Glen Head jewelry shop Studio 44 holds jewelry-making workshops (beginner to pro). Make metal rings, bracelets and more with Sea Cliff designer Kathleen DiResta, 10 am to 1 pm, Mondays (July 14, 21, 28 and August 11, $180) or Saturdays (July 19, August 9 and 16, $135). Or work Thursdays on fused glass with Glen Head's Jane Irvine. For more info, visit janesartglass.com, kdirestadesign.com, or call 516-216-4630. -- Joseph V. Amodio
Combine last month's magazines with some old magnets and you'll have a fun new word play game that you made yourself. This simple project is sure to make headlines. Tutorial by Tiffany Threadgould at RePlayGround!
Ingredients:
Magazines
Mint tin
Flexible magnet (like the kind you get advertising the local pizza shop) or get the adhesive kind from a craft supply store
Tools:
Glue stick (if using a non-adhesive magnet) scissors
Instructions:
1.Lay your magnetic piece on a flat surface. Cut words from magazine pages. Make sure you have enough to cover the whole surface of the magnet.
2. If you're using a non-adhesive magnet, lay your words upside-down on a piece of scrap paper and use your glue stick to make it sticky. Stick onto the magnet. Repeat until your whole magnet is covered. If you're using an adhesive magnet, peal off the waxy layer and stick the words to the magnet.
3. Use your scissors to carefully cut apart the pieces. Then stick the pieces to your mint tin or refrigerator and rearrange the words creating sentences and fun phrases.
For more funky recycled and repurposed goods, check out RePlayGround! in Brooklyn, NY.
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.
Most of us might change careers a couple of times - but just how many public lives has Commack's own
Well, let's see, to name just a few: standup comic, Broadway actor, TV host, over-the-top fan of
... Not to mention willing lightning rod for controversy, from her campy feud with
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
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
You're invited to take part in watercolor workshops with East End artist Marilyn Gartelmann on April 30th, May 28th and June 18th at the East End Arts Council.
Each workshop will focus on a different technique and skill. Also coming up are Plein Air Watercolor classes with artist, author and illustrator, Mike Killelea. The focus of Mr. Killelea’s classes will be capturing the warmth and color of Long Island’s dazzling spring mornings.
Classes will be held at various locations throughout the East End on Tuesdays from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, now through May 20th. The cost of the class is $157.
Mr. Killelea will also be teaching Twilight Plein Air Painting, also on Tuesdays, from 5 to 8:00 PM, April 15th through May 20th. For more information and a complete listing of classes please contact the Community School of the Arts at 631.369.2171 or visit www.eastendarts.org/education.
Crafty mom, TV personality and fellow Long Islander Rosie O'Donnell will be signing copies of her new craft book "Crafty U" on Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m. at Borders, 1260 Old Country Road in Westbury, according to Rosie.com.
Check out her recent appearance on the Martha Stewart show where she shows Martha how to decorate Keds sneakers with a little craft paint and duct tape. It's a very cute and simple project you can do with your children.
During the craft segment with Martha, Rosie wore an artsy head wrap she's dubbed the "hadIT." When you're crafting and you've just about had it, you pull your hair off your face and get down to business! She even admitted to shaving the back of her head to help it fit on her head! She's one serious crafter! I totally love the idea and may pick one up for myself!
Go to Rosie.com for more details about her new craft book and "hadIT" headgear for crafters.
Does she need an introduction? Martha Stewart, lifestyle queen of television, magazines, books and just plain living, has prepared for the future. She's hit the Internet, video-on-demand, bought Emeril Lagasse's TV and cookbook franchise and is providing a food line through Costco. "The Martha Stewart Show" will air its 500th episode Thursday. Our sister paper, The Los Angeles Times, talked to her -- she was on speakerphone in her offices -- just after yoga.
Click here to read the full article on Newsday.com.
Check out televison episodes of "Martha" on her Web site and take part in her Easter crafts online workshop.
At the end of every rainbow there is a pot of gold.
No rainbows in sight? No problem, create your own cauldron of coins with a terra cotta pot.
Of course, Irish eyes are smiling upon you, as this project takes less than 30 minutes to complete.
Click here to get the tutorial written by crafter extraordinaire Steven James. Be sure to check out his other tutorials on the Cheap Thrills blog.
Everyday Food, Martha Stewart's cooking magazine, is sending several of its editors to the Viking Cooking School at Loaves & Fishes in Garden City March 14-16 to teach a handful of special cooking classes:
"Dinner in the Fast Lane"
Quick and simple meals prepared with a few key ingredients, including balsamic steak with polenta and sautéed cherry tomatoes, as well as Thai coconut shrimp stew with steamed rice.
Sessions: Friday, March 14, 5-7 p.m.; Saturday, March 15, 3-5 p.m. and Sunday, March 16, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
"Make-Ahead Spring Brunch"
Impressive, easy meals that can be made a day in advance so you'll be free to spend more time with your guests. Recipes include spinach and Gruyere quiche, ham with mustard-parsley sauce and lemon-ginger bundt cake.
Sessions: Friday, March 14, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Saturday, March 15, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and Sunday, March 16, noon-2 p.m.
Tickets are $49 per person per class and space is limited--reserve in advance online or call 516-877-1010.
Photo courtesy of Everyday Food.
Crochet is a quick and easy technique for making a variety of fashion and home decor accessories. In this workshop, you'll learn the basic stitches and then begin a project to take home and complete on your own. $10 per person, 8 years and up. Crochet Workshop at The Suffolk County Farm and Education Center, March 8th, 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Pre-registration required, please call 631-852-4600.
March is National Craft Month, and it's a great reason to dig out your old photos and begin the process of preserving them in a family scrapbook.
Come out to crop and chew at Your Happy Place, a scrabooking and stamping supply store in East Northport. You'll munch on pizza and soda and then enjoy using their supplies, which include rubber stamps, inks, diecut machines, and stencils. This class is offered at 6 every Monday night in March. Cost: $12. Web site: www.yourhappyplaceonline.com
There is also a Long Island craft group that regularly meets for scrapping and socializing, card-making and other fun paper crafts. Based in Ronkonkoma, the Western Suffolk Scrappers & Stampers invites you to swap ideas, get advice for layouts and mingle with other crafters. All skill levels are welcome. Cost: $10 for a one-year membership. Web site: http://scrapbook.meetup.com/1763/
Photo above: Diana Palmonka, a cashier who also stocks shelves and advertises for Scrapaholics in West Hempstead, with a page from her own scrapbook. (Newsday / Bill Davis)
As a kid in the 1980s, one of my first do-it-yourself projects was making my own viewing device (similar to the image above) to watch a solar eclipse.
The next total solar eclipse will occur on August 1, 2008, but don't let that stop you from gazing at the sky... there's a lunar eclipse tonight at 8:43 p.m. and you don't need protective gear either. Just stick your head out the window and enjoy!
P.S. Check out the Garden Detective's musings on the upcoming lunar eclipse...
Winter is a great time for crafting indoors with friends. Check out these local classes for handmade fun!
Etsy Labs -- Create whimsical creatures at Etsy Labs in Brooklyn on Saturday, March 1 from 1-5 p.m. At this Plush Class, you'll create a loveable plush creature to give as a gift or keep for yourself. Learn lots of tips on working with faux fur and making plushie creatures. Students will take home printed instructions and patterns to jump start plush making at home. Cost: $50. Sign up: www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9365923
A.C. Moore -- This national craft store chain offers prospective scrapbookers informative classes on the best way to preserve special memories. Classes vary by location. Check your local A.C. Moore for details. Sign up: www.acmoore.com
Claytime -- Make time for playtime at Claytime, a paint-on-pottery studio in Huntington. Be sure to go on a Thursday night from 6-9 p.m. for adults-only fun! Other days are open to all ages. For prices and hours, please call: 631-425-6133.
On a recent episode of Oprah, financial guru Suze Orman helps a woman get out of debt and back on her feet after her husband dies. It serves as a reminder that everyone is responsible for their own financial security. Suze also doles out helpful advice on how you can save money and improve your life in her new book, "Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny."
As a treat to viewers, Oprah is offering Suze Orman's new book as a free download today until 8 p.m. EST. It's also available for download in Spanish. Obtenga su copia gratuita del libro de Suze Orman antes de 8/7c en la noche de 14 de febrero.
Updated 2/18: Did you miss the free download of Suze Orman's latest book? No problem, you can read an excerpt by clicking here.
Children 3 and up and adults can enjoy a chocolate-making workshop at Cornell Cooperative Extension at 11a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The one-hour events take place at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center, 350 Yaphank Avenue in Yaphank. Fee is $8; you must register, 631-852-4600; info, cce.cornell.edu/suffolk/programs/scfhome.htm
Nothing says "from the heart" more than a handmade treat for your sweetie on Valentine's Day. Check out this fun craft tutorial for making an adorable wrapping for a box of Valentine Nerds candy! When giving a loved one a gift -- no matter how small -- it pays to be creative and show that you've put forth an effort. Enjoy the video!
Special thanks to Angie Juda for the video tutorial! For more information on Angie's altered creations and other crafts or to inquire about craft supplies, please visit her blog: http://www.chicnscratch.typepad.com/
"Real Simple Cleaning: Your Room-by-Room Guide to a Beautiful House," (Real Simple Books, $$21.95): This book is crammed with ideas about cleaning virtually everything, from showers to a child's bedroom to home office. There's good advice on how to mix or not mix certain products, quick fixes for messy areas, floor waxes, cleaning the ceiling and a lot more, in a highly accessible format.
So, it's been 14 days since I made my New Year's resolution to give up ice cream and I've already broken my promise. I'm sorry, but that bowl of Haagen-Daz was calling my name!
My best bud Jeannine is faring much better with her annual to-do list, which includes giving up sodas, spending more time with friends (me) and saving money for a rainy day. In honor of her ability to stick to her guns, I'm rewarding her with a snazzy, personalized clipboard to hold her list of resolutions and any other accomplishments she'll make this year.
Want to make one of your own? No problem. I learned how to dress up a basic office supply clipboard by watching this video by Angie Juda, a Stampin' Up! demonstrator in Overland Park, Kansas. Check it out!
Special thanks to Angie Juda for the video tutorial! For more information on Angie's altered creations and other crafts or to inquire about craft supplies, please visit her blog: http://www.chicnscratch.typepad.com/
-- by Corris
Here's the thing I love about DIYers: Every single one I've met so far is willing to demonstrate, teach and share their crafts with others--even if selling said handmade crafts is their primary source of income. Talk about spreading goodwill.
To that end, I'm loving these funky block print T-shirts for kids, which Philadelphia-based DIYer Stacy Monakey demonstrated her technique for making earlier this week on Martha Stewart's show. They're really fun and not terribly complicated to make, unlike other block print how-tos I've seen recently.
You can see the full how-to, including a video demonstration, and download a few patterns to try yourself at marthastewart.com.
Here's a book to help you renovate it yourself ...
The Pocket Renovator: An Illustrated Guide to the Language of Home Improvement and Renovation. By Leslie and Pamela Banker. Universe, $19.95
PURPOSE: To introduce first-time buyers and renovators to home improvement terminology so that they know how to speak to and hire contractors or do the work themselves.
AUTHORS' CREDENTIALS: The Bankers are a mother and daughter duo with design expertise. Pamela Banker has more than 30 years' experience in the decorating and design profession; Leslie Banker, her daughter, is a journalist whose work has appeared in Architectural Digest, House & Garden and Town & Country.
| The holidays are over, but the weather is still cold, which means more time for winter craft and redecorating projects. Here's a roundup of my picks from this month's DIY magazines and sites:
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 Lowe's Creative Ideas: Easy, personalized doormat. Good for yourself, better as a hostess or housewarming gift. |
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Recently, Rosie O'Donnell (a Commack native) was voted "most annoying celebrity" by readers of Parade Magazine. Pardon me, but I beg to differ!
If it weren't for Rosie, we wouldn't have had all those fun craft segments on the now-defunt Rosie O'Donnell Show. By watching her, I was introduced to the joys of decoupage and the many uses of rubber bands!
She may not be America's sweetheart, but she's still one cool, crafty chica.
Check out Rosie's easy tutorial for homemade soap and learn all of her crafty secrets in the Crafty U section of her blog, Rosie.com.
My craftin' buddy Heidi e-mailed me this cute tutorial on card making, which happens to be one of my favorite hobbies. Star of May is the crafter in this video and she's using craft supplies from Stampin' Up. Check out the video and enjoy the soundtrack. It's totally addicting to watch!
Do you have a great tutorial to share? Tell us about it!
Steven James of Macaroni & Glitter wanted to share a very cool tutorial showing us how to make our own 2008 calendar using old CD cases. I think it's a great way to recycle and gear up for the year to come! Go ahead, try it yourself ... get the project.
Check out past tutorials by the crafty and talented Steven James on the Cheap Thrills blog.
"Pretty in Punk: 25 Punk, Rock, and Goth Knitting Projects" (Chronicle Books, $19.95): Tired of knitting lackluster scarves? Alyce Benevides and Jaqueline Milles deliver an innovative dose of inspirational projects, all of which derive from the punk, ska and pin-up girl cultures. Whether you embark on the adorable aviator cap or the rockabilly clutch project, the authors provide you with detailed how-to's while encouraging knitters to "inject their own personalities."
"Design Idea Book: Learning From Designer Showhouses" (Sunset Books, $21.95): Karen Templer guides readers through 39 designer "idea" houses, highlighting the choices behind the decor of these stylish homes. With more than 400 vivid photographs, those looking for inspiration for a new home or a renovation have a tremendous armchair reference in this book. Templer leads readers through the decorating maze with helpful hints on the details that make the space: color, flooring, paint and wall treatments.
"DIY Creative Juice" (Sterling Publishing Co., $14.95): Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza of the DIY Network show "Creative Juice" have cobbled together a wealth of "re-crafting" projects in their first book. Although some of the suggestions lean a bit toward the gaudy, a handful of the craft ideas feel fresh and inventive. Take, for instance, the metal pipe candleholders or the mosaic button picture frames, which refashion extraneous household items into functional art. Divided into five realms (Adorn, Decorate, Give, Play and Remember), crafters of all experience levels will find fun projects peppered throughout this book.
"The Big Book of Weekend Beading" (Reader's Digest, $26.95): Whether it's one-of-a-kind jewelry or embellished accessories, this guide contains more than 30 projects that will stoke the imagination of novices and veterans alike. For those less familiar with beading, the book provides a comprehensive overview of types of beads as well as materials needed to complete the outlined projects. Arranged in order of difficulty, this book's vibrant photos and straightforward directions make it a welcome addition to the crafter's collection.
-- Kimberly Tarr
Anda from Etsy.com shows us how to stencil a t-shirt. Why spend big bucks on designer t-shirts when you can customize your own? Once you learn the steps, you'll be wishing you learned this months ago!
Calling all stampers and scrappers! Here's an event you're sure to enjoy ....
The 7th Annual Greater New York Art Rubber Stamp and Scrapbook Show will be held on Saturday, November 17 at the Smithtown Sheraton, 110 Vanderbilt Motor Pkwy., Smithtown. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Vendors from all over the country will sell craft items, host demonstrations and offer make-and-take projects to inspire you. There will be door prizes and classes too. Admission is $6.
Visit stampsmith.net/newyorkshow.htm or e-mail: estelle@stampsmith.net or call (631) 547-5922 for tickets and details.
Turkey, gravy and pies ....oh my!
Whether you're eating out or in, cooking from scratch or ordering takeout, we have guidelines, tips, recipes and instructions to help ensure the holiday gets off without a hitch.
Check out our video on carving a turkey and then get the lowdown on turkey day recipes, wine pairings and so much more!
The fourth season of Bravo's hit series "Project Runway" kicks off Wednesday, and if the first episode is any indication, it is going to be a doozy. The challenges are brutal, the judges funnier and meaner than ever, and the contestants -- a motorcycle mama, a nature nut and a slew of designing divas -- give new meaning to the word kooky.
But Long Islanders, no doubt, will be rooting for Jillian Lewis, 26, who is none of the above. Lewis, who grew up in Selden, was chosen from thousands of applicants as one of 15 finalists on the show. Her goal, natch, is to be one of the last three designers standing, meaning she would get to strut her stuff on the runway during New York Fashion Week in February and perhaps win the whole shebang -- an editorial feature in Elle, $100,000 seed money for a business and a 2008 Saturn. -- BY ANNE BRATSKEIR
Click here to see Project Runway videos and to learn more about this Long Island do-it-yourselfer.
Reuseable bags are gaining in popularity as more consumers seek easy ways to preserve the environment and produce less waste. Check out this video tutorial by Make magazine and learn how to make your own messenger bag, which is perfect for any person on the go!
If you've been reading this blog for some time, you'll know that Etsy.com is one of my favorite Web sites for buying and selling everything handmade. Etsy is eye candy for the craft lover! I recently discovered this adorable animated video that clearly illustrates how to buy or sell your crafts online via Etsy.com. Check it out!
-- Corris
Halloween is only 12 days away! Do you have a costume yet? Well, have no fear ... the crafty folks at Threadbanger.com have many videos to inspire and maybe even light a fire under your rump!
Check 'em out!
DIY FAIRY WINGS: No fairy wings ... no problem! Learn how to make fairy wings from some old coat hangers and stockings. Time to fly!
Continue reading "DIY Videos: Design your own Halloween costumes" »
I've always dreamed of writing a novel, but I never have the time to sit down and bang it out. However, I do have time to create a zine! This quirky YouTube video by SamProof shows you how one sheet of white paper and a few origami-style moves can yield a super cool little booklet. Create your own zine to showcase your personal thoughts, tell a few jokes, and then add a cartoon for good measure. It's easy and fun!
Blueprint: 
Silldottie (Etsy blogger): 
Better Homes and Gardens: