My niece has mentioned scrapbooking “nights out” with her friends, whereby they gather at various homes and spend the evening, sometimes the entire night, chatting, snacking, and working on their memory scrapbooks.  It can be for a few hours  of scrapbooking or a slumber party with everyone working far into the night.
Other crafters make this a mother and daughter session when they  gather with friends in the evening and work on crafts of various types.  These can be sessions at someone’s home, at a local library or community meeting place.
Most crafts lend themselves to “nights out” for gathering with friends …read more

Quilters and crafters enjoy recipes and often share them at quilting bees craft fairs and online groups.  They also compile cookbooks as fund raisers.
Also, they can put together e-cookbooks or CDs to give as free items to customers, readers, and blog/web site visitors.  This is one way authors have promoted their books and crafters their other products.
Over at Home Biz Notes, I described how I’ve been involved in creating free e-cookbooks as promotional giveaways for my books.  This was a project initiated by author/publisher Kathleen (Katy) Walls.
Check out the post, Developing a Free e-cookbook for PR, and learn more about the two …read more

Whether you’re involved in your craft as a business (income producing venue) or simply for your own pleasure, media releases (traditionally called press releases) to promote your products, services, workshops, book, or simply yourself as a craftsperson can be very useful.
Here are 5 reasons they can be important:

 Helps you gain name recognition
 Lets the public know when you’re exhibiting at a show.
 Announces an award or type of recognition you’ve received.
 Informs the public about new classes/workshops you teach.
 Provides information about a unique trip you took related to your craft work.

 How have you used media releases to inform the general public about your arts and …read more

Nowadays, most crafters have a  web site, or at least a blog, for their hobby or business. It’s really almost essential that you develop a blog if you’re expanding your hobby into a business.
Some craftspeople start out with a blog, as my daughter has at Meandering Threads and then may develop a web site where they offer items for sale.  Perhaps you simply enjoy sharing your crafting heritage, as I do at Tales of the Trails End Quilters.  Here I relate stories about the quilters in my family.
Blogging gives crafters a place where others can view your work (especially if you use photos) and …read more

The Arts Bloggers are putting together their creative ideas for 2009.  See what you’d like to try.
 Drawer Pull & Pants Hanger Project
Turn these items into a unique photo display via Craftynest.
Gravestone Rubbings for Fabric Art
Mary Emma, at Quilting and Patchwork, discovered instructions for turning gravestone rubbings into fabric art and family history.
How to Make Soap Petals
Soap petals are simply silk flower and leaf petals dipped in melted soap. They are single use and look pretty sitting beside the sink. Let Eileen show you how to make them. 
Layers Upon Layers
Cyndi is hosting an educational blitz this month, and she’s …read more

QuiltingAndPatchwork.com
Here’s your weekly inspiration from the Arts Bloggers.  I’m a little later in the week getting it posted because I was busy getting my Giveaways organized and up and running for the Bloggy Giveaways.
Butterfly earrings – Noreen’s in love with some new metallic threads, so has tatted some butterfly earrings. But first, she tatted them in hemp cord.
Comforting crafts – What crafts do you like to do when you’re not feeling all that great?
Layers Upon Layers – Here are some of the places you can go online when dumpster-diving fails you!
Many Uses of Catalog Pages to Entertain Cats – …read more

QuiltingAndPatchwork.com 
 The Arts Bloggers have struck again!  Here are a number of fun posts with crafty projects and information.  
 Investigate a Crocheted Comfort Bear designed by Noreen Crone-Findlay at Hankering for Yarn.  It’s complete with 
uploaded pattern.
* At Layers Upon Layers, Cyndi Lavin advises you to use a lot of texture when you create a geometric collage, and it will never be boring!
*Look at Eileen’s New Toy at The Artful Crafter!  She  discovers the Scor-it Board to make professional quality hinge folds by hand in all kinds of papercraft projects. 
*Quilting With a St. Patrick’s Day Influence seems perfect for today, March 17, as I …read more