Today, March 1st begins National Craft Month. It is my goal to celebrate this month by posting here daily for the entire month (including weekends). My hope is to share with you some of the artwork I have been doing, some of my favourite artsy-craftsy links, and to provide some tutorials for making your own artwork.
Let’s kick things off with a few links to some of my favourite craft networking groups on the web. Since 2010 began, I have been finding and participating in some of these groups and I can’t tell you how much of an inspiration they are for me. I don’t know a lot of other artists and crafters around here and I find that to be something lacking in my creative life. That connection with others who share your love of creativity can be so invigorating and motivational.
Craftsocial – http://craftsocial.net/ This is a group of crafters who meet once a month on Twitter to discuss, well, crafts! This past month we were sharing our craft fails and UFO’s (UnFinished Objects). It was fun to see that there are others out there who don’t always make perfect items every time but it was also became a bit of a brainstorming session where we shared ideas for people to take some of those fails and turn them into successes. (Of course there were others where all we could do was laugh along at the direction they had taken!) Many also became motivated with new ideas for getting back to their UFO’s and completing them. It’s always a time for learning and sharing and laughter!
Fave Crafts Radio – http://www.blogtalkradio.com/favecrafts
http://www.facebook.com/FaveCraftsRadio?ref=ts (Facebook Fan Page)
(This was previously the Inspired at Home radio show but they have now teamed up with Fave Crafts http://www.favecrafts.com/# )
Every Sunday night at 7 pm (Eastern) a wonderful radio show all about crafts takes place and you can join in right on your computer! The show is hosted by Tiffany Windsor. If you know much about the crafting world, you’ll recognize that name as the daughter of the famous Aleene (yes THAT Aleene…of Tacky Glue fame) and if you’re as old as I am, you’ll remember Tiffany from Aleene’s Creative Living TV show. Tiffany is joined by a variety of guests to discuss crafts, creative living, trends and products in the crafting world. Since I have been attending this show, her guests have included her sisters Heidi Borchers (aka EcoHeidi – http://ecoheidi.wordpress.com/) and Candace Liccione, her mother Aleene, Maria Nerius, Suzanne MacNeill, Mark Montano, and many more! Tiffany interviews her guests and then near the end of the program there is a round-table discussion in which anyone can phone in to ask questions. In addition, there is a chatroom where participants can chat throughout the show – sharing ideas, asking questions, and enjoying some comraderie! There are often giveaways at the show too! Can’t make it to the show at that time? No problem! The shows are recorded and archived so you can go back and listen to the episodes you miss.
Inspired at Home Pajama Party Live – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Inspired-at-Home-Pajama-Party-LIVE/176252022701?ref=ts
http://www.inspiredathome.com/
Another one of Tiffany Windsor’s ventures is the Inspired at Home Live Pajama Party on Wednesday nights at 10 pm (Eastern). This is such fun! Crafters, whether they be beginners or professionals, attend and share their creations with each other via webcam and microphone. Of course, if you don’t have a cam or mike, you are still welcome to attend and view what’s happening. As with the radio show, there is a chatroom where you can discuss the ideas being shared and ask your questions. And just like with the radio show, the group is very friendly and welcoming. Afraid you don’t have the techie know-how to take part? Not to worry! This group will coax and guide you through it all. The Pajama Party is hosted by Craft Concierge Maria Nerius (http://craftconcierge.wordpress.com/) who always keeps things fun (think feather boas and silly hats!) and Lisa Fulmer of C & T Publishing (http://www.ctpub.com/) is usually on hand with a wonderful giveaway. Some of the guests who appear on the radio show join in on the Pajama Party too and share their creative works as well but it’s open for all of us. Once again, if you can’t attend (oh but I urge you to do so if possible – I get so many great ideas here and you can ask your questions right on the spot!), the shows are taped and archived for later viewing.
Cool2Craft – http://www.facebook.com/Cool2Craft?ref=ts
http://cool2craft.wordpress.com/
And yet one more of Tiffany Windsor’s newest ventures! Every Monday at noon (Eastern) is the Cool2Craft live interactive webtv show. Tiffany invites guests to share and demonstrate a crafting project for us and then we are given the opportunity to ask questions. We can ask questions on webcam or through the chatroom (same idea as the previous two). Today was the first show and it was fabulous. Heidi Borchers (http://ecoheidi.wordpress.com) demonstrated how to make jewellery out of the bottoms of water bottles, Ann Butler (http://www.creativitystirsthesoul.com/) showed us how to make a clay postcard, Kathy Cano-Murillo (the Crafty Chica – http://craftychica.com/) told us about her new novel Waking Up in the Land of Glitter, and Linda Molden Peterson (http://friendlyplastic.blogspot.com/) showed us how to make a lovely pendant using Friendly Plastic. Once again, if you can’t make it for the live show or if you want to review the techniques that were shown, it is taped and archived for later viewing.
Leave a Reply