Active Arts & Crafts Posts
How To: Fold a cool man wearing a hoodie
Replicate those cool iPod ads featuring a black figure grooving in a multicolored background with this unique origami design.
How To: Origami a cool Superman figure
This particular Superman, unlike the real crime-fighting hero, isn't impenetrable and made of brawny, rippling muscles, but is just as fascinating and deserving of praise and awe.
How To: Make DIY pearl cluster earrings
During this rough economic period, more and more people are looking for better ways to save on money, but still look good in the process. One of the best ways of doing that is by making your own jewelry. Much of the materials can be bought at stores like Target and Wal-Mart and are easy to put together. So in this tutorial, you'll find out how to make beautiful looking pearl cluster earrings. Good luck and enjoy!
How To: Half double crochet
In this tutorial, learn how to half double crochet. In this video, Mikey is using this technique to make a baby hat, but you can apply it to many other projects. This shows you how to half double crochet starting from a completed chain. You will chain up two and then proceed across the chain as shown. This will make your crochet tighter and a little more professional looking.
How To: Make a pillowcase dress
In this video, learn how to make a little girl's dress out of a pillowcase. In this tutorial, learn how to take a unique vintage pillowcase and turn it into a stylish, cute dress that any little girl will love. This dress is pretty easy to make and your daughter will look great in it for years to come.
How To: Revamp your old and broken jewelry
In this tutorial, learn how to take old jewelry that is broken, out of style and otherwise unwearable and combine it with other household items to make hip, funky new accessories. You can use anything you find - broken items, trash, old pieces, coins, clothing items - anything! Have fun with it and maybe borrow some of Elizabeth's ideas.
How To: Make jewelry out of recycled plastic
In this video, learn how to make beautiful and unique jewelry out of old plastic bottles. This process is surprisingly simple and will make really cool gifts or accessories for any outfit. Follow along with Elizabeth Gleeson as she shows you how to spruce up any outfit and be eco-friendly at the same time!
How To: Make a stamp out of a potato and decorate with it
In this video, Elizabeth shows us how to turn a normal potato into a funky stamp. Stamps are great for scrapbooking, card making, paper design and so much more! So, why waste money at pricey craft shops when you can make your own using items you already have in the kitchen?
How To: Create decorative bowls using papier mache
Papier mache is a very unique form of crafting that involves turning paper into sturdy, usable projects. In this video, learn how to make decorative bowls using this French method to display around your home or give as thoughtful gifts.
How To: Use a Japanese printo gocco for printing projects
In this tutorial, learn how to use a Japanese paper printer called a Print Gocco. This device is used to print beautiful, uniform projects so that you can make many designs, quickly. This is great to use for wedding invitations or programs. This video will show you exactly what to do once you receive this fun printing press in the mail - all the way from Japan!
How To: Origami a great looking flapping bird
Being able to fold paper into different shapes and animals is a great way to relax. It requires time and patience to make something that is beautiful to look at and sometimes fun to play with. In this tutorial, you'll find out how to origami a cool looking flapping bird in a short amount of time. So good luck and enjoy!
How To: Fold an origami bow tie with a dollar bill
Going to a black tie affair and don't have a bow tie? Well, this video won't help you in the least - but, while you're trying to figure out what to do, you can nervously fold an origami bow tie out of a dollar bill... Don't know how? Watch this video from Fold Something.
How To: Sew a blanket stitch
Using felt or another thick fabric for your current sewing project? Need to reinforce the edge of a thick material? You will then need the blanket stitch! In this tutorial, learn how to sew a blanket stitch the correct way.
How To: Knit a Kitchener stitch for a seamless join
The kitchener stitch, also called grafting, is a knitting technique used to create woven seams. It's commonly used for the toe of knitted socks, but you'll find it used whenever you need an invisible seam.
How To: Origami a multifacted swan
Turn an ugly duckling of 700 rather boring identical origami pieces into a beautiful swan by watching this tutorial, getting a few shots of Starbucks espresso, and enslaving yourself to the task for the next couple of days.
How To: Decoupage keepsake boxes for Valentine's Day
A great gift to offer someone for Valentine's Day is something you make yourself. In this tutorial, learn how to make a celebrity style keepsake box using decoupage techniques. This box can hold anything from gifts to precious items to little trinkets.
How To: Make and decorate gift or loot bags at home
Gift or loot bags make great little additions to any party - people always appreciate receiving something special when they leave a get together.
How To: Make the world's biggest and best paper airplane
Bored in class and need something to toss around? Check out this video!
How To: Tie a supersized rope spider web for Halloween
Spooky Halloween parties necessitate a certain amount of creeptastic spider webs, but the cheap cottony stuff that comes in plastic bags at most retailers feel fake and have been overused over the last few years.
How To: Fold a paper plane in less than 30 seconds
Looking for something to toss at your teacher but don't have much time while her back is turned? No problem! You can assemble this paper airplane in the time it takes for her to write her name on the chalkboard. In 30 seconds or less you will have a totally flyable airplane to send flying through your chemistry class.
How To: Crochet a butterfly
Not sure what to get the fam this holiday season? Looking to give a special someone, a special handcrafted gift? Courtesy of Crochet Mania, learn how to crochet a butterfly with help from a crochet master! Get your fingers to work and give your friends and loved ones a homemade gift they'll never forget!
How To: Origami a colorful kusudama
A kusu what?? Learn how to create a kusudama, or a paper medicine ball made with multiple identical pyrimidal units, by watching this video.
How To: Build a 6X6 cube using magnets
Whoever said it's boring to be a square didn't make one out of shiny magnets. This video gives the phrase "thinking inside the box" a whole new dimension.
How To: Origami a fun origami moving cube
It's true that much of traditional origami is static - lillies, dogs, and cranes that sit still and look pretty, at the most capable of lifting a wing or tail up in pathetic movement.
How To: Origami an Easter hatching egg and chick
About to attend an Easter bash or baby shower but don't have enough time to pick up a present (or simply getting tired of cliche pastel pink and blue teddy bears and microsized baby clothes?).
How To: Origami a stellated (star-shaped) octahedron
These adorable origami stellated octahedrons commonly provoke fits of jealousy within real stars, who envy their smooth folds and pretty peaks.
How To: Origami a 6-pointed star box for the holidays
A Christmas present is not the only thing you can get crafty with. Why not put that mix tape into a homemade origami box for a truly personal touch?
How To: Origami a cute grannysmith apple
Get ready for Teacher's Day or simply show your teacher how much you care by making one of these cute as a button grannysmith apples. Apple-shaped pencil holders and notepads are sweet, but these origami apples show you took a bit of time out of your busy day to really make something special.
How To: Origami a collapsible gift box
Fold your own gift boxes with this tutorial on how to origami a collapsible box. Traditionally known as a water dish or orisue, this box is a cute way to box up small presents like earrings and necklaces.
How To: Make craft bows to wear in your hair
Are you a fan of the big bows Blair Waldorf wears on the CW's Gossip Girl? Now here's your chance to make your own Gossip Girl like accessories with help from this video presented by Makeup on a Budget. Learn how to craft bows to wear in your hair with help from this tutorial.
How To: Origami a pop-up Jack in the Box
Reach new levels of creepiness in your origami hobby by learning how to tuck and fold this origami Jack in the Box. The origami project takes an afternoon to make (the video itself is about an hour long) but the priceless expression on the face of your friend (who happens to have a mortal fear of clowns) will be well worth it.
How To: Origami a tessellation star puff
This is a challenging though fun project to try once you've mastered folding your lucky stars (aka puffy stars). Though this origami project does include puffy stars, the stars are folded onto a six-sided star base.
How To: Make an origami hexagon from a square and a rectangle
This video will surely perplex math teachers everywhere who have always made it an unbreakable rule that all rectangles are squares and that not all squares are rectangles, but neither squares nor rectangles are hexagons.
How To: Origami a water bomb tessellation
This is one water bomb that's more postmodern art than scary - though fun - splashy summertime weapon. Using intricate tessellated origami folds and a drawn-on grid you'll learn how to create this interesting shape.
How To: Origami a beautiful origami lotus flower
Lotus flowers have long been a symbol of longevity, balance, and peace. Find your own center even amidst bustling work schedules, kid play dates, and workday commutes by crafting a lotus flower.
How To: Make origami double tissue paper
Why shell out your entire paycheck for some measly pieces of paper? Become your own paper craftsman - and save a few bucks - by watching this video on how to make your own origami double tissue paper.
How To: Make origami tissue foil paper
More advanced origami projects call for more advanced papers. In this tutorial, you'll acquire the art of paper making. Specifically, you'll learn how to make your own origami tissue foil paper, which has a much stronger hold than normal origami paper.
How To: Origami a tessellation hexagon twist
Regular hexagons are so blah, so amp up the tried and true geometric shape (and kindergarten building blocks toy) by adding a whole new dimension!
How To: Origami a 60 degree tessellation pleat intersection
Sometimes while folding a particularly labyrinthine origami project you're just one crazy difficult fold away from paper perfection. Don't let that last swing strike out by watching this video, which shows you how to make a tessellation 60 degree pleat intersection.
How To: Origami a 120 degree tessellation inverted pleat
Even expert piano players have to practice in order to consistently bring their game to concert hall performances. Practice does indeed make perfect, and in origami practice makes neat - neat folds, crisp edges, and a better overall finished product.