After I wrote the post, Crafting with Rust & Relics, a reader asked,  “So what kind of crafts can we do with these old relics?”Since I’ve seen my daughter using these items, I have used them myself, read about relics, and have viewed them at craft fairs, I didn’t think to explain about projects you can undertake. 

Many can be attached to mixed media pieces.
Some can be background material for attaching others.
Use old wood and arrange some of the relics on it.
Some people attach keys, buttons, watch findings and similar items to quilts and fabric art.
Glue them together for three dimensional …read more

I have a couple of young friends whose mother passed away from brain cancer a few years ago.  I didn’t know her as well as I know her sons, because I’ve traveled and worked with them on youth group trips for years.  Knowing what fine young men she raised, I feel that she was an exceptional woman, one of the many whose legacy will live on through her children.
Her youngest son, Nick, founded a non-profit organization in his mother’s memory, the mission of which is to help fund the basic needs of children in developing countries.  He calls it Cling.
That …read more

About Family Crafts:
Find out how to can make a story sack for the book, and soon to be movie, Cloudy With a Change of Meatballs.

Aileen’s Musings
Aileen’s created a quirky copper bird pin,,,,stop by and check it.
Alexa Westerfield a.k.a. Swelldesigner
Alexa revisits and reconnects with a craft from her childhood
Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Craftside has a sneak peek into the soon to be released book; Who’s Your Dada? Redefining The Doll Through Mixed Media, free graphics of good angel/bad angel birds with a tutorial for using them as T-shirt iron-ons, how-to’s …read more

The second year for the Bead Journal Project is quickly drawing to a close.  Last year, I made fairly elaborate pieces that featured the full moon for each month.  I knew that this year I would be more pressed for time, so I chose to make very simple pieces. Each month, I chose a fragment of scripture from one of the Psalms and used a heart shape to create a little 4 x 4 inch beaded piece that illustrates the feeling of that verse for me.   By the end of August, the entire project for the year should be finished…Yay!
We’re …read more

Then a moment comes when every part has found its definite relationship and from then on it would be impossible for me to add a stroke to my picture without having to paint it all over again.
~Henri Matisse

To me a work is finished when all parts involved communicate themselves, so that they don’t need me.
~Hans Hoffman

How do I know when a work is finished? When it has taken away from me everything I have to give. When it has become stronger than myself. I become the empty one and it becomes the full one. When I am weak …read more

The Impatient Crafter:
Madge transforms a Kraft paper lampshade from Target into a sophisticated accent piece for a teen’s room in this post for I Love to Create.

About Family Crafts
Do you paper mache? Share your projects and stories!
Aileen’s Musings
This week Aileen’s been busy altering cabinet cards. Check out her newest funky cabinet cards and download more freebie images for you to alter yourself.
Cathie Filian
Cathie and Steve spoof their love of Mod Podge in their latest video.
Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Craftside has a fun mixed-media cupcake jar topper …read more

Finding creative uses for old items is nothing new to artists, but the spirit of preserving the planet is more important than ever before and GreenCraft Magazine is here to honor and inspire those who find artistic uses for normally discarded resources.  You already know that one of our mottoes here is “Don’t throw ANYthing out!”  So look around you and see what you’ve got to work with 

GreenCraft Magazine will provide ideas for repurposing trash to treasure by showcasing projects where waste is repurposed into ecologically chic creations.
To be considered for publication in this semi-annual magazine, please submit …read more

Technique Tuesday!
Putting together the series of postcards and clip art that became Jim’s Story was a lot of fun!  I used Photoshop, but I think you could do something similar with another good image editing program.  If you missed any of the postcards, the links are below, along with a link to step by step instructions to combine cartoon or clip art images with vintage pictures.

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Step by step instructions

Make Art Monday!
A few years ago, I became obsessed with a man I named Jim. As a young man, Jim moved to my town early in the 1900s, to take a job working for the railroad.

The thing is, Jim never existed. But that didn’t stop me from coming up with an entire series of postcards that Jim sent home, telling his parents about his adventures in his new town.
You can see more of Jim’s postcards home at the links below, and tomorrow I’ll explain how to combine cartoon imagery with old pictures, digitally.
Part one
Part two
Part three

Dear Mom and Dad,
The town …read more

The Artful Crafter:
Eileen blogs about learning photography – one frame at a time.

The Crochet Dude
Drew is giving away all his latest designs that are included in his new line of patterns that just launched nationwide! To enter you just leave a comment on his blog!
The Impatient Crafter
Make a super cute pair of flip flops with your kid or teen for your end of summer vacation! Madge shares the 411 in this post for I Love to Create
About Family Crafts
Hurry on over and submit your photos and ideas! Sherri is now accepting Halloween …read more