Daily source of DIY craft projects and inspiration, patterns, how-tos @Craftzine.com blog

Most recent posts: page 1 of 6
» 1 2 3 4 5 6

Test Tube Chandelier

test tube chandelier.jpg

This test tube chandelier is so rad and can be interpreted in a million ways. How would you spin it? Designed by The Maria S.C. lamp, designed by Pani Jurek, found on Design Milk.

rainbow test tube chandelier.jpg

My dear friend, Fonda Yoshimoto, crocheted this adorable cat. It is her very first crocheted animal! I'm calling him Bandit Cat, because as you can see, he has a little mask around his button eyes. She got the pattern from The Green Dragonfly. (The ceramic vase he's sitting on is one of Fonda's creations, as well.)

02.FYoshimoto.Tonbo.wingsup.jpg

Fonda is an artist who does quite a bit of sculpture, and she sometimes incorporates fiber art into her work. Here is a porcelain and fabric doll called Tonbo, which is Japanese for "dragonfly."

And this is Link, a large-scale knitted piece for an open studio she had last summer.

How-To: Cork Stamps

My kids and I love to go letterboxing, and one of the best parts is coming up with our own stamps to use. If you're wanting to make a simple stamp, but don't want to mess with carving, Michele of Michele Made Me shows how you can use craft foam and old wine corks to create custom stamps.

How To: Anthro Bookcase

Sweet bookcase.

Recipe: Old Fashioned

I can't think of a more perfect cocktail than an Old Fashioned. It's a delicious combination of Bourbon and fruit. The Bourbon warms you up, while the fruit reminds you of warmer days. It's sweet, and it's bitter, just like life.

The Old Fashioned is a great basic cocktail for any level of home mixologist. The ingredients are simple staples of any bar, and you can never get bored practicing refining this drink. If you are looking for a challenge, check out this CRAFT video to learn how to make a batch of homemade brandied cherries. I would say that most bartenders rely on a sugar cube for sweetness, but I don't love grains of sugar in the bottom of my glass. During a recent discussion with a true cocktail geek, Josh Perez, I learned that simple syrup is a perfectly cromulent substitution. I hope you enjoy making this drink as much as I enjoy consuming it.

More:

Exotic Candied Citrus Syrup

Sage Rush Cocktail

Make Your Own Infused Spirits

Partridge in a Pear Tree

Maker's and Canton Two Ways

Basic Bar Essentials

John Park's Brandied Cherries

Read full story »

Handmade Companion Now Available

The Handmade Gift Guide's Winter/Valentine Companion is now available for purchase. Check out the web site for this issue's features.

How-To: Washi Tape Party Straws

Helena from Craft and Creativity shared her idea for making fun flagged party straws using washi tape. In addition to being festive, decorated straws are also a great way to tell drinks apart at large gatherings!

How-To: Penny Desk

This penny desk tutorial from Jen at EPBOT certainly takes mosaic-making to a whole new level! And, while I'm definitely not suggesting that you take legal currency out of circulation to make your own, it might not be too hard to get your hands on some novelty coins or currencies that no longer exist.

[Via Decor Hacks]

Crochet Succulents Patterns From Planet June

I love the latest series of crochet patterns from June Gilbank of Planet June.

I spent weeks (during my break from designing in December) researching all the different types of succulents to try to find a selection that would look interesting and varied, are fairly common, and would work when translated into crochet. I narrowed it down to 10, to give me a little wiggle room if a couple of them didn't work out the way I was hoping. And here are the final 8:

Who knew succulents would be so well suited to crochet!

Buffalo Wing Cupcakes

Everyone knows that crafters are huge Super Bowl fans, so it practically goes without saying that we will all be engaging in an epic debate over which snack to make on game day. Foruntately, Cupcake Project has created a solution to the classic buffalo wings vs. cupcakes rivalry. Behold: The Buffalo Wing Cupcake.

When my house started to smell like buffalo wings (there was no chicken involved at this point), I knew I had the flavor right. When I took a lick of my cupcake batter-laden finger, I began to suspect that I was going to like the buffalo chicken cupcakes. When I tasted the cupcakes hot out of the oven, I realized that I had created a new crowd-pleasing Super Bowl tradition.

[via Neatorama]

Crochet Spock Potholder

I think this crochet Spock potholder, by Flickr user kailand, could be the catalyst for an amazing geek-themed kitchen. Maybe a pair of matching oven mitts sewn into the shape of a Vulcan salute? [via Geek Crafts]