| Inhabitat Spring Greening Contest 2010 Winners Take a look at all the amazing winners of the Inhabitat Spring Greening Contest which challenged designers and crafters to transform useless junk into new treasures. The Reader's Choice Grand Prize was the Soda Bottle Lamps by Sarah Turner.Read this article | Comment on this article blog.craftzine.com |
Book Review + Giveaway: The Art of Preserving For me, summer is at its peak when my Dad and I make jam. Ever since I was a kid, we have spent a few weekends each July and August gathering plums, strawberries, blackberries, and apricots to make gleaming jars of preserves. (I always think of Greg Brown's song "Canned Goods," where he says "you can taste a little of the summer/ my grandma's put it all in jars.") I've never done much other preserving, however, so I was completely delighted to get a chance to look at The Art of Preserving. Like everything Williams-Sonoma does, it's beautiful: the photos are gorgeous, the size is just right (it's big enough to lay flat on the counter for easy reference), and even the graphic design is a pleasing blend of modern and homey old-fashioned. The book is full of helpful tips, techniques, and resources, which really push this into the "must-have reference" category.Best of all, though, are the recipes. Written by three preserving veterans, The Art of Preserving makes it clear that you really can preserve just about anything, from the classics to pickled fennel and rhubarb chutney. They cover jams, jellies, pickles, salsas, chutneys, flavored butters, honeys and vinegars, and even infused spirits and olive oils. Wow! Better yet, each section has paired recipes that make me drool, like a spicy peach-mustard sauce for a pulled pork sandwich, potato fritters with apple-onion chutney, or pavlova with lime curd and berries. I think I need to invest in a serious preserving setup because now I want to try every recipe in the book.Book Giveaway Time!Three lucky CRAFT readers will win a copy of The Art of Preserving. Just tell us why you would like this book in the comments. All comments will be closed by Noon PST on Wednesday, July 28, 2010. The lucky winners will be chosen randomly and announced later on the site. Good luck!Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in Food | Digg this! blog.craftzine.com |
How-To: Braided Ribbon Headband Cindy at Skip to My Lou shares a really cool technique for braiding ribbon and applying it to a headband. She mentions the braided ribbon could be applied to any object or accessory, and could even be done in two tones of ribbon. Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in General | Digg this! blog.craftzine.com |
World Maker Faire: Last Days to Buy Advance Tickets! I know you're all sure you're coming to World Maker Faire New York on September 25th and/or 26th, so why not save a little money and time by getting your tickets in advance? Save $5 on a day ticket or $15 on a weekend ticket by ordering them before midnight tomorrow night (September 15), and don't spend the event waiting in line. We always say Maker Faire will be amazing, but this time you're in for several super special treats:Diana Eng's Technology Fashion Show In 1964 the World's Fair was a showcase of innovation. On September 25th, 2010 at World Maker Faire, Diana Eng will present the latest innovation in fashion. At 2pm, Models will walk the runway in a high-end fashion show, featuring designs that are electronic, shape transforming, motion sensing, and biomimetic. World Maker Faire showcases the best of do-it-yourself science and technology, making it the perfect setting for Diana Eng's technology-based fashion and runway show. Included in the show is a dress inspired by bioluminescent jellyfish and fabricated with electroluminescent wire. Also featured are clothes with deployable structures mimicking opening leaves.The Madagascar Institute presents: Chariot Races! Chariot races! Jankety, cobbled together, dangerous-to‐even‐look‐at chariots, pedal‐powered versus jet‐powered versus people‐pulling‐a‐rebuilt‐Idiotarod‐shopping cart versus a motorcycle-with‐minor‐variations smashing and crashing and racing around a tightly‐turning track in heats of four, all for crappy trophies but tons of glory, admiration, and envy at your boundless intestinal fortitude, brilliant creativity, and clever use of limited building skills. There will be three rounds of races on Saturday throughout the day with a final round of races on Sunday. The races will take place in the Rocket Roundabout (very centrally located at World Maker Faire/NY SCI) and is going to be an audience favorite.Pictured above is another fabulous attraction coming to World Maker Faire NY: the Thundersteed Jet Ponies merry-go-round.Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in Maker Faire | Digg this! blog.craftzine.com |
Cuddly crafts ready to scare An avalanche of new books for knitters and sewers shows that one of the crafting world's big trends involves making traditional, stuffed animals, for sure, but also oddball critters and monsters. Just in time for the spooky season, here's a roundup of the most recent, clever ideas for crafting cuddly -- and beastly -- critters. montgomeryadvertiser.com |