Active Arts & Crafts Posts
How To: Craft a vintage collage necklace with brass stampings and rhinestones
This Mona Lisa necklace is really as unique and charming as it gets. Why wear the same old stringy bohemian necklace as everyone else when you can fabricate your own neck wear using vintage brooches, brass stampings, and other found knick knacks?
How To: Create jewelry in the vintage Five and Dime style
If you're a baby boomer or at least older than 40, then you probably remember the Five and Dime stores around your neighborhood street corner. Carrying kitchy knick knacks like masks and cheap candies that even little kids could afford, they were quite the sensation in their day.
How To: Pack jewelry business orders easily and quickly
So you've done it. You've been wanting to have your own jewelry business since you were six, and you finally saved up enough money to purchase all the materials and are now making more moolah than you can count with your on-trend wire wrapped earrings. But how do you handle packing and shipping so many orders without going crazy?
How To: Craft custom earwires from eyepins and earrings with filigree designs
Want to make your own jewelry? While there are loads of pre-made earrings and necklaces and bracelets out there, it's often hard to find one that suits your personality to a tee, so we totally feel you. But before you start haphazardly strining stuff onto a wire, check out this jewelry making video first.
How To: Measure stones, bezels, and mounts with brass measuring calipers
If your idea of jewelry making is simply strining on glass beads and vintage knick knacks onto a string and then adding a clasp, then you have some serious learning to do. While in the end creativity trumps all, it's important for many intricate projects that you calculate exactly how much of one particular stone or filigree stamp you need. And in order to do that, you must measure them.
How To: Color vintage flower brass stampings using acrylic paint and resin
If you enjoy creating vintage inspired jewelry, then there's no way you can get around not using brass stampings. Already infused with a rusty colored hue, they're very antique-looking and their colors can be altered. Check out this jewelry crafting video to learn how to color vintage flower brass stampings using materials including acrylic paint and resin.
How To: Make a gift wrap garland out of felt and grossgrain ribbon
Dress up a plain white box with this fun and easy tutorial! All you need is the gift box, some festive felt, a length of grossgrain ribbon long enough to go around the box, and a few cutting and craft supplies.
How To: Use gilder's paste to enhance the appearance of filigree beads
Filigree beads add a touch of intricate whimsy to any jewelry project. But if you're using run-of-the-mill metal filigree parts of one uniform color each time, then you're probably making necklaces and earrings that are more blah than impressive.
How To: Make a snowflake for Christmas with paper
Looking for a fun, simple project to do with your kids this winter season? This cheap and simple art project won't cost you a dime. Learn to make Christmas snowflakes with paper, and pretty soon you'll have great decorations to hang up on the windows.
How To: Paint spring-loaded clothespins into colorful, decorative wooden fasteners
Spring-loaded clothespins are used for more than just clothes. If you looked in anyone's home, you'll see these springy wooden clothespins used for things like chip clips, photo holders and even for attaching sports cards on bicycle spokes. They're even used in the film industry (called C47s or bullets) for clamping colored gels or diffusion to hot lights on set. So, there's a million uses for these wooden clamps, but that doesn't mean they have to look the same— drab and unoriginal.
How To: Knit your own socks
Don't pay retail prices for store bought socks! Gear up for the winter and make your own knit socks at home. This six part video tutorial takes you through every phase of knitting socks with detailed instructions along the way.
How To: Single crochet half circle ear flaps for a hat
Use a single crochet stitch to crochet half circle shapes. Use any type of yarn and crochet needle to complete this project. Half circles can be used as ear flaps for hats, additions to blankets, or serve as cute pockets on sweaters.
How To: Crochet a shell with 3 double crochet
In this crochet tutorial, learn ho to make a shell with a 3 double corchet. For this pattern stitch, the shell will consist of 3 double crochet, meaning that it takes 3 chains to make 1 shell of the pattern stitch.
How To: Craft a vintage/Steampunk rose brooch
When you think of flower brooches, you probably imagine those dusty, ancient things your grandmother used to wear on her wool cardigan. But brooches can be uber cool - and even street chic - when done in a vintage/Steampunk style.
How To: Make an elegant four leaf clover pendant ring
Part 1 of beading video showing how to make a four leaf clover ring and pendant. Part 1 of 3 - How to Make an elegant four leaf clover pendant ring.
How To: Color flower brass stampings with acrylic paint and resin
Adding a patina to brass stampings is what gives it an aged, beautifully vintage look. If you've never worked with patinas before, then check out this jewelry crafting video to learn about how to use different types of patinas - including resin and acrylic paint - to make a flower you can attach to a pin to make into a brooch.
How To: Rivet and manipulate brass stampings to make jewelry
Brass stampings add that perfect metallic touch to any jewelry project you're working on. While brass stampings are usually made into filigree shapes, they can also be manipulated into pretty floral designs.
How To: Craft a shimmery kundan gem flower
Kundan flowers are made from kundan gems, which are a type of Indian gem with very vibrant, jewel-like tones. Kundan flowers, then, can be made as exotic and brilliant decorations for your tabletop or even to adorn fanciful cakes.
How To: Make a Christmas cracker with toilet paper tubes & wrapping paper
In this video, you'll be shown how to make Christmas crackers for the holidays. It's a cheap, easy and fun art project you can make with the kids. All you need is wrapping paper, some toilet paper tubes and glue and you're good to go!
News: Knitting is For Pus****
Polish artist Agata Olek loves to crochet.
How To: Make no-sew embellished headbands with bows and lace
Girls love bling, and little girls love it even more. Make your little lady as fashionable as can be by making these no-sew embellished headbands.
How To: Use freezer paper to stencil a hash tag design onto a t-shirt
Proclaim your love for hash tag #Bestof2010 by literally wearing it on your chest! Show off your Twitter addiction in the most fashionable way possible by making this awesome hash tag design t-shirt.
How To: Make a simple stenciled necktie onesie for your baby boy
Daddy doesn't have to be the only man in the house who wears a tie. Let your little one engage in some debonair "Mad Men" action by making this super easy stenciled necktie onesie.
How To: Sew an easy infinity scarf (wraparound scarf)
An infinity scarf is exactly what it sounds like: A scarf that goes on forever, not length-wise but rather in the fact that it's sewn together at the end. This makes for a nice wraparound shape that can be quickly thrown onto the neck without having to make any fancy knots to keep the scarf on.
How To: Make easy embellished bohemian earrings using fabric stiffener
Bohemian hair, fashion, and beauty have been super hot in Hollywood for the past year or so, and the trend is showing no signs of slowing down. While many hip young designers offer bohemian bangles and earrings at trendy L.A. boutiques, avoid denting your wallet with their overpriced goods by making some bohemian earrings yourself!
How To: Make an easy no-sew pom pom headband
When it comes to the holidays or times when your kids need a costume urgently for their dance recital or play fast, sewing projects take far too much time. When time is an issue, why not make these no-sew cute headbands with pom poms?
How To: Crochet a galaxy stitch scarf for winter
Are you feeling the need to for a little more warmth this winter? Why not crochet yourself a nice, warm scarf? In this video, Teresa shows you how to crochet a beautiful galaxy stitch scarf, perfect for a holiday gift for one of your loved ones.
How To: Make a homemade scrapbook for Christmas
What better to remember your Christmas joys than with a homemade scrapbook? In this video, you're shown how you can make yourself a lovely scrapbook with a few cheap art supplies. It'll make the perfect Christmas gift for a family member or friend.
How To: Make a woven origami star for Christmas
The treetop isn't the only place where you should place a Christmas star. Make your entire Christmas tree shine bright this holiday season by crafting this dual-colored woven origami star.
News: 1,000,000 Spiders Weave Rare Silk
A rare textile woven from the silk of more than one million spiders is currently on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The incredible textile measures 11 by four feet, and is the largest piece of spider-woven textile in the world.
How To: Fold a car shaped box out of origami paper
This makes a great gift box for your father or brother. You don't have to spend extra money on expensive wrapping paper - a few sheets of construction paper are all you need to craft this creative yellow car box.
How To: Make a cute polymer clay dog bead
Polymer clay beads are oftentimes cute even without adornment, but beads with pictures of little doggies on them are simply adorable. This video will teach you how to make dog beads out of polymer clay with floppy ears and a wanting expression.
How To: Make a fun and festive brooch out of felt and large buttons
You can make this lovely brooch out of some scrap felt, or any other stiff fabric in your basket (you can stiffen some fabrics by adding interfacing), and a large button. Attach it to a hat, coat or anywhere else you want to add a little holiday cheer to!
How To: Make a 3-D star Christmas ornament out of paper
You can make these stars out of wrapping paper scraps, designer paper or any other festive paper that catches your eye. Turn them into 3-D crafts that you can hang from your tree, attach as extras to gifts or use as decorations.
How To: Fold a Christmas ornament out of origami paper
This isn't quite origami, since you will need some kind of tape or glue to hold it together, but this will still make a lovely Christmas star ornament you can hang on the tree! Better yet, Post It Notes are perfect for making these origami stars.
How To: Turn plain brown paper bags into decorative gift bags
Don't spend a lot of money on gift wrapping this year! You can take a stack of plain brown paper bags and use inexpensive markers, paint and seasonal stencils to decorate them for the holiday season and turn them into decorative gift bags.
How To: Make holiday themed wine glass charms out of Friendly Plastic
You can make these lovely whimsical charms out of Friendly Plastic - a non toxic plastic that gets soft in hot water or when exposed to heat. You can mold and shape Friendly Plastic using tiny cookie cutters to make fun wine glass charms!
How To: Crochet a fun little candy cane out of red and white yarn
Much better for you than a regular candy cane! You will need some red and white yarn, a pipe cleaner and a size 'I' 5.5 milimeter crochet hook. This candy cane makes a great little gift, tree ornamnet or stocking stuffer!
How To: Transform an old scarf into a tube scarf or infinity scarf
With winter in full swing, it's time to bring the scarves out of the closet. The trend this year is the tube scarf or infinity scarf, and here is how you can take a scarf you already have and update it to this style.
How To: Sew a fun and festive party dress for the Christmas season
It's Christmas season, and that means it's time for holiday parties! This tutorial shows you how you can make a fun and festive dress for your upcoming holiday celebrations. You will need approximately two and a half yards of fabric, in addition to a sewing machine and the regular notions.