Search results (tags) for: "lifestyle"

How-Tuesday: Pair of Bears From Felt Me a Smile

2010-02-09T16:01:00-05:00

One thing I always find worth celebrating is anything that merits a warm, cozy bear hug. Flipping through the pages of Felt Me a Smile by Toyoko Sugiwaka was an inspiring reminder to appreciate all that I hold near and dear, make time to dream up heartfelt handmade creations, and uncover the joy in the details of day-to-day life.

This week's needle felting How-Tuesday project might melt the hearts of even the most steadfast Valentine's Day cynics with instructions on how to make tiny bears locked in what Toyoko calls "the world's happiest posture."

Purchase Felt Me a Smile from Amazon or an independent bookseller.

Make something for someone with a feeling of warmheartedness — this will surely make you smile. That smile can hopefully be passed on to your "someone." Smiles are coming. If you smile, your mind opens automatically. If your mind is open, you will appreciate every little, good thing. Take care: the little things are easy to overlook in daily life.

Materials & Tools:

Natural grey and white wool roving
Felting needle
Sponge
Sewing needle and thread

Instructions:

1. Draw pieces of wool from the roving about 13 times and roll it between your palms to make a ball.

2. Hold the ball in your hand and poke the top with a felting needle until it is flat. Rotate the ball and continue for 15 minutes to get a small ball.

3. Roll the ball between your palms to make a longer shape.

4. Poke the felting needle around the ends of the shape to round them.

5. Poke the felting needle around the neckline to form the head and body. Hold the head firmly between your fingers and poke to create the shape.

6. Hold the body upside down and poke in a line across the end to divide into two legs.

7. Pull legs to make them longer. Hold leg between two fingers and poke in all directions to form the shape.

8. Stretch the body a little by pulling it with your fingers. Poke in a line across the neck and nose.

9. Make ears and arms, like this:

a. Draw a little grey wool from roving, hold one end and roll twice to create a small round shape.

b. Holding both free ends of the fibers, place the shape on the sponge and poke it in a circular pattern until it is flat. Turn it over and repeat.

c. Roll one end with your fingers to make it pointed. Continue poking until you have a triangle shape.

d. Leave about 3/8 inch of loose fibers for attaching to the head.

10. Attach ears and arms to head and body, as seen below. (Note: The photos for steps 10a through 10d are from the Fluffy Kitten project of Felt Me a Smile. That's why the critter looks more like a cat than a bear.)

a. Pick up a few fibers from the base of the head and the top of the body.

b. Hold the head and body together and use the felting needle to poke the fibers you picked up to the inside.

c. Spread out the unfelted wool at the end of the ears and limbs in a circle, and trim it back to 3/8 inch long.

d. Hold the limb in place and use the felting needle to poke the fibers into the body.

11. Take a little wool on your finger and poke it into place to create the nose and eyes.

12. Gently hold the body to make a curved back, then poke it. Sew each bear's hands to the other's body.

13. Pass needle through the body to the other side before cutting off the yearn. Squeeze bears together to shape.

Reprinted from the book Felt Me a Smile by Toyoko Sugiwaka, copyright 2010. Thanks to Toyoko and the good folks at Potter Craft for sharing this project with us.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | Needlecraft Category

Etsy Love Stories: WieberArt

2010-02-09T14:01:00-05:00

I have been lucky enough to meet many wonderful artists while selling on Etsy, but one person who I instantly connected with is Grace Wieber. Her personality is infectious, her humor is adorable and above all, her willingness to support and promote other artists' work on Twitter and her blog is truly inspiring. Grace and her husband Will, the duo behind WieberArt, answered some questions for the continuing swoon-worthy series, Etsy Love Stories.

Tell us about yourselves!
Will is a generous, patient man and in my honest opinion, an inspiring artist. I believe our sons, Gregory and Vincent, attest to this fact. They too have pursued careers in the arts. Will studied painting at the School of Visual Arts, and I taught Italian for five years while dancing with Andre Evglesky Ballet. Unfortunately, I had a terrible ski accident (a no-no for a dancer) and left teaching to regroup and raise our family. I continued to choreograph instead of perform and it was during this time that I decided to study fashion design. In the 1930s and 40s, my father and his brother owned Bellanca Embroidery, where they made embellished evening gowns and handbags for the high-end fashion houses and department stores. These influences weighed heavily upon me. We moved to the West Village in the 1980s, and I took the plunge, designing men's parachute nylon-ripstop jumpsuits and pants for boutiques on Fire Island. Will has exhibited at the Annual Art Festivals at the Pines, Huntington, Montauk and in showrooms and galleries from Chelsea to Soho.

How did you hear about Etsy?
Our son Gregory knew about Etsy; several of his girlfriends were participating. He had told me a few years ago to join but our heads were not in the right place. We were still raising our children and getting them through college and out the door.

How long have you been in business as a team?
It was a dream of mine from the very beginning of our relationship to be in business together. It took maturing on both of our parts to finally realize this vision. In 1996 while still living in New York we decided to open a decorative finish business. When our familial obligations were winding down, Billy took me to Florida where we continued the business and on April 19, 2009 we went live on Etsy.

What's the best part about working together?
Work is play and play is work. We're still like kids, we just like being together. Even if we are separated by a studio wall, it's just great. I have also opened a shop called CrazieGracie. It's a form of therapy for me until I dig deep again for those new ideas.

Anything difficult about working as a team?
Difficulties have been ironed out over our 30-year relationship. As it is for most people, everyone wants to be the boss. Well, we all know that to work as a team, there can only be one captain. Sometimes, I get to be the leader. Most times, I am fine with him heading up the team. I have his respect. He knows that he can trust my instincts and when I get out there, I let him reel me in.

How do you keep your business and personal life separate?
When you are self-employed, it all runs together. We try to be flexible and structure time for our personal
lives. We make sure to get out and take walks, play tennis, and stay fit and healthy. It's during these outings that we reminisce, vent and revitalize.

What are your Valentine's Day plans?
This may sound cliché, however, every day is Valentine's Day around here.

What are your future Etsy goals?
We are enjoying our experience with Etsy and look forward to building relationships and having continued success. We wish we had heeded our boys' advice to get online sooner. Leaping from the stone age into the cyber age, Etsy has proven to be a viable avenue for all sorts of opportunities.

Thanks to Will and Gracie for sharing their story.
You can see some of their creations below.

More Valentine's Day Posts | Etsy Love Stories | Art Category

Handmade for Haiti: Threadbanger's Corinne Leigh Teams Up With Planting Peace

2010-02-09T10:38:00-05:00

We've known Corinne, our friend over at Threadbanger, for some time now, but we didn't know that before Threadbanger, she helped start a charity in Haiti about six years ago. She has joined back up with her friend and founder of Planting Peace, Aaron Jackson, to help Haiti in the wake of the earthquake.

They've put out this call to crafters. Specifically, they are asking you to donate handmade blankets, washcloths, and plushies for kids. If you have other ideas for useful items, contact Corinne at tips@threadbanger.com.

More Haiti Posts | More Craftivism Posts

Keep it Weird: Think Inside the Box

2010-02-05T16:00:00-05:00

In elementary school, I was a fiend for book reports. Before the narrative arc had climaxed, I would already be filling shoeboxes with Fimo characters, papier-mache motifs, and metaphorical embellishments. The diorama is the ultimate immersion. I just want to climb inside these realms, wipe my feet on the construction-paper welcome mat and illuminate the clip-on-earring sconces. The dioramas in this week's Keep it Weird engross me in all dimensions and POVs.

Delve right in with The Attack by FriendlyMisanthrope, Give Bees a Chance Shrine by valleyofthedoll, and Sweet Goodbyes Pendant by charmedbyjessica. Check out the Related Items below for more trippy tableaux.

More Keep it Weird Posts | Etsy Dioramas

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: February 4, 2010

2010-02-04T14:30:00-05:00

"I am a nobody. Treat me as a solar myth, or an echo, or an irrational quantity, or ignore me altogether." — James Murray, lexicographer and editor of the Oxford English Dictionary

This week's edition of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere has revelations and surreal visions usually found after a three-day trip through the desert, layered collage worthy of a Hoarders intervention, cute Danes and larger than life sculpture (including a sleeping bag tongue).

Tally ho!

Sara Cwynar's busy compositions and layered works make for an analytical paradise. The "‘fictional manifestation of paranoia," shown at top, makes me want to watch a Hoarders marathon while methodically combing my hair (which is a fun exercise, if you haven't tried it). [Via Beautiful Decay]

Oh, you snazzy Danes! Copenhagen Street Style features the most well-conceived ensembles and adorable men and ladyfolk (and they're always about ten years younger than they look). Definitely worth adding to your bookmarks...

Alejandro Jodorowsky's cult classic The Holy Mountain is pure eye candy. The colors, the angles and the costuming make for a mystical, surreal dream that you can experience without a REM cycle or the aid of hallucinogens. I highly recommend watching it (and the rest of the Jodorowsky canon) if you haven't already. (Note: I've never actually watched this movie with the sound on. You can enjoy it just as much with trippy music played over it.) [Via Mashroob & Moustaches]

Richard Hughes' sculpture is larger than life. The materials and concepts leave me with so many questions, namely: Why has no one thought to make a slumber party/pillow fight sculpture sooner? Genius! [Via Booooooooom]

Wanna give me some more artsy, style or design blogs to peruse? Leave them in the comments! And check out past installments of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere!

I Heart Art: Portland

2010-02-04T12:30:00-05:00

Indie hearts beat strong in Portland, Oregon, one of the craftiest cities in the United States. Working from Brooklyn here at Etsy headquarters, I think of Portland as our sister city.

Today, we are announcing that we are joining forces with the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) and the Portland Etsy Team. We're calling our collaboration "I Heart Art: Portland." We are forging this ongoing relationship to foster opportunities and offer support for the local DIY/craft/vintage community. As a group, we'll be partnering to host a series of indie business talks at PNCA's Museum of Contemporary Craft and a series of Etsy Craft Labs this spring. (In addition to our regular Craft Nights at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn, we've started collaborating with other museums such as the Museum of Arts and Design in New York and the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Francisco for similar hands-on sessions.)

Supporting local economies — especially through independent businesses — is important for Etsy, as a company and as a website built up on a vast network of local communities. Art schools and museums can help Etsy by serving as a home base for the local art and craft movement's events, and Etsy can help by connecting curators, professors, students and members through our mutual passion for art, design, collecting and learning. We are thinking of this project in Portland as a pilot for Etsy's outreach to local communities. Hopefully, Etsy will bring "I Heart Art" to other cities after this first run gets off the ground.

To kick-off this new relationship, Etsy, PNCA and the Portland Etsy Team will host an “I Heart Art" meet and greet at PNCA on Friday, February 26. This public event brings together the PNCA student body, the Portland Etsy Team, members of the Guild Council Program from the Museum of Contemporary Craft, and the thriving local arts and crafts community of Portland. Morgan, a.k.a. neonmorgan Etsy's new Teams Admin, and I will be there in person to make new friends and meet old friends face-to-face. We can't wait!

I Heart Art: Portland Meet and Greet — Friday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. PT
Hosted by Etsy.com, Portland Etsy Team, Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) & Museum of Contemporary Craft
Connecting Portland’s Vibrant Community of Makers
Swigert Commons
Pacific Northwest College of Art
1241 Northwest Johnson Street
Free and open to the public
www.iheartartpdx.com

If you're in Portland, let us know if you're coming on this Facebook event. (And become a fan of the Facebook page, while you're at it and follow IHeartArtPDX on Twitter!).

If you're not in Portland but are interested in this type of program, comment below with links to your local museum or art school.

Come Craft Valentine Ornaments With Papismami at Etsy Labs

2010-02-04T09:45:00-05:00

Things are heating up at the Etsy Labs this week. Our hearts might just melt if you join us to make heatpress valentine ornaments at Craft Night — whether you're in Brooklyn, or anywhere in the world.

Stop by for our weekly Craft Night in our online multi-user chat room, the Virtual Labs, for a live online demo at 5 p.m. ET, or in person at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn anytime between 4-8 p.m. at 55 Washington Street, Suite 512 in Brooklyn, New York. (Click here to see what time 5 p.m. ET is in your hometown.) Craft Night is a time to make things, sharpen your craft skills, and connect with fellow artists.

Please join us on Monday, February 8 for Craft Night with Dari Litchman of Papi's Mami. We will be making stuffed fabric valentine ornaments using heat transfer images and other embellishments. You can follow along at home using iron-on transfer paper from an office supply store. If you are attending Craft Night in Brooklyn, you can send your images to Dari ahead of time and she will print them out for you on her special commercial grade transfer paper, and we will use the heat press in the Etsy Labs. You can send your images (photos or graphics) to dari.litchman@gmail.com. Please do not send large files and make sure they are jpegs.

We will also have a box at Craft Night to collect any Valentine's Day cards that you would like to donate to the Special Delivery project. All cards collected will be delivered by Citymeals-on-Wheels volunteers (including Etsy Admin) on Valentine's Day. More details on this project and how to participate here.

Dari Litchman, this week's Craft Night teacher, lives and works in Brooklyn, NY where she makes a line of kid's tees inspired by her favorite shorty (both pictured, left). You can see her work here on Etsy.

If you are attending Craft Night virtually this week and would like to craft along with us, you'll need to gather the following supplies:

Felt
Needle and thread
Stuffing
Ribbon or yarn
Scrap fabric
Glitter or glitter flue
Fabric paints/markers
Sequins, beads, buttons, any other shiny and fun embellishments

A photo from last week's matchbox valentines Craft Night.

Upcoming Events at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn:

2/15: President's Day: Craft Night canceled
2/22: Open Craft Night
3/1: Hatmaking with desirapesta
3/9: To be announced
3/15: Applique with Natalie from Alabama Chanin

Looking for further craft inspiration?

Matchbox Valentines | Fabric Flowers | How-Tuesday Projects

Will we see you on Monday? Let us know in the comments below.

There's No Place Like Here: Mid-Century Modest With Pam Kueber

2010-02-03T17:30:00-05:00

MP4 | Youtube | Blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(Music by Bill Loose, Lineland, animation by JuliaPott)

Pam Kueber of blog Retro Renovation was originally looking for the Victorian farmhouse of her dreams in the Berkshires, but for various reasons (price, location, size) she and her husband ended up falling in love and purchasing a 1951 Colonial Ranch house instead. Although the house has aspects of a modern ranch house — the step down living room, the open dining room — a large portion of the house feels more Colonial or, as Kueber coined, "Mid-Century Modest." As opposed to Mid-Century Modern, Mid-Century Modest is less minimal in its decor, and instead incorporates collections of knickknacks that add touches of warmth and heart, such as Stangl pottery, Cleminson wall pockets, Bargello needlework, Vera Neumann linens, Stylebuilt vanity sets, crocheted afghans and cast iron eagles.

The one area of the house that needed a dramatic retro renovation overhaul was the kitchen. The dark wood cabinets from the house's 1971 renovation had since fallen into disrepair. Pam happened upon a few of the original steel cabinets left in the garage and knew that what her kitchen needed was a resurrection of the post-war fitted steel cabinets. She searched for five long years for the perfect cabinets to fit her extra large kitchen. It was at a non-profit center run by nuns where she ultimately found the cabinets of her dreams, 1963 aqua-blue Geneva steel cabinets. Everyone thought she was out of her mind installing grubby old steel cabinets into her newly renovated kitchen, but with a little elbow grease and some car wax she buffed those old cabinets to perfection and created a stunning post-war style kitchen.

Eames era lamp, From 51VC, $845.

Catherine Holm Lotus Pot, From HausProud, $80.

Teak Elgin Starburst Clock, From vintagebutterfly94, $135.

White Ceramic Onion Lamp, From LiseVintageLighting, $175.

Retro Renovation offers a wealth of wonderful articles about mid-century decor. You can read about Early American Design, 1950s interior design, as well as a history of steel kitchen cabinets.

Looking for more styles and interiors? Get involved and show us your amazing space in this Flickr pool.

What Etsy items would you add to your retro renovation? Leave a link in the comments!

Housewares Category | Vintage Housewares

More There's No Place Like Here Posts | Retro Renovation Blog

How-Tuesday: Matchbox Valentines With Rachel Johnson

2010-02-02T15:00:00-05:00

Whenever I encounter paper lace, glitter, rosy patterned paper, and all the trappings of a classic handmade valentine, I am immediately transported back to my elementary school days. I would sit at the kitchen table with my mother, armed with a bottle of glue and a pair of scissors, and methodically and democratically (and sometimes against my will) make valentines for every kid in my class. Each little missive would be deposited in our custom crafted shoebox mailboxes at school the next day, surrounded by a group sugar buzz.

We had such a great time at Craft Night last night gluing and snipping that I decided to invite Rachel Johnson from Swap-bot back to share all her tips and tricks for constructing matchbox valentines for How-Tuesday this week. When Rachel shared her project idea with me, I knew I had met my crafting match! Read on for all the knowledge that you need to make a tiny gift that will surely help you ignite a Valentine's Day romance.

Altered matchboxes are small favors or gift boxes that can be decorated in any style or theme — including Valentine's Day! Some crafters decorate real, empty matchboxes, but if you don't have any of those handy you can create the little boxes from scratch using one of the free PDF Matchbox Templates available below. The small paper boxes can be decorated with patterned papers, ribbon, and other small embellishments, and filled with a Valentine's Day message or a small gift. Matchboxes are a popular item to swap on Swap-bot.com. If you are interested in trying out a matchbox swap, come join the February Love Matchbox Swap.

Supplies Needed:

Matchbox template (Download the traditional or envelope-style template below.)
Thick card stock and/or light cardboard, like a cereal box
Pencil
Scissors and/or craft knife
Bone folder or other scoring instrument
Ruler
Glue
Decorative papers and other embellishments for decorating your Valentine box
Optional: printed matchbox enclosures cards template to create cards and booklets to go inside your matchbox

Download Traditional Matchbox Template here.

Download Envelope-Style Matchbox Template here.

Matchbox Instructions:

1. Print out template at 100%. Do not use the “fit to paper size” option in your printer settings or your matchbox will not be the correct size. You can print the template directly on the card stock you will use to create your matchbox, or you can print it on scratch paper and then trace it on a light cardboard or other stiff paper.

2. Cut along all black lines, score and fold along all gray lines.

3. Apply glue to the light gray areas of the inside drawer.

4. Fold the sides of the inside drawer in on themselves (they will be end up being double thick) while tucking the tabs into the folds of the shorter sides of the drawer.

5a. For the traditional-style matchbox: Fold the outside wrap around the inside drawer to make sure it is the right size. Then, remove the inside drawer and glue the wrap in place.

5b. For the envelope-style matchbox: Fold the outside wrap around the inside drawer while folding in its bottom and tucking in the tabs. (I suggest test folding the outer wrap around the inner drawer at first, then removing the inside drawer and doing the final fold with glue. This fold is a little tricky as you must tuck in the tabs and the final side.) Glue it in place. The flap on the right side of the outside wrap template is the matchbox’s envelope closure. Fold it over the top of the box and secure it with a seal or ribbon.

6. Decorate your matchbox! (Swap your matchbox creations on Swap-bot.com for added fun.)

Booklet Instructions:

With Valentine’s Day coming up, I wanted to create some little cards that can be slipped into these pretty, decorated matchboxes. Matchboxes make a sweet and inexpensive handmade gift — fill them with some candy and a little note and you are sure to put a smile on your loved one’s face!

I came up with three very easy card types that fit perfectly into the boxes created using either of the Matchbox Templates from above. On the Matchbox Enclosure Cards PDF you will find a simple folded card, an accordion-style card/booklet, and a more complicated 8-page folded booklet. Follow the steps below to create the folded booklet.

Download the Matchbox Enclosure Cards PDF here.

1. Print out the Matchbox Enclosure Cards sheet at 100% (not “fit to paper size”). You may want to print it on scratch paper first to try out the booklet fold or to trace the enclosure card shapes onto patterned paper. Or, you can print directly on a light card stock that matches the theme of your matchboxes. The folded and accordion cards are self-explanatory: simply cut along the black lines and score and fold at the gray lines. Do the same for the booklet template. Notice the cut line through part of the center of the booklet.

2. Fold booklet in half lengthwise.

3. This part gets a little tricky. Pull out the two center pages (on each side of the cut center area) at their folds to create two pages. The “spines” of page 6/5 and cover/2 will end up touching.

4. Fold the cover and back page around the other pages to create the booklet.

5. Press the folds using a bone folder or other tool.

6. Decorate your pages or write a little zine. Then, place your booklet inside you matchbox and give it to someone you love!

Thanks to Rachel Johnson and Swap-bot.com for sharing this project with us. For more projects and craft swap projects, check out Swap-bot.com.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | Paper Goods Category

Etsy Love Stories: Paulandkatestudio

2010-02-02T10:22:00-05:00

There's a wealth of stories on Etsy, but the ones that truly epitomize the lifestyle of collaboration are the Etsy love stories. Paul Klassett and Kate Archie of paulandkatestudio answered a few questions for Justine of PlumeAdore as we prepare the rose petals and champagne this February.

Tell us about yourselves!
Paul and I have been together for 16 years and recently celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. We met in Washington, D.C., moved to Seattle, and now are living in Richmond, VA. We love to travel and try to leave the country once a year. We have two cats, four nieces, and one nephew.

How long have you both been crafting?
Paul and I have both been interested in art our whole lives. Paul studied photography at the Corcoran School in D.C. and I studied photography at American University. When we moved to Seattle, Paul became more interested in painting and ceramics while I stayed in the darkroom. In Richmond, Paul's enthusiasm for ceramics finally got me hooked as well. We enjoy doing our own thing in addition to producing collaborative works.

How did you hear about Etsy?
We heard about Etsy for the first time several years ago. A woman I work with opened an Etsy shop, beeskneesstudio, and has been very successful. We had been talking about selling our work and Etsy seemed like the perfect place to start.

Did you open your Etsy shop together?
We opened the shop together. The hardest part was figuring out a name. Really. I think we talked about it for three months but could not agree on anything that was catchy and captured the feel of our work. Finally, enough was enough, and we settled on Paul and Kate Studio. Not very imaginative, but I have a feeling we would still be talking about a name if we hadn’t just done it.

Does either person have a day job?
We both have day jobs — Paul is a picture framer and I am a graphic designer. We are lucky that they are regular 9-5 jobs. We work on ceramics in the evenings and on weekends. Some mornings I come downstairs to find Paul drinking his morning coffee, listening to the morning news, and pinching a pot.

What duties does each partner take with your shop?
As I am writing this you might be able to guess that I am more responsible for the marketing/business end of things. We both create for the shop, but Paul is much more productive than I am. Paul helps with the photography, pricing, and listings, but I handle most of the correspondence and shipping.

What's the best part about working together?
The best part is we work well as a team. We have different strengths and processes and often can give the other a new perspective. When one of us is stuck or in a rut the other’s enthusiasm and creativity pulls us through. It is also a plus that Paul enjoys starting projects and I enjoy finishing them.

Anything difficult about working as a team?
The pros far outweigh the cons, but we do occasionally have different opinions about how to price things, what we should be making, and what colors to use. Nothing arm wrestling can’t settle.

How do you keep your business and personal life separate?
We don’t. It is all one glorious mess.

What are your Valentine's Day plans?
We don’t have any Valentine's plans yet. We will probably go out for sushi. I pretend Valentine’s Day is not worth acknowledging, but Paul knows better than to ignore it.

What are your Etsy goals for the near future?
Paul has set his goal for the year to create at least 200 ceramic pieces. Our Etsy goals for the near future are to attract more views and increase sales. We still have much to learn about how to get the most out of Etsy — descriptions, tagging, pricing, marketing, pretty much everything, is a learning process at this point. We have had a lot of fun getting to this point and are looking forward to whatever is around the corner.

Thanks to Paul and Kate for sharing their story.
You can see more of Paul and Kate Studio creations below.

Mardi Gras: Made in China

2010-02-01T10:17:00-05:00

During Mardi Gras in 2007, I was standing on a balcony with Shelly, a fifty-year-old woman from Oklahoma City who described herself as a housewife and a grandmother. About every three minutes Shelly performed a typical routine that many women perform during Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street. “Hey you, up there! Show your tits!” one man yelled to Shelly. “Give me some beads! Big beads!” Shelly responded, emphasizing the word "big" and "beads" as she negotiated with anonymous members of the crowd, while they bargained with Shelly on which part of her body they wanted to see. “I want those beads,” Shelly declared, while pointing to a man wearing heart-shaped beads around his neck. “You want these? Then you gotta show me those,” the anonymous man playfully yelled, pointing to her breasts. “You like these?” Shelly exclaimed, pointing to her breasts as she slowly and playfully raised her shirt and then lifted her skirt for the crowd to see. Immediately hundreds of male revelers below let out a thunderous roar as they showered Shelly with Mardi Gras beads.

Every year revelers exchange millions of plastic beads for sex and nudity on Bourbon Street, but what happens when we follow those beads from the hands that exchange them to the hands that make them? Where does the actual manufacturing of these beads that provide so much pleasure to celebrants come from? While participants are using beads to get down and dirty for transgressive thrills, the majority of the world’s plastic bead production occurs in Chinese free-trade zones that were established in the late 1970s. I had an opportunity to stay for two months inside the largest bead factory in the world: The Tai Kuen Bead Factory in Fuzhou, China, owned by Roger Wong. Those two months form the basis for my film titled MARDI GRAS: MADE IN CHINA — an exploration in a commodity chain.

MARDI GRAS: MADE IN CHINA follows the story of four teenage workers who sew plastic beads together with needles and thread and also pull them from a machine. Each story provides insight into their economic realities, self-sacrifice, dreams of a better life, and the severe discipline imposed by living and working in a factory compound. I was eventually kicked out of China under the premise of not having a journalist visa, so I continued following the bead trail to New Orleans in an effort to visually personalize globalization. What I found, and presented in the documentary, is that Mardi Gras beads were hand-crafted and made from cut glass in Czechoslovakia up until the late 1960s. Glass beads were the most popular throws at that time, but a rise in costs, political conditions overseas, and a safety ordinance that cautioned against items that might cause eye injuries all contributed to the decline and ultimate elimination of glass beads and the rise in popularity of plastic ones.

The proliferation of plastic marks the emergence of a disposable culture. Following the plastic bead from China to the U.S. illustrates how the commodity chain is connected to different people along the alienated and seemingly disconnected route.

The raw material for the beads comes from polyethylene and polystyrene — oil based liquids supplied by Chevron (and coming out of Iraq). Here, the film comes full circle. After Mardi Gras ends in New Orleans, the beads are left on the ground where some people collect them and send them as care packages to U.S. soldiers in Iraq where they celebrate Mardi Gras by tossing beads into the streets! Hence, disposable culture is exported overseas as a cultural ritual. In other words, the beads go full circle from a liquid material in Iraq, to China, to New Orleans, and back to the streets of Baghdad where soldiers exchange them in a material form.
The DIY spirit of asking questions, making art, distributing the art, and then making a new film is, for me, exactly why Etsy exists. When I look through the growing membership of Etsy, it inspires me to keep producing socially and environmentally conscious work while listening to the community members who make this possible because of their love for handmade items. Etsy connects the producer and consumer — as people — directly in a very personal way. And that is the intent of MARDI GRAS: MADE IN CHINA. If we connect the makers and buyers maybe a new economy based on fair wages and accountability is possible.

Carnivalesque Films was founded by Ashley Sabin (a.k.a. ashleysabi) and David Redmon and is currently located in Brooklyn, NY. The team brings together stories united by a raw, startling sensibility of disruption and celebration, where excess and transgression percolate in everyday life. For more information on MARDI GRAS: MADE IN CHINA and other titles from Carnivalesque Films, please visit Carnivalesque Films or check them out right here on Etsy.

Keep it Weird: Annual Checkup

2010-01-29T16:00:00-05:00

Is there a parasite festering at the periphery of your cellular walls? Is your gum tissue going soft? As creators, we attentively tend to our psyches and emotional cores, but often neglect the physical vessel. Probing beneath the surface is at the heart of Keep it Weird, so take a sample and send it to the lab for diagnostic results.

We can schedule you in with Freud at Work Sculpture by Uturn, Teddy Bear at the Doctor Print by domuza, and Dental Flossing Embroidery by birdflew. Check out the Related Items below and say "ah."

More Keep it Weird Posts | Items Tagged "Dentist"

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: January 28, 2010

2010-01-28T16:04:00-05:00

"Get out of my dreams, get into my car." — Billy Ocean

This week's edition of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere has rustic communal homes, fantastical organic jewelry, chocolate to stop you dead in your tracks (the visual punnage will stun you!) and enough smoke and mirrors to set off the sprinklers.

Carry on!

I think I'm becoming a total disciple of the Art Boericke and Barry Shapiro. I fell in love with the lofty bed stands, odd corners and casually tossed Navajo print blankets of Handmade Houses: A Guide to the Woodbutcher's Art earlier this year, and I've since come upon their earlier body of work — namely, The Craftsman Builder. The stucco and stone fixtures, epic skylights (the beams above — insanity), rustic interiors and long-haired munchkins (holding puppies!) seem too good to be true. I wonder what's become of these houses... [Via Reference Library]

David Neale's jewelry isn't quite of this world. The organic shapes are familiar, sure, but the textures and colors are the kind of surreal combinations I'd create in the backyard as a kid — ornamenting myself with a a layer of purple-markered leaves and lawn detritus to achieve the shades I longed for in nature. Jewelry as sculpture: I'm into it. (Especially the crystal mishmash brooch at top. Wow.) [Via All the Mountains]

Smoke and mirrors have never looked so moody. Blogger Vamoose curated this collection of striking images from all 'round the Internet, and I'd be hard pressed to say they don't belong together. This girl should be styling fashion editorials on the daily. Check her out!

When it comes to sweets, I feel like I should spend an allotted amount of time admiring the elaborate designs and packaging before the eventual devouring starts — but, unfortunately, I'm human and have no patience, so that's almost too much to ask. Chocolate Editions' clever designs ("pie chart," anyone?) are enough to stop me in my salivating tracks.

Wanna give me some more artsy, style or design blogs to peruse? Leave them in the comments! And check out past installments of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere!

Come Craft With Rachel Johnson of Swap-Bot.com at Etsy Labs

2010-01-28T10:27:00-05:00

Love is in the air at the Etsy Labs. Our hearts will surely sing if you join us to make matchbox valentines (tutorial here)at Craft Night with Rachel Johnson — whether you're in Brooklyn, or anywhere in the world.

On Monday, February 1, Rachel Johnson will show us how to transform matchboxes into sweet little valentines and gifts. Altered matchboxes are small favors or gift boxes that can be decorated in any style or theme — including Valentine's Day! Some crafters decorate real, empty matchboxes, but if you don't have any of those handy you can create the little boxes from scratch using card stock or light cardboard. (A printable PDF template is available for download on the Swap-bot blog.) The small paper boxes can be decorated with patterned papers, ribbon, and other small embellishments. You can fill the boxes with a paper valentine message or a small gift.

If you are interested in trying out a matchbox swap on Swap-Bot (more details on Swap-Bot below), come join the February Love Matchbox Swap.

Rachel Johnson (on the left) is the co-owner and sole administrator of the art and craft community website, Swap-bot.com. Swap-bot is a web tool used to coordinate group craft and pen pal swaps. It is also a community with over 25,000 members where you can share, create, chat, and have fun with other artists, crafters, writers, and makers from all over the world.

Rachel created Swap-bot in 2005 with her husband, Travis, and has recently devoted herself full time to running the site.

If you are attending Craft Night virtually this week and would like to craft along with us, you'll need to gather the following supplies:

Matchbox template (Download a free matchbox template PDF from the Swap-bot blog here.)
Thick card stock and/or light cardboard, like a cereal box
Pencil
Scissors
Bone folder or other scoring instrument
Ruler
Glue
Decorative papers and other embellishments for decorating your Valentine box

A photo from last week's stenciling Craft Night.

Upcoming Events at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn:

2/8: Heatpress printing with Dari of papismami
2/15: President's Day: Craft Night canceled.
2/22: Open Craft Night
3/1: Hatmaking with desirapesta

Looking for further paper craft inspiration?

Rolling Ball Books | Paper Boxes | How-Tuesday Projects

Will we see you on Monday? Let us know in the comments below.

How-Tuesday: Blue Ribbon Bourbon Ginger Pecan Pie

2010-01-26T13:11:00-05:00

New Year's resolution #1: Eat. More. Pie. After having the great honor to be on the panel of judges for the 1st Annual Brooklyn Pie Bake Off Benefit at Spacecraft and sample over thirty handmade pies, I realized that making and eating homemade pie is truly at the top of my personal priorities for the new year, and in life in general. Wild goals of skydiving or going to the gym every day aside, I think one resolution I can stick to this year is to make time for the sweet, slow things in life, like freshly baked pie, straight from the oven.

With its flaky crust, choice ingredients, and impeccable harmony of flavors, Allison Kave's Bourbon Ginger Pecan Pie was the winner of this year's contest! Allison (pictured below, with her boyfriend, Jay Horton, who won Best Sweet Pie for his Apple Cider Cream) was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and grew up on Long Island. She has been working in the arts for years and is currently the studio manager for an artist. Baking and cooking are her favorite hobbies, and she hopes to someday make the transition into working with food professionally.

She has shared her winning recipe and few insights into her pie-making process with us below:

What was your inspiration for the pie? What do you think is the secret to creating a delicious pie?
I have been baking this pie for years. I'm a big bourbon drinker, which is a traditional pairing with pecans, but I also thought that ginger would add a nice spicy, herbal element to the overall flavor.

The crust has to be flaky and crisp, with no sogginess. I've learned that blind baking the crust first makes a big difference, especially with particularly juicy fruit pies. Also, a good balance of flavor, with a bit of salt to counteract all the sweetness, is important.

How long have you been a pie-maker? What was the first pie you ever baked?
I've been baking since I was a kid. My mother is a great cook and baker, and she actually opened up a chocolate shop a couple of years ago, called Roni-Sue's Chocolates in the Essex Market on the Lower East Side. I learned a lot from watching her. My brother Corwin and I were always encouraged to spend time in the kitchen. He's now the executive chef at Fatty Crab restaurant, so food definitely runs in the family! I don't have a clear memory of my first pie, but I'd guess it was probably an apple pie, as we often went apple picking in the fall during my childhood.

What meal would you pair with this pie?
It's a very autumnal pie — I first made it for Thanksgiving dinner years ago, so I know from experience that it pairs nicely with roasted turkey and brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, etc. The ginger in the pie lends itself to a whole different kind of interpretation, however, and I could see someone starting things off with a Thai curry or something similarly spicy and Asian-influenced.

So, for those of you looking to satisfy your sweet tooth and try a new recipe in the new year, read on for a real treat from the winner of the 1st Annual Brooklyn Pie Bake Off Benefit.

Photo by Talisa Chang from the Greenpoint Gazette

Recipe for Bourbon Ginger Pecan Pie by Allison Kave

You'll Need:
Crust — makes enough for 1 single 9-inch crust:

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cake flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, diced and chilled
2 tablespoons lard, chilled*
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar*
1/4 cup very cold water
approximately 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Filling:
1 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups pecans, lightly toasted
2-3 tablespoons good bourbon
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground dried ginger
approximately 2 teaspoons (about a 2-inch piece) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (a microplane is great for this)

Tip: If you do not want to use lard (although I recommend it as it makes an amazing crust), just replace it with butter and omit the white vinegar from the recipe. I'm not a fan of shortening, but you could substitute that if you want to. Also, leaf lard is really the best thing for pies, if you can find it. I buy it already rendered from my local farmer's market, and you can often find it frozen at good food markets.

Directions:
1. Make the crust. I use a food processor for this, and it turns out wonderfully, but you can cut the fat into the flour by hand if you don't have one. A pastry cutter or a couple of knives will do the trick.

In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the flours and salt just to combine. Add the butter, lard, and ginger, and pulse a few times to cut the fat into the flour. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs. Combine the vinegar (if using) with the cold water. With the processor running, pour the liquid down the feed tube all at once. As soon as the dough begins to form a ball around the blade, stop the machine. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and dump the dough onto it, scraping the bowl and blade with a spatula. Pat the dough into a ball, wrap lightly, and chill for at least an hour before using. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

After the dough has rested, lightly dust a clean work surface with flour, and roll out to a circle approximately 10 inches in diameter, and about 1/8" thick. Line a buttered pie plate with the dough, and trim the overhang to about 1/2 inch. Do not prick with a fork. Tuck the overhang under the edge between the pie plate and the crust, and make a nice decoration around the edge by pinching the dough between your thumb and forefinger. Return to the fridge to chill for another 20-30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line the crust with foil and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or dried rice, to help the crust hold its shape while baking. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove the weights and foil, and return to the oven for 10 more minutes, until the crust begins to brown lightly. Remove from the oven and cool before filling. If the crust has bubbled up at all on the bottom don't worry, just lightly press down any bubbles.

3. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees. While the crust cools, make the filling. In a mixing bowl, stir together the sugar and the melted butter. Add the maple syrup, eggs, pecans (toast these lightly first for best flavor), bourbon, salt, and both gingers, and stir until all ingredients are combined. Pour mixture into cooled pie crust, and bake for approx 25-35 minutes, or until the pie is set. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. The pie can be frozen after it has cooled. To do so, wrap it well in plastic and then foil, and leave it out at room temperature for a few hours to defrost.

Thanks to Allison Kave for sharing this delicious recipe with us! For more home-cooking inspiration, be sure to check out the links below.

Food on the Etsy Blog | Plants and Edibles Category

More How-Tuesday Projects

Celebrate Present Day

2010-01-25T15:13:00-05:00

Turns out you don’t need to be a politician, a Hallmark executive, or a cult leader to start a new holiday. My friends and I created one last year. On the first Sunday of every month, we celebrate Present Day by spending the day free of cell phones and computers. If you haven’t heard of Present Day, you’re not alone. But if the thought of a day without your phone and computer sounds impossible, impractical or just painful, then Present Day is perfect for you.

I don’t hate technology. I love my iPhone — perhaps too much. I carry it everywhere, safely stowed next to my money and the family jewels. It is my touchstone, my blankie, my compass. One click and I’m home. At night, my iPhone rests inches from head, charging up for another day and beaming wi-fi dreams into my head. My laptop rarely gets jealous. I take her on all the big trips. We work hard together, and if I need to procrastinate, she’s always game. Sometimes we spend romantic nights in, watching movies in bed. When I’m anxious, she lets me click away my stress: YouTube, RedTube, Etsy, she doesn’t judge.

My laptop and cell phone have been loyal companions. But a while back, I became worried that our relationship was becoming codependent. We were clingy, incessantly demanding each other’s attention. I allowed my phone and laptop to behave horribly: interrupting intimate moments with loved ones, waking me up in the middle of the night, demanding I work when I was trying to relax, or distracting me when I was trying to work. Finally I decided it would be healthy to spend a little time apart, even just one day a month. Present Day was born.

When I spend the day without my cell phone and computer, I can appreciate all the ways these technologies keep me connected but I also see how they undermine my connection to the present moment, pulling me out of the here and now. Present Day restores this connection. It feels good to actually be with the people around you, without taking calls, glancing at texts, or checking your email. The part of me that is always on guard, on call, always ready for the intrusion of the technology, can finally relax. Disconnected, I feel oddly closer to myself and to the people around me.

Present Day is challenging too. I’m not used to making plans with people in advance and actually having to stick to them, without the benefit of real time flaking technology. I feel vulnerable waiting for someone in a public place, without being able to hide behind my iPhone, thus assuring the rest of the world that while I’m alone, I have tons of friends emailing and texting me. Present Day makes me spend more time with myself, unable to DoodleJump out of my thoughts, and that’s always a mixed a bag.

Photo by Jack Simon (Brett's father)

Yes there are challenges, but overall, Present Day puts me in the moment, and that feels good. And part of that feeling stays with me for the rest of the month. I’m less clingy with my iPhone. I don’t let my laptop boss me around. I’m less likely to get stuck in the web.

Present Day is like camping. I never want to go, but once I’m there I’m glad I did. Like many of you, I was born after the invention of the roof. I’m grateful to have a house. But something special happens when I sleep outdoors. The food tastes better. The conversations are richer. I’m woken up from my routine, and everything is more vivid. In giving up the roof, I gain something else. Present Day works the same way. Give up your toys and you can have all the presence you want.

Photo by Brett Simon

If the idea of celebrating Present Day sounds appealing or repulsive, come join our group on Facebook. It’s worth it for the contradiction alone. Here you can share your Present Day experiences and gawk at the lurid pictures in the Rogue’s Gallery of people caught fondling their laptops and phones in public. The next Present Day is February 7. Your presence is requested.

Brett Simon, one of the judges for our recent Handmade Moment Video Contest, is a filmmaker living in Venice, California. He has directed music videos for The Killers, The Walkmen, and Queens of Stone Age. His first feature, Assassination of a High School President is now out on DVD. He is currently writing a screenplay based on the novel Nude Men on his laptop. His iPhone is quiet...for now.

Read More Posts Tagged "Creativity"

Keep it Weird: House Party

2010-01-22T16:29:00-05:00

Having celebrated my birthday earlier this week, it's time for a Keep it Weird shindig. Strap on your party hat and take a swig of these murky cocktails. Etsy fiestas always keep up the neighbors and trash the front yard. I just hope I remember this tomorrow morning.

Cheers to Hedonist Sunglasses by ElaineVanHoorn, Margaritaville Hand Carved Pipe by WorkingWithWood, and Coming Out Giclee Print by edart. Check out the Related Items below for more raging creations.

More Keep it Weird Posts | Items Tagged "Weird Party"

Come Craft With Ed Roth of Stencil1 at Etsy Labs

2010-01-21T14:11:00-05:00

After a lengthy Craft Night hiatus we're excited to start making all of our crafty new year's ambitions come true. We invite you to join us for our first Craft Night of 2010, a stenciling session with Ed Roth — whether you're in Brooklyn or anywhere in the world.

On Monday, January 25, Ed Roth will be sharing his expert stenciling skills at our first Craft Night of the year. Please bring a t-shirt, tote bag, card, pillowcase or anything else that you would like to spruce up with a stencil.

Ed Roth (that's him on the left) started his company, Stencil1, in Brooklyn, NY in 2004. Stencil1 designs and sells laser-cut reusable stencils inspired by stencil graffiti, with imagery ranging from urban and eclectic to nature-inspired. The company's aesthetic lies somewhere between street art and decorative arts.

If you are attending Craft Night virtually this week and would like to stencil along with us, you'll need to gather the following supplies:

T-shirt, tote bag, or a surface to stencil upon
Stencil bristle brushes (flat head brush), one for each color
Fabric jar paints in various colors
Paint dish
Stencils
Cardboard sheets or boxes to slip into shirts for flat painting surfaces
Fabric spray paints
Newspaper to control overspray
Iron and board to heat seal design

For further insight into Ed's stencil process, check out the how-to video below.

Upcoming Events at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn:

2/1: Matchbox Valentines with Rachel Johnson of Swap-bot

2/8: Heatpress printing with Dari of papismami

2/15: President's Day: Craft Night canceled.

2/22: Open Craft Night

Looking for further stenciling inspiration?

Painted Furniture | Stencils & Yam Prints | How-Tuesday Projects

Will we see you on Monday? Let us know in the comments below.

"This Is Not a Black Holiday; It Is a People's Holiday."

2010-01-18T10:15:00-05:00

Those are the words that Coretta Scott King, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s widow, said after President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law on Nov. 2, 1983. Fifteen years earlier on April 4, 1968 the man many now refer to simply as MLK was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee.

In lots of ways, America has come a long way from the height of the civil rights movement when Dr. King drew huge crowds to peacefully fight for equality for every human being. Sadly, however, the fight for civil rights and justice for all people regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or other characteristics still rages for many groups.

Despite being the foremost civil rights leader of his time and winning the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 35, at his funeral, Dr. King's famous "Drum Major" sermon (from Feb. 4, 1968) was played. In it, he requested that no mention of his awards and honors be made at his funeral, but that it be said he tried to "feed the hungry," clothe the naked," "be right on the (Vietnam) war question," and "love and serve humanity" (quote from History.com).

His spirit of helping others and striving for justice lives on today in a very poignant and concrete way in the world's response to the recent devastation in Haiti. Americans, along with people from every corner of the globe, are doing whatever they can to help a people whom they don't know, may not be like them in race or religion, and from whom they have no personal gain from assisting. This is the legacy that Dr. Martin Luther King would cherish far more than the hard-earned national recognition bestowed on him through the holiday commemorating his birth each January in the United States.

More Posts Tagged "Martin Luther King"

Keep it Weird: Rebirth

2010-01-15T16:51:00-05:00

I've always been fond of particularly chubby infants, but in the past few years, my maternal yearnings have truly kicked into hormonal high-gear. I'm drawn not only to the squeezable cheeks or head fuzz, but also the bold and zany spirit that comes so naturally to babies. No object can be truly explored unless placed in one's mouth, no guttural sound censored even at pre-dawn hours. Babies Keep it Weird knowing no other way to live.

Prepare for the next generation with Baby Butt Cake by danhalbel, Fetus Brooch by plasticfairy, and "Yearning" by designsbyck. Check out the Related Items below for more miracles of life.

More Keep it Weird Posts | Items Tagged "Conjoined" | Etsy Fetuses

Working Overtime: RollingHillsVintage Tells Her Story

2010-01-15T10:15:00-05:00

Sometimes you'd like to quit your day job, but life gets in the way. Patti of Northernlodge wrote to us about her friend Anita of rollinghillsvintage. We asked her to share her story about her struggle to carve out creative time despite everyday setbacks.

I've always been a very busy person. When I was a little girl, I made all of my doll clothes and all my relatives received numerous woven potholders from me on any given occasion. I loved creating. I once made a skirt for myself out of paper. Of course, I didn't go out in the rain.

In 1969, I married the love of my life, the boy next door. I worked as a nurse and he as a financial analyst. We were blessed in 1976 with our son, James. Soon after my son's birth, our world came crashing down. My husband became totally and permanently disabled.

I suddenly had to balance my life with an infant, a very ill husband and a brand new house that came with mortgage payments.

I worked nights in my nursing profession, called for Amvet pick-ups during the day and delivered flowers on the weekend. It was tough, but I feel it has made me a very strong person and forced me to learn how to do twelve things at once.

In the fall of 2008, my daughter-in-law told me about Etsy. At this point in my life, I no longer had to hold down three jobs, and I still loved to create. I had also developed a passion for vintage. I can stare at a vintage item — an old quilt or a piece of kitchenware — and wonder where it has been, who owned it and what story it secretly held. I opened anitarae822 for paper goods, sold two Halloween cards immediately and became hooked! I expanded to rollinghillsvintage.

Soon after I opened my shops, the drop in the economy hit my place of work. We were going to start closing on Fridays — a big loss of pay for a solo wage earner. My husband and I used the Fridays to hunt for vintage at estate sales, thrift stores, flea markets. Saturdays are research and photo sessions and keeping up with my paper goods shop. I started making some wonderful friends on Etsy through the Forums, and sales were steady and affording us to continue living the lifestyle we were used to. And then, another bomb fell, my husband was diagnosed with cancer. The medical bills were mounting, his treatments were uncomfortable and side effects were not pleasant. Etsy again put balance in my life. I would sign in to Etsy, and all the bad things would go away, I would list and chat and lose myself in Etsyland. And thanks to Etsy, I kept up with the bills.

I work eight hours a day as a nurse in a surgery center. Once I'm home, I spend time with my husband, do chores and get our dinner. After dinner I work on Etsy for four or five hours. (Well, I must confess, a lot of that time is playing on Etsy, chatting with friends, looking through shops and working on my goal to become the Treasury queen! I'm addicted!) I work long days, but Etsy has made them rewarding days.
My sales are steady, and we are grateful for the Etsy income. I couldn't have made it through the past year without the encouragement I have received from Patti at northernlodge, Sarah at fenandneds and Karl at halfpintsalvage and of course my beautiful daughter-in-law Mary at thecareerscrapper. And all of the vintage sellers who regularly promote on the Who Loves Vintage thread, they have been most encouraging.

Tell us if you have a person like Anita in your life. Post in the comments!

More Posts About Disability | Quit Your Day Job Series

Guest Curator: Laure Joliet of Apartment Therapy

2010-01-13T16:47:00-05:00

Laure Joliet is a photographer and designer obsessed with interiors, beautiful things and lazy days. Find her most days writing for Apartment Therapy, her own blog At Home At Home and check out her photography at Laure Joliet.

In the new year it's important to set your intentions, have a list of things you can't wait to do and, just generally, embrace all things good and exciting and full of joy. Getting my home in order is always at the top of the list because if my home is clean, organized and beautiful, life just seems to go smoother. Starting with a big clean-out of the closets and desk drawers, then the purse and the wallet, starts getting things in order.

From there add back some choice luxuries that make your home feel more like a home: things that are beautiful, things that help you to relax and things that help welcome others in. As a bonus, I try to have these little luxuries be truly affordable so there's no stress or guilt. Below find some of my favorite items on Etsy that will bring a little kick into your home and into your year — all for under $40.

Inviting people into my home gives me an excuse to clean up, to bring new life in and is sometimes the best way to motivate myself to splurge on cut flowers. This fun striped serving tray is the perfect piece to offer some drinks or appetizers to guests. The bonus is that when I'm not entertaining I can use it to wrangle mail or all the stuff that accumulates on the nightstand! By afabulousfete, $40.

These days I always seem to be checking the time on my phone by pulling it out of my pocket. A much more refined approach would be to have an actual clock on the wall. Keep track of time with a nod to ski lodges and Grimm's Fairy Tales with this screen printed cuckoo clock that has all the fun and none of the annoyance of the real thing. By decoylab, $28.

I've been meaning to make some of my own pom poms for a party but I will never just sit down and do it. As such, I'm super excited that PomLove can make them for me in any color I want and within my budget. I want to have a bunch of these stashed away to add some zip to an otherwise normal dinner. $30.

I've been looking for some simple, classic throw pillows and this black and beige one from humblecollection is perfectly fun and geometric and will save my back when I sit at the computer all day. They're also cozy and durable enough to let the kids play with them. $28.

Don't forget to appeal to all five senses in your home. If it's clean but stuffy from being closed up with the heater on, light this lavender scented candle and inhale deeply. Take a load off, grab your favorite book, your favorite blanket and a cup of tea, curl up and take it easy. By monkeysalwayslook, $9.

Mobiles aren't just for kids anymore. These light blue whales would look great in the corner of the living room or near your entry so that they move around when the door gets opened. It adds an element of play and fun into the house, not to mention a nice reminder of the ocean and all things larger than us. By paperbella, $40.

This little birdhouse is housing an airplant instead which works great for those with black thumbs who want some greenery inside the house. By greenwaredesign, $40.

Are alligators the new bird? Not sure, but a handsome brass one will help keep bills in place by the door and give you a nice hello all in one. From highstreetmarket, $28.

It's a brand new year — a new decade, even! It's a year to celebrate, to plant new seeds for the future and to enjoy what we've got now. I love this notecard and am a big fan of framing these — it's inexpensive (I just shop Ikea or the thrift store for frames) and this one adds a nice punch of yellow to say HELLO! to the new year. By curiousgravy, $4.50.

Here's to a new year, friends! Enjoy it!

More New Year's Posts | More Guest Curators | More Posts from Apartment Therapy

How-Tuesday: Swing Cardigan From Haiku Knits

2010-01-12T14:34:00-05:00

Stumbling through brutal wind tunnels on my trek at the end of an evening, hair frozen and fingertips blue, I must remind myself to escape to a mental place of otherness, a realm of zen that will bring me home. Tanya Alpert's Haiku Knits is filled with sweaters and shawls that would wrap me not only in cozy fibers, but a peaceful state of mind as well. Tanya takes inspiration from Japanese aesthetics, creating patterns for meditative elements of nature, from lingering snow to fading light. For this week's How-Tuesday, Tanya shares a raglan swing cardigan that evokes the shape of a bird's wing. I feel calmer already.

Purchase Haiku Knits from Amazon or an independent bookseller

Three years ago, my love of knitting and my desire to share this passion inspired me to open Knitting by the Beach. I wanted to create an environment where people could come together to explore and share in one another's creativity, and to enjoy the therapeutic aspects of knitting. As my clientele grew and I began to get to know my customers more personally, I realized that designing for them was my calling. Many of these women have discriminating taste and a distinctive, sophisticated style. Creating wearable designs that would appeal to them became my goal.

I was especially intrigued by Japanese yarns with their unique textures and understated beauty. I began mixing them with more traditional yarns to create new designs, while incorporating some of the elements of Japanese aesthetics. Two of the main tenets of Japanese aesthetics are economy in the use of space and materials, and asymmetry. As in a haiku, in the expression of emotion and thought, an economical use of space and time seems especially appropriate today. As for asymmetry, it suggests fluidity and motion. Bridging elements of Japanese aesthetics with our Western fashion was very exciting to me and became the genesis for Haiku Knits.

The combination of different textures, twisted cables, decorative seams, and asymmetric shapes, was inspired by traditional wabi (beauty that is incomplete) and sabi (beauty that comes with age), where imperfections are celebrated. The shape of each design brings the Japanese reverence for fabric to the Western ideal of clothes that are cut and shaped to the body: They focus on the coexistence of the knitted fabric and the body. Feminine without being frilly and minimalist without being severe, these patterns are perfectly suited to our modern lifestyle. The twenty-five designs featured in Haiku Knits celebrate originality, simplicity, sophisticated color, and comfortable fit.

I've always loved the shape of a bird's wing, but it's difficult to incorporate that distinctive form into an everyday garment without verging on costume. That challenge inspired me to update a traditional raglan sweater by essentially merging it with a wrap, to create an elegant A-line silhouette with fly-away three-quarter sleeves. For the shaping, I used alternating right- and left-slanting decreases, which produce a surface texture that recalls the feather pattern of a bird's wing. The outside raglan seams add an interesting decorative touch. The garment is loose-fitting, which makes it easily adaptable to a variety of sizes.

Skill Level
Easy

Sizes
Small (Medium, Large). Instructions are for smallest size, with changes for other size noted in parentheses as necessary.

Finished Measurements
Bust (buttoned): 32-34 (36-38, 40-42)"
Total length: 18 (19, 20)"

Materials
Berroco Pure Merino (4/medium weight; 100% extra fine merino; 1 3/4 oz/50g; 92 yds/84m): 11 (12,13) balls of Aubergine #8522
One each of sizes 7 and 9 (4.5 and 5.5mm) 24" long circular needles. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
Five stitch holders
Stitch markers
Row counter
Tapestry needle
Two 5/8" decorative buttons
One 1/2" flat button
Size B (2.25mm) crochet hook

Gauge
18 sts and 24 rows = 4" in St st on larger needles
To save time, take time to check gauge.

Stitch Patterns
Garter Stitch
Pattern Row: Knit across. Repeat Patt Row.

Stockinette Stitch (St st)
Row 1 (RS): Knit across. Row 2 (WS): Purl across. Repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Special Decrease Stitches
Right-Slanting Decrease (RD): Knit 2 sts, place them back onto the left needle, pass the third stitch from left needle over the 2 sts already knit.
Place the 2 knit sts back onto the right needle.

Left-Slanting Decrease (LD): Slip 1 stitch as if to P, knit the following 2 sts, pass the slipped stitch over the 2 knitted stitches.

Back

With larger needles, CO 102 (106, 112) sts. Knit 9 rows in Garter st. These 9 rows become the bottom band of the cardigan.

Row 1 (WS): Beg St st patt, starting with a purl row. Work a total of 5 rows, ending with a WS row.

Row 6 (Set up Decrease Row) (RS): K9 (9, 10), pm (place marker), RD, k18 (19, 20), pm, RD, k36 (38, 40), LD, pm, k18 (19, 20), LD, pm, k9 (9, 10)

Rows 7-11: Work a total of 5 rows in St st, starting and ending with a purl (WS) row.

Row 12: (Decrease Row) (RS): K9 (9, 10), slip marker (sl m), RD, knit to the next marker, sl m, RD, knit to 3 sts before the next marker, LD, sl m, k9 (9, 10).

Continue in St st working a Decrease row (as row 12) every 6th row 15 (16, 17) more times, and at the same time beginning armhole shaping.

Armhole Shaping

BO 4 sts at the beg of the 6th Decrease Row, and at the beg of the foll row.

Continue with RD and LD on every 6th row until a total of 17 (18, 19) decrease rows are made.

Place rem 25 (27, 28) sts on st holder.

Left Front

With larger needles CO 63 (67, 70) sts. Knit 9 rows in Garter St. THese 9 rows become the bottom left front band.

Row 1 (WS): K12 (13, 14) (front band sts), purl to last st.

Row 2 (RS): Knit across.

Row 3-5: Repeat rows 1 and 2 ending with WS row.

Row 6 (Set up Decrease Row) (RS): K9 (10, 11), pm, RD, k18 (19, 20), pm, RD, k18 (19, 20), pm, k12 (13, 14).

Row 7 (and every WS row): K12 (13, 14), purl to the end.

Continue Decrease Rows on every 6th row 15 (16, 17) more times as follows: K9 (10, 11) sts, sl m, RD, knit to next marker, sl m, RD, knit to next marker, sl m, k12 (13, 14), and at the same time begin armhole shaping.

Armhole Shaping

BO 4 sts at the beginning of the 6th Decrease Row. Continue with RD decreases until a total of 17 (18, 19) decrease rows have been completed. Place rem 25 (27, 28) sts on st holder.

Right Front

With larger needles CO 63 (67, 70) sts. Knit 9 rows in Garter St. These 9 rows form the bottom right ront band.

Row 1 (WS): Purl to last 12 (13, 14) sts, k12 (13, 14) (front band sts).

Row 2 (RS): Knit across.

Rows 3-5: Repeat rows 1 and 2, ending with WS row. Work rest of Right Front as Left Front except reverse all shaping, and use LD instead of RD.

Sleeves (make 2)

With larger needles CO 84 (90, 96) sts. Use a row counter in preparation for armhole bind off. Work in Garter sts for 9 rows. These 9 rows become the bottom band.

Rows 1-5: Working St st, begin with a P row and end with a WS row.

Row 6: (Set Up Decrease Row) (RS): K8 (9, 10), pm, RD, k14 (15, 16), pm, RD, k28 (30, 32), LD, pm, k14 (15, 16), LD, pm, k8 (9, 10).

Rows 7-15: Starting and ending with a WS (purl) row, resume St st.

Row 16 (Decrease Row) (WS): K8 (9, 10), sl m, RD, knit to the next marker, sl m, RD, knit to within 3 sts before next marker, LD, sl m, k8 (9, 10).

Work Decrease Rows every 8th row until a total of 13 (14, 15) Decrease Rows are completed. At the beginning of rows 50 and 51, BO 4 sts for underarm. Place rem 24 (26, 28) sts on st holder.

Seaming

With the wrong sides of a sleeve and the Right Front held together, sew the raglan edges together one stitch in from the finished edge. This will create a decorative seam on the outside of the garment. Continue to seam the other raglan sleeve edges to the Back and Left Front in the same manner.

Sew the two side seams and the two sleeve seams using a regular mattress stitch for a traditional seam on the inside of the garment.

Collar

Row 1 (WS): With smaller needles and WS facing you, knit the sts from the st holders in the following order. Begin with the Left Front, then Left Sleeve, Back, Right Sleeve, and Right Front. Knit the last st of each section together with the first st of the next section until all stitch holders have been removed. 119 (129, 136) sts

Row 2 (RS): Cast on 12 more sts onto your left needle.

Rows 3-7: Work in Garter st patt.

Row 8 (Buttonhole Row) (RS): K4, bind off 3 sts, Knit to end.

Row 9 (WS): Knit to 3 bound off sts, CO 3 sts, k4. Continue working in Garter st for 6 more rows.

Rows 16 and 17: Repeat Row 8 (Buttonhole Row) and Row 9.

Rows 18-24: Work in Garter st. BO.

Finishing

To make a loop for a hidden button that will be sewn on the inside of the right side: With size B (2.25mm) crochet hook, chain 8 sts. Secure this bar to the center of the left front edge of the collar.

Sew the 1/2" flat button approximately 6" from the right buttonhole edge of collar, placing it in the center of the collar on the wrong side.

Approximately 5" from the left front collar edge sew in place the two 5/8" decorative buttons to match the buttonholes.

Thanks to Tanya Alpert and the good folks at Watson-Guptill Publications for sharing this project with us. For more Japanese-inspired weaving, check out Haiku Knits.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | Knitting Category

Keep it Weird: Renewed Vigor

2010-01-08T16:02:00-05:00

For the new year, I vow to embrace disorder in my life. My fingertips shall be calloused from scrawling spontaneous villanelles, cutting boards saturated with the dark juice of dense fruits, walls pocked by indecisiveness and whim. Wading through debris, I will scrape my knees against the precipitate of experience. Our mantra of Keep it Weird is one best expressed in cacophony; here's to 2010 bringing forth a deluge of diverse, challenging, and peculiar creations.

Resume the regimen with Waldo Oil Painting by pivot12, Close Encounter Doll by piggiespinion, and Coffee Cup Lid Sculpture by GoldThatched. Check out the Related Items below for further rejuvenation.

More Keep it Weird Posts | Collage Subcategory | Mature Home Decor

Clueless Crafter: Don't Do It Yourself

2010-01-08T13:35:00-05:00

Halt! Desist! Step away!

Potting wheels stop potting. Spirographs stop spiraling. Spinning wheels stop spinning. Rotary cutters stop rotating! The bedazzled ball has dropped; it is time to wrap up 2009. Etsians and Etsy fans, we’ve come to a new year!

For some, 2009 has been a year of great fortune. Cash registers have been crazy-clanking and the handmade has been flying out of storefronts. For others, the past year has been one of trial. Rather than praise coupled with the purchase of handmade, some have been getting a flick of the wrist and a dose of the hand. No sales, no love — ouch!

On the dawn of 2010, it is appropriate to take a moment to look back. Whether the angelic Vanna White turned every consonant you desired into gold, crowning you Wheel of Fortune’s top winner or Pat Sajak watched idly as you landed on the black, sparkling pennant “Bankrupt,” it’s time to self-reflect, to authentically investigate what the handmade will mean for you in 2010. While you take this opportunity to think about your craft, I’m going to talk a bit about mine.

My wheel of fortune spun like this.

2008: The Year of the Consummate Consumer

2008 was a busy year for my powder blue Rewards credit card. While at times I could see it was fatigued — heck, it even begged for mercy — I continued to bow to the spirits of commercialism. If something was shabby, dirty, dusty, ugly or seemingly imperfect, it was time to get my sexy lounge sweats and hop online for some retail therapy (usually, at one of those fancy Big Box stores). My credo was “If it ain’t broke, still fix it.” In many ways, I felt I was doing my patriotic duty, to support the economy by waving my plastic loud and proud.

2009: The Year of the Credit Collapse

And then I saw these people on the news carrying their personal and professional effects in boxes out of super important looking skyscrapers. I don’t want to sound like a downer here, but these images were not easy on the eyes. So, I decided that it was time for my hubby and me to get out of the city, to find happy people, shops, and restaurants in the country. A jaunty call to the bank returned jaw-dropping information: Credit closed. Hmm...perplexing.

2010: The Year of the Clueless Crafter

And so I spun around in circles for a few weeks, wondering what to make of this misfortune. Insecurity set in as I recognized that my particular skill set of thinking big about small things really served no function. Our home still needed tending: drape ties made, holiday wreaths fashioned, New Year’s cards designed. I still wanted the American dream, but this year I’d have to put my back into it.

I whipped out my stapler and paperclips, unearthed a paint-by-numbers kit and along with a few pieces of brittle construction paper from 3rd grade, I set out to craft. As you may imagine, the outcome was breathtakingly laughable. Yet, despite the failure, a lurking sense of pride and accomplishment welled from within.

You see, Etsians and Etsy fans, I may not make quality yarn candelabras or emboss with finesse (actually, I burnt my arm twice with a clothes iron and now sport a blemish that will probably require cosmetic surgery down the line), but I sure have crafted up a sense of self that is worth its weight in gold — and plastic.

My Clueless Credo for 2010: Craft with Confidence, Fun in Failure. What’s yours?

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a hot glue gun and a pile of pom-poms calling my name.

More This Handmade Life Posts

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: January 7, 2010

2010-01-07T16:02:00-05:00

"What is elegance? Soap and water!" — Cecil Beaton

This week's edition of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere has interspecies snorgling and solemn portraiture, architectural porn for bibliophiles, a young Don Knotts as ventriloquist, and the pristine stillness inspired by snowfall.

Read on!

What an eye-melting cultural mish mash! This Wonderland editorial is at once Eastern European babushka (and Little Edie) with the exaggerated silhouette and structured shoulder of avant-garde fashion, studded with a smattering of patterns and textures reminiscent of ikat. Consider my eyes duly burned, in the best way possible. [Via Musie]

I am a huge fan girl of Victorian style portraiture (and cute illustrations of interspecies canoodling), so these fanciful pieces by the talented Carson Ellis immediately became new wall fodder. [Via Fanny Bostrum Curiosities]

Oh...hi! Don't mind me....just ogling some quality biblio-porn! These magnificent libraries number among the most ethereal in the world and salute the senses with their pathos and prose. [Via Oddee]

Can you hear the quiet? The noise-extinguishing stillness of freshly fallen snow is complemented by these serene interiors. [Via visual notes]

Dear (fashion challenged) John:

I'm sorry, but I've been seduced by the tightly curated collection of vintage icons in art and film (Sparks, Tiny Tim, Toshiro Mifune, Toshiro Mifune, a young Don Knotts...) that make up Nerd Boyfriend. This effortlessly wanton set makes cardigans and bow ties de rigeur, rendering me powerless against their charms. Get a smart vest and some facial hair, then we'll talk.

xoxoxoxxo!
Alison

[Via Street Carnage]

Wanna give me some more artsy, style or design blogs to peruse? Leave them in the comments! And check out past installments of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere!

Fresh Start With Apartment Therapy's Abby Stone

2010-01-06T13:15:00-05:00

Abby Stone is a writer/producer living in Los Angeles, California. She is a daily contributor to popular design network Apartment Therapy, penning columns for both the Los Angeles site and the green-focused Re-Nest. In addition to design, she has written articles on food, movies, art, fashion and personalities and has won multiple awards for her fiction.

January is the traditional time to make a fresh start. There's something about a new year that feels like a green light to get it right. We've made it through the hustle and bustle of the holidays and the celebration of the new year. There's a cheerful buoyancy in the spirit and a sense of optimism that energizes us to tackle the goals and resolutions we've set for ourselves.

But, before I race ahead, I like to have a clean, fresh foundation from which to begin, so cleaning and organizing are at the top of my list of things to do. To make these tasks more play than work, I've chosen items that speak to finding joy in the small sensory pleasures that can be found in even the smallest of tasks.

Having an uncluttered place to rest starts me off on the right foot to tackle whatever needs to be done. I adore beautiful bed linens and they're a great way to pamper yourself.

I'd love to have these pillowcases adorning my bed — and they might even convince me to make my bed every morning, just so they'd be plump, fluffy and inviting at night. By branchhandmade, $18.

A little lavender spray makes your bedroom smell great. Lavender's also a great sleep aid when you're trying to get yourself back on a regular schedule after the frantic pace of the holidays. By LauriesLavender, $8.

Fresh flowers by the bed are a treat for the senses and a pleasant reminder that spring is just around the corner. These vases are quirky and only require one flower to each cylinder for maximum effect. You could also use it on a desk to hold pens, pencils, and a scissor, or in the bathroom to hold makeup brushes, a razor, tweezers and toothbrushes (to name a few ideas!). By annaspots, $39.

Putting on an apron lets my mind know that I'm getting down to business. I love the flirty skirt on this polka dotted number. Fun! By lemontreeaprons, $28.95.

Time to clean out the fridge. I love to make a big pot of soup out of all the odds and ends. It's a great way to use up leftovers and it's filling and warming in the winter. I always start by sautéing onions and this knife block by feelfeltfound would keep my knives in easy reach (instead of rattling around in the drawer). $110.

One of my new year's resolutions is to cook more at home. It's healthier and it saves money. This list makes it easy to organize my grocery runs. All you have to do is check things off. By LobotoME, $9.95.

My house gets very dusty so I try to dry mop my floors every day. Instead of using something disposable, I prefer these Swiffer mop covers. They do a great job, they're pretty and they're environmentally friendly. Just toss 'em in the wash when you're done. By suncreationsemporium, $3.50.

Speaking of laundry, it seems mine is never done. Since my skin's especially sensitive in the winter, I chose this natural vegan detergent. By showertreatsoap, $10.

These woolen dryer balls cut down on drying time...and they'll look great piled in a bowl on my coffee table! By bksoapco, $14.95.

Rubber gloves protect your hands while you're doing dirty or wet jobs. I like to put on a little hand cream before I slip them on. By freshstudio, $16.95.

Each year I start a new accordion file to organize my receipts and bills. I love this colorful version by paperpower. It puts a bright spot on a dreaded task so I'm much more likely to stay organized. $38.

Feng shui is about keeping your home, and therefore your life, in balance. A crystal in the window helps move the ch'i, or energy, around in your home. Frankly, I just love the rainbows that they create: an especially welcome sight on a dreary winter's day. By charmedstory, $20.

At the end of the day, sit back, relax and congratulate yourself on a job well done. Start by ladling out some of that homemade soup you've made into this cozy mug. These mugs are not only a great size, but also a lovable wintry motif. A set of two means you can invite a guest over to witness the work you've done. By marywibis, $40.

The soup warms you up on the inside; a throw warms up your outside. I like a granny square throw in an otherwise modern home. It adds just the right amount of coziness. This blanket would be made even more modern in a black, white and gray pattern. By MariasCrochetShop, $50.

Here's to a new year, friends! Enjoy it!

More New Year's Posts | More Guest Curators | More Posts from Apartment Therapy

Resolutions for Reuse

2010-01-05T14:02:00-05:00

Garth Johnson is an artist, writer and educator who lives in Eureka, California and teaches at College of the Redwoods. His book, 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse, was just released by Quarry Publishing. Additionally, he maintains the blog Extreme Craft and a new blog for ReadyMade Magazine about his adventures with his 1905 Victorian home. Garth is also the co-host of Reconstruct: Eco-Friendly Crafts Made Easy, a step-by-step DVD that shows viewers how to make their own projects out of recycled materials.

Quarry recently published my new book, 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse, which gathers 1000 projects from contemporary crafters, artists and makers from across the globe. Every project in the book reuses materials in a clever way, transforming everyday materials into exciting pieces of fashion, art, jewelry and furniture. There are stunning works of craftsmanship in the book by established masters, but also "quick and dirty projects" that may not have taken much time or elaborate equipment to assemble, just a leap of imagination.

I invited many of the contributors to the book personally, asking them to submit projects I had seen or written about previously, but the bulk of the contributors came from an open call for entries that circulated on blogs and message boards. I spent countless hours sifting through Etsy sellers, trying out every variation on "repurposed," "recycled," "upcycled" and "trashion" that I could think of. I also had the good fortune to host a few Etsy Shop Live events where I got to play show-and-tell with some of my finds and chat live with Etsy makers. In fact, the book wouldn’t have been possible without Etsy. I would estimate that nearly half of the contributors have (or have had) shops on Etsy.

I spent a solid year soliciting, then sifting through the more than 7,000 files that were submitted. I had to juggle paperwork and files for each artist, which was almost as challenging as the agonizing decisions about which projects to choose. In the end, though, the monumental amount of work that went into assembling the book was well worth it. My book designer, Sandra Salamony, helped make visual sense out of the material, giving harmony to the wide range of work.

The best part for me was getting to know the people who submitted work to the book. I had met a handful prior to putting the book together, but I was introduced to the plenty of new people in the process.

It’s now 2010. My wife and I just bought an old Victorian house in Eureka, California. We’re doing a lot of decoration and restoration, and we’re trying to fill the house with as much repurposing as possible. One new acquisition is an exquisite chandelier from John Hardin, an artist featured in the book, which is made out of tin cans that have been transformed with a welding torch.

We’ve actually been writing a blog for ReadyMade Magazine called Keeping Up With the Johnsons, which has been a fun 21st century experiment in home renovation. It’s been really helpful to ask advice from ReadyMade’s readers, as well as sharing our tragedies and triumphs. We’re going to be working on other repurposed projects like a souvenir-plate tiled backsplash for our kitchen and shelving made from old wooden soda crates. We’re trying to furnish our entire house in antique, refinished and repurposed furniture.

After all of the work it took to put the book together, it’s amazing to finally hold a finished copy in my hands. Every page is loaded with exciting ideas that inspire me to create my own repurposing projects rather than following step-by-step instructions. In fact, the main part of the book only contains photographs and some information about the maker. My hope is that the reader is constantly guessing what materials were used and flipping to the index in the back of the book for more information.

Response to 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse has been tremendous so far. I owe a huge debt of inspiration and gratitude to the makers who submitted their work. Creative reuse has always been a part of life in the small town in Northern California where I live, and it’s great to see that the concept is opening up new avenues of creativity for people around the world.

In conjunction with the book, I’ve been looking at instances of creative reuse throughout history, and I found that creative reuse has always been the norm. It’s time we catch up to our ancestors. Etsians who contributed to 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse share some repurposing tips and new year's resolutions below.

FrucciDesign: I collect the wrapping paper of all my gifts and I reuse it. I'll make some jewelry out of it, but you know, there are many ways to reuse paper, such as mail envelopes, cards, placeholders, name tags, and collages just to name few.

EyePopArt: Don't be afraid to start with next to nothing! When I discovered that I wanted to paint, I was super poor and couldn't afford to purchase canvases. So I just started painting on whatever was around. The first painting I ever did was on the side of an old hard shell suitcase. If you have a creative impulse, there is no reason to be limited by lack of access to materials. There are materials all around you!

It's been over a year since I've taught an art class to kids, and I really miss that! One of my favorite lesson plans is painting mandalas on recycled vinyl records. In 2010 I resolve to volunteer my time to teach this creative reuse class to kids at a local elementary school. I love talking to kids about upcycling and repurposing, because they totally get it! It's not a hard sell, especially when they see what beautiful creations they are capable of making from scraps, trash, and junk! I think art and recycling go hand in hand, and kids understand that. They just need a little guidance. The more kids we can educate about reusing and recycling, the better the chances are for our planet's future.

thistledownandfinch: The best piece of advice I have for folks looking to creatively reuse is to open their minds. Wide, wiiiiide open. Think outside of the box. Literally anything can be reused — and (nearly as literally) anything can be made from that said-initial-anything. That's what makes Etsy so great. That's what makes art art and craft craft. (And art craft and craft art.) Reuse is as good for your brain as it is for your soul. And in this age of excessive consumption, it's better for the planet than most things I can think of.

My mantra for 2010 is "search for the bigger picture." There's enormous impact hidden behind everything that we consume, and it can be so simple to miss it — but it's so important to pay attention, because, often, I think, our intent can be nullified without our even knowing. People decide to buy organic to protect ecosystems and reduce greenhouse emissions, but their town only carries things flown the width of the country, wrapped in four layers of plastic, or someone wants to support sustainable clothing, but the mother-company is a conglomerate and the proceeds are in the hands of folks with abominable environmental records.

It merits enormous pats on the back for making that initial commitment, for leading by example and trying to effect real environmental change, but marketers are saaaaaaavvy these days. It is (almost) the future, after all, and so it's important to remember look behind things and to collect as many facts as you can to be sure that your resolve isn't in vain and that this happy little planet of ours has us all watching its back as well as we think we are.

woolybaby: Most of my creativity regarding reuse comes from the thrift store, where there are so many treasures just waiting for a new life. I also "reuse" in lots of ways other than in my finished product. Just now I was turning my husband's empty beer boxes into cubbies for my cut leather inventory. This summer I turned a tea box inside out and into a card holder for a craft show. Maybe these are ideas that others could try.

In the new year, I plan to find a source for previously used tissue paper (for stuffing my slippers), perhaps from a local store, and find durable recycled shipping envelopes.

OffTheHooks: Instead of buying brand new yarn, why not try recycling and unraveling a second-hand sweater? This can often be even more earth friendly than buying new "eco" yarn as it takes no new energy to produce. Look for higher quality fibers such as soft wool, cashmere, cotton or even silk — avoid serged seams and sweaters that have been shrunk or felted — these are very difficult to unravel. Once unraveled, you can even dye your yarn!

One of my new year's resolutions to help the environment: To find more sources of local fiber for spinning my yarn. Until I can raise my own sheep for wool, I'd love to be able to meet and support the farmers who do this already!

1byliz: Spend time with children. Notice how they interact with their environment. They see possibilities everywhere and sometimes we need to shift our perspective to foster our own creativity.

Resolution: Bike more, drive less.

margauxlange: An idea for creative re-use that I really like (but, I should be clear, I DID NOT personally come up with) is a "kitty scratcher stump" made out of cardboard boxes. I collected used boxes and other various discarded scraps of cardboard for about a month and a half and cut them into 6" strips. Then I coiled the strips onto themselves, gluing with a hot glue gun as I went, until the circle was about 2 feet in diameter. I then painted the edge of the outside of the stump (colorful circus-like stripes), sprinkled the top with some catnip, and voila! My cat LOVES the thing and scratches on it all the time. I plan to eventually make more at various heights.

westernartglass: When nibbling shapes from sides of beer and wine bottles, have an ample supply of band-aids, and be up-to-date on your tetanus shot! For the noodle year, as always, keep a wary eye for feral mushrooms and pheromone marshmallows.

More Craftivism Posts | Environmentally Friendly Gift Guide | Earth Tones Series

Wham, Pow, It's Boxing Day!

2009-12-26T02:43:00-05:00

"In this corner, weighing in at 157 pounds...." Ok, so here in the U.S. we don't really know much about Boxing Day but we do realize that it doesn't have anything to do with pugilism! A little research on the topic unearths quite a bit of interesting — if not completely consistent — information about the origins and meaning of Boxing Day, which occurs on the day after Christmas.

One site states that Boxing Day started in England in the Middle Ages and that the holiday was created because servants were required to work on Christmas but had the following day off. As they prepared to return to their families, their employers would present them with gifts (presumably in boxes!).

Another source reports that Boxing Day is when people give gifts, bonuses, donations or items to others, often those less fortunate. For centuries, a Christmas box was an earthenware box, introduced by the Romans, used to collect donations, either as tips at a business or as donations for the poor. These "boxes" were smashed the day after Christmas and the funds were distributed, hence the name Boxing Day. Check out this painstakingly reproduced money box by UK ceramic artist — and I'm assuming history buff — MattGrimmitt.

"This one has a flowering plant of sorts along the lines of many I have looked at on old Devon Harvest jugs of the 17-19th century."

Today, Boxing Day is a public holiday celebrated in Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, as well as many British commonwealths. In the holiday spirit of giving, many popular stores in these areas open early and offer big discounts on all the "boxes" that have not yet been sold. In the Western Church, December 26 is also recognized as St. Stephen's Day or the Feast of St. Stephen — a patron of widows and the poor.

No matter the historic origins, or the more recent incarnations, it seems like what's most important is a spirit of charity shared by all. Happy Boxing Day to everyone around the world!

Read another Boxing Day post or more Etsy International posts.

Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings, and to All a Good Night

2009-12-24T13:15:00-05:00

We are wishing you the happiest of holidays with your family and friends.

Search results (tags) for: "lifestyle"

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Guest Curator: Laure Joliet of Apartment Therapy

How-Tuesday: Swing Cardigan From Haiku Knits

Back

Left Front

Right Front

Sleeves (make 2)

Seaming

Collar

Finishing

Keep it Weird: Renewed Vigor

Clueless Crafter: Don't Do It Yourself

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: January 7, 2010

Fresh Start With Apartment Therapy's Abby Stone

Resolutions for Reuse

Wham, Pow, It's Boxing Day!

Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings, and to All a Good Night

We love you, Etsy people!