Call for New Reporters!

Bumping this up to the top!  Come join us... you have 24 hours!

It's time to invite YOU to be a part of Craft Critique! We are looking for a few new reporters. Please share this news with your crafty friends on Facebook, blogs, twitter... help spread the word!


What we are looking for:

Crafters of all types: paper, stamps, fabric, yarn, beads, crayons, clay... whatever you are into. Male or female, all ages, all styles...

Crafters with multiple skills. You don't need to be on any design teams or be some sort of crafting superstar... but what you WILL need are good English writing skills, the ability to take a decent photo, and an opinion. You should also know how to use a pair of scissors.

Folks who know the internet. You don't have to be an uber-blogger, but we do want to see your online galleries, websites or etsy shops (bonus points for amazing bloggers).

International applicants. Even if you live in Grytviken please apply! We would love to say we have a reporter in Grytviken! Just remember Craft Critique is in English. While our editors spell "color" without the "U", we don't mind the occasional "colour" sprinkled around... it adds to our flavor.

Please, if you have applied before and were not selected... re-apply! We still like you, and if we say (or said) "no" it's not because we think your crafts stink... it might just be because we already have someone who can hand knit 3 piece suits out of plastic baggie remnants. Don't take it personally.


What does a Reporter do?

Reporters write about crafty tools and products, craft trends and events. Some of our reporters help us with social media stuff (like twitter and Facebook) and some even help us edit articles and contact manufacturers.

Our reporters write 1-3 articles per month. This varies depending on the month... we have a "family first" policy at Craft Critique and sometimes our reporters need to take brief leaves of absence which is fine with us... we are pretty laid back as long as open communication is in place. Our reporter terms are for 6 months.

You will never have to write about a topic, event or product that does not interest you. Some of our articles are vendor driven, if we have been given products by manufacturers to review, but most of our reporters write about the products they already own, buy and use.


What is in it for you?

Many of our reporters move on from here to do amazing and wonderful things... not that being a reporter for us isn't amazing and wonderful... but, you get the idea. You will also see increased traffic to your blog/website, make new crafty buddies, and be the envy of all your friends! Plus, Craft Critique is growing in many new and amazing ways! We would love to take you along for the ride!


To Submit:

Email us before November 30th (by midnight CST). Send your application to sarah(at)craftcritique(dot)com.

Include your name, location, contact information, blog links or links to any online galleries, a little bit about YOU, and and a short article about a crafty product or tool. Be sure to list the pros and cons about the product you are reviewing. Use the posts here on Craft Critique to help guide your article. This should be an article NOT previously published on your blog.

Include photos (attach them to the email please) of projects created with the product you review.

By submitting this article you grant us permission to publish the article and accompanying photos on Craft Critique.

Feel free to post any questions here or email me. The new reporters will be announced by December 15th.

Good luck! We can't wait to see your application!

Black Friday Specials

Here are some great Black Friday deals from our favorite crafty companies. Feel free to share any great deals you've seen in the comments below. Now go get your shop on!

C&T Publishing - Enter promotion code CCRTQ1109 when you place an online order of $10 or more, and they will send you a free 2010 calendar filled with gorgeous quilts plus patterns. Exclusive offer for Craft Critique readers.

ConsumerCrafts.com - E-mail subscribers will receive a promo code for 50% off their purchase and Free Shipping on their entire order. One Day only - November 30th.

i {heart} papers - $25 free shipping offer AND for every $50 you spend, you will get a $10 gift certificate (redeemable after Dec 1) Use Coupon Code: 10for50CC

Lizzie Anne Designs - 35% off your entire order, valid Fri, Sat, Sunday. Excludes Retired and Monthly Mix products. Use Coupon Code: THANKS35

ScrapBlog.com - 25% off all printing. Plus they are reducing their FedEx shipping by 50%. Use Coupon Code: HOLIDAY25

Boogiebead - Offering FREE domestic shipping PLUS a free pair of holiday earrings with every purchase!

Kitchen Sink Stamps - Nov. 27 After Thanksgiving Day Sale! 15% off - One Day Only! Use Promo Code: GOBBLE All orders $50 and over will get FREE shipping. International orders get free shipping on orders $60 and over on stamps ONLY.

Taylored Expressions - 15% off their entire store (Nov 27th - 30th). Plus bonus savings on JustRite products, Tiny Twinkles, and more! Use Coupon Code: CCBlackFriday

Jenni20 Designs - Use the coupon code CRAFT15 (in message to seller at time of checkout), receive 15% off of the HOLIDAY SPECIAL. Exclusive offer for Craft Critique readers.

Jacksonbelle Embelishments - The entire store is 25% off through Nov. 30th (including sale items)

The Living Room Floor -Is giving a free set of Christmas Flashcards to anyone with a $10 purchase. Mention code FREEFLASH at checkout.

LILACPOP Gifts - 20% off your entire order, plus free shipping on Black Friday. Sale through Sunday.

Namemaker - Check out their selection of personalized woven labels, ribbon, stickers, gift wrap, & more!

Torendi - 30% off everything in the store and a chance to win a ticket to CHA!

in my head studios - Handmade jewelry out of upcycled dominoes and Scrabble tiles, including holiday Christmas domino ornaments.

Ella Publishing - The first 100 people to enter CRAFT09 at checkout will get $2 off the $5.99 cover price of Margie Romney-Aslett's Vintage Crafty Christmas eBook! Use Coupon Code TURKEY09 to receive 20% off their entire site.

CraftySteals.com - Their Daily Steal is always 40-90% off but on Black Friday they are sweetening the deal by offering free shipping!

Stencil1 - Save $40 when you buy seven stencil sets! Also check out the savings on their Birch Tree stencils.

Paper Wishes - 30% off the highest priced item in your cart. Through Nov. 30th. Use Coupon Code: 30anniv

The Digichick - Is having a 20% off sale (Thursday-Sunday), and is offering a free collaborative kit, made by the Digichick Designers, free with any purchase of $15 or more.

Rhee Dunn - 20% off selected items and Free shipping on orders over $50 (11/27-11/30)

Mod Creations - Polymer clay dog and cat tags or charms. Offering free shipping and almost everything in their store is $8-$10.

Fairly Enchanted Designs - Offering free worldwide shipping on orders anytime from now until January 1st 2010. To receive the discount, include "Jolly Holidays" in the notes to the seller and they'll refund the shipping through Paypal!

jk designs - 10% off entire shop + FREE shipping! No codes necessary; discount will be credited back to your paypal account after payment is received.

Limelight Papercrafts - Offering 15% off of entire order through Sunday, November 29. Just enter TURKEY at checkout! Also, all orders will automatically receive a free surprise crafting goody!

Serif - Is slashing prices by 25% on everything on Serif.com for the entire Thanksgiving weekend! Starting on Thursday 26th November and running until Cyber Monday, this offer includes Digital Scrapbook Artist and all the other award-winning software titles.

Denami Design Rubber Stamps - Buy one get one half off on all Trifle stamp sets. Use Coupon Code: TRIFLES Purchase $40 or more and receive free shipping in the United States. Through 11/29.

Hannah Grey - Starting Thanksgiving day through Black Friday (or until they run out) spend $50 or more (before tax and shipping) and receive FREE GOODIES worth $30 or more! Just enter the code GOODIES at check out.

Hambly Screen Prints - Offering 30% off your entire order and free shipping at the online store. Enter coupon code BLACKFRIDAY at checkout, valid Nov. 27th only.

Queen Kat Designs - 20% off Queen Kat Design Stamps, 20% off the Supplies Category (Stamp exclusions: Custom stamps & separate stamp category) Through November 30th. Buy 2 stamp sets, get 1 separates stamp free.

CreativeXpress - Day after Thanksgiving Sale! 15% off your entire order automatically.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just a note to say thanks to all our readers, reporters and staff. I have a lot to be thankful for.

A special thanks to Melissa, Dana and Amanda who work ridiculously hard for FREE to help me keep this site running. Seriously, I am often surprised they still speak to me.

To my family, especially my amazing husband who tolerates an extreme level of crafty madness to support the happy accident which is Craft Critique.

And of course to all our reporters, who craft their talented fingers to the bone for us, and to YOU for reading, sharing and making.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Now please enjoy this hilarious little drawing from one of my favorite people... Jessie Oleson of Cakespy.


Most recent Taste of Home Illustration
Originally uploaded by cakespyPlease come back tomorrow to see a bunch of amazing deals for Black Friday... some of them exclusive to our readers!

Oh, and check me out on Paperclipping Live talking about what crafters want for the holidays! Jump to the 10 minute mark to avoid the technical difficulties...

Thanks so much Noell for helping me make my podcast debut! It was so fun!

Blue Moon Beads

Reported by Erika Martin

The Blue Moon Beads line has fast become one of my favorite jewelry making supplies to reach for at the craft store. There's many options to pick from and no matter what your taste or style is, there's something for everyone.

Blue Moon Beads has recently taken center stage in the beading and jewelry making section of Michael's Arts & Crafts stores around the country. If you've been to a Michael's recently, I'm sure you've seen the huge overhaul they've done in their beading/jewelry section. It's so pretty to the eye....like being in a candy shop! Colors and textures every where. Shiny, matte, rustic, natural, tarnished...it's all there.

I've recently gotten into jewelry making and it's probably a good thing that my nearest Michael's is about a half hour away or my checking account would be starving about now. Each time I get the chance to go to the city, I find myself being pulled toward this section of the store and can easily spend an hour combing through the bargain bins on the bottom shelves and running my hands over all the beautiful findings, beads and pendants.

The jewelry supplies are categorized into different collections so that picking beads, chains, pendants and findings that coordinate are easy to find. Of course, you can always mix between collections but if you like having everything coordinate and in one place, Blue Moon Beads makes this super easy.

The different collections are as follows:
* Blue Moon Basics
* Color Coordinates
* Enchanted Planet
* Frosting
* Global Nomad
* Lost & Found
* Manor House
* Natural Elegance
* Noir
* Poetiques
* Reflections
* Royal Boheme
* Tokens
* Varnish

I've taken quite a shine to this art craft and not that long ago, I picked up a large variety of Blue Moon Beads products to see what I could create with them. I love the option of having the bins of bargain findings on the bottom shelves. There's an amazing amount of variety in these bins if you're willing to comb through them. They're categorized in different themes, as well. I usually plop myself down on the floor next to the shelf and examine everything. The price for the bargain bin items hovers around $1.99 plus tax and you'd be surprised the deals you can pick up. Most everything that is shown in the picture above was taken from the bargain bins, though some of the findings that I've used on the jewelry below are from the upper shelves and came as variety packs.

While there's so many products and product lines to choose from within the Blue Moon Beads line, the bargain bins can give you lots of inspiration and items to work with and that's what I've chosen to work with for this article.

TREASURE CHEST

The Treasure Chest bargain bin is my favorite. I adore earth tones and organic looking materials. It's like looking through a treasure box that has been brought across the high seas and contains all sorts of exotic and foreign findings.

I create this necklace using a stone disk from a strand of disks and beads, as well as hemp twine. I added knots to keep my beads in place and to keep it looking natural and earthy. I added a couple of pewter toned jump rings and strung a charm from the "Tokens" bargain bin. I added some knots to the ends of the hemp so that the necklace was adjustable and didn't require any clasps.

The necklace that I created below used a carved stone bead. I put an eye pin through it and added some more beads from the strand that it came on, knotted my hemp twine to create some distance between my beads and also created the adjustable sliding knots at the top for easy fitting. The small butterfly is from the "Bits & Baubles" bargain bin, but it's aged gold tone makes it a perfect fit with the items I got from the "Treasure Chest"bargain bin. See how easy it can be to meld collections together?
The layered stone beads are also from the "Treasure Chest" and were easily strung onto an eye pin with beads. Some jump rings and some earring hooks finished these off very quickly.
MANOR HOUSE

The "Manor House" collection tends to lean towards an early century vintage style with delicate filigrees, matte pearls, chiseled and faceted glass beads. The items in the bargain bin follow suit, but at a more enticing price.

The earrings below were some of the fastest earrings I've ever made and they are such pretty earrings at that! The filigree pieces came as a pack of 5 and were easy to thread a jump ring through and then attach an earring hook to. Yes, it really was that easy! They look like something I'd pick up in an upscale boutique and cost under $1 and under 5 minutes to make! If you're looking for some quick holiday gift ideas, this is definitely the way to go!
BITS & BAUBLES

The "Bits & Baubles" bin is full of finding sets that you can purchase to create matching jewelry pieces. There's findings that work well as earrings and others in the pack that work as charms for a necklace or bracelet. This line tends to be mostly metal findings, but they come in different finishes, so it's not limited to shiny or brushed. There's some of each in this bin.

The "Bits & Baubles" collection is all over the place in terms of style. It's a bit of a menagerie but everything works so well together. I created this charm bracelet from this line and used a length of chain from the "Treasure Chest" bin to hang the charms from. There's still plenty of room for more charms and I plan on picking up some more "Bits & Baubles" the next time I take a trip to Michael's.

I've definitely found a favorite company when it comes to my quickly-turning-obsession jewelry making hobby.

Most of the products in the Blue Moon Beads line retail anywhere from $1.99 to roughly $7.99.

Pros:

* Large selection, lots of variety
* Products are categorized in different themes to make coordination easy
* 14 different collections
* Bargain Bin items at a great price
* Overall fantastic value
* Great for creating on a budget

Cons:

* I'd like to see more chain options in different finishes on large rolls
* One of the charms that I took out of a package broke right in my hands. I haven't had a problem with any other items, so I'm hoping this was just an isolated incident.

So, have any of you used Blue Moon Bead products? What's your favorite collection? What kind of jewelry creations have you made using this line? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Artist Trading Cards Book by Leonie Pujol (Twenty To Make Series - Search Press)

Reported by Fabrizio Martellucci

If you haven't heard of ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) yet, where have you been ? They're a fun medium and are increasingly becoming more popular among cardmakers and other paper crafters alike.

'An ATC is a small piece of card 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2...'

An ATC is a small piece of card 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 and it's decorated on one side and the other side contains information about the author of the artwork, date it was made and some various details you wish the include.
Apparently, they were born out of necessity by a Swiss artist who thought that the usual business cards being exchanged were boring so started to create one offs or series of ATC to exchange with fellow artists. The paper crafters took it on and now they are being exchanged at craft fairs between crafters.

'...ATCs are never sold but swapped/exchanged...'

Please, note that ATCs are never sold but swapped/exchanged for another ATC. They can soon become collectable too. The fact they are similar in size with baseball cards means there are several storage solutions to keep them safe and dust-free. Just a word of warning as they are addictive so if you have a collector streak in you, you'll definitely enjoy making them and exchanging them online and offline.

'Artist Trading cards by Leonie Pujol'

There are several publications out there, but for the intermediate and advanced ATC creators this book from Leonie Pujol will really inspire you.

The book is entitled 'Artist Trading Cards' and belongs to a series ( 20/Twenty to Make ) of small books published by Search Press (a very proactive British publishing house).

image used with kind permission of Search Press

'Leonie crammed her book with 20 sections of different techniques'

The premise of that series is to have small reference books on specific subjects to inspire you. And the authors, in this case Leonie Pujol, are challenged to make 20 creations on particular subject.

Leonie took ATC making to heart and crammed the book with 20 sections of different techniques:

• Easily Inspired
• Decoupage Creations
• Creative Background I and II
• Stamping I and II
• Stickers I and II
• Stencils I and II
• Decorative Papers I and II
• A Touch of metal I and II
• Embellishments I and II
• Memorabilia I and II
• Taking it further I and II

Image used by kind permission of Search Press

'...you get to see 60 ATCs, and the book is fully illustrated throughout.'

Each of them with one ATC and instructions and two other variations on the same theme so in effect you get to see 60 ATCS and the book is fully illustrated throughout.

There are no step by step illustrations to accompany the instructions though. That's why I recommend this book for veterans ATC makers at an intermediate to advanced level. Although beginners could get inspired, they might get disheartened if they try to attempt some techniques they haven't tried before... you've been warned!

Leonie's samples are stunning, and she really gives you so much scope for trying new techniques and stretching your crafter's 'legs'. I challenge you not to feel a 'get up and craft' after reading her book.

My favourites ATCs in the book are the Panda ones and the ones in the Memorabilia section. There are a few oriental-inspired ATC that I simply adore and they got me crafting that's for sure.

Here are some ATCs I made taking inspiration from Leonie's Artist Trading Cards book:

Pros:

• Small book can be easily referred to quickly as the section are well laid out and concise
• Very good examples and fully illustrated throughout
• Instructions given to all 20 main ATC linked to the section

Cons:

• I would have liked just the one step by step for at least one project which would have kept the total beginner happy
• Only for Intermediate and Advanced paper crafters
• The two other variations shown don't have instructions with them

'I wanted Leonie to sign her book I bought but forgot it at home...'

I thoroughly enjoyed the book; I bought it over a year ago and I'm glad I re-read it for this review. I also need to tell you an anecdote, I was extremely fortunate to meet the author Leonie at a workshop she did for a cancer charity fundraiser recently.

Leonie and I at a recent fundraiser workshop

I wanted Leonie to sign her book I bought but forgot it at home, lucky me, she was selling her book at the do and I bought it again from her ! So I told her 'that's total dedication for you' we both laughed about it! So I have a spare one to 'abuse' and the other signed one to cherish. She's an amazing lady and I'm glad she's got a presenting job in a well known shopping channel in the UK. I feel really fortunate to have met her as she's an outstanding crafter.

I just want to give Vanessa Ware from Search Press a heartfelt thanks for supplying the extra pictures and allowing me to scan two pages from Leonie's book Artist Trading Cards.

Resources:

Search Press - http://www.searchpress.co.uk
Leonie's personal blog - http://leoniepujol.blogspot.com

If you have purchased this book and it has inspired you, please let us know, we'd love to hear your comments and see your creations !

Quilters Grid Interfacing

Reported by Susie Ziegler

At a quilt show recently, my daughter and I were introduced to a very cool quilting product: fusible interfacing with grid lines. Did we ever have fun with this stuff! With this product, even beginning quilters can make beautiful watercolor quilts, fun pixel quilts, or simple blocks of squares without worrying about perfect 1/4 inch seams and corners that line up exactly.

At my local quilt shop, they had two different kinds with a 2-inch-grid. At my big fabric store, they had some with a 1-inch grid. All the types I found were about 45 inches wide, so they are as wide as cotton fabric comes off the bolt. This is very convenient for quilters!

What you do is cut up a whole bunch of little squares. Mine are 2-inch because that is the kind of gridded interfacing I have. If the interfacing you find is 1-inch, you can still use 2-inch squares because it'll all still line up. Remember that you will be sewing in 1/4 inch seam allowances so the squares will become 1.5 inches when finished. If you use 1-inch squares, they'll be really small stitched up: only 1/2 inch!

At the quilt show, they had tons of cut squares and they encouraged us to build our 5 by 5 blocks however we liked. I could not tear my child away from the table! We were making blocks for Project Linus quilts.

I've been interested in making a quilt as an homage to Super Mario, the best video game ever. Pixelated video game images are known as "sprites" so that is the term I found most helpful when google searching images I wanted to sew.

Just lay out your pattern and iron the squares down. My project was quite large so I ironed it in sections. You want to be neat when laying the squares but perfection isn't that important.

Now you just turn it over and fold along the grid and sew with 1/4 inch seam allowances on all the seams going in one direction.

There are several methods for ironing the seams on the back. Click HERE to see one that achieves butted seams. In some smaller blocks, I trimmed off the folded over part and pressed them open like this:

Later, I consulted the instructions on the packaging and it said to simply press all the seams in one direction. So I tried that too. It is faster, but it seems really bulky to do it that way, so I recommend taking the time to trim and press the seams open or in opposite directions to cut down on the bulk.

Pros:

• Makes a formerly difficult quilt pattern easy
• Seams and corners all line up, even when seam allowances aren't accurate
• Forgiving and easy to use
• Laying out colored fabric squares is addictive
  

Cons:

• Interfacing makes the fabric bulkier so finished blocks are stiff
• Dealing with trimming and ironing the seams this way and that way is really not fun.
• Sometimes the fusible adhesive sticks to your iron. Be careful!
  

Geekery achieved! This is a 1-Up Mushroom. Catch him and your Mario can get an extra life!

I hope you'll try this product! It was really fun to use!

Clover Takumi Bamboo 9" Circular Knitting Needles

Reported by Amanda Talbert
I have covered many different crafts for Craft Critique, but at heart I am a knitter. Last summer at CHA I was given the opportunity to meet the lovely people at the Clover booth. They showed me, and even let me take home, something very exciting. It's their Takumi Bamboo Circular Knitting Needle in a 9" length.

For the readers who don't know, circular knitting needles are used to knit in-the-round, for things like socks, sleeves, collars, anything that needs to be knit in a seamless cylinder. There are several methods for knitting in-the-round for small diameter knits like socks and sleeves; double pointed needles (also called DPNs), the Magic Loop, two circular needles worked together. Until I tried Clover's 9" circular I thought those were the only options.

I was very excited to try this circular needle because I have never been very good at knitting with DPNs (double pointed needles). I always experience laddering at my needle transition points, and when I tighten up to fix it, I get spots that are too tight and hard to deal with. I've tried knitting socks in the other methods as well but never taken to it. This extremely short circular needle solves all of my problems.

I knit a pair of yoga socks for my dancing daughter and was amazed at how quickly I could work in-the-round with this circular needle. I used the US2-sized needle with sock weight merino wool yarn and it took me 3 days of light work to get this sock made for my 10 year old's foot. Her ankles aren't very big around so I wasn't sure if the circular needle would work. When working in-the-round on one circular needle I had to worry that I would have to stretch the knit out too much to get it to go all the way around the needle. Even when working in a tightly pulled in 1x1 ribbing the 9" circular needle was small enough to give me a great knit fabric.

The next worry, after deciding that the circular needle was indeed small enough to give me what I wanted, was the fear that it would be too hard to use at such a small size. I shouldn't have worried. The needle was very easy to hold in my hand and use. I didn't have any problems with my hands or fingers cramping. The small needle and the flow of working in the round made for a very fast knit that was easy and carefree.


Clover's Takumi Bamboo needles are known for their smooth wood finish, and these small needles were no different. The bamboo was smooth and warm in my hands and didn't give me a single snag. The smoothness of the bamboo did not ruin the slight grip of using wood needles rather than metal. I like that grip, it helps me keep my stitches on the needle and not in my lap.


The join, or the area where the plastic cable is connected to the wooden needle tips, is a worry for many knitters. I dislike having to fight with a circular needle that snags my yarn as it moves over the join. Even worse than a needle that snags is a needle that falls apart halfway through a project. This needle didn't do that.


These 9" circular needles come in 9 sizes, from US0 to US8.

Pros:

• Smooth needles with a sturdy join
• Small circumference for use in knitting socks and sleeves
• Easily transportable projects

Cons:

• Can be hard to find in stores
• At $14.50 MSRP it would take a lot of money to buy as many of these needles as I want
• Don't come in US00 or US000 sizes (most likely because they are wooden and wouldn't hold up to use)

I loved knitting with these needles and can hardly wait to cast on another project. Do you have any suggestions for what I should knit next?

Book Review: Kata Golda's Hand-Stitched Felt

Reported by Rachel Johnson

Kata Golda is an artist who works mostly in felt to create children's toys and items for the home. She recently published her first project book, Kata Golda's Hand-Stitched Felt: 25 Whimsical Sewing Projects (published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang, MSRP $19.95), and I had the pleasure of meeting her during her promotional tour at the Etsy Labs Craft Night in Brooklyn on October 19th, 2009. At the craft event, Golda showed us how to create a felt photo pocket, one of the projects featured in her book.

Golda supplied the wool and wool-blend felt, which came in beautiful muted colors that were hand-dyed at her studio. She also gave us a template to use for the fall leaves on the pockets (in the book, the photo pockets have a botanical motif). The pockets were created by tri-folding a rectangle of felt and using a combination of three simple stitches (straight stitch, whip stitch, and blanket stitch) to secure the applique and close up the edges. The project was a good refresher for me, as I was a bit rusty on all of my stitching techniques. I was very pleased to finish my pretty pocket by the end of the evening!

I was so pleased that I went ahead and purchased the Hand-Stitched Felt book that evening! The beginning of the book covers many of the same things we learned at the event, like simple stitches, knots, and sewing techniques. There is a cute section all about stitching faces freehand. Golda's stuffed toys are absolutely adorable, and it was fun to get a glimpse into how she creates their cute and expressive faces. The sewing techniques section of the book is only eight pages long and covers the most basic of instruction. It is completely adequate for a beginning stitcher interested in tackling simple sewing projects like those in the book, but more advanced seamstresses could probably skip right over the section.

The majority of the book is devoted to the twenty-five different felt project tutorials. The projects include a pincushion, a purse, stuffed animals, journals with felt covers, finger puppets (seen on the book's cover), pillows, a baby quilt, a messenger bag, and many more cute felt creations. Each project tutorial is accompanied by multiple full-color photographs by Frank White, and Golda's whimsical, hand-drawn sketches and diagrams. It was a joy looking through the book trying to determine what I would attempt as my first project. I settled on the "Songbird Mug Cozy and Coaster" as my inaugural hand-stitched felt creation.

I gathered my supplies (three colors of felt, three colors of embroidery thread, scissors, measuring tape, pencil, and buttons) and then hunkered down on the sofa to get stitching! Golda's pattern for the mug cozy is ingenious, with a little tab that fits through the mug handle and an attached coaster at the bottom of the cozy. Each mug cozy must be custom-made for the mug it is intended to keep warm. I (somewhat stupidly) choose one of my largest mugs. This caused a problem when I discovered that my felt pieces were not quite long enough to wrap the mug. I improvised and added a tab with buttons on both sides to fit under the mug handle.

Even with my slight improvisation, Golda's instructions kept me on track and reminded me to do simple things (like attach the applique first) that made the process of constructing the cozy go smoothly. (I added the little heart between the birds as my own special touch.) I had a lot of fun making this felt project, and I am very pleased with the results. The cozy is both cute and highly functional!

I have a weak spot in my heart for cute things, which probably was what initially swayed me to purchase Kata Golda's Hand-Stitched Felt: 25 Whimsical Sewing Projects. But even if cute is not exactly your style, the book has many clever and functional project ideas for all ages that can be customized to fit your personal taste. If you are attracted to Golda's cute characters, she provides all of the character and motif patterns at the back of the book in the templates section - including full-size templates for her signature stuffed companion dolls. The projects in Hand-Stitched Felt are all very simple, and as the title says, they are all completed with hand-stitching. No sewing machine required. So, that means you can work on them in front of the tv or on the subway with ease. Perfect for someone like me who likes quick, but satisfying craft endeavors!

Pros:

• Wide variety of both functional and whimsical felt projects.
• Beautiful color photography and detailed project instructions with construction diagrams.
• The projects are all quick, simple, and can be completed with only the most basic materials.
• Patterns for the applique designs are provided, but the projects are easily customizable using your own creativity.

Cons:

• Advanced seamstresses may find the sewing projects to be too simple.

It is hard for me to come up with any substantial "cons" for Hand-Stitched Felt. I really love the book and it has made me more interested in continuing to craft in felt. What other felt craft books should I check out? Do you have a favorite online felt vendor? Who are some other artists or crafters working in felt who inspire you?

Elmer's Sticky Dot Stamper

Reported by Stephanie Wheeler

How many times have you reached for your roll of sticky dots only to rip one off on your finger, rendering it unusable after it touches your skin? Sure, the instructions tell you not to touch the dot, but that's easier said than done.

Sticky dots are notorious for sticking to anything and everything, and sometimes sticking to nothing. That's what makes Elmer's Sticky Dot Stamper such a great crafting find! This dispenser takes the guesswork and annoyance out of a simple and necessary part of crafting.

I really try to limit my "gadget intake" when it comes to scrapbooking - I really want something that is really going to be useful, not just take up space on my desk. After getting this dispenser for around $6 (I used a coupon), I figured it was time to try it out. I was pleasantly surprised with how useful and convenient it turned out to be.




This sticky dot dispenser is perfect for all kinds of crafts - card making, scrapbooking and mixed media projects. Every time you need a new sticky dot, you simply place the mouth of the dispenser where you need to add adhesive, pull down on the shuttle, and it sticks a dot exactly where you need it, and viola! No more wasted dots!



The sticky dots are also great for giving some dimension to your projects when layered on top of each other, and because they are permanent and very tacky, they are really good for adhering larger, heavier objects such as buttons or chipboard.

The Elmer's Sticky Dot Stamper itself costs around $10, but is readily available in retail and craft stores, so it can be purchased with coupons for much less.

Refills are surprisingly cost-effective. A roll of 500 will set you back around $5, which is much cheaper than most sticky dot rolls. Also, refills come in three sizes - 3/8", 5/8" and 7/16", so there's a sticky dot for every project.

Pros:

• New dispenser comes equipped with a whole roll of 500 dots.
  
• Applies dots easily, quickly and accurately.
• Keeps sticky dots inside the dispensing mechanism, preventing them from sticking to anything and everything.
• Easily available online and in retail stores.
• Each refill contains 500 dots.
  
• Dots come in three sizes - 3/8", 5/8" and 7/16", and are acid-free and photo safe.
  

Cons:

• Stamper is a bit bulky, and let's face it, another gadget.
• Takes a few tries to get the hang of where the stamp will actually be placed.
• Takes specific refills.

So what do you think? Would Elmer's Sticky Dot Stamper make your crafting a bit easier? We'd love to know!

Deluxe Glass Etching Kit by Armour Products

Reported by Jessica Ripley

Even though I am a crafter who loves to use different products and media to put together a unique piece with layers of what was inspiring me at the time, every once in awhile it is just so nice to be able to pull out a ready made kit to make my creative time easy. So, I'm always on the lookout for such kits to have in my stash for days when I really want to do something crafty, but don't want to think about it too hard. The Deluxe Glass Etching Kit by Armour Products seemed to have that very potential.

The kit states right on the box that inside is "everything you need to create beautiful etched designs to decorate your favorite glassware and mirrors". This is almost true. Inside is a pair of plastic gloves, the glass etching cream, a paint brush, rub-on tool, hobby knife, several stencils to get you started, and a practice piece of glass (which I really thought a nice addition).

Also included are instructions, which state that a few more items are actually needed. To be fair though, they are normal household items which most of us probably already have on hand, such as masking tape, a ruler, glass cleaner, cotton swabs, pen, etc. Some other recommended items which I did not have included steel wool, smudge-proof carbon paper, and Contact Brand Shelving Vinyl (though the last two were if you wish to make your own stencil designs).

In reviewing the directions, there is quite a bit of text to read through, however the steps are simple and straight-forward. Again, the box is a little misleading, stating there are 3 quick and easy steps when in actuality there are 7, but I certainly don't want to hold that against them and be that literal. Still, be aware the process does take a little more time than you might think at first. There are also lots of warnings about the harmfulness of the chemicals in the cream, specifically Ammonium and Sodium Biflourides. They instruct you to wear long-sleeved garments, the gloves, protective eye wear, and use in a well-ventilated area. They also recommend this kit is for ages 18 and up only, and that the company is not liable for any injury as a result of using the kit. Very thorough warnings!

There are also some helpful hints before you get started, the first of which states that rubbing the stenciled design with steel wool will create a darker impression. As I said, I didn't have this on hand, and would have loved if they had included a little piece along with the kit. My designs, as you'll see below, came out okay without it, but they are a bit fainter than I would have liked.

Choosing a design for the practice piece was difficult, but only because they are all so great! I was very impressed with the range of designs to choose from, and could see myself using any of them on a number of projects. The stencils are not re-usable, so I chose a floral border promising myself that test piece would become part of a future piece of art (someday). I liked that the stencils also had guidelines for cutting out the designs and ample room around each to do so.

After adhering the design to the test piece with masking tape (temporarily this first time), the stencil must be transferred to the glass using the rub-on tool which came with the kit. It was easy to do, and the stencil adhered to the glass nicely. Once it's attached, the tape is removed and a clear backing peeled off the design to expose the stencil. This process works just like using rub-ons. Next, the design is re-taped to to glass. The tape is just as much to protect your piece as it is to secure the stencil, just like one would use painters tape on trim when painting the walls of a room.

The instructions also contain a helpful hint to hold the piece up to the light and look for any tiny tears in the stencil to be sure they are covered up before applying the cream. I did so, and low and behold needed to cover a few. That was a great tip!

Upon opening the cream I didn't experience any overpowering odor, though it does have the faint hint of ammonia. I worked near an open window as they recommended. The cream also isn't open for very long, as you must work quickly, so don't be concerned that possible odors are an issue (unless you are extremely sensitive to such things, but I'd equate the strength of the smell to paint). They advise that you must apply a generous amount of the cream and I did so using their example photo as a guide. It is very easy to apply and has a good, not runny, consistency:

The cream must then remain on the glass for 60 seconds (no longer according to the instructions). After a minute had passed, I headed to the sink to rinse the cream off in lukewarm water. The stencil however was very difficult to peel off, and I had to actually scratch it off with my thumbnail. Here's the finished piece:

It turned out pretty well, though as you can see near the bottom the design is a little muddled. I think this may have to do with the fact I scratched off the stencil. Still I liked how the cream worked, and in such a short amount of time too. At first I was actually under the impression that it did not work. The etching is almost completely invisible when wet. But once dry it comes through very clearly.

I tried again on a couple of different pieces. First a mirror, which I loved the result of:

This time the stencil came off very easily when rinsing off the cream, and the impression left on a mirrored surface was very clear.

Next a bit of a disaster though:

I tried it out on this vase and was pretty disappointed in the result. Attaching the stencil to a rounded surface turned out to be a bit difficult, and even though everything looked evenly covered before I applied the cream, I could clearly see from the result that it wasn't. I also noticed tiny bits of the stencil's more intricate parts coming off on my brush as I applied the cream, and I was not pressing hard. Unfortunately there is no going back once it is applied, so if you aren't practiced and absolutely certain you can go ahead, you may ruin a project. Just be sure your glass surface is clean and that you rub every inch of the stencil firmly to be sure it is well attached to the glass.

I should state that the result of the above too could be entirely due to the different kinds of glass surfaces used. The cream worked great on the flat test piece, and even better on the mirror. Though I did clean the vase prior to application of the cream, it was an older piece from around my house so it's entirely possible I didn't do so well enough which led to the bad result.

All in all I did have a good time with this kit, I'm just not sure it's necessary to purchase an entire kit if you wish to do some glass etching. The kit retails for around $25.00, however if you have the ability to make your own stencils with vinyl or are even confident enough to free-hand a design, you may be better off purchasing just the etching cream alone which is less than half that cost. Especially if you already have tools in your stash such as a brush and rub-on tool, which are the essentials. Still, again it was fun to just pull out a kit and go to work.

Pros:

• Comes with just about everything you need to start etching glass, and the stencils in particular have a great variety of designs to choose from (including holiday designs).


• Quick and easy way to make a lasting gift.


• Cream is easy to apply and is a nice consistency so there is no worry about applying it to areas where it should not go.

Cons:

• The cream itself is quite toxic, and great care needs to be taken when working with it. Warnings are clear and strong.


• I had a few problems with the stencils, the first when it wouldn't come off cleanly, and the second when it came off too cleanly while I was applying the cream. The key to a successful design is to adhere the stencil with great care, which takes more steps than the box lead me to believe.


• It is not a forgiving medium, meaning once it's applied, there is no going back to fix a mistake. The results are almost instantaneously permanent.

Have you used this kit or another glass etching product? What were your experiences? Any helpful tips to share? We'd love to hear from you!

Enchanted Adornments Book Review

Reported by Francie Horton

“Sometimes inspiration is so exquisite, the only explanation for it is magic. …A jewelry maker is summoned to create twenty distinct pieces for a group of mysterious friends. With little backstory. The jewelry maker trusts in her client and sets out, traveling to surreal lands and meeting otherworldly creatures. For each piece of jewelry, our traveler enters a portal to other worlds to meet her subjects. While there, she picks up clues to their personalities, sketches patterns and ideas, and notices colors, all of which come into play to create the resulting pieces via easy and unexpected methods.

She documents each of her visits in a sketchbook, which she shares in this chapter, with a diary entry, illustrations, and project notes. Complete materials lists and instructions follow for each entry, many even including a variation on the technique. The result is twenty unique projects and project variations that are utterly personal to the subjects who inspired them. Join this seeker of curiosities. As her story unfolds, so does the magic, and with it, her techniques, materials, tools, and instructions – all of which are of earthly persuasion.” P. 48 Enchanted Adornments

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Cynthia Thornton of Green Girl Studios has had a couple of buns in the oven this past year. One was their family’s new baby, Max, who was born November 5th. (edit: Max was actually born Halloween. Thank you to his Uncle Andrew, Cynthia's brother, for the correction.) Congratulations!



The second was this beautiful book, Enchanted Adornments. I’ve been a long-time reader of the Green Girl blog and have watched with fascination as Cynthia designed and developed the book. One of the things she said in the beginning was “I am now very aware of how much work it takes to complete a book and can hardly believe how much is left to do!” I have to say I have never seen anyone put this much detail, work, and love into a book. She was responsible for:

• Writing techniques and project instructions
• Writing beautiful stories
• Pen and ink illustrations
• Watercolors
• 20 projects, some with variations, that get progressively more difficult toward the back of the book – I read that Cynthia sketches every project out ahead of time, sometimes several times, and makes test pieces before the final piece.
• Props for some of the photos

About the only thing she didn’t do was the photo styling and the photography. They’re both done very well, though… perfectly suited to the feel of the book. (Edit: According to Andrew Thornton, Cynthia's brother, she was involved in this aspect as well. "The other is that she actually did work on photo styling. She went out to Loveland to work with her editor and the rest of the Interweave team and Joe on getting the pictures just right. She was very particular about getting everything just right. Cynthia and I even took our own photos to send out to the team so that they would know what we were thinking." - Andrew, from the comments)


Cynthia did a video with her publisher, Interweave Press, talking about the book and showing some of her sketchbook pages and projects from the book.





Are you getting antsy? Enough about the pretty pictures, let’s get down to the nitty gritty, already?

The first clue that the basic info section isn’t going to be the run of the mill is that it starts with a chapter called “Finding and Harnessing Inspiration”.

“…The road between an idea and a finished piece is a winding one that starts and stops, changes directions, and may not resemble the original thought in the end.”

Can I get an “Amen, sistah?!” This is something every artist knows and sometimes struggles with. We talk about it on blogs, in art retreats, on Facebook. Finally someone says it in a book of projects. I don’t know about you but to me this says, “Hey! Your project probably won’t turn out exactly like the one in the photo. And that’s OKAY. It is as it should be. It’s the difference between being inspired by someone and doing a direct copy.” Sometimes we need to copy the project to learn the technique, otherwise craft books and magazines would be out of business, but then strike out on your own with your inspiration.



Moving into “The Essentials” is where you’ll find the basic techniques needed throughout the book. Again, it feels as though Cynthia has given just that little bit extra. For example, in the simple wireworking section, she shows you how to make a fine silver fused chain. It's so beautiful I would wear it as is, no embellishment needed other than the hammered texture.

Things that are covered in “The Essentials”:

Wire
wire toolbox, wrapped loops, jump rings, fine silver fused chain, drawing a bead to make head pins, fancy wire wrap

Polymer Clay and Polymer Metal Clay
polymer clay toolbox, discussion of types, everything from conditioning to finishing
technique to look like faux ivory
polymer metal clay toolbox, discussion of types, considerations when working with pmc, sintering, firing, repairing, finishing, adding color to metal clay pieces

Simple Metal Clay Findings
Toggle clasp, Chain, Button, Prong Setting, Bezels – Clay Ball and Clay Cup with Bezel Wire
Texturing Clay
Carving and Sculpting
Simple Texture Tools – pads, cards, stamps – ones you make yourself naturally!

Molds
Making a master so that you can make multiple copies of that perfect bead you created wholly by accident.

Resin
I have heard more horror stories about artists ruining work with either the wrong ratios of resin ingredients, the wrong humidity, a bad batch, or they just didn’t hold their mouths right. Cynthia gives easy instructions and tips for every step of the way. She also covers inclusions, dyes, and finishing. There is a simple resin pendant step-out shown as well.

And here is where the magical story begins. “Every charm has a Story.”

Every project lists materials, tools and even clay color formulas if needed. Very detailed instructions for each piece are included to ensure best results. Helpful tips and possible variations are shown for some of the designs. And each of the pieces takes you a bit further into the story.

My favorite design from the book is the Woodland Wings necklace.



According to Cynthia’s blog “the crown jewel of the collection” is Mirabelle’s Locket. Beautiful and unique, it also wraps up the fairy tale she has woven throughout the book.



This is a book for the jewelry artist with an imagination. It is a workbook with a wealth of information. It is a fairy tale for grownups who are still in touch with their inner children.



What do you think? Does it look like a book you would like? Leave us a comment and let us know!