Craft Test Dummies

Make Your Own Bubble Mailers

Posted on 29. Feb, 2008 by Jenny.

I was “stumbling” today – newest obsession/timekiller – and I ran across 27 things, a site with a tutorial for making your own bubble mailers. Just brilliant! And easy, too. All you need is cardstock, decorative paper, bubble wrap, and some rubber cement.
These may come in handy with my RAKs (Random Acts of Kindness) that [...]

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Happy Leap Day – Frog Art Celebration

Posted on 29. Feb, 2008 by Jenny.

Happy Leap Day! What better way to celebrate then with some great froggy art….. (I’m thinking of you, Diane!)
Jennifer Strachan does frogs in mosaic tile….Roman Sock does them in crochet…

You can make them out of origami… or make frog beads, like Renee Beads. or out of beads, like on ArtsyFartsy…

Jangling Jack does metal [...]

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Crafty-Goat’s Weigh in on Studio by Sculpey Clay

Posted on 29. Feb, 2008 by Jenny.

I was visiting some of my favorite blogs, and I was reading Crafty Goat’s Notes and her “revised” take on the Studio by Sculpey Clays. She’s finding that right out of the package, it’s too soft….and some of her older clay (the first batch sent out by polyform to be tested by PC artists) is [...]

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Sew on Thursday….Review of Craft Apple Mini Patchfolio Pattern

Posted on 28. Feb, 2008 by Jenny.

So, ok, originally the poem said, “MEND on Wednesday,” but what the heck. I pulled out my Mini Patchfolio pattern from Craft Apple, and got to work.
The first dilemma was picking fabric. Yes, I have a 5-drawer chest filled with fabric in my sewing room. But upon closer inspection, I seem to have a [...]

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Trendy Totes by Tasha Toth

Posted on 27. Feb, 2008 by Jenny.

See, it’s not just me. There is a local teen-ager here in the greater Cleveland, OH area that is making and selling her own line of tote bags! She makes hers out of oilcloth, and sells them at craft shows and some local shops.
HELLO??!!! How great is this? And she’s using some of her proceeds [...]

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Metal Leaf, Alcohol Inks, and Polymer Clay

Posted on 27. Feb, 2008 by Jenny.

Only 3 ingredients, but OH! What an outcome! My arty friend Jenna came with her daughter yesterday for a play date, and we couldn’t help ourselves in a little clay demo, too. The kids were rapidly decompensating, so we only had time to make a sheet of clay:

I took this photo without flash so [...]

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My First Hollow Polymer Clay Bead

Posted on 26. Feb, 2008 by Jenny.

So I took 2 cabs that I formed over the lightbulb, sanded them, then baked them together using TLS and my embossing gun. The result? My first hollow bead!
I’m disappointed that I can still see the seam. Maybe a little alcohol ink over it to cover it a bit? Hmmm. More to experiment with….

Created [...]

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More Recycled Necktie Crafts – Necktie Daisies!

Posted on 25. Feb, 2008 by Jenny.

Well, I sent off my Necktie Bags today to my CPS Group swap hostess today, and wouldn’t cha know, I ran across another necktie craft!! These are super cute, and kind of fall in with my yo-yo obsession, too.
The tutorial was found on Craftster, and the idea is simple: take the small points from the [...]

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Mini Patchfolio from Craft Apple

Posted on 25. Feb, 2008 by Jenny.

So I guess I’m on a bit of a sewing bender right now…. I ran across Craft Apple’s blog, and couldn’t resist checking out her shop. I found these oh-so-cute portfolios, one for grown ups and one for kids….plus there’s a mini brag-book. I just had to get it, and whoo-hoo! It came today.
Don’t ask [...]

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Button Tote From Martha Stewart

Posted on 25. Feb, 2008 by Jenny.

Not that I’m on a kick or anything, but I ran across this cute button tote today at Martha Stewart Crafts. She give the directions for making the tote and then covering it with buttons, either by gluing or stitching.
I had another idea. (Don’t I always?) Why not cover up a give-away tote – like [...]

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