Craft Classics

In time for Christmas! Craft Classics, the eBook!

2011-11-30T11:09:00.000-08:00

A great addition to your iBook library - or other similar eBook device. Ideas and directions for over 60 child friendly craft projects, with color pictures. Just $1.75! Available at Smashwords. Ideal for teachers, parents, babysitters, scout leaders and grandparents.

Craft Classics the Book

2011-11-22T21:02:00.000-08:00

I pulled my PDF version of Craft Classics, for a partial rewrite and re-edit. When finished, it will be available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other eBook venues.

Since more eBook readers, other than just iPad, are now available in color, the reader has more opportunity to view the Craft Classic's photographs in full color, rather than just in black and white.

I'll post a notice here as soon as it is re-released.

Redirecting My Energy

2011-10-24T15:11:00.000-07:00

For more information, click here!

Diaper Box Dollhouse - Photos

2011-10-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is a photo of the dollhouse our daughter made from cardboard diaper boxes.

So cute! You should check out her blog, she has some adorable and creative ideas.

Diaper Box Dollhouse

2011-10-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

I received a call from our daughter today. She is in the middle of a craft/toy-making project. Her creation is a dollhouse for our granddaughter – made out of diaper boxes. I am curious to see the finished product (via photos since she is all the way in Alaska), but knowing our daughter, it is bound to be cute.

I’ll try and lift a few of the pictures and share them with you.

Face in Hole Project

2011-10-18T10:55:00.000-07:00

I’ve been in the process of getting my new photography business off the ground. To promote business locally, I’ve a booth at our Sunday swap meet.

One of the promotional projects I’m working on is a face-in-the-hole board. Not a digital thing, but where a couple of people stand behind a board, and put their faces in the holes, while I take a picture.

Our daughter, the graphic artist, designed the above artwork. I am in the process of transferring the art to the board. That is my current “craft” project.

Since our daughter is up in Alaska, and not able to draw the artwork directly on the board, I had to resort to some computer trickery.

First, she designed the artwork, using the proportions of the final board. After creating the digital image, she sent it to me via email.

I borrowed a friend’s power point projector, and used it to protect the image onto the board. The only way I could get it positioned like I wanted was to save the image as my laptop’s screensaver (after removing the distracting icons from the desktop).

I traced the projected image. As soon as I finish painting the board, I will post the picture.

Rag Quilt

2011-10-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

Our daughter just finished this rag quilt. Isn't it adorable?

She is sooooooooooooo talented! :)

Craft Classics - Released as an eBook!

2011-07-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

It only took almost 30 years to complete, a labor of love that began when our oldest was in pre-school. Originally, I called it Crafts for Kids, but overtime I realized it should be called Craft Classics, as it is a collection of basic, old fashioned, craft staples.

I tried the projects with our son and daughter, and sometimes their friends joined in. I took photos along the way, to show the projects. When I published a community paper for a number of years, serving a small mountain community in California, I included a craft project each month.

I knew I wanted to eventually publish the book. A few years ago I released a small paperback, called Crafts for Kids. But, it didn’t include any photographs, so the book was lifeless. I pulled the book, and decided to look for the photos I took years ago, to include in the book.

I’ve decided not to release it as a paperback, but as an eBook. I felt the printing cost was too high for the consumer, considering the photos are color. I also made the choice to release it in PDF, not in the popular ePub format or the format used for Kindle. Those formats aren’t ideal for this type of book – for a variety of reasons. One is the issues of the photographs.

Re-Opened Etsy Store

2011-07-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

Back in 2008 I opened an Etsy store. Busy with other projects, my online shop languished. I decided to unofficially reopen my shop, and began by adding vintage inventory. The name of my shop rather sums up my creative personality - Crafting by Whimsy. Look for more original creations in the future!

Stop by and have a look!

Artist Trading Cards as Wall Art

2011-06-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine decorated her guest bathroom using her collection of Artists Trading Cards (ATCs). Yesterday she allowed me to photograph the room. I took lots of pictures, many of the individual cards. For all the pictures, visit my SrapbookingComputer website!

Cartoon Balloon People

2011-05-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

Many artists and online shoppers already know about Zazzle. Until recently, I had one Zazzle store, Painted Flowers.

Zazzle made some changes, making it easier to have multiple shops, and manage the stores through one account.

Having separate stores has certain advantages. For example, I am creating a Havasu store, featuring just Havasu merchandise, aimed towards my readers of Havasu Magazine.

Yet, my newest store is Cartoon Balloon People. Maybe my Cartoon Balloon People aren’t a craft project, yet they hold a special place in my heart and provide an outlet for my creative energy.

The new store allows me to showcase the Balloon People in a manner that makes it easier for potential customers to see the different characters.

For those crafty folks out there, perhaps your creations can be a foundation for your own Zazzle store.

Mini-Quilted Baby Blanky

2011-05-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

Our daughter made this clever mini-quilt for our granddaughter. She used fabric from old, outgrown baby clothes and added little ribbon loops around the edge, to give our granddaughter something to play with. The finished blanky is about the size of a handkerchief. Love the idea.

Homemade Tie Fleece Blanket

2011-05-07T07:52:00.000-07:00

When visiting our daughter for our granddaughter’s birthday party, I snapped photos not just of the clever homemade ladybug decorations our daughter designed, but some of the other crafty project she has recently competed.

One of my favorites is the soft and snuggly tie fleece blanket, pictured in the post. This is a popular craft project – I won’t call it a sewing project, as it requires no sewing.

Two pieces of fleece are sandwiched together, and the edges strategically cut into fringes. Those fringes are tied together, which secures the two pieces, with one piece of fabric making up the front of the blanket, and the second making up the back of the blanket.

Clever and comfy.

Ladybug Birthday Cake

2011-05-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth didn't just make cupcakes for the party, she also made a ladybug birthday cake, which she designed herself. She didn't use a special cake mold, she cut the cake to look like a ladybug, and used liquorish for the antennae.

I talked her into adding eyes, using marshmallows. The flowers were pre-made sugar flowers.

Crafty Cupcakes

2011-05-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth used her computer printer to help decorate the birthday cupcakes; keeping in theme with the banner decor. She used a pastry bag to apply the frosting, and purchased sugar flowers and ladybugs, to dress up the cupcakes.

She also make a ladybug cake, which I will show tomorrow!

Creative Homemade Birthday Banner

2011-05-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth put her circle cutter to use making this homemade birthday banner for Addison's party. She used decorative ribbon to tie each cardboard disk together, and her computer's printer to print off the artwork and letters.

She made graduating sizes of circles, which takes a bit more effort than making all the circles the same size. Plus, each disk included a red circle, black circle and printed artwork (on white computer paper). Yet, her extra work was worth the effort - the banner was adorable!

Ladybug Pinata

2011-05-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

It is our granddaughter's first birthday today. We celebrated yesterday with a gala birthday event, the theme being ladybugs.

My artsy daughter went all out on the decorations, creating and designing them herself.(Our daughter is a professional graphic artist). I'll show you some of her inventive decorations, beginning with the ladybug pinata pictured here.

As you can see, it begins as a papier-mache covered balloon. The only problem, the loop for hanging should have been better reinforced, to compensate for the weight of the candy. One way to deal with that in the future is to create a loop by taping rope around the balloon, prior to applying the papier-mache.

In spite of the top loop issues, they were able to hang the pinata, and the kids took turns smashing my daughter's lovely creation.

Vintage Easter Basket Craft

2011-04-21T13:38:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I’ve come across a plastic produce basket, such as the one used in the above craft project. When our kids were little, we’d use the baskets in Easter Craft projects.

By covering the basket with colored tissue paper, using a decoupage technique, and adding a pipe cleaner handle, we made Easter baskets.

Today, the only produce baskets our local grocery stores have come in clear plastic, or cardboard.

Hair Bow Organizer

2011-04-19T22:53:00.000-07:00

I haven't had time to do any craft projects, but my daughter has. Yet, with her hectic schedule, I have no idea how she found the time.

I lifted this image off her Facebook account (hope she doesn't get mad!) but it was so darn cute. She made it for her daughter, who is turning a year old in May.

Isn't it cute??

Red Knit Scarf

2011-03-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

I haven't had the time to do any craft projects, but I have found the time to do a bit of knitting. Knitting isn't messy and it is portable.

I've never cared for the look of a scarf made with knit-pearl, and preferred the look of crochet. But, since I don't do crochet, I'm stuck knitting. After my sister gave me a scarf she knitted, using just knit-knit - I decided to give it a try.

It is easier to do a knit-pearl - IMO - it seems to flow easier from needle to needle. But, I prefer the look of knit-knit.

This is a red scarf I made using larger needles. I told my daughter about the scarfs I've been knitting, and she said she wants a few. She needs more than one, because in June she is moving to Kodiak Alaska for three years. Burrrrrr.....

Compulsive hoarder....or creative crafter?

2011-02-05T00:19:00.000-08:00

There are endless craft ideas for recycled materials. You really don’t need to shop at the craft store for supplies. Just look in your trash bin.

I find all kinds of interesting disposable items. Yet, do I keep them all for a future craft project? No. Many go into the trashcan or recycle bin, as I don’t have as much time as I would like to spend on craft projects.

And frankly, if I was to stockpile the stuff….well…..I keep thinking about that show featuring hoarders. I suspect many of those folks got their start by putting aside items to use in future craft projects. They kept adding to the pile, and rarely found the time to utilize their treasures.

Until…the pile grew…and grew….and then they ended up in a reality television show.

So now, you know the truth. I am afraid to keep too much. Yet sometimes….I am tempted.

Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts

2011-01-27T10:12:00.000-08:00

About a week ago, I finally purchased Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts, a 416 page, full color book on craft projects. I’ve been wanting the book for sometime, and finally got around to making the purchase.

One project I am anxious to try is actually an old project, with a new twist. Something that would be easier to do today, with the current digital photography technology, than it would have been a generation ago.

Remember the old cartoon flip-books? The one where we draw a series of stick pictures, and then bind them in a book – which we can flip with our fingers, creating a miniature animation.

Martha Stewart’s involves a series of photographs, as opposed to drawings. With the photographs, create a miniature flip-book to capture a special moment, such as child blowing out birthday candles or a bride’s dance with her father, during the father-daughter dance.

It would make a fun little gift to give someone, where they could have in their hands (without the need for an electrical gadget) an animated clip of a special moment.

I would imagine the best way to do it would be to take a series of pictures of the event, and then line up the images in a program like Photoshop (in layers) and then print each layer off individually, and then bind the pictures into a book, using glue, staples or tape.

I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Easter Egg Craft

2011-01-07T21:08:00.001-08:00

I know we just had Christmas, but before you know it, Easter will be here. And when the time comes, you will be looking for some Easter craft projects.

My Grandma Hilda made this years ago. It is made from a real egg, that was blown out, carefully cut, and decorated inside and out.

I think there is something charming about a miniature world, inside a delicate egg shell.

Cookie Cutter Christmas Ornament

2011-01-05T20:26:00.000-08:00

My Grandma Hilda gave me her cookie cutters, many many years ago. Grandma has been gone since the late 1970's, but I still have (or had) her cookie cutters.

I've been going through my stuff, wanting to get rid of things I no longer use. I came across the cookie cutters. Modern ones work much better than Grandma's, but I didn't have the heart to toss the vintage cookie cutters. I'm far too sentential.

So I had an idea. I would turn her cookie cutters into Christmas tree ornaments, and give them away to some who loved Grandma, or would have loved her if they had been born when Grandmas was still alive.

Here is a sample of a finished ornament. Others included a heart, bunny, Santa and more. I gave one each to my mom, sister, daughter, son, nephews, cousin and granddaughter.

Knitted Turtleneck Scarf

2011-01-04T21:52:00.001-08:00

It's been years since I've knitted. I decided to do some knitting on our long drive to California for Christmas. I wanted to knit a scarf, yet failed to buy enough yarn. I didn't realize this fact until I finished up the skein. Like I said, it had been a few years since I've knitted.

Since I had no idea if I could match the yarn, I decided to turn it into a knit turtleneck scarf, by knitting the two ends of the short scarf together.

My mom, who was with us in the car, quickly claimed the scarf and put it on to keep her warm. It was pretty cold during our drive.

Actually, it worked great - was very snug and cozy and actually more practical for keeping one warm than a scarf that you wrap around your neck.

Maybe it is a little funny looking...but cozy.