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HGTV - Crafting with Camille

Copyright 2008

Crafty Thanksgiving Centerpieces
Published Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:16:12 -0500

How do you turn a meal, even the biggest, button-poppingest feast of the year, into a special occasion? Why, with a beautifully set table, of course. But, don't worry, it's much easier than you may think. These diy projects will set you on the right path for celebrating Turkey Day with style!

For a centerpiece that will last year after year, check out this stylish Autumn Votive Centerpiece and these easy-to-create Fall Leaf Candle Wraps.

If you'd rather watch a step-by-step video for more detailed instructions on creating your own centerpieces and place settings, check out these 3 Simple Fall Centerpieces, Table Setting Tips, Rustic Fall Arrangements and Fruit Bouquet videos on HGTV.com.

For more ways to celebrate a crafty Turkey Day, check out:


* Thanksgiving: Celebrate in Style on HGTV.com


* Thanksgiving O'Plenty on DIY Network.com

Batty Halloween Candle
Published Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:58:20 -0500

Guest Blogger: Debbie Olson, Thinking Inking

With the abundance of great paper-crafting products available today, it is simple and quick to create holiday decorations. Wandering through a department store, I spied a glass jar candle in the clearance section. It curved in slightly at the top and reminded me of a pumpkin. A couple of stamped pieces and scrapbooking accessories later, I had fun little Halloween candle!

Materials:

orange jar candle
rubber stamps for jack-o-lantern face and tag
seasonal ribbon
bat-shaped chipboard and coordinating sticker
strong adhesive
natural cardstock
black and orange ink
tag or tag die cut
string

Steps:

1. Clean jar well with window cleaner or rubbing alcohol. This will help your jack-o-lantern features to stick to the glass better. Stamp jack-o-lantern features on natural cardstock, trim features and adhere to glass. Tip: If you do not have a stamp set with jack-o-lantern features, you could cut these from black cardstock.

2. Tie a length of coordinating seasonal ribbon around the neck of the jar.

3. Die-cut a tag (or use a pre-cut tag) and stamp Halloween Wishes sentiment in black and orange inks; run string through the tag hole and attach tag under the ribbon bow.

4. Add covered chipboard bat at the top of the ribbon and voila you have a cute and crafty Halloween decoration or a terrific gift.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Spooky Treat Jar With Coordinating Card
Published Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:37:55 -0500

Guest Blogger: Debbie Olson, Thinking Inking

Do you ever save a pretty jar, thinking that you might be able to do something with it? I had saved this square marmalade jar because it was an unusual shape. When I was looking for a container to decorate, recycling it was a perfect solution. Using scrapbooking rub-ons, chipboard and stickers, ribbon and stamps, you can create a sweet and simple Halloween gift ensemble.

Materials:

glass jar
large nesting circle dies or punches
Halloween-themed patterned papers
Halloween-themed chipboard and coordinating self-adhesive die cuts
Halloween-themed rub-ons
ink and cardstock
Halloween and/or food-themed stamps
clear shrink plastic
detail white embossing powder
ribbon
adhesive
corner rounder punch
treats of choice

Jar Steps:

1. Wash jar thoroughly. (Cleaning the outside of the jar with window cleaner or rubbing alcohol to remove fingerprints will help your rub-ons to stick better.)

2. Apply rub-ons to the outside of the jar.

3. Cover the jar top with stamped images or patterned papers. (I stamped and embossed a spider web image on a black piece of cardstock, then cut a circle from the black cardstock to fit the top of the jar. Next I stamped and embossed a sentiment ring on a green sheet of cardstock and made an outer ring to cover the outside of the black cardstock as shown. Finally, I stamped a spider on clear shrink plastic, shrunk him, and attached him to the center of the web with a mini glue dot.)

4. Apply double-stick tape to the rim of the jar and attach trim to the rim.

5. Tie a coordinating ribbon around the neck of the jar.

Card Steps:

1. Cut card base to 3-1/2” x 7” and score at 3-1/2”. Round the bottom corners and set aside. Layer patterned papers pleasingly and cut the layer to 3-3/8” x 3-3/8”. Round bottom corners and set aside.

2. Attach ribbon to back of patterned layer, then attach patterned layer to the card base. Stamp and emboss sentiment on the bottom of the card, then attach covered chipboard images to card front.

Spooktacular Halloween Decorations
Published Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:11:52 -0500

Halloween is right around the corner, time for spookifying your home indoors and out. As always, the web is full of creepy and creative ideas to suit the most sophisticated spirit or littlest trick-or treater.

If you're looking for Halloween decorating ideas that are a bit offbeat, then Instructables.com is a great place to start. Instructables calls itself, The World's Largest Show and Tell, and it truly is that. People the world over post detailed step-by-step instructions for making everything from a Homemade Fog Machine to Inexpensive Vampire Bats to a thorough set of tips for taking your best jack-o-lantern photos.

If pumpkin-carving is your thing, be sure to check out the kid-friendly free templates on ehow.com and these a bit scarier templates on cyberhaunt.com. For some truly creepy pumpkin-carving ideas, Extreme Pumpkins.com is the place for adults-only project ideas, like the Flaming Head Pumpkin below.

      

Looking for some crafty Halloween decorating projects to make with the kids? Well, I've got you covered! These Ghost Garland, Witch's Hand and Pom Pom Spider projects are simple enough for even the littlest beastie.

For even more hauntingly craft-tastic Halloween ideas, check out HGTV.com's Halloween Ideas and DIY Network's Pumpkin Palooza!

Be-Witching Halloween Ideas
Published Date: Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:41:58 -0500

For anyone unfamiliar, etsy.com is a fantastic resource for crafters to sell their handmade goods or one-stop shopping for creative crafters looking for a bit of inspiration. Etsy has been around for a while now and the crafts just keep getting better and better!

Check out some of the fantastic and bewitching items I found to cast a spell over your Halloween celebrations:

Everyone hide their ruby slippers! This Wicked Witch Silhouette Mirror created by FigaroloWay would add a chic and chilling touch to any room.
What a sweet little enchantress! Baby Witchipoo Costume created by SDEMKE.
Oliviamoon is one of my favorite etsy sellers. Her vintage-inspired pendants, like this Full Moon and Flying Witch Pendant, make whimsical use of Victorian images and prose.
I love the way the fully moon magically glimmers on this Witch Craft Sign created by CountryWorkshop.
Handmade cards are a great way to let someone special know that you're thinking of them. Handmade Black Cat Card made by Blackbird Creations.

Looking for more Halloween craftiness? Well, we've got you covered! Check out our Halloween Ideas feature on HGTV.com for do-it-yourself decorations, costumes, pumpkins and party planning tips and crafts.

Share Your Halloween Photos
Published Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:42:12 -0500

Fall has officially arrived, which can only mean that Halloween parties, pumpkins, costumes and spooky decorations are on their way. Well, I say, bring it on -- we're ready at HGTV.com! We just launched a fun, interactive Halloween feature filled with easy-to-create costumes, exclusive pumpkin-carving templates and tips, DIY decorations and tons of creative party ideas sure to make your fright-night festivities a scream.

Check out our original videos and crafty Halloween projects, like these No-Sew Pirate, Fairy and Ladybug costumes -- all new for this year.

Also new this year, we want to see your best costumes, pumpkins and decorations. So gather your photos and videos together and upload them here!

For even more Halloween inspiration and DIY's exclusive pumpkin-carving templates, check out DIY Network's Pumpkin Palooza and for Halloween party recipes that are more "treat" than "trick," visit Food Network.com.

Knitting for Beginners
Published Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:32:02 -0500

Are you new to knitting? I must confess that although I love the look of handknit sweaters and scarves, it's a craft that I've yet to experiment with. One day, though, preferably a chilly, inside-kind-of-day, I totally plan to pop in a good movie, curl up and learn how to knit and purl.

If you're a knitting newbie like me,
I've pulled together some instructive videos to get you started:

Getting Started With Knitting: This video offers descriptions of the basic tools needed and helpful tips on needle sizes, types of yarn and deciphering yarn labels.

Indispensable Gauge Primer: To ensure that you have chosen the correct sized needle for the job, making a guage swatch is an essential first step.

Casting On for Beginners: In this video, Vicki demonstrates step-by-step how to "cast on" or start your knitting project.

Basic Knit Stitch Method: Both the English or Throw and Continental techniques are demonstrated and their differences explained.

Knitting 101: Knitty Gritty host Vicki Howell and her guest, Vickie Square, share tips for conquering common begginer knitting problems.

Make Your Own Knitting Needles and Make Your Own Fun Needle Point Protectors: Vicki demonstrates how simple and fun it is to make your own customized needles and playful point protectors. A great gift idea for yourself or the knitter who has everything.

Binding Off Fundamentals: Also known as casting off, this video demonstrates the binding off technique for finishing your knitting project.

For an explanation of many of the terms used in knitting as well as a list of knitting abbreviations, check out the printable Handy-Dandy Knitty Gritty Glossary on DIY Network.

Fall's Coming -- Time to Knit a Scarf
Published Date: Tue, 09 Sep 2008 09:44:07 -0500

Guest Blogger: Nan Harless, Crafts Editor, DIY Network.com

The official start of fall is a few short weeks away, now's a good time to get started on cooler weather knitting projects. I'm a big fan of Fayla Reiss's Multichain Scarf. Not only is it super chic but it would look equally fabulous whether you're dressed up or dressed down.

I read an article the other day that was all about how young celebrities are wearing scarves in spite of the late summer/early fall heat, and this scarf strikes me as a great one to wear even on a hot day, because it's so light and airy.

For more knitting projects, check out Knitty Gritty on DIY Network.

Cashing In With Crafts- Globally
Published Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:46:46 -0500

Finally, you can reach literally a worldwide audience by marketing your crafts on the internet. This is a big step and there are a lot of considerations -- like how will you receive payment for purchases, how will you handle shipping items, how will you set up a web page and how much will it cost to create and maintain an online shop.

Obviously, a lot to consider or you can go the simpler route and market your crafts through Etsy.com. Consider it an ebay for crafters or a huge online craft mall. Etsy has quickly become one of my favorite online destinations, here you can find handmade clothing, jewelry, housewares, paintings, holiday items, great one-of-a-kind gear for kids and pets, toiletries...you name it! If you can make it by hand, it's on Etsy. Whether I'm searching for a unique handmade gift or just a little inspiration for one of my own projects, I know I will always discover something truly original. And did I mention that browsing Etsy is just plain fun! You can search for items by typing in keywords or you can search by color with their extremely interactive (and addictive) Color Tool.

Etsy's Color Tool

Or browse through the most recently added items in the Time Machine.

Etsy's Time Machine

Etsy's fees to list items for sale are quite fair and getting started as a seller is relatively simple. Like any other financial undertaking -- before jumping in, do your research. Check out these tips for selling on Etsy, courtesy of Craftster.org. Then look at what your fellow crafters are selling online and find your niche.

Happy Crafting and Good Luck!

Cashing In With Crafts- Regionally
Published Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:45:38 -0500

Once you're comfortable with retailing your crafts locally, you may want to branch out to the regional or national level by traveling to craft fairs.

There are several websites to get you started with craft show listings. I found this great list of "can't miss" craft shows on the American Style website.

For a more complete list, visit the 2008 Show Listings compiled by Sunshine Artist magazine, the art and craft show trade publication. This list is interactive, you can perform an advanced search to find only the craft fairs in your state or search by show dates or the category of crafts being shown.

It's a good idea to visit a few fairs before deciding if selling your crafts at the fair level will work for you. Do your homework. Stroll through the booths, compare other seller's prices to your own, get ideas for table displays and most importantly ask questions of other vendors like, "how are sales?" and "how does this fair compare to others?" Craft fair vendors are generally a friendly bunch of people, happy to chat and willing to give advice to another crafter just getting started on the show circuit.

Check out this blog post for advice on stretching your craft fair dollars by sharing the booth with another exhibitor and increasing sales through cross-promotion.

Got advice for the other crafty business owners? Where is your favorite craft fair?

Cashing In With Crafts- Locally
Published Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:25:46 -0500

I've noticed that several folks have asked about resources for selling their crafts. This is a broad question because the answer really depends on how big of a market you hope to target.

Let's start with creating a small business of manufacturing your crafts at home and selling locally. First, determine where you will sell your crafts. Check your yellow pages to determine if there is a craft mall or art gallery that specializes in regional crafts in your area. Contact area churches to find out about any upcoming bazaars. Keep an eye out for ads in local papers announcing upcoming craft fairs. Browse your local flea or farmer's market, if lots of other local crafters are there busily selling homemade candles, tote bags, windchimes, etc. -- then this is obviously a lucrative spot.

Barbara Brabec, a frequent guest on the Carol Duvall show and authority on crafts marketing, recommends that before starting a home-based craft business, you do six things:

1. Get the Support of Your Family. Any business run at home will be stressful at times, but much more so if you don't have support and encouragement from your spouse or other family members. Make sure everyone understands what you want to do and what they might have to do (or give up) to help you reach your goals.

2. Adjust Your Attitude. Even if your financial goals are small, it’s important to develop a professional attitude right from the start because your attitude will have everything to do with the amount of money you’ll earn.

3. Set Some Goals. Make a list of short- and long-term goals you’d like to achieve, and don’t be afraid to set a couple of personal goals you’re not sure you can reach. You may have to leave your comfort zone and stretch yourself to achieve a particular goal, but what you’ll learn in the process will be worth gold to you.

4. Find More Time. Start recording how you presently spend every hour of each day and do this for at least a month to get a complete picture of all your activities. Then study this information to find the extra hours you’ll need to run a business at home.

5. Set Up an Organized Work/Business Area. To minimize stress and save time, figure out how and where you’re going to do the work involved in your new endeavor. You will need space for business files and records, production work tables and sufficient storage space for your growing collection of raw materials, supplies and finished goods being prepared for sale.

6. Consider the Benefits. As many hobby crafters have learned, the benefits of starting a small crafts business at home can be tremendous, even if the venture itself turns out to be a financial flop. That’s because failure is a wonderful teacher that helps us learn what not to do the next time around. Many crafters who failed to make a good profit from their first crafts venture learned enough to succeed in their second.

Click here to read Barbara Brabec's full article Six Personal Things to Consider Before Starting a Crafts Business.

For more tips on getting started, check out Starting a Craft Business and Marketing Your Crafts on HGTV.com.

Back to School Crafts
Published Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:10:36 -0500

My nephew, affectionately known as "The Monkey Boy" officially starts back to school this week. So, I'd say the time is right for some rockin' back to school crafts!

Kaboose.com has some great kids' craft ideas, perfect for sending your little academic back to the books with creative flair, like the Tie-Dye Book Cover, Personalized Lunch Bag and Backpack Beanie Buddies below.

Another great resource is FamilyFun.com. They have an extensive list of free printables like this handy Homework Chart or Monthly Planner perfect for helping your kids get organized for the coming year.

For more kid's craft ideas, check out our Kids' Crafts feature on HGTV.com.

Need help getting your kids' organized? Well, we're here to help with tons of tips in our Get Organized: Kids feature.

Cottage-Style Craftiness
Published Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:12:15 -0500

I LOVE cottage style! For anyone unfamiliar, cottage style is relaxed, easy and tastefully shabby. Antique furniture, accessories with a history and high-end fabrics are the trademarks of cottage style. I just found some great cottage crafts you can make to add a bit of this easy-going style to your home:

Recycling never looked so good! These Baluster Candleholders are a snap to put together. Check out local salvage shops, antique stores or Craigslist and eBay to find the balusters.

This vintage-inspired Wedgwood-Style Embellished Frame would add timeless appeal to a cottage-style bedroom, office or den.

HGTV users have uploaded some gorgeous cottage-style crafts at Share My Craft, like these 2 lovelies: Gorgeous Mosaic Mirror and Mosaic Teapot Lamp, created by lavendarhillstudio.

Craigslist and eBay are greate sources for antiques and collectibles. Before splashing the cash, check out this Decorator's Guide to Shopping Craigslist.

For more ideas on adding cottage style to your digs, visit HGTV.com for tons of cottage style makeover ideas. Also on our site, check out the cottage-style ideas uploaded by other HGTV fans, like this clever recycled headboard turned into a garden fence, uploaded by Cottagebythecreek.

ATTN Bargain Hunters!
Published Date: Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:51:57 -0500

The World's Longest Yard Sale starts tomorrow! That's right, put on your comfiest shoes, fill your pockets with small bills, hydrate up and start your engines. If you live anywhere near Highway 127 in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama or Georgia — you are only hours away from 654 miles of bargains. From homeowners along the route who are simply cleaning house to antique dealers who travel from far and wide to set up shop on Hwy 127, there's a little bit of something for everyone in every price range imaginable.

   

For more info and a map of the sale route, check out the World's Longest Yard Sale official website.

Before hitting the road, check out these tips for attending the sale from an HGTV expert and veteran longest yard sale shopper.

As in previous years, HGTV hosts Stephen Lee and Elyse Luray will be shopping this year's sale, chatting with dealers and shoppers and highlighting the most interesting or valuable items they find along the route. This year's special won't air until October (they're taping it now) but who knows, if you're one of the lucky folks to meet up with our hosts, then you may have your moment in the spotlight and end up in this year's special.

This year's sale runs Thursday, August 7 through Sunday August 10, 2008.

If you think you'll miss this year's sale, then mark your calendar for 09, which is scheduled for August 6-9, 2009.

Happy Bargain Hunting!

Hot Weather Knitting
Published Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:30:55 -0500

Guest Blogger: Nan Harless, Crafts Editor, DIY Network.com

Where I live, we're in the middle of a terrific heat wave, as I'm sure many of you are. I can't really think about knitting or crocheting or anything except keeping cool, and I'm definitely looking forward to cooler weather, when I can start getting interested in warm sweater and wooly scarves again. Until then, however, I'm going to share a couple of hot-weather projects, two adorable bathing suits:

NexGeneration's crocheted bikini

and Tina Whitmore's knitted bikini.

I can't think of a better way to keep cool than to wear one of these cuties to the pool or the beach (and I think you'll love the extra accessories included with each swimsuit). I hope you enjoy them — and I hope you stay cool!

For more knitting projects, check out Knitty Gritty on DIY Network.