I know I normally discuss inspirational pieces, etc., because well...that is what I do. I'm a moderator on the inspiration and creativity board. However, I'm also a coupon clipper and a mom and one of those "frugal" people that you see that takes up 5 minutes in the aisle at Kroger to make sure that I have a double-coupon for that bottle of ketchup that is on sale. Therefore, I have to mention the 40% off discount in the MyCraftivityShop.
Why is that so cool? Well, for lots of reasons and I'll explain my rationale. I was searching through the store today and realized that a lot of upcoming titles have been uploaded with their availability date. Trust me - there are some really smokin' books coming out. What I didn't realize and had confirmed is that the 40% discount ALSO APPLIES to upcoming titles. So - you can PREORDER books like The Naughty Secretary Club, Taking Flight (HELLO! Kelly Rae Roberts people!) and Glam Knits for 40% off the retail price.
These days, almost everyone is a budding amateur photographer. Digital cameras have made high-quality photography so much more accessible (and inexpensive!) that enthusiasm for the craft seems to grow every day.
But recently I came across a Web site that pays heart-wrenching tribute to one such photographer who was perhaps a bit before his time. James Livingston took one Polaroid photograph of his life every day for 18 years, from March 31, 1979 to October 25, 1997—which was not only his 41st birthday, but the day he died.
If this doesn’t inspire you to enthusiastically and without hesitation capture your real life, on good days and on bad days, in some visual way—a photograph, a handmade gift, a journal entry, an expressive new piece of artwork—I don’t know what will.
Above are just a few images from his journey, in chronological order:
August 26, 1979, December 29, 1983, Christmas Eve 1985, January 8,
1989, January 31, 1994, and October 22, 1997--just a few days before
his battle with cancer came to an end. What were you doing on these
days? What did your life look like then? What does it look like today? And what can you do to honor it?
If you’re a crafty mom—or a crafty teacher, or a crafty person who loves kids—you’ll be jazzed to hear about the 2008 Designer Chick Contest, sponsored by Funky Finds, Girl Indie and a host of fabulous online boutiques. Enter your handmade goods into one (or more!) of four categories: For Mom, Baby Gear, Children’s Accessories and Children’s Clothing. You have until June 30th! Winners will be chosen by popular vote among readers of the contest blog. And if you have your own Web site or Etsy shop, you’ll love the chance to vie for these fabulous prize packages, which include lots of helpful hands-up for the crafty-preneur: free advertising, radio interviews, custom business cards, a custom-designed logo, and more.
What other crafty contests have sparked your interest lately?
I was flipping through a Crafts Report magazine at my desk this morning when I found myself drawn to a profile of Tom Dunne, an artistic wood turner. Having just returned from a visit to South Carolina’s Lowcountry with an en-route stop in Asheville, North Carolina, it seems I’ve got artisan crafts on the brain. (Nothing beats travel for getting the creative juices flowing, in my humble opinion!) But it was only when I finished the article and decided to visit his Web site that I had a “small world” moment: As it turns out, his work is currently on exhibit right there in Asheville (among other places). Surely I saw it there—perhaps strolling past one of the many galleries after hours—and it had registered only on a subconscious level. I’m so happy, then, to have a chance to review it more closely now, and I thought I’d share a look with you.
Artisan work—especially such intricate work with such organic roots—inspires and intimidates me all at once. But I think this combination is something to be embraced rather than shied away from. As artists and crafters we should always be challenging ourselves. Anything is possible!
What types of things push and inspire you to take your work to the next level? We want to know! After all, that’s exactly what we aim to do here.
Now that summer has officially started with the passing of Memorial Day, my question is - what is your favorite craft for the summer? I have heard people say that they do not knit during the summer, but to me - I think it would be great to sit out on the front porch with a set of needles and some yarn and enjoy the weather.
Often I wish I had a covered patio where I could scrapbook and just watch nature from my back yard. Of course, I live in the city, so that nature typically consists of just birds, squirrels and my two dogs, but you get the point.
