Handmade Reviews

Cats in Hats

Cats in Hats: You’re Welcome (+ a giveaway!)

You want to make a hat for your cat. Let’s just establish that, okay? Like, trying to deny it and pretending that cats in hats isn’t an interest of yours are just not going to be options here.

Kids Level up Skills at DIY.org

Kids Level up Their Eco Skills at DIY.org

My two favorite things about technology are 1) its ability to empower everyone, especially kids, to learn what they want to learn and do what they want to do, and 2) its potential for presenting information and encouraging people, especially kids, in ways that interest and engage them.

Handmade Reviews: Boo Bottles from InstaCraft

Looking for a quick craft? A cute craft? A kid-friendly craft?

InstaCraft, given to me by Ulysses Press, has become my kiddos’ and my go-to reference when we’re looking for something fast and easy to fill up a Sunday morning or a rainy afternoon with a little color.

Giveaway: Win Three Handmade Soaps from Soaps to Live by

Soaps to Live by is giving away, to one lucky winner with a United States address, three of their handmade soaps of the winner’s choice. Yesterday I reviewed the Bliss oatmeal cloves soap, the Dream peppermint rosemary organic soap, and the Shine citrus lavender soap, but perhaps you’re more into patchouli orange–then Hope is YOUR soap! Prefer thyme lemongrass? You’ll want to ask for Live.

Whatever your preferences, get your wish list ready, and then read on to see how you can enter to win your own three soaps from Soaps to Live by.

How-to: DIY Embellished Business Cards–with a Treat!

Sometimes, if you’re an artist or a crafter, you have the chance to give out business cards that have a lot more flair. Business cards that you give out at a conference or networking event, with a purchase at a craft fair, or in a package that you’re shipping with an order from your etsy shop can afford to be a little fancier, and include a little bonus gift to make you memorable.

These DIY business cards may not fit in a potential customer’s wallet, but they’ll still stand out. Whether it’s a string of hand-painted beads, a small charm, or another trinket, these items may be just more of your unneeded stash, but to others they’re gifts, a little added value that costs you nothing but a few extra seconds of time, but positively impacts how your business card is received.

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HandCrafting Justice: Proof that Craft Can Change Lives

For a lot of us, green crafting means using eco-friendly materials. Or maybe it means using your crafty skills to replace disposables in your life with reusables. Either way, the environment plays a big role in ethical crafting for most of us. For many of us, though, ethical crafting is about making a difference for individual people as well as the environment, and that’s just as important.

HandCrafting Justice is a good example of folks using crafty skills to change lives.

How To: Create a Plant Stand Side Table

Last week I bought an adorable plant stand at a garage sale. I stared at it sitting in my living room and thought, “Those curved feet are just too cute! I wish I could make it into a table.” So, I transformed it into a table!

DIY Beauty: Homemade Lip Balm with Herban Crafts

Former CAGW writer Karen Lee and green beauty pro Mary Kearns have teamed up on a brand new endeavor: Herban Crafts. The duo is creating eco-friendly craft kits for folks who want to make their own beauty supplies but don’t know where to get started. Herban Crafts was kind enough to send me a kit to try out, so earlier this week I tried my hand at making my own lip balm.

Eco-Friendly Craft Kits from Herban Crafts

Ever wanted to make your own beauty supplies but wasn’t sure how to start? A couple of my favorite crafters are launching a line of DIY beauty craft kits, but they need your help to get started!

Buy Handmade: Jewelry Ideas for Mother’s Day!

Mother’s day is only a few weeks away on May 13– are you ready for it? To give you plenty of time to plan, I wanted to introduce you to five incredible Etsy shops that you can buy jewelry from for Mother’s Day. Not only are they unique and creative shops, but they use recycled materials when making their products! Oh, and did I mention that all of the items I’m sharing today are under $40? Instead of buying from a big box store this Mother’s Day, consider buying handmade from shops like these!

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Talking Waste, Consumerism, and Reuse with Reuse First

As always, I couldn’t resist scouring this year’s Indie Craft Experience for new green crafters on the scene, and the folks at Reuse First really stood out to me. Jeremiah and Michelle’s mix of sweet and cheeky paper goods totally caught my eye, and they were kind enough to answer some questions about what they do and why they do it! Their insights into waste, reuse, and consumerism are really refreshing.

Buy Handmade: 5 Eco-Friendly Giftwrap Options

With the craziness of the season, though, sometimes we don’t have time to create our own gift wrap, or, we just don’t have the materials on hand. So, with all of the terrible excuses aside, I wanted to provide you all with another option– buying eco-friendly gift wrap. Buying these items allows you to support eco-friendly shops from Etsy instead of buying far-from-eco-friendly products at the big box stores. The following are five gift wrapping ideas that are beautiful for under your tree and the environment.

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Buy Handmade: Journals from Recycled Materials

At the most random moments you can find me writing in a journal. I carry one with me wherever I go (most of the time it stays tucked in my purse). Why? Well, I never know when I’m going to be inspired. As a writer, and as a crafter, ideas pop in my head constantly. There are too many times where I’ve thought, “Oh, I need to remember that idea!” but then I quickly forget it. The solution– an awesome journal!

Green Crafter: Bike Art

Crafter Sadie Sigford rescues discarded bicycle parts from her local bike shop and turns them into handmade treasures.

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