Design by Night

So I haven’t blogged for awhile because among other things I was on vacation in New Orleans. I have been to New Orleans several times and yes I have come back with beads (no comment on bead retrieval). Anyway, like most tourist areas there are tons of over priced t-shirt shops where you can get all sorts of gotta-have-it stuff that you only ever buy on vacation.

But unlike other cities, New Orleans also has the open air French Market where you can not only pick up these items, you can haggle with the owners to get a deal. Better than the idea of quibbling over the voodoo doll that will be devoted to your bosses “future well being” is the prospect that you can also find great food and handmade crafts both sporting a spicy Nawlin’s flavor.


As I was strolling through the market I snapped off a few pictures featuring piles of tourist trap products. Although most of these items are not appealing to me from a consumer standpoint, I thought they made interesting snapshots for some future craft…

It is a nice little trip down memory lane when every summer I walk into a store and see some of the same toys that have been summertime favorites since I was a kid. Plastic buckets and shovels, big colorful rubber balls, jacks, balsa wood planes, bubbles and pinwheels were the toys I begged my mother for when we visited Woolsworth during summer months.

In memory of my childhood and because I love paper crafts, I decided to make my own pinwheel. Although I do not play with the pinwheel much, I think it looks nice in a potted plant. And every time I see the pinwheel it reminds me that summertime is here and I should work less and play more. Furthermore, if you have children making a pinwheel is a great rainy day craft.


What you will need:
1 – 8.5”x11” sheet of cardstock paper
1 – wooden dow
6” wire (I used 20 gauge)
2 – medium/large beads
needle nose pliers
ruler and exactor knife or scissors

Click here to download the PINWHEEL_template.pdf. Print out template at 100% on the cardstock paper.C…

With the dawn of the digital camera and inexpensive stock photography, it is hard to remember the days when you had to scan photos and art for your projects. Furthermore, for crafts such as scrap booking there is aisle upon aisle of preprinted papers, stickers and embellishments ready to be used right off the shelf.

But, if you are anything like me, sometimes you have a hankering for something unique and personal. Maybe a pattern from your favorite dress or a pack of buttons from your grandmom’s sewing basket. You could take a digital shot of these items but before you do that I suggest that you try scanning it. By definition a scanner is a device to scan documents but I think a scanner can be so much more. I throw almost any small item with a shallow depth on the scanner and usually get great results.

When scanning 3D objects you might have to use a piece of white clothe or paper to place on top since you in some instances the lid will not close. Sometimes I just keep it open and don’…

Recently I visited Huber’s Produce in northern Baltimore County to shop for produce and flowers. While walking around among the beautiful flowers and old barn I was pleasantly surprised to come across some great ideas for repurposed planters. No need to go on and on about them, I figured I would let the planters speak from themselves.


They simply lined the colander with a piece of burlap and then put in dirt and plants.


The area that holds the plant was fashioned out of chicken wire and lined with moss to keep the soil in place.

On a side note, Hubers Produce Farmis located on 7110 Mount Vista Rd. in Kingsville, MD. It is a great place to visit and they have done a great job of refurbishing an old barn into a great produce and flower stand.

If you are an avid reader and like free things I have the perfect site for you! Check out SwapTree.com.

SwapTree is an online exchange where you can swap books, music and dvds. It is incredibly easy to use and the overall idea is a great one. It is a form of recycling (since green is the new black) and you will find your slightly used possessions a good new home where they are loved (kind of like what Rudolph did with the island of misfit toys).


Basically you load your books and create a want list of your own. The website matchs your items with other peoples wants and vice versa. Basically all you do is pay to ship the book to the new owner. The interface is easy and the website provides a postage labelling system. It is a great way to help the environment, support literacy and screw off at work searching through thousands of free books.

So for the few people out there who actually read my blog postings on DesignbyNight.blogspot.com you will know that one of my first blogs was about bags of Barbies and how I would love to use them to craft. Well thanks to a little James Bond inspiration and a dressy affair at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore my wish came true.

Since the fundraiser was themed after the movie Goldfinger, a friend and I came up with our own little homage to Jill Masterson, the unforgettable Bond girl who was covered in gold. Call me sick, but it was fun to watch Jill chop saw the legs and we giggled a great deal during the entire creative process. Slightly perverted and way over the top crafts can be a blast to make. So I thought I would share some of this cheeky sophistication with you.


Me and Jill Popowich at the Creative Alliances Marquee Ball

Recently real-life pirates have been extremely nasty and causing a lot of bad PR, much to my chagrin. I generally love the swash buckling, rum swilling, wenching fictional buccaneers that come to mind when someone mentions the word “pirate.” So to help re-warp my mind into thinking that pirates are a fun group of guys to hang around, I decided to craft my own tricorne pirate hat. Of course mine will have a little flair—well okay, a lot of flair—with large lace, flashy trim and lots of feathers (I’m part raccoon and love glitzy, feathery and fury).

If you wonder why the rum is gone and think a pirate’s life is for you feel free to follow these steps to turn a round, black felt hat in to a swashbuckling fashion accessory.

What you will need:
Black round rim hat, rim should be at least 4” wide or a Felt hat blank
Metal straight pins
Black embroidery thread and needle
Embellishments to taste, I used venice lace and ribbon (you will have to measure the brim edge or other areas of your hat to g…