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Showing posts from January, 2014

Artsy blogging round-up!

ACreativeDream A few more folk art dolls before moving on to mail art! Art Bead Scene Check out more Pinterest Inspiration Board advice from Kylie Parry! Beading Arts The Bead Journal Project has started up again for a seventh session! Here's how to get involved, or just to enjoy the eye-candy! Carmi's Art/Life World I have never made a baby mobile. It was so much fun to create one with Peter Rabbit imagery from Crafter's Companion. Courage and Heart Cherie's art this week reflects Bible verses talking about courage. Hooking Up Even the furry children need something soft to snuggle with. Here's an easy little afghan for them or a lap-ghan for you. Resin Crafts Blog You'll never wonder what to put in resin again after viewing the 60+ artist submissions currently on the Resin Crafts Blog. Twenty more will be added next week! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Marcia DeCoster's new book, Marcia DeCoster Presents, is

Recent pulbications: January 2014

The Jewelry Maker's Design Book: An Alchemy of Objects by Deryn Mentock Visual Guide to Working in a Series: Next Steps in Inspired Design Gallery of 200+ Art Quilts by Elizabeth Barton Adventures in Photo Artistry: Easy Activities for Anyone! by Paula Guhin Delight in the Art of Collage: Mixed-media Collage and Assemblage Techniques and Projects by Lisa M. Pace Mosaic Glass Pictures - Drawings with mixed-media mosaics (Art and crafts) by Sigalit Eshet 101 Mixed Media Techniques by Cherril Doty, Isaac Anderson, Jennifer McCully and Linda Robertson Womack Playful Little Paper-Pieced Projects: 37 Graphic Designs & Tips from Top Modern Quilters by Tacha Bruecher A Fiber Artist Guide to Color & Design The basics & beyond by Heather Thomas Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

Yay for Kelly!

Kelly Hughes won our copy of    Stylish Weddings  to help plan her own August wedding!  Congratulations, Kelly, and mazel tov! Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

Quote of the week!

Here's your sign!

Huh?? 

Chickadee collage-qulit - part two

Yay!  I've finished the little fabric and paper piece that I started last week, and I now feel that I'm in the groove for using tutorial samples in my work this year!  Take a look at the first part of this tutorial , posted last week, to see how the component parts were made and the piece was arranged. 7. Quilt and/or glue collage piece in place through all layers. 8. Lay your collage quilt right-side down and position the substrate.  Turn the base fabric to the back and miter the corners.  Stitch them in place. 9. After mounting the piece, I decided it needed a bit more embellishment.  Rather than attempt to sew the buttons into place, I added embroidery floss to each and then glued them into place.   Pieced fabric chickadee Three-layered paper fabric Part one Part two Copyright 2014 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electro

Artsy blogging round-up!

A Bead A Day Looking for Valentine's Day project inspiration...Lisa's sharing heartfelt projects created by her fellow Cousin Corp ambassadors. ACreativeDream June's been making a few folk art dolls... Bye Bye Mess! The mess is corralled for now, and that means time and space to design some jewelry! Charlene Sevier Charlene mixes elements from different worlds and cultures. Can it work and can you do it too? Document Craft Project Steps so You Can Replicate Them Even Years Later  Some crafters and artists keep notebook journals of their ideas and projects. Eileen has fine-tuned a digital system which works really well for her. With digital cameras, it's easy to take step-by-step photos as you go. Mixed Media Anniversary Quilt  Cherie starts a quilt with embroidery, applique, and mixed media items. Mixed Media Artist Cyndi has started a new collage quilt, featuring one of her favorite birds...the chickadee! Resin Crafts Blog A wonderful series h

Quote of the week!

Chickadee collage-quilt - part one

One of my goals for this year is to be more conscious of using pieces that I've previously made as samples for various tutorials that I've written here.  Often those samples get flung aside and I never go back to them.  But there they sit, the perfect ingredients for a new finished project!  Such is the case with the samples below: Pieced fabric chickadee Three-layered paper fabric I decided to use both fabrics and papers in my new piece, and since there would be both stitching and adhesives involved, I'm calling it a collage-quilt.   1. Choose your papers, fabrics, and image(s) for the collage, and determine your final size.  The size of my collage-quilt was determined by the masonite piece that I decided to use for a substrate. 2. Cut a piece of fabric for the base, making it 1 1/2 to 2 inches bigger on each side than the substrate.  Using your substrate as a guide, place masking tape along each fabric edge to mark the work area

Artsy blogging round-up!

Amigurumi? Do you amigurumi? Why or why not? Beading Arts It's official...Cyndi's gotten hooked on making bead embroidered pendants! Mirrored Wall Cabinet Jewelry Holder This jewelry organizer is not only very decorative hanging on the wall, but also allows you to keep your most-worn pieces organized right at eye level. Put them on and check yourself out in the mirrored front. What could be more convenient? Snap out if it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean reviews an excellent book on jewelry design from the great Cathy Jakicic: Jewelry Projects from a Beading Insider--it is wonderful! Teal and Brown Afghan  Cherie makes a new afghan to keep the family warm. The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Andrew reveals where his porcelain pendants will be at during this year's Tucson Gem Show! Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

Book review and giveaway: Stylish Weddings

Customize your wedding, with beautiful designer-created projects. You'll find quick, simple, and stunning items to make from each top designer, including invitations, table settings, favors, decorations, and gifts for the bridal party. With six signature themes to choose from, we've got the perfect cost-effective idea for your special day.   Stylish Weddings is published by Lark Books . GIVEAWAY ALERT!!! Would you like to win a free copy of this book?  Here's what you need to do... please read this carefully.   Leave me a  comment here and include your email address.  If I don't see your email address, I won't be able to contact you.  No contact, no win, and I simply have to go on to the next person.  You are welcome to spell it out if you'd prefer, for example, cyndi at mazeltovjewelry dot com.  If you tweet or post on Facebook or other social spots about the contest, you can leave a second comment and be entered twice!  Deadline: January 22, 2014.

Quote(s) of the week!

 I personally don't agree with #2!

Mobius strip scarves - part two

Last week, I shared with you a pretty simple and straightforward method for making a Mobius Scarf  (above) from crocheted strips.  Several scarves later, I decided to use some really chunky and irregular yarn that just wasn't going to lend itself to single crocheting back along each chain.  The chains themselves were thick enough to stand alone, so I started to realize that I had to think up another way to do it.   1. Following the directions from last week, create a base for one end of the strips.  Chain as many stitches as you like (an even number) and single crochet back along the chain.  At the end, make a chain as long as you want your scarf to be. 2. When you reach the end of the first chain, continue to chain a second base piece as long as the first.  Single crochet back along the base until you reach the first strip.  Slip stitch back over to the correct position to start the next strip (it should be the third stitch on the base).  Single crochet a second strip an

Artsy blogging round-up!

ACreativeDream  It's a mail art call!!! Come on over and join in! Beading Arts  The new Bezel Effects paints make a great centerpiece for bead embroidery! Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi utilizes a "saved" crazy quilt block and turns it into wearable art in this special blog post. Eileen - The Artful Crafter Knit and crochet combine in Red Heart Sashay Yarn. Did you know you can create "crocheted" scarves, shawls and the like without picking up a crochet hook? Fishers of Men Cherie uses the "Fishers of Men" passage to help create mixed media prints. Resin Crafts Blog Wondering what is better to mold with? We have a post showing you how great Jewelry Clay and Jewelry resin can be! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Making tiny jewelry takes just as much thought and planning as designing full sized regular pieces. See Jean's blog for the details! http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/2014/01/when-you-

Book review: The Mixed-Media Artist

Do you remember how for years, I shared artist profiles with you that looked at the likes, loves, favorite materials, and creative processes of mixed media artists?  I truly loved that feature of Mixed Media Artist blog, so how could I not love a book that does the same thing...and that is titled The Mixed-Media Artist ?!   Seth Apter has compiled this wonderful book for North Light Books , and whether you are an art lover or a maker...or both...you will want to read through it. Section one introduces 30 artists (some of whom you'll know, others not), each of whom shares a non-traditional artist statement and some insights into who are are as artists, followed by really cool "self-portraits" that give you a decent glimpse into their hearts.  Section two tacks the hard stuff, with answers to through provoking questions.  For example: "What do you do to make sure you are always growing artistically?" and "What do you like and dislike most about your

Quote of the week!

Mobius strip scarves - part one

Two years ago, I had a lot of fun making Mobius Scarves (aka Infinity Scarves) for many people on my Christmas list.  If you visit the link above, it will take you to the instructions I wrote up for these scarves at the time.  This year I came up with a couple of variations on the technique, both using thinner strips rather than a solid piece of crocheting.  The inspiration came in part from the Mobius Bracelet that I made last year.  I love the way the strips cross over each other, and even though I knew it wouldn't look quite the same in a longer piece, I wanted to try it out. Here's my first method: 1. Crochet a base by chaining and then adding single crochet.  I did 10 stitches. 2. Chain as many stitches as you want for the length of your scarf.  I added 75 stitches for a rather short scarf.  Single crochet back along the chain until you reach the base.  Slip stitch into the same stitch you started with on the base, and into the one next to it.  Add 4 m

Artsy blogging round-up!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Using a lap grinder, Andrew facets polymer clay to create really cool, geometric beads. Eileen - The Artful Crafter Are you looking for copyright free images for your artwork? You ought to know the ins and outs of vintage image copyrights. Usage restrictions may depend on where you find the images.  Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean writes the story of the very first piece of jewelry she made for 2014..."The Viola Pendant", and tells how it came to be designed and named.  Beading Arts Cyndi finished up her last piece for the 2013 Bead Journal Project! On to 2014!! God Gives Us Each Gifts Cherie makes a print about the spiritual gifts God gives each of us. Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

"Mostly Vegetable Soups" help us get rid of the holiday pounds

    Tomato Basil Soup  Mike and I have just begun our annual Mostly Vegetable Soups spree, which starts up again just after the New Year gluttony ends.  We fill ourselves up with healthy healthy soups and stews.  These comfort foods give us the boost we need to resist some of the worst abuses, and they also help to get us back on track in the New Year.  This has been our pattern for years now, and I'm happy to say that even if we pack on a few pounds during the week leading up to Christmas and the week in between it and January 1, we always manage to get them right back off before another two weeks have passed. No, we're not special (as in "well isn't that  special ?")...we just choose our gluttony wisely! Well, I've put together an e-booklet with 13 of our favorites.  While I can't make any health or nutrition or even diet claims for these soups (I am not a registered anything), I can tell you that they work for us.  Mostly Vegetab