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CHA 2008 Quayside schedule of Crafty Goodness

Be sure to print out the schedule so you don't miss out on any of the fun!

Click on the schedule to enlarge.

This year's CHA is sure to be a rockin' good time! The Quayside Publishing Group Booth # 4351 will be holding a whole bunch of Make and Takes and Book Signings on all sorts of crafty topics-from altered art, paper transforming, jewelry making, and needle felting with recycled wool sweaters.

Today I want to tell you all about Kathy Cano Murillo.











She is the Author of The Crafty Chica Collection.

Beautiful Ideas for Crafts, Home Decorations and Shrines from the Queen of Latina Style
Kathy Cano Murillo
Over 60 colorful craft projects, decorations, and shrines that celebrate “Latino Style”.

Kathy Cano Murillo, known as the Crafty Chica, launched her publishing career with two lively books: Making Shadow Boxes & Shrines and La Casa Loca, which means “the crazy house.” All of the projects that she designed for those two books are now featured in this classy-meet-campy companion collection of Latino-American pop art. The projects include everything from party gear to home decorations; garden accessories to gifts; and shrines to jewelry. More than 60 fabulous ideas incorporate paint, fabric, collage, embellishments, and a heavy dose of glitter. A book that every hip crafty chick needs in her collection.

Kathy Cano Murillo is a syndicated crafts columnist for The Arizona Republic and Gannett News Service. She is known for her pod-cast and web site, www.CraftyChica.com, which receives 900,000 hits a month. She is the author of five creativity/crafty books and makes regular appearances on local and national TV demonstrating her projects

Kathy will be signing The Crafty Chica Collection on
Wednesday from 11:00-12:00
and for a full list of everywhere she can be found pop on over to Kathy's full CHA schedule at www.duncancrafts.com/cha

Crafting is so much fun! Here is a shot of Kathy and Alexis Sadler who will be hosting Fashion Art Make and Take in the Duncan booth on Tuesday and Wednesday.




And if all that wasn't enough:
Crafty Chica™ Product Line to be Introduced at CHA Winter 2008

The Crafty Chica™ product line is a vibrant line of craft products and kits geared for the edgy crafter who craves color and pop art combined with innovation and easy applications. It's all about high shine, glitter and bold colors - with a dash of rock 'n roll. Developed by Kathy Cano-Murillo, the Crafty Chica™, the line is mainly Latinocentric, but will also include many other themes. Throughout the years, Kathy has made art to pay her bills and honor her culture, she has also written books and a syndicated newspaper craft column. Because of that she has a lot of crafty tips that she is going to share within this line and the packaging. It's not just about buying craft supplies - the consumer is also gaining a crafty companion too!







Don't miss out!

Singer Simple-Mending and Repair- Button Tips

Losing a button happens to all of us at some point and this page of tips from

Singer Simple-Mending and Repair from CPi is packed with great solutions.

Click on the photo to enlarge.

Several of the tips are about storage. I like to store my specialty buttons in a divided box (available at the majors for about $2.)
And then the buttons that I reclaim from garments or thrift stores go in jars.


And here's a tip of my own: I like to cut the buttons off of cloths before I turn them into rags and I like to keep them together with a safety pin. This saves a lot of hunting around if I am storing the buttons in a jar.
And now to see one of the replacement tips in action-here is one of my fave sweaters with a different button at each location.
One of these great tips is sure to solve your lost button dilemma.

And to read more about this title and others in the Singer series hop on over to the Creative Publishing international website!

W. C. Fields quote:
“The first thing any comedian does on getting an unscheduled laugh is to verify the state of his buttons.”

I "Heart" Making Stylish Belts

Who doesn't love making and customizing accessories? Well, I do for sure!

The projects in Making Stylish Belts from Quarry Books by Ellen Goldstein-Lynch, Sarah Mullins, and Nicole Malone range from quick and easy no- or low-sew to those that require simple sewing on a home machine. The book shows how to rivet and use various styles of buckles, from classic styles to D-rings to those that have clever ties and wraps. Making Stylish Belts features a range of colorful base materials and embellishments, from leather and vinyl to gorgeous fabrics, including ribbons, cords, and fibers, plus beads, sequins, and rhinestones. The materials are also easy to find. They are available at traditional fabric and craft stores, you can also purchase suitable materials for these projects at places like Wall-Mart, Target, Staples, and home box stores. An extensive resource listing is provided, as always.

And what better way than to make a fun and ironic statement perfect for Valentines Day
with the close sister to the belt- suspenders!


As with lots of accessories suspenders often make a comeback in current fashion trends.

These suspenders were designed By Shelley Parker-I fell in "Love" with these the minute I saw them.



Here is the pattern for the heart.



Pop on over to the FIT website for a look at a slide show of way-cool accessories from the Accessories Department.

Follow your heart to wherever your craftiness takes you!

I know I do!

Material World-Home Decor Projects for the Fabric Obsessed by Cat Wei

Do you pet fabric, oh and bunnies like me? You'll see where this is going-read on!

Do you buy fabric just "because you have to have it for something?"
Well then this book, Material World-Home Decor Projects for the Fabric Obsessed-By Cat Wei is for you!
I practically want to pet the cover!

50 sew and no sew projects by 20 designers! Who can go wrong with that?

Click on over to Craftzine.com and check out a podcast of one of the cool projects from the book:
The Heartfelt Toaster Cozy


And just 'cause I know your asking yourself-what does my stash look like?

Well here is a tiny, and I mean tiny taste:
I know you're looking quizzically at the two bits of fabric that are folded in such a way that, yes, they feature the backside of a rabbit. I confess, I simply love cotton tail bunnies! So much so I actually got to share many happy years with this one- Jack Rabbit. Here she is showing her fluffy cuteness.

She was adopted though a House Rabbit Society-if your interested there are many great local resources for adopting house bunnies!

More Sparkly Goodness with Laura McCabe and Swarovski

Laura McCabe's
ROADSHOW SCHEDULE

Click class title for more information

3/27/2008 Bead Expo, Keshi Pearl Necklace Workshop

3/28/2008 Bead Expo, Dodecahedron Pendant Workshop

4/19/2008 Bead Art Show, Cherry Blossom Workshop, Design #1

4/21/2008 Bead Art Show, Cherry Blossom Workshop, Design #2

4/22/2008 Bead Art Show, Cherry Blossom Workshop, Design #3

6/1/2008 Bead & Button Show, Pokeweed Berry Lariat Workshop (day 1)

6/2/2008 Bead& Button Show, Pokeweed Lariat Necklace Workshop (day 2)

6/3/2008 Bead& Button Show, Dodecahedron Pendant Workshop

6/4/2008 Bead& Button Show, Rings & Things Necklace Workshop

6/6/2008 Bead& Button Show,Vineyard Jewel Necklace Workshop

6/7/2008 Bead& Button Show, Crystal Burst Bracelet Workshop

7/18/2008 Beads on the Vine I (day one), "A Well Kept Secret" Workshop

7/19/2008 Beads on the Vine I (day two)

7/20/2008 Beads on the Vine I (day three) "A Well Kept Secret" Necklace Workshop

7/25/2008 Beads on the Vine II (day one) "A Well Kept Secret" Necklace Workshop

7/26/2008 Beads on the Vine II (day two) "A Well Kept Secret" Necklace Workshop

7/27/2008 Beads on the Vine II (day three) "A Well Kept Secret" Necklace Workshop

_________________

And if you would like to enter a drawing to win a copy of:

Creating Crystal Jewelry with Swarovski by Laura McCabe

Send an Email to Craftside (AT) gmail.com with the subject "Crystal Jewelry"

Creating Crystal Jewelry with Swarovski by Laura McCabe

Creating Crystal Jewelry with Swarovski by Laura McCabe

Elegant, old-world jewelry with modern style.

Working with world-famous Swarovski crystal beads, author Laura McCabe creates luminous necklaces, earrings, pendants, and rings for beaders of every skill level. Laura provides complete step-by-step instruction for 20 projects (10 for beginners) -- and presents 45 more in a photo gallery of design variations, teaching readers how to vary colors and shapes to create custom effects.

All 65 designs are made with only three simple beadwork techniques: flat peyote stitch, tubular peyote stitch, and spiral rope.

Laura also provides a chapter on making decorative embellishments, such as bezels, picots, berry clusters, and branch fringe. The concise instructions are illustrated with easy-to-follow illustrations.

To get the Supplies for the designs check out the Just Let Me Bead Shop

A comprehensive list of every bead used in every project is listed here:
View the Book Appendix (PDF)

Beadwork artist Laura McCabe, of Stonington, Connecticut, exhibits and sells her jewelry throughout the world -- and to more than 2,000 international clients through her own website www.lauramccabejewelry.com. She regularly teaches workshops in the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom. She also participates in the Bead & Button Show, Beadwork International, and other large conferences and competitions.

Her work has appeared in Ornament magazine, Beadwork magazine, Lapidary Journal, and Bead & Button magazine. She is also one of the invited designers featured in Quarry’s Creative Cloth Doll Beading book by Patti Medaris Culea.

You can also find out more at www.JustLetMeBead.com

Happy beading with the best sparkly stuff!

I collect, therefore I make

Now which one comes first?

The crafting or the collecting?

I think I like the collecting just as much as the crafting.

And what is the best thing for a collector?

A warehouse sale!

Just in case you are either a collector, an altered artist, scrapbooker, paper transformer or especially a rubber stamper, I thought I'd let you know JudiKins is having their warehouse sale tomorrow!

DATES: January 19, 2008
STATE/CITY: CA Gardena
NAME: JudiKins Annual Factory Sale
PLACE: JudiKins Factory
TIMES: 9:00-2:00pm
ADD'L INFO: JudiKins Customer Service, 17803 S. Harvard Blvd., Gardena, CA, 90248 (310)515-1115, www.judikins.com

Have a great weekend collecting and transforming.

Susan Stein gettin' busy with the Silk Fusion

The only thing better than making crafts and working with scrumptious materials, is watching and learning new techniques by another talented artist. Here is a quick peek at Susan Stein, author of Fabric Art Workshop, working on a piece of silk fusion.

Silk fusion, also called silk paper, consists of silk fiber that has not been spun into yarn or thread. There is a great tutorial on how to work with this technique in the book.

And speaking of the book, if you would like to enter to win a free copy of "Fabric Art Workshop" send an email to Craftside (at) gmail.com with the subject line "Fabric Art Workshop"

We can thank her dutiful hubbie for snapping a few picts to share with you today.


Here she is starting her Journal Quilt for 2008. She teaches classes at her shop, Colorful Quilts and Textiles. Be sure to pop on over there if you are in the St Paul area. And don't forget to check back here to see her progress!

And just for a bit of desert in today's posting-a peek at "The Stash" hmmm fabric! How organized.

Singer Simple-Decorative Machine Stitching

This Singer Simple Series is really comprehensive. I do a lot of sewing and when I say a lot-I mean the sewing machine has been out on the table virtually permanently. (I don't have a specific room for crafting-I craft in every inch of my house!)

I sew and alter mostly clothing, but I do some home decor. Lately it has been seasonal items like holiday pillows and fun stuff for around the house. I like to switch out the cafe curtains above my sink a lot. I use those little rings with clips on the end so I don't even have to make a curtain rod pocket.






This technique from Decorative Machine Stitching (Available Feb 1) is so cool! By stitching and then tacking down a wrap of ribbon you create a french knot. I can really see how this could dress up both a garment or something around the house that needs a little zip added.















Click on Image to enlarge.


If you try this- send a picture along I would love to see!
And be sure to check back here again as I will be sharing some more of my favorite pages out of this series.

TNNA 2008 with Margaret Hubert

This years TNNA rocked!
I had the pleasure of meeting Margaret Hubert, lets just say, big fan! She is just about the most charming knitter I now can say I know! Her designs and talent are just amazing. I did get to hear some inside scoop about what she was working on for future books, and let me just say, I am totally excited about it! I can't say now but you will be too, whether you knit, crochet, or both!
















She was at TNNA signing books for her adoring fans.















This is from left to right, Linda Neubauer, acquisition editor for the CPi Lifestyles books, Margaret Hubert, Myra Wood, another amazing and talented knitwear designer, and me.

Note, we are all wearing some fabulous hand knits! To be honest, I'm not sure they let you in unless you are wearing something knitted or crocheted. Not really, but wouldn't that be funny?












And just to give you some more insite into TNNA if you never have been, one of the things that happens there is the yarn companies put out samples of their yarn and you can go through the wall and snip samples of each of them. There is a book provided that you then tape the samples into to keep track of what they are. I do love that they call it "The Great Wall of Yarn and Thread"

Angela Cartwright Book Signing at Barnes & Noble

So last night Angela Cartwright signed copies of her books- Mixed Emulsions and In This House at The Barnes & Noble at the Grove In Los Angeles. This is beautiful store. It reminded me of the old G. Fox departement store in Downtown Hartford, CT. When I was little I would go there with my grandmother and I just thought it was so cool. It had a mezzanine level. (I love the word mezzanine) Anyway the signing was on the second level.
















She talked to the crowed about her background growing up with a professional photographer for a dad and her love of photography.

I asked her what her favorite technique was and she talked about her love of Gesso and all the cool things you can do with it. I was also curious to know what her success vs. failure rate was for when she creates her art. She giggled and said that she rarely chucks anything away (to the chagrin of her husband) and frequently resurrects it and it becomes part of a new creation.














Here is a photo of Kelly Kilmer, a wonderful artist and contributor to In This House, Angela, and myself. It was really nice to meet her. I was with the Executive Producer, Cherryl Greene of The Scrapbook Lounge on CraftTVWeekly.com, who incidentally new Kelly from back when she owned a scrapbooking store. Kelly is a great teacher who shares her creativity all over!












Thanks Angela!

Crochet Butterfly from Plus Size Crochet

I am really into crochet details and Margaret Hubert's latest book- Plus Size Crochet is packed full of them.







The projects are made from a wide variety of fibers and stitches.


















This little butterfly is such a great detail that is a perfect to accent to virtually any project.


















Here is one I whipped up out of some beautiful Artyarns variegated yarn.












Butterfly:
Foundation: Ch15, Sl st to the first ch to form lp.
Ch 15, Sl st to same st as you joined first lp-you now have 2 ch-15 lps.
Ch 10, Sl st in same st as other lps are joined, ch 10, join in same st again-you now have 2 ch-15 lps and 2 ch-10 lps.

Next rnd: Working in first ch-15 lp, *work 5 sc, ch 4, 1 sc, ch 6, 1 sc, ch 8, 1 sc, ch 10, 1 sc, ch 8, 1sc, ch 6, 1 sc, ch 4, 5 sc. Working in second ch-15 lp, rep from * once.

Now working in next ch-10 lp, ** work 2 sc, ch 4, 1 sc, ch 6, 1 sc, ch 8, 1 sc, ch 6, 1 sc, ch 4, 2 sc, rep from ** in second ch-10 lp.
Sl st to first st to join. Fasten off, leaving 18 " tail of yarn for sewing.

Wrap yarn tail around center 2 times to form body of butterfly, tie a knot underneath body, use rem yarn to sew to poncho.

Enjoy this happy little butterfly winging it's way to you!

If you will be attending TNNA this weekend in Long Beach, Margaret will be signing copies Friday, January 11th at 2:00PM Royal (How-to) Booth.

Hunting in Nature or... in the Book Store

Two parts of the creative process are inspiration and the elements to work with.
Inspiration can come from a lot of places, one of the best is books on the subject you work in.

Check out Kelly Kilmer's Blog for a good story about her "hunt" for Mixed Media Nature Journals by L.K. Ludwig.
Whether you like to use images of nature or actual elements that you find in your projects this book is filled with tones of organic inspiration that is sure to tantalize your creativity.

And be sure to hop on over to L.K. Ludwig's Blog for more inspiration and a look into her creative world.








And just "rock " your world, here is one of my favorite bits of nature.
Hmmm, I wonder how I can work this into a journal????

What do you collect?

This is what is on my desk right now that I collect:

1.Anodized aluminum coasters -filled with:
2.Green buttons
3.Over-sized rings I've made from single earrings or buttons that I don't want to put away because I love looking at them.
4. A random assortment of beads I've collected for future jewelry projects. (We all know about how you "need" to collect for things you will someday make!)
5. A bunch of "inchies" and little 3-D folded black stars made from strips of paper.

Lynne Perrella's- Book Art Making, Collections & Obsessions


has inspired me to arrange and photograph some of my collections. It is packed full of the most amazing collections arranged and photographed beautifully. This book will be released next month for your savory pleasure. Enter to win a free copy by sending an email to Craftside (at) gmail.com with "Enter to win a copy of Art Making in the Subject"

A quote from the back cover:

"Art Making, Collections, and Obsessions is a visual confessional, an intimate exploration, and an inspiring celebration of stuff."

I would love to see what you all collect and how you arrange your collections!
Do you have to sneak your latest treasures into the house without your significant other seeing???

Take a picture and send it to Craftside (at) gmail.com with "My collection" in the subject line!
We'll post some of our faves here to share.

To see more of Lynne's work check out her web site:
www.LKPerrella.com

If your Lucky Enough to Be in Los Angeles on Thursday...

You can meet Author and Designer Angela Cartwright at a book signing at Barnes & Noble at the Grove at Farmers Market on Thursday January 10th at 7:30 PM.
189 Grove Drive Suite K30, Los Angeles, CA 90036


Angela's latest book Mixed Emulsions- Altered Art Techniques for Photographic Imagery showcases the many ways that photographic imagery can be manipulated by using an exciting array of traditional art materials and techniques.

It features over 75 unique effects that are showcased with before and after photographs.

If you are interested in altering your photos-this book will inspire and get your creative juices overflowing!
--------------------------------------------------------

Here is a "behind the scenes" shot of Angela making the magic happen!




















And with her art....



AC STUDIO
THE ART: http://www.acartwrightstudio.com
THE BLOG: http://acartwrightstudio.blogspot.com

THE NEW BOOK : MIXED EMULSIONS: Altered Art Techniques for Photographic Imagery
Order Through Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1592533698?tag=acartwrighstu-20&camp=211189&creative=373489&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=1592533698&adid=1MER4RCWH60841EE7H73&&link_code=as3

THE BOOK: IN THIS HOUSE: A Collection of Altered Art Imagery and Collage Techniques
Order Through Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1592533612?tag=acartwrighstu20&camp=15041&creative=373501&link_code=as3

THE QUALITY ART ZINE - PASTICCIO: http://stores.lulu.com/cartwrightandfishburn

THE LATEST EXHIBIT: SOUL DWELLINGS http://www.acartwrightstudio.com/souldwellings.htm
THE RUBBER STAMPS - THE UNRULY GIRLS CLUB:
http://www.stampington.com/html/clearlyimpressed_cartwright.html
THE ARTIST PAPERS:
http://stampington.com/html/somerset_artistpapers_ac.html
THE CAREER: http://www.angela-cartwright.com
THE YAHOO GROUP for altered art enthusiasts http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inthishouse

These Yarns Make My Head Spin!

Author and Designer Lexi Boeger AKA Pluckyfluff shown here holding one of her creations, has taken spinning yarn to a new level. Whether you spin your own yarn or just love to knit and crochet with beautiful fibers the yarns that her and her contributors come up with are simply amazing. Not only does she spin fabulous yarns, Lexi shares her passion teaching others how to make their own creations.















To enter to win a free copy of the soon to be released:
Intertwinded- The Art of Handspun Yarn, Modern Patterns, and Creative Spinning
Simple send an email to Craftside(AT)gmail.com