Craftier Volume 1: Issue 2
Craftier than your Third Grade Teacher Handmade Back to School Shopping Guide!
Get Your School On! Loads of Crafty Tutorials
Interviews Galore
Get to know fellow crafters
Craftier
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Table of Contents
ad space/photos
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Craftier Table of Contents
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5 Editors’ Letter 7 Craftier Than Your Third Grade Teacher Handmade back to school finds 13 Tutorials Back to school projects and Halloween Crafts 20 Craftier Ambassador: Kelly from Boxing Day 22 Craftier Spotlight Eve at the Needle Exchange Sew Liberated 26 Giving Back Find out how one organization is giving back through crafting 28 Getting to know the Crafters Find out more about some of the crafters in this issue 32 Back Page Fun
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Editors’ Letter
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chool’s not exactly everyone’s favorite subject. But it’d be hard to deny that everyone needs it. Yes, probably even the classes you’re pretty sure you may never need again. Like, history, physics, or even astronomy. You’d be surprised at what life throws at you. Everything counts later on and it doesn’t hurt to pack on a little more knowledge. We’re so excited to launch the September/October issue of Craftier--our very first complete volume packed with interviews, product features, tutorials and some fun to help give an awesome
kick off to a new school year. Whether you’re going back to school this semester or not, there’s something for everyone here. So here’s to the future, education, and pure craftiness. As always be craftier.
Meredith J. and Jane R. Editors in Chief
Image courtousy of hackedgadgets.com
We’re sure that if all school buses were like this jet powered one, everyone would be up and early to hitch a ride with the bus driver.
craftier September/October Issue: Craftier Than Your Third Grade Teacher
Editor in Chief Meredith J. Editor in Chief Jane R. Layout Design Sergio J. Contributing Writer Kelly B. Art Direction Sergio J. and Jane R. Photography Sergio J. Special Thanks to All Crafters that have allowed their work to be featured in this issue.
Looking for affordable and effective advertising? Craftier is devoted to helping you bring your small handmade business to the next level by catering to all budgets. You get magazine style ads and prices that compete with blog advertising! So what are you waiting for? Check out acrafiterworld.com/advertising to see prices and learn more.
make it a holly-jolly holiday with more business!
Craftier than your Third Grade Teacher
Product Features
Pack Accordingly Be prepared for the new School semester with fun handmade items. Back to school never looked so crafty!
The Book Bag for Kids by Moop, $86
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Holds Everything
Whether you’re a guy or a gal, no one can deny the power of a simple case to hold it all together.
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2 A little pouch goes a long way...
1. Tree Bark Pencil Case by World Vision Shop, $5.99 2. Robots Love Pencils by Rohmer, $16 3. Black Damask Zipper Pouch by LouLouBell, $18 4. Persida Lapsac by Nanda Home, $58
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1. Octopus Cork Board, Uncorked $15 2. A Dozen Donuts Magnets, MoleBabyButtons $16 3. Vintage Wallpaper Journal, heatherlea $10 4. Moleskin Journal with Birds on Wire, Paper Cupcake $6.50 5. Pink and Pistachio Pocket Mirror, The Charm Lady $6
It’s in t
Items to stuff into your bag, locke of some prac
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6. Sea Tweed Portafoglio, Cipolla $25 7. Whale Watching Vinyl Wallet with Pocket, Dear Sukie $22 8. K Letter Lovers Notebook, Peep Paper $12 9. Try Screaming, Wear My Colors $120 10. Scented Highlighters, $14.50 11. Snow White Necklace, Dancing Mooney $14
the Bag
er, or anywhere else that is in need ctical style.
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Music to My Ears 2
3 1 design it yourself It’s hard to stand out in a sea of iPods, laptops, and cellphones. How do you fix it? Head over to a website like SkinIt.com to customize your very own skin for everything from your bluetooth headsets to calculators and everything in between. We desinged our own skin for a 3rd Generation iPod Nano for only $20! For more information, visit skinit. com
Just what your ear buds were waiting for. Fun and functional music inspired products.
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1. CD Stickers, $7.50 2. Mix Tape USB Stick, $19.95 3. Mix Tape USB Stick, $19.95 x 4. Mix Tape Magnet by Vortex Trading Company, $8
Tutorials
It was nice getting to know you this year. K riste -Tom a e
n v a h B ! u r . o e y m m e u p s o t H grea Stay cool! BFF!
You’re the cool- Hav e a est person I know. sum great m Thanks for -Ju er! d y I t everything! was fun si tting in Ch n ext to e m istry Love, you t h i s year XO S ! t a c y Minnie
Back to School Projects The Summer’s over and it’s time to get back to school. Might as well, make it fun!
Written and Photographed by Kelly B.
Recycled Notebook with Child’s Drawing This is a great project to help your child mentally prepare for going back to school. It creates some fun when the end of summer is drawing near! Ingredients:
Busyness Cards Business cards are to be serious and get business. Busyness cards are fun and recycled and I get business with them which makes busy-ness for me!
Paper for Child to Create Masterpieces (8.5 x 11) Access to a Lamination Machine (Kinko’s or OfficeMax has this service.) Notebook Paper 3 Binder Rings (Purchase at OfficeMax or Office Depot) Hole Punch
Making busyness cards is simple.
Recipe:
Ingredients: Old Tags Recycled Paper My Sticker Maker
1. Have your child create two drawings centered on the fun things that happen at school.
Recipe: 1. Using the computer - lay out your information for the cards.
2. Once the drawings are complete, have the pages laminated with a bright color paper on the other side of the drawing. Ask the person who laminated the pages to trim the drawings with a ¼ inch space left around the drawing. 3. If you do not have a hole punch, make sure the folks who do the lamination, punches the holes for you as well. 4. Assemble the notebook by placing opening the binder rings, placing the front drawing in first, then the notebook paper, and finally the back page. Adjustments:
2. Print this page. Trim the squares to one that your sticker maker can handle. Run the squares through the sticker maker and then place on tags.
If you wish to add pockets or dividers in the notebook, those can be purchased at OfficeMax or Office Depot as well!
Adjustments:
A great thing about the laminated pages is a child can use a dry erase marker to record his or her homework assignments inside the front page!
This project can also be done with old business cards if you don’t have tags. I also have used address labels in the days before I had a sticker maker.
If you don’t have access to a lamination machine, replace the front and back covers with cereal boxes cut down to size!
Simple Sewn Recycled Pencil Case This is a fun way to reuse some cast off clothing! This can be done by a child or with the help of an adult. It can be sewn by hand or on a machine.
Sticker Wrapped Pencils
Ingredients: Cast off clothing (Pants work the best: jeans, cords, khakis, or dress pants.) Thread Sturdy Needle Zipper (Make sure it is longer than your pencils - an 8 inch zipper works!) Optional – use felt, patches, permanent markers, or what ever you choose to decorate! Recipe: 1. Cut the material in an 8.5x8.5 inch square. If you are creating any decoration that involves sewing, you should sew those on first before creating the case. 2. When your decorating is finished, fold the fabric in half and inside out. This is the inside of the pouch. Now sew the zipper to the sides where you want the case to close. Make certain this is sewed securely! 3. After the zipper is sewed on securely, open it half way. (This is so you will be able to turn it right side out after you are finished sewing!) 4. With the case still inside out, sew the two sides closed. Like the zipper, make sure you sew this very firmly. Pencil cases are known to get a lot of wear and tear! 5. Once you have competed the sewing, turn the case right side out! If decorating with permanent markers, do so now! Head to school with last year’s pants as your new pencil case!
This project is exciting for everyone to do! There’s nothing like having a favorite pencil to comfort you during a hard math or spelling test. This project will create a pencil that no one will have but you! Ingredients: Number 2 pencils (As many as you want to decorate!) Address labels Recipe: 1. If you are using address labels, decorate them. You can use markers or pen or even the computer to create them! 2. When you are finished creating your stickers, use scissors to cut them into a size that will go around the pencil. Remember that the area (or circumference) of the pencil is really small so the sticker you are creating doesn’t have to be very big! (You might want to try a test sticker.) 3. Once you have your labels decorated and cut out, carefully wrap them around the pencil and press firmly into place. If you have a favorite sticker, wrap it at the top, that way it will last longer as you sharpen! 4. When you are done, you have a fun pencil decorated with your favorite drawings! Adjustments: You can use your favorite small stickers to do this or even stickers made with your sticker maker.
y k o o p S s t f a r C
Fun Halloween Crafts for the Whole Family by Kelly B.
Halloween Egg Carton Creatures:
Ghosts, Pumpkins, Witches, and Spiders Oh My!
This is a fun way to upcycle egg cartons! Ingredients: Empty egg carton, paper works best Scissors Black, orange, white, and green paints Black marker Glue Black and green pipe cleaners White tissues or white tissue paper Thread Crazy moving eyes Push pin Optional – glitter, stickers, whatever you want to use to decorate! Recipe: Cut out the cups of the egg carton. We’re going to make four ghosts, two pumpkins, two witches, and two spiders! So paint four cups white inside and out, paint four cups orange inside and out, paint two cups green inside and out and paint two cups black inside and out. Phew! Ghosts: When white cups are dry, poke two
holes in top with push pin, drape the tissue or tissue paper over the head of the cup and then poke holes in tissue. Pull thread through both sets of holes and create loop to hang by. Draw two eyes and a mouth on face with marker! Pumpkins: When orange cups are dry, poke two holes in top of two cups. Draw a green pipe cleaner through each hole so that the ends are inside the cup and the loop becomes a stem. Take one cup with stem and one cup without and glue at edges to create a pumpkin shape. When dry, add eyes or create a face with the black marker! Witches: When green cups are dry, poke two holes in the top and draw thread through, then create a witchy face using the marker and crazy eyes. Make a witch-shaped hat using black pipe cleaners and set or glue on her head. Embellish her and make her witchy and mean! Spiders: When black cups are dry, use push pin to poke four holes on both sides along the bottom edge of the cup. Poke holes in top if you want to put thread through to hang. Cut black pipe cleaners into four 6-inch pieces and thread through one hole and then out the hole on the other side of the body. Once all the legs are created, bend them to create knees and feet. Add eyes and other stickers or glitter to make it as fun or as scary as you want! What other Halloween creatures can you make with the egg cartons?
Recycled Glass Pumpkin Lantern
Pebble Pumpkins I am always picking up rocks as I walk around. This is a fun thing to do for interesting decorations for your table or window sill! Ingredients: Stones – I like smooth ones but just about all will work Orange acrylic paint Paintbrush Black permanent marker Twigs Heavy-duty craft glue that will adhere to different surfaces Optional: green paint if you want to paint the stems!
Recipe: 1. Wash stones and allow to dry completely. 2. Paint stones orange. Use as many coats as you like. If you want more rustic or nature looking pumpkins, use one coat. Paint the twigs green if you want to as well! 3. When the paint has dried, add faces with the black marker if you wish, or leave plain. Glue stem on top with a tiny bit of glue so that it doesn’t show. 4. I’m sure that there are other great Halloween creatures that could be created out of stones too… just don’t use any for those tricks that you pull!
I love to reuse my spaghetti sauce jars to create these beautiful pumpkin lights for All Hallow’s Eve! You can use different size jars to make a spooktacular display! Ingredients: Glass jar Orange tissue paper Black construction paper Green acrylic paint Decoupage glue Paint brush Scissors
Optional – other things to decorate, a hammer and nail to punch holes in the lid if you want to use the lid but light the candle inside.
Recipe: Tear orange tissue paper and place glue in an easy to use container. You will be applying the tissue and glue with one hand and the other will be inside the jar. If your hand is small enough, insert your nondominant hand inside the jar and then use the other hand to coat the jar with decoupage glue. Lay the strips of orange paper over the jar. Glue and place the paper until the entire surface is covered. Go over the entire surface of the jar with one more thin layer of glue. Allow to dry for a few hours. In the mean time, create your face with the black paper. When the orange layer is completely dry, glue the black paper on and decorate as you wish. If you want, you can either paint the lip of the jar green for the stem or punch holes in the jar lid and paint that green. Either works fine! When the jack o’lantern is completely dry (give it 24 hours after the last coat of glue) place a candle inside and light or place electric lights inside and plug in! Either one gives the pumpkin a lovely glow!
Paper Pumpkin Boxes
These are a quick way to create small boxes to give candy to classmates, co-workers or friends. They are fun because you can add your own creative jack o’lantern faces! Ingredients: Computer Orange or white paper Crayons, markers, color pencils, your choice! Scissors Pin Optional – candy to fill boxes when finished! Recipe: 1. Print box pattern on orange or white paper. 2. Create a jack o’lantern face using your black marker, pen or crayon. 3. Cut the box out along the lines. To cut the slits, I poke a hole in the slit with a pin and then use my scissor to finish the job. 4. Once you have the box cut out, fold along the dotted lines, take the slits over the handles and you’re done! Fill with candy and make people smell your feet before you give them that tricky treat!
Download the PDF version of this template at acraftierworld.com, print it out on orange paper, cut, score, and assemble!
y p p Ha ! n e e w o l l a H
Craftier Ambassador
Boxing Champ: Kelly Basinger Photographs Supplied by Kelly B.
K
elly is the wonderful, and inspirational writer behind the tutorials in this issue. She is spreading her craftiness one person at a time through her store, Boxing Day, and because of all that she’s done in the name of creativity (she used to also teach art classes!), we’ve named her Craftier Ambassador of the issue. And it didn’t hurt that she’s a very sweet person! by Jane R.
Name: Kelly Basinger Store: Boxing Day - (The Art of Recycling. Saving the world, one art project at a time.) Website: www.boxingday.etsy.com Age: 35.7 years (My birthday falls on the Boxing Day holiday, hence my store name.) Day Job: My day job is working on my Etsy shop and working with doctors to find out if I have MS. I’ve been working towards a diagnosis for a year and I look forward to the day I can start treatment! Favorite Crafty Hangout: My favorite crafty place is Etsy. If I were on a desert island and I could only have access to one website, I would pick Etsy. There is so much beauty and inspiration from the community of artists there. And it truly is a community. I have met people that I will call friends for the rest of my life. I get inspiration from... every single thing around me. The blue of the sky, an emotion I feel from a commercial, the items I am given to recycle into projects, my cat’s yawn, my husband’s smile. The older I get, the more I can find inspiration in any tiny little piece of the world. When I’m not crafting I’m... cooking! I like to cook a lot of interesting dishes. My husband doesn’t eat meat so I enjoy the challenge of creating dishes from his childhood using soy products. And if I’m not cooking, I’m walking. I love to get out and see the neighborhood and burn the calories from the meal I just ate! In five years, I hope to see myself... still crafting full-time and with a little one biting on my knees as I work at the kitchen table. Here’s my advice to any crafters... always have the courage to be happy. Sometimes it takes baby steps to get to that happiness, but don’t be afraid to take them! There is plenty of room in the world for handmade goods. Keep working and you will find your niche. Think you can be our next Craftier Ambassador? Send over an email to jane@acraftierworld.com with reasons (including how you make a difference in the crafting community) why you’re right for one of our future issues. Craftier Ambassadors win a Crafiter Prize Package including a free advertising spot in one of our issues.
Eve at the Needle Exchange by Meredith J.
Photographs Supplied by Eve
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first found Eve’s knitting blog, Needle Exchange, when I was looking for crafting progress bars that I could use on my own website. Lucky me, I stumbled upon Eve’s plug-in (which works great, by the way) and added her blog to my feed reader. Eve is a grad student at the University of Toronto who knits really beautiful things. In this interview I asked Eve about how she finds time for crafting with the stresses of grad school. What is your preferred craft (or crafts)? I knit, which is comical considering the subject of this interview (fitting it all in) and the fact that it's one of the most time-consuming crafts out there. I've got a sewing machine, but I haven't used it much since I bought it. If I have to sew, I do it by hand. When and how did you learn this craft? In my first year of undergrad, there was a charity drive to knit squares for blankets for the homeless. A friend in my dorm taught me the knit stitch, and I went to the Internet for the rest. Our whole dorm got into it and I have to
admit I got a little competitive, trying to knit more squares than everyone else. That was my first bit of practice, and then I went on to some scarves and then mittens, and by that time I'd been bitten by the bug. I still remember watching "24" in our common room and knitting a scarf in my university's colours. (Go Queen's! Cha Gheill!) What is your favorite thing about crafting? It's a great combination of thinking and doing. I get to plan things at the beginning and do lots of math (I love math) to make sure everything will fit right, and then when it comes to the knitting
I just have to put one stitch in front of another until I'm done. I think there are lots of computer geeks who love knitting because it's like a programming language. You put in the instructions, and even if it's just * k1p1 rep from *, that tiny little instruction gives you a nice stretchy scarf. But just like with a computer program, there are little unexpected things that can happen as well. When you turn a few dots and lines on a chart into knits and purls, the interaction of the stitches can give you a completely strange topography that looks totally unlike what's on the page. It's incredible!
How do you get crafting inspiration? I’m not much of a designer; if I try wearing anything but jeans and a t-shirt it’s a debacle, so I’d never wish my fashion sense on any other crafter. If I’m making something up, though, it’s usually drawn from computer and/or cognitive science. I’ve knit a scarf using cellular automata [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Rule_30] and I’ve played around with patterns based on Lindenmeyer Systems. Computer science is an unending source of inspiration. Of course, I’m also an obsessive blog reader. Most of my inspiration comes from seeing all the beautiful stuff everyone else is doing. Obviously, being a grad student has to take up a lot of your time. How do you make time for crafting? I do most of it on the subway. When I have to work at the lab, it's an hour-long (sometimes two-hour-long) trip to and fro that I pass by reading or knitting and listening to science podcasts [http://www. cbc.ca/quirks/podcast.html]. This year I've been practising knitting with my eyes closed, so now I can knit and talk to
people or watch a movie at the same time. I also switched from English style to Continental, so my knitting has gotten faster. I get uncomfortable if I'm not doing something productive every minute of the day, so knitting is great for when I want to be productive but also relax a bit. It's all about tweaking every piece of your life to be as efficient as possible, so you have an extra hour or so every day to sit around and watch dogs trying to bite a stream of water on YouTube [http://www.guzzlingcakes.com/2008/08/17/ dogs-vs-the-garden-hose/]. What would be your advice to others who feel they don't have time to participate in crafting? Look at where you spend the most time every day, and ask yourself if it's worth it or if it can be streamlined or delegated. I used to spend lots of time doing random things myself to save a little money, but your time is never worth that extra 5 bucks you'd save. Nowadays, I feel much more comfortable spending a little more money to save myself 8 hours of labour. I also feel no guilt whatsoever telling a lab volunteer to transcribe an hour-long interview when I
know I don't have time to do it myself. There's also something to be said for being self-aware: I've got ADHD, and knowing that allows me to reign myself in before I accidentally spend 8 hours watching cats playing pianos. (I still do it sometimes, but I'm getting better.) Spend an hour or so taking a good long look at how you waste your time, and I promise that hour will be repaid a hundred-fold in the time you'll save since then. I'd also highly recommend Study Hacks [http://calnewport.com/ blog/] for both undergrads and grad students, although it mostly applied to undergrads. It's a great way to learn how to be an efficient student so you don't have to worry about having the time to knit. You can do both! It can even be easy to do both! Anything else you'd like to add? I just watched Michael Phelps win his eighth gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. If he can win eight gold medals in one Olympic games, I'm sure we can all handle school and crafting at the same time.
Sew Liberated by Meredith J.
Photographs Supplied by Meg
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’ve been a fan of Meg’s work since she was back at her old domain, Montessori by Hand. Meg was a Montessori teacher in Mexico and still managed to find time to craft and create delightful sewing. She has since moved back to the States on to a new website, Sew Liberated. We talked to Meg this month about crafting from a teacher’s point of view. She also gives us some great tips about how to encourage craftiness in the younger children in our life.
When did you start crafting? Who introduced you to crafting? I must have started very young. I remember having a child-sized easel where I spent a good deal of time painting and drawing. My parents soon noticed this love of art and were encouraging in several ways. They gave me complete freedom to “do” art whenever I wanted, without the pressure of schedules or warnings against making a mess. They also had deep respect for my work. They gave me neither effusive praise nor critiques, but I recall an outing to professionally frame a chalk drawing. I was only five, but it sent me a powerful message: My art was important, valued, and beautiful. I’ll never forget that. I made the leap from painting and drawing to sewing in 5th grade because I was interested in what my mom was doing with her leisure time! My mom is a wonderful seamstress and she taught me all of the basics. What role did crafting play in your education, both in and out of school, as a child? I lived for the arts (nothing has changed!). The most fulfilling part of my education was creative freedom – be it through books, music, exploring nature, or arts and crafts. It would be wonderful for children to have the freedom to explore crafting at all hours, if they so desire, during the school day. This wasn’t the case for me (although we had certain times during the week when we went upstairs to art class) so most of my creative learning and crafting happened at
home. What kind of crafts do you enjoy the most? I’ve definitely found my passion in the fiber arts, including sewing, embroidery, appliqué, and knitting. On any given day, I’m inspired to work on different kinds of projects. On those days when I have a design idea pop into my consciousness, I draw it in my sketch book and simply must get sewing … and fast! On other days, I need to curl up in a comfy chair with a needle and embroidery thread in a hoop. At other times, when I’m looking for a different kind of calming challenge, a knitting project is what I need. It totally depends on the moment. Based on your education and experience, how do you feel crafting affects child development? I believe that true learning can only take place when the child arrives at understanding through the creative process, that is, by experimenting, working directly with challenges, and otherwise influencing their environment. Anything else can go through one ear and out the other, but learning that comes about because of the child’s own creative process truly becomes a part of the child. Art and music provide one way of exercising creative thought; in fact, some children do best exploring the world and learning about it through the lens of the arts. As adults, we must be clued-in to the needs and tendencies of the child and give her opportunities to freely explore the arts to the extent that she is excited about and interested in them. A child provided with such
pressure-free, rich experiences will reap the benefits of a positive self-image and increased curiosity for the world and all of the learning it has to offer. Do you feel that creativity is something that is born within us or something that is learned? I think that all children are born wired for creative thought, just in different ways, and not always in ways that we think of as “crafting.” What we can consciously affect as adults in the lives of children are the examples we provide them. For instance, a child raised in a family where the parents are avid readers will grow up with a burning desire to learn to read in order to be a part of the family culture. It is the same desire to be a part of adult society that entices the child to learn to speak her native tongue and start to walk. The same can be true for creativity. If the parents are genuinely interested in crafting or music, for example, and partake in creative pursuits with passion and joy, their children will have a natural inclination to follow their footsteps. Can you share with us a crafty activity that adults can lead a young child in? More than leading a young child in an activity, I would suggest you explore together the creative potential of different found items: yarn cut into 12-inch lengths, clothespins, bottle caps, walnut shells, leaves, and some acrylic paint in a small dish. Better yet, go exploring with your child – outdoors and in – for your supplies!
Giving Back
My Right 2 Write
by Jane R.
S
chool supplies can get expensive, but they’re essential to do well in school. So what’s a school filled with underprivileged students to do? MyRight2Write is an organization with that answer and although they’ve just launched 5 months ago, they’ve already impacted 300 student lives with their first donation. Headed by graphic designer, Jodi Bloom from the Design Farm (thedesignfarm.com) and her 10 year old daughter, they’re hoping to see an end to students without the proper school supplies… Craftier: What is the number of composition notebooks you strive to donate every year? Jodi: Well, the sky is the limit, you know! This is our first year, the site launched in May... so I was hoping to have 500 books to donate in the fall.
I heart you monster, $12 each are up to with the project! Crafiter: How can people help underprivileged students in their area?
Jodi: I think one of the best ways is to donate your time. Money is always needed, and that is a big help too. Not everyone has money to spare these days, but we all can find an Crafiter: Approximately how many composition extra hour a week, or month, to help out a notebooks do you donate to schools each year? local school or library. You only need to check in with the school office, or the PTA to find Jodi: Our 1st donation is about to be made to out about volunteer opportunities. I think acPiney Branch Elementary School and is approxi- tually showing up to help out in classrooms, mately 300 composition books. on field trips, with tutoring... this is one of the most valuable donations you can make. Additionally, donations of supplies, computers Crafiter: How many people are helping in the and other equipment, even sometimes winter operation? coats or spare Halloween costumes can be a wonderful thing for kids who are in need. Jodi: MyRight2Write is a project of my graphic And, of course, supporting small independent design studio, designfarm. The project was cre- organizations who have added a social comated collaboratively by our staff at the time, and ponent to their business model with your giftis currently being managed by myself, one other buying dollars is always appreciated! person, and my daughter Molly. She’s 10 and loves to help at crafts shows... she’s great at For more information, visit myright2write.com talking to customers about what we
Getting to know the crafters Get a behind the scenes look at some of the crafters featured in this issue... compiled by Jane R.
Name of your store: World Vision Shop (The Purpose of the store is to donate 30% of selling prices for all item to World Vision Malaysia. Store: worldvisionshop.etsy.com Location: Cheras, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Age: 29 Gender: Male Favorite crafting tools and materials: Tree bark, batik (pareo), cottons, ribbons, paper cups, tins/cans Favorite craft related website, store, or event: Favorite craft related website (etsy.com, marthastewart.com, michaels. com, createandcraft.com, bijoubazaar. blogspot.com - they have an event “5th Bijou Bazaar” in Jeumpa D’ramo, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. But there are a lot of websites that I upload my items to sell for example eBay.com, eBay.com.my & lelong.com.my. Advice for fellow crafters: Patient, Patient and Patient. Learning, learning and learning. Being a crafter is not easy, just don’t give up easily. Keep learning from others, reading and studying books, get some ideas from them. And, most important is enjoy it! :)
Name of your store: Paper Cupcake, blog at http://papercupcake.blogspot.com Store: papercupcake.etsy.com Location: Chicago, IL Age: 20 Gender: Female Favorite crafting tools and materials: Paper, paint, feathers, rub-ons... anything, really! I particularly have an addiction to scrapbooking, so I look to incorporate my scrapping items into other art media, like the rub-ons on my journals. Favorite craft related website, store, or event: Free workshops on Etsy’s Virtual Labs found by going to http:// www.etsy.com/virtual_labs.php. They’re not always available, but when they are, it can be a great opportunity to learn how to make or do something new, while meeting other fantastic crafters! Advice for fellow crafters: Besides other amazing crafters (I happen to ADORE Elsie Flannigan), look for inspiration in unconventional places. Fashion can inspire me to create more affordable accessories--just look at my Marc Jacobs-inspired Lego pins and necklace. Also, don’t be afraid to try new things. You may find something you truly love. There are sooo many art forms out there, you’re bound to find four or five that you really fancy! And never, ever be afraid to get a second opinion. Sometimes, constructive criticism is exactly what you need. My husband has been that second set of eyes for me, helping me decide whether I should pursue a new skill or whether my blog or store need any changes. It really pays to get someone else’s view, especially when they’re not as close to the whole process.
Be your own cheerleader!
“DO WHAT YOU LOVE”
-Molebaby Buttons
Words of Advice...
Keep crafting!
-Dear Sukie
-heatherlea
“Never, ever be afraid to get a second opinion.”
-Paper Cupcake
Name of your store: LouLouBell Handmade Store: LouLouBell.etsy.com Location: Williamswood, Nova Scotia, Canada Age: 27 Gender: Female Favorite crafting tools and materials: Fabric, ribbon, sharp scissors Favorite craft related website, store, or event: Halifax Farmers' Market - takes place in the Brewery Market, downtown Halifax. You can find just about everything there from fresh baked goods, to wonderful produce, fresh flowers and so many talented artists. It's become so popular, it's like a can of sardines in there! They are currently fundraising to build a new site that will be a 7 day week market, which is good news for the farmers, independant artists and the entire community! http://halifaxfarmersmarket.com/ Advice for fellow crafters: Customer service is so important. Stay connected with your customers, reply to emails in a timely manner, and make sure to say thank you. If you love what you do, and have a great product, it will sell. But make sure your customers know that you appreciate that they chose your stuff! And stand behind your work! Name of your store: Uncorked Store: uncorked.etsy.com Location: Farmingdale, NJ Age: Over 30 and Under 70 Gender: Female Favorite crafting tools and materials: cork, recycled materials, repurposed materials, industrial materials, steel, glass Favorite craft related website, store, or event: definitely Etsy. Etsy is a community of crafters and artists and an amazing shopping experience for everyone who loves and supports handmade. Advice for fellow crafters: Do what you love. Make your work unique and truly your own. Recycled, repurpose and reinvigorate the world!
Name of your store: My store is eponymously named “heatherlea.” Store: heatherlea.etsy.com Location: Orange County, California. Age: I’m 23 (though my birthday is September 17th...) Gender: Female. Favorite crafting tools and materials: Old paper, my Gocco, my awl, my bone folder, a good Sharpie, and my hands! Also, I love using anything that I can repurpose so I can give it a new life. Favorite craft related website, store, or event: Etsy.com! Not only is it a great place to buy/sell crafts, but it has some great resources and provides a community of fellow crafters. Advice for fellow crafters: Be your own cheerleader! It is essential to trust your ideas and creative instincts. Outside encouragement won’t always sustain you, so just be confident in yourself and go for it!
Name of your store: Molebaby Buttons Etsy Store: molebabybuttons.etsy.com Blog & online store: http://www.snust. com/molebabybuttons/blog Location: Arlington, VA Age: 27 Gender: Female Favorite crafting tools and materials: I love unique papers, stickers and transfers, and I definitely couldn't do what I love without my professional Tecre button makers! Favorite craft related website, store, or event: I could spend days at AC Moore and Michael's just walking around and coming up with new ideas. There are tons of events that I have really enjoyed including the Arlington County Fair in Virginia, the Abell Street Fair in Baltimore, MD and the Spring Bada-Bing craft show in Norfolk, VA - just to name a few! Advice for fellow crafters? Keep crafting!
Name of your store: The Charm Lady Boutique Store: thecharmlady.etsy.com Location: Martensville, Sask. Canada Age: 32 Gender: Female Favorite crafting tools and matierals: fabric, polymer clay, paper Favorite craft related website, store, or event: I love visiting http://www.howaboutorange.blogspot. com/ She's a graphic artist with lot's of great ideas. Also http://blog.craftzine.com/ has lot's of amazing ideas and covers everything imaginable! Advice for fellow crafters: Do what you love! Experiment with new materials and try everything at least once. Name of your store: Peeppaper Store: peeppaper.etsy.com Location: Sydney, Australia Age: 35 Gender: Male Favorite crafting tools and materials: Nothing beats a sharp scalpel and some paper! Favorite craft related website, store, or event.: Sunday Upmarket and Spitalfields Market in London. My wife and I used to have a stall here, and it's always full of really talented people selling amazing things. Held every Sunday. Advice for fellow crafters: Make things that you like yourself. Don't scared to try new things out.
Name of your store: DEAR SUKIE Store: dearsukie.etsy.com Location: TORONTO, CANADA Age: 30 Gender: FEMALE Favorite crafting tools and materials: PAPER, VINYL, FABRIC Favorite craft related website, store, or event: ETSY Advice for fellow crafters: DO WHAT YOU LOVE
Name of your store: I have a tiny & wonderful handmade business I’ve named Cipolla, where I’m designer, manufacturer, marketer and maid… to it all. I sell mostly online in my beloved Etsy shop and at a lovely collective shop in my neighbourhood. Store: www.cipollashop.com Location: Toronto, Canada Age: 27 Gender: Female Favorite crafting tools and materials: Thread! I don’t think there’s anything better then a freshly sewn row of stitches. And sharp, very sharp, scissors. Also, I have an obsession [I’m not exaggerating] with fabrics… especially simple soft cottons, linens, and wools. My favourite and most adored tools are most definitely my sewing machines… I am in constant awe of them, and eternally grateful for their dedication and patience with me ;) Favorite craft related website, store, or event: My local strip of independently owned fabric Name of your store: Dancing Mooney Store: DancingMooney.etsy.com Location: Salem, Oregon Age: 28 Gender: Female Favorite crafting tools and materials: Beads! I love buying beads, I’m like a kid in a candy store when it comes to buying more beads... I want them all!! Favorite craft related website: http://stampington.com/ I love this site! I love to do a variety of things, even though I primarily sell jewelry on etsy, and I’m always finding new inspirations from this site. They have an awesome group of magazine publications that they print each month, but the site is just as much fun to click around. You just never know what you’ll see there that will catch your attention, and give you a new idea! Advice for fellow crafters? Never give up. If you truly have a dream and a goal, giving up is not an option. Always be willing to try new things, learn from your successes, and your failures, and don’t forget to have as much fun as you can along the way. You never know where your journey will take you, but how you get there is half the fun!
shops is the ultimate day out for me, especially the wool shops… heaven! Unfortunately, I never seem to have much time to explore craft sites and events. I think I’ll just give a big shout-out to Etsy.com – a most fabulous resource and community for any handmade artist, or lover thereof. Advice for fellow crafters: Some people find it hard to believe, but I honestly never get sick of sewing. I may complain about having to check email, track expenses, update the site, pack orders… but I am always happy to be in front of my sewing machine, in the process of turning an idea into a reality. So, the first half of my advice is… find your obsession. The second half - and this one is crucial for those of us hoping to make a living by our craft – find your uniqueness. What is it that sets you apart? For me, it’s my love of appliqué, my affinity for simplicity, and my mix of classic and unexpected. Oh yeah, and the third half of my advice… excellent customer service is always your best investment, no contest.
Get featured in our next issue!
Have a recipe you’d love to share? A tutorial for quick and easy holiday gifts? Products from your store you’d like to share with readers? Have a crafty blog that you’d like people to know about? Know someone that would make a great fit in our magazine? Crafiter is looking for new handmade products, stores, blogs, and people to feature in our upcoming November/December issue. If this sounds like you, please send us an email to jane@acraftierworld.com
Back Page Fun
Halloween Pets According to Flickr
Halloween is all good and fun for humans, but pets always steal the show. If I had a dog, I’d probably dress it up everyday...but that’s just me. Here are some pet costumes I found on Flickr.
Back Page Fun
Back to School MadLibs Remember saving up money for the book fair so you could buy the lastest MadLibs? I do. So here’s how it works, DON’T PEEK AT THE STORY YET! Fill out all the information in bold to the left, and then read the story and insert the word where it says.
Relative Verb Type of Food Adjective Adjective Type of Clothing Accessory Body Part Verb Girl's Name Adjective Type of Craft Number Body Part Adjective Book Bad Habit Sport Type of Food Type of Food Spanish Phrase Crafty Verb Historical Event Grade Level
"I'm going to be late!" Amy cried to her [relative] as she [verb] down the stairs. She grabbed a [type of food] from the kitchen counter and slammed the door behind her. The bus ride was [adjective] and [adjective] but soon she was at school for her first day of class. Her first stop was her locker, where she dropped off her [type of clothing] and [accessory]. Feeling a tap on her [body part], Amy [verb] around. It was her best friend, [girl's name]. "What a [adjective] backpack!" she said. "Did you make it yourself?" "Yep!" said Amy. "It's [type of craft]" "Wow," she said. "That's -" She was cut off by the bell ringing. "Gotta go! My class is [number] minutes away," Amy said, "I'll never make it!" Amy did make it, but barely, as she slid into the last seat open in the far corner of the room. "I didn't start this day off on the right [body part]," she thought. "It's going to be a [adjective] day." Amy's first day of school was filled to the brim. In English, they read all of [book]. In Health, they learned about the dangers of [bad habit]. In Gym, they played [sport] the entire period, with the gym teacher looking on from the stands. Lunch was disgusting. The only options were [type of food] and [type of food]. In Spanish, they learned how to say [Spanish phrase]. Amy wasn't sure when that would ever be useful in her life. In Art, they learned how to [crafty verb], which Amy enjoyed. In History, they began studying the [historical event]. Amy sighed as she slumped into the bus seat at the end of the day. [Grade level] grade was sure going to be tough!