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Archive: CRAFT Projects
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 & Design, CRAFT Projects, Intern's Corner, Kids |
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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, Hand Embroidery, 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, Hand Embroidery, Kids |
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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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How-To: Make Monster and Alien Feet
How-To: Make Monster and Alien Feet
By Dave Simon
Where I work we cannot have elaborate costume festivities. Only one item of clothing can be "Halloweenish". For instance, one year your hat can be the costume, then another year the shoes you wear can be the costume. I intended to be a duck, and wanted to make the flippers. I took an old pair of foam shoes and carefully sprayed expanding foam around them so that I could carve them. They looked good as craggy monster feet, so instead I painted them as is, with gnarly toes and all. My daughter was always borrowing them so I made a pair for her for her third birthday. She loved them in pink and purple. (Monsters can be pretty, you know.) This Halloween, we'll be making some alien feet for my son.
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 7, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Halloween, Kids |
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October 6, 2009
How-To: Make Garlands from Fall Flowers
Fall is here! Decorate for the season with fresh flowers that are blooming right now. I used marigolds and mums to create two garlands. They are perfect for autumn weddings, Day of the Dead shrines, Thanksgiving, or just because you want to bring some warm colors into your home. They are easy to create, and if you purchase the flowers living from a nursery, you can plant your leftovers!
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Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 6, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Halloween, Holiday projects |
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October 5, 2009
How-To: Make a Fake Beard
How-To: Make a Fake Beard
By Erin Dollar
Not sure what to be for Halloween? Take the crafty mustache trend to the next level with this project on how to make a fake beard. An easy quick-sew project that will turn you into a lumberjack or any character you wish!
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 5, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Halloween, Sewing |
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October 4, 2009
How-To: 1-2-3 Glitter Clothespin Photo Hangers
Today I got out the glitter for the next step in my Day of the Dead shrine. My altar is hung with garlands, and I wanted to attach photos of my loved ones to them. I spent last night selecting my favorite pictures, and I love seeing them hanging up. If you are working on a shrine as well, I hope you will share images. Also be sure to submit them as entries to the Crafty Chica Day of the Dead Challenge for a chance to win some great prizes!
Clothespins were the perfect choice, but I had to give them a quick makeover. I channeled my inner Crafty Chica, and added some simple sparkle. To begin, I smeared a thin layer of Elmer's on the top side. Then I dumped a pile of glitter on my work surface and just pressed each clothespin in it.
Next, I looped about 2 inches of wire into the spring of each clothespin. I used the wire to secure the clothespin to the garland, then clipped in the photos.
Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 4, 2009 06:00 PM
Contests, CRAFT Projects, Halloween |
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October 3, 2009
How-To: Start Building a Day of the Dead Altar!
Today I started working on my shrine for The Day of the Dead. It's very rewarding to put my creative energy towards a tribute to my friends and family who have passed on. I am thrilled to share the process of creating it, as part of the excitement for the Crafty Chica Challenge! I was introduced to the tradition 11 years ago by my mother-in-law, who always creates a spectacular altar. She maintains a smaller version year round, and I often reflect on it when I visit.
The first step I take is to gather materials. I collected some fabric to cover the space, purchased flowers from the farmer's market, and tied garlands out of scraps. Then I dug out all the photos I have, and mementos of my loved ones, including door knobs from a relative's home in Ohio, the lighter that belonged to my husband's grandfather, seashells from my grandmother, and little treasures such as feathers and butterflies. The skulls are a crucial part of the traditional Day of the Dead altar. I found sage, incense and candles as as well.
To build the bones of my altar, I've stacked up books to add height in the back, and then covered the entire thing with a table cloth that was used by my grandma. This will allow me to have varying heights, and a lovely lace motif.
Then I hung the garlands. I love how festive they look! Draping them at different lengths creates a ton of visual interest. And voila! All that's left is to decorate, and then add the offerings like cornmeal and liquor and candy skulls! Tonight I'll sit down and sift through the old photographs, reliving all my favorite memories. That's just about the best part, right? Tomorrow I'll begin the adornments, and share photos of course! And please, include your altars in the Crafty Chica Day of the Dead Challenge!
Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 3, 2009 06:00 PM
Contests, CRAFT Projects, Holiday projects |
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October 2, 2009
Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts with Cran-Apple Sauce
Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts with Cran-Apple Sauce
By Katie Goodman
With summer produce at its end and cooler temperatures bringing cravings for heartier meals than those of summer, it's time to start thinking about fall! It may seem that it's time to say goodbye to those summer meals that are characteristically fresh and fast. On the contrary, you can still cook a delicious and hearty meal with fall harvested treats. And it can be on the table just in time!
In this recipe, a quick but complexly flavored sauce dresses up a simple pan-roasted chicken breast for a sweet and savory weeknight meal. Serve your favorite potato side (baked, roasted, mashed, white, or sweet) if you're pressed for time. If time is on your side, this chicken pairs beautifully with Butternut Squash Risotto for a comforting fall meal.
Tip: if fresh cranberries are hard to come by in your grocery store outside of the Thanksgiving holiday season, stock up when they are available and store the bags of cranberries in the freezer.
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Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 2, 2009 02:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Food |
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How-To: Make a Dreadlock Wig for Halloween
Let's take a trip to way back in the day, October 2006. I had just begun experimenting with tutorials. I was making a Halloween costume for myself, and thought that I would just snap some quick pictures of the process and throw them up on Flickr. It was my first "self-published" project. The costume was a "Shadow Fairy" sort of thing. Meaning, dark green dreadlocks, a sparkly black dress, and some wings that I made out of coat hangers and black tights. I think most people thought I was a Rastafarian Tooth Fairy, but hey, I loved my outfit, and I took pride in knowing I made it all myself. For today's project, I am going to share my ultra simple tutorial in all it's blurry, old-school glory.
UPDATE:
This post has triggered negative feelings in people, and I want to apologize. I created this dreadlock wig in 2006 as hair for a type of gothic, dark, forest fairy. I realize that by not sharing the costume in it's entirety, I left it open for interpretation. And the way that it was interpreted was as an insensitive and racially charged project. I want it to be clear to everyone that I had no intention of mocking anyone, no intention of cruelty, and no intention of representing any group of people. It also very important for everyone to know that I do not condone using this project as a tool for perpetuating stereotypes.
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Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 2, 2009 11:30 AM
CRAFT Projects, Felting, Halloween |
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