Hello! I have a quick project inspired by my little sister, Julie, to share with you. We had a rare opportunity to craft together recently and she showed me and my girls how to make these fun and super-sized pendants, pins and rings using glass stones, nail polish and jewelry findings. (Julie made all the [...]

The CraftSanity Magazine Issue 8 Preorder Sale is on! Preorder your copy by Wednesday (11/14/12) and save a dollar off the cover price! You can also sign up for a CraftSanity Magazine subscription and have the next 4 issues automatically mailed to your home. Here’s a preview of the fun projects, stories and recipes featured [...]

The first day of school is always bittersweet. When this day arrives it marks the official end of summer as all children know it and simultaneously brings a gust of exciting expectation of everything that might be possible during the new academic year. Today I’m sending my girls off to a new school with some [...]

One of the best parts of being part of the online creative community is connecting and collaborating with people from around the globe. So I was happy when Mindy, the inspiring creator and hostess of Wish Studio, asked me to make a charm for her traveling Necklace Project. I crocheted a tiny heart to add [...]

Soon after launching my loom business last summer I started collecting colorful t-shirts to use in my weaving projects. But every now and then I like to change it up and do a t-shirt refashioning project or some other jersey knit craft. Yesterday I made some t-shirt necklaces with my daughters. This is a fun [...]

Today I interviewed a lovely woman named Fran for an upcoming newspaper column. We had a great visit during which she showed me two paper bead necklaces her mother made “years and years” ago. Fran said her mother called them memory beads because she would often take wrapping paper home from family events and make [...]

If you haven’t noticed, I’m on a major beading binge. And after treating myself to some new colors at a 40 percent off sale at my local craft store, my need to bead seems to have kicked into overdrive. I just can’t seem to get enough of those pretty little beads. This week I whipped [...]

I can’t believe it’s Saturday already. This week has been a complete blur. Here’s a recap: * I sold more looms this week than I expected to, so I’ve been busy making more. (A special thank you to my lovely customers. You folks rock!) This uptick in sales comes at a good time because layoff [...]

If you like to make bold fashion statements on a budget, this recycled jewelry project is right up your alley. I made the earrings above out of a 7-Eleven Big Gulp beverage container that I retrieved from the recycle bin. The patterned plastic makes for a free and interesting adornment. Even if your fashion sense [...]

I’m a reformed gamer, but when I met jewelry artist Sarah Martin at an art show in 2007 my childhood obsession with 1980s games came flooding back. As soon as I saw the aluminum framed, resin-sealed Pac-Man earrings on her table, I knew I was going to cave and buy them. Sarah & Jen 2007 [...]

What would you engrave on this heart charm? Post your response in the comments below for a chance to win one of seven valentine locket & heart charm pendant kits from Nostalgems, CraftSanity’s episode 93 sponsor. The most endearing posts will receive a jewelry making kit including all the bits and bobs to make a [...]

What would you do with these charms? Post your response in the comments below and enter to win a similar Nostalgems jewelry-making kit from CraftSanity episode 91 sponsor, Rina Ward. She will send kits to authors of the five most creative posts. The deadline to enter is Jan. 4, 2009. Good luck everyone! I made [...]

Hi. Jeff, Jennifer’s husband here. Jennifer is out doing an interview, but she wanted share these videos from here appearance on “Take 5 & Company” Friday morning on WZZM-13. She talked about handmade items made by five Grand Rapids area artists and crafters. Here are more details about the artists and crafters Handwoven chenille scarves [...]

We made fabric pendants today at the Y Craft Club meeting. This one could use more embellishment, but I’ll add that another day. These pendants would make great gift tags and interesting adornments for handmade cards and scrapbook pages. Podcast update: We’re working on it. Really we are. We’ll post it as soon as s [...]

I’m not one to sport a lot of bling, but I love jewelry. And lately I’ve been stealing glances at the lovely projects in Melinda Barta’s new book, “Custom Cool Jewelry: Create 200+ Personalized Pendants, Charms and Claps” (Interweave Press, September 2008, paper bound, 144 pages, $22.95). The book is packed with ideas for creating [...]