April 16, 2014
Gillian
closeAuthor: Gillian
Name: Gillian Grimm
Site: http://driedfigsandwoodenspools.blogspot.com/
About: Gillian Grimm lives in Charlottesville, Virginia where she balances writing, cooking and crafts with eight chickens, two kids, a dog, a cat and a husband. As the daughter of a Journalist, she grew up all over the United States, switching schools, towns and newspapers every few years and loved every minute of it! She now works as a freelance writer, primarily in the craft industry but with a few forays into travel writing, narrative non-fiction and educational matters. Gillian was recently published in the literary journal the “The Northville Review”. You can find more of Gillian’s work at “Dried Figs and Wooden Spools”.See Authors Posts (223)
Craft Trends, Crafts, Easter, Holidays
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By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!
Easter is fast approaching and while plain old colored eggs are always fun, there are so many amazing egg decorating ideas out there it would be a shame to stick with just the dye, wouldn’t it? Colorful, floral, unique, so many ideas! I’m thinking of trying a few of these on blown out eggs so that I can keep them well beyond Easter Morning! Alright, maybe I’m thinking of trying them all! Here are some of my very favorites!
Exquisite Eggs – Country Living
These clever eggs use tattoo paper to transfer botanical images to the eggs, I love their Edwardian style. Wouldn’t they look great in a pretty bowl or vase?
Silk Dyed Eggs – Country Living
This is an unusual take on the traditional silk dyed eggs. Using black and white silks creates a striking, modern style, beautiful and elegant. And so charming!
Decoupaged Eggs – Tatertots & Jello
On the flip side, these eggs are bursting with color. A great way to use those plastic eggs for something a little more decorative, these are bright and beautiful and I can’t get enough of them!
Scrambled Lines Easter Eggs – Martha Stewart
And here we have dyed eggs with a twist! Tape in stripes to create a void in the color when dyed. Applied in layers after each trip into the dye bath, you get a while and beautiful result with very little effort. This woudl be a great variation to try with the kids!
How will you decorate your eggs this year? Any ideas you’d like to share? We’d love to see them! And check out these and other egg-related crafts on our Craft Trends Pinboard!
April 7, 2014
GilliancloseAuthor: Gillian
Name: Gillian Grimm
Site: http://driedfigsandwoodenspools.blogspot.com/
About: Gillian Grimm lives in Charlottesville, Virginia where she balances writing, cooking and crafts with eight chickens, two kids, a dog, a cat and a husband. As the daughter of a Journalist, she grew up all over the United States, switching schools, towns and newspapers every few years and loved every minute of it! She now works as a freelance writer, primarily in the craft industry but with a few forays into travel writing, narrative non-fiction and educational matters. Gillian was recently published in the literary journal the “The Northville Review”. You can find more of Gillian’s work at “Dried Figs and Wooden Spools”.See Authors Posts (223)
Craft Trends, Home Decor
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By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!
I have long had a thing for maps and globes. I love them! I htink they appeal to the wanderlust that’s always lurking somewhere in the back of my mind. I’ve got a whole boxful of maps hanging around that have been turned into all manner of things, from wrapping to letters to wallpaper. But lately I’ve been wanting a few globes for my house, and not just ordinary globes, something a little…more. Here are some of the ideas I’m toying around with, maybe you’re working on a globe project too?
Last Minute Preparations – One Canoe Two
I’m loving this globes blend of usefulness (the continents are still there) and style. The gold lettering is both casual and elegant making it a nice match for most decor styles. So pretty.
Read the rest…
April 3, 2014
GilliancloseAuthor: Gillian
Name: Gillian Grimm
Site: http://driedfigsandwoodenspools.blogspot.com/
About: Gillian Grimm lives in Charlottesville, Virginia where she balances writing, cooking and crafts with eight chickens, two kids, a dog, a cat and a husband. As the daughter of a Journalist, she grew up all over the United States, switching schools, towns and newspapers every few years and loved every minute of it! She now works as a freelance writer, primarily in the craft industry but with a few forays into travel writing, narrative non-fiction and educational matters. Gillian was recently published in the literary journal the “The Northville Review”. You can find more of Gillian’s work at “Dried Figs and Wooden Spools”.See Authors Posts (223)
Craft Trends, Crafts
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By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!
Once upon a time I had a whole room to myself for my crafts and I can tell you, it was pretty dreamy. Paint bottles all lined up in a row, different weights and colors of papers neatly filed, it was beautiful. These days my craft storage is a little less grand but I’m still always on the hunt for clever and useful craft supply organization. In fact, with less space comes the need for even better organization, it’s all too easy to let a small craft closet to descend into chaos. To that end, I’ve been collecting fun craft organization ideas and I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you!
Spool Storage – Mad in Crafts
Brilliant! How many times have you ended up with a tangle of twine when trying to unwind a section for a craft? These funnels hang on a well organized (and cutely painted) pegboard making the best use of tight spaces.
Glitter Glue Organizer – Craft Gossip
And again, brilliant! I’ve been storing glues upside down in cups but this is much better! Attached with magnets, your glues and glitter glues will always be ready to go and easily found with this trick! It’s at the top of my list of to-dos!
Hot Glue Guns on Silicone – Sew Many Ways
This use of a silicone hot pad for a glue gun mat is so smart! Much better than the scrap of paper that I’ve been settling with. Regardless of whether or not it’s for a permanent glue gun station or just the thing you pull out when you are ready to work, it’s a fantastic idea.
Spray Paint Storage – One Thrifty Chick
Storing my spray paints is always a challenge and this is the best idea for it that I’ve seen! See what colors you have clearly without taking up a ton of shelf space!
What are your best craft organization tips? Send us your ideas and photos! We’d love to see them! And check out these and other Craft Organization tips on our Craft Trends Pinboard! Save on craft organizers at the CreateForLess Spring Cleaning Sale and start organizing!
February 17, 2014
GilliancloseAuthor: Gillian
Name: Gillian Grimm
Site: http://driedfigsandwoodenspools.blogspot.com/
About: Gillian Grimm lives in Charlottesville, Virginia where she balances writing, cooking and crafts with eight chickens, two kids, a dog, a cat and a husband. As the daughter of a Journalist, she grew up all over the United States, switching schools, towns and newspapers every few years and loved every minute of it! She now works as a freelance writer, primarily in the craft industry but with a few forays into travel writing, narrative non-fiction and educational matters. Gillian was recently published in the literary journal the “The Northville Review”. You can find more of Gillian’s work at “Dried Figs and Wooden Spools”.See Authors Posts (223)
Craft Trends, Crafts
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By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!
I have to admit, we’re kind of Scrabble geeks in our house. We all love a good game of word play and like to challenge each other to a game whenever we get a chance. And since we’re also a craft kind of household, Scrabble themed projects are right up our alley. Plus, we’ve somehow accumulated more tiles than we could possibly need though the years, so a good Scrabble tile project is always welcome. And here’s a hint! If you don’t have extra tiles hanging around to use, pick up a bag of Bananagrams, practically identical and no unused game-board after the crafts have taken the tiles! If you’d like to incorporate a little Scrabble into your life, here are some of our very favorite projects!
DIY Scrabble Art – Insideways
Ack! I love these. Ok, so they don’t use actual tiles, but how freaking cute would this be on a wall? While I love the random letters, I also like the idea of spelling out a message. This could be especially cute in a game room, den or playroom. Love!
Magnetic Memo Board with Scrabble Tile Magnets – Homeroad
This is such a fun way to dress up plain magnets, don’t you think? I’d like to do a whole set of letters so that you can spell out words on the fridge (fun plus great spelling practice!) but just a few favorite letters would be great as well!
Christmas Wrapping – Lauren Elise Crafted
I mean, really, could you get any cuter than this Scrabble gift wrapping tag? My heart would totally melt if my kids combined a gift (which I always love) with my favorite game. And bonus, they tiles can be taken off and reused for another craft (or game, because anytime is Scrabble time!)
Have you used Scrabble or letter tiles in a project lately? Send us a picture! We’d love to see what you do with them! And look for these and other Scrabble tile craft ideas on our Craft Trends Pinboard!
February 5, 2014
GilliancloseAuthor: Gillian
Name: Gillian Grimm
Site: http://driedfigsandwoodenspools.blogspot.com/
About: Gillian Grimm lives in Charlottesville, Virginia where she balances writing, cooking and crafts with eight chickens, two kids, a dog, a cat and a husband. As the daughter of a Journalist, she grew up all over the United States, switching schools, towns and newspapers every few years and loved every minute of it! She now works as a freelance writer, primarily in the craft industry but with a few forays into travel writing, narrative non-fiction and educational matters. Gillian was recently published in the literary journal the “The Northville Review”. You can find more of Gillian’s work at “Dried Figs and Wooden Spools”.See Authors Posts (223)
Craft Trends
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By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!
A few months ago my aunt gifted me with a couple of zip lock gallon baggies full of buttons. Teeny white ones, big fat vintage leather ones, colors and sizes galore. I love them and must admit that I’ve got them in pretty jars on my shelf so I can just stare at their gorgeousness. But I also love using buttons in usual ways in my crafting and decorating projects. I’ve been digging deep into pinterest for some ideas for all those buttons, here are a few of my favorites.
Updated Sneaker – Spalvotas Dryzuotas
I can’t decide if I should make these for my daughter, or myself! So fun and funky! I love them! While they would definitely be a labor of love, they would also be a fantastic way to show off a special button collection. Cant wait to get started! How about you?
Buttons – Dream Patch
My little girl is currently growing her hair out and so we’re on the hunt for cute hair bobbles for those future pony tails and these are so fun! I love the idea of customizing them for different favorite outfits or just having a whole rainbow of button bands available for our morning hair sessions, but these would be super cute with vintage or sparkly shank buttons for special occasions. And best of all they are so fast! Who knew? Easy peasy even on a busy morning!
January 30, 2014
GilliancloseAuthor: Gillian
Name: Gillian Grimm
Site: http://driedfigsandwoodenspools.blogspot.com/
About: Gillian Grimm lives in Charlottesville, Virginia where she balances writing, cooking and crafts with eight chickens, two kids, a dog, a cat and a husband. As the daughter of a Journalist, she grew up all over the United States, switching schools, towns and newspapers every few years and loved every minute of it! She now works as a freelance writer, primarily in the craft industry but with a few forays into travel writing, narrative non-fiction and educational matters. Gillian was recently published in the literary journal the “The Northville Review”. You can find more of Gillian’s work at “Dried Figs and Wooden Spools”.See Authors Posts (223)
Craft Trends, Crafts
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By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!
When I was a little girl, our very old house was filled with gold leaf wallpaper. I remember that my mother hated it, and over the years she systematically recovered all the walls with more muted tones. I didn’t mind it back then and I probably wouldn’t want that much gold all around, but I do love a flash of it here and there. Even in the most rustic of decors or the plainest of days, a little flash of shiny and warm can change things so much for the better. So these DIY Gold details are right up my alley, and I’m loving them all. Here are my current favorites.
DIY 30 Second Coasters – 36th Avenue
I’ve been trying hard to be good and proper about using coasters now that I’ve purchased a few nicer pieces of furniture, so these coasters need to be on the top of my to-make list. Just enough gold and glitz to add some fun into the functional. I particularly love the geometric patterns in shiny gold. A little retro glamour for the everyday.
The Magic of a Gold Leaf Pen – Little Green Notebook
I cannot believe that these were plain, black, cheapo frames! So elegant! I love how simple but beautiful they are! I like the idea of pairs of simple gold frames here and there around the house, but the cost of gilded frames always stood in the way. Not anymore!
DIY Gilded Business Cards – Camille Styles
As a creative girl, I’ve been considering making some business cards for myself. But I’m often torn by, well, how boring plain old business cards look. They, of course, need to be functional, but pretty and unique as well. This gold gives just a touch of whimsy and style that make something special out of something ordinary.
Are you a gold lover? Have you been crafty with adding gold to your projects? We’d love to see how you use hints (or gallons) of gold in your life. And check out these and other golden inspirations on our Craft Trends Pinboard!
January 26, 2014
GilliancloseAuthor: Gillian
Name: Gillian Grimm
Site: http://driedfigsandwoodenspools.blogspot.com/
About: Gillian Grimm lives in Charlottesville, Virginia where she balances writing, cooking and crafts with eight chickens, two kids, a dog, a cat and a husband. As the daughter of a Journalist, she grew up all over the United States, switching schools, towns and newspapers every few years and loved every minute of it! She now works as a freelance writer, primarily in the craft industry but with a few forays into travel writing, narrative non-fiction and educational matters. Gillian was recently published in the literary journal the “The Northville Review”. You can find more of Gillian’s work at “Dried Figs and Wooden Spools”.See Authors Posts (223)
Craft Trends, Crafts, Valentine's Day
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By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!
We love hearts! Yes, of course, they are perfect for Valentines day but really, is there ever a time of year when hearts aren’t awesome? I thought not! Heart crafts are particularly popular this time of year but since we’re always loving on hearts, we’ve been collecting a few of our favorite heart themed crafts to give you some inspiration. Maybe you’ll make something for that special someone!
Simple Heart Craft for Toddlers – No Time for Flash Cards
Any mama will tell you that the very best gifts are ones made by little hands. I have something similar to these marker decorated hearts from when my little ones were small and I treasure them to this day. These are fun and super easy when made with cut up coffee filters, damp paper or thick paper towels. Your little ones will love to make them and your family will love to them!
Conversation Hearts in a Bag – Sally Jean
I’m a total sucker for candy hearts. Out of all the Valentines candies, these are my favorites (although I would never say no to a good chocolate truffle!) so I get such a kick out of these felt candy hearts. These would be adorable strung into a banner, added to the top of a package or filled with rice to make a sweet heart pack. So cute!
Glitter Paper Heart Frame – American Crafts
I’m a crafter, and thus, I love glitter. So this project brings two of my favorite things together. Hearts and Glitter! What could be better! I love that this project used colors other than pink and red but really any combination would make an adorable finished project. This could be super cute as a card or a more permanent wall display. Go glitter!
What heart themed projects are you working on these days? Got anything special planned for your sweetheart this year? Send us your ideas! And check out these and other heart themed projects on our Craft trends Pinboard!
