Craftster.org
Foodie Friday: Tomato Avocado Mozzarella Salad
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This salad is a refreshing combination of tomato, avocado, mozzarella and more. Trekky was looking for a tasty way to use avocado and I think she definitely discovered it!
This salad looks perfect for a hot summer evening with dinner on the patio. Get creative and try other ingredient combinations including cucumber, feta and lentils. Enjoy! |
To see this Tomato Mozzarella Salad project on Craftster click here.
To see related projects on Craftster click the Salad tag here.
Sketchbook Scholarship Giveaway for Friends of Craftster!
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Check out this great scholarship giveaway for Friends of Craftster!
We have several members excitedly participating in art house co-op’s Sketchbook Project. We have over 25 members who are currently signed up and sharing their ideas in the Sketchbook Project Craftalong. Are you a Friend of Craftster who would like to participate? If so, then this is your lucky day! Shane from art house co-op has generously offered us two sketchbook scholarships for FOCs! All you have to do is post on the thread with your name and the theme you would choose if you are one of the lucky winners. All of the details can be found here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=355188.0 Isn’t it great to be a FOC? If you’re not a Friend of Craftster, but would like to become one, click here. |
Gamer Wednesday: Rockband Shirts
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FOC member madpimp entered a Rockband competition with her husband and two friends. For some strange reason they doubted their mad skills (heck out that high score! Geez!) and decided to make costumes to enter the costume portion of the contest! They used freezer paper stencils to recreate the instrument icon that corresponded to what they were playing. Awesome! You can see the full thread here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=288980.0
You can see more great crafts by viewing the Rock Band tag. |
Mr X Stitch Presents: The Cutting (& Stitching) Edge – Jimmy McBride
Welcome to the Cutting (& Stitching) Edge! I’m Mr X Stitch and I’ll be your guide to the best in contemporary embroidery. Each week I’ll showcase someone who is rocking the world of embroidery and textiles.
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Jimmy McBride is a quilting artist from Brooklyn.
He creates large-scale quilted pieces inspired by Hubble telescope imagery. They are phenomenal.
His work reflects the experience of an intergalactic haulier, producing quilts as he travels the cosmos: “I travel back and forth from rock to rock carrying those two all important gems- salt and vinegar. There’s a lot of time to kill up here so I downloaded a grandma program and she’s been teaching me how to quilt. There’s no “log cabins” or “poinsettias” around so I just stare out the window until something catches my eye.“
These quilts blow me away. They’re the kind of quilts that people need to know about; quilts that can inspire new crafters who may not engage with more traditional versions.
Jimmy’s blog does a great job of explaining his creative process – I read it and feel like I want to plan some outrageous quilting adventure for myself. There is no denying the tremendous amount of work that goes into each quilt, and it is amazing to see how he has interpreted these cosmic images into quilted form. It is very exciting work.
Jimmy’s site shows you all his terrific creations, his blog explores his creative process and you can buy his masterpieces from his etsy store.
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Mr X Stitch is a manbroiderer, cross stitch designer and runs www.mrxstitch.com,
the number one contemporary embroidery and needlecraft blog on the planet.
He can often be found hanging out on the Craftster needlecraft boards, at the Phat Quarter on Flickr, or designing patterns for the MrXStitch etsy store.
Tute Tuesday: Messenger Bag Tutorial Round-Up
We’re obsessed with one-of-a-kind messenger bags! So for this Tute Tuesday
we’re spotlighting a few amazing messenger bag tutorials from the Craftster community.
Special thanks to heartofmary, chainreaction, frogz, Rosemary, BattleAxe and chineseathena for these helpful messenger bag patterns and bag tutorials!
Looking for inspiration while you’re crafting up ideas for a new messenger bag?
Check out tons of sweet handmade messenger bags here.
Keepin' It Green: The Week in DIY: 38 Simple and Delicious Summer Soups, Tips for a Green Garden, and More
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The Week in DIY: 38 Simple and Delicious Summer Soups, Tips for a Green Garden, and More
Each week, we highlight some of our favorite craft projects from our friends at Treehugger and Planet Green to help inspire your inner DIYer. |
Sitting Down Too Much Can Lead to Your Early Death
A new study shows that even regular exercise won’t counteract the effects of too much sitting — but can a new type of desk make a difference?
Great DIY Garden Projects from Instructables
Bee hives, fountains, and an inexpensive, DIY greenhouse give your garden a no-fuss makeover.
Pilates: The Green Way to Lose Weight on Your Vaca
Stay in shape — even when you’re on the road — with these poses for beginners and pros that help tone your muscles and your core.
Favorite Blogs about Small Space Gardening
Think you don’t have room to grow? Make the most of your balcony, windowsill, fire escape, or patio with these ideas from blogs devoted to small-space gardeners.
Straight from the Garden: Zucchini Bread
This all-purpose bread works at any meal — breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack — and helps you use up all that homegrown zucchini that you’re (still) harvesting.
38 Summer Soups: The Best of the Season
When the thermometer tops 100, the last thing on your mind is soup — but these 38 recipes prove that, hot or cold, soup isn’t just for winter anymore.
What’s the Story with Cosmetics? And How Will the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 Help?
Story of Stuff creator Annie Leonard shifts the focus to beauty products with this video on the long-term impact of the products you’re putting on your skin every day.
5 Ways to Collect Water for Your Garden
Save water — and help your plants thrive — by collecting greywater from rainstorms, gutters, showers, and more to redistribute in your garden.
A Food Stylist Tells All: Why Fast Food Burgers Actually Look Tasty in Commercials
If you’ve ever found yourself craving a burger after seeing one in a commercial — and then been disappointed with the results — you’ll appreciate this video.
Want to Make Your Own Dog Food? Watch These Tips Before You Start
Making your own food for Fido can help you save money and give your pup a healthier diet; get a full list of dos and don’ts here.
Winner of Craft Challenge #52 – Bed Sheet Getup
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The Craft Challenge this month was Bed Sheet Getup. The challenge was to use one or more bed sheets to create a piece of clothing (or even an entire outfit, if you were really inspired!)!
Our winning entry was created by CoanTeen! Her entry titled, “Anna Feng Steampunk Avatrix out of bedsheets,” is an amazing creation from hand-dyed sheets rescued from thrift stores. Her decorative detailing down to the buttons and clasps is just fantastic! Read all about it here on her project thread. Congrats, CoanTeen!! |
Here are a few of my personal favorites from the entry board. Be sure to check out all of the other entries, too!
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For winning, CoanTeen will get to choose an item from one of Craftster’s online shops:
 http://shop.craftster.org/ |
 http://www.spreadshirt.com/shop.php?sid=70592 |
http://www.cafepress.com/craftster
Congrats to everyone for creating such rockin’ projects from plain bed sheets — you never cease to amazing me!
Reusable Trash Container Tutorial
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Creative thoughts from Craftster Guest Blogger SevsOnlyGirl…
Ah, summertime! Warm breezes, sunglasses, the beach…trash in your vehicle. Oh yeah. It’s so hard to keep your vehicle clean in the summertime! You know at the end of summer you’ll find the sticky ice cream wrapper that Susie Q shoved under the seat and the empty juice box Sammy Jo stored between the seats. Member FoxyBlue solved that problem in her SUV by creating this cute and simple Trash Container. All you need is fabric, bias tape, clear plastic and wire. Simple, cute and best of all – your vehicle won’t look or smell like wild animals rampaged through it. |
To see this Reusable Trash Bag Container project on Craftster click here.
To see related projects on Craftster click the Car Trash Bag tag here.
July 21, 2010 Featured Projects
Every two weeks we pick our favorite 15 projects that Craftster readers have voted for with the “This Rocks!” button. Here are our latest picks which were lovingly and painstakingly chosen (so many amazing projects to choose from!), this time by jungrrl. We hope you enjoy them!
 Anna Feng Steampunk Avatrix out of bedsheets! by CoanTeen |
 My Daughter’s Forest Nursery by Crafty.Canadian |
 A Little House of Everyday Wonders (image heavy) by Knickertwist |
 Peacock tee by babalina58 |
 Super easy oriental bangle EDIT: step by step pics! by japaya |
 My Mermaid Parade ‘10 Costumes by smithnikki |
 Another Tetris Afghan by Malica |
 Merkitty paperclay by Lady Rando |
 Home Depot Box and Duct Tape (mmm) by crafty-in-tally |
 The Bloody Red Queen…my 2nd poppet!!! by lanikins |
 Dr. Who Travel Sewing Kit by Joesuplicki |
 Blood Splattered Heels by pennydreadfull |
 Juno Squirrel Sweater by ShaanaBanaana |
 Collage for the wall (quite picture heavy) by rackycoo |
 Sustainable Gardening by MissingWillow |
Rainbow Cupcakes
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Creative thoughts from Craftster Guest Blogger SevsOnlyGirl…
Who wants cake when you can have CUPCAKES?! Martha Stewart has done entire shows on cupcakes, there are bakeries dedicated to cupcakes and even Food Network has ‘Cupcake Wars’. Our own kittykill has made these amazing Super Bright Rainbow Cupcakes. They’re so bright, you gotta wear shades. A friend of mine made them with his preschool children and they gave the best review – “YUMMY!” |
To see this Super Bright Rainbow Cupcakes project on Craftster click here.
To see related projects on Craftster click the Cupcake tag here.
Mr X Stitch Presents: Beefranck’s Emporium – Bugs
Over at Mr X Stitch we’re blessed with the services of Beefranck, the Queen of Ironic Stitching, who curates the terrific “Emporium of Embroidered Excellence and Splendiferous Stitchery”. Each week, these posts explore themes expressed through embroidery, and they’re ace. So without further ado, I welcome you to…
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Okay, here’s the thing – I’m not a big fan of bugs. I can’t help it. They creep me out. That doesn’t stop me from appreciating stitched creepy crawlies when I see them. So. Here goes!
Anunciada made this lovely little ladybug. It’s like a drawing in thread.
I kind of love dragonflies, even if they are bugs. This cross stitch from celiamar seems slightly less creepy-crawlie as a result.
This stitch of a common housefly from hisss uses beads for the eyes – nice touch!
The stitching of this roach by mleak is beautiful.
Ooof! The colors! beththewalker knows how to use them!
Fun fact about this cicada stitch from Susuie Martinez – just like its subject matter, you can only see it for a few months every seven years! Um. Not really. 
It’s pretty cool, though, huh?
You can probably tell this is from What Delilah Did – it’s very much her style.
This beautiful stitchery of a flat bug is from obliquepoet.
I can’t write a post about bugs without featuring Sarah Whittle – this is just one example of the many exoskeleton sporting creatures she’s stitched!
Anyway, now I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something crawling on my arm, so… see you next time!
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Beefranck is the Queen of Ironic Stitching and is responsible for a lot of stuff on www.mrxstitch.com, the number one contemporary embroidery and needlecraft blog on the planet. She is also the top selling pattern designer in the MrXStitch etsy store.
She can often be found hanging out in the Phat Quarter group on Flickr and co-hosts Emergency Pants, a podcast that is not for the faint hearted!
Keepin' It Green: The Week in DIY: The Ultimate Green Picnic, Eco-Friendly Pool Floats, and More
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The Week in DIY: The Ultimate Green Picnic, Eco-Friendly Pool Floats, and More
Each week, we highlight some of our favorite craft projects from our friends at Treehugger and Planet Green to help inspire your inner DIYer. |
What’s in Your Cosmetics Bag?
Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt, authors of “No More Dirty Looks,” break down exactly what goes into your beauty products.
5 Human Habits Highly Harmful to the Ocean
Which of these water-polluting sins are you guilty of?
Feed 8 Friends for Under $100 with this Green Frugal Feast: A Poolside Party
Celebrate summer with an outdoor cocktail party — and keep it green (and cheap) with these recipes for appetizers and drinks that rely on seasonal vegetarian ingredients.
3 Ideas for Eco-Friendly Pool Floats
Relax in the water with the EcoRaft — or take inspiration from this list of other floating materials that you could upcycle for your next swim.
Three Natural Deodorant Alternatives that Work
You need a deodorant that works — after all, we just had the hottest June on record — but that doesn’t mean it needs to be full of chemicals.
Use Your Parked car for Something Useful — Drying Herbs!
Make the most of hot, sunny afternoons by drying fresh herbs from your garden, CSA, or farmer’s market on the seats of your car.
At Sweden’s Treehotel, Guests Sleep 18 Feet Off the Ground
These geometric dwellings — each designed by a different architect — offer a one-of-a-kind vacation.
Freecycle@Work Brings the Benefits of Freecycle to Your Office
You already love Freecycle for the ways it helped you de-clutter your home (and save a ton of money on stuff you really needed) — now see what it can do for your workplace.
Sweat Shop Free Clothing That’s Fiscally Responsible: Maggie’s Organics Certified Fair Labor Apparel
The organic clothing company hopes to become the first in its field to earn the Fair Labor Practices and Community Benefits Certification.
31 Tips and Recipes for a Green Summer Picnic
Stay environmentally responsible while dining al fresco with these tips and tricks for the ultimate green summer picnic.
Comic-Con International: San Diego 2010
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Creative thoughts from Craftster Guest Blogger SevsOnlyGirl…
ComicCon is coming up quick! July 22nd – 25th in San Diego, CA. Not only that, but DragonCon is just a smidge later, September 3rd – 6th in Atlanta, GA. If you’re lucky enough to be attending either one of these – I’m jealous! As you all know, you’re likely to run into a Storm Trooper accompanied by a vampire, Mario and Hermione Granger. There’s a huge range of people attending these Cons now, which makes it even more fun. |
ComicCon has everyone from the Adams family (not to be confused with the Addams Family), Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse books), STAN LEE!!!, Gerard Way (I may faint, really!) to Ray Bradbury.
DragonCon has just as impressive a lineup, including folks like Kristen Bauer (Pam from True Blood), the band Cruxshadows, Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files), Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake books) to Teresa Patterson (Wheel of Time books). Of course Stan Lee will be there, too!
Check out some of the great ideas that have been posted right here on Craftster! Let us know if you make something special for your trip, we’d love to hear about it!
If you happen to run into my sister there, give her a shout out for me! She’s Heather Brewer of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod.
Foodie Friday: Berry Pie
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Looking for a simple recipe for a cool summer treat? batgirl shares this recipe for a chilled berry pie and also her ideas for a few variations including a lemon ice box pie — YUM!
Gather your five ingredients and get mixing. You’re not too far away from a berry fusion in your tummy! |
To see this Berry Pie project on Craftster click here.
To see related projects on Craftster click the Pie tag here.
Craft Challenge #52 – Bed Sheet Getup – Last Day to Vote!
Challenge #52, Bed Sheet Getup, is in the last full day for voting. Check out all of the entries here and attempt to choose just one favorite!
Good luck to all of the entries! 
Boring Bathroom into Colorful Retreat
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Creative thoughts from Craftster Guest Blogger MareMare…
Although Craftster member coloringmyworld admits she had the paint for this room for a long time before she got around to the project, I definitely think it was worth the wait! The blue paint with the faux finish and the yellow rugs would be cute enough, but it’s really the added details that make this room pop. Check out the creative and adorable mirror collage, including one placed low for her daughter! I also love what she did with the faucets, and the window treatments are very clever. |
To see this Bathroom Redecoration project on Craftster click here.
To see related projects on Craftster, checkout the Interior Decorating board.
CrafTATstic Crafty Tattoos – violentjayne’s Sewing Sleeve
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One of our most prolific members also has one awesome crafty sleeve! Violentjayne’s left arm is dedicated to her love of sewing. Her sleeve features a pincushion, scissors, a seam ripper, a dress form, measuring tape, and more! Here are a few small pics but there are much bigger photos here. |
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Have a crafty tat? Share it here and you might be featured!
Wear It This Weekend: DNA Earrings
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So usually WITW is lots of sewn clothing…. but not today! Today is beaded nerdy jewelry! Mmmm.. biology. Mermaide spells out exactly how to make your own pair of amazing DNA earrings! You can see the full tutorial here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=161423.0 |
If you make one for this (or any other) weekend, let me know in the comments!
Quilted Art Journal
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Creative thoughts from Craftster Guest Blogger MareMare…
If you’re in the mood to do some free form crafting without a lot of rules to tie you down, some art quilting may be just the thing! Check out this beautiful Quilted Art Journal from member Craft Junkie. She pieced together different fabrics and combined it all together with decorative stitching in matching and contrasting colors. It’s always more fun to journal when the journal itself is gorgeous and inspiring! |
To see this Quilted Art Journal project on Craftster click here.
To see related projects on Craftster click the Journal tag here.
Summer Hippie Dress
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Creative thoughts from Craftster Guest Blogger SevsOnlyGirl…
In need of a quick, easy and colorful sundress? Try this Summer Hippie Dress by Craftster member imwomn13! The tutorial is easy to follow, almost a ’sundresses for dummies’, and you can adjust for any size you need. This is also a great way to use up all those bits and pieces of fabric that you have in your stash! Give it a try and post your results! |
To see this Summer Hippie Dress project on Craftster click here.
To see related projects on Craftster click the Dress tag here.
