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October 29, 2009
Laser Engraved Skull in Dollars
Scott Campbell made this skull art by laser engraving into dollar bills. [via who killed bambi?]
Posted by Becky Stern |
Oct 29, 2009 04:00 PM
Arts, Halloween |
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Favorite Halloween Costumes from the CRAFT Editors
The CRAFT editors share with you their favorite Halloween costumes that are handmade or put together with some crafty ingenuity!
Natalie Zee Drieu / Princess Leia
As a kid, I was (and still am) a huge Star Wars fan. I was obsessed with everything Princess Leia. When I was 7 (in 1979), my mom sewed up a Princess Leia costume for me using a store-bought pattern. I liked how she improvised on the belt part and used different colored yarns to make up a braided belt. I ended up wearing this costume over and over around the house for play time. My favorite part was the hood on the costume which I would wear over my head and replay the scene of Princess Leia's stored R2D2 message to Obi Wan. Nerd alert!
Shawn Connally / Bookworm
I was called a bookworm for much of my childhood; I really couldn't travel in a car for more than 12 miles without making sure I had a book with me, and if I wasn't outside playing in the forest or riding my horse, I was curled up with a book. Anne of Green Gables was a big hit, as was The Hitchhiker's Guide series. When I was 10 or 11 my mom suggested that I be a bookworm for Halloween, and the costume shown here was created. We chose Alfred Hitchcock's Stories that Scared Even Me as the book, which still strikes me as a stroke of brilliance (thanks, Mom!). My mom drew some scary images on a butcher-paper covered box we got from the appliance store. We added the title and author, popped some holes in the sides and top for my arms and head. I wore all green, painted my face to match, and added a top hat and gloves to finish off the costume. It's still one of my favorite costumes!
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 29, 2009 03:00 PM
Halloween |
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Chronicle Books' Warehouse Sale Starts Today
If you're in San Francisco, don't miss the big Chronicle Books Warehouse sale that starts today. I went last year and got some amazing deals on craft books and children's books. It's a great way to start holiday shopping!
Chronicle Books
680 2nd Street (b/t Townsend & Brannan)
San Francisco, CA
Days/Times:
Thursday: 5pm-7pm
Friday: 9am-7pm
Saturday: 10am-5pm
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 29, 2009 02:30 PM
Events |
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Tanis Alexis' Urban Felt Rug
This is a lovely detail from a felted rug, handmade by Tanis Alexis. Tanis is a fiber artist, mom, contributor to Feltique, and a spectacular artist. She creates classic pieces of felt, but with a multimedia twist! Each rug is wet felted from 100% wool, and then the city scene is added with a limited edition cut stencil. Tanis will make this piece custom, in about 3-6 weeks.
Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 29, 2009 02:00 PM
Felting, Fiber Art, Home Decor |
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100% Reuse: Industrial Pallet Sectional Couch for Outdoors
100% Reuse: Industrial Pallet Sectional Couch for Outdoors
By Wendy Tremayne
With more people recognizing the value of scrap materials it can be hard to find great stuff in the waste stream. These days I rely on the surplus store as much as the curb. Surplus stores often carry industrial waste materials: tough, oversized items that come in mass, like 4' diameter round metal dishes, human-sized wooden cable spools, or a gross of 1'-tall iron springs, to name a few.
Last spring I ran across half a dozen 2'×3' clay-colored plastic pallets at a Surplus City in Albuquerque, N.M. They were likely used to ship a high-end non-consumer item. When I saw the pile of them, weeds grown over the top and wedged under a giant machine that looked as if it may have come out of New Mexico's Sandia Labs, the image of a sectional couch for outdoors flashed in my mind. I had wanted to build one for my porch but had not yet found the right materials in the waste stream. As is often the case in surplus yards, I tried to find an employee to help me dig it out and then got my work gloves out of the trunk and freed my future couch from the clutches of further decay. Then I turned to my little Maxima and wondered how I would get these babies nearly 200 miles south to where I lived. I crammed three of them into my car: one in the trunk, one in the back seat, and I jammed one up front with the passenger seat pushed all the way back. I was a tad nervous that the spiders living inside the pallets would lurch out and find me while I was driving home. A stick of Nag Champa incense that I keep in the ashtray of the car, lit periodically along the drive, helped transform the musky mold smell of the junkyard into the musky smell of a yoga studio. The bounty made it home safe and sound.
Last week I went back to Surplus City and found the fourth and last pallet to complete the set, and I made the couches. Here's the project, easily adapted to any industrial pallet you can find.
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 29, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Home Decor, Recycle |
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Halloween Cakes, Because We Need More Sugary Treats
I'm not sure who decided that Halloween cupcakes, cookies, and regular-sized cakes were a good idea for Halloween, but I'm not the one to buck tradition, especially when it involves frosting. And creative decorating.
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So over the years I've made quite a few graveyard cakes, and in recent years I've branched out to spider cakes, ghost cakes, jack-o-lantern cakes, and dirt cakes. I do, however, refuse to make a litter box cake, no matter how many times I get sent the photos, links, and recipe. Apparently, imitation cat poop is where I draw the line.
Ive figured out that donating the majority of the cakes to the local Halloween Carnival helps reduce sugar consumption. Well, until my kid wins a cake in the cakewalk and brings it back home. But at least I tried!
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Here are some hints for making fabulous Halloween cakes, if you dare!
- For glowing eyes on the Ghost Cake, use halves of egg shells, rinsed off and dried. Then place a sugar cube in each half of the shell, poor a very small amount of lemon extract on the sugar cubes, and light that sucker. Don't leave this unattended!
- For the ghosts on the Graveyard Cake, I've used cut-and-slice cookie dough, cut out sugar cookies, and lollipops wrapped in white cloth. Whatever you've got around will suffice.
- For legs on the Spider Cake, find some Pockys, which are delicious cookies from Japan. I've found them at Cost Plus and specialty grocery stores. I also thought Pirouette wafers might work, or maybe even Twix bars.
- For all the cakes, don't be afraid to substitute Skittles for M&Ms for Reeses Pieces for Gummy Bears. Most anything will work when seen in context -- you're bound to hear "Oh, those are the spider's eyes," or "Oh, little bears are lining the walkway, how spooky!" (As opposed to, "Why did you use Skittles instead of M&Ms? That doesn't work at all!")
Posted by Shawn Connally |
Oct 29, 2009 11:15 AM
Food, Halloween, Holiday projects |
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Betz White Designs on Kleenex Boxes
The next time you are in Target, check to see if they have the new holiday Kleenex boxes with Betz White's exclusive designs. Read about how she created them, and see close-ups of all the boxes over on her blog. I'm especially smitten with the ric rac box!
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 29, 2009 10:00 AM
General |
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Halloween Baby Costumes on Martha
The surreal nature of these Halloween baby costumes on Martha Stewart is shorting things out in my brain; they're so creepy and hilarious! [via Extreme Craft]
Posted by Becky Stern |
Oct 29, 2009 09:00 AM
Babies, Halloween |
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How-To: Owl Costume
Even though we're just a few days away from Halloween, there is still time to whip up this fantastic owl costume. Ellen from The Long Thread shows you how over on Alpha Mom, and includes templates for the mask and feathers. I love it!
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 29, 2009 08:00 AM
Halloween, Kids |
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How-To: 3D Blood Spatter Halloween Decor
Meg from Threadbanger's Decor it Yourself is on this week's Etsy How-Tuesday to make some 3D blood spatter decorations for Halloween, like in the TV show Dexter. Bring a little forensics to your Halloween party!
Posted by Becky Stern |
Oct 29, 2009 07:00 AM
Halloween, Home Decor |
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How-To: Stiffened Fabric Flower Brooch
Diane at Crafty Pod shows how to create a snazzy stiffened fabric flower brooch, including some tips for keeping the sheen nice and smooth. This could be a great use for fabric scraps!
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 29, 2009 06:00 AM
General, Jewelry |
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Combo: A Collaborative Animation by Blu and David Ellis
As part of the summer-long Fame Festival in Italy that culminated in a final show last month, artists Blu and David Ellis spent a long week collaborating to create this amazing animation clip, made by filming morphing hand-painted murals. The video loops twice, in case you are beyond astounded the first time around.
Posted by Goli Mohammadi |
Oct 28, 2009 05:00 PM
Arts |
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Sterling Silver Blythe Ring
Blythe customization has reached a new level to me upon seeing this sterling silver Blythe ring. I think I just drooled a little. [Thanks, Moxie!]
More Blythe:
- CRAFT Video: Rerooting Blythe Doll Hair
- Hand-carved Blythe dolls
- Blythe Modeling New Alexander McQueen Line For Target
- Blythe-sized Creepy Knitted Ski Masks
- Inside-Out Blythe Guts Costume
From the pages of CRAFT, Vol. 03:
"Queen of the Misfit Toys" by Jenny Ryan, pgs 40-42. Preview in our Digital Edition or buy the back issue in the Maker Shed.
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Posted by Becky Stern |
Oct 28, 2009 04:00 PM
Amigurumi and Toys, Jewelry |
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How-To: Fabric Covered Button Badge
Fabric covered buttons are fun to make, and are a great way to use up scraps of fabric, but I don't always have a good way to use them in my sewing. These button badges from Resurrection Fern are a great answer to that problem!
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 28, 2009 03:00 PM
Jewelry |
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This Week In Craft Fairs
Here's what's coming up in the crafting world. If you know of an upcoming event, please add it to our online calendar. If you have a call for entries you want listed in this weekly craft fair post, .
Coming Up This Weekend:
Long Beach Crafty Borrachas Halloween Party!
Long Beach, CA
Wenesday, Oct. 28, 9pm - 2am
Sunday, Crafty Sunday - Day of the Dead Celebration!
San Diego, CA
Sunday, Nov. 1, 2pm - 7pm
Sugarloaf Crafts Festival
Somerset, NJ
Friday, Oct. 30, 10am - 6pm
Saturday, Oct. 31, 10am - 6pm
Sunday, Nov. 1, 10am - 5pm
Call For Entries:
Crafter's Holiday Faire
San Jose, CA
Saturday, Nov. 14 - Sunday, Nov. 15
Fee: $39
Deadline to apply: Nov. 3, 2009
Conejo Valley Moms' Annual Holiday Boutique 2009
Thousand Oaks, CA
Saturday, Nov. 7
Fee: $60
Deadline to apply: Oct. 31, 2009
Red Rabbit Arts & Crafts Holiday Market - Descanso Gardens
La Cañada Flintridge, CA
Sunday, Dec. 6
Fee: $75
Deadline to apply: Nov. 20, 2009
BUST Holiday Craftacular
Los Angeles, CA
Saturday, Dec. 12
Fee: $225
Deadline to apply: Nov. 20, 2009
Red Rabbit Arts & Crafts Holiday Market - Orange County
Irvine, CA
Sunday, Dec. 13
Fee: $75
Deadline to apply: Nov. 20, 2009
Indie Chic @ 10th Street
Tempe, AZ
Saturday, Dec. 5
Fee: $35
Deadline to apply: Nov. 5, 2009
22nd Annual Altar Society Craft Festival
Mustang, OK
Saturday, Nov. 14
Fee: $30
Deadline to apply: Nov. 1, 2009
2nd Annual Funky Finds Spring Fling
Fort Worth, TX
Saturday, Mar. 13, 2010
Fee: $75 - $185
Deadline to apply: Nov. 15, 2009
Market Day
Des Moines, IA
Saturday, Nov. 27
Fee: $20
Deadline to apply: Nov. 20, 2009
1st Annual Harvest Holiday Craft/Vendor Fair
South Windsor, CT
Saturday, Nov. 21
Fee: $40 + donation of one $10 item for auction
Deadline to apply: Nov. 13, 2009
I Made It! Market
Pittsburgh, PA
Sunday, Nov. 22
Fee: $40
Deadline to apply: Open until 50 vendors are signed up
BUST Holiday Craftacular
New York, NY
Sunday, Dec. 6
Fee: $260
Deadline to apply: Nov. 2, 2009
Handmade Holiday Craft Fair
Brooklyn, NY
Saturday, Dec. 12
Fee: $125 - $175
Deadline to apply: Nov. 11, 2009
BUST Magazine Christmas Craftacular
London, England
Saturday, Dec. 12
Fee: £70
Deadline to apply: Nov. 6, 2009
Posted by Laura Cochrane |
Oct 28, 2009 02:00 PM
Events |
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Spiced Butternut Squash Apple Soup
Spiced Butternut Squash Apple Soup
By Katie Goodman
I'm not quite ready for winter, but I do love that soup season is on its way here. There are few experiences better than warming up to a bowl of hot soup after a long, cold day. And the flavor combinations that a bowl of soup can bring are unlimited: sweet, savory, hot, cold, spicy, mild, and everything in between. This recipe for Spiced Butternut Squash Apple Soup is a little of both sweet and savory. It's low in fat, full of veggies, but still filling. I recommend serving it with a fresh loaf of warm, crusty bread. If you have time, this recipe is fantastic, but bakery purchased bread works just as well.
To save time, you may purchase pre-peeled and chopped squash, available in many supermarkets. Just toss the cubes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast as directed for the whole squash in the recipe below, though it will take less time.
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 28, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Food |
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Mervin the Molar Knitting Pattern
For your little ones, knit up Mervin the Molar - The Tooth Fairy's Friend a pattern by Kat's Scratch Pad that comes with a tiny pocket to place a fallen tooth.
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 28, 2009 11:00 AM
Amigurumi and Toys, Kids, Knitting |
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Crafty Chica's Cycle of Life Face Paint
The beautiful and meaningful Day of the Dead is almost here. I hope that you have been working on a shrine to memorialize your loved ones who have passed on, and that you will enter it into the Crafty Chica Shrine Challenge! Kathy Cano-Murillo is a constant source of inspiration, and today I want to share her spectacular cycle of life face paint.
Using face paint found at the costume store, paint half of a face like a sugar skull and leave the other half alone. This represents that in this life or the next we will always be "alive", our spirit is eternal! I've seen all kinds of faces painted in this style and it is inspiring to see the variations on how the skull portion is decorated. You can use black and white, or lots of color and even glitter!
Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 28, 2009 10:00 AM
Contests |
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Ask CRAFT: Replacing a Peacoat's Lining
If you have a question for Ask CRAFT, shoot me an email at becky@craftzine.com, or drop us a note on Twitter! We'd love to answer your crafty questions on any topic: technique, projects, crafty culture, or anything else! Each week the answers are here; include your name, where you're from, and your website or blog if you have one!
Lauren Venell writes in:
I have a wool peacoat that has held up perfectly on the outside, but the lining is literally in shreds. How can I replace the lining in time for winter without having to sew the whole thing in by hand? I cannot for the life of me figure out how the lining was sewn in by machine without stitches showing on the outside of the coat.
Coat linings are sewn in with the coat entirely inside-out. Just like a plush toy, a small opening is left somewhere so that it can be turned right side out, then the hole is hand sewn shut. This hole is usually somewhere along the bottom edge of the lining. Open it up with a seam ripper and reverse the entire thing. You'll then see that the lining is sewn by machine to the outer layers of the coat. Use your seam ripper again to free the old lining, and even use it to construct a pattern for the new lining. Best of luck to you! As you can see from these pictures, I'm facing the exact same problem with my vintage peacoat.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Oct 28, 2009 09:00 AM
Mending, Sewing |
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Meatloaf Hand
Halloween is a great excuse to get a little greusome in the kitchen, and this meatloaf hand is a perfect example of that. Megan of not martha shows how she created the meatloaf masterpiece, complete with onion slice fingernails and wrist bones.
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 28, 2009 08:00 AM
Food, Halloween |
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