Laura L., The ScrabbleGal specializes in teaching how to create unique Scrabble accessories and custom photo jewelry through her line of E-books and step-by-step tutorials.

Tell us about your work. What kind of things do you make?

Tiles with style! Anything and everything from jewelry, home accessories, to even Scrabble related projects for your pets! I just recently started a tutorial and E-book series that teaches step-by-step how to make some of my favorite craft projects.

What inspired you to get into crafting with scrabble tiles?

It actually all started back in college. One year, when my roommates and I were shopping for furniture for our apartment, we came across this old beat up Scrabble game at a moving sale for like two bucks. After we got home, we realized that half the letters were missing — but instead of just throwing the whole thing away, I volunteered to “adopt” the remaining orphan tiles. Being the “crafty one” I ended up making them into a set of custom decorated refrigerator magnets — and they were a HUGE hit! It became a game to see who could leave the funniest messages! And friends would try to score the most “points” in our own version of “refrigerator Scrabble”

From there, I started playing around with other ideas, and started making & selling my own custom Scrabble tile jewelry, picture frames, and eventually branched out to bunch of other Scrabble-themed crafts. My husband likes to call me a “word nerd” but I much prefer the nickname my friends came up with: The Scrabble Gal

Why do you think scrabble tiles are such a great medium for creative crafting?

I love the process. And the challenge. Creating a new Scrabble tile project is in many ways like coming up with a new word when you’re actually playing the game of Scrabble. You start with a pile of tiles. You pick a few. Then you get stuck with a bunch of Q’s and Z’s and X’s and you think, “What the heck can I make with THAT?” But then you play around with the letters a bit. You take a look at the board. Eventually it starts to come together… And THEN the wheels start turning and you can’t stop the ideas from flying left and right!

That very same creative process takes place when you make your own Scrabble tile creations yourself. Once you learn a few simple techniques, the whole thing becomes super addictive. You start carrying around a pen and paper just to jot down all your ideas.

Describe the process that you went through to create your tutorial/publication?

For each of my tutorials, I break everything down into an 8-step process. I go through step-by-step how to create a finished piece for whatever method or theme that specific tutorial teaches. My husband helped out by photographing each step (my hands tend to get a little busy :-)). I then sent out the tutorials to a bunch of friends and people I know from the crafting community to get their feedback. Anything that was unclear or needed more explanation was incorporated. For my brand new E-book, I have a number of inspiration journals — basically a shelf of sketchbooks where I keep drawings and photos of my past items, and ideas for future projects. In this first volume, I teach you how to create over 70 hand-selected projects and ideas

What advice do you have for others who may want to start a business like yours?

Do what you love and it will show through in your work!

What is your favorite word when playing scrabble?

Ha! I always get asked this question. I don’t think I can narrow it down to one favorite word, but I do dream of being able to play the word MUZJIKS one day (means Russian Peasants). It’s worth 128 points on the first move!

Do you like to play scrabble in your free time?

Yes! I’m definitely a Scrabble nut We play with friends all the time. One thing we like to do to mix things up a bit (and make things a bit more challenging) is play “theme” games. We make it a rule that you can only spell words that fit within a certain theme — like say, things related to food.

Where can we see your products for sale?
Right now all of my tutorials and E-books are for sale in my Etsy shop at:http://www.thescrabblegal.etsy.com . I’ve actually JUST launched my brand new E-Book called SCRABBLE IN STYLE: 77 Fun & Fresh Scrabble Tile Projects! The book is 40+ pages and has over 65 instructionaldiagrams and photographs. In the first section, I teach you my 13 basic techniques. In the second section, I teach you 13 ways to make Scrabble tile jewelry. These are your building blocks. Then, I go through the 70+ projects & ideas you can make using these techniques. For a limited time, when you purchase my new book through my Etsy shop, I’m including my Original Scrabble Tile Jewelry Tutorial AND Custom Photo Jewelry Tutorial ($34 value) Absolutely FREE! You should check it out today

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This Thursday is a new craft challenge blog with a difference. Its open to all forms of craft and art. They start the challenges every week. They have sponsor prizes most weeks , but they want to have the odd week where crafters will take part just for the fun of taking part. Their blog is a place where crafters can be inspired by not only our challenge examples (and the Guest Designer examples) but by craft entries outside their own field…go check them out today for inspiration, download free tutorials, printable patterns and motifs, and some fun crafty challenges!

Pictured: Acrylic Bird Tutorial

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Heads up, Crafters–there’s been a glue gun recall. Be sure to check and see if this one if hanging around in your stash of crafting tools.

Dollar Tree recalls 470,000 China-made glue gunsTue Jun 24, 8:55 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dollar Tree Inc recalled about 470,000 Chinese-made hot glue guns because they are a fire hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Tuesday.

Dollar Tree said it was aware of four incidents in which the recalled Crafters Square Hot Melt Mini Glue Guns short-circuited, causing the craft gun to smoke. No injuries have been reported.

The recalled glue guns were sold from December 2007 through March 2008 for about $1 each, the safety agency said in a statement. Customers should stop using the recalled glue guns and return them to the store where purchased for a refund.

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Bazaar Bizarre San Francisco and Austin Are Now Accepting Applications

MAKER FAIRE AUSTIN DEADLINE
Applications are being accepted from July 12th to July 29th 2008. You will be notified as to whether or not you are accepted by August 5th 2008.

SAN FRANCISCO DEADLINE
Applications are being accepted from July 12th to August 15th 2008. You will be notified as to whether or not you are accepted by August 21st 2008.

Maker Faire Austin is a two-day event being held the following weekend
Saturday October 18th & Sunday October 19th

This Bazaar Bizarre event is happening as a part of Make Magazine and Craft Zine Maker Faire Austin 2008. The entire event takes place at the Travis County Event Center and Fairgrounds drew over 20,000 attendees. Please see http://makerfaire.com/ for more program information

Bazaar Bizarre San Francisco is on Sunday November 30th 2008 10am - 5pm

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What is the Indie Craft Gossip Giveaway? Almost every month I will offer an indie goodie of craft supplies, indie samples, books or a craft kit for FREE!

How do I participate?
Leave your name and e-mail in a comment on this blog entry and I will add your name to the bowl. We will pick the winner from a Random Number Generator. You have to leave a comment with your name here in order to qualify. We will draw a lucky winner’s name on August 13th 2008! You MUST check back on this blog after July 13th 2008 in order to claim the prize!

August Give Away: I have a complimentary copy of Lotta Prints from Chronicle Books for you to win! You must leave a comment with the following theme:

Tell us your first memory about making a print. Was it from vegetables? found objects? Carved? Stamped? Painted? Let us know your earliest experience with this type of craft.

Comment today for your chance to win!

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This year’s event will be held Saturday and Sunday July 12 + 13 from 11am - 7pm at Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion. Check out the Vendor List to get a sneak peek at all the craftsters who will be showing off and selling their wares. Over 150 amazing talents are coming from all over the country to participate. PLUS, astounding circus punk marching band MUCCA PAZZA will be giving a special live performance on Sunday at 2pm! Be sure to stay and check them out, as well as DJ’s throughout the weekend. This event is FREE to attend! Click here for directions.

Hope to see you there!

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The Lotta Jansdotter Book Opening at Craft Gym was a wonderful turn out. Attendees got to make sample prints from lino cut and carved vegetables. Lotta had a great table-side manner and would encourage people to experiment with their designs. She was incredibly calm among the frenetic activity. People were streaming in the doors, music was playing, and drinks were being poured. All the while she would go around to each person seated and give them hints and tips on how to make their prints. I think the most valuable advice was that even if the print did not come out the way you expected you could work with it and see the beauty in it. Simple geometric designs and cross sectioned lotus roots become beautiful and intricate design when you take paint and a Brayer (ink roller) to blank canvas. Lotta’s book definitely embodies her attitude and aesthetic. There are lots of beautiful photographs with emphasis on patterns in nature. Her instructions are simple and clear. The book is written as a visual journey through Lotta’s exploration of various printing techniques. There are even a set of stencils in the back for you to use. I believe this book is good for printing novices and parents who are looking for ways to do crafts with their children. This will also serve the more experienced printer as an inspiration book. You really feel like you’ve entered Lotta’s world and see the elements of design that she finds in common organic forms.

Lotta Prints

Paperback: 120 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Language: English
ISBN-10: 081186037X
ISBN-13: 978-0811860376

Etsy has also done a great video interview Lotta. Watch it now.

Be on the lookout for a weekend post for chance to win your own copy of Lotta Prints!

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We have randomly chosen your name! Please send us an e-mail with your mailing address and we will send out your Sampler Goodies. Congrats again and thanks to everyone for playing! Please be on the lookout for more Indie Craft Giveaways as soon as later this week!

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Interweave Announces Hurt Book and Overstock Sale

Sale starts July 8, 2008; Shop online for 50–75 percent off your favorite craft books

Loveland, Colo., July 8, 2008, 1 p.m. MDT: Interweave announced today its annual, highly anticipated hurt book and overstock sale, beginning today at 1 p.m. MDT at http://www.hurtbooksale.com. More than 100 craft books will be deeply discounted and sold online only on a first-come basis until July
18 or until supplies last.

This is a great time to pick up bargains on both hardbound and softbound books about beading, jewelry making, knitting, crocheting, felting, spinning, weaving, needlework, sewing, mixed-media and other popular crafts.

Hurt books are still in good condition but imperfect in quality and have minor dings such as a scratch on the cover or a bent page. New this year to the sale will be a search engine for sorting books by title or subject and a ticker that will count down the quantity available of some of the most sought-after
hurt books.

Other sought-after titles to be marked down for the sale include Knit Kimono and The Knitter’s Companion by Vicki Square, Crochet Me by Kim Werker, and Mastering Beadwork by Carol Huber Cypher. Very limited quantities of some of Interweave’s latest releases are also available including 49 Sensational Skirts by Alison Willoughby, Step By Step Jewelry Workshop by Nicola Hurst and Double Stitch by Erika and Monika Simmons.

Hurt and overstock books cannot be combined with normal products at check- out and phone orders will not be accepted. All sales are final and books are nonrefundable. This sale is for online customers only and no phone orders will be accepted.

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