CasaSugar

Which Italian Fashion House Went Craft Punk in Milan?

CasaSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 09:00:53 -0700

A luxury Italian fashion house put the design process on display at Milan's Salone Internazionale del Mobile, asking up-and-coming designers to create objects of art and furnishings using materials discarded from the label's production process, including leather, fabrics, plastic elements, and metal hardware. You never knew your baguette could become a sculpture for your home, did you?

This Just In: Craft Magazine Closes, Lives On Online

CasaSugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0800

I have some more sad news today. Craft magazine has made an official announcement that its latest issue, Volume 10, will be its last.
Due to diminishing interests among advertisers and the rise in print and distribution costs, the magazine was facing more and more challenges in publishing a print issue, and decided print publishing is no longer sensible. But, there is a silver lining: The magazine's companion website, Craftzine.com, will live on. Craftzine is a thriving website, with a huge following and plenty of wonderful content. They plan "to bring the best of the magazine to the website," including more craft projects with greater frequency. As sad it is to see Craft cash in its chips, it's encouraging to see the site live on. If only Domino would do the same . . .
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Home Library: French General: Home Sewn

CasaSugar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:00:47 -0800

On Project Runway, co-host Tim Gunn's most dismissive comment on a garment was that it looked home sewn. Given this unfavorable recent pop culture reference, it's refreshing to see a beautiful book proudly bearing a title of the same name.

Kaari Meng, owner of the adorable Hollywood crafts and notion store French General, has extended her expertise to the book world with French General: Home Sewn ($24.95). The book takes readers through through 30 projects for the home, from scalloped tablecloths to luxurious toile shower curtains, and makes adding traditional French style to your home pattern-book easy.

To find out about Kaari Meng's book and Hollywood store, as well as to see more photos, read more.

With photography from Jon Zabala that will give you major home lust, the book includes six pattern pages, embroidery transfers, and color photographs, as well as illustrations. Helpful guides outline the difficulty level for each project, and the directions are simple and straightforward. Though this isn't a book the first-time sewer would want to tackle, anyone with basic curtain-making skills could easily excel at most of these projects.

If you're in the Los Angeles area, stop by French General for special events, workshops, or simply some fantastic browsing. And of course, even if you're halfway across the world, you can enjoy some of French General's goodness by browsing products online.

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Casa Quickie: Instant Faux Bois Wrap

CasaSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:00:00 -0800

I love this idea for wrapping holiday presents, which I found on Craft. Just use faux bois contact paper over some plain brown wrapping paper. Finish it off with some leaf cutouts, and you have a well-presented gift worthy of any of your faux bois-loving design-maven friends.

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Top Chef 5.2 - Show Your Craft Recap

partysugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:15:31 -0800

Hot dogs and ostrich eggs were important ingredients on last night's episode of Top Chef. Things heated up in the kitchen of Tom Colicchio's Craft as the cheftestants had to make "new-American" cuisine. To discuss the episode (warning: spoilers ahead), read more.

Is Fabio for real? How can he possibly be every Italian cliché all rolled into one guy? Wasn't it hysterical when he defended his winning dish?
Do you consider hot dogs to be a quintessential New York dish?
Were you surprised by Radhika's quickfire win?
Does your Whole Foods have mini pull carts? Mine doesn't!
Would you have told Ariane her dessert was too sweet?
Do or don't: cooking with canned crab on Top Chef?
Gail was wearing the same dress she wore to the Macy's Culinary Council Party! Fab approves.
Donatella mentioned that many of the dishes were dated in their presentation. Is good presentation as important as delicious flavor?
After watching this video of Jill on the Internet last week, I knew she was headed for the chopping block. Thoughts?
Now that we know the chefs a little better, who do you like/dislike? I'll start: I like Jamie, the Euros, and Richard. I dislike Carla, Alex, and Danny.

To learn how to dress like Padma, check out our new site, CelebStyle.

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Open House: What Projects Are You Working On?

CasaSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:45:58 -0700

Last weekend, I found this very cool Danish dining chair at a flea market for the low, low price of $2.50 (yes, it was that cheap!). Right now, I'm in the middle of taking all of the staples out of the chair's ugly, tweedy beige upholstery and reupholstering it in something more updated.

What projects are you working on? Have you started any holiday crafting yet? Tell me about your latest projects in the comments!

Cool Idea: String Theories

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 08:30:15 -0700

I'm always keeping an eye out for unexpected centerpieces for your next party. This pretty alternative to flowers, which was created by New York event designer David Stark, was fashioned by first shaping wire into floral shapes. Then, biodegradable sisal twine was carefully wound around the wire forms. The unexpected effect is equal parts modern art and kindergarten craft project - definitely an effect I love. I think this would look great on tables at an Autumn wedding, and it looks so easy to make that if you were going to be DIYing your wedding, you could involve a number of friends and relatives in the process of making these.
If you're interested in seeing more of Stark's ideas for centerpieces, check out the slideshow at The New York Times.

Marilyn K. Yee for The New York Times

Kidoodles: Magical Firefly Booties

babysugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:00:21 -0700

Many of my childhood Summer vacations were spent in the South where fireflies lit up the night sky. I have a soft spot in my heart for the light-emitting bugs, which explains why I am swooning over this pair of hand-crafted LED booties. Made with denim, elastic, a battery, and light, the supplies are simple but the handiwork is impressive.

Winners of Craft's Michael Miller Baby Bootie Contest, husband and wife team Ana Pires and João Silva took the top prize. To see how to make these illuminating booties, click here.

Have You Helped Make a Ribbon Bouquet?

CasaSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:00:27 -0700

If you've ever been to a bridal shower, you may have been responsible for helping to DIY the ribbon bouquet. At bridal showers, it's traditional to gather all of the ribbons together from the gifts and construct a bouquet, which will then be used at the wedding rehearsal.
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Cool Idea: An Update on Crochet

CasaSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:08:30 -0700

Even though crafting has become cooler, the art of crochet is still seen by many people as belonging to little old ladies with big bags and crochet hooks. Even knitting is now vastly cooler than crocheting. Leave it to an innovative lady to turn that idea on its head. With her crocheted sculpture work, Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos has added a touch of the avant-garde to cotton crocheting. I love how crocheting around these complicated animal shapes livens up the household doily.

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