Image: sxc.hu

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 to enjoy the socializing, along with sharing ideas and  food whether it’s a potluck meal, pizza fest, or simply a variety of snacks.

These are reminiscent, in a way, of the quilting bees of the pioneer crafters.

Why not share with us your enjoyable times at “crafting bees” or “nights out?”

Post from: Blisstree

Arts & Crafts “Nights Out”

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 I’ve been involved with.  We have also compiled an anthology of our writing this was as a freebie.

(Cookbook cover by Katy & Martin Walls)

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Cookbook Idea for Crafters

Image:sxc.hu

Here are 5 reasons they can be important:

1.  Helps you gain name recognition
2.  Lets the public know when you’re exhibiting at a show.
3.  Announces an award or type of recognition you’ve received.
4.  Informs the public about new classes/workshops you teach.
5.  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 crafts involvement?

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5 Reasons for Crafters’ Media Releases

Image: sxc.hu

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 get to know you.  It opens the door to happenings in the crafting world…or quilting world in my daughter’s case.

Your blog/web site, may not be at the top of search engines, at least initially, but you have a place where other crafters and your customers can learn more about you and what you’re doing…whether it’s making and selling items, teaching workshops, designing unique pieces, writing books, producing  related items such as note cards, pictures, puzzles, or selling fabric and other supplies.

Why don’t you let me know about your blog or web site and how it has helped and inspired you. Often, blogs simply are fun to maintain and keep us in touch with other artists, crafters, quilters and fabric divas.

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A Web Site or Blog for your Crafting

 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 wondering if you know of classes she should add to the list.

Mapping the layout for a new book
Noreen is working really hard on a new book that she’ll be releasing very soon. It’s called: Rosie Recycle Pin Dolls, and it’s full of adorable little dolls that combine recycling with knitting or crochet or spool knitting. Right now, she’s up to the gills in the layout process….

New Year’s resolutions for your studio
Is there something you want to change about your studio this year? Chloe has some New Year’s resolution suggestions to get you started.

Enjoy!

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Arts Bloggers with Ideas for the 2009

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 – Free kitty and human fun via junk mail.

Postcard Journal - Using postcards as journal entries 

Scrap Girls Did it Again: A Fresh Look for the Refresh Collection – If you’ve never tried digital scrapbooking or card making, here’s your chance to try it and learn about it free! Read about all the freebies available at ScrapGirls.com.

Victory Garden Quilts  - Discover the fascination of Victory Garden Quilts from the World War II Era

Enjoy this week’s selections.  Let us know when you tried any and how they come out.

(Amazon image)

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

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Inspiration from the Arts Bloggers at Quilting & Patchwork

 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 encourage visitors to Quilting and Patchwork to discover the many quilt and fabric art patterns with a connection to St. Patrick’s Day and the Irish.

Chloe Findlay-Harder at Tangled Thread is creating one-of-a-kind printed fabric using bleach gel pens.

Heather Goldsmith at A Creative Journal, invites you to experience some Visual Delights.  She says, “If you don’t keep a visual journal you will want to once you’ve seen this website.”

The Purple Haired Puppet Lady shows us how to make embroidered flower brooches  at The Creative Bride, using thread, beads & netting.

Are there other types of projects you’d like to see?  Is there something you’d like to learn from any of these bloggers? 

What are you doing in the arts and crafts area right now? 

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

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The Arts Bloggers Have Struck Again!