New Blog Site Announcement and Giveaway!

So I mentioned a couple days ago that I'm changing over to wordpress.

You should go there to view my blog, and check things out! It's a work in progress, I still have work to do there.

But the wordpress site will be the new blog home!

In about a week or so, I'll be deleting ALL my posts here, since they will be on wordpress.

I'm also having a giveaway!

I hope you like free stuff.

If you post some comments on my new wordpress blog site, I'll be giving away these beautiful boxes to TWO winners!

All you need to do to enter, is make a comment on my new wordpress site, leaving your email.

Then, the lucky winners need only to blog about the artwork they received, linking back to my wordpress blog.

Both pieces are sea themed and upcycled.

The first piece is upcycled from a children's shoe box.

The second one is upcycled from a matchbox.

Both are made with love, and can be yours!

The Craftaholic

Day 116: Make a Sewing/Knitting Notion Holder

Quote:

"But without inner peace how can we make real peace? World peace through hatred and force is impossible."

I've said before that whatever we want in life and in the world around us, we must first have within ourselves.

So this is true.

Today is New Year's eve, and it's normal for folks to drink themselves to a stupor. I don't really make a set of real resolutions every year, I just sort of set some ideas of where I want to go in life. I guess it's the same thing, but I don't call them resolutions, and I don't pin all my hopes on them coming true.

Today's crafty endeavor, is a fun little notion tin.

I hold all my knitting and sewing notions in a little tin I made some time ago. I made another one for myself today.

It holds my darning needles, thread, embroidery needles, stitch markers and a stitch counter.

It's easy to make.

Just get yourself a blank tin. You can get these from Oriental trading company.

Too bad that Altoids mint people decided to change their tins, because it'd be nice to just recycle.

Anyway, get some pretty papers, glue stick, Aleen's craft glue, and matching glitter.

Glue and cut each side with pretty paper (both front and back).

Trace the back side, and make a template to cut out for the inside paper, and glue that.

Then, close your tin.

Carefully and with your fingers, add the craft glue to the side, and then the glitter. I do this for the back first, then the front.

Let it dry, and then add a pretty flower or embellishment to the cover, and voila! You're finished.

Like it?

The Craftaholic

Ps. Happy New Year!

Let's all make a resolution to coexsist and keep creating art!

Day 115: Make a Camera Cozy

Quote:

I am open to the guidance of synchronicity, and do not let expectations hinder my path.

What does synchronicity mean?

When I look it up in the thesaurus, this is what I get:

Main Entry:	coexistence
Part of Speech:	noun
Related Adjectives:	associated with, coetaneous, coeternal, coeval, coevous, coexisting, coincident, concomitant,concurrent, contemporaneous, contemporary, equaeval, isochronous, simultaneous, synchronal, synchronical, synchronistical, synchronous

Interesting. How do we coexsist? This means, that even though I don't agree with you, I can still make art with you, because I realize that I don't have to talk about what religion I am or what politician I voted for.

Coexsisting means no labels. It means that I don't feel the need to call myself "professional crafter". I mean, what the hell does that mean? Is it the fact that a person has published a book? I know plenty of craft books filled with craft fails. Don't get me wrong. I love a good craft book. But I hate labels so much. Why do have to call yourself "professional"? It doesn't matter to me weather you've published or not. Van Gogh never sold a painting in his life. And I'll be damned if Fridha Khalo boasted of being a "professional" artist.

So why do we need the labels? Perhaps it comes from insecurities that we push onto the world.

Let's just be artists. Crafters. Scrapbookers. Knitters. Who the hell cares if you are professional. Or Christian. Or Buddhist. Or Muslim. Or pagan. Or whatever. Just put those silly things aside, and be my friend. Coexist.

So today I made a camera case for my new and fabulous camera. It's pretty easy to make. I'm not so sure I like the finished product. Probably, I should just stick to paper, really.

The first thing you need to do, is cut the fabric to double the size of your camera, with some space on the sides for stitching.

Select your embroidery pattern, and iron it onto the canvas fabric.

Embroider your pattern, and glue the felt sheet to the wrong side of the canvas, with spray adhesive. You could use fabric glue, but I was feeling lazy.

Cut the felt, fold the fabric in half, and stitch it up, leaving an opening on the top.
After that, spray with some shimmer mist. Make your own.

This is the finished work. Like it?
I made a hole on the side there, so that the wrist strap can go in, so that I can hold my camera with the case and all, just with the camera strap.

I'm pretty happy with it. It does the job. Also, I like the Tye Dyed effect that the shimmer mist adds.

Also, I wanted to announce, that I'm thinking about transferring my blog to wordpress. What do you all think?

Wordpress is better for me at this point, since they allow subpages, and all sorts of things.

The Craftaholic

Day 114: Make an Upcycled Card Accordion Wish Book

Quote:

"Nowadays the world is becoming increasingly materialistic, and mankind is reaching toward the very zenith of external progress, driven by an insatiable desire for power and vast possessions. Yet by this vain striving for perfection in a world where everything is relative, they wander even further away from inward peace and happiness of the mind."

Materialism is something I really detest. Materialism doesn't just come in the shape of the average walmart shopper, who lives in Ohio and has two cars, children, and expensive clothing.

It comes in many forms.

We sometimes have this notion that materialism is just someone who shops at the mall.

Or someone who only wears name brand clothing.

But is it? Or is is more than that? Materialism can be you, in the yarn shop. It can be your collection of stamps. Anything.

It's such a nutty thing, to to think that something made by a machine, could create happiness within us.

We must remember that we create happiness.

Sometimes we go thru these dark moments in our life, and we feel like shopping for our favorite items will make us feel better. For me, I love to purchase one or two little art supplies, because it usually breaks my creative block.

But we must learn to unblock ourselves, alone. Just by myself. Find out why I feel so blocked, and work through it, with my art, my prayer, and my life.

Art saves lives. It does. This is my message to the world.

Art can heal you.

If you follow my one year journey, and follow my writings, you'll start to see what I mean.

Today's crafty endeavor is a project to forecast the new year. Every new year, I make some sort of crafty item that forecasts what I want or desire in the coming year.

This year, it's a wish book. It's sort of like a scrap book. But it's a book to enchant your life. Attract the things you want in the coming year, and the things you are grateful for, in this book.

This project is a lot of fun, and super cheap, since you are simply using notecards! I had a set of dollar store note cards I got at the dollar store, and just used that. You can upcycle your old greeting cards from Xmas! I don't get so many, so i choose to use the dollar store cards. But this is totally an upcycled eco friendly project! Use what you have, that's my motto. I don't believe in the materialism of pushing products. I just love to create things. I sell the things I make mostly because I need space. And money, while sometimes evil, does empower one to do things like purchase new jeans and baby things.

So for this project, as I said, you'll need a stack of notecards that you don't use. Or you can even use the blank cards that you get at Micheal's.

You'll need to cut out a piece of white paper, to fit the height of the notecards.

Then, the white paper gets glued and applied to the back of two cards next to each other. This will make your cards stick together, like an accordion.

Do this for as many panels as you wish. Each card of course, will make two panels. So it just depends on what you wish to create.

Now, for the cover, I used the envelopes that the notecards came with. I just glued the flap to the back of the notecard. I did this for the back as well.

Now, get your embellishments, your stickers, and your photos.

I used the photos to illustrate my point. This is a book of wishes, of what you desire.

So do what you wish! Do collage work, make a little scrapbook of your desires...just do what feels right.

Here's the front cover, of my little accordion wish book.

There is of course, an owl in front. My greatest desire is to grow as an artist, and continue having inspiration to create beauty from within myself.

When I was a little girl, teachers would always tell my mother that I had a "vivid imagination". I would make up the most outlandish stories, just off the top of my head.

The next panel represents growth.

Everyone wants to grow. So the plant represents my wish for growth-creatively and spiritually.

The next panel is for my husband and I, and my daughter. I wish for my family to grow more close together, and walk together towards peace and prosperity.

The next panel represents positive change, blossoming, and enlightenment.

The butterfly is an animal I normally don't use in my art so much, but the truth is, my style is changing a bit. I love butterflies, that is the truth. And I love that they represent a change for the better, an evolution of the self. I love that.

The next panel represents growth.

The next panel is about me. I have a sentiment there that states, "my true love", because the greatest love in the world is the love of yourself.

If you wish to attract love to yourself, you must first have love for yourself. Love around you begins within you.

So that's it!

Here's a top view of what it looks like.

So if you like this project, please comment here, and let me know!

Do you like this little book? It's hand made by me, with spiral binding, and canvas paper, to ensure that the pages won't warp.

Anyhow, this book can be yours for F-R-E-E!!

Just post a comment here, and flatter me with compliments (just kidding, but please give my blog some comment love).

Post a comment with your email, and I'll randomly pick a winner, next week.

Also, I recently posted some new handmade books for sale. Check them out here, as I love to make them, but have too many in my home. So they must go somewhere!

The Craftaholic

Day 113: Make a New Year's Wish Banner

Quote:

"From the viewpoint of absolute truth, what we feel and experience in our ordinary daily life is all delusion. Of all the various delusions, the sense of discrimination between oneself and others is the worst form, as it creates nothing but unpleasantness for both sides. If we can realize and meditate on ultimate truth, it will cleanse our impurities of mind and thus eradicate the sense of discrimination. This will help to create true love for one another. The search for ultimate truth is, therefore, vitally important."

Ultimate truth. We have these ideas in our head of what life is, of what people around us should act like, of what our spouses and friends should be. But when they aren't, or when they don't live up to our expectations, we get let down. Right?

We get disillusioned with religion, with people, with places that gentrify and change. We have this idea in our mind, of what truth is; it's the truth that our parents handed to us. It's not what we truly are.

I'm such a sucker for realitity tv. Last night I was watching "Tough Love". He gave the women an exercise of writing a letter to their father, so they can see the mistakes they make in their relationships.

I think that we do this, in life. We add expectations to people based on things that have happened to us, based on people who let us down in the past, or based on a culture that our parents taught us.

But we can find our truth through meditation.

If you're not a person who meditates, think about doing some mindful knitting. Or just be aware as you create. Think about it.

I suggest knitting, because it's just so mindless. I literally just sit there on the train, and come up with the best ideas, because there is no counting or anything. I focus on my third eye point (in between your eyes), and just resolve some issue, or come up with an idea, or think about what could be improved.

So do this. Don't knit? Try crocheting. But this method requires that you make something that is totally mindless. Don't do any complicated lace patterns or hats or anything. This is the perfect thing to do while finishing a scarf or afghan.

So today's project is so pretty, and so much fun.

I took a trip to target yesterday, and bought some sticker letters, that spell out WISH.

So as I stated last week, the folks at DCWV sent me a couple stacks of their paper, and with it, I made this beautiful banner.

I also used some die cuts from K & Co. and the aforementioned letters, which I'm proud to say only cost me 99 cents.

I also used a oval shaped banner template from Oriental Trading Company.

And a No. 2 pencil.

It's pretty easy to make this banner. I selected some pretty papers, to use for my banner. One will have the scallop edge, and one will be a bit more simple looking, to go on top of the scallop edge.

I ended up using two sheets of both shades of paper that I used.

The first step is to trace the template on the white side of the paper. Then, cut it out.

Then, you'll apply the perfect round oval (above) on top of the oval with the scallop edges.

I used some dimensionals, to make it pop up a little bit.

After that, I used these little die cuts from K & Co.

Then, you just apply the letters in the perfect center.

Then, get some pretty ribbon, and your whole punch.

Punch a whole on each side of the oval, and string the ribbon through.

That's it, you're done!

Hang it up, for New Year's Eve, and make a wish for the New Year.

I hope you like this fun project! The DCWV paper stack that I used is The Citrus Stack.

The Craftaholic

Day 112: Make Crafty Chica Bottle Cap Pins

Quote:

"Human beings are of such nature that they should have not only material facilities but spiritual sustenance as well. Without spiritual sustenance, it is difficult to get and maintain peace of mind."

I was tellling my friend Karina that I really am the type of person who needs to have some sort of spirituality. Not religion, I hate religion. I mean, like deep spirituality. I think that few people really have this sort of spirituality.

It's important for us to seek something other than our own shallow ego. Right?

I love to blend my spirituality with my creativity. I feel like it goes so well together. Osho says in a book that I'm reading, that artists create from their innermost self. So what we make is a reflection of who we are inside, spiritually and mentally.

So what does your creativity say about you?

Today is another jewelry making attempt. Not so recently, I had bought a crafty chica charm bracelet kit.

With my kit, I used my own charms and things as well. I highly reccomend purchasing the crafty chica charm bracelet kit, as it is so much fun to make. I do have to mention that I ended up using my own jump rings though.

Anyway, I had a few charms left over, and saved them for a "rainy day".

So here's what you do.

Save a couple of beer or soda bottle caps.

You'll also need two 1" round crafty chica charms from her bracelet kit.

With a pair of pliers, you just break of the round charm loopy thing on top. Be careful not to split the charm and break it. Just go back and forth gently, and eventually it'll come off.

You just glue the charm to the inside of the bottle cap, and then glue the pin back to the back.

You can also make these into magnets by glueing a magnet back instead of a pin back.

Depends on what you like. I like pins, because they are fun to put on jean jackets and shoulder bags.

Like it? I hope you do! I'm keeping these.

The Craftaholic

Day 111: Make a Matroyshka Nesting Doll Ring

Quote:

"I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion, and elimination of ignorance, selfishness, and greed."

I was just talking to my husband about this very thing the other day. It was Xmas eve, and I, as most people, start to think about the past, and things that could have been different.

But then I realized that a lot of the pain that we bring upon ourselves, is caused by our silly need to inflict our ideals on others.

We constantly try to make the world around us just like ourselves. But we must realize that the world around is a DIVERSE one. Sure, we can believe what we do, and worship the god we do, where the clothing we love...but we should realize that the world around is never going to be, nor should it be, just the way we are.

True happiness comes from being content. In this season of giving, recieving, and racking up debt, maybe we should realize that true happiness comes from the pursuit of happiness and peace.

Today's crafty endeavor comes to you after about 4 failed attempts at a paper calender that I wanted to make. So I gave up, after being quite aggravated and decided to make some jewelry.

It's so easy to make these.

I made some matroyshka doll rings. A whole set, in fact. These are easy to make.

You'll need a set of Matryoshka Doll Pendant Charms.

some Antique Bronze Wrap Base Charms.

Some E-6000 glue

Ring Blanks

The firs thing to do is to take the pendant loop on the top, off. I did this with some jewelry plier thingies.

What else? Glue the pendant charm to the wrap base.

Then, just glue that to the ring base.

That's it!

You're done!

I made a whole bunch, which are for sale in my boutique.

Oh! Also, I wanted to mention two things:

One is my scarves for the homeless effort is still on. I plan on giving a few scarves I've made out on Jan. 4th.

Also, I've decided to start giving away some of my art. This whole crafting for nirvana every day thing is putting a lot of clutter in my home. So yeah! Stay tuned! I'll start the weekly give aways next week!

The Craftaholic

Day 110: Merry Christmas

Christmas, in its final essence, is for grown people who have forgotten what children know. Christmas is for whoever is old enough to have denied the unquenchable spirit of man."
~ Margaret Cousins (1905- ), senior editor Doubleday Publishing Company.

Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won't make it 'white'."
~ Bing Crosby (1904-1977), American singer and film actor.

It is the personal thoughtfulness, the warm human awareness, the reaching out of the self to one's fellow man that makes giving worthy of the Christmas spirit."
~ Isabel Currier.

I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year."
~ Charles Dickens (1812-1870), English author. From 'A Christmas Carol'.

Something about an old-fashioned Christmas is hard to forget."
~ Hugh Downs (1921- ), American newscaster.

They err who thinks Santa Claus comes down through the chimney; he really enters through the heart."
~ Mrs. Paul M. Ell.

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air."
~ W. T. Ellis

Christmas, my child, is love in action."
~ Dale Evans (1912-2001), American film actress, singer and songwriter. Wife of Roy Rogers.

Do give books - religious or otherwise - for Christmas. They're never fattening, seldom sinful, and permanently personal."
~ Lenore Hershey

My first copies of Treasure Island and Huckleberry Finn still have some blue-spruce needles scattered in the pages. They smell of Christmas still."
~ Charlton Heston (1923- ), American film actor.

At Christmas, all roads lead home."
~ Marjorie Holmes, American writer.

It comes every year and will go on forever. And along with Christmas belong the keepsakes and the customs. Those humble, everyday things a mother clings to, and ponders, like Mary in the secret spaces of her heart."
~ Marjorie Holmes, American writer.

My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?"
~ Bob Hope, American film actor and comedian.

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness."
~ Bob Hope, American film actor and comedian.

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart."
~ Washington Irving (1783-1859), American short-story writer and essayist.

The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others' burdens, easing other's loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas."
~ W. C. Jones

A lovely thing about Christmas is that it's compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together."
~ Garrison Keillor (1942-), American author. 'Exiles,' Leaving Home (1987).

There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child." ~ Erma Bombeck (1927-1996), American author and humorist. Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas." ~ Peg Bracken. I got my quotes here. I know, I cheated. But Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

I wish you all the happiness and peace.

Day 109: Make a Hand Bound Book

Quote:

"Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."

Why is this? I'll tell you something: when I was in high school, if you would have asked me, I would have told you, I want like ten kids. Ten kids, no career, and just to stay home.

While I think it's a beautiful thing that I am a stay at home mother, I am also a WORK at home mother. My career is my art.

I didn't get what I wanted. I wanted to marry young, and have many children. I ended up marrying at 26, and having a child at 31, which is later than I intended. I don't think that I will have any more children. But how is this a good thing, you ask?

Hmm. If things hadn't happened this way, I wouldn't have turned to my art so strongly. I wouldn't have at all.

John Lennon said, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans". That's life. Everything I've gone through led me to the point where I am now. It led me to be able to be here with you, and sharing my art and creative endeavors with you.

Life happens. Unexpected things happen all the time. We intend for our life to be a certain way. But the universe makes other plans.

We must realize this. We must be flexible, and turn to our art in the hard times that come, so that when we look back, we realize we've grown.

Today is a busy day for me. I did manage to make something today. I made one of my husband's Christmas presents. It's a hand bound book, using my own way of bookbinding. So since some of us celebrate Christmas by making a meal on Christmas eve, then waiting until midnight, and others celebrate the next day, I've decided to give you my gift today.

Tomorow, I won't be posting. I know I made a vow to make it an every day thing, but hey. Christmas day is a big deal over here.

You know?
So here we go, let's make some books!

My particular method is based on the Coptic Stitch, which I learned through the Booklyn website. But instead of poking four holes in the spine of each section, I only poke two.

Look up the instructions for the coptic stitch.

So, get your recycled copy paper.

The first thing is to remember to make sections of 5.

Each section of five sheets will make 10 pages. Remember this.

So I like to make books with 100 pages. So that's ten sections of five sheets.

Now with a bone folder, fold the pages in half. This will be the size of your book.

After you've folded each section, take your hole puncher (I use fiskars, they make one that makes tiny little holes).

All you do, is make holes by putting the hole puncher in the edge, where the fold is. Just put the thing as far down as it will go, and make the whole. One on the top, one on the bottom.

Do this for each section. It's easier this way, so you don't have to mark a spot or anything.

Now, get yourself an extra long needle. It can be an embroidery needle, that's what I use.

Also, get some embroidery floss. The color doesn't really matter much. I mean, not to me it doesn't.

So get your embroidery floss, and DONT SPLIT IT! Just leave it as is. You want to make sure that the book is bound strongly.

The basic method for bookbinding that I use is this:

Go in the botton hole from the outside, then out on the top hole.

Then get the next paper section, and go in the hole paralell to the one you just took the needle out of.

Then into the bottom hole of that same section. Remember that after each section, pull the thread, so that it's nice and tight, and not loose.

Then into the hole parallell to that one, on the first section. See? I'm putting the needle in the previous section. I'm doing this, so that I can make all the sections nice and tight.

Then just grab another section, and go into the hole parallel.

See how my hand is holding the sections there? I'm doing this so that I everything stays nicely in place.

That's it. Do this for the rest of your sections.

At the last section, after you've gone over the previous section, go back into the last one again, so that each section is stitched together and nothing is loose.

You go over the stitches there, in between with your needle.

After that, just tie up the the two ends together. That's it!

Now you can cut some cardboard, to use as your cover. Cut it to size and cover both sides with pretty papers, newspaper, comics, or whatever you wish!

After that, just apply the covers with spray adhesive, so the paper won't wrinkle.

I added some ribbon on the sides because I wanted to. The ribbon is from Oriental Trading Company. I'm suprised, they are getting pretty hip.

The ribbon on the side, is added to give a space for pens, pencils or brushes.

Cool right?

I also managed to make some for my etsy shop. This will be the first of many, as I really do enjoy bookmaking.

Like it? I hope you do!

The Craftaholic

Check out my etsy shop HERE and HERE!

Day 108: Make a Bookmark and Pendant Set

Quote:

"I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe."

Why do we always think that life is just supposed to be a certain way? Why do we insist on thinking that things are supposed to go our way, no matter what?

Growing up I was taught this: that life is supposed to well, that bad things are a sign of unfaithfulness. I learned of course, the hard way, that shit happens. It's not "god's fault", or the universe's fault that we are going through hard times.

Perhaps the dark moments in our lives are here to teach us something. It may not always be the case, but there is always an opportunity to learn a lesson, I think. We can learn to be strong, or learn to not let our ego get in the way, or we can learn to not put up expectations in our lives for people or situations.

In the Christian bible, Paul wrote constantly about keeping his eyes on the prize. He was constantly in prison, persecuted for his faith. So he wrote that what kept him faithful to his god was keeping his eyes on the goal he intended.

In buddhism, I've learned that when we are down about a situation or person, it is simply because of our expectations of what life should be. Life is the way it is, and bad things happen sometimes.

It is up to you, the artist, to express your feelings and express yourself, through your art and through your craft.

My art, speaking of which, is my bookbinding, which I have just recently gotten back into!

I'm super excited.

Today's crafty endeavor, is a simple bookmark, because I have Christmas shopping left to do, if you can believe it.

It's a two piece gift set: a pendant, and a bookmark. The pendant was made by accident, as I wanted something at the end, a bead or something.

This is the paper I used. It's by DCWV, the "La Creme" stack.

The folks at DCWV were nice enough to send me a couple stacks of their fabulous papers, and this is the first of MANY projects to come. I love this stack, because it's got flocked papers!

How fun.

These are the stickers I used. Sorry I can't remember who made them. I bought them at Target though, if that helps you any.

So I cut up the paper, and layered it with a sheet of polka dot paper, to look like this:

I got some really cool ribbon from Oriental Trading Company. I layered the ribbon and wrapped it around the back, like this:

Then, of course, I added the butterflies. I love butterflies so much lately. Growing up, I was really more of a tom boy, choosing blue over pink, etc.

But now as I'm getting older, I think I rather like the color pink, and pretty things like butterflies and fairies. Weird.

Anyway, the next thing is to attach the ribbon. I chose some pink ribbon I had.

Here's a tip: save all your ribbons from Xmas gifts and such. That's what I did, that's what this ribbon is. Leftovers from a gift someone gave me.

I also save wrapping paper, but probably a lot of you already do that.

You see the pendant on the side? I wanted to make it to have extra weight on the ribbon.

Just get your plain pendant, I got mine from Etsy.

Attach the bail.

Then stick or glue on the sticker. Easy, peasy!

Tie to the end of the ribbon.

This is so easy!

Come to think of it, you could even just use an ATC, if you collect those things.

Like it? I hope you do! Now, I'm off to do my Xmas shopping!

The Craftaholic