Indie Crafts

Pretty barn swallow ornament from Hammer Press

Minnie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:42:36 +0000

Hammer Press sells they lovely barn swallow ornaments in sets of nine including twine to hang them with. They are made from recycled chip board so they are pretty and sturdy!

Urban Gardening

Minnie — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:23:16 +0000

Driving around Oakland last week I noticed this Urban Gardening project on the side of a warehouse. Someone nailed some fabric to some bards, filled the pockets with dirt and plants and attached it to the side of a building down a side alley. There was also this little box with a sign that said ‘Love Letters Only’. Nice!

Over at Blade Diary you can see projects of making planters out of unused newspaper/flyer boxes.

Have you noticed any urban gardening projects in your area?

Woo your crush with a crafty project!

Minnie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:10:24 +0000

I was browsing the LeafCutter Designs website last week and I noticed they have some creative consulting sessions for sale. One of them is “Creative Courtship Consulting” in which they meet with you in person or over phone or email and they help you develope a crafty present for your crush or lover.

This consulting service provides 1 hour of hearty conversation to help develop the perfect object/activity for you to present to your love interest. You will complete a brief survey before the consulting session. The session can take place over the phone or in-person at a local cafe if you live in the San Francisco bay area. If you are looking for help, but have empty pockets, make sure to check out the guide full of tips and prompts for developing an idea yourself.

You can get yourself started by following their Creative Courtship: Objects of the Heart tips and creativity prompts guide.

Leaf Cutter Designs is a product of Lea Redmond who also does the World’s Smallest Postal Service.

Handmade Nation DVD: now available

Minnie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:41:06 +0000

Handmade Nation DVD: now available

Originally uploaded by Handmade Nation!

I STILL haven’t seen this! I think I’ll get myself a Christmas present.

www.buyolympia.com/q/Item=handmade-nation-dvd

handmadenationmovie.com

Fake model photography

Minnie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:05:30 +0000

TINY THINGS! Or, normal sized things that look like they are tiny things trying to look like big things. I haven’t tried this yet. If you try is send me a link to your efforts! Use any photograph and with Photoshop make it look like a photograph of a small model.

This tutorial from Receding Hairline.

How to host a clothing swap

Minnie — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:55:11 +0000

Tis the season to clear out your closet of all the fluff you don’t wear anymore. What’s old for you can be new for someone you love! Host a clothing swap!

Academichic (actually 3 fashion minded women) has written up a primer on how to host your own clothing swap.

How to Host a Clothing Swap

They’ve broken the process down to to several easy steps.
Find a sponsor and location, promotion, during the event, swapping, clean up and results.

Go check it out and host a clothing swap in your neighborhood!

Grey and grey

Minnie — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:54:44 +0000

My new favorite color combo is various greys combined. Check out this soft grey jersey scarf by Ella in a Boutique on Etsy.

So soft and pretty, you’ll want to wear this scarf indoors and out! It is made of soft Grey rayon jersey and is adorned with silver grey leaves with cream handsewn rosettes. The edges of the scarf are left raw.

I love some of the things in this hop. The pleated party skirt is adorable!

Cartoon character skeletons

Minnie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:25:28 +0000

I know I have blogged about Michael Paulus somewhere before, but maybe not here.

Michael Paulus had some great art pieces with cartoon characters on an overlay and underneath the characters skeleton. These newer pieces lack the overlay but are nice resin coated pieces drawn to look a bit more like scientific plates.

There are more character skeleton pieces listed on his main web page including this awesome Hello Kitty skeleton!

I’ve seen many resin coated artworks recently and I like them! I wonder, is it hard to get it smooth and nice or are you constantly worried about bubbles and such?

Cutest bat softie pattern!

Minnie — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:56:08 +0000

My kid thinks all bats are Stellaluna and he says Stellaluna like this “Elloloolooolooloona” which, if you have a kid (if you don’t have a kid you probably don’t give a crap and I don’t blame you one bit), is like the cutest thing ever. Speaking of kids and stuffed animals you would not believe the restraint I have brought to bear in the buying my kid stuffed animals department. We have been to several zoos, aquariums, parks, toy stores, etc. and I have bought him nary a stuffed animal. All his animals were either hand me downs from friends, his cousin, me or his dad or from Ikea.

Anyway. I like this bat pattern from Cynic the Lamb on Etsy a lot and her fabric choices for the photos are superb. This one is on my list. As soon as I actually sew some softies form the patterns I have already purchased this one will be next!

Cynic the Lamb has several other patterns and already sewed softies for sale in her Etsy shop and you can read her blog here. OO! Looks like she will be at the Bazaar Bizarre in SF this winter! I can’t wait to check out her shop.

Little Green Monster on my wall

Minnie — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:00:09 +0000

green monster 2

Originally uploaded by melissastanley727

I like to think that this little green monster wasn’t slaughtered and mounted on this embroidery hoop. She’s there of her own free will to keep you company. Arms are posable!

This was created by Melissa Sue and you can find her blog here and her Etsy shop here.

In the ‘Animals Up To Something’ category

Minnie — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:48:33 +0000

Mice are always up to something whether it be exploding fireworks all over the place or hiding behind the fridge eating all your cupcakes.

Dandy Lion Press has a number of animals up to something cards and the like, all letterpressed by the artist herself. Also, there are various jackalopes involved. Aren’t there always?

OMG dying. Drunk crafty Ewoks.

Minnie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:30:48 +0000

ahahaha. This is killing me. you have to watch all of it. Around minute 3:55 one of the drunk pissed off they are in a hot costume Ewoks starts moon walking and a minute later WORSE.

hmmm. I can’t seem to embed this video…
Link to Drunk Ewoks on crafty segment of the Today Show.

Darth Vadar is MOST DISPLEASED but the live audience is cracking up.

P.S. I kind of like the decoupaged pumpkin idea…

Ann Wood paper mache sailboat #7

Minnie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:39:44 +0000

sailboat #7

Originally uploaded by annwood

I can’t remember whose blog I saw these on last week. But I love these paper mache art pieces by Ann Wood. They’re all sold out already but you can take a look at them on her main web page and her blog is here.

Ahaha, her shop has a whole section for ‘small things‘. I love small things!

Daintiest cross stitch that ever was

Minnie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:37:23 +0000

I just can’t help but still love any non traditional cross stitch or embroidery. Can you imagine going to your grandmother’s house and seeing this hanging in her cluttered doily infested bathroom? I will be that grandmother…

You can find this crossstitch at Bee Frank’s Etsy shop. You can also find her cross stitch and embroidery patterns at Mr. XStitch’s shop. I’m liking the grafitti cross stitch patterns!

How to Sew Your Own Produce Bags

Minnie — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:57:33 +0000

I often wander the grocery store grumpily thinking about how stupid it is for people to freak out about paper or plastic grocery bags, it just seems like such a pathetic thing to focus on. Our country is AT WAR still ffs.

However, I get home and have a bunch of produce annoyingly in a bunch of plastic bags. And thusly, that makes me want to make these net produce bags. My question is, “what kind of net material do I use”?