Bookbinding Journal Album

Talk about stoked....I couldn't wait to share this tutorial with you all! Elena from Natures Cubbyhole is an amazing artist who crafts the most phenomenal pieces. Not only is she talented, she's also UBER ultra great for giving us a tutorial on bookbinding! WOOT! Enjoy the read and hope you get inspired!

______________________________________________________________________________

Hi everyone! I’m Elena and you can find more of my creative innovations in my online shop at www.NaturesCubbyhole.com. Today I wanted to share with you a guide for crafting a unique softcover album for wallet-sized (2.5” x 3.5”) photos. I’ve always thought that these mini photos don’t get enough love for all of their convenience and portability. You’ll be able to fit 40 photos in the model below, but the page quantity can be lengthened or shortened however you see fit! I’ve used vegan and recycled/rescued materials in a vibrant Springtime color theme offset with soft yellow, but anything works with this design.

Level: Advanced

Time: Who Knows, but it will be a blast!

Topic: Bookbinding

 

In order to speed up crafting time,

At Home WIth Handmade Books - Review

I just received a copy of Erin Zamrzla's newest book At Home With Handmade Books (Released TODAY!!!!) I couldn't wait to throw it open it and be overcome with creative inspiration. I wasn't dissapointed!

The Breakdown
Zamrzla's book is filled with 190 pages of bookbinding projects. The Table of Contents is separated by the "type" of book binding techniques (i.e.: Accordian books, Flutter Books, Four-Hole Binding, Yamato Binding, etc.). Zamrzla goes further to give a brief history of the various bookbinding techniques. The lack of index at the end of the book goes unnoticed mainly because the Table of Contents does an excellent job of directing the reader. At the end of the book there is a Resources page, to help us locate the materials needed. I adore she included a photo and short bio at the back as I'm always intrigued what the author looks like. I'm not weird, come on, you wonder too, right?! Okay, maybe it's just me.

Project Details
28 unique projects fill this how-to book. Templates are included for the projects, so you can easily photocopy (or trace) the designs. Zanrzla does an excellent job of breaking down each project and goes into thorough explanation on the execution creating your very own. . Bookbinding can be a tricky technique to master, but reading through the book truly made me feel like these projects were all within my novice reach.

My Favs about this book
I appreciated the fact that all of the materials and tools needed are easy to find at any hardware or crafting store - I mean, who wants to have to locate (and buy!) an obscure tool that you'll use for one project, right?! Also, the Photography is beautiful. The entire book has a calm nature about it with photos that accentuate each project.

Big Gulp....Anything I would change about the book
Listen, I'm opinionated and generally have plenty to say about what I would change about this and that, but honestly, I wouldn't make any changes. What? Becky's speechless? Write this date down.

I certainly recommend this book to add to your crafting inspiration collection. Erin Zamrzla's book At Home with Handmade Books is available April 12th - TODAY!!!!

Okay, okay, I adore this book - let's do a GIVEAWAY! I will give 2 copies of this book away.

To enter giveaway:
Comment below answering the question: Who would be the recipient of your first bookbinding project?

**Get an extra entry if you Tweet this post (just put an extra comment that you did so please).

This giveaway will end Saturday, April 16th....gosh, TWO giveaways in one week??? I must be in a good mood! Enter the other one here.

Chalkboard Train Track Table

Level: Beginner

Time: 1-4 Hours

Topic: Paint, Repurpose

On Charley's 2nd birthday I was insistent that we get him a train table! For goodness sakes, he adored the one at our pediatrician's office, so of course he would love one at home, right?! WRONG! Charley has spent zero to little time with this train table - mainly because we bought a double-story track that had to be glued and screwed to the table to be able to stick together....that made him mad! He wanted to be able to change things around. So I had hope that Wilson would use it.....not yet, but he's only 1, so I continue to hold up hope! Instead of freecycling the whole thing, I came up with a great idea - MOMMY-ReDO!!!!!

Giveaway - Trendy Feather Earrings

The weather today is.......wait for it......SUNNY!!!!! WOOT! This has made me in the mood for a giveaway. A fun and funky artist Amy Corn has offered a cool set of great earrings for a lucky reader!

Visit AmyCorn's Etsy site or her Facebook site Here

To enter to win, just leave a comment below with your fav item she currently has listed for sale (make sure to include your email address).

Giveaway will end at midnight Wednesday, April 13th.

*If you Tweet this giveaway you'll get an extra entry, just tell me in a separate comment below.

Good luck!

Spring Banner

Hi, I'm Nicole from Our Cozy Nest and I'm excited to do a little guest post here today.   I decided to do a  Spring Pennant Garland Tutorial.  I was hoping that maybe if I hung this outside, mother nature would get the hint and stop sending snow here to Utah.

Level: Intermediate

Time: Expect 1-4 hours

Topic: Sewing, Household

My inspiration were these gorgeous Easter dishes from...

Fabric Coffee Cozy

How to make a fabric coffee cozy...

Instructions by: Rachael Lindsay

Level: Beginner

Time: Less than an hour

Topic: Sewing

These coffee cozies are so fun and unique. These are an absolute favorite in my Etsy store. There are so many types of fabric to use, and they can fit any personality....

Cake Pops and Baby Shower

This past weekend I was thrilled to travel to Annapolis to see my bestie Sage. Sage is expecting her first baby in June and we don't get to see one another as much as we'd both like. I had to bring a much larger suitcase than anyone staying a weekend would need, but of course I had to make her baby a cazillion presents! (More posts and photos later of the projects). At any rate, we threw her a baby shower on Sunday and made some fab cake pops! Cake pops are the big rage right now, due to Bakerella's incredible talent - if you haven't checked her out, you need to. Seriously
....GO NOW!

Wanted to share just a couple of photos. Bakerella has a wonderful site and discloses the recipes, tricks of the trade and all.

Should I do a Craft Show?

Bio: Alexis Bonari is currently a resident blogger at College Scholarships, where recently she’s been researching African American scholarships as well as agriculture scholarships. Whenever this WAHM gets some free time she enjoys doing yoga, cooking with the freshest organic in-season fare, and practicing the art of coupon clipping.

 Tips for a Successful Craft Show

Though we all create because we love it, there are times when we also create to satisfy our entrepreneurial impulses. Craft shows are a great place to sell handmade goods of any kind and to get feedback on your work. However, having a successful showing requires more than just putting your wares on display and watching the hoards gather, clamoring over themselves for a chance to buy from you. Keep these tips in mind for your next -- or your first -- craft show:

Planning and Pricing
It is important to think about what you want to make and sell so that you can plan out securing the materials. If you know that you'll be making dozens of pillows or stuffed animals, you can buy fiberfill in bulk. If you know that you want to make a variety of glass bead necklaces and bracelets, you can look for wholesale lots. The key is to look for materials that you can buy in bulk or that you can catch on sale so that you can get the most savings on your bottom line. Doing so will help you increase your profit
margin or lower your retail sale prices so that more customers are inclined to buy.

Though pricing can be subjective and enigmatic -- too high? too low? which will create more demand? - there is an easy rule of thumb to help you set a baseline. Keep careful record of how much you spend on materials, and on how much of those materials is used in each project. (This can also be subjective: How much glue do you use in one paper project? Measure in lots if you must, then divide by how many individual projects it created.) Once you have the total cost per project, multiply that by three. This
should be enough to account for the time that you have spent creating the project, as well as allowing for a profit margin. Before settling on that as your final price, check it against your competitors. You may have to adjust slightly.

Finally, be sure to put a price on every item that you are selling. Some customers will ask you for the price if an item is not tagged, but most will put it down and move on without buying. Use attractive price labels that reflect the style of the items you are selling.

Create an Attractive Display 
Anyone can throw a tablecloth over a table and lay some crafts on it for sale. Show off your creativity and your unique style -- an indication of what customers can also expect to find in your product -- by creating an attractive display that reflects your product. For example, if you sell doll clothes, you could create a mini boutique on your table, or display a doll trunk with clothes spilling out. If you sell flower- themed items, you could set up a fake grass covering to create a crafty garden.

Play around with the space. Create levels by using stacked crates or shelves. Use chicken wire or corkboard to build height. Use lots of color and different textures. Make your space look interesting and fun. Some possible displays could include cupcake tiers, suitcases, flower pots, baskets, frames, and more.

Make yourself part of the display! Customers love to get a glimpse into the creative process. Working on a product at your booth will attract customer attention and invite questions. If you use a particular technique or material for your items -- for example, maybe you repurpose old watches for your pendants -- be sure to highlight these things for customers. These unique details add an extra dimension.

Marketing
Be sure that your packaging is as attractive as your product. Have bags with your logo -- either from a label or a handmade card -- and include a business card or a fun thank you note. Have brochures or business cards available even for those customers who don't buy. Once they have previewed your product, they may return to your Web site for a later purchase or ask you for custom work.

Make buying easy by offering several payment options. If you can't take credit cards through a commercial account, you can at least take them through Paypal, which is a free online service. Bring your laptop so customers can sign in and send payment, or sign up for Paypal mobile on your phone. Be sure to have plenty of change on hand for cash-paying customers.

Following these simple steps can help make your craft-fair experience easy and more successful. But remember to have fun! This is a great chance to talk with people about what you love to do!

Out To Eat Place Mat

Level: Intermediate
Time: Expect 1.5-3 hours
Topic: Children & Sewing

Hey, everybody! I'm Gwen, and I blog over at Gwenny Penny. I am so thrilled that Becky asked me to be here with you today. I love to sew, and today I'm going to share a sewing tutorial for an "Out to Eat Place Mat". I'm guilty of feeding my 14-month-old daughter her finger food right on the table at restaurants. Gross? Yes... have you seen them wipe down the tables before? I decided to make a place mat that I could easily tuck in my bag to bring with us when we go out to a restaurant.

Jewelry Designer

Can I just tell you how completely thrilled I am to introduce you to Maria Goti Joyas?! Her jewelry is uber amazing and she is ridiculously talented. Check out a few of her pieces throughout this posting, but be sure to check out her other sites as well.....every single piece is stunning. I'm humbled that Maria is willing to let us in on her life, inspiration, creativity and artistry.

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself
A: My name is María, I’m 25 and I live in a little town in the north coast of Spain called Navia. I studied jewelry and gemology for 3 years in the European Center of Gemology and Jewelry at Oviedo’s University. I’ve been working in my own workshop since I finished my jewelry studies designing and creating my own jewelry line. I do every piece one to one by hand, from the melting to its finish. I mainly work with silver because I love the variety of finishes, textures and contrasts I can create with it, combining it with gold, copper, pearls and natural gemstones. I love natural gemstones, especially raw and druzy. What I like the most is working with one of a kind and unique pieces.

Zen Garden

Create your own Zen Garden with House of Hepworths.

Level: Beginner

Time:  Less than an hour, easy!

Topic: Housewares

Materials Needed:Shallow glass dish or bowl
bag of polished stones filler
three 5" white or cream candles
twine

This is such an easy display to put together, but it has such a huge impact! I found my glass dish from goodwill, but I've seen them at Michaels and Hobby Lobby.

Tin Earrings

Constance, from Studio C Jewelry & Gifts has a wonderful Tin Earring tutorial for us today! Be sure to check out her beautiful items in her Etsy store here ....or next time you're in Baltimore go visit her shop at 4337 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214!

How to Make Tin Earrings

Level: Intermediate

Time: Expect 1-4 hours

Topic: Jewelry

List of Ingredients:

Gloves

Tin Snips

Eye Protection

Oval and Round Plastic Templates

Various Pliers (Flat Nose, Padded)

Files

Tin Item (Plate, Canister, Tray, etc.)

Spray Cleaner

Paper Towels

Lint Roller

Sharpie Pen – fine point

Settings

Jewelry Findings

All of the above items can be found at your local hardware store, office supply store and on Etsy.

Step 1: Safety First!  Tin tends to produce lots of tiny splinters and shards, so wear protection!! 

Step 2: Clean the tin with the spray cleaner and paper towel, dry off before marking with Sharpie.

Step 3: Using your template, choose a design on the tin and mark your oval and/or circle with the Sharpie pen. 

Step 4: With the tin snips (I’m right handed, so I’m using the “go-left” snips that work for right hands – there are left-handed tin snips as well) cut through the tin and work as closely to the black line of the pen as possible.  Just so you know, some tin is really difficult to cut as it can be pretty thick and can be a bit painful.  Canisters are usually thinner than trays.

Step 5: Clean up any tin shards or splinters with the lint roller.

Step 6: Cut and file the tin to fit into the lace setting.

Step 7: Pull back the lace loop where you want it to hang from the earring finding and also where you might want to place a bead (though this step is optional).

Step 8: With the tin now in the setting, use the pliers in a closed position (hold them closed) to push the lace down over the tin without pushing it all the way down.  Use the padded pliers to crimp the lace on top of the tin.

Step 9: Open the loop on the earrings (I’m using leverbacks, but any earring finding will do) and place the tin on the finding and close the loop.

Step 10: If you are placing a dangle at the bottom, like I did, thread a bead onto a headpin and then loop it around the lace loop and wind it closed.

Step 11: File off any sharp spots from the setting, you’ll be able to feel the roughness with your fingertips.

 Final Step: Wear & Enjoy!

Repurposed Frames

Frames have been quite our theme lately, right?! Well, I adore frames and the various projects we can create! Shannon from Bless Our Nest has been gracious to visit us again....just can't get enough Shannon, right?! Seriously, check out this post and then head over to Bless Our Nest...super great content!

I also have been thinking we need another giveaway soon....right????!!! Please include in your comments what kind of giveaway you'd like to see (Dream big, but don't get your hopes up too much!).......AND HERE'S SHANNON....

Re-purposing Old Frames

Level: Beginner

Time: Expect 1 hour or less

Topic: Houseware

How do you like these beautiful pictures from the 1970's that my Grandmother gave me? I'm sure you are very jealous!

I knew I could do something with them, I just didn't know what. I thought about it for a couple of weeks and decided I needed something beside our bed. I had thought about printing out something that said "His" and "Hers" and then hanging them on each side of the bed but that just wasn't working.

Chalkboard Coat Rack

I'm Becky from Liberate Creativity. I'm honored to be visiting you all today! Two things you should know about me before I continue....

1. I'm constantly looking for updates and creative ways to spice up the norm

2. I'm addicted to chapstick


Wanna meet me?????



Okay, okay, this isn't a photo of me, but it just so happens to be a photo of my fav person in the entire world - my Gramama! Isn't she BEAUTIFUL???????
She's the woman who gifted me with my creativity and personality so wouldn't you prefer to see a photo of her way more than me????? Of course!!!!! Okay.....let's get on with this tutorial....

Distressed Wood Frame

Hello!  My name is Abby, and I have a little blog called “Artist for Hire”.  I really enjoy all things arts and crafts, and I also have a huge love of photography.  You will often find me chasing my two children around with my camera!  Today I want share a tutorial on how to create a distressed finish on a wooden frame.  A perfect place for all those photos!

Level:  Beginner

Time to Complete:  2 hours (including drying time)

Topics:  Painting techniques