FaveCrafts

1000s of free craft projects, home decor ideas and DIY tips

Ask Maria: Candy Crafts = Bugs?

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Question:  Crafting with candy seems very popular lately. What keeps the candy from attracting bugs?

Answer: I think you are right that crafting with candy is very popular right now. Many “candy crafts” incorporate candy that remains in its original packaging, so that would not create a pest problem. But other crafts use candy out of its packaging, which could cause a problem. If the unpackaged candy is being used in a way where the candy is edible, it’s best to make it close to the time it will be used and wrap up or throw out any leftovers.

That brings us to the non-edible candy to be used in crafts that have a “life.” I use Kyrlon Crystal Clear Acrylic Coating spray found in art or painting supplies. I either spray several light coats on the finished project or will individually spray the candy pieces before I create the projects. I like using a spray over brushing on a sealer mainly because candy dyes aren’t color-fast and if you brush on sealer, often the colors will run.

You can find Krylon Crystal Clear spray on CutRateCrafts.com

Some fun candy projects on FaveCrafts.com:

How do you make sure you don’t end up with bugs eating your candy crafts? Please share your ideas in comments!

Ask Maria: Bye-Bye Printed Books, Hello Digital?

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Question:  Just recently, Encyclopedia Britannica announced it will no longer publish books, but go digital. Do you think art and craft books are headed in the same direction?

Answer:  Radio was supposed to die when television was introduced and yet we still have plenty of radio stations broadcasting. Radio adapted, found niches, but like most publishing/broadcasting companies has to struggle to continue to grow and bring in profits. We have seen many crafting magazines disappear off the newsstands over the last few years again; I’d make a bet that advertising revenue just didn’t make the magazines profitable. All that said, I think that those who crave more knowledge about art and craft are very tactile people who probably enjoy holding a book while they read and learn. I think the publishers will be like the radio folks–adapt, find their niches, and continue to publish books. Those who live green, like taking books on the go, and enjoy not having to give up craft supply space will enjoy digitally available titles. My only fear with digital is that those who don’t want to invest (pay for books) will use the digital format to pirate said books.

Check out some digital books on FaveCrafts.com!

Or maybe you’d like a traditional book?

What do you think? Please share your insight and opinions and leave a comment!

Ask Maria Ruffled Scarf Crazy

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Reader Question: I’ve seen some beautiful ruffled scarves lately and would love to make one, but not sure what kind of yarn is being used. Any help?

Answer: I have seen these scarves too and you are right–the scarves are fabulous, and amazingly easy to make. You’ll need what most are calling ruffling (also called frilly or twisty) yarn. There are many brands to choose from and at first look the yarn looks like flat ribbon, but when you loosen it up it folds out to look a lot like netting. I’ve listed below a pattern plus several how-to’s for knitting with this new and exciting yarn. My friends are raving about this fashion look and you’ll find the scarf a very quick project!

Try your hand at making a ruffled scarf with this wonderful project, Ruffelina Frilly Scarf by Michael Sellick from The Crochet Crowd.

Here are some step-by-step knitting instructions using Ruffelina yarn from Bernat.

Check out this great video showing how to create the ruffle style using the ruffling yarns.

 

Maria Nerius is the Craft Expert at FaveCrafts.com. She’s worked and crafted for over 30 years and loves to answer questions about any craft technique. Send us your question today!

 

 

Ask Maria: Combine Crochet and Knit with The Knook

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Reader Question: My friend said there is now a crochet hook that you can also knit with but I can’t find it anywhere. Have you heard of such a needle?

The FaveCrafts.com team is just back from attending the 2012 Winter CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) trade show and we did find the amazing tool you are talking about. It’s called The Knook from Leisure Arts, a company you may recognize for being a leader in needleart and craft books. We even got to try our hand at knitting with this crochet hook.  Ribbon is used as your “second” knitting needle while one end of The Knook is pointed end with a hole to thread your ribbon through.(there is a traditional hook at the other end) the ribbon stays  attached to this pointed end.  The idea behind The Knook is that you can combine crocheting and knitting within one project. Leisure Arts has several excellent videos demonstrating the technique and stitches.

You can purchase The Knook on CutRateCrafts.com

Starting tomorrow, AllFreeCrochet.com is giving away a Knook to one lucky winner!

Maria Nerius is the Craft Expert at FaveCrafts.com. She’s worked and crafted for over 30 years and loves to answer questions about any craft technique. Send us your question today!

Calling All Craft Professionals!

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Every so often, it’s time to make a change. You hit a certain point where you have to try something new or revamp what already exists in order to move forward. If you’re a planner like me, this can be a daunting prospect. But luckily, change can be a great way to expand what you already know and create something even better.

Creative Income, FaveCrafts’ newsletter for craft industry insiders and professionals, is getting a face-lift. We’re looking for new contributors that can write articles, make videos and serve as guest editors. In case you aren’t familiar with Creative Income, here are some facts you should know: It was started by Maria Nerius, FaveCrafts’ resident craft expert. Each week, we offer up a new topic for craft professionals who can help them get organized, learn more and, most importantly, increase revenue. We also offer important industry news, crafty projects and top trends.

Here are some craft business topics we’d love to learn more about (with your help, of course):

  • Selling Homemade Crafts
  • How to Start Your Business
  • How to Make Your Crafts Look Good Online
  • Navigating Copyright or Trademark Issues
  • Targeting Core Customers
  • Integrating Social Media
  • Earning Industry Accolades
  • Pricing
  • Time Management

These are just a tiny example of the topics you could write about. If you have personal experience in the craft industry, we’d love to learn from you!

The time has come to make your voice heard! Contact us if you’re ready to share your knowledge of the craft industry. We look forward to working with you!

Insider Industy News

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Welcome to the latest edition of  Insider Industry News! We’ve got exciting information on upcoming industry events you need to know about! Got a hot tip? Let us know!

  • Still confused about copyright laws? Visit the United States’ copyright law website to download information.
  • The first Wednesday of every month should be reserved for FaveCrafts Radio, a monthly radio show in which you’ll find exciting guests in all areas of creativity. If you are a designer, author, teacher, demonstrator or other industry professional, you should contact us to learn how to be a guest on this show. You can also listen to any show via podcast on iTunes!
  • Drew Emborsky, also known as The Crochet Dude, is having a Summer Boot Camp Tour. Check out the complete schedule. There will be workshops on the topics of granny squares, the ripple stitch, texture, crochet cables, the post stitch, and fabric crochet.

Want to learn more about the business of crafting, subscribe to the Creative Income Newsletter brought to you by Maria Nerius.

A Preview of FaveCrafts Radio June Episode

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FaveCrafts Radio is a monthly radio show hosted by Pat Sloan. Pat interviews your favorite craft experts and celebrities and they offer tips about and discuss some of their favorite projects on FaveCrafts.com. FaveCrafts Radio airs live on BlogTalkRadio on the first Wednesday afternoon of each month from 3 – 4:00 pm (ET) (2 pm Central, 1 pm Mountain, noon Pacific). Archived podcasts can be streamed directly from the website or downloaded for free through iTunes. Visit FaveCraftsRadio.com.

Tune in on June 1 at 3 pm Eastern Time (2 pm Central, 1 pm Mountain, 12 noon Pacific) for FaveCrafts Radio.

Learn more about this month’s guests:

Hilary Frye is focused on the creative process. Learn more about her mixed media endeavors on Wednesday’s radio show. Projects on FaveCrafts: Painted Fabric Beads and Tissue Knit Necklace. Hilary Frye’s blog: Fryestyle.blogspot.com.

Kathy Cano-Murillo, aka Crafty Chica, has transformed her love of art into an amazing career, with novels and craft books, a product line, and more. Her website, CraftyChica, covers all of her endeavors, and her blog, Diary of a Crafty Chica, will keep you up-to-date on what she’s working on now. As for her projects on FaveCrafts, check out Daisy de la Flora Inspired Purse Clutch, Fabric Heart Collage, Glittericious Mixed Media Address Book, and more. Tune in to hear what she’ll talk about: maybe her new book, Miss Scarlet’s School of Patternless Sewing.

Tammy Powley is a prolific author about jewelrymaking. She’s the About.com guide to Jewelrymaking and her latest book is The Complete Photo Guide to Jewelry Making. Tammy Powley recently shared some projects from her book with FaveCrafts.com: Geometric Gemstone and Pearl Knot Necklace and Shot Through the Heart Necklace. For more on Tammy Powley, visit The Crafty Princess Diaries.

Resident Craft Expert Maria Nerius is always up to something new. Learn all about her crafty endeavors, FaveCrafts 365 , her tips for designers and crafters running craft businesses, and more.

Brenda Pinnick is the queen of color! She’s an artist, illustrator, product designer and graphic designer. Among Brenda’s projects on FaveCrafts are videos, including Are you in a Color Rut?, Speaking of Color Values, and The Magic of Three Color Inspiration. Brenda’s website is sure to inspire, check out http://www.brendapinnick.com/.

So tune in!

FaveCrafts Radio Host Pat Sloan is a frequent contributor to FaveCrafts.com . She also has a website http://www.PatSloan.com, Blog – http://patsloan.typepad.com, Quilt Forum – http://www.quiltmashup.com, Facebook http://www.facebook.com/PatSloanQuiltFun and twitter http://twitter.com/QuilterPatSloan. In 1998 Pat took her 6 quilt patterns to Houston to Quilt Market and had her first booth to share her designs. From there she’s been published in all the quilt magazines, has over 20 books with Leisure Arts, and many fabric lines with P&B. Over the years, she’s taught around the country, hosted quilters cruises, and generally spread her joy of quilting to as many people as she can. All in all, Pat loves to motivate people to create. Pat also hosts American Patchwork & Quilting Radio with Pat Sloan.

http://www.favecrafts.com/Cool2Craft-Videos/Daisy-de-la-Flora-Inspired-Purse-Clutch

Insider Industry News 5/24

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Welcome to the latest edition of  Insider Industry News! We’ve got exciting information on upcoming industry events you need to know about! Got a hot tip? Let us know!

  • The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) is pleased to announce the creation of the CHA Exhibitor Success & ROI Center (ESRC), a new online resource center for trade show exhibitors in the craft and hobby industry. This free new program was created in conjunction with Competitive Edge, a leading trade show consultancy, to provide users with free tools and information on trade show-centric information.The ESRC offers exhibitors: pre-show education through the CHA Online Learning Center’s Webinar Wednesdays series, successful exhibiting article series by Jefferson Davis, president of Competitive Edge, research and reports from the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), tips  and tools for creating and running a successful and cost effective exhibit program and access to the CHA Exhibitor Update eNewsletter archive.
  • CHA is partnering with leading trade show producer TransWorld Exhibits to bring a new CHA Craft SuperShow Section to their Jewelry, Fashion & Accessories (JF&A) Show, which takes place in Rosemont, Ill. from July 21-24.
  • There’s still time to register for the Chantilly, VA and Arlington, TX Great American Scrapbook Conventions. This is a consumer event filled with scrapbooking and paper arts classes, products and more. For more information, go to the Great American Scrapbook site.

Want to learn more about the business of crafting, subscribe to the Creative Income Newsletter brought to you by Maria Nerius.

FaveCrafts 365 The Sights, The Sounds

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You don’t have to be on a tropical island to let what surrounds you inspire you!  Close your eyes once a day and take a mini vacation without leaving your home. Spend 5 minutes enjoying whatever your imagination can come up with! Maybe you’d like to be climbing a mountain, picking wild strawberries in a meadow of daisies, or watching the sunrise from the porch of your dream home. If we exercise our imagination we might not lose any weight, but we will be more creative. Enjoy my vision of a great daydream…


Here are some projects for your imagination:

Bobble Scarf and Hat done with a crochet hook

Pink Passion Earrings are so eye catching!

Beachy Scrapbook Page to keep the memory going

And here’s to you!

FaveCrafts 365 The Final Frontier… And all of that!

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I have watched every space shuttle launch from my backyard, but wanted to get a little closer now that we only have a few more shuttles launching! Watch this video to hear about my adventures at Jetty Park, the closest spot the public has access to watch a launch from the Space Center in Merritt Island, FL.

Are you a Trekkie? Into Sci-Fi (or SiFi!)? Do you remember the first words from the moon? Does science, the stars, or the future play a part in your creativity? Show us!

Crochet

Jewelry

Knitting

Paper

Sewing

Thrifty