Angela Cartwright will be signing her books from 12:00-1:00pm

and

Lisa Sonora Beam will be signing her book, The Creative Entrepreneur
A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real

from 1:00-2:00pm as well and then be hosting a make and take on Mini Journals from 2:00-3:00pm

"Mini-journals are a delight to behold and work in. Their very essence beckons creative acts in regular, organized, simplified fashion. Mini-journals are a tactile splendor for both sides of your brain, another key for creative minds in getting off it and getting things done."

Now onto The Sweater Surgery
How to Make New Things from Old Sweaters 

make and take project from 3:30-4:30 pm.

You can come by and make a needle felted ornament.

Below are the patterns that I used to make the ones in the picture. The house pattern is from Angela's book In This House

And these are patterns I whipped up special just for the holidays.

Click on the images to download.

I had so much fun making these. I put all the ornaments I made on the same tree but I think I will make more and divide them up by color family or theme, not sure yet. I just wanted to go crazy with all the different colors and patterns of sweaters I had.

I hope you can come by and make one and pick up a signed copy of

Sweater Surgery
How to Make New Things from Old Sweaters .

If you can't make it to Felt Club, the day before I will be doing a signing and make and take at:

Barnes & Noble

Saturday November 15th

Noon -5:00pm

Marina Pacifica Shopping Center

6326 East Pacific Coast Hwy

Long Beach, CA 90803

Tel: 562-431-2253

It will also include an ATC swap and more! I will share with you my ATC I have made for the swap soon!

You can check out pictures of the last event there with Lisa Engelbrecht. It was a blast!