Posts Tagged ‘crafts’

This weekend, inspired by my friend Sherrie, I tried something new – making candles. It's something I've wanted to try for a long time, and I'm so happy I finally did.

Materials: recycled jam jars, bamboo skewers, candle wicking and the metal tabs you use to anchor the wick, and a giant block of beeswax. I got mine at the farmer's market, but you can actually get it at the health food or art supply store, too. I got the wicking and the tabs at the art supply store, for about $5.

I melted the wax in a stainless steel bowl (thank you, Value Village!) over simmering water. It took some time.

Meanwhile, I set up the jars. It's pretty straightforward. I used melted wax from another candle to anchor the wicks in the bottom of the jars, and wrapped the wicks around the bamboo skewers to keep them straight.

Checking in on the beeswax...

Ready to pour! I covered my work surface with parchment paper just to keep things clean. I used a 1/2 cup ladle that I had lying around (where do these things come from?) to pour the wax because I thought it might keep things a bit tidier.

Here goes...

The wax started to cool almost immediately. It took another six hours or so for them to harden completely.

Ta-da! That giant block of beeswax yielded three candles – and made my house smell amazing for the rest of the day. I can't wait to try them out.

I think these would make a great gift, and provided you're doing all the work with the hot wax, it would be a fun project to do with your kids, too. They could help cut and tie the wicks, supervise the pouring, and create special labels for the candles. Maybe as a Valentine's Day present for someone special?

(If this has piqued your interest, here's lots more info on making candles.)

UPDATE: This contest is now closed.

It's been a resolution-filled week over here at the Craft Blog. Tina's requesting a do-over, Lisa's making a date, and as for me, I'll be dusting off the sewing machine this weekend.

Did you make any crafty resolutions for 2012? We'd love to hear about them. Share your plans and to-do lists (or even your not-to-do lists!) on this post for a chance to win this lovely book:

For your chance to win, leave one comment on this post by 11:59 p.m., Monday, January 9, 2012, telling us your crafty resolution for 2012.  I'll randomly select and announce the winner on Tuesday, January 10. Good luck!

There's a moment in life when you realize you're closing in on your middle years. And my moment has come. I've recently realized that my arms are not, in fact, getting shorter, but that I need...are you ready for it? Bifocals. Ugh.

But since I'm a champ at denial, I'm not planning on getting any right away. But that still leaves me with a dilemma: how do I manage all the popping on and off of my glasses that needs to happen when I'm sewing, reading or working on something close-up?

Now, stay with me. The eyeglass chain, or lanyard, gets a bad rap. True, it's very Marion the Librarian, but it's a handy little apparatus. Here's how to make a cute beaded one. (P.S., They make a great gift for Grandma while you're at it.)

The 15-Minute Eyeglass Chain

Supplies

• Beading wire, thickness dependent on size of beads
• Elastic eyeglass holder ends
• Crimp beads and assorted decorative beads
• Needle-nose pliers, and wire cutters or heavy scissors

Directions

1. Cut a piece of wire to the desired length to allow glasses to hang down around your neck, adding about 8 inches for insurance. Thread one end through two crimp beads, then through one of the elastic eyeglass holder ends.

Step 1

2. Thread short end back through both crimp beads. Pull wire gently to tighten crimp beads close to eyeglass holder end, leaving about a 1-inch tail. Using needle-nose pliers, crush crimp beads well to secure wire.

Step 2

3. Thread decorative beads in desired pattern onto wire, making sure beads cover both strands near the crushed crimp beads. Bead until chain is desired length, leaving at least a 4-inch tail uncovered.

Step 3

4. Thread end through 2 crimp beads, then elastic eyeglass holder end, as in Step 1. Thread end back through about 1 inch worth of the strung beads, then pull to remove gaps between beads and tighten against crimp beads. Crush crimp beads with pliers.

Step 4

5. Snug scissors or wire cutters up against beads over wire tail. Cut off wire, making sure cut wire end tucks under beads.

Step 5

The result, attached to my glasses

Now before you ask me to model this, let me stop you right there. I'm not going to be wearing this little number to the grocery store or work anytime soon. I'm afraid this will have to be my little secret. Until those bifocals come in....

Hi friends,

December's just a week away – do you know where your Advent calendar is? I unpacked mine on the weekend. No, I don't have kids, and no, I know that the saying isn't "A chocolate a day keeps the doctor away," but still. There's something about seeing those little brown paper stockings hung up with care (and filled with candy) that helps me get in the holiday spirit.

Photography by Ryan Brook/Transcontinental Interactive, for Canadian Living Magazine

Whether you're looking to create something quick and easy, like the cute Christmas elves (above) from our December issue,  or to make a future family heirloom, I've rounded up some great ideas for Advent calendars. Here you go!

• Cute scrapbooking supplies come together for this whimsical tiny tins calendar to fill with treats.
• Speaking of cute, pull out those old baby socks to make this stocking calendar.
• A roll of parchment paper, a spool of red thread, and a handful of prizes go into this straightforward (and stylish) hanging pocket calendar.
• Quick printables, two dozen paper clips and a box of small manilla envelopes are all you need for this bible story Advent calendar. I like any project that involves a trip to the office supply store.
• This activity-oriented wooden spool Advent calendar is cute and I love the idea of using it as a tree garland. Crafty!

Have you got a great Advent calendar idea to share? I'd love to read about it in the comments!

Just popping in for a quick hello in the midst of a crazy week.

November is always a time of fevered work around my house. There are the usual work responsibilities (books, books and more books are in the works), plus family birthdays and so on. Then there are the craft responsibilities. And this year is no different.

Once again, I'm in the trenches of quilting the Christmas craft fair quilt for my mom. The top is almost halfway done, and I found the perfect binding fabric last week at one of my favourite local quilt shops, Quilter's Cupboard. Just in time to finish up, pack up and head over to Fed Ex for last-minute delivery to the raffle ladies.

Is anyone else working on Christmas craft fair goodies? Any good projects to share? I'd love to see what you're working on.

Back to the workshop!

Hi friends,

Happy Friday! My goodness, I've had a crafty week.

I spent a good part of Wednesday working on all things black and orange. If you're in the Toronto area, why not tune in to Breakfast Television on Tuesday morning to get a dose of Halloween inspiration? They'll be filming the Live Eye right here in the Canadian Living Test Kitchen (exciting!) and we'll be on hand with great ideas for spooky food, crafts and jack-o'-lanterns.

Yesterday I took a leap forward in time to Christmas, and spent my afternoon surrounded by red and green. I'll be presenting – twice! – at the upcoming Seasons show and it's time to get my samples ready. If you're in the area and want to learn how to make a cute Christmas ornament, or want to get some great ideas for packaging gifts from your kitchen, I hope you'll stop by.

Knitting! I took pity on myself and blocked the first little bit of the shawl I'm making. Now I've got a much better idea of how much (and how fast!) I have to knit in order to finish on time. And a way of justifying buying those blocking wires I've been dreaming about.

And now, some links, in case you've got some free time for reading or crafting (or both):

• How to sew leather elbow patches on your sweater.
• Knit a sweater for a sad penguin. They're surprisingly stylish birds. (Thanks to Beth and Miriam for sending me these links!)
• Wearing a DIY spider fascinator seems like a good way to participate in the workplace costume contest without having to ride the subway in a toga. (via The Hairpin)
• Under "why didn't I think of that?": make your own shower cap. And it's way, way nicer than the free ones you get in a hotel room.
• How to fold origami bats. These would be a nice seasonal addition to my paper crane and boat folding skills.

All right: only five more hours until Friday night nacho time begins. Have a great weekend!

Hi friends,

Just popping in to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving weekend. I wish you three days filled with good weather, good food, and good times with your family and friends (and maybe a little time for some crafting).

If you've got little hands to occupy this weekend, why not try out one (or both) of our Thanksgiving-themed kids' crafts from the magazine this month? The Thankful Hands place markers or Turkey Time place card holders are cute, fun and easy to make – just the thing to keep the kids busy while you're putting the final touches on the big holiday feast.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend, and thank you for reading The Craft Blog. We're so happy that you're here!

After last Christmas's usual gift-buying excesses, I made a firm resolution: I would go the entire year without buying a single present. I would use up all the craft supplies I had squirreled away, learn new artistic skills, and save money while creating heirloom gifts that would be cherished for years. Couldn't be that difficult, could it?

If I was only making gifts for my mom, grandma, and other female friends and family, it'd be a cinch. I crafted aprons for Mother's Day (using the fantastic collection of patterns in The Perfect Apron by Robert Merrett); made a coin purse for a friend after learning how at the Workroom's Snap Coin Purse class; and machine-hemmed some fabric napkins for a last-minute birthday party invite.

But I have come to the conclusion that men and crafts just don't mix. I can't think of anything that would be appropriate for either my stepdad or my brother. For Valentine's Day, my husband was the recipient of one of my latest felt creations, this heart-bearing robot. He said he liked it, but then again, he had to!

Father's Day is just a few weeks away, and I'm not sure how my husband will feel about a frilly apron or pretty coin purse (even though they're both handy things to have). In years past I've sewn him a handmade tie, which he's never worn, and made him some quick rolled-hem handkerchiefs, but I'm plum out of ideas. Have you made any guy-friendly gifts that went over really well?

You know what drives my frugal soul nuts? Tossing soap slivers in the garbage. I know that sounds a little (a lot?) obsessive, but I think my Depression-era grandparents were right about not wasting things. Why buy something new when you still have something useful?

Coincidentally, there’s a pile of sad old washcloths in my linen cupboard. The edges are frayed or the dobby has disintegrated, and they’re just not looking so fresh anymore.

So what's a frugal girl to do with these two seemingly useless objects? Make a soap sliver scrubber, of course.  Here’s how:

Supplies

• Old washcloth
• Matching or contrasting thread, as desired
• Pins and large safety pin
• Ribbon or cord
• Assorted soap slivers

Instructions

1. Fold washcloth in half. Turn so long folded edge is facing you. Fold left edge down twice to make drawstring channel and enclose raw edge. Place pin in washcloth where drawstring channel ends.

2. Unfold drawstring channel. Pin down side and around bottom of washcloth below marker pin.

3. Starting at marker pin, sew around edge, backstitching at beginning and end to lock in stitches. I used about a 3/8-inch seam allowance and a fairly short stitch length on my machine. But this is not a fussy measurement, for sure.

4. If you like, curve the end of the seam on the squared corner to mimic the curved corner. Trim off excess.

5. To make drawstring channel, fold in edge (just above end of seam) slightly to enclose raw edge, then double-fold as you did the beginning. You may need to fiddle a little to get the channel to lie flat all the way from front to back. Pin in strategic places to hold in place. Edgestitch all the way around the bottom of the fold, backstitching at beginning and end to lock in stitches and reinforce.

6. Turn bag right side out. Tie knot in one end of ribbon. Stick safety pin though knot (I figured the knot part out the hard way after I took the picture below). Thread ribbon through drawstring channel.

7. Toss some soap slivers in the bag and pull the drawstring. Tie a knot and hang it up in the shower,

You're ready to lather up. And when the bag gets icky, just empty out the soap slivers and toss the bag in the wash. It couldn't be easier.

Happy scrubbing!

Thank you all so much for all your excellent pattern suggestions for using up my yarn stash. I can't believe how many fun ideas you posted. Now I have a buffet of options to choose from. I took a few minutes to look up some of the links you suggested and thought I'd share them here.

• Jan suggested I try a well-loved Canadian Living pattern for tiny knitted dolls. It's a great idea for using up a pile of small yarn scraps. Plus, you can customize each doll for the recipient.
• Deb suggested I try out Shelly Kang's sock-yarn blanket. I love the Kaffe Fassett look of the squares in this throw.
• Deb also suggested a Log Cabin tree skirt from Sally Melville's Warm Knits, Cool Gifts. I love Log Cabin anything, so I'll have to get the book. Or maybe craft a bunch of Log Cabin squares I can make into all sorts of things – totes, throws, etc.
• LouLou suggested a modern version of the crocheted granny square. Isn't it cool how the finished product looks a little like stained glass?
• GiGi was a champ – she posted several links. One was Soule Mama's no-pattern stash-busting blanket and another was Posie Gets Cozy's ripple afghan. I'm a huge fan of both Amanda and Alicia, so I'm very happy to see them in this list. If I ever learn to crochet, The Ripple is a must.
• GiGi also included links to a cool vertical striped afghan and a wicked stripy scarf.

I'm having a crazy-busy week, but I have managed to get just a touch of sewing time in. I finished my sashiko mail holder. Hurray for finished objects (at last)!