Creation Crafts

Let your cards been seen, even in the mail.

alteredartantics — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:49:32 +0000

I forget where I saw this idea, but I really liked it and just recently started making my own. The idea was to make cards to fit in those cd envelopes with the clear, round window on them. Create and fun, beautiful centerpiece and mail it so it shows through the window of the envelope. That way, more than just the person you are sending it to can enjoy the beauty, or perhaps quirkiness, of one of your handmade creations. I’m looking for ways right now to decorate the envelopes so they are not so obviously plain. I remember when a magazine, I think it was a gaming magazine, had a contest that had to do with decorating the envelope with gaming art that you mailed correspondence in. Everything but the little squares with the two and from address were completely graphically designed, with markers, paint, collage, colored pencil, etc. I distinctly remember how cool I thought that idea was, which is why I think this idea appeals to me also. Do you think it would be harder for these decorated cards, letters and envelopes to get lost in the mail, being vibrantly colored and designed?

You can get these cd/dvd envelopes from various office supply stores and numerous stores online carry them for just pennies each. Just go to google and check out cd/dvd window envelopes. Since they tend to sell them in rather large quantities, think about going in with one or more people and splitting them up, or just keep them tucked away for your future stash.

Guess, that is about all for now, gotta go get a shower. I’ve been working on making a “cafe” canopy today out of PVC pipes, and it has proved to be a rather interesting undertaking. Given that I’m making the pattern up as I go.

Thanks for reading.

Pretty Ribbon Bookmarks

alteredartantics — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:31:54 +0000

Need a quick little project to work on, that is also cheap, yet makes a great gift? It is also a fabulous way to use up some of your scraps. They are bookmarks made out of ribbons. My grandmother made me a couple of these when I was in college and I really loved them. You get a few different widths of ribbon, the base being around 1.5″ wide. Then you take the thinner ribbons and sew them down the middle, layering them or doing decorative stitches down them. Each bookmark is about 8″ – 12″ long and is hemmed at the top and sewn in a folded point at the bottom. There are so many combinations of decorative ribbon, stitches, and thread, the creative possibilities are endless! Just remember, they need to remain relatively flat, so they don’t overly distort the book they are marking.

They work great for a little something to stuff into a Birthday or Thinking of You card. If you gift a book to someone, it is a great little extra item to add a personal touch. I love books, so it seems like I can never get enough bookmarks. Don’t forget, book lovers are not the only ones who can use a good bookmark or tow, if you know anyone in a bible study, you definitely can use a number of good bookmarks. I think I shall make some of these myself and have them on hand for gifting.

Have you heard of Amigurumi?

alteredartantics — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 19:46:52 +0000

If you have heard of Amigurumi, congratulations! You’ve discovered an exciting little craft niche, that is a lot of fun to create in. If not, I’m more than happy to help you out! Amigurumi is a Japanese word that means, “knitted, stuffed, toy.” I’ve seen animals, creature and inanimate objects (such as mushrooms, cupcakes, fruit, vegetables) become adorable little playthings. Full of facial expressions and personalities. While crochet is the most popular and most frequently seen method for making Amigurumi’s, I have seen people knit and sew these little darlings also.

It can be a great project for someone just starting out, learning new stitches, or trying out a new type of yarn, since the projects are usually small and any little mistake could just enhance the personality of your critter, rather than ruining the whole project. They are also a lot of fun, given how much creative license you can take with their creation. Children and adults alike love these little creations. Simply going to google.com and doing an image search under the term amigurumi will bring you tons of results to get inspired by.

They can be used as little collectables, decorations, party favors, gift tag buddies, keychains, the possibilities are probably endless. There are a number of great books out there all about Amigurumi, that include history, techniques, patterns, tips and techniques. Simply go to Amazon.com and type in Amigurumi in the search box and you can find a book that is right for you! Don’t forget to look at your local library as well. I always do that as my first step before purchasing any craft book. That way, you can get a great preview of a book without spending any money. Goodness knows, while I am totally in love with books in general, but especially craft books, I’d rather spend my money on the actual crafting supplies!

I just can’t describe how cute all these little Amigurumi’s can be, so if you haven’t checked them out already, you should do so soon. I know I can spend hours just looking online at all the Amigurumi creations that abound on the internet. Why not add some of your own?

The Art of Quilting

alteredartantics — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:54:35 +0000

I have just recently gotten into quilting, and I really enjoy it! I started as a way to improve my skills with my sewing machine. Just so you know, I machine quilt, I don’t think I’d have the patience to do any sewing by hand, other than attaching embellishments and such. I’ve concentrated on lap quilts, due to their limited size, I feel like it is less overwhelming for a beginner. However, what I am really interested in is producing art quilts. I really have the heart of an artist. I love anything that can be used to create art, from fabrics, to paper, pens, beads, you name it!

I looked at a lot of magazines for ideas and instructions on dealing with fabrics and making quilts. One really stood out because it is more about fabric art than just quilting alone. It is Quilting Arts Magazine. I subscribe to their digital subscription of Quilting Arts (www.quiltingarts.com) which is great because I have enough magazines and books lying around my tiny space as it is. My craft space is so tiny at home, that I have to be very selective with what goes down there. The other bonus to the digital subscription that I really like is that when there is an online link either for an advertiser or for the subject of an article, you can simply click on it and go straight to it, which saves a lot of time and is so convenient! They also have an email newsletter that comes out once to twice a week that is called Quilting Arts Embellishments where they give you little projects or tips and share interesting websites with you. One such website that they just shared was www.saqa.com (Studio Art Quilt Associates). They are all about promoting the art quilt, so needless to say, they have a lot of interesting information and photos at that site. They also have another magazine that I am going to subscribe to in the near future called Cloth, Paper, Scissors that contains all kinds of crafts and is great for anyone who likes a lot of different crafts and is in to things such as altered art (alteredartantics.wordpress.com), which I also love.

I am really looking forward to starting my first art quilt. However, I need to decide what my subject matter is going to be (that’s the hard part). I’ve been collecting some fabrics that I like from sales at the store, the scrap exchange (in durham) and thrift stores. I also don’t mind cutting up old clothes for material if need be. I think another reason why I’m drawn to art quilts is not only how rich in color and texture they are but the fact that they are a great way to use scraps and embellishments and knick knacks. Since I am the type of person who has trouble throwing anything away… because I might be able to use it in something, this is a helpful way to get rid of all sorts of items I have stashed around.

I’ll be trying to add any helpful features and tips that I come across in my learning quest to this site, so others can learn along with me.

Thanks for reading!

Susan P.

Learning and getting inspiration for a Craft

alteredartantics — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:32:13 +0000

If you want to learn a new craft or haven’t taken up a specific disipline for a while, you may need some instructions or a refresher on how to begin. A great, no cost source for this is your local library.

I hadn’t crocheted since I was in the 6th grade, so I remembered the basics but couldn’t remember how to read a pattern or the specifics on particular stitches. So I went to the library and found a variety of books that had instructions as well as beginner to advanced projects to try out.

They have more than just the average crochet and knitting. They carry books about altered arts, scrapbooking, quilting, art quilts, pottery, jewelry making, beading, sock dolls, one of my favorites: Trash to Treasure, and loads of other great stuff you may have never thought about trying.

Check out a book and bring it along to our craft group, between the books and the other crafters, you are bound to get a great start on just about any craft that you choose!

Welcome to Creation Crafts!

alteredartantics — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 02:51:27 +0000

Creation Crafts is a new craft group that I started to bring together people who like to make things by hand, from the hobbiest to aspiring artists. We meet twice a month from 10 am – 2 pm, on the Second Friday and Last Saturday. We meet in the fellowship hall of North Cary Baptist Church, located at the corner of Reedy Creek and Chapel Hill Road. (Visit our website at www.northcarybaptist.org and look for the Creation Crafts link on the left hand side of the page.) The group is open to anyone who would like to come and make new friends and work on a project of their choosing, while chatting and snacking. (What’s better than that?)

So far we’ve had people sewing, crocheting, knitting, scrapbooking, cardmaking, and jewelry making. At some point I’ll get back to working on some of my altered art projects that have been tumbling around in my head. There is plenty of room to bring sewing machines or cricut machines or whatever you have that needs plugging in. Just bring a project that you are working on and a small snack to share, such as cheese and crackers, chips, salsa, dips, sweets, pretzels, hummus, veggies, fruit, the list goes on.

I will be using the blog to help keep people inspired with project ideas and techniques, and update interested people on some special events or outings that may be planned in the future, depending on interest. Something such as a trip to the Scrap Exchange in Durham for supplies and inspiration, Art Openings and Museums, Craft and Flea Market Shows, etc.

Anyway, I hope you will come back to visit the blog and I really hope you will come join us for craft days. It is a great way to meet new friends, learn new techniques and crafts and get ideas and inspiration for your next project.

Your Creation Crafts Creator,

Susan P.