Tuesday, October 11, 2011

We've Moved!

We've packed up our blog and moved it to our new website! Find the most up-to-date crafty posts from Crown Town Handmade in our new spot, www.crowntownhandmade.com. Stop by for a visit!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A little Necking

Come join Crown Town Handmade on Thursday, June 30th at 7:30 pm at Amelie's French Bakery for our monthly Make-Out session! This month we're delighted to be featuring Rachel Lock of My Art Event (www.myartevent.com) . Rachel will be leading the group in making soft summer scarves from recycled t-shirts.

Materials will be provided, but feel free to bring any old shirts or stop by the thrift shop to grab a few in your favorite colors. Make Outs are always free but of course we're happy to accept donations to keep the crafting alive. See you there!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Not A Normal Necktie

Your dad will most likely need to clean his closet to make room for the fantastic new ties he got this year.  Save a few from the Goodwill pile (or scrounge your local Goodwill) to make this awesome planter.
Full tutorial found on the Modcloth blog.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Inkable Images


 

Here is a great post by Sarah Terry of Stitch Machine . She taught our last Make-Out Session.

If you weren't there, you missed an awesome time! Catch us at our next one in June.

CTHm Stamp Workshop 5/26/11

We had a great turnout for the most recent CTHm Make-Out Craft Session, and everyone did great work! I taught "Carve a Stamp, Print a Postcard". My creative participants came up with all kinds of inkable images, including: stamped labels for canned jellies, business logos, self portraits and animal shaped stamps. Here's what the workshop was all about. I snapped these photos between instructions.

CTHm Stamp Workshop 5/26/11






CTHm Stamp Workshop 5/26/11

CTHm Stamp Workshop 5/26/11

CTHm Stamp Workshop 5/26/11

CTHm Stamp Workshop 5/26/11

CTHm Stamp Workshop 5/26/11

CTHm Stamp Workshop 5/26/11

Monday, May 23, 2011

Carve a Stamp, Print a Postcard!

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-RP0i7eHU_jUxd2kXrwyFsADrsc_niVYBi-nGaE2hrArr_mqXrPfPniRd75rnozE7pBWoLf6_AJ-CJHQAxSalexKryPA-UW8RTKR9CkeGVKzMeYW8vwTz2jVRhVmjkO1hHMXDdp8sEE/s1600/CarveAStampPrintAPostcard.jpg

Join Crown Town Handmade on Thursday, May 26th at 7:30 pm at Amelie's French Bakery for our monthly Make-Out session, hosted this month by Sarah Terry of Stitch Machine. Transform one of your original drawings or doodles into a reusable printing block stamp! Once you finish carving your stamp, ink it up for a test-run and print on a postcard that you can drop in the mail. You'll be amazed at how professional and interesting a simple doodle can become!

Small drawings by Sarah will be available for carving if you need some inspiration. There will be time for sketching, but any drawings or logos you bring should be 4" x 6" or smaller.

Supplies will be provided, including soft blocks and cutting and tools. Feel free to bring any paper materials you'd like to print with your stamp creation. If you have past printmaking or scrap booking experience, we could always use extra linoleum cutters, soft dark "B" drawing pencils, and stamp ink pads. This event is always free, and Crown Town Handmade accepts donations to help cover material costs. See you there!

Friday, April 29, 2011

Mother's Day Ideas


Here is a cute Mother's Day craft I found at Poppytalk . There are several how-to's listed here on using mason jars for special Mother's Day gifts.

What are you doing for Mom next week? We'd love to hear (and see) your handmade gifts!



Photo courtesy of Steph Morgan.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Paint that Mug - VENUE UPDATE

Our Make Out session this month has been moved to Amelie's, April 28, 7:30 pm, 2424 N Davidson St
Charlotte.

Join Emily of By Emily on April 28 at Crown Town Handmade's monthly Make Out for a chance to display your artistic skill. All you need is a plain piece of china (porcelain, glazed ceramic, or china will do). You'll paint your piece and take it home to bake in the oven to set the paint so you can use! Supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring your own pieces to decorate.

Emily (of By Emily) creates handmade kitchen accessories using designer fabrics and mixing bold colors and prints. From aprons to oven mitts to pot holders, these accessories are fashionable and functional. You can find out more about Emily and check out her items at madebyemily.etsy.com or facebook.com/byemily.


Thursday, April 14, 2011

Easy Easter Wreath



Peeps. 
Where do you fall on the Peeps love/hate? Here is the perfect middle ground, whether you love to eat them or love to despise the gross little things. I found this on the Our Best Bites tutorial, make sure to check it out! Oh, and poke around their site if you haven't, its awesome!



Friday, April 8, 2011

Local Manufacturing

Check out this blog post on the Storque about local manufacturing . "Manufactured" has become such a negative term, but what if we change the whole concept, back to something smaller?




Do you thing we are ready to pay a bit more for local goods as a general society?

Monday, March 28, 2011

Make Out: March Madness

March Madness is upon us, and "Free for All" describes March's Crowntown Handmade Make Out in both spirit and price. This month you decide the craft! Bring along a portable project of your own and join
us for an evening of crafting comradery (and maybe a little booze). If you don't have something to bring, join Donna Kirby of In Ten Years in folding paper cranes. Our cranes will join others being sent to sister cities in Japan as a show of support after the tsunami.

But since it's March Madness, we're not done yet. If you have a craft project that turned out more frankenstien than fabulous, bring it in for the Craftastrophe Contest and Swap. Feel free to trade and see if one crafter's trash can become another's treasure.
Optional BYOB, $5 corking fee per container/6 pack. Sodas for sale. Patchwerk Playhaus, in the back room of Century Vintage, 1508 Central Avenue, Charlotte, 28205. Enter in the alley past Soul Gastrolounge and Snug Harbor.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Soda Can Rings!

Soda Can Rings
Here's the ring Sarah made.

We had a great turnout for Crown Town Handmade's most recent Make Out Craft night! About 25 people gathered around Elizabeth of studio-e on 2/24/11 to learn how to make flower rings out of soda cans. Elizabeth had gathered an impressive collection of cans of all colors for everyone to use. We crimped wire, cut petals out of aluminum and learned how to use pliers to get the look that we wanted. Each person's creation was 100% unique!

Soda Can Rings
Elizabeth demonstrates the best way to bend wire to form a ring.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Online Finds: Feed Your Soul

By Emily Brown, Made by Emily


Though not my creative outlet, I admire the creative work of a visual artist. At times I find myself browsing through and admiring a variety of artists' work online, such as  Danny Phillips Art , or The Preppy Possum.


 I also love free. With the economy and my budget these days, free art is likely the only way I will acquire any art in my home. So imagine my delight when I came across Feed Your Soul: the free art project. Artists from around the world submit art each month that can be downloaded, printed, and enjoyed in your home for free. Check it out, and you're welcome.

artwork: Escape Route Rowboat, by Danny Phillips

Monday, February 7, 2011

More Handmade Valentine's.

Did you miss our last Make Out and are now going to be scrambling for handmade Valentines? 
 Then check out these print-it-yourself Valentines from a slew of cool artists! There are also other fun projects included in this 30-project kit.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Feelin' Hot Hot Hot

Need something to do this Friday night? Join several Crown Towners at the Mint Museum for First Friday, this month's theme is EndearMINT. We'll be in the DIY lab showing attendees how to make a felt flower accessory for your hair or his lapel.

Then, after you make your fab flowers, head on to the rooftop terrace to catch a salsa lesson!  This late night event, hosted in conjunction with the Charlotte Symphony's KnightSounds series, will feature music by Orquesta Mayor and a performance by dancers from Metropolitan Ballroom.

First Fridays is an ongoing series at the Mint Museum Uptown. Each evening is loaded with artsy fun for all ages, including museum tours, live entertainment, art-making activities, a cash bar, and more! Admission is free for members, $10/non-members. For more information on each event or to pre-purchase tickets, call 704.337.2034 or visit www.mintmuseum.org/firstfridays.html.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Valentine's, the CrownTown crafty way

Here's a great Valentine's post featuring CrownTown Handmade by The Painted Rabbit, a South Carolina artist.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Make Out Tonight!

Here's a link to Jennifer's blog with some great patterns for tonight's Make Out . It is going to be so much fun, we'd love to have you join us!



Don't forget, Optional BYOB, $5 corking fee per container/6 pack. Sodas for sale. Patchwerk Playhaus, in the back room of Century Vintage, 1508 Central Avenue, Charlotte, 28205. Enter in the alley past Soul Gastrolounge and Snug Harbor.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Feelin' Stitchy

 Show your affection this Valentine's Day with embroidered valentines! (Or anti-valentines if that's your inclination.)

Couple

Join us for our Valentines' Make Out January 27. Jennifer Bennett of Handmade Stuffs  will be teaching some basic embroidery skills to express your feelings, and spend the rest of the year embellishing anything you can pierce with a needle. Fabric and patterns will be provided, along with other materials. You're welcome to bring your own embroidery hoop, floss, fabric, and/or scissors if you have them, but as always Crown Town Handmade will have basic supplies available.

Swingers

Optional BYOB, $5 corking fee per container/6 pack. Sodas for sale. Patchwerk Playhaus, in the back room of Century Vintage, 1508 Central Avenue, Charlotte, 28205. Enter in the alley past Soul Gastrolounge and Snug Harbor.

See photos of our past Make-Out sessions in our FB albums.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Tutorial: Scarf

This awesome scarf tutorial is brought to you by Jennifer of  Handmade Stuffs, one of our newer CrownTown members. She's also be teaching our next Make Out Session,  Feeling Stitchy.

 

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Featured Seller

Have you ever looked our blog sidebars?

We have some interesting things there. Member lists and links, calendars, Make Out information and a little blurb about us.

We also have our 'Featured Seller' over there on the right side. Right now it is oliveohome. Go ahead and look. I'll wait.

Every 6 weeks or so, that mini-shop changes. This is a great way to introduce ourselves to you, so please take the time to support your local CrownTownies and pay a visit. Even a nice convo telling them how pretty the shop looks would be appreciated!

Who would you like to see featured next?

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

DIY

ReadyMade shares an appropriate DIY project fit for this weather - make your own front-door boot scraper from wood and brushes.
5-shoe-scrubber
 
 

Friday, January 7, 2011

Shop & Tell: Urban Cheesecraft

Amanda Aileen, Verabelle

My crafty day job: redesigning vintage clothing. My crafty obsession: handmade food. That's why this DIY Cheese Kit from Urban Cheesecraft just may be my favorite thing I've ever purchased from Etsy. There is something so satisfying about not just cooking, but crafting a foodstuff by hand and then having the pleasure of savoring every bite of it.


 I've been adding homemade mozzarella and ricotta (This kit makes both!) to many of my favorite recipes. From eggplant parmesan, to lasagna, to homemade pizza, homemade cheese makes everything better. One kit from Urban Cheesecraft will give you 10 batches, which considering how much cheese like this costs at the market, is a deal for $22. Each batch makes quite a bit too, and only requires that you purchase a gallon of milk as the only other ingredient needed.



Now I'm going to take my glass of wine and sit down to a dinner of an "inside-out" eggplant parmesan stack layered with homemade mozzarella, homemade tomato sauce, and spinach sauteed with garlic and red pepper flakes. Here's to homemade cheese in under an hour - cheers!


LINK: http://www.etsy.com/shop/UrbanCheesecraft
PHOTO OF KIT: http://www.etsy.com/transaction/39433934 (from Etsy)

Monday, January 3, 2011

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

I don't know about you, but the beginning of a new year always seems like a good time to clean. Start a new year in a fresh, clean space. For me, cleaning brings along its friend, organization.  The battle against clutter never seems to end, especially is you are a crafter! Little bits and pieces of things you  *know* you will use. Someday. Here are some great finds on Etsy to help you keep your fresh new year feeling all year long!


MerryBluesArt has this collection of recipe cards of DIY non-toxic cleaners.  Not only effective, but what pretty cards!




This soap by Beautiful Soaps is great to have around, especially if you want to try and make your own laundry soap.



I love love LOVE to have things labeled, but often things don't stay in one place for long. These Chalkboard Vinyl Tags from Leen the Graphics Queen are so perfect!



Don't forget those papers! These magnet sets from CreativeLove are super strong, and keep your papers in one place.