Felting (Felt) Project: Corinne Bradd shows Kristy Clark the technique of felting, by matting together the fibres of unspun of wool with a barbed needle to create a dense form that can be shaped. Corinne uses this craft, both in this video demonstration, and in the pages of the latest issue of Crafts Beautiful, to create tiny, adorable dogs of various breeds. You’ll find the full instructions for this fun and satisfying craft on p94 of Crafts Beautiful, July ‘07, acquirable now from all good newsagents, priced £3.50.

Sonya Nimri of sonyastyle.com shows you how to take a beaded pearl necklace and refashion it into a adorable headband.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Live
  • LinkedIn
  • MySpace

Technorati Tags: 2007, Beautiful, craft, crafts, felting, July, project

The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line

51UIJ1QH%2BgL. SL160  The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On Line

  • Dimensions: 7.5 in. h x 6.5 in. w x 0.5 in. d
  • Weight: 0.75 ounces
  • Made in US

It’s an exciting new world for crafters. Handmade is hip, creativity is what the market wants, and there are many profitable income opportunities that didn’t exist a few short years ago. For crafters who have more confidence running a sewing organisation than setting up a Web site, The Handmade Marketplace breaks down and makes sense of the global possibilities for marketing and selling crafts.

First, determine the right price for each item — not too costly and definitely not too cheap. Whether the product is beaded jewelry or felted slippers, illustrations or tote bags, author Kari Chapin helps crafters determine cost of goods, market competition, and the pros and cons of wholesale and retail sales. If the price is right, customers will buy.

Then it’s on to selling. The boom in indie craft fairs and sites such as Etsy (“Your place to purchase & sell all things handmade”) is providing artisans with an ever-expanding marketplace for handcrafted items. Chapin demystifies each venue. She explains the guidelines that craft fairs impose on exhibitors, the typical yearly calendar of shows, and how to begin a new craft fair.

For the crafter interested in online sales, there are tips on styling and propping crafts for photographs and technical explanations of how the most favourite Web marketplaces run. Traditional brick and mortar consignment stores are still very good options for many crafters. Chapin explains how to approach shopkeepers and build strong relationships.

Wrapping everything up with media advice and tips on how to get the word out, The Handmade Marketplace is the income and marketing bible that today’s crafters need.

Rating: 5 The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On Line (out of 25 reviews)

buynow big The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On Line

List Price: $ 14.95

Price: $ 9.54

Find More Crafts Products

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Live
  • LinkedIn
  • MySpace

Technorati Tags: crafts, Globally, handmade, Locally, Marketplace, OnLine, Sell


Spend some calibre time with the children making these lovable holiday crafts.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Live
  • LinkedIn
  • MySpace

Technorati Tags: christmas, crafts

The Michaels Book of Arts & Crafts

51Nv9gVZb6L. SL160  The Michaels Book of Arts & Crafts

  • ISBN13: 9781579905309
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

From Michaels–America’s largest specialty retailer of arts and crafts merchandise and the place to get supplies for painting, floral and home décor, needlework, scrapbooking, and more–comes an extraordinarily big, beautiful, and encyclopedic collection of techniques and 175 projects. Whatever a crafter’s pleasure, it is in here, from beading and woodworking to glass and artifact crafts. The 30 subject areas are divided into 9 chapters that all feature a basic instructions section packed with plentiful color pictures and designer tips; 5 to 10 projects; and a two-page spread of room pictures of additional projects for inspiration. What’s included in this unequalled treasure trove?

* Beading: wire and bead jewelry, wire crafting, and decorative beading
* Clay: polymer and bread dough
* Painting: stenciling, faux finishing, and gold leafing. With the gilding techniques, even the simplest box can look like an heirloom.


* Paper: memory books and cards, decoupage, rubber stamping
* Floral crafts: dried flowers, silk flower arranging, potpourris and sachets. A rose floral silk pillow brings springtime indoors year-round.
* Glass: glass painting and etching. The lovely flasks with stars, leaves, and swirls would make a beautiful display.
* Home decorating: candlemaking and decorating (including gel) and soapmaking
* Wood: wood finishing and burning, plus clockmaking
* Fabric: painting on fabric, tie die, and sun painting
An appendix covers basic materials and techniques, including typing the perfect bow, lettering, and basic mat cutting.

Whether you want more projects using your favorite craft, or are interested in learning a new one, this volume is a must-have.

Rating: 4 The Michaels Book of Arts & Crafts (out of 8 reviews)

buynow big The Michaels Book of Arts & Crafts

List Price: $ 24.95

Price: $ 7.00

Stainless steel forceps Craft instrument Model 7.25
260488603542 0 The Michaels Book of Arts & CraftsUS $5.97
End Date: Friday Sep-03-2010 16:20:12 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $5.97
Buy it now | Add to watch list
HAND CRAFTED CRAFTS ONE FITS INTO ANOTHER SET OF 5
150485824971 0 The Michaels Book of Arts & CraftsUS $0.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Sep-03-2010 16:20:30 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

More Crafts Products

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Live
  • LinkedIn
  • MySpace

Technorati Tags: arts, book, crafts, Michaels

Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A-to-Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration

51SvtnZoqKL. SL160  Martha Stewarts Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A to Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration Reviews

  • ISBN13: 9780307450579
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Book Description
For almost 20 years, home crafters have turned to the pages of Martha Stewart Living for all kinds of crafts projects, apiece presented in the magazine’s inimitable style. Now, the ideal of those projects, including step-by-step instructions and full-color photographs, have been collected into a single encyclopedia.

Organized by topic from A to Z, Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts contains complete instructions and brief histories for more than 30 techniques, detailed descriptions of the necessary tools and materials, and easy-to-copy templates. Martha and her team of crafts editors guide readers through apiece subject, from botanical pressing and decoupage to rubber stamping and wreaths, with characteristic clarity and unparalleled attention to detail.

Crafters of all skill and experience levels will appreciate the many variations presented for apiece technique. For example, candlemaking presents a comprehensive array of poured, rolled, and cutout candles, including instructions for making your own one-of-a-kind rubber candle molds, floating candles, sand candles, and more. Each craft in the book takes on charming new dimensions with innovations that could come only from the team behind Martha Stewart Living.

In addition, apiece entry in Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts is chock-full of tips and advice. Handy glossaries in the entries–such as a comprehensive gem glossary, a glitter glossary, and a color glossary for making tinted wax–are valuable references that crafters will refer to again and again. What’s more, the Tools and Materials section outlines the ideal essential supplies that apiece crafter needs to have on hand, and the Sources pages clue readers in to the vendors and suppliers that the magazine’s crafts editors rely on most.

Filled with solid technical know-how, and presented with gorgeous color photographs, this handy guide can be read page by page and kept as a lasting reference by crafters and artisans alike.

Sample Project from Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts: Bottle Cap Frames

bottle cap frames Martha Stewarts Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A to Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration Reviews Metal bottle caps can frame small black-and-white photos for novel thumbtacks or magnets. Clear resin is poured into the caps to seal the photos and give them an appealing glossy finish. Twist-off caps are superior than conventional ones because they don’t bend when they’re removed. For appropriately small images, try slicing details from massive photos. Or, if your software has a contact sheet mode, use it to reduce photos drastically.

Project Supplies

  • ink jet paper
  • 1-inch (2.5cm) circular craft punch
  • white craft glue
  • metal twist-off bottle caps
  • clear casting resin
  • bonding cement
  • small magnets or thumbtacks

How-To

Using the craft punch, cut out pictures. Using white craft glue, attach 1 picture to the inside of apiece bottle cap. Let it dry. Cover a work surface to protect it from spills, and lay caps on top of it. Following manufacturer’s instructions for clear casting resin, fill apiece bottle cap to the rim. Let them dry overnight. Using bonding cement, attach magnets or thumbtacks to the backs of the bottle caps. Let them dry overnight before using.

Rating: 4 Martha Stewarts Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A to Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration Reviews (out of 58 reviews)

buynow big Martha Stewarts Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A to Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration Reviews

List Price: $ 35.00

Price: $ 17.25

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Live
  • LinkedIn
  • MySpace

Technorati Tags: AtoZ, crafts, Detailed, Encyclopedia, Endless, guide, inspiration, instructions, Martha, Reviews, Stewart's