Hi there,

I'm fascinated by the idea of making my own jewelry, and the classes and events for jewelry makers at the Creativ Festival certainly are appealing. Of course, it doesn't hurt that everything's so sparkly! Here's a quick peek at some of the things the festival organizers have lined up.

Learn about everything from basic fashion accessory design to making complicated crystal jewelry with classes from people like Nick Regine and Kim Paquette, representing Crystallized Swarovski Elements.

Designer Marilyn Gardiner will instruct classes on how to make several different bracelets, using a different chain-mail technique in each class. I think that some of these would make unique bases for charm bracelets!

In addition, Lisa Pavelka, a designer, author and polymer clay artist, will be offering workshops in working with beads and in working with resin, polymer clay and foils.

Finally, if you don't have time to take a full class, you can still stop by the Bead Boutique, where a variety of designers will be participating in Make 'n Take jewelry demonstrations. Above, the "Twisted Crystals" earrings by Laura Timmons.

There's still time to enter to win a set of Creativ Festival tickets and class passes, or a copy of Kata Golda's Hand-Stitched Felt. For your chance to win, leave a comment on the giveaway post telling me which prize you'd like. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 4; a winner will be posted on Monday, October 5.

Hi friends,

I've got a few random things to share today, so grab a handful of bits-n-bites and here we go!

• Ai at Granted Clothing (remember the David Suzuki sweater?) emailed me today to let me know they've launched a new website, and added to their collection. I love the Links Motif sweater and the Retro Hockey Toques. Actually, I'd take one of everything! See more from the collection.
• If you're thinking about tackling the Leaf Motif table crafts from our October issue, you might be wondering which felt is the best to use. Here's a handy guide to the difference between wool felt, wool-acrylic blend, and acrylic felt.
• I don't like to think about it, but mitten season isn't too far away. One of my favourite Canadian knitters has created a pattern for "flip-top" mitts and she's sharing it for free!
• I love these wonky patchwork stars. I'm envisioning tiny stuffed Christmas ornaments...
• ...speaking of wonky patchwork, I love these little houses. (Here, here, and – wow – more here.) Wouldn't a row of these blocks make a cute valence for your kitchen?
• Don't forget that I've got another set of Creativ Festival tickets, and a copy of Kata Golda's Hand-Stitched Felt, to give away this week. For your chance to win, leave a comment on the giveaway post telling me which prize you'd like. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 4; a winner will be posted on Monday, October 5.

That's all for now. Have a great night!

Hello again!

I'm here with details on this week's crafty giveaways, one for local readers and one for those of you who live outside of Ontario.

Once again, courtesy of the Creativ Festival, I am offering a pair of day passes and vouchers for two classes for the crafts and needlework festival, which will be held in Toronto the weekend of October 16-18. Between the vendors, the classes, the opportunities to mix and mingle with other crafters, this is a must-see event for local crafters. (Tomorrow I'll be sharing some information about the jewelry-making resources available at the festival.)

The second prize I'm offering this week is a copy of Kata Golda's Hand-Stitched Felt. This is a darling little book filled with projects that will have you searching out your needle and thread. There are little stuffies that would make perfect gifts for the children in your life, and bigger projects – for example, a messenger bag and a patchwork curtain – that would complement your own daily life in a certain amount of handmade style. Looking for a learn-to-sew project for a special co-crafter in your life? This might be the book to consult.

For your chance to win, leave a comment on this post telling me which prize you'd like. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 4; a winner will be posted on Monday, October 5.

Hi friends,

I hope that you all enjoyed your weekends and were able to get out and enjoy some nice autumn weather. Without further ado, I'm going to share the names of our two winners from Weekly Giveaway #21.

The lucky winner of the day passes and classes for the Creativ Festival is...

Congratulations, Gina! I'll be in touch shortly to let  you know how to claim your prize.

And the copy of Knitted Socks East and West goes to...

Congratulations, Denise! Keep an eye on your inbox for an email from me.

I've got another two giveaways coming up shortly, so stay tuned. As always, thanks to each and every one of you for reading Make+Do!

...20 of them, in fact, courtesy of the lovely people at STC Craft. Take a peek; you've got your choice of projects from a wide selection of their books.

(And if that's not incentive enough, have I mentioned that last weekend, I bound off my first gift for  Christmas 2009? Yes, it's true!)

Don't forget to enter for your chance to win a pair of tickets and class passes to the Creativ Festival (or to enter to win a copy of Knitted Socks East and West, if you live too far away to attend). Leave a comment on the contest post telling me which prize you'd like.

Have a great weekend, friends. See you back here on Monday for Post #100!

Hi friends,

Every once in a while, some tiny tidbit of news or a silly little fact shifts my crafty mind into overdrive. It's impossible to predict, but it usually results in a lot of fun, and that's exactly what happened yesterday when my coworker Lisa mentioned that today is National Punctuation Day.

Now, I know that getting excited about punctuation is probably something that only happens to copy editors, but I'm always happy to grab the first excuse for cupcakes and crafting that comes along! In addition to baking some treats, I decided to make some simple crafts to help my department celebrate Punctuation Day in style.

First up, punctuation pins. I couldn't find a button-maker at my local art-supply store, but I did find a sheet of clear plastic self-adhesive bubble stickers in the scrapbooking aisle ($2.10). In the jewelry-making aisle, I found a package of pin backs ($1.75). At home, I experimented with different fonts and sizes of the most common punctuation marks until I found a look I liked, then I printed them on cardstock. I stuck the stickers over each mark, then cut around them. Finally, I glued on the pin backs. Easy!

I had half the package of stickers left over, so I decided to make some fancy paper clips, too. Following the same procedure as for the pins, I created a punctuation collage, this time printing on yellow card stock. I had some fancy paper clips stashed away; a little bit of gorilla glue and they were all punctuated up.

Next, I thought it would be fun to make little punctuation keychains. I'd found a sheet of plastic needlepoint grid ($1.80), a package of needles ($1.10), and a handful of embroidery floss (5 for $2) at Mary Maxim, and I bought a package of cellphone charm chains at the art store ($2.50). I printed the punctuation marks out at 144-point size, then placed the grid over the paper and traced the shapes with a Sharpie. I threaded my needle with a double-thickness of embroidery floss and got to work...and phew! needlepoint takes longer than I remembered! (That keychain is just 1.5" by 2" – and took me almost an hour.) By that point it was almost 11 pm (!), so in the end, I made up little craft kits instead.

Put it all together and what did I get? A little treat bag that brought big smiles to the faces of my fellow copy editors! (And all for less than $12!) I think that with a little adaptation, these would be great things to make as party favours, or on a rainy afternoon with your kids.

Happy National Punctuation Day to you!

Hi there,

It's been a crazy day here today – I spent the morning as a hand model for an upcoming craft story (more about that later!), and now I'm up-to-my-eyeballs in food stories for our much-anticipated Christmas issue that need to be copy-edited. Sadly, that means I don't have much time for blogging today. I've got high hopes for tomorrow, though...

...in the meantime, check out this neat animation showing how a sewing machine works. I've always wondered what was going on beneath the throat plate. (Via make something.

And don't forget to enter for your chance to win a pair of tickets and class passes to the festival (or to enter to win a book, if you live too far away to attend). Leave a comment on the contest post telling me which prize you'd like.

Hi friends,

As promised, here's a sneak peek at some of the excitement the Creativ Festival holds for quilters, courtesy of Rita Gramsch, producer of the festival.

Things to See

There are more than 260 blocks in the Quilt of Belonging.

The Festival showcases the work of several fibre artists, including award-winning quilt exhibits from Lenore Crawford and Elizabeth Dillinger, as well asthe not-to-be-missed Quilt of Belonging (seen above), a collaborative textile work that portrays the rich cultural legacies of all the First Peoples in Canada and every nation of the world.

Things to Do
Colour and design workshops for quilters are plentiful. Enjoy quilting cool diamonds with fibre artist Kaffe Fassett (England), knitting persian poppies with Brandon Mably (England), creating fabric art with Lenore Crawford (Michigan) and turn fibre rovings into works of art with designers Norm and Gio Gaudet. Thread paint with Elizabeth Dillinger, make memory quilts with Jean Boyd or create stained glass quilts with Susan Purney Mark. If you’re a beginner quilter, make a Kaffe Fassett fabric pillow with Hyggeligt.

People to Learn From
Kaffe Fassett
This incredibly talented artist, visiting from London, England, is renowned world-wide for his colour work. He shares his vision and inspiration in frequent lecture tours, exhibitions and television appearances. He is the author of more than 12 books including Passionate Patchwork and Kaffe Knits Again.

Lenore Crawford won the 2007 AQS 'Best Wall Quilt' award in Nashville, Tennessee. Her new style of art quilting inspires others to reach outside their normal style. Lenore was the hit of our spring show and an absolute must to experience this fall.

Elizabeth Dillinger is an award-winning quilter and a rising international star. Winner of Viewers Choice for 2009 Canadian Nationals and 2nd place Award of Excellence, her work is on display in the Netherlands, featured in magazines and on TV, including Quilters TV.

For your chance to a pair of tickets and class passes to the festival (or to enter to win a book, if you live too far away to attend), leave a comment on the contest post telling me which prize you'd like.

Hello again,

This week, I'm happy to be offering two prizes. 

The first comes to us courtesy of the Creativ Festival: another pair of day passes and vouchers for two classes for the crafts and needlework festival, which will be held in Toronto the weekend of October 16-18. Between the vendors, the classes, the opportunities to mix and mingle with other crafters, this is a great place to stock up on inspiration in the run-up to the Christmas season. (Check in tomorrow to see some information about the quilting aspect of the festival!)

The second prize, which I'm offering to Make+Do readers who live too far from Toronto to travel in for the show, is a copy of this beautiful book, "Knitted Socks East and West." Inspired by a host of Japanese influences, you'll find all sorts of socks in this book, and I guarantee that they'll challenge both your knitting skills and your conception of what a sock really is. I've spent a couple lunch hours poring over this book – it's beautiful!

For your chance to win, leave a comment on this post telling me which prize you'd like. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, September 27; a winner will be posted on Monday, September 28.

Good luck!

Hi friends,

Thank you for the great response to last week's giveaway. I'm pleased to announce that the winner of the pair of tickets and class passes is...

Karen Jeffries! Congratulations, Karen, and I'll be in touch shortly with prize details. Or, contact me directly to claim your prize.

Stay tuned for this week's giveaways – that's right, there are two this week. I've got another set of passes and classes for the Creativ Festival, and for those of you in the rest of Canada, a beautiful book that I think you'll love. Details to follow very soon.