Why is it that a new box of colored pencils thrills at any age? I always hate to ruin the shiny points that line up perfectly in a fresh set. It’s definitely a universal feeling, as proven by these amazing examples below…
Helsinki based artist Jonna Pohjalainen was inspiried to make this pencil sculpture during a summer Environmental Art workshop at the Open Air Art Museum in Pedvale, Latvia. Found via The Jealous Curator.
If you are crazy about Jonna’s sculpture, you can buy a mini Colored Twig Pencil Set at A Toy Garden. Via Ohdeedoh.
And if you are really obsessed with colored pencils, you can subscribe to 500 Colored Pencils. You’ll receive 25 pencils for 20 months. I love this quote describing it: It’s about enjoying an unhurried creative process and the artist, that over time, you become. The names of the colors are amazing, like Tea with Milk, Autumn Fog, Miss Muffet, Pretty Polly, and 496 more!
As an individual, I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day traditionally. But as a crafter, I simply can’t avoid it. It is a holiday ripe with creative possibility! And, I’m a bit of a sap, so one small gesture per year is allowed.
If you are in need a last minute Valentine for the significant other in your life, this one packs a big punch. Last year, I made a numbered list of each day that I had known Michael. I know, it sounds daunting, but with auto-type on Word, it’s super easy. I figured out important dates (like when we were in Argentina, I wrote in Spanish) and described them accordingly. To make it easier on myself, I often copied the same sentence over and over to complete the list. I rolled the scroll and tied it with twine.
So for this Valentine, you just have to have patience and math skills.
February may seem to be a strange time to blog about wreaths, but lately I’ve become a big fan. Having grown up in a home where we didn’t celebrate Christmas, wreathes were the equivalent to having a tinseled, lit tree in your living room. But today I’m declaring that stigma over. For good. These delightful examples prove my point…
This beautifully crafted wreath would be amazing on the door at an intimate wedding. Felt flower winter wreath from The Purl Bee.
The color choices here are phenom. Felted ball wreath from Pickles.
This cake does all of the above. (I assume it tastes good…how could it not?). It reminds me of the cake I made for my husband’s birthday last year with our nieces and nephew that I found here. But let’s be honest, it’s way better.
Other rainbow cakes, in case these weren’t delightful enough…
Sometimes, the simplest, most inexpensive materials are my favorites. Like butcher paper. It’s everywhere, cheap, and enormously versatile. There’s something really earthy and unassuming about it. Here are some examples of how to use it…
For our rehearsal dinner at The Piggy Bank in Beacon, New York, my husband designed these place mats. He divided the heart like a meat cut chart with each section labeled with something about us. We couldn’t find pre-cut kraft place mats, so we bought sheets and cut them individually with a rotary cutter outfitted with a scallop blade. These were silk screened by local Brooklyn artist, Philip Sachs.
I love this—for 2 reasons. It’s a garland and it’s a stamp. Oh, and it’s DIY. So that’s 3 reasons. Check out how easy it is to make one and how fabulous the result is on Just Something I Made.
I’m not really a fan of conversation hearts (although I hear their recipe is new and improved), but a cookie that tells me that I’m Hot Stuff or a Sweet Heart or a QTπ is alright in my book. You customize the cutters by sliding in letters or premade words to form a name or message. When you press the cutter into the dough, your lettering is imprinted on the cookie.
It’s kind of amazing when your profession and your obsession are the same thing. I get to craft for a living. For reals, I’m not kidding. I get to wander slowly through craft stores, fabric stores, the flower mart (my favorite block in NYC) and if I’m caught day dreaming at work or playing with pipe cleaners, it’s totally excused. In fact, it’s celebrated.
The other day I had to do some craft errands to finish up a project and visited a few of my favorite sources. I plan on adding a sidebar list to TVH of my favorite stores (I have no problem revealing my secrets), but until then, I’ll be posting “Time for Craft Shopping” posts.
From left to right:
Best for buttons, ribbon, trim, iron-on, feathers: M&J Trimming
Best for cheap findings, wire, colored bells: Toho Shoji
