September 8th, 2008 [ Craft Seller Resources ]

While spending my days bouncing around the blogs and forums hunting down projects for the Daily DIY, I come across quite a few articles, tips and guides for Etsy sellers and those beginning crafty businesses. Just this week I came across four must-read articles for those selling their crafts online:

*How to Brand your Blog/Craft Business Part One : Handmaiden

*How to Be a Crafty Marketer Part One : Modish

*How to Be a Crafty Marketer Part Two : Modish

*Holiday How-Tos : Online Marketing Tips : The Storque

I’ve noticed that quite a few One Pretty Thing readers have Etsy shops or crafty endeavors on the side, and I was wondering how much interest there would be in me compiling a list of these seller resources. I was thinking a button in the margin a la the Crafty Contests, with a running list of organized links. Thoughts? Interest?

September 7th, 2008 [ Daily DIY 2008.09.07 ]

*Martha shows us how to make leaf-printed linens.

*Sew this sash with beaded fringe with a pattern from In Stitches.

*Build a jewelry or small object holder for displaying wares at craft fairs.

*Craft a linen pear sachet with this tutorial from Dacia Ray.

*Altered Cloth shows us how to make a no-sew jersey scarf. Super simple and great for fall!

*I love this paper and mod-podge decorated staircase from Sugar City Journal.

*Cathie Filian shows us how to make goat’s milk soap using a new kit at Michaels.

*Curbly shows us how to DIY our own mock tufting.

*Learn how to recycle an old sweater for yarn on Craft Leftovers.

*zakka zakka has a tutorial so you can make your own five stones game. Include game instructions in the bag and you’ve got a great gift!

*Slip Slip Kint shares a pattern for Raspberry Bed Socks.

*The Hyper Homemaker shares her genius method for coring strawberries.

*Joyful Abode tells us how she made her sewing room plaque with materials from Lowe’s.

*CraftStylish has plans for making a fabric envelope.

*Build a ribbon organizer out of an empty container.

*Craftster user munk_munk created her own art with buttons and felt.

*My Paper Crane teaches us how to turn radishes into mushrooms for “gnome salad.”

*Visit Chez Larsson to find out how to turn a regular stool into a cushioned stool.

*Craft Stylish shows us how to make a simple Bead on a Wire necklace.

*And BHG has twelve button crafts for kids-or button-loving adults!

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I hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend! See you tomorrow morning!

September 6th, 2008 [ Daily DIY 2008.09.06 ]

*doe-c-doe tells us how she made her sweet animal clock.

*Martha shows us how to dress up a lampshade with stripes,

and how to keep tools organized with pegboard.

*Little City Girl shares another pattern for one of her fabulolus designs; the Beach Party Diamond Top.

*kootoyou shares her genius invention for laying out a quilt you’ll soon have to move; make a quilt “quiver!”

*IKEA Hacker has more ideas for decoupaged Benjamin stools.

*Caron has a new crochet pattern perfect for fall: the Sedona Toddler Skirt.

*Crochet wire hangers with this tutorial from Redux Designs.

*BHG has a fun idea for DIY artwork.

*Learn to etch glass with Sunset the tackle one of their twelve projects.

*Domino teaches us how to paint stripes on a wall.

*And create a custom craft table with sawhorses, a door and self-healing vinyl.

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I hope everyone is having a fantastic Saturday! I’m off to pick berries for mini tarts. It’s an experimental party appetizer I’m hoping turns out ok. If it goes over well, I’ll share the recipe!

September 6th, 2008 [ Beach Glass Art ]

A big thanks to Whip-Up for including the following project in their Carnival of Green Crafts. Check out the carnival-it’s full of fun ways to craft with what you already have! And welcome Whip-Up readers! I hope you enjoy the site!

Summer brings with it impromptu collections. Maybe you’ve been picking up pebbles at the river, shells and beach glass at the shore or interesting bits of driftwood. Wondering what to do with all those little bits and pieces? I like to arrange them on canvas to create vacation memento art. Anything that you can hot glue will work, but my favorite medium is colorful beach glass.

*You’ll need is your collection of glass or shells, a canvas board (less than $3.00 at most craft shops), white acrylic paint and a hot glue gun.

*Prep a canvas board with white paint. If you don’t have a canvas board available, I’ve found that a sheet of heavy weight watercolor paper works well too, as long as you mount it on a piece of cardboard. I’ll be using the paper and board for this example.

*While you’re waiting for your canvas to dry, decide what shape or word you’d like to use. Single initials are great as are romantic initials.

*You can also do a single word. Beach, relax, Hawaii, dream…anything you’d like to remind you of your vacation.

*If you’re using a word or letters you can LIGHTLY freehand your word onto your surface with a pencil. Erase the pencil marks as you lay down your glass. You can also print out the word or letter in large, bold font on your computer, cut out the letters and tape the remaining paper stencil onto your canvas. This works well for words. Simply fill in the stencil with your medium, then remove.

*For shapes, cut out the shape you want and use it as a guide. Today I’m choosing a simple heart.

*Arrange your shape or letters (or a combo of both!) on your board until you get the composition you’re after.

*From there it’s time to start gluing! Beach glass adheres very well with hot glue. Just make sure your glass is CLEAN before you start, and remember that less is more. The glass doesn’t weight that much so use a little glue as possible. You don’t want glue coming out from under your pieces.

*Add a dab of glue to your glass then stick it to your surface, tracing your shape all the way around.

*When you’ve finished your shape, remove the guide and check in between the glass pieces to ensure that there aren’t any glue strings. If there are gently pull them off. Now you’re ready to slip a sheet of cardboard behind it and place it into a frame with just enough dept to accommodate the glass.

*If you’ve used a sturdy canvas board, you can simply lean it against a wall or shelf-no need to frame!

A simple and beautiful way to remember your vacation.

Additional Ideas:

*Sign your piece with the name of your vacation destination and the date when you took it.

*These make great thank-you gifts after staying at a friend’s vacation home. Collect on the sly, assemble at home then mail to your hosts.

*If there is a special cabin or shore home that you’d like to remember, consider recreating the house number with shells, glass or pebbles from that location. Or how about the hotel room on a honeymoon?

More Ways To Say It With Nature:

*The next time you’re on a shore vacation, how about taking a shot like this for the people back home? Better yet, have it printed out as a post card and mail it from your vacation location.

*Sand writing photographs also make fabulous art. A photograph like this would look great on your walls, plus it will remind you of what a great time you had, and hopefully get you inspired to make more memories!Love Exists Try it in color, or use Photoshop to go black and white.

*Heading into nature but not near the shore? Try staging a photo using sticks. It’s a great way to occupy kids and is perfect for camp sites.

*Looking for a unique gift? Butterfly Alphabet, Inc sells gorgeous word art where each letter comes from a butterflies wing! They’re gorgeous name posters would make a unique gift at $3.50 a letter.

*Java Jane Designs has these gorgeous name (or place!) art prints in her shop.

Commemorate a trip, event or place with letters represented with architecture, nature, beach images and more! They would also make a fantastic housewarming gift.

Excited about this project? Post your creations in the One Pretty Thing Flickr Group.

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