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Jack-o-lantern carving is an activity that we do only once a year, and therefore, it’s quite okay if we’re not experts. Unfortunately, this means that some of the most epic Jack-o-lantern carving designs are out of our league–we’re not going to be carving any Jack-o-lantern Death Stars over here, or Jack-o-lantern angler fish (they exist!). That’s why I’ve sorted through the millions of designs online, and come up with this list of reasonable, do-able, and yet absolutely awesome Jack-o-lantern carving tutorials....

You can make a book from just about anything. Not sure how to do it? Let Eco Books: Inventive Projects from the Recycling Bin by Terry Taylor tell you how. Eco Books shows you how to make books from egg cartons, envelopes, maps, cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, old floppy disks, cassette tapes, credit cards, coffee tins, brown paper bags, beer coasters, produce trays, orange juice containers and so much more....

Or maybe I should speak just for myself. My name is Skye, and I collect craft books. My collection is very small when compared to some people’s (hello Jessica, are you reading this?), but it contains books for quilting projects that I likely will never undertake. Celtic knot applique using bias strips, crazy landscape piecing techniques, etc. It’s like I have a fantasy craft life that is totally divorced from my real craft life, which is mostly concerned with making baby quilts for other people’s children....

To recap, Green Kid Crafts is a monthly subscription of eco-friendly craft kits sent directly to your lucky kiddo. Each month’s package contains three different craft kits tailored to your kid’s age. My kiddos each put together their own Green Kid Crafts kits completely independently, and had a fabulous time doing it. The winner of last week’s Green Kid Crafts giveaway will receive a one-month subscription to Green Kid Crafts, mailed to the U....

With closer examination, they see a tiny woman with a Betty Page haircut manhandling what looks like a large fluff of purple cotton candy. She tears a chunk off and lets the kids pass it around. ” This is what sweaters are made of…most of the time!”, proclaims the woman as she twirls a small drop spindle and continues to draft the fibers into yarn. The young onlookers seem mesmerized....

In the latest edition of “What are manufacturers thinking, and why are they trying to kill our children?”, the Asbestos Nation campaign is reporting asbestos found in some brands of children’s crayons. Sigh… So here’s the deal: the EWG Action Fund (an investigative organization related to the Environmental Working Group), commissioned asbestos tests for some children’s products. Big no-brainer, right? Total waste of money? Nope. They totally found asbestos. If your kid likes art or junior crime scene investigation, then get ready to freak out, because transmission electron microscopy, conducted first by Scientific Analytical Institute of Greensbororo, N....

Got some beat-up books? You’ve got free craft supplies! I know, I know… some people get VERY upset about book page crafts. But seriously, are you ever going to really read that set of Reader’s Digest Condensed Books? Is anyone? Yes, The Secret Garden is a beautiful book, but do you really want a copy with the cover torn off and grape juice all over chapter 3? Does anyone? See what I mean?...

Want to see a sneak peek of a few of the projects you’ll find inside the book? There’s a chair made from paper books from designer Alvaro Tamarit, a paper flower from Liz Hamman, broken pottery jewelry from Deanna Mattos Diefenbach, wine cork heart art from Cat Ivins, and an upcycled guitar shelf from Battlay Liviu. Aren’t they all awesome? You’ll find even more sweet projects in the book! In the Retrash Kickstarter video, Divine explains, “Retrash tells a story about human ingenuity, creativity, and imagination, which is something we all have within us....

Do you have a crafty business or craft booth? Upcycle an old lantern into a unique jewelry display for your craft booth or handmade store! What You Will Need: An old lantern. I found mine at a thrift store for $4. Chicken wire. You can find this at your local hardware store. Wire cutters or extremely sharp scissors Mini Clothespins or other accessories to decorate your lantern How To Do It: Clean your lantern of all of that thrift store gunk!...

1. Bowls This bowl is made by Gülnur Özdağlar, an architect and Etsy seller. She has been producing jewelery and home decor accessories by recycling PET bottles since 2008. She collects, heats, cuts, drills and shapes recyclable plastic bottles to make her art and accessories. Her aim is to “obtain objects from things that have been discarded that are so beautiful, that we would want to wear or exhibit them, thus underlining the importance of “recycling” and encouraging it....

Non-profit LavaMae used craftivism to raise awareness about the struggles of San Francisco’s homeless population. What if you didn’t have access to a toilet or a shower when you needed one? For thousands of homeless people, this is a daily problem, and it’s one we don’t always think about. LavaMae used craftivism to bring attention to this basic need that many Americans are unable to meet. The project was part of World Toilet Day, which might seem like a snicker-worthy event but actually sheds light on another aspect of homelessness that many folks don’t think about....

Want to learn the tricks of the trade? Check out Heavy-Duty Sewing, by Anton Sandqvist. I sewed the Hanging Flowerpot from the book, and it turned out to be a quick and easy way to make myself a brand-new hanging planter, all from stash materials. I wasn’t sure about this project, at first, because the tutorial calls for a plant pot without drainage holes, and I always use a pot with drainage and a plant dish underneath it....

Here are directions to make super cute diapers out of t-shirts. How’s that for a reclaiming project? The best part is you can put the fun saying or cute part of the shirt right onto babies bum! Need some liners for inside the diapers, here’s a tutorial for that. How about making your own felted wool covers out of second hand sweaters? Need to know where to find diaper making fabrics and kits, here’s a link....

When you’re mixing up a lot of colors in your outfit, sometimes you need just the right accessory to pull it all together. Think of this custom flower brooch as The Dude’s rug: …well, minus the pee. ANYWAY! What I love about this pin design is that you can incorporate quite a few colors to make it the center of whatever outfit you have planned. I made the brooch pictured above to wear with a grey dress that has a teal sash....

Do you swap? You oughta. A swap is a theme-based exchange of handmade goods between crafters. You sign up, get assigned a partner, learn a little about each other, then both do your best to craft things to send that your partner will really like and that will fit the theme of the swap. Bloggers sometimes organize their own swaps, but the biggest games out there are Craftster and Swap-bot....

Here are five ornaments you can easily make with the scrap yarn you’re sure to have lying around the house. 1. Festive Santa This festive little Santa ornament is a cutie. It’s an easy crochet pattern most beginners could make. Next» Amigurumi Santa Ornament 2. Amigurumi Santa If you want a Santa with more detail try the Amigurumi Santa. It’s also labeled as an easy pattern. Learn how-to make other amigurumi with The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Amigurumi....

Oh, magazines. No matter how I try to keep you out of my life, you seem to claw your way back in. Whether it’s my husband’s gaming mags or issues that friends and family give me to read, those glossy wastes of paper seem to pile up in my house. Luckily, between my own crafty ideas and projects for my crafting class, there are plenty of ways to give those colorful pages a new life rather than tossing them into the bin....

My girls and I are leaving on a road trip this weekend. Yep, it’s one adult, two little kids, and sixteen hours of driving in two days. I do have one crate full of educational DVDs, another crate full of picture books, and a third crate full of healthy snacks to constantly pass around, but little kids, especially when they’re just sitting still for long periods, have to have something to do with their hands....

Halloween is just around the corner. You’re putting the finishing touches on the costumes, hanging decorations and stocking up for the trick-or-treaters. As a kid, I was just as excited about what I was going to be putting my candy in as the candy itself. In the time it can take you to run out to the store and get a standard issue candy bucket, you can whip up a unique one using recycled and repurposed materials....

One way I like to keep them busy, is with craft and diy projects. And I keep expenses as low as possible by using items I have on hand. Some of the best loved projects we do are for the birds including bird feeders and birdhouses. You can make tons of crafty items for your little feathered friends out of scrap wood, large plastic bottle and containers and even terra cotta pots....