CasaSugar

How-To: Create a Craft Corner

CasaSugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:00:42 -0700

A good friend of mine just sent me photos of her new house in Los Angeles, and I was excited to see that she made room for a craft corner. My pal loves to craft and sew, and now she has an established space for her handiwork (which is more than I can say for my own house).

There are many advantages to maintaining a permanent space for your crafting or sewing hobby. For one, you won't have to haul everything in and out of a closet or cupboard every time you want to work on a project. Additionally, you won't have to clean up your crafting area and put it away once you have guests over. And perhaps most importantly, having a craft corner will help you to get motivated and actually finish all of those projects you've started!

For all of my tips on creating a craft corner, read more.

A small desk is perfect for your craft corner. Look at garage sales or flea markets for a solid wood desk. You'll want something that's sturdy and not overly precious.
Organize with pretty tins and boxes to keep everything in its place.
If you need additional shelving, try hanging shelves on walls to maximize space.
Positioning your craft corner close to a window will help you to take advantage of natural light. Otherwise, use a task lamp so you're able to see everything you're working on.
Keep all of your tools accessible. Use a large tin can or vase to hold your glue gun, scissors, and other needed tools.
Keep things pretty! As long as you keep your space organized and pretty, it will be a joy to work in this space, as well as to look at when you're not crafting away. Since your corner will be integrated into a bedroom, living room, or study, you want the space to flow. Organization is the key to keeping things looking their best.

Before and After: Charming House Shelves

CasaSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:00:40 -0700

Writer and crafter Mary Helen recently stumbled across these cute unfinished house shelves at the Salvation Army. Seeing crafty potential in these plain Jane shelves, she decided to take them home and turn them into something fabulous.

Want to see how she transformed these shelves? Then read more.

Using white craft paint and Amy Butler craft paper, Mary Helen took these shelves from boring to vibrant. She explains,

Using newsprint to create templates for the shelf cavities, I carefully traced the shape of each shelf onto my decorative paper. I cut each pieces out and trimmed it as needed so that it would lay perfectly flat inside the shelf. Then, I used a foam brush to apply a very thin coat of Elmer’s Glue (you can also use Mod Podge) to the back of each piece of paper. After gluing, I placed the paper on the wall of the shelf, and smoothed it out with a dry foam brush.

I love this smart project, which is an excellent example of upcycling. And I can't wait to see what cute little objects Mary Helen will place in her shelves, once they're hung. Check out Mary Helen's post for all of her advice and directions.

View 4 Photos ›

Open House: Where Do You Work on Projects?

CasaSugar — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 08:30:35 -0800

I'm so envious of Craftster member Vertigoat's craft space. She writes, "I've spent the last few days turning a pit of a room I could barely walk through the doorway of into a craftroom . . . I'm really excited about having a space where all this stuff is out and accessible and I can make things."

I've never had a designated crafting room, or even crafting closet! I'm sure that all of us who love to craft, make art, or work on projects, but don't have the room in our house to do so efficiently, are envious of Vertigoat's space.

So, where do you work on projects? Are you lucky enough to have a designated room for it? Do you settle for a corner? Or do you have to haul out your materials and then put them away every time you work on something? Tell me by commenting below!

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DIY: Recycled Aluminum Can Ornaments

CasaSugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 07:45:34 -0800

I love upcycling items, but since I'm also a bit of a design snob, I want those upcycled items to look beautiful as well. Luckily, I've stumbled across an awesome tutorial that shows you how to make beautiful holiday ornaments out of the humble aluminum can. You'd never believe this pretty leaf started out life as an aluminum can to look at it, would you?
What You'll Need

Empty aluminum cans
Scissors
Sandpaper or sanding block
Pen or pencil
Ribbon or cord for hanging

To find out how to make it, read more.

Here's how to make it, from Little House in the Suburbs:

Cut off the top and bottom of the can with scissors. (Wear gloves and glasses to be extra safe.) A knife is good to make the first cut so you can get your scissors in there. Cut down the side - if you haven't done so already to get the top and bottom off - and flatten it out.
Trace your object. Use a drawing or just freehand it. Bear down with your pencil or ballpoint or other pointy thing so you make a cutting line.
Cut along the lines. Be careful. Cut aluminum is sharp.
With your pointy thing and using your object as a reference, whether it is a leaf like mine or what-have-you, emboss your cut-out with veins, other details, etc. Take a nail and make a hole for hanging the ornament.
Sand the piece to remove any burrs and other hazards and to give it a nice pewtery surface. A sanding block or its equivalent is handy for this. I sanded the front and back. If you prefer, you can sand the color off entirely, but I left it for a distressed look. The veins or other details are emphasized by the sanding so you want to make sure you emboss before you sand for this effect.
Add a ribbon, cord, or a length of raffia to hang it up.

To see the complete directions, including incredibly helpful photos, read the whole tutorial here.

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Open House: Handmade Presents For the Holidays

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:00:30 -0800

This weekend was a big craft push for me. I sewed pillows, aprons, and bags. I strained infused oils made from garden herbs and turned them into hand salve, and I also worked on some embroidery. It wasn't so much a relaxing weekend as it was a furiously productive one, but I feel relieved to have a good number of my handmade presents ready for wrapping.
Last year, 25 percent of you told me that you were making holiday gifts. That's a pretty big number! This year, are you doing the same? If you've never made handmade gifts in the past, are you doing so this year? Tell me about all of the projects that you have in the works, that you hope to still start, and which ones you've finished. Anyone have a brilliant idea for last-minute craft projects? Share them with the rest of us in the comments!

How-To: Make a Simple Thanksgiving Garland

CasaSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:45:47 -0800

If your family is anything like mine at Thanksgiving, there are likely a few kids running underfoot who'd love a planned activity. That's why this Thanksgiving leaf garland is so perfect: it gives kids a meaningful task, and is a quick enough project that you can make it before turkey hits the table.

Here's What You'll Need

This leaf template
Colored paper/construction paper
Twine, yarn, or string
Scissors
Double-sided tape
Pens or Pencils

To find out how to make it, read more.

Here's how to make it, from Full Circle:

Trace out leaf shapes using the leaf template.
Cut out leaves in a variety of colors.
Help children write what they're thankful for on each leaf. Then have the kids take leaves to other friends or family members and have them write down what they're thankful for.
Space leaves evenly on twine or yarn. Using doublesided tape, attach the leaves to the twine.
Hang from a doorway, or along a wall, or even from a chandelier.
Enjoy Thanksgiving!

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Cool Idea: Frank Lloyd Wright in Thread

CasaSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:30:37 -0800

Craftster member PencilNeck's embroidery creativity has bowled me over. She made this embroidery of a Frank Lloyd Wright blueprint as a Christmas gift for a family member who works with architectural design. She embroidered almost exclusively with backstitching for the project, and found blue floss to match the blueprint color.

For more images of this project, including her cool Frank Lloyd Wright signature, read more.

PencilNeck writes, "My biggest headache was struggling with fabric tension and possibly the weave of the fabric causing my lines to look not so straight despite my following the printed lines exactly . . . It helped that my husband kept reminding me that this is an embroidered interpretation of a blueprint and will not look the same as a pen drawing. The obsessive-compulsive side of me took over and turned this into a monster of a project, but I finally stepped back, looked at it from a distance, and pronounced it acceptable."

I'd say! This looks more than acceptable to my eyes. It's such a unique idea, and her execution is impressive. I don't doubt that the family member who's lucky enough to receive this gift will declare it his or her favorite of the season.

View 4 Photos ›

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How-To: Make Garlands For Grown-Up Homes

CasaSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:15:26 -0800

I have fond memories of pasting together rings of construction paper with my brothers and sisters, assembling paper ring garlands for holidays and parties. While my childhood garlands were eclectic mixes of color and width for each ring, these paper ring garlands have left a lot of the childishness behind. I love how festive they make the space look, in part because they are strung at great heights and lengths across the room.

For tips on making your own grown-up garlands, and to see this garland’s expansive use of space, read more.

Keep your garlands relegated to a single color. Avoid typical colors for holidays: No browns and oranges for Thanksgiving, and avoid red and green for Christmas. Instead, try an icicle blue for Winter holidays, or a rich maroon for Thanksgiving.
To make a statement, increase the scale of your garland. Take a cue from this photo and string your garlands in chandelier-like hangings from a center spot on a ceiling, and reaching to each corner of the room.
For an eco approach, recycle used magazines or papers for your rings. You can relegate them to a single color palette, or simply choose papers with words, no images, for a more typographical approach.
Make it into a family affair: with supplies for everyone, this is a project that everyone can enjoy, and it provides a fun activity for visiting family members in need of something to do.

Weekend DIYs: Holiday Projects

CasaSugar — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 10:30:47 -0800

It's never too early to get started on holiday DIYs! I've rounded up some projects that will make great gifts, as well as DIYs for making wreaths and wrapping paper. To get the lowdown, check out the slideshow.

View Slideshow ›

Ask Casa: Advice For a Beginning Quilter?

CasaSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:00:05 -0800

Hi Casa,
I have this awesome idea to make a quilt out of sari fabric. I found a couple listings on eBay for lots of sari fabric. Problem is, I don't know how to make a quilt. Do you have any suggestions for websites or books I may be able to use to help me?

Thanks!
Valova82

To see my suggestion, read more.

Hi Valova82,

Quilting isn't as hard as you might think, especially if you're sewing on a machine. I made my first quilt when I was 17, using velvet block patches and a sewing machine, and finished it fairly quickly. It's pretty addictive, actually, to be able to make such an impressive and large object, especially if you're making it as a gift, so be prepared to possibly give in to the desire to keep making quilts for years to come!

For a beginner quilt, you can get away with a minimum of materials. You'll need saris for the top, cotton batting for the interior, and more saris for the backside of the quilt, or, for an easier option, a pretty sheet. Instead of stitching through the layers, you can tie embroidery thread or yarn through the layers at evenly spaced intervals. However, this is just one method. There are many more!

I love the idea of upcycling saris into a new quilt. Since you're working with such large pieces of fabric, you have the option of creating a larger patterned quilt, like this silk scarf quilt. This might be the easiest place to start for you, as a newbie quilter, since the bigger pieces will cut down on your work time, and also be easier to work with.

A good place to start reading about quilting is at Quilting 101. It'll give you a good background for your project. Quilter Denyse Schmidt's Quilt-It Kit is also a good resource. You can find some free beginning patterns here.

Good luck on your first quilting project!

Casa

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