Design by Night

Out with the old, in with the new! To help start a new year off right here are some crafty calendars and day planners. My new years resolution is to have a "handmade" new year and some of these items will be a great beginning. Make a Resolution and Break it immediately unless it is to buy crafts in the new year, in which case you should purchase this Keep Calm and Carry on Printable 2010 Spoof Calendar from Little Brown Pen . It's nice to know that there are some crafters out there who do realize that everything is about me. And no calendar can best show this than the Birthday Countdown Wooden Block Calendar from Queen Vanna Creations. This sweet calendar gets rid of all those extraneous months and numbers and gets down to the important things....how many days till my birthday! Who says a calendar needs to be paper? This delightful and comfortable 2010 Calendar Pillow by Le Papier Studio is an innovative and stylish!

Thank you to all the patrons of 2009's Holiday Heap. I believe it was a great success for everyone involved. It was wonderful to talk to everyone and it was a joy to see the great work from the other vendors. If you still have holiday shopping to do remember to visit the BaltimoreCraft.com website for a listing of great local vendors!

Avoid manic mall madness and come visit me and many other talented craftsmen at Merry Mart today! 35+ fab local vendors with the best in regional crafts, arts, and gifts! Creative Alliance 3134 Eastern Avenue Baltimore Maryland 21224 Sun Dec 6, 11am-5pm. Free! Cash bar. Lunch on sale sep.

Come see me today at the Charm City Craft Mafia's 3rd Annual Holiday Heap. Shop handmade and have fun with over 40 amazing, local, crafty vendors showing off their astounding apparel, jewelry, accessories, ceramics, paper goods and so much more! Drinks and snacks will be available from Red Emma’s. Where: Saint John’s Church, 2640 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 When: Saturday, December 5th, 10am-5pm

This Saturday is the Charm City Craft Mafia's 3rd Annual Holiday Heap. I will be working a table representing BEST Baltimore Craft so I thought it would be appropriate to do a BEST/Holiday Heap Themed Thursday! You will be able to see the following BEST Baltimore Craft vendors, as well as, Charm City Craft Mafia Members and many other talented artisans this Saturday, December 5th at Saint John’s Church from 10am-5pm on 2640 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. Hope to see you there! Jill Popowich Designs , lovely handcrafted jewelry in sterling silver Dandeliaonblue , fabulous unique jewelry and accessories The Littlest Bean , one-of-a-kind intricately cut felt and found media accessories for women and kids Tigerlilly Shop , distinctive accessories, art stamps and home products Elisa Shere Jewelry , skillfully crafted jewelry for women

Much like now, as a child my favorite past time was to craft. In anticipation of the winter holidays, year round I would construct tree ornaments. Bless my mother’s heart no matter how abominable the ornament she would hang it on our tree (where some still hang today). So to help channel my holiday craft spirit (and to keep too many toilet tissue roll ornaments from adorning the tree) my mom came up with this simple but cute candy cane craft for me to make. What you will need: 1-red pipe cleaner 2-white pipe cleaners Standard #2 wooden pencil Scissors Take one red pipe cleaner and one white pipe cleaner, holding them side by side wind them around the pencil (fig. 1A and 1B). After the pipe cleaners have been wound from beginning to end carefully slip out the pencil. You will now have a red and white tube (fig. 2). Take the third pipe cleaner and guide it into the tube’s center (fig. 3). Take one end of the center pipe cleaner and fold it to clamp the outside of the candy cane, securing...

In celebration of Thanksgiving I thought I would talk turkey...turkey inspired crafts that is. Enjoy turkey day with this wonderful feast of creativity. A bird brained idea? Heck no! I think this Bob the Turkey Thanksgiving Handmade crochet Hat Cap Beanie Skull by Natty Hatty is pure genius, not to mention incredibly cute. The average person gains about 5lbs. around the holidays. But if all main courses were as well armed as this turkey that might change. This Thanksgiving Turkey with Guns Refrigerator Magnet from Labelstone might just give some people food for thought before they load up that turkey laden plate. One day you are in, and the next you are out...well watch out Heidi Klum because this young model is working this Turkey Holiday 2 pc Gobble Gobble Skirt Set from Simply Sew Boutique .

As a child the racking up of fall leaves was one of my most dreaded chores. But as an adult I appreciate fall leaves, their lovely color and the smell they make in the night fall air. When the leaves began to change color I found myself gravitating towards burnt oranges, deep reds and golden yellows. So I decided to forget my childhood hatred of fall leaves and celebrate how beautiful and inspiring they can be. These Fall Leaves Earrings from Starflight Designs fall delicately from your earlobes but never need raking Just like the little engine that could this leaf will just not give up! So go Out on a Limb and purchase the Last Fall Leaf Necklace from Block Party Press Live in an area where trees are green year round? Don't fret, purchase this Fall Tree–Wall Art Home Decor Vinayl Decal Murals from Wow Wall and bring fall into your living room.

A month or so ago I posted a coffee filter flower pin and mentioned I would post the directions. Well after several tries I think I have come up with some easy instructions and here they are.... Tools & Materials Nine fluted coffee filters, used, with grounds discarded Ruler Decorative scrapbooking scissors, with scalloped edge Sewing needle and cream-colored thread One large button Hot glue gun Square of felt (enough to make a circle, 3” in diameter) Jewelry pin of your choice Instructions After brewing a pot of coffee, remove the filter and gently clean away coffee grounds.* Lay filter on a flat surface to dry. Repeat until recommended quantity is achieved. Fold filters in half. On five of the filters, mark a spot 2.75” from the center of folded edge of the filter using a ruler. On the remaining four filters, mark a spot 2” from the center folded edge. Using the scalloped scissors, cut the folded filters into semicircles, using the marks as a guide. Leave the filters folded (fig....

When Kermit the Frog sang "It's not Easy Being Green" I think he would have changed his mind if the shade of green was chartreuse. So here is a little homage to the best color ever! Notes will turn into a novel in no time with this brilliant Amelie, Letterpress Journal by Delphine Studio to act as your muse. Dream in technicolor with a little help from this Third Eye Squared Modern Decorative Pillow by Sofa Garden. Who could deny your pure intentions with these vibrant Chartreuse Purity Earrings by Sara Kirby Designs hanging from you lobes.

In the words of a girl friend of mine....Jug o wine taste so good! I'm not sure about you, but I feel that there is a wine to accompany any occasion . More often than not I find myself making up an occasion to accompany the wine. So uncork a bottle and do some online shopping to pair your wine with some of these full bodied charming handmade items. Would you like some cheese with your wine? Of course you would, especially when the cheese is served on these Eco Friendly Green Wine Bottle Cheese Trays from CDChilds . R2D2 may have been helped to defeat the Emperor but he doesn't hold a candle to a robot who can hold my wine! I fully functional robot is usually hard to find but Paperdoll Workshop makes it easy, featuring this great Robot Wine Rack. Your wine can have a floral bouquet regardless of the wine with these delightful Hibiscus Slipon Costers from Dimmalimm . I would like to say something clever about this oh so true sign from Lonoras Woodcrafts ' ...but I think...

Recently I have taken a stab at some basic sewing. After many tangled bobbins, broken needles and jammed up machines I have come to the conclusion sewing with a machine takes a certain talent that I obviously do not possess. I think it is an art form that is often taken for granted. That being said, I have come up with small collection of wonderful wearable works of art to highlight. Put on a Don Ho album and sit back with a cocktail while wearing this delightful Tiny Bubbles Upcycled Skirt by The Garbologists Wife You can be a prima ballerina wearing this Purple Organza layered TUTU skirt by Beta Boutique Prince had it right, purple does reign especially in this lovely Purple Makes you Prettier Dress by Soe Moe You can't help but feel like super woman wearing this Violet ...

A little wacky, deranged, bonkers, loopy, crazy…or perhaps batty? No need to hide your true nature! Show that you are mad as a hatter by making this stylish Halloween inspired headband and wearing it with pride. What you will need: Hot Glue Gun Scissors Sheet of black felt (cheap stiff kind) 2” Pom Pom 2-Googlie eyes Headband 1. Click here to download the bat wing and base pattern. 2. Cut the two shapes on the pattern out of black felt. 3. Hot glue the googlie eyes onto the pom pom. 4. Hot glue the felt wings to the pom pom by applying an ample amount of hot glue to the area in the center of the wings (refer to the pattern for placement). 5. Glue the felt round bat base to the pom pom bat, sandwiching the headband between the two.