This is something I’ve struggled with ever since I started blogging 4 years ago. Photography. It’s not my strong suit. There are a lot of things that I latch on to and naturally pick up. It clicks. I get it. It’s easy. Photography is not one of those things. We […]
round up
Happy Easter!
I wanted to post a Easter related something or other, but I didn’t want to post what I had done before, so I searched the word “Easter” on Craft Leftovers. A few really great posts popped up and so I decided to take you on a little archive tour. Here is […]
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.
thrift kitchen
Thrift Kitchen: Cinnamon Ginger Chicken
We’ve been having curried chicken quite a lot and I just wasn’t feeling that with the green peppers. Hmm… hmmmmmmmm. I started with soy sauce and started adding spices. It was absolutely delicious! Jason gave it 2 thumbs up.
book review
Book Review: the Handmade Marketplace
I’m having a hard time finishing this book because about every other paragraph I’m compelled to run off and jot something down. Committing to my idea list inspired ideas that keep raising to the surface. I love this book, it’s so inspiring. So what is it all about?
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) […]
thrift kitchen
Thrift Kitchen: Dressing Dress Up
Last week while eating a tasty greek salad at Panera, I thought, “I should enjoy tasty salads more often.” Then I wondered, “Why don’t my salads taste this tasty?” Dressing! That’s the difference. Seriously, it’s that easy to take a salad from “meh” to “delicious!” Dressing is pretty expensive though. What’s […]
wardrobe redress
Wardrobe ReDress: Favorite Jeans on the Mend
It’s always so funny how long things sit in the mending pile before I get to them. Then once I do, I think “Why in the world did I not just get that done!?” Most of the time, mending is a quick and easy and extends the life of clothing […]
patterns & tutorials
ReRelease: H2O Slinger Duo
It’s getting warm. I’m thinking about riding my bike. When I went to scramble up all my bike gear, I realized that it’s about time I refresh the design and wording of one of the original Craft Leftovers Patterns. It’s still pretty much a jpeg, one of the last of […]
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. […]
crochet - feature - patterns & tutorials
Free Pattern: Particularly Pink Crochet Dishcloth
I had so much fun crocheting up this little dishcloth. I was looking for something to brighten up the dull chore of washing the dishes. I had quite a few little bits of orange, blue and white. And a whole lot of pink and gray. I love the way it […]
thrift kitchen
Thrift Kitchen: It’s a wrap!
My favorite way to reinvent leftovers is to literally wrap it up. We always have flour tortillas on hand for this very reason. Add to the torilla a little hummus or dijon mustard or dash of olive oil + some mixed greens or chopped spinach + your favorite cheese (feta, […]
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 […]