Monday, February 16, 2009

Crafty Blog RoundUp

(crossposted at BlogHer)

Last week was one of those weeks: there was fascinating stuff happening in the crafty blogs (both good and sad), plus some interesting additions to the BlogHer crafty blogroll. I just had to give today's post over to highlighting these.

Current News: Goodbye CRAFT and Hello Coraline

Wednesday the sad news came: CRAFT will be publishing it's last issue(#10).
Two and a half years ago, inspired by the DIY creativity of a growing number of indie crafters, we launched CRAFT Magazine along with its companion website, Craftzine.com. Since then, we've become an integral part of the new craft community. We've been fully committed to encouraging more people to discover the joy of crafting.

All along, we have noticed that Craftzine.com has been growing steadily. At the same time, we've come to realize that there were more and more challenges in publishing CRAFT as a print magazine, especially with the costs of print and distribution rising, and diminishing interest among advertisers in print. So we've decided that Volume 10, our Celebrate Like Crazy issue, will be our last print issue and that the future of CRAFT is online.
Craftzine.com will remain, thank goodness. This website is an inspiring and vibrant source for crafty information. The same day they announced the plan to discontinue the print version, Craftzine.com also announced a new feature: AskCraft
We want you to write in with your crafty conundrums, your material mysteries, your technique troubles! I'll scour all resources available to me to bring you an answer. Some weeks will be video responses, some weeks text, but always with plenty of advice and links to take you further!
Have you seem Coraline yet? Tikabelle at Largely Unrepeatable went last week and agreed with the reviews that this is fabulous movie. She adds:
Coraline also gives good knit. There's a lovely starry sweater that's just adorable, but there's also a pair of gloves that Coraline - and I - desperately want. And there is as yet no pattern. Well, there was no pattern until yesterday, when I made one.

Today is Valentine's Day
If you're anything like me, you are less than fond of Valentine's Day, seeing it now as a purely commercial excuse to spread guilt and overspending across society. Dabbled just closed entries in their Second Annual Dabbled Black Heart Anti-Valentines Day Contest. Some of the early entries: Vintagepix's Black Heart Pincushion; kleiosbelly's Anti-Valentine Card: Piss Off!; this hysterical Bitter Valentine's Bracelet that's reminiscent of candy hearts. Eagerly awaiting the announcement of the winners.

Plum Pudding's Megan showed her felted Valentine garden:
This is my Valentine Garden. I had originally planned to grow some
wheat grass in a longish planter then plant my "flowers" in a row in
the homegrown green. But, things happen, or don't happen, in this case,
and now I have a tin can garden full of M&Ms. I like it, though.
Very cheery.
New to the Blogroll:

Recently Pretty Ditty posted a wonderful Peek-a-boo lamp shade makeover/tutorial.

Scrappin' Green in 2009 is revamped from Remember When Creations. Now Jan is writing about green memory making. For example, she shared recycling scrapbooking paper, using yogurt cups, and recycling ribbons.

Patchwork Underground is a collection of information, fun websites and other inspirations by Erin, clothing designer and writer.
For me, crafting-the act of making something with one's own hands - is always political. it's not a replacement for other means towards social change but it is important init's own right. As a wee Feminist Studies student, I developed and taught a discussion section on Feminisms and Fiber Arts.... Since then, I've done a lot more hands-on learning about the reality of being a craftsperson in today's global marketplace but many of my conclusions are the same. Craft is powerful. Craft is Art...and Science, and Religion. Craft is real in the way few "things" today are.
I also blog at: Weight for Deb and BlogHer on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

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