Mark Montano

Hey FABULOUS people! I've moved and I have a new book coming out!

2011-10-08T08:54:23-07:00

Just in case you didn't know, I've moved my blog! Come on over and join me there. Sign up and don't miss any of the FUN. Here's the link:

http://markmontanoblogs.blogspot.com/

THE BIG ASS BOOK OF CRAFTS 2

is here and I don't want you to miss any of the fun!

Come on over and join me!

Come join me on Blogger! I've moved.......

2011-07-21T09:30:28-07:00

http://markmontanoblogs.blogspot.com/

Well, Typepad just didn't do it for me. It gave me way too many problems and if you know me at all, you know I'm not a techy person at all! So here I am in a much easier format with all the bells and whistles. Come on over, it's just as fun, I promise!

Come join me in my new blog home.........

2011-07-19T10:55:11-07:00

There's a new blog in town and it's at the link below. I've moved and I'd love for you to join up over there!

http://markmontanoblogs.blogspot.com/

I have a new "Photo of the day" up and it's terrific!

I'M MOVING! And I hope you'll join me in my new home..........

2011-07-18T11:22:26-07:00

Moving is exciting if you actually like where you're going and I'm certain I will.

Please join me on blogger!

http://markmontanoblogs.blogspot.com/

Hope to see you there!

INSPIRATION - HODGEPODGE (A confused mixture)

2011-07-12T05:00:00-07:00

I'm not sure where I was going when scanning these wonderful photos, but inspiration doesn't always have to make sense. Enjoy!

Amazing mix of colors and patterns in this room. I like the rag rug and the quilt used for a headboard. Mostly, I like the oddness of the room, the position of the bed and the light. When I look at this room I want to make tons of soft cotton pillows for my bed, jump in the middle of them and nap.

This grouping is so elegant and light. I particularly love the rope mirror which would be such a fun (and easy) project to make. There are so many inexpensive mirrors out there now all it would take was a quick trip to the hardware store for some rope.

I wrapped two waste baskets and a table round from Home Depot to make this table and it took less than 30 dollars. The project is in THE BIG ASS BOOK OF HOME DECOR VOL. 1

This mirror floats my boat! It would be fun to recreate this with mannequin hands. It seems like something Tony Duquette would make.

Wonderful Gothic. This room is so layered and special that I could spend all day in there looking around. I really enjoy the pinks, burgundy, and gold mixed together. It's so RICH.

I think my standing wood candelabra would look wonderful in this room. It's made with two ornate shelf brackets on top and 4 basic shelf brackets on bottom. Stained dark brown it would fit right in! Directions in THE BIG ASS BOOK OF CRAFTS VOL. 1

I'm not really sure why I love this violin so much, but I do. Plaid is back in such a big way and this makes me want to cover everything in different colors of plaid. Even make some plaid pillows. If you're afraid of too much, try covering some small lampshades and see how you feel. If you can roll a lampshade on some fabric and trace it at the same time, you've got a pattern. Hit it with some spray adhesive and you're half way there!

This room is amazing and awkward all at the same time. They've chosen to leave the window undressed which is a great idea because the room needs the light. The dark rug anchors the room and I like how the chairs are two different colors. I've said it before and I'll say it again.....Not everything has to match perfectly.

For tons of decorating ideas (and ideas that just make your life more fun) check out these books at all fine book retailers.

AMAZING ETSY, YELP! CRAFT NIGHT AT CAFAM

2011-07-08T08:07:00-07:00

Last night was crafting as it should be! 170 people hanging out, drinking beer, eating snacks and enjoying a beautiful summer night in Los Angeles. Thanks to Yelp! Etsy, CAFAM, Fiskars and Wildcat Wholesale, this event was a major success. MAJOR! I haven't had this much fun in ages (except for that time I was camping and a very interested moose got her head stuck in my tent. Long story, more on that later.....)

Thanks to FISKARS (the awesome Scissor/crafting company) we had rubber stamps and stamp pads. Enough for everyone! Go check out their goods, you'll love them.

This is one of our munchkins! She was very proud of her 3-D greeting card box. BTW, all of the boxes were donated by Wildcat Wholesale which has amazing product, go check them out.....I mean it!

It was a sea of crafters with a back room that had to be set up for the overflow.

Super fun couples came together and enjoyed the night. They said it was the perfect date night.

Part of the very busy munchkin crowd.

My good friends Mark and Donna Marie who came to enjoy the night but ended up helping out.

Me and the director of CAFAM. A truly wonderful museum.

Two of the beautiful boxes from last night.

Pulp Fiction Perfect Paper Projects now available at CAFAM (and all fine booksellers)

ETSY, YELP! and CAFAM Craft Night with Yours Truly.

2011-07-06T05:00:00-07:00

Here is what we're making on Thursday night, July 7th, at our Etsy, Yelp!, CAFAM Craft Night. Join us if you can. We'd love to see you there. Just in case you can't make it to LA, here are the instructions and you can make your own.

YOU'LL NEED:

1 Empty card box with clear top

WILDCAT WHOLESALE supplied us with boxes. An AMAZING resource BTW

Ribbon or elastic band to hold it together

3 twigs the length of the box

Elmer's glue

Hot glue

Scissors

Rubber stamps of butterflies *FISKARS SUPPLIED US WITH EVERYTHING!

Book pages

Small piece of paper for your greeting

STEP 1. Glue your book page to the inside of the card box. Paint on the glue with the brush for an even look and add a few drops of water to the glue so it spreads easily.

STEP 2. Stamp the book page with a butterfly or dragonfly.

STEP 3. Using the hot glue gun, glue in the twigs.

STEP 4. Cut out the butterflies and bend them in the center so they have dimension.

STEP 5. Distress the edges of your greeting paper on both sides on the stamp pad.

STEP 6. Stamp or write your greeting.

STEP 7. Curl the edges of your greeting sheet and then glue in your greeting and butterflies.

STEP 8. Cut leaves with more book pages and sprinkle them inside of your box.

STEP 9. Seal your box, rub it on your head to create static, and close with the metallic elastic band.

This project and 25 more from PULP FICTION: PERFECT PAPER PROJECTS

BIG THANKS to Fiskars and Wildcat Wholesale for their generous donations to this wonderful event!

INSPIRATION - Theater!

2011-06-29T05:00:00-07:00

Tons of black frames make up this entire wall. Now if you hit the right 99c store and got say 20 of them and then went to a copy machine with a cool book, you could have this look for 25 dollars! Dip the copies in tea or coffee and they would look perfectly antique (and you would be a decor hero).

Learn how to properly do this in THE BIG ASS BOOK OF CRAFTS VOL. 1

I know, dark walls! I think they're perfect for a bedroom and for small rooms. Use tons of mirrors and you've got DRAMA! Mix it with light furniture and see what happens.

This is the home of antique dealer Florence Lopez. She lives in France and her apartment is wonderful. I dig the mix of patterns here, the use of a Calder-esque rug and the eclectic mix of furniture pieces. Not everything HAS to match! If you're into hooking rugs, you could make something like this and it would be an heirloom in no time.

A red accent wall and a chalk board above a day bed. Genius! Perfect for jotting down big ideas.

Love the low shelves, too. Do they always have to be so high? I think low shelves make a ceiling of average height look higher.

Here is another view of this wonderful room. I like the mix of colors on the wall especially the powder blue. The mix of objects and the big statement chair in houndstooth make it look like a museum. Lots of these pieces could be obtained from IKEA and used in a different way than intended. Never underestimate the power of a good upholsterer, too. Take those furniture finds to someone good and you'll have a one of a kind for sure.

Tons of decor ideas in THE BIG ASS BOOK OF HOME DECOR!

Get Felt Up!

2011-06-27T05:00:00-07:00

Since I can remember there are two things I have really enjoyed. One is playing with the zig zag stitch on my first sewing machine and two is cutting shapes out of felt. It only seemed obvious that I should marry the two for these pillows which are inspired by a Mexican blanket. You can cut ANY shape in felt and with a few pins and some patience, you can apply your designs and create everything from beautiful pillows to wonderful bed-covers.

YOU'LL NEED:

Felt in the colors you like (I say buy it by the yard instead of in squares, much less expensive and better quality)

Sewing machine with zig zag capability

White cotton twill

Stuffing for your pillows

Contrasting threads (creates more interest)

HERE'S HOW:

Step 1: Cut out two squares for your pillows. These were cut 20"x20"

Step 2: Figure out your design and cut your shapes in felt

Step 3: Pin your designs on your cotton squares. Use plenty of pins!

Step 4: In a contrasting thread zig zag your design on to the white fabric.

Step 5: When you're done with your design, sew the wrong sides of the squares together leaving a 5" hole so that you can turn your pillow right side out and fill with stuffing.

Step 6: Close the hole with a needle and thread.

If you're creating a blanket or table cloth and want to add some jazz, consider cutting fringe out of your felt and zig zag stitching it around the edges.

Find this project and 150 more in The Big Ass Book of Crafts Volume 1

Keep your eye out for THE BIG ASS BOOK OF CRAFTS VOLUME 2 in October 2011!

I'm pressed to remember summer! Flower and Leaf Press

2011-06-24T05:00:00-07:00

It was time to make one of these for my mom since she has an amazing garden and is always pressing flowers in books. I thought a lot about whether to use blotter paper or newspaper and I think that to make this project more cost effective (it’s already inexpensive to make) using regular newspaper just makes more sense. It works just as well. This is 8 1/2 by 11 inches so that it’s easy to find paper that fits into it.

YOU’LL NEED:

One belt with a slide buckle or belt with D rings so that it’s easy to tighten. You probably have one in your closet that you don’t wear anymore. Also, try the Goodwill for a belt, they have tons.

2 pieces of 1/2 inch thick ply wood cut to 8 1/2 by 11 inches

Sandpaper

Jigsaw

Drill with 1/4 inch bit

Newspaper cut to 8 1/2 by 11 inches

Cardboard pieces that are 8 1/2 by 11 inches

White printer paper 8 1/2 by 11 inches (standard size)

Flowers and leaves that you want to dry and press

HERE’S HOW:

*Cut out your plywood pieces to 8 1/2 by 11 inches and sand them.

*On one of the pieces of plywood, you will drill about 20 holes all the way through. This will allow moisture in the leaves and flowers to escape more easily.

*Cut out 6-8 corrugated cardboard pieces 8 1/2 by 11 inches.

*Cut 12-16 sheets of newspaper to 8 1/2 by 11 inches

*Gather the leaves and flowers you want to press. Work fast because the sooner you get them drying the more color they retain.

*Start to layer your papers. Wood, cardboard, newspaper, plain white paper, flower, plain white paper, blotting paper, cardboard, then repeat your layers etc.

*Place the other piece of wood on top and tighten the belt around all of the layers.

HINT: Your color retention will be better if you put the flowers between sheets of paper and then change just the newspaper at least every couple of days. The flowers will turn brown if they don't dry quickly enough.

This project and 150 more in THE BIG ASS BOOK OF CRAFTS.

Look for THE BIG ASS BOOK OF CRAFTS VOL. 2 in October.....Even S"ASS"IER!