February 17, 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 (219)
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 (219)
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 (219)
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 (219)
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!
January 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 (219)
Craft Trends, Crafts, Crafts to Wear, Jewelry Making, Kid's 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!
Theyyyyy’rrrreee back. Well, maybe they never left, but friendship bracelets are definitely a hit once again. I remember being a fifth grader and having one in progress at all times, pinned to the knee of my pants, clipped to the top of a book, taped to my desk in class. We loved them. They might even have been the thing that kick started my love of crafting of all kinds. But in the years since I was making simple striped bracelets at my desk, friendship bracelets have come a long way and there are so many patterns, variations and options out there now. Perfect for a lazy afternoon project, gifts for friends or just a new hobby, here are a few of our favorite ideas to get you inspired.
How to Make a Rainbow Friendship Bracelet – Dikulya67
These deceptively simple bracelets employ just one color of thread and small beads (I’ve seen it done with tiny hex nuts and washers too) to make a fabulous and pretty substantial piece of jewelry. While they would look great on their own, I think a rainbow of colors as seen here is so eye catching! I love it!
How to Make Friendship Bracelets – Todo Manualidades
Loom beaded bracelets can take on just about any pattern and create a lovely, solid piece that can look dressy and casual. These friendship bracelet style beaded pretties harken back to those school playground creations but with something a little fancier.
20 Friendship Bracelet Tutorials - Becoming Martha
Patterns patterns patterns! Look at all the possibilities! I love them all. Complicated, simple, two colors and rainbows. They all look like so much fun! I can’t decide which one to try first. How about you?
What’s your favorite friendship bracelet pattern? Send us pictures! Tell us about it! We love to hear what you are up to! And check out these and other friendship bracelet ideas on our Craft Trends Pinboard.
December 23, 2013
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 (219)
Craft Trends, Crafts, Needlearts, Sewing, Techniques and Mediums
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I’m new to the whole world of embroidery. To be honest, I spent a lot of years avoiding it like the plague, thinking it was old fashioned and not my style. But over the past two or three years I’ve fallen head over heels for the craft and have been working my way through learning different techniques and stitches. My current favorite? Sashiko. I wish I’d found it years ago. The simple, sparse lines appeal to my sense of style in a big way and even beginners (like me) can make some pretty stunning pieces. Sashiko is a style of embroidery from Japan that uses simple color combinations like blue and white, and basic, even stitching to create amazing patterns and textures. Great for stitchers of all ages, here are a few of our favorite sashiko projects and patterns.
Reversible Sashiko Placemats – The Purl Bee
Beautiful! Am I right? I love these reversible placemats with their simple cross sashiko stitching. While you could certainly make your own placemats from scratch to stitch onto, this would be a fantastic way to personalize a set of store-bought ones for a gift. I love the neutral tones there but these would be just as beautiful in the traditional navy and white, or maybe go for a color pop with red or green!
Sashiko Sampler Potholders – Design Sponge
And speaking of color! Look at these pot holders! Who wouldn’t want these hanging on a hook in their kitchen or gracing their table to protect the surface from hot pots? The amazing thing here is that, other than the border, each features just two colors. One for the thread, one for the fabric. And yet, they have such a modern, colorful look. These are at the top of my to-make list right now!
Sashiko Embroidery Tutorial – The Purl Bee
The secret to sashiko seems to be even stitches and spacing, especially when it comes to places where two lines meet. This diagram (and also this fabulous pattern!) are pushing me to up my game with sashiko and get some good stitching practice in.
Sashiko can be applied to so many projects – bags, clothing, knee patches, table runners – almost anything with a solid fabric for a background can be transformed with this beautiful style of embroidery. Have you tried sashiko yet? Send some photos of your projects our way so we can see what you’ve been up to! And check out these and other images on our Craft Trends Pinboard.
December 20, 2013
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 (219)
Christmas, Craft Trends, Crafts, Holidays, 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 to admit that I’m a little addicted to cone trees for holiday decorations. I might just have a whole cone tree forest set up on top of my piano every December. Plus a few (dozen) more scattered around the house. I can’t get enough of them. SO I’m always looking for more to add to my collection and boy are there some cute options out there! While I know some people like their cone trees to be all the same, I prefer a mix of materials to cover them in complimentary colors, which opens up a whole lot of possibilities! Here are some of my favorites!
Gold Beaded Cone Trees – Buy them at Treillage Ltd.
These gold bead covered trees are, I think, glamourous, glitzy and gorgeous while at the same time looking simple and elegant. I love the bright shiny gold and the skinny tapered shape. What a great look with such simple materials.
Vintage Sheet Music Cone Trees – Buy them at the Joy Frameworks Etsy Shop
I love these fringed paper covered trees so much. They remind me somehow of long, fluttery eyelashes! Softer than many cone trees, these can be made from wrapping paper, newspaper, recycled book pages or other fun papers for a customized look.
Button Cone Tree – Falling for Vintage Etsy Shop (No Longer Exists)
Oh buttons! I love buttons! This button tree is so cute! It’s got its own rustic elegance that could fit in with just about any decor and be customized to any color scheme just by changing the hues of the buttons. What a great use for that jar of miscellaneous buttons all crafters have tucked away at the back of their shelves! Adorable!
Are you a cone tree fan? What do you cover yours with? Send us your photos and ideas! We love to see them. And check out these and other cone tree ideas on our Craft Trends Pinboard.
