What to do with Christmas Cards... an idea for lazy people

My Christmas card photo this year

Do you ever look on Pinterest, or on craft websites, and see something, and think: there is no way in hell that I will ever do that?

That's my reaction when I see what some people do with the Christmas cards they receive each year. They make wreaths or ornaments or garlands or coasters or placemats or scrapbooks.

That's all very nice, but I don't have time for that. 

However, just recycling the Christmas cards seems wasteful. And unChristmassy. After all, these are expressions of joy and fellowship from friends and insurance companies. It's a bit cold to toss them in the bin without a second glance.

This is the binder

Many of my friends take the Christmas cards and create a refrigerator collage that they leave up throughout the new year, replacing it when Christmas comes around again and the cards start rolling in. But that just delays the inevitable for another year.

Therefore, I've solved the problem of the lingering Christmas cards with a simple solution that is excellent for lazy people like me. First, I bought a binder. 

Inside the binder.

Then I filled it with sheet protectors. Each family that sends me cards gets its own sheet protector (the insurance company cards DO go in the recycle bin). Then, when it's time to take the Christmas cards off the refrigerator, I just put them in the sheet protector for that family. It's kind of like a scrapbook, but without the gluing and craft paper and effort. Instead, it takes about two minutes of my time.

I like to flip through it, pulling out the cards and seeing how each family has grown over the years. I also put in birth announcements, wedding invites, etc., so I have a family chronicle for each of the families close to me.

What do you do with the Christmas cards you receive?

Knitting Project: Tree of Life Baby Throw

When my friend Elizabeth told me she was pregnant about a year ago, little did she know that she was in luck! You see, if a friend announces they are having a baby, and I happen to be in between knitting projects, a baby blanket becomes my next project.

I've made lots of baby gifts, but blankets are the ones that really stick. A baby sweater or booties are cute, but they're outgrown quickly. A blankie is forever.



It's completely random who gets a blanket. You have to conceive during the perfect window when I'm about to finish a project and have yet to start another.


Over the past few years, I've been working on more complicated projects than I did in my early knitting years. Different knitters gravitate toward different kinds of knit kink - intarsia, Fair Isle, steeking (yep - those are all words). The particular brand of complication that I like is creating cables (where one row of yarn crosses over another). 

I've been jonesing to try a particular pattern, the "Tree of Life Baby Throw", which is a free pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. It has a pattern of intertwined trees using cable techniques. I decided to knit this up for Elizabeth's baby (I'd knitted a blanket for her older daughter).

The pattern, as written, had a ruffled border. I'm not down with ruffles, but I like a seed stitch border, so that's what I did.

The pattern did need a few adjustments, particularly with the garden section that you see below. It was definitely more of a challenge than I expected -- but it's been awhile since I tackled a real knitting challenge.

The baby throw turned out beautifully, and I managed not to spill anything on the white yarn that Elizabeth picked out. I'm going to make sure that I save my notes so that if I choose to make this pattern again, I'll be able to use those notes to work more quickly.

I'm anxiously awaiting to find out the gender of another baby in the belly, so that I can start my next project!

Light Green Retro: DIY Valentine's - It's Not Too Late

Thought I'd share a post from the Ghost of Light Green Past. I basically expressed my thoughts on Valentine's Day in the following post, so it seemed weird to write a new one when I believe all the same things. Enjoy!


And to all my readers (gosh, I think there may be close to 100 of you!), on this day of love, I'm sending much love to you!


So, Valentine's Day is not my favorite holiday, being, as it is, a commercial-fest of consumerism, blah-blah ... you know all the arguments about how the greeting card companies make us feel bad if we're not part of the celebration in order to amp up our holiday spending. I felt a little discouraged seeing the last-minute shoppers cruising Kroger, trying to find something - FAST - for that special someone. They were even selling plates of cheese pre-cut into hearts. I might find myself questioning someone who doesn't have time to cut heart-shaped cheese themselves (there's a joke in there somewhere, but I just can't get it.)

Luckily, the tough economy, according to this NPR story, has led more people to make their own holiday gifts and cards. That seems more meaningful than the plate of heart-shaped brie - unless your sweetie really loves cheese. Even though it's late in the day, there's still time to DIY for your loved ones. Here are a few ideas (and at the end of the post, find an alternative to Valentine's Day)



I absolutely love these Anatomically-correct Hearts from cheekymagpie.com. Just click the link for the template.


I traced the template onto craft paper and cut it out. Then you just fold it in half and you get a lovely, 3-dimensional heart. All-in-all, it takes about 5 minutes and looks gorgeous.


An inspiring quotation makes a nice addition to your card. You can find some great quotations about love here, at Wisdom Quotes. These are great because they aren't the same ol', same ol'. Gotta love any site that includes Albert Einstein in its page on love.


Now, I haven't tried Nigella Lawson's Valentine cupcakes, but I listened to her describe them on NPR yesterday, and I definitely mean to. Make them for a sweetie with a sweettooth. The chocolate cherry ones sound especially tasty, and quick to make. I also like the way Nigella describes how the competitive world of boarding school produced in her a "lofty detachment" toward the holiday. You go, Nigella!


Mix-tapes are a traditional gift from one disturbed teen to another. For you music lovers, check out the iTunes store. The "Essentials - Crazy Love" mix contains all the stories of whacked out romance you can handle, including "Stan" by Eminem, "Ben" by Michael Jackson, and "Under My Thumb" by the Rolling Stones. Get it for someone you stalk.


Finally, for those of you singletons who are perfectly content to be single, check out International Quirkyalone Day. This holiday, to quote the website, is: "a do-it-yourself celebration of romance, friendship, and independent spirit. It's a celebration of all kinds of love: romantic, platonic, familial, and yes, self-love. International Quirkyalone Day is not anti-Valentine's Day. It's NOT a pity party for single people. It's an alternative--a feel-good alternative to the marketing barrage of Valentine's Day and an antidote to the silicone version of love presented in shows such as Hooking Up and The Bachelor."


And who can't find the love for that?

DIY: Hallooooween Owl Treat Bag Tutorial

I'll tell you a secret. I don't really like Halloween.

Why not? Halloween has a bunch of things that I like: chocolate, taking on new identities, wigs, scary stories. Yet, when these things are added together to become the holiday we call Halloween, I start getting annoyed.

I think it's because much of the lore of Halloween has been overturned by the American desire to drink too much and coerce women into dressing like sluts ("But you can win a thousand dollars at PJ McDrinky's Pub if you come as the sluttiest medical professional!")

However, I love Dia de los Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead. It's a celebration that holds a lot of the mystery of the druidic Samhain, which was then co-opted by Catholicism and brought to the new world by Spain, which then blended with the indigenous holidays. Rather than simply being a cash cow for the makers of uber-short plastic skirts and high-fructose corn syrup, it's a day to remember the dead not only with sadness, but with joy.

Whew. That's a lot of ruminating to get to my point: when I went to a Halloween-themed brunch this weekend, I wanted to make some favors that had the beautiful colors and folk art feeling of Dia de los Muertos-inspired art. I know that seems kind of silly, but I think we should put care and a bit of ourselves into everything we create. Hence, I came up with the following treats:

I made my friends some little gifts in wrapping inspired by papel picado, the brightly-colored cut-paper art that adorns altars for Day of the Dead. And because I like owls, I used an owl motif. Here's how I did it, and how you can too:

You need:

• Paper sacks - you could use regular grocery sacks; I used black ones from the craft store. This would be a great way to reuse any small paper sacks you have.
• Astrobright cardstock - real papel picado is made of tissue paper or thin plastic, but you'll find tissue paper is really hard to manipulate. You could use regular construction paper, but I find the colors of Astrobright to be similar to those of authentic papel picado. (Thanks to my blog friend, Sara of Feeding the Soil, for providing me with paper when I couldn't find some - meaning I didn't have to buy more stuff for my project!)
• an Xacto or craft knife
• a glue stick
• Optional: a skull sticker or stamp

Step 1: Create a template. I freehanded mine after looking at a whole bunch of pictures of owls. If you're not a big fan of the free hand method, just right click this picture and click "Copy Image." Then just paste it into a word document. You can make it as big or small as you want, then print it and cut it out.

Step 2: Trace your template onto the Astrobright cardstock.

Step 3: Using the craft knife, cut out the owl that you traced. You should put a cutting board under your work - and of course, be careful not to cut yourself. Make sure your knife is quite sharp, or you'll have lots of little random feathery bits of paper in the edges of your cuts.

Step 4: I gave my owls a skull eye. I had a stamp of a skeleton, and I stamped it onto black paper. Then I cut it out and glued it behind the eye of the owl.

Step 5: Glue the owl to your bag!

Then you're done - easy peasy. I used the bag for treats, but you could also cut through the bag, so that there are actual holes in the paper sack. Then you could stick a battery-powered tealight inside to create a luminaria.

Coming up: How to make gourmet Halloween candies to put inside your treat bag!

Felted Friend

Before anyone in Portland "put a bird on it", owls were one of my favorite motifs. (I'm just cool and fashion-forward like that). When I saw a tutorial to make a needle felted owl, it looked so easy that I thought I would try it.

Needle felting is a craft where you take a lump of wool and poke it with a needle a whole bunch of times until it becomes a firm shape. Yep, that's pretty much it. My friend (and the blogger behind one girl one camera), Darci, had shown my mom and I the needle felting basics a few months ago, and when I saw the tools for sale at Michael's, I knew that I was ready to give it a whirl.

These are the things you need:

- Wool roving (it's a clump of wool and comes in lots of different colors)

- A big needle

- Something to set the wool on when you poke I used that comb thing that you see in the picture. It's called a felting mat. You can see that I'm not exactly a stickler for a super-tidy work area.

Lots of people use a tool that has a bunch of needles inside it, so the poking goes faster, but they were all out of those at the craft store.

When it comes to crafting - or most things really - I'm not much for following directions. I read through the tutorial and then just thought I'd try it.

At right, you can see the little guy about half-way through. The hardest part was getting the head to be round. It ended up a little flat - I think I was poking too hard. The more you stab the wool with the needle, the fewer little fuzzies you get. I left a lot of fuzzies because it looked more owlish - plus I'm kind of lazy.

Here's the owlie with his owl friends!
This was definitely fun, EASY, and the initial outlay of money was small (about 15 bucks for the tools and each package of wool was around $2.50). I'm already thinking about how to make a needle felted squid.


Coming soon: The August Pop Culture Round-up

Bamboo U - Stitch Nation Yarn

Just like pandas, I'm a big fan of bamboo. It has many sustainability benefits -- it's relatively easy to grow, and involves fewer pesticides and fertilizers than other materials. Plus, it's a renewable resource. This week, I'm featuring some of my favorite bamboo products.

Today: Stitch Nation Bamboo Ewe Yarn.

Knitting is a fabulous hobby. "Idle hands are the devil's work," is a favorite saying of grandmas, and knitting is like devil-repellent. However, it can be expensive, particularly if you want to use yarns made of more sustainable materials.

Stitch Nation Yarns, though, are affordable and 100% natural. Red Heart, the company that has spawned a million ugly acrylic sweaters, has partnered with Debbie Stoller (author of Stitch 'N' Bitch) to create a line of yarns made of natural materials.

I'm "wool-sensitive" (I break out in an attractive rash if wool touches my bare skin). This means that I often use yarns that are wool/acrylic blends. Most bamboo yarns are just too expensive. That's why Bamboo Ewe is so great. It is a bamboo/wool blend. It has a soft, silky sheen. And it's affordable and easy to find at common craft stores such as JoAnn Fabrics and Michael's. I love it when big companies get on the sustainability bandwagon. I don't care if they do it out of the goodness of their hearts or the fatness of their wallets. When sustainable products are available in the suburbs, I know we're going mainstream.

Sweater Set

If I was dark green I would make my own clothes out of recycled paper bags and cotton that I harvested with my own two hands.

But I'm light green, and so I work diligently to make the occasional apparel item and remind myself of the work that goes into a single garment.

Wow. I'm really happy about my new sweater.

I just finished a big knitting project, the "Wave and Dimple Kimono" from the Winter 2009 issue of Interweave Knits. I would love to say that I used organic yarn, or recycled yarn, or whatever, but honestly, those yarns are prohibitively expensive for big projects. I used Caron Country yarn, a merino blend.

Here it is, the Wave and Dimple Kimono. This was "deceptively hard" (as one of my yoga videos used to say) - i.e. people will think you're good at knitting if you do this pattern, but it's actually really easy.

Even thought it probably wasn't super-green, I loved this yarn. I'm wool-sensitive (that means I get the itchies if anyone says the word "sheep") but this yarn was soft, easy to knit up, and didn't require Zyrtec. That's all I could wish for.

The early stages of the project. Just to prove I actually made the damn sweater. That's my knee.

DIY Sunday - Folk Art Angels

If you're like me, and lurk around Etsy trying to find inspiration, you might have noticed all of the cool holiday goodies folks are making. You might also notice that a lot of it falls under the classification of "folk art."

Folk art, as wikipedia describes it, is art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople. In contrast to fine art, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic. All of our Christmas decorations - those would be folk art (nothing like being lumped with the peasants to make one feel awesome). The modern handcraft movement would also be folk art.

So, being folk and being a bit arty, I tried my hand at making some Christmas decorations for my apartment in a folk art style. Here's how I did it:

You'll need:

A shadowbox (I used the "Ribba" from Ikea). You could also use a cardboard box painted black.

Craft paper

Things that cut (scissors, a craft knife)

Things that adhere (a glue gun, tape, glue sticks, photo splits, 3-d tape dots)

Vintagey post cards or clip art

Other baubles, charms, plastic flowers or leaves that you have around

Step 1: Cut a piece of background paper to fit inside your shadowbox.

Step 2: Cut out a head from one of your vintagey postcards or clip art pics. Leave the neck! or you will have a neckless angel, kind of like when a Barbie's head gets ripped off and you try to push it back on, but it no longer has a graceful swan neck, but instead, the neck of a linebacker.

Step 3: Using craft paper, cut your angel some clothes -- just like a paperdoll. Don't worry about getting fancy - this is folk art, so it can be 2-d. If you have some gold paper or some wire, give her a halo.

Step 4: Angels need wings. You can cut wings out of craft paper, or use some feathers, flower petals, leaves, or ribbons -- whatever you want.

Step 5: Adhere. Using your glue and tape, or whatever else, adhere it all together. It's easier if you let pieces hang off the edges, and trim them when you're done adhering.

Step 6: Trap your angel inside your shadow box and hang her on your wall.

I made a triptych of three angels for one wall. Here's one:

For another wall, I used a similar technique to create a stylized creche.

If you go to regular ol' big box stores, many of them sell holiday art for $20-100. You can create your own for a fraction of that price, and create something that's meaninful to you.

DIY Sunday - Upcycled Fabric Flowers

Rain ... rain ...

... inspires the domestic diva in me!

So, among other domestic doings, I decided to embellish my cardigan with a fabric flower.

My inspiration was Jayma Mays's character, Emma, on my newest obsession, Glee. As a former high school member of the vocal jazz ensemble, The Teepee Lighters (our mascot was "The Indians" -- maybe someday I'll write about the Native American carpet scandal of '93), I'm Glee's target audience - choir dorks from schools in bad-to-medium neighborhoods. All season I've been admiring Emma's retro-inspired outfits, but since it's No-Buy Month, I couldn't emulate her style without some DIY action.

Photo courtesy Fox TV

Emma wears sweater sets, chunky necklaces, and flower-bedecked cardis, for a 1960's-style, unbeknownst-to-her awesomeness. Hopefully, she'll be able to get the guy!

As usual, I searched the interwebs for directions on how to make my own retro flower cardigan, and when I didn't find exactly what I wanted, I made something up. Here's how:

You will need:
Paper (for the pattern)
2 types of fabric - stiff cotton or felt will work best (I upcycled a retired Western shirt and used some other fabric I had lying around)
Needle
Thread
Scissors
Some kind of button (cover it with fabric if you want)

Step 1: Make a pattern for the petals.
You can decide what type of petals you want - rounded, pointy, heart shaped, etc. But they should be narrower on one end than the other. Make one pattern that's large (about an inch long) and one that's smaller. (Scroll down to look at a picture of some petals below)

Step 2: Cut the petals.
Take Fabric #1 and cut 4 petals using your larger petal pattern as a guide. Then cut 4 of your smaller petals from Fabric #2.

Step 3: Sew the petals.
Thread you needle and loosely sew your petals onto a thread, stitching at the narrower end of each petal. Alternate larger and smaller. You want to sew very loosely (for you sewing types - basting), so all of your petals lie flat on the table, like so:

Step 4: Pull tight.
When all of the petals are on the thread, gently pull your stitches tight. Your petals should all snug together, and then you can smooth them out the way you like. The center will probably look messy:

Step 5: Create the center of your flower.
Sew the button into the center of the flower. I used the snap from my Western shirt, and simply cut a bit of the fabric around it to sew it on. Once you've sewn on the button, you can tie off your thread.

Step 6: Put your flower to work.

I sewed mine onto an old cardigan so I could be cool like Emma Pillsbury, but you can use it for a brooch, a handbag decoration, a barrette, or whatever your heart desires.

Heck! You can create a whole fabric bouquet!

Treasures Transformed from Trash

Today I went to the doctor and received a new splint, which allows me to move my fingers a bit more than the old one did. Now I can type ... sorta. I don't know when I'll get to be completely free, but at least I can blog. I've been anxious to get back to business, because I wanted to share news of my friend Emilie's new Etsy store: Handmade Hila: Refashion At Its Best

Emilie named her store after her gorgeous little girl Hila. All of the items at Handmade Hila are upcycled - which is the practice of transforming used materials into new items -- art, fashion, toys, etc. I wasn't familiar with upcycling until recently, but green crafters are taking to the practice in droves.

Emilie takes clothes, fabric scraps, and other bric-a-brac and turns them into beautiful clothing and housewares. Here's an example:

(Photo courtesy of Handmade Hila)

This is the Jaime Strappy Sundress, a toddler dress which was once a ladies' blouse. The bird embellishment is tres chic.

And I was super-psyched (and honored) to see these:

(Photo courtesy of Handmade Hila)

These are Catlin Coasters -- named after ... guess who!

Not only are the items at Handmade Hila beautiful and reasonably-priced, but Emilie describes them in a wonderful way. Her store is worth visiting not only to get the goods, but to read her refreshing prose stylings. It's great when green, craft, and commerce come together.

Another high school friend who has been on the upcycling bandwagon for awhile now is Heather, whose store is called Evesapples. Heather upcycles vintage fabrics that she finds while being a citizen of the world, and creates fashionable handbags that any stylish lady would want to have over her arm. Check it out:

(Photo courtesy of Evesapples)

It's amazing the creativity of these lasses, but best of all, they're producing goods that are hand-crafted and good for the planet. And while these two are my friends, the interwebs are blooming with green options when you get the urge to spend a little green.

DIY Sunday: Fashionista Edition

See. I had this skirt.

This plain black skirt from Target.

And the skirt was sad. It hung in the closet for months, just waiting for someone to love it, smushed in between a couple of shirts. And the other skirts got to go out and see the world, but this skirt just sat there.

And then I got an idea! I was going to transform that plain ol' boring skirt.

It's kind of a full skirt, a little 1950's, so I thought about creating an ironic version of a poodle skirt. I'm not a fan of poodles, though, but I do like owls. And so I kicked around the idea of adding a cute applique owl to the skirt. You know, those goggle-eyed little owls that are basically four circles arranged around a triangle, the kind you see all over craft websites. But as the idea bounced around in my mind I knew what I really wanted: an owl gliding silently down upon some unsuspecting prey. Cute!

That was way more than my meagre applique skills could handle, so I did some exploring in the craft section of BookPeople in Austin, and of course, through the hallways of Interwebs University. I settled on stenciling as a means of decorating the skirt. However, the owl-about-to-kill-kill-kill stencil is (oddly enough) not available commercially. Therefore, I created my own stencil and here's how I did it:

Big reveal of the finished skirt is at the end of the post.

Step 1:

Find some clip art or draw a simple image for your stencil. I used Microsoft Office to find clipart. They have a category called "Black and White" which contains hundreds of images that are bold and simple enough to be turned into a stencil. (You want an image that has clear contrasts between colored areas and a plain background. Think of stencils you might have used as a kid, or as a cheerleader making banners for Pep Con - that's what the cheerleaders did at my school, anyway. With a stencil, you can't be as detailed as you would be with a stamp or screenprinting.) I found the ideal picture of an owl and enlarged it in a Microsoft Word document. Then I printed it to a printable transparency.

Here's the printed image of the owl. Watch out field mice! This owl is coming to get you!

Step 2:

Using a razor or Xacto knife, cut out the black portions on the printout. Those become the painted areas in your finished product. Work slowly and smooth out any rough edges by running the edge of your razor along the plastic, sort of like filing down a nail.

Step 3:

Practice using your stencil on paper. For this step you will need:

Fabric paint and something to put it in (the trays from frozen meals work well)

A stencil brush, sponge, or large paintbrush

Cardstock or heavy paper

Put your stencil on top of your paper or cardstock. If you want, tape it down so it won't move around. Pour some of the fabric paint into your container and spread it out so it's not too thick. Too much paint is the enemy of stencilling. Then, with a DRY BRUSH, pick up some paint. Dab it onto your stencil. It's OK if you get it all over the stencil. It should only go through the openings you've cut. If the paint bleeds or you get blurry edges, you're probably using too much paint. Practice until it turns out the way you want it. You may need to refine some of the edges of the stencil with your Xacto knife.

Here are my supplies, as I get ready to practice with my stencil. I played around with a few different brushes before I got the effect I liked.

Step 4:

Prepare your garment. A solid-colored, cotton garment works best. Make sure you have read the directions on the fabric paint (for example, it might say not to use fabric softener when you prep the garment). Start with a clean, ironed garment. Put a piece of cardboard in between the layers of the fabric so the paint doesn't bleed through. You can tape the cardboard in place. Lay your garment out on a flat surface and smooth the fabric so your image doesn't become warped. Then carefully place your stencil where you want it, and tape it down.

This skirt is ready. (The stencil is blue because I used blue paint to practice, but I'll use white for my finished skirt.)

Step 5:
Stencil away! Using the technique you practiced on paper, fill in your stencil. Fabric will probably need more than one coat of paint. Follow the directions on the paint label.

Here's what my stencil looked like after I applied the paint. You can't see the image right now, but that's OK. It will be there when you lift the stencil. You gotta trust the craft gods and goddesses.

Step 6:

Carefully remove the stencil so the paint doesn't smear. Voila! You should see your desired image.

Step 7:

Finish the fabric as directed on the paint label. It will specify drying time, how to heat set if necessary, etc.

And now ... the result!

I love my owl skirt. You just can't tell, because I'm using my disaffected prepster expression. It matches my polo shirt.

DIY Sunday - Homemade Greeting Cards

Homemade birthday cards (yes, more birthdays!) are one of the easiest crafts, and yet, one of the easiest to make look like they came out of the elementary school art room. That's fine if you're actually in elementary school, but sort of disheartening when you're trying to make something beautiful and it turns out differently than you'd hoped.

Here, therefore, are a few pointers to turn your kitchen table into your own personal Hallmark studios:

1) Layering is key. A colleague of mine is a big fan of the "Rule of 3". Stuff just looks better in threes. So start with a base layer (that's the plain light-blue paper on the left) and a second layer (that's patterned craft paper on the right). Cut the second layer a little smaller than the base.

2) Get rustic by artfully tearing your second layer: There's a little trick to getting a cool, rustic looking edge (I tore one rough edge on the second layer -- you'll see the finished result below on the completed card). Take the paper and hold it in both hands, with the side you want showing facing toward you. Then pinch the top edge of the paper where you want the torn edge, and tear it quickly away from you. It sounds silly, but you'll keep the patterned/colored side cleaner if you do it this way.

3) Use stamps sparingly to create your third layer. Stamps can make a big mess if you're not careful. I never stamp directly onto my base layer or my second layer, because then if I make a mistake I have to start over. I stamp onto some heavy paper or cardboard (that's the back of a Christmas card below - recycling, you know) and then cut around the stamped image. I like to use double-sided adhesive dots to attach the stamped image, which raises it up a little, giving the card texture.

4) Voila! The finished card: You can see the base layer, the second layer with the rough edge, and the accents used for the third layer, including the bird stamp.

If that's all a bit complicated or time-consuming, we're lucky to live in an era of awesome internet clip art. Below is a card I made by simply printing clip art on a color printer and gluing the image onto cardstock. The clipart came with all the detail; all I did was write the message on it.

Next week: DIY Sunday will most likely be on hiatus, as I will be traveling. But as always in my travels, I'll be on the look-out for signs of our greener times. Coming up this week, more ecologically friendly celebrating.

DIY Sunday - Get Inspired

Today's post is a bit different - focusing not on a single project (because honestly, I haven't had time this week to Do Anything Myself), but on the muse and how to lasso her. I have a couple of projects bubbling in my brain and as I was scouring the interwebs for some inspiration, I thought I'd share some places where you can get ideas and learn techniques.

There are many fun craft books and magazines out there, but most of the time I find ideas by flipping through them at the bookstore or craft store, rather than buying. That's how the altered clipboards were conceived. The one magazine I'll sometimes buy is Somerset Studio, a paper and mixed-media craft magazine. Mostly, I buy it because it's so darn pretty.

Etsy.com is a great place to find ideas for projects. If you're not familiar with Etsy, it's an online marketplace where people sell their handmade items. Even if you're not in the market to buy, browsing through the shops can liven up your own creative juices. And you just might find something that you want to buy, which supports other DIY types out there.

One of Etsy's stars is Danita, an artist living in Ciudad Juarez. Every time I look at her beautiful little paintings, I feel inspired. Danita is self-taught, and draws on folk art, stories, and emotions. She has her own blog as well as her Etsy store.

Through Danita's site, I discovered the blog of Gustavo Aimar, an illustrator. The blog is in Spanish, but you don't need to speak the language to enjoy his fairytale artwork.

For those who are more digitally-inclined, HitRECord (like hitting record on your video camera, not a hit record that sells a million) is an online hub for those who want to collaborate. The site is the brainchild of Joseph Gordon-Levitt (yes, the kid from 3rd Rock From the Sun). HitRECorders post ideas for projects, then other HitRECorders contribute with video, photos, collage, whatever. The media that's uploaded to HitRECord is then available to be used by other members for further collaboration. The site is a bit hard to navigate if you're new, but check out the forums and you can get a taste of what people are doing. (Click here and here to see a couple of photos I have there.)

So once you've gathered up all of these great inspirations, what do you do? Decide what project you want to make. A card? A collage? A decorated box? Jewelry? You may have seen something on a website that you want to replicate, but you're not sure what to do. About.com has how-tos on almost anything you could imagine, including arts and crafts.

Cheeky Magpie is another site where you can find how-tos - and inspiration. It was there that I discovered the anatomical heart Valentine. She includes tutorials on a variety of projects, and her designs are whimsical -- decorated matchboxes, paper appliques, collage using vintage kids' books, and more.

I hope that you're feeling a bit inspired. I know that I am -- I'm going to get up from the computer and go make some art.

Next week - I hope to be able to share some of the results.

DIY Sunday - Gift Wrap

Remember when we were kids, and we used to wrap birthday presents in the Sunday funnies? At least, I think everyone did that -- at least everyone in my town did. Of course, we also bought clothes in the basement of the hardware store. Nevertheless, as folksy as it might seem to wrap gifts in newsprint, it's a masterpiece of green living. You re-purpose the funnies as gift wrap. Those funnies can then be recycled by the recipient. Awesome.

Except today, it seems like most people don't do that. In fact, gift wrapping has gotten somewhat excessive. You hear on the real-estate porn cable channels that people have "gift wrapping rooms." Bows, gift bags and boxes, raffia and ribbons fill aisles at Target and Wal-mart. I admit, I love a beautifully-wrapped gift.

As I shared in yesterday's post, however, March is a big birthday month in my clan of friends. Therefore, there's a lot of gifting. That can get expensive if you have to spend money on cards, gift bags, and tissue paper -- not to mention, it results in a lot of waste.

Here are a few ideas to reduce waste while gift wrapping, and to create lovely gifts that have your personal stamp.

First of all, save all kinds of stuff.

Most DIYers save things anyway; we acknowledge the transformative power that scissors and glue have over junk. All of the things above -- ribbon from other gifts, a burlap coffee sack, left-over origami paper from a second-grade project -- can be used again to wrap gifts.

Here's an example:

This is a piece of fabric left over from some other project, along with a ribbon I scavenged from a long-ago gift. The wrapping is pretty, and pretty easy. Just gather the fabric and tie it off. You could even stick a flower or leaf in the ribbon for added effect.

You can buy bags of fluffy paper scraps for stuffing gift bags, but you can also make them:

These are the remains of old envelopes. Again, this involves some saving. Gather some brightly-colored envelopes whenever you receive holiday cards. Stick paper through the shredder and you have your stuffing. It could also make some nice Easter grass, and is reminiscent of the little girl in the Edward Gorey story (I believe it was The Remembered Visit) who collects the insides of envelopes, back in the day when envelopes had a pretty lining.

You can also make your own gift wrap by cutting open a brown paper bag. Use stamps, paint or markers to decorate it.

I created this simple design by actually pressing the round ink pad directly onto the paper; no expensive stamps required. I like repetitive designs like this, and I like the imperfect, weathered look created when the ink didn't make a perfect circle.

I'm sure that there are many more creative ideas out there. If you have one, share in the comments section.

Coming up this week: Some celebretory gusto from my birthday weekend.

DIY Sunday - Knitting Bind-Off

In the past two weeks, DIY Sunday has focused on beginning knitting lessons, in the hope that I can spread my knitting addiction to the world. If you've been following along, you might have a piece of knitted fabric. If not, click here for the previous two lessons - how to cast on, and how to knit.

When you're finished with your knitting, you must be able to tie off the stitches so they don't fall apart. That's called binding off. In knitting instructions it will say something like: "Bind off." This would indicate that you bind off ALL your stitches.

Sometimes you bind off when you're not completely finished, but you are going to make your knit fabric narrower. Then the instructions will tell you how many stitches to bind off. It will say something like: "bind off 4" or BO 4. (Ha ha. BO. I am a 7 year old boy.)

Unfortunately, I cound not find a demonstration video with our wonderful British knitting instructor. This one's pretty good, but she doesn't say "anti-clockwise."



Next week: How to knit a scarf.

Note: Posts may be a little scanty this week due to the intrusion of the real world. But have no fear. We will return bigger, better, faster, stronger and greener than before.

DIY Sunday - How to Knit, Part 2

Last week, I posted the first lesson on beginning to knit. Click here to see that lesson, and to read why knitting is awesome.

If you followed the instructions on that video, made by the wonderful knitTV, you know how to cast on. Casting on produces a row of stitches on your knitting needle. That's nice, but what do you do with them? Well, in knitting, there are only TWO STITCHES you need to know! The first is called knit stitch, and the second is purl stitch. All knitting is a variation on these two stitches.

Today's lesson is on the knit stitch (sometimes called garter stitch) because in two weeks you're going to be able to use the knit stitch to make a scarf.

In knitting patterns, they will say something like: k25. This means, do the knit stitch 25 times. Easy-peasy.

OK, so let's get going. You will need:

The needles and yarn you started with last week (or whenever). One needle should have a row of cast on stitches. If it doesn't - say, you ripped them all out in frustration - go back to the first lesson and cast on 10 stitches.

Okay. Here's our friendly knitting instructor, teaching us how to knit stitch:

Anti-clockwise!

When you get to the end of the row, turn the needle around and knit all the stitches again. Keep practicing and you will soon have a really skinny piece of fabric knit in the garter stitch.

Next week: How to bind off. In two weeks: Put it all together and make a scarf.

DIY Valentine's Day - It's Not Too Late

So, Valentine's Day is not my favorite holiday, being, as it is, a commercial-fest of consumerism, blah-blah ... you know all the arguments about how the greeting card companies make us feel bad if we're not part of the celebration in order to amp up our holiday spending. I felt a little discouraged seeing the last-minute shoppers cruising Kroger, trying to find something - FAST - for that special someone. They were even selling plates of cheese pre-cut into hearts. I might find myself questioning someone who doesn't have time to cut heart-shaped cheese themselves (there's a joke in there somewhere, but I just can't get it.)

Luckily, the tough economy, according to this NPR story, has led more people to make their own holiday gifts and cards. That seems more meaningful than the plate of heart-shaped brie - unless your sweetie really loves cheese. Even though it's late in the day, there's still time to DIY for your loved ones. Here are a few ideas (and at the end of the post, find an alternative to Valentine's Day)



I absolutely love these Anatomically-correct Hearts from cheekymagpie.com. Just click the link for the template.

I traced the template onto craft paper and cut it out. Then you just fold it in half and you get a lovely, 3-dimensional heart. All-in-all, it takes about 5 minutes and looks gorgeous.

An inspiring quotation makes a nice addition to your card. You can find some great quotations about love here, at Wisdom Quotes. These are great because they aren't the same ol', same ol'. Gotta love any site that includes Albert Einstein in its page on love.

Now, I haven't tried Nigella Lawson's Valentine cupcakes, but I listened to her describe them on NPR yesterday, and I definitely mean to. Make them for a sweetie with a sweettooth. The chocolate cherry ones sound especially tasty, and quick to make. I also like the way Nigella describes how the competitive world of boarding school produced in her a "lofty detachment" toward the holiday. You go, Nigella!

Mix-tapes are a traditional gift from one disturbed teen to another. For you music lovers, check out the iTunes store. The "Essentials - Crazy Love" mix contains all the stories of whacked out romance you can handle, including "Stan" by Eminem, "Ben" by Michael Jackson, and "Under My Thumb" by the Rolling Stones. Get it for someone you stalk.

Finally, for those of you singletons who are perfectly content to be single, check out International Quirkyalone Day. This holiday, to quote the website, is: "a do-it-yourself celebration of romance, friendship, and independent spirit. It's a celebration of all kinds of love: romantic, platonic, familial, and yes, self-love. International Quirkyalone Day is not anti-Valentine's Day. It's NOT a pity party for single people. It's an alternative--a feel-good alternative to the marketing barrage of Valentine's Day and an antidote to the silicone version of love presented in shows such as Hooking Up and The Bachelor."

And who can't find the love for that?

DIY Sunday - Knitting Cast-On

A couple of weeks ago, I thought I might post a simple scarf pattern I created for my sister, but then thought, maybe people would like to learn to knit first. Knitting is a great DIY hobby, because it's easy (no, REALLY!) and it's forgiving (if I'm lyin', I'm dyin'). Mistakes can usually be corrected with simple work-arounds that disappear when you're looking at a larger, finished project. Of course, I'm a pretty Zen knitter, not really a perfectionist.

There are two other reasons I like knitting, and why you might like it too:

1. You get useful things when you've finished a project. Scarves, baby jackets, blankets, sweaters - all useful. A lot of other crafts seem to produce dust collectors.

2. Knitting makes me feel connected to history. Women (and men!) have been knitting forever. I like to think that I'm spending my time in the same way my foremothers did, although they didn't have acrylic wool blends.

So, if you want to start knitting, the first thing you need to know is ...

How To Cast On

You will need:

Knitting Needles - I think Size 10 or 11 would be good for beginning
Yarn - Some basic wool or acrylic is good to start with - you don't want anything with weird texture when you begin.

Every knitting pattern begins with:

Cast on ____ number of stitches

Because it would take many, many photos to demonstrate this, I'm going to let the folks at knittv show you. Also, the girl has an awesome British accent. She's demonstrating what's called the "Two-Needle Method," which is the way I cast on.

Practice this a bit -- it's good to get the hang of this.

Next week: How to knit.

Then you'll only need one other skill to make a scarf! (And if you're thinking -- it's almost spring, why would I need a scarf? you obviously haven't seen the girls who walk around my neighborhood wearing short-shorts, stiletto platforms, a tank top, and scarf)