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Archive: CRAFT Projects
November 5, 2009
Apple Butter Recipe + Pre-Thanksgiving Preserves Swap
Apple Butter Recipe + Pre-Thanksgiving Preserves Swap
By Cornelia Hoskin
homegrown.org
There's a spot I retreat to in the hills of New Hampshire where three heavily laden apple trees are completely overlooked by the locals in the fall. I'm not certain of the apple variety, but, other than the occasional black spot and worm hole, the fruit is incredibly crunchy, tart, and flavorful. The trees are flanked by a few smaller crab apple trees and, um, a graveyard. Some people could be creeped out thinking of their apples being fertilized by the dead. I, on the other hand, see it as a splendid way to participate in the inevitable cycle of life.
I managed to pull down about 40 pounds of apples a few weeks back and, upon returning to my humble city apartment, cooked up 15 pints of apple butter. Because, really, when is the last time you had some local, wild-foraged apple butter?
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Nov 5, 2009 03:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Food |
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How-To: Flowery Felt Ponytail Holder
How-To: Flowery Felt Ponytail Holder
By Diane Gilleland
Two simple strips of felt transform into this sparkly flower hair accessory. You can use similar colors of felt for a subtler look, or two contrasting colors for something wild.
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Nov 5, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Super Crafty Kidz |
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November 4, 2009
Thanksgiving Feast: How-To Brine & Roast a Turkey
Thanksgiving Feast: How-To Brine & Roast a Turkey
By Katie Goodman
Now that Halloween is over, I feel like the holiday season is ready to begin. I love all the cooking and baking that happens this time of year, but most of all I love how the family gatherings always end up in the kitchen. I'm going to help you get ready for the first big one — Thanksgiving — by providing you with recipes and tips throughout the whole month of November.
I'm lucky that as a young bride, my mother-in-law gave me some excellent tips when it was time for me to host my first Thanksgiving. I especially appreciated her tips on how to roast a turkey. She introduced me to brining, something I had never before heard of, but I knew that the turkey I had eaten at her home was the best I'd ever had, so I followed her advice. Here is my twist on the brine recipe she first gave me as well some great tips for roasting a flavorful turkey. Anyone who's ever eaten my turkey says it's the best they've ever had. And it's all thanks to my mother-in-law. I'm lucky to have such a sweet one!
The leftover turkey carcass from this recipe makes the best homemade turkey broth, but you'll have to stay tuned throughout the month for that recipe, along with ideas for your side dishes and our family's favorite pumpkin pie recipe.
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Nov 4, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Food, Holiday projects |
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Quick Craft: Homemade Play Dough
Homemade Play Dough
By Nancy Dougherty
Recently, I had fun spending a day with my 2-year-old niece, Lola. At first, a day with a toddler seemed daunting. I tried to remember what I did with my children when they were that age. It started to come back pretty quickly, the need to occupy their young hands and minds with tactile things. Then I remembered my old recipe for play dough that I used to make with my own children. I found it in the metal recipe box between paper maché and zucchini bread. You may already have all the ingredients, as they are commonplace.
About the Author:
Nancy Dougherty enjoys poetry and crafts, and lives in Sebastopol with Dale, publisher of CRAFT & MAKE.
Related CRAFT Project:
Gluten-Free Play Clay Beads
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Nov 4, 2009 11:00 AM
CRAFT Projects, Super Crafty Kidz |
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November 3, 2009
How-To: Brown Sugar Scrub Gifts
I am not a parent, but I was a full-time nanny for 5 years. One of my favorite things was helping kids make creative and crafty gifts. All the children that I cared for loved making this Sugar Scrub. It's the easiest thing in the world to put together, and in the end, it's a gift for mom (or anyone!). Kids know that no one will let them eat a bowl of pure sugar, but they sure love measuring and mixing it. Imagine leaving your little ones with the sitter, some sugar, and this tutorial, and then coming home to a pile of completed holiday gifts! All I ask is that you make sure the nanny gets to take one home too!
Look for Natalie Zee Drieu's posts later this month on more kid-friendly projects from the Klutz Natural Beauty Book.
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Posted by Brookelynn |
Nov 3, 2009 12:00 PM
Beauty, CRAFT Projects, Super Crafty Kidz |
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November 2, 2009
How-To: Felt Photo Frame
How-To: Felt Photo Frame
by Diane Gilleland
Show off your favorite photo in this crafty felt frame. (We used dreamy Edward Cullen from Twilight here, but you can use a photo of anyone you like.) There's a handy clip on top, so you can attach it to your bag and carry it with you.
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Nov 2, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Kids, Super Crafty Kidz |
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October 30, 2009
How-To: Doggy Ballerina Costume
I can't wait to parade my sweet boxer, Stella Baby Star, around in her ballerina costume on Halloween. She is the most social and loving pet, and she always insists on being the center of attention. Last night, as I was working on my own Halloween outfit, she looked up at me with her sad eyes that clearly seemed to say, "Brookelynn, I want to be a ballerina, will you make me a tutu, pretty please?" How could I say no? Follow my easy steps to make a tutu for your prima-donna dog! And, always remember to keep a watchful eye on any pet when they are dressed up. Oh, and treats help during fittings!
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Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 30, 2009 11:00 AM
CRAFT Projects, Halloween, Pets |
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October 29, 2009
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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October 28, 2009
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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October 27, 2009
How-To: Refashioned Sweater Shrug
I was shopping for some warm layers recently, and I got tangled up in a tiny dressing room with bad lighting. I accidentally put a loose and draping cardigan sweater on upside down. The funny thing was that it actually looked pretty cute. I was immediately inspired to stop looking for something new, and head home to cut up all my old sweaters and put them on upside down. With a sharp pair of scissors, you can take any sweater and transform it into a totally new shrug. For this tutorial, I used three different sweaters to demonstrate the versatility. The steps are the same, but the results are each one of a kind.
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Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 27, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Fashion, Refashion |
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October 22, 2009
Halloween T-Shirt Trick or Treat Bag
Halloween T-Shirt Trick or Treat Bag
By Future Craft Collective
Halloween season is here! Time to break out the pumpkins, the masks, and the scary makeup, and get out there to do a little trick or treating. When I was a kid we used pillow cases for our candy collecting, which were good in size but weren't very easy to tote around for the several miles we did of door-knocking. This super simple project will serve as your pillow case replacement. And after Halloween you can use it all year long as a handy tote for all of life's sweet tote-ables.
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 22, 2009 12:00 PM
Columns, CRAFT Projects, Halloween, Refashion |
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October 20, 2009
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
By Katie Goodman
Having never been a cold cereal fan, I love when the cool fall mornings arrive because it's such a great excuse to make something hearty and yummy for breakfast. This oatmeal recipe tastes just like everyone's favorite pumpkin pie, but with a lot less sugar and fat. It's hard enough to get out of bed during the fall and winter months when it's so dark and cold. The rich smell of this delicious oatmeal will call you from your slumbers, and the added protein and fiber from the whole oats give you that boost of energy your body needs to start the day.
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 20, 2009 02:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Food |
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How-To: Pippi Longstocking Braids
Pippi Longstocking is one of my all-time favorite Halloween costumes. I love getting to step into the role of the empowered, imaginative, and fiercely independent character. Pippi is a classic, and her look is easy to copy, both of which are important requirements for a good costume. The clothes she wore were mismatched and patchwork, accompanied, of course, by odd long socks. But her hair makes the look. Pippi's braids stick up into the air, and they are her trademark. With some wire hidden inside, it's an easy and silly trick to achieve.
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Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 20, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Halloween |
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October 19, 2009
How-To: The Picture Perfect Pumpkin
The Picture Perfect Pumpkin
By Vanessa Coppola
I have nothing against carving a few triangles into a pumpkin but who said that's a Halloween requirement? Get crafty this year and try decoupaging your pumpkin. You can use a real pumpkin, or my pick is a craft pumpkin so it can be on display for years to come. Grab a pumpkin spice latte (optional), some decoupage glue (not optional), and follow these simple steps for the picture perfect pumpkin.
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 19, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Halloween, Photography |
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October 16, 2009
Intern's Corner: How to make sand art with kids
Every other week, CRAFT's awesome interns tell about the projects they're building in the Craft: Labs, the trouble they've gotten into, and what they'll make next.
By Ed Troxell, photo intern
Looking for some entertainment that kids will love? Try sand art.
I not only work as a photo intern at MAKE and CRAFT, but I also run my own magazine. Well, on top of that I work in the afternoons at an after-school day care center.
Every Wednesday -- it's our long day because the kids get out of school early -- we try to come up with a craft project they'll actually want to do. If you've ever worked with kids, you know that when it comes time to do arts and crafts not everyone jumps at the opportunity to get started. However, this simple project turned out to be one of our best yet: it keeps kids entertained while allowing them to be creative.
How-to:
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Posted by Keith Hammond |
Oct 16, 2009 10:23 AM
Arts, CRAFT Projects, Intern's Corner, Kids, School |
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October 15, 2009
How-To: Day of the Dead Advent
Day of the Dead Advent
By Jessica Wilson
Every year I plan to make a Day of the Dead altar in honor of my mom and every year, I lose track of time and never manage to pull it off. This year, I have created a countdown, an advent of sorts so that you take a couple of hours on one day to gather your supplies and create your jar of advent, and then, for 10 days, you spend a little time working on your altar/shrine while reminiscing about your loved ones passed. Make sure to begin your altar no later than October 22.
If you are thinking of joining in on Crafty Chica's Day of the Dead Challenge but feel intimidated, never fear, this tutorial breaks it down for you in 10 easy steps!
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 15, 2009 12:00 PM
Contests, CRAFT Projects, Halloween |
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October 13, 2009
How-To: Sew a Ruffled Scarf
One day I decided to put away all my deadlines and all my unfinished projects, and to instead design something just for fun, to please only the fiber-artist-fashionista within me. I dug around in a bin of wool sweaters and found a truly hideous gray knit poncho. I plugged in my sewing machine and started playing around with a method that I used in Feltique, where the edge of a knit sweater gets a ruffled edge. It's an easy technique that my friend Alix of Treehouse 28 taught me way back in the day. But I tend to be chronically unsatisfied and wanted even more ruffles. So I gathered the whole thing up on a long black ribbon. It was the perfect touch. I had made myself a scarf that really embodies who I am as a crafter right now. It's got pure drama, ruffles and ribbon, and a versatile look that can be altered on a whim. Plus, the whole thing is made from my current favorite material: recycled wool.
Crafting has major roots in self-expression. And contests are all about challenging yourself. I encourage you to listen to your own inner creative voice, and to really trust your personal design process. Submit your scarf, with a description of how it aligns with your personality, to the Singer Contest: Me, My Scarf, and I. The grand prize is an amazing Singer ProFinish Serger, and I know that's just what you've always wanted!
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Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 13, 2009 12:00 PM
Contests, CRAFT Projects, Sewing |
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October 12, 2009
How-To: Yarn Scrap Embroidery
Fall is in the air, and I'm feeling a need to embroider. If you're like me, you have an enormous pile of yarn left over from other projects. In my case, it sits in my needlework bag and taunts me, daring me to dig into it and make something pretty. So, one early fall afternoon with Vivaldi's Autumn Allegro playing on iTunes, I took the challenge. Using one of the butcher linen placemats from my Felix Populi product line, I set about laying down some fall foliage in yarn.
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Posted by Shawn Connally |
Oct 12, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Fiber Art, Needlearts, Sewing, Yarn |
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October 8, 2009
Halloween Doodle Embroidery
Halloween Doodle Embroidery
by Vickie Howell
If you're like me, you pretty much start celebrating Halloween by about September 15th. Skulls, witches, bats, and ghosts make me smile like a kid at Christmas (no disrespect). Instead of keeping the visions of pumpkins dancing in my head, though, I prefer to sew them onto cloth. Join me won'tcha, by downloading my doodles and partaking in a little stitch witchery of your own. Happy Halloween!
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 8, 2009 12:00 PM
Babies, CRAFT Patterns, CRAFT Projects, Halloween, Kids, Needlearts |
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October 7, 2009
Basketball Jersey Produce Bags
Basketball Jersey Produce Bags
By Future Craft Collective
By now most of us have figured out our reusable bag system for going to the grocery store. I know in the back of our van we've got myriad choices for small, medium, or large shopping outings.
What we hadn't figured out, however, was what to do for our produce selections. We ended up using the plastic bags offered because we hadn't yet thought of a better choice. It would have to be something that breathed, could be easily washed, and didn't weigh too much. It seems these same requirements are in order for any kind of sporting apparel. So we turned once again to the modern day tech fabrics — this time in the form of a basketball jersey. We created these very cool, very utilitarian produce bags to be used over and over again, thereby kissing the plastic bags goodbye.
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 7, 2009 05:00 PM
Columns, CRAFT Projects, Refashion, Sewing |
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