CasaSugar

Have You Started Holiday Crafting Yet?

CasaSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:00:31 -0800

Once November hits, I start my list for holiday crafting projects I want to work on. From scarves to teacup candles to salves, all of the crafting takes time - and planning - so I like to stretch it out over many weeks, instead of rushing and freaking out in mid-December.

Source: Flickr User LollyKnit

Jack-o'-Lanterns That Will Make You Glow

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:48 -0700

When it comes to jack-o'-lanterns, some of us enjoy carving a simple, toothy grin, while others go all out with templates, exacto knives, and downloadable patterns. I've found a mix of both to inspire your jack-o'-lantern creations this Halloween. These carved pumpkins look so good, they'll even add curb appeal when you display them on your porch!

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Fall Style: Crafting a Fall Landscape With an Old Frame

CasaSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:30:42 -0700

Have you been hanging on to a pretty frame that's missing glass? Not sure what to do about it? Well, take a cue from crafty lady Disney and create a three-dimensional picture with it.

Disney writes, "I've had this gorgeous black frame with no glass for a long time, and I finally thought of something to do with it! My dining room wall has a bird theme, and as I was about to clip the hanging wire off this frame, I thought "Hey, it kind of looks like a telephone wire! Just needs birds!"

Disney cut out crows from craft paper, and attached them to the wire. Then, she hot glued twigs from her yard to create trees.

This is such a smart re-use of a glass-less picture frame, and so fun for Fall decorating. It would be a great art project to try with your crafty friends or your children, and an unusual way to add some Fall or Halloween charm to your home. What a great project!

Before and After: Deanna's Admirable Craft Room Makeover

CasaSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:00:08 -0700

Craftster member Deanna recently bought a house, and one of her first priorities was setting up a well-organized and workable craft room. She writes, "Naturally I chose the largest of the two extra rooms and started to get to work. The carpets were blue and new flooring is not in our budget right now, so I worked with them instead of against them. There was great space and lighting in this room, also a decent closet." Here's what Deanna started with. See what she has to say about how she created the perfect crafting space.

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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.

American Craft Council Show Kicks Off Today in SF

CasaSugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 06:15:00 -0700

It's no secret that crafting has experienced a rebirth over the past few years. But there's a difference between the découpage magnets I make for my refrigerator and May Luk's handmade ceramic vases with antique-inspired illustrations. It's called skill. If you need to see it to believe it, you're in luck.

The 34th annual American Craft Council Show, the largest juried craft show in the West featuring works by 250 local and visiting artists, kicks off today at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco, running through Sunday. The crafts exhibited will range from tabletop pottery and other home décor like Luk's, as well as furniture, fashion, jewelry, and more, all handmade from a range of materials.

If you're in the market for green crafts, you'll be happy to find plenty of works by artists using found, recycled, and eco-friendly materials and techniques. There will also be plenty of work by rising indie craft artists praised for their use of innovative techniques and materials. If you want to make Friday night a movie night, catch a special screening of filmmaker Faythe Levine's documentary Handmade Nation - one of my March Must Haves. Find more details about show hours and admission prices here. To get a sneak peek of some other works you'll see there, read more.

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How-To: Block Print

CasaSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:00:50 -0700

Block printing is an ancient art form which begins by carving an impression of your design into wood, linoleum, or any other engravable material. Once you've made your block, you can use it to make an unlimited number of identical prints. Depending on what type of paint you use, you can use your block to print paper, wood, or even fabric. Block printing is a great way to personalize your garden-variety throw pillows, or even make custom stationery.

It can be overwhelming to learn a new craft though, especially when you're reading instructions out of a book or online. It's much easier to learn if you've seen it done firsthand. So, I was pleased to come across an instructional video on linoleum block printing at Urban Outfitters by Stephen of Etsy shop Something's Hiding in Here. To watch it, read more.

I wish I'd seen this video before I attempted to teach myself. It makes learning this craft a piece of cake! You can buy all the supplies needed for block printing, including a brayer, ink, a block, and a baron at Urban Outfitters, but they're also all readily available at your local art supply store.

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Before and After: Taming a Messy Craft Room

CasaSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:00:19 -0700

Roxy Nova recently posted some inspiring before and after photos of her craft room, and I absolutely love and admire this transformation. She says, "I'm very embarrassed to be posting these [photos] because my house is usually not nearly this messy, but once i decided to redo the room, everything kind of went to hell in a handbasket. it really became a dumping ground."

As messy and daunting as this room may look in this picture, Roxy Nova was able to tame it with a lot of hard work and some smart organizing ideas. To see the glorious afters, read more.

Can you believe the difference? Roxy Nova made sure to create an organized space for her sewing machine, which you can see in this photo. She also took down the closet doors and replaced them with pretty tree-printed curtains. Multiple shelving units provide space for organizing boxes of patterns, fabrics, and other needed craft materials. Roxy's husband hung up organizing units for tools and notions including scissors, thread, and ribbon.

Oh, and as if all that wasn't enough, Roxy also reupholstered this cute chair. I love her use of color and pattern. It really makes the room pop, and seems like the perfect place for sewing, crafting, and getting inspired.

I am seriously feeling some craft room envy right now. Are you?

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Nice and New: Colorful Japanese Masking Tape

CasaSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0700

I've seen this Japanese masking tape floating around the web a bit, but until now it was never for sale stateside. Happy Tape! is now selling a wide range of hues and patterns of the tape, and I want them all! The tape is made from Japanese washi paper, a paper commonly made using fibers from the bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub, or the paper mulberry, but which can also be made using bamboo, hemp, rice, and wheat. I'm loving this Rich and Deep Set of 10 Rolls ($34, left): it's the moodiest masking tape I've ever seen! Of course, you could use the tape to fasten up a box, but the possibilities are really endless for how you could use them. There are plenty of other colors and patterns to drool over in various widths and set amounts, so go wild!

Su Casa: Floral in Florida

CasaSugar — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:00:07 -0800

In addition to being a floral designer, TeamSugar member Vintagesugar is a serious crafter and collector. So it's no surprise that she's transformed her Florida ranch home, built in 1989, into a quirky paradise full of found objects and over-the-top accents. Walk through her whimsy with these pics.

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