I love magazines. Well, crafty ones, at least. Whether they are jewelry, clay, beads, fiber…. well, they all make me happy, and get my brain moving in new directions. Yesterday I picked up a Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion. Her style is very “cutesy,” which really isn’t my thing. However, I do like her new fabrics and use of color. Anyhoo, what made me buy the magazine was the project for making fabric slippers, using only fat quarters of fabric. I […]
Yarn Painting from Skull-a-Day
Ok, so I am often inspired by other crafters, and this site is definitely worth mentioning. Skull-A-Day is the idea that you take a theme – in this case, a skull – and create one everyday, using every technique and medium you can. Since I couldn’t find an “about” page, I got no info to share on who, or why, this is happening. BUT, I do like the concept. And in particular, this yarn painting has captured my interest. This […]
Children’s Books with Fiber Arts Illustrations
I love to read to my kids. I especially love to read books that have great illustrations. I have two to share with you today. The first is “Tar Beach” by Faith Ringgold. Faith is a painter who began painting and storytelling on quilts. (Yum. How fabulous is that!?!) Her artwork hangs in major museums, and she’s an art professor at U of C in San Diego. But better than her bio is her books. This one features illustrations taken […]
Craft Product Review: Texture Makers by Studio By Sculpey
After checking out the new Studio by Sculpey clays, Super Slicing Blades, and 5-in-1 tool, I thought it was time to test drive their version of texture sheets. I bought 2 sets, each with 2 mats in the package. I got the Swirls and Scrolls, as well as the Chantilly Lace and Text. The sheets measure about 5 X 7, and are a thin rubber mat. They are tinted a soft green (there’s that branding again!) and are pliable. The […]
Polymer Clay Art Doll Pin Class at Stamplistic
We had a small but mighty class yesterday at Stamplistic, and a big “Thank You” to Shelly and Alice who come to play with me! I love facilitating classes…. getting to know different artist/crafters, their approach, and the life stories they bring to the table. Fortunately, Alice and Shelly “got” the project, and brought their creative juices! Here’s what they made: I’m repeating the class on Valentine’s day…so if you want to attend, just click on link above for registration […]
Craft Product Review: 5-in-1 Clay Tool by Studio By Sculpey
Yesterday I test-drove the new 5-in-1 tool in the Donna Dewberry Line of Studio by Sculpey. I tried to like it. Really. But it fell short of my expectations in a number of ways. The idea was brilliant: a stylus type tool with interchangeable tips to make clay work more efficient. The set includes a ball tip, a blade, a needle tool, a chisel tip, and a bullet tip, all with a handy tip holder. So I crack it out […]
Craft Product Review: Clover Heart Yo-Yo Maker
OK, so I sew. Usually on the machine, but occasionally I do some hand-work. And for some reason I am captivated by yo-yo’s. I was out at JoAnn’s the other day, ran across the Clover Heart Yo-Yo Maker, and got sucked in. Since I’d never made them before – any type of yo-yo – I thought it would be great to buy the tool and check it out. First off, had to say that the instructions were great! They included […]
Tips For Buying Craft Products on Ebay
I’ve been on a jones lately, looking for – and buying – craft supplies on Ebay. Purchasing your supplies this way can either be great savings or a huge rip-off. Here’s how to know the difference. First of all, take into consideration what kind of products your looking for, and whether or not “new” or “used” means anything to you. Today I got a shipment of polymer clay products, and the some of it was considered “used.” In this case, […]
Craft Product Review: Studio by Sculpey Super Slicer Blades
I’m continuing to explore the Studio by Sculpey clay and tool lines, and today I’m giving you the poop on the new Super Slicer blades.The retail price of the package was $14.99 (available at JoAnn’s ETC stores, and online) and includes 4 blades: a stiff, shorter blade, a long, flexible tissue blade, a scallop blade, and a crinkle blade. There are also 2 handles that can used with any blade. Initially, I was very excited about the handle concept. I’ve […]
Need a Craft Product Tester?
I’m available! If you have a new craft technique, product or are testing instructions for publication, I’ll be happy to try it out and kick the tires for ya. I can’t promise it’ll be a favorable review, but it will be honest – and from the perspective of the average crafty person. See my About page for contact info.
Children’s Books with Polymer Clay Illustrations
I love book time with my kids. And what I love even more is a children’s book with rich, visually stimulating illustrations. Ones that are really works of art. I stumbled across these books by Marian Berkes and Jeanette Canyon while searching for children’s books that utilize song lyrics- and found Over in the Ocean and Over in the Jungle The words are re-vamps of a preschool song (something about a mother duck, as I recall) and retooled to fit […]
Tips for Listing Items On Etsy
I spent the AM posting things on Etsy, listing some craft samples I had lying around. What? You’ve never heard of Etsy? Well! Let me school ya… Etsy is a site for artist/crafters to sell their creations… and for folks to love to buy unique, hand-made or one of a kind (OOAK to the uninitiated) items direct from the artisans. You can also find craft supplies on Etsy, as well as Vintage Items. In their words, Our mission is to […]
New “Studio by Sculpey” Line Hits JoAnn’s
Hey! I was just trolling at a JoAnn’s ETC store here in Ohio, and I found this new line from Sculpey, Studio by Sculpey I was just trolling their site last week when I posted on comparing clays. How come there was no mention of it on their site??!!! OK, so in the spirit of being the original Craft Test Dummy, I picked up two packages at $2.99 each. A little more expensive, but the packages are 2.8 ounces instead […]
Zentangle Versus Mandalas
Ah, how I love my crafty friends, always turning me on to something new. My friend Eva of Grand River Beads was telling me about Zentangle.com, and how she wants to apply the idea to bead embroidery. So here’s the gist of it: I think it’s kind of like a mandala: you make a squiggle and then fill in the open areas with a motif. I’m not sure what the technique is because they want you to buy a kit […]
The Craft Industry is Out to Get Us
As per my usual, I was surfin’ for some new projects to try. Martha Stewart has her new craft show in DIYNetwork, and I thought I’d check out her site. Gotta give that woman props, the site is beautiful. So I check out the “Sewn Candy Dishes.” Cute, looks accessible, maybe I’ll try one. And there is a supply list on the right hand side, so again, gotta give that woman credit… of course she’s selling them all through her […]
My Craft Light is Giving Me a Seizure!
Attempting to be eco-friendly, I am slowly replacing regular light bulbs in my house… so when the one went out on my craft table, I decided to replace it with a Sylvania 13w energy-efficient bulb. Gadzooks! Every time I turn the sucker on, it flickers like that scene from Flashdance! I’ve heard that some compact fluorescent bulbs have so many hours of ” burn time” before they settle down and just work like they are supposed to. Let’s hope this […]
Polymer Clay- Picking a Clay That’s Right for you!
I’ve got some friends interested in starting in polymer clay work over in my beading group. One member asked me what is the better clay to use. Of course, that’s really personal opinion….but there are some differences in polymer clays when it comes to colors and firmness. So, here’s a quick rundown of clays, listing them by manufacturer. From Eberhard Faber (Germany): Fimo Classic: The first brand of polymer clay, Fimo, was invented in Germany, during World War I. A […]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 40
- 41
- 42
