I spent 4 months of planning, stressing, getting things approved, talking to the right people, researching, and drawing. Last Saturday was the kick off of the largest project I have ever executed in my life: a 12’x80′ mural! This project is large in it’s physical size, but also in the […]
clm - journal - vol2
Summer Craft Leftovers Monthly
The summer is finally here! And so is the summer issue of Craft Leftovers Monthly. This fun May/June combo issue is now available for pre-sale in the shop and will be shipped out May 10th, 2010. Why pre-order? Well, because you get a special discounted price. Pick up the Summer […]
fabric - journal - nosew
April Stash Bust: Fabric Scraps Meet Button Kits!
Those last little scraps of fabric are always the hardest to use up. I’m always looking for more ways to use them up. Well I think I just found my favorite way! Buttons! Fabric covered buttons in fact.
journal - redress
Studio Redress: Drawer Divider
Look at that mess. Sure it’s not horrible. At least it’s all in one drawer. But it could be a whole lot better and my friend Aimee got it into her head to set things straight. And check this out, organized! And I found out I have a bunch of neat stuff that has not made its way into the shop.
journal
Stash Busting for Your Mother + A Great Deal!
Mother Nature that is! After working with my Craft Leftovers for the last 4 years, I have found that stash busting is a two part process. Part 1: Use your stash/leftovers BEFORE going to the store. Part 2: Buy only what you need. Or even more simply put: Buy less! What […]
journal
Site Updates and Changes
Hi all, I didn’t want to take up a regular post to share this, but I think it’s pretty good info to know about. I know a lot of you are on the rss feed and don’t always stop by the site. I wanted to make sure that this got […]
journal
Converting a kiddo bike trailer
Last year I decided that it was much more affordable to purchase a kiddo bike trailer than a flat bed. I’ve used it pretty regularly to haul things from here to there. Going to the grocery store, workshops, the office. It’s served me really well. This year I thought it […]
journal - knitting - patterns & tutorials
Free Yarn Stash Pattern: Knit Honey Bunny
This sweet little bunny was first published in the spring of 2008. It’s a unique construction because the base of the little hopper is knit like a heel flap. The first time I made him, I used some vintage acrylic and the last few times I used leftover cotton. You can use just about any worsted weight yarn for this project. I’ve even seen people use faux fur with some pretty fun results.
journal
Community Stash Busting
The April Stash Bust is pretty dear to my heart. In fact, Craft Leftovers is pretty much the April Stash Bust year round. If you’ve jumped over to the “about” page it reads: “I am driven to create, but not to create more waste. From the studio to the kitchen, […]
journal
April Stash Bust!
I was absolutely delighted when Heather of Dollar Store Crafts invited me to help celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in a grand fashion true to my Craft Leftovers heart Instead of buying new, we are pledging to make April a Craft Destash Month! We can make a big impact if we work together – to help the earth, help our home storage situation, and help our wallets.
journal
Good news and Bad News
I’ll tell you the good news first, which there is quite a bit. 1. Ames C.art has its first large scale public art project and it’s getting underway. We are designing, planning, coordinating and fundraising for it. There are many great people working with me on this project, but as […]
journal - thrift kitchen
Thrift Kitchen: Getting a Grip on Grains
Grains are one of the best ways to add interest to your cooking and save money all in one fell swoop. Here are my three favorites and how I use them.
journal - wardrobe redress
Wardrobe Redress: One shirt, two ways
Hi there, it’s Karen again! A few weeks ago, Kristin let me share a few of my attempts to “fancy up” my wardrobe. This week I have two more projects to write about. Last time, I wrote about my two tactics: embellishment and reconstruction. I thought it might be interesting […]
journal - redress
Getting Organized: Yarn Scrap Explosion!
Yikes! Look at that pile of tangled up mess. I have a bin that’s specifically for leftover yarn and over the last few months I’ve been slipping a little bit of this and that in and out of it. When I went to find a particular ball of yarn a […]
clm - journal - vol2
April Craft Leftovers Monthly!
March and all its dreary weather has flown by with the help of some plushy goodness. Now April is just around the corner and Craft Leftovers Monthly is here to help usher in the spring season! :: Bike riding :: Basket making is the prominent theme (recycled paper and reed weaving projects) […]
journal - thrift kitchen
Thrift Kitchen: Sneaking in the Veggies
{spaghetti with ground turkey and pureed zucchini} Jason is pretty picky about his veggies–not too chunky, not too soft, not too uncooked. Bah. What a pain. When I make spaghetti, I love to fill it with veggies so it’s a nice hearty meal. But if I do, then he won’t […]
book review - journal
Making Sense out of the Creative Process: Make and Meaning
The meaning of making is always an issue for those of us who create…who make. That sentence feels like a circle. When you choose to forge your career out of making things, you make a lot. And personally, there are a lot of questions that come up during that process. […]
journal
Paint Play = New Leftover Discovery!
Sometimes taking the day off is the best way to refresh and get new ideas. “Well yeah,” you are saying. Like everything else in life, easier said than done. Yesterday I came to the point where I had to decide between going to my painting class or writing a post. […]
journal
Making Junk Mail, well, Into Not Junk!
I’ve always been frustrated by the massive amounts of junk mail I receive each week. Hey, I’m trying my best to do my part to keep the earth full of trees and green and happy. Well, once it’s in my house I sure don’t want to just send it to […]