Cheap Thrills

At Port Washington's 18th annual Harborfest Dock Day and Craft Festival, the hardest decision will be whether your fun's on land or sea. Or have it all as the community celebrates its nautical heritage and heightens awareness of the environment. You'll find crafts vendors and area merchant displays; a children's fun park; musicians and other performers and a talent show; field day competitions; kayaking and stage coach and trolley rides; and cruises on Manhasset Bay. It's all happening Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Port Washington's picturesque waterfront at and around the town dock and lower Main Street. Free admission. 516-883-6566, pwguide.com.

This week's featured artist is a busy mother of two kids, with one on the way, and a lover of the beach. She creates personalized sayings in the sand and photographs them for a unique, yet memorable gift. Let's meet Karin!

Name: Karin Kessler-Tellier, 31
Hometown: Sayville, NY
Occupation: Elementary School Teacher
Craft: Sandscript

What is sandscript?

It's means writing in the sand. My very creative mother came up with this name a few years back and I thought it was perfect!

How did you get into sand photography?

My family loves to vacation, especially on all different islands. Whenever my husband, Dave, and I would travel to a new beach, I'd make sure to write our vacation spot and the year in the sand. I would then wait until the perfect wave washed up and then snap a picture. This way I'd always know which pictures were from what getaway and it was a beautiful way to remember the sandy beaches.

As time went on, I started writing names in the sand, sayings, phrases and eventually our childrens' names as they arrived. People would comment on my work and then inquire about having something of their own personalized and "sandscripted." It's all history from there ...

What's your best photography tip?

Patience! In order to get just the right shot, the sun has to be at the perfect angle and the texture of the sand plays a big role. Also, the tide determines whether or not you'll have enough time to take the picture without it getting washed away.

Where do you find inspiration?

My sister, Kristen, inspires me. We lost her to leukemia in March of 1993 and she was an avid lover of the ocean. We would constantly go to the local beaches to sit back, relax, talk or just enjoy all that surrounded us. Her goal in life was to become a marine biologist and work closely with ocean animals, especially dolphins. I feel very connected to my sister when I'm by the water and I couldn't be in a more perfect place doing what I enjoy so very much. She inspires me in so many ways and I look up to her for the strength and courage she endured each and every day.

What craft would you like to try next? Maybe sand sculptures!

Where do you get your supplies? I get most of my supplies from Michaels Craft Store and some from A.C. Moore as well.

What's your biggest challenge?

My biggest challenge is finding the time to get down to the beach on some days. With two little ones at home and a constantly growing belly (Karin's pregnant), balancing time can be difficult. Thankfully, my husband encourages me to go whenever he's home and the sun is shining bright. We also live across the street from my parents and brother, Craig, so they help me out as well when I need to get some Sandscript orders done.

Do you have any advice for beginners?

Photography is my passion. I encourage you to love what you do and do what you love. Be particular and unique and your ability will always shine through. Everybody has to start somewhere and everybody has an eye for that certain something. Even my little girl, Kristen Summer, is creating her own "Sandscripts" now. I may have competition!

Why do you love making sandscripts?

I love creating my sandscripts because I'm at one of my favorite places -- the beach. The sun is shining, the waves are crashing and the smell of the ocean is like summer all-year-round. When I'm able to take somebody's special saying and create it in the sand and make it a permanent fixture for their home, it's a good feeling. When I get the positive response from my customers and see the reactions on their faces, it's worth all of the hard work and time that go into creating my work. Not only do I create the sandscript, I also mat and frame them to make it complete.

Where can readers buy your Sandscripts?

Please visit my Web site at www.sandscripts.net to view my work, place your orders and create summer all-year-round in your house!

It's almost time to throw a book in your bag and head to the beach. Well, The Sak and HarperCollins have got the book and the bag covered. Every month for the next year, they'll give away a trendy handbag from The Sak filled with new reads. To kick things off this month, 15 lucky winners will receive a Silverlake Convertible satchel stocked with three summer reads: Jean Reynolds Page's "The Space Between Before and After," Kerry Reichs' "The Best Day of Someone Else's Life" and Elizabeth Noble's "Things I Want My Daughter to Know." The first "Book in a Bag" contest runs through May 31. To sign up, visit thesak.com/home/harpercollins.

-- Joseph V. Amodio

Don't discard your cereal box! Instead, transform it into this super cute wallet packed with recycling power! With a few cuts and folds, you'll have a one-of-a-kind wallet made from your favorite breakfast brand. Makes a unique Father's Day gift and works great for business cards, too. Tutorial by Tiffany Threadgould at RePlayGround!.

Ingredients:
Empty food box - like a cereal box
Elastic cord
Paper template you can download here (Adobe Reader required to view)

Tools:
Scissors
Pencil
Ruler
Paper scoring tool - like a butter knife or bent paperclip small paperpunch (1/8" hole) or tack

Instructions:
1. Cut out the template and place it on top of your box. Trace around the edges.

2. Cut along the lines and punch holes where indicated either with a small paper punch or a tack. If you're using a tack, wiggle the tack in the hole so it's large enough to fit the elastic cord through.

3. Then, place the ruler on top of your cut-out and run your paper scoring tool along the lines. Fold at these lines.

4. Tie a double knot at one end of your cord and slip through hole A with the knot on the inside of the box. Then thread through B, going through the inside of the box and ending on the outside. Next, thread in through C and out through D. Then, thread in through E, and back in through F ending on the inside of the box.

5. Tuck in tabs A and F and fold up the wallet. Then tie a double knot in the end to secure. Make sure the elastic is snug, but not too tight. Slip the elastic over the corners of your wallet and it's ready to be filled with your money, business cards or even coupons to buy more cereal.

For more information on recycled or repurposed goods with a twist, check out RePlayGround! in Brooklyn, NY.

Gap has gone arty this week with the release of its new limited-edition Artist Editions tees, created by 13 of today's hottest artists in celebration of the Whitney Museum of American Art's biennial.

The T-shirt designers can be spotted wearing their tees in a slick new ad campaign. There's Chuck Close (in his pixilated creation), Kenny Scharf (collagey), Marilyn Minter (rockin' it Pat Benatar style) and Jeff Koons (whose animal tee is worn by Stephanie Seymour). And can someone please cheer up Rirkrit Tiravanija, whose tee blares "The Days of This Society Are Numbered"?

Find the line, $28 to $38, at Gap stores, gap.com and the Whitney while supplies last.

-- Joseph V. Amodio

A reader recently contacted me to rave about her latest find. Here's what Laurel Carpenter has to say about Sideshow Stamps:

Do you like retro crafting? The family-owned company Sideshow Stamps has a wacky, fantastic selection of hand-crafted rubber stamps which remind me of Coney Island and 1940s-1950s nostalgia. All of the designs are original and drawn by owners Noah and Jennifer Snodgrass.

One of the featured rubber stamps on their site is the infamous fringed lamp from the movie a Christmas Story! How cool is that?! Their Web site sells a variety of stamps, including images of mermaids, tiki lamps, circus performers, hibiscus flowers, and mod pinup girls. Sideshow stamps come unmounted or mounted for easy use. I also was pleased with the customer service I received from Noah and Jennifer.

Right now, they are having a great special. If you post a card to your blog or Web site using their rubber stamps, you can receive a grab bag of stamps for free. Also, to celebrate the birth of their new baby girl, Noah and Jennifer are offering shipping for $1 for a limited time only. That's a great deal!

I am getting my grab bag in a few days after sending them my Web site, Crafting with an Edge, which includes a sample of something I made with their stamps. To contact me about these cards, card making in general or classes, please send an e-mail to nycpearl2003@yahoo.com.

-- from Laurel Carpenter, NYC

Do you want to rave about your recent handmade purchase? Pop me an e-mail describing your latest find and you may see it here on the blog!

On your way to work or school, pick up a free iced coffee from Dunkin' Donuts. Yep, you heard right! It's officially "Free Iced Coffee Day" today from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at participating Dunkin' Donuts nationwide. Get a free 16 oz. cup of Dunkin' Donuts' original or flavored iced coffee.

And while you're getting your java fix, trot on over to McDonald's for a free Southern-style chicken biscuit or chicken sandwich. What's the catch? You must buy a large or medium drink today at any McDonald's to get the free, full-size chicken sandwhich. This offer is good from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today.

Lip balm is one of my favorite things to make at home. It's quick, easy and enables me to keep my lip balm addiction going strong too.

Last year, I received a sample of soaps from Ayelet, owner and creator, of Sun Kissed Bud bath products, and I enjoyed them immensely. So much so, I mentioned her bathtime treats in our first-ever handmade-holiday guide.

When I started running low on my favorite lip moisturizer, I decided to check out Ayelet's collection of hand-crafted goodies in her online store on Etsy.com, a marketplace for all things handmade.

Sun Kissed Bud offers natural deodorant, soaps made from scratch, hand lotion made with shea butter, and moisturizing lip balms. Sun Kissed Bud products are incredibly fragrant, too. I adore the sweeter scents, such as chocolate mint truffle, bubble gum, sweet pea and banana cream.

To save on cash, I picked up a three-pack where I could pick the scents for a mere $7.50. You may also purchase singles for only $3. What a deal! The best part about this purchase was Ayelet's friendly and professional manner.

For more information about Sun Kissed Bud products, visit online: ayelet17.etsy.com.

Have you taken the pledge to buy handmade? Here's why you should ... buying the wares of a craftsperson or artisan is like investing in their hopes, dreams and creativity. That alone can make a purchase extra-special.

Do you want to rave about your recent handmade purchase? Pop me an e-mail describing your latest find and you may see it here on the blog!

In the room next to the kitchen in her Syosset home, retired high school art teacher Alice Sprintzen keeps an acetylene torch.

She also keeps a drill press, a scroll saw, a flexible shaft, a belt sander and a rolling mill, as well as a rock-polisher, a bench shear and a small anvil.

A window fan ventilates when the torch is going.

Sprintzen is a jeweler, and what was once upon a time a typical suburban breakfast room became her studio 25 years ago when she and her husband, David, took out the wall separating the breakfast room from an adjoining mudroom to enlarge the space to 12 by 11 1/2 feet.

Continue reading this article by Dan Van Benthuysen.

My pal and fellow blogger the Garden Detective has the scoop on a tree giveaway through MillionTreesNYC. Click here to get more information.

Down with the dastardly plastic bag! New York City students want shoppers to go green and use cloth instead. So three students have designed eco-friendly canvas tote bags and you can get them today - for FREE!

Click here for more details. Tip of the hat goes to Lauren over at the Urbanite blog.

The Carle Place retailer 1-800-Flowers.com is partnering with an Islandia company to encourage Long Islanders to recycle old computers.

1-800-Flowers.com and e-Scrap Destruction will hold the recycling drive June 4 at the 1-800-Flowers store at 1 Old Country Rd. in Carle Place between 8:30 a.m and 4 p.m. Electronic-waste experts from e-Scrap will collect the discarded equipment.

Not wanting to miss a promotional opportunity, 1-800-Flowers will give coupons for 15 percent off its items to people who drop off discarded electronic equipment.

-- Carrie Mason-Draffen

Steve & Barry's, a clothing retailer based in Port Washington, is offering the official "Sex and the City: The Movie" apparel line in stores starting today.

The launch is just in time for the long-awaited reunion of New York's favorite girlfriends on the big screen May 30th.

Fans of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda can pick up T-shirts and tank tops with classic phrases such as "I'm with Mr. Big" and "I (Heart) Sex and the City" for an affordable $8.98 or less, according to Steve & Barry's.

Last year, Steve & Barry's partnered with "Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker to launch the Bitten Collection of cheap, yet chic clothing for women.

Check out the newest Steve & Barry's store at DSW Plaza in Lake Grove.

Enter for a chance to win a shopping spree or free screening passes to "Sex and the City: The Movie" at participating Steve & Barry's stores, while supplies last. For official rules, visit online: www.steveandbarrys.com and www.bittensjp.com/satcsweepstakes.

Sex and the City photos

Most of us might change careers a couple of times - but just how many public lives has Commack's own Rosie O'Donnell lived, anyway?

Well, let's see, to name just a few: standup comic, Broadway actor, TV host, over-the-top fan of Tom Cruise, bestselling author ...

... Not to mention willing lightning rod for controversy, from her campy feud with Donald Trump to her vociferous views before leaving ABC's "The View" (just after being named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World: "the TV host who loves a fight").

Whew! And she just turned 46 (in March).

She's also the founder of Rosie's Broadway Kids, a program to bring musical theater to public school students in New York City, and Rosie's for All Kids Foundation, which provides day care and other services to poor children.

Perhaps her favorite role, though, is that of mom - she has two boys and two girls, ranging from around kindergarten age to tween.

And in that role, she's come out with her third book, a big change from the tone of her 2007 tell-all memoir "Celebrity Detox: The Fame Game."

In "Rosie O'Donnell's Crafty U: 100 Easy Projects the Whole Family Can Enjoy All Year Long" (Simon & Schuster, $21.95), Rosie enlists her trademark abbreviations to make a point: u r crafty - i swear - u r

And:
u r art

"Crafts are my way of relaxing," she writes. "My friends say they can tell how stressed I am by the number of craft projects I'm working on." She says she wrote the book, aimed at ages 5 through 12 and their parents, "to inspire families to spend more time together - crafting!"

She helps you set up a craft corner and choose supplies, which are often found objects: bottles, cans, string, newspapers.

The projects are organized by seasons and holidays - "Cheep-Cheep Chicks" for spring; "Way-Cool Painted Sneakers" for summer; "Mummy Dearest" for fall; "Glitter Globes" for winter. There's also a section called "Rainy Day playdate" ("Oink! Meow! Glove Puppets") and "Every Day Is a Decoupage Day" ("Take a Snapshot Tray").

All of which may prove what she writes: "A craft project is a great way for children to explore their creativity, build confidence and learn how to express themselves."

See rosie.com/craftyu for tips and videos in which Rosie (sans makeup; she's just a mom) shows you how.

Yes, you can cans

"Colorful paint and cool trims transform tossables into a pencil holder, a vase for dainties, or a place to stash craft pens. Grown-ups: Teach kids about the joy of recycling an old, clean can into a bright and shiny new thing!"

What you need:

Foam paintbrushes, acrylic craft paints, clean tin cans with labels removed, artist paintbrushes, craft glue, colorful paper trims

How to make:

1.Paint outside of cans using foam brush and craft paint. Let dry.

2.Paint bands of color around the cans using the foam paintbrush and craft paints.

3.Paint stripes, polka dots, pretty flowers, squiggles or anything you like on cans using an artist paintbrush for detailing. Let dry.

4.Apply colorful paper trim with glue along the top and bottom of the can.

- From "Rosie O'Donnell's Crafty U" (Simon & Schuster)

By Peggy Brown, Newsday staff writer