It has been two weeks since my first post about learning to use my new woodburning tool. During those first few nights of learning, I didn’t think this follow-up post would be as positive as it is about to be. I didn’t think I would get the hang of it, I didn’t think it would be as fun as it is. I thought I would go running back to my trusty Gocco printer to finish my pieces for Artomatic. I was wrong and this is rad.

In the past few weeks, I have completed about 25 pieces, only ruining about 3! So far, I have only mastered transferring words, not images. Words are easier because you can concentrate on transferring each word, one letter at a time, making sure not to burn the paper into the wood. This is done by using the tool with one hand, while gently lifting the paper as you transfer. It is kind of how you check to see if a fake tattoo has transferred to your skin. Hard to explain. The instructions on the tool actually explained it, but until I messed it up a few times, it was hard to figure out. Transferring images has proven more difficult, so I am still working on that.

This piece is a combination of the star stamper that actually burns stars into the wood and the laser transfer (with multiple fonts):

Close up of the little stars:

Here is how it looks on the wall!

While this piece came out the best so far, the message is a little too cheerleader-y, so I held it back from the two shows I am making these for this month. (I wrote the text after having given birth to twins, so cut me some slack!)

You can see how the transfer really works well on the unpainted wood. I have found, though, that painted wood can be a little more difficult. A few tips so that you can learn from my mistakes.

1. Only let the pen/tool heat up for 5 minutes. Don’t turn it on, go off to watch Battlestar Galactica and come back an hour later. That thing will be too hot! It will then ruin the first half of whatever you are about to do. Along those same lines, don’t try to use a tool that hasn’t heated up.
2. If you plan to paint your pieces, do so the day before. Your paint needs to be completely dry before even trying this.
3. Don’t forget to reverse your images on a computer and then print them out. This can easily be done in Photoshop.
4. Read and follow all of the instructions on the package. I didn’t and this is what caused stress the first night.

Here are a few pieces that were painted before using the tool to transfer laser prints:

You might notice on these that the tool will sometimes transfer a faint clear bit when you run it over blank paper. I tried to minimize this by cutting my designs out very close to the ink. It isn’t a big thing, but might bother perfectionists. Transferring onto the painted pieces takes a bit more patience than the bare wood ones. Don’t be afraid to mess up and if you do, just paint over it and try again.

Of course, this tool can do like 20 other things. I urge people with drawing talent to try it out as a pen! I would love to see something other than deer heads and cowboys drawn on wood! I would really love to see what people with actual artistic ability can do with this tool. Don’t hesitate to comment on the blog if you do try it out. Along those lines, let us know about any kind of new craft you are trying to learn.

Tina Seamonster blogs her life and craft at http://www.ilikeseamonsters.com. Oh! You can see a whole wall of these finished pieces at Artomatic, 8th floor (SW, B7).

I have always felt like sort of a one trick pony when it comes to crafting. I gocco. I used to do other stuff, but when I got my Gocco Printer about 5 years ago, I stopped doing much else. Nothing matches it when it comes to ease of use. And my lifestyle only gives me small units of times with which to make stuff, so the Gocco makes sense.

But this past month, I decided to venture out and commit to two art projects that would require that I use up lots of Gocco screens and bulbs. Like, lots. This was getting expensive and stressful, so I decided it was time to learn something new. I started researching ways that I could transfer lots of words onto wood. Stories from my blog, twitter posts, all kinds of stuff. I wanted each piece to be relatively one of a kind, I wanted the freedom to be able to randomly make a piece of wall art the way I would jot down a note in my Moleskine notebook. I wanted to be break free from the Gocco.

A call to the factory where I was buying irregular bits of wood for these projects helped me discover the wood burning pen/tool. You know, the kind of thing that Boy Scouts use to draw deer heads on patches of leather? Apparently everyone’s older brother had one of these things. Still not sure what I am talking about? Here’s the page from the catalog that I ordered mine from:

You can totally pick these up at any craft store for about $35, but those places stress me out with all the scrap booking stuff, so I try to stay away! For about another $20, you can pick up a set of alphabet stamps! This was my first idea, to burn in my silliness one letter at a time. That was until the woman taking my order told me about the transfer tip for the tool. It sounded too good to be true. With the flat tip of the pen, one can transfer laser prints onto word, fabric, leather, whatever. Just reverse any text, heat up the pen to 750 degrees and you are in business!

My first night of learning was stressful. Here I am working on my first transfer:

And after about an hour of working on it, this is what I got:

Not great, but not bad either!

Note to self (and Crafty Blog readers): Do not ever try to learn a new craft 15 days before needing 40 new pieces for two different venues. Don’t do this to yourself. Even if the instructions on the box make it look like anyone can wield the wood burning/transfer tool, know that it is not this easy. And if you only have two hours a day to perfect your new craft, odds are you will not perfect it in time to actually finish said 40 pieces. Ok. End rant.

My second night of trying out the tool yielded slightly better results, if still not perfect. Here is a “finished” piece:

Each time I use the tool, I learn something new and get better at it. This past weekend I got some help with my twins and was able to work for about 3 hours uninterrupted and finished about 6 pieces (photos to come once Artomatic opens!).

I am energized by my ability to pick up something new and encourage everyone to step out of their crafting comfort zone and try something different.

What is your dream skill? Mine is actually quilting, oh my, who has time for that?

Tina Seamonster blogs her life and craft at http://www.ilikeseamonsters.com. The title of this blog is what she was burning into wood today.

Almost any activity can be green-ified if you do it car-free. See, here’s an example:

Thrift Store Shopping: Already Green
Car-free Thrift Store Shopping: Even Greener!!!

Shopping at thrift stores for materials, fashion finds, books & housewares is a great way to give new life to items would otherwise be headed to a landfill. Reclaiming these items to wear, sew, decorate your home with or screen print on makes you feel great. It’s like a treasure hunt! The thrill of thriftstore hunting can be addictive, as most of you already know.

So, what’s better than salvaging items from their doom and using them to make cool stuff? getting there via public transportation!!

Here’s a little list of metro and bus accessible thrift stores in the DC metro area:

Goodwill of Arlington 6136 Arlington Blvd - From Rosslyn Metro (Orange/Blue) Take the 4H bus towards Seven Corners and get off at the Willston Shopping Center (before Seven Corners)

L & N Thrift 1830 14th Street NW - Columbia Heights Metro (Green) or 54 bus

Georgia Avenue Thrift Store 6101 Georgia Ave NW - 70 bus towards Silver Spring (runs up and down Georgia Ave, can be picked up near the Shaw/Howard University stop on the Green Line)

Odd-Even Thrift Shop 3400 Rhode Island Ave - from Rhode Island Ave. Metro (Red) catch the 84 bus towards New Carrolton and get of on 34th Street.

Montgomery County Thrift Shop 7125 Wisconsin Ave - 2 blocks from Bethesda Metro

The Thrift Shop 2622 P St NW - G2 bus, or a nice walk down P from Dupont Circle (walking towards Georgetown)

Opportunity Shop - St. Albans 3001 Wisconsin Ave NW - N4 bus to Wisconsin Ave. & Massachusetts Ave.

Got more thrift stores to add? (like that newish one that just sprung up in Mount Pleasant that I couldn’t find online!)

Please let us know about them (and how to get there) in the comments section!

green and love, xo,
kb the car-free crafter

Kristina Bilonick organizes the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market, which easily reachable without a car by taking Metro to Ballston or bus 38B from Farragut Square.

Where do skateboards go when they die?

Novia Scotia!

That is where 2ReVert creates one of a kind jewelry pieces out of 100% post-consumer recycled skateboards. Post-consumer means old, used, broken skateboards. If you think the idea is brilliant, wait til you see the results. These pieces are not only a crazy great use of trash, they are beautiful and stylish. The photos speak for themselves.

To add to the “wow,” their pieces are also incredibly affordable, ranging from $18 to $30 in their online shop.

I’ll never look at a skateboard the same way again!

Tina Seamonster rarely sleeps. She blogs her life and craft at http://www.ilikeseamonsters.com.

In 2001, I adopted Lily, a fat 4-year-old cat who followed me around the shelter, quickly convincing me of her sweetness. She was always a great craft kitty, never messing with my projects, even when they involved string! All those late nights staying up sewing and painting, Lily was there keeping me company. She became an excellent big sister to my dachshund puppy, even cleaning Frankie’s little face. Suddenly food-loving Lily stopped eating and seemed to have a rattle in her lungs. At the vet I got the worst news, Lily was diagnosed with extensive cancer in her lungs. When Dr. K showed me the x-rays I broke down, the mass was so clear. I brought her home with the plan to make Lily comfortable and hoped that she would pass away peacefully in her sleep. Starting Saturday Lily started hiding out in my closet under the shoe rack, which was not a good sign. She had always been such a social cat and was pulling away, she knew it was the end. I felt crazy, constantly checking on Lily, watching my sweet fat cat waste away. For the next few days I didn’t leave her side, horrified that she would die alone if I went out.

At some point I decided to make a cameo pin with Lily’s picture as a tribute to her beauty and life. I found some gorgeous green velvet from my fabric stash that reminded me of her huge luminous eyes. I spray mounted a photo of Lily on the velvet and then added a loose ruffle of black, as a reference to the classic Victorian cameo. Finally I attached two vintage Bakelite blossoms and crystals beads at the centers. There were a few glue marks on the velvet that I couldn’t remove that bothered me but I tried to ignore them.

Crafting the pin gave me something to keep me busy, which I desperately needed. Both the process and the end tribute helped me work through losing my friend. I wore the brooch for the next few days of work, it helped me feel closer to my kitty while I was away. We all have our own ways of remembering our loved ones, often striving to translate our feelings into physical displays. I think that creating a shrine with a pet’s favorite toys can be a step in the healing process. For me crafting the pin was part of my mourning and a way to remember my sweet cat, who deserved a tribute much bigger than I could ever give.

photo by tina seamonster

I am ignoring the mess that is my living room. The overturned haunted house. The carrots on the floor. The cell phone at my feet that needs to be charged. I am in the clutches of new ideas. Of making things new. New things. And this is the best feeling. The very best way to make.

I have recently found myself in a rut of sorts, making the same thing over and over to fill orders. I know I shouldn’t complain about this. Anyone who makes things wishes for the time when more than friends will want what they make. It is awesome and special and spectacular. But it is also easy to get stuck in the cycle, the filling of orders, the manufacturing, if even on this small scale. And I have been stuck. Sticky stuck.

I think we forget how much courage making something new takes. For me, it is less about inspiration and more about being able to push aside the easy, the accepted, the popular. Then there is the fear of making mistakes and wasting materials. I used to live in fear of wasting materials! No more, I tell myself. Gocco screens are not precious! Expensive, but not precious.

So I make a space in my stock corner for the one-of-a-kinds. The bold experiments that might fall flat or be spectacular. The special new creatures that will take forever to find a home. And I think about it all day long. Working out my plans for the new. And each night when my little window for creating comes along, I am thrilled with what I find. I am giddy and unstuck.

Tina Seamonster blogs her life and craft at http://www.ilikeseamonsters.com. She thinks you are rad.

I <heart> Denver, Colorado. I just returned from a week-long snowboarding trip in the Colorado Mountains and was lucky enough to have at least one full day to explore the city of Denver. With its too cute boutiques to the old skool record stores and vintage shops with their familiar mildewey smell, Denver was overflowing with shopping awesomeness.

I explored a bunch of indie mom n’ pop shops that sold every from handmade aprons, to bags and accessories made by locals, and got to experience the cleanest and biggest Goodwill store I’ve ever seen. My day-long shopping journey took me from Colfax Ave. to the hip Highland area. Although I fell in love again and again with every place I went to, here are just a few of my favorites…

Starlet was the way-too-cute boutique that definitley brought out the girly-girl in me.

The fluffy decor and colorful yummy displays were really cool, and it had a nice selection of handmade items like bags, jewerly and wall decorations. The owner was a sweet lady who fit perfectly in her sweet store.

Even the store mascot Oliver was too-cute in his fleece coat.

This place is located in Highland on the main shopping/eating drag. With great prices on everything (I paid only 11 bucks(!) for an eco-friendly hand printed bag, and $3 for apple lip gloss in an apple-shaped container)… this place is great for present shopping.

The other two shops worth mentioning are owned by Matthew Brown and Jaime Jennings. The Fancy Tiger stores are a boutique and a craft store (located across the street from each other near Broadway and 1st). These two places are the epitome of good shopping for indie crafters and people who like unique finds.

I talked a bit with Matt at The Fancy Tiger Clothing store, and found out that about 40% of the items in the store were local, which totally rocks! This place has hip clothing, accessories, hand knits, and necklaces made from old typewritter letters… just to name a few items.

After eyeballing some of their thick knit scarves (above), which will be on my X-mas list (Scott, I hope you’re reading this), I made my way over to the Fancy Tiger Craft store. This place is a crafters’ dream…

tons of yarn, giant balls of wool, cutesy fabric, craft how-to kits, rubber and tree limbed-shapped buttons, stamps, books, and a classroom where you can learn to felt, sew, bookbind and more.

Fancy Tiger is an impressive indie feat, and I was blown away by the selection and thoughfulness that Matt and Jenny put into the stores. Both stores are welcoming and unpretentious, and the owners both know their stuff and support the Denver crafting community. They threw their first holiday craft market this past December, and are looking to do more this year. I might just have to go back to Denver within the year to check it out… Fancy Tiger Road Trip anyone?

If you’ve traveled the crafty road and can share you’re favorite spots to shop and hang in other cities, please let us know in the comment section!

I am always excited to see crafty businesses get smart with marketing. Below is a short video featuring Chickenpants by Absolutely Small:

Not only is the video super cute, but it shows off the product in a fresh and interesting way. Makes me want to pick up a few plushies and make my own video to post to YouTube.

In the Absolutely Small shop, you will also find limited edition prints of Chickenpants dolls in funny situations. Here is one called To The Moon:

So if you don’t know what to do with a Chickenpants of your own, you can just pick up the print for $10. Absolutely Small is run by Claire Chambers. In her shop profile she writes:

“Every one should have the option to have original art in their homes- it shouldn’t be the exclusive domain of the wealthy. If I can get people to smile or laugh at what I’ve created, then I’ve succeeded.”

Congrats, Claire! You have totally succeeded.

Tina Seamonster blogs her life and craft at http://www.ilikeseamonsters.com. She thinks you are rad.

The Art Star Craft Bazaar in Philadelphia is now accepting vendor applications. This year’s show will have 50 more vendors than last year and a new venue!

Who: 150 artists
What: Affordable, unique, and high quality art and crafts
When: Saturday, May 31st from 11-7pm & Sunday, June 1st from 11-5pm
Where: Penn’s Landing Great Plaza - on Columbus Boulevard between Walnut Street and Market Street

The application deadline is April 8th and accepted vendors will be notified of acceptance by Saturday, April 12th. You can either apply online or mail your application to them (see instructions). The booth fee is $150 and includes a 10’ x 10’ space, 2 chairs, and a 6’ long table. The event is held outside.

For more information, check out the Art Star web site. You can also read my report from last year’s Art Star to learn more about last year’s show.

The 2008 Takoma Park Street Festival is accepting applications for craft vendors. The festival is Sunday, October 5, 2008, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee is $125 per 10 x 10 ft. space.

The festival allocate spaces to eligible participants based on the order applications are received, taking into account, however, the need to offer an appropriate mix of participant/vendor types and items sold. The festival is usually filled by June. The application can be downloaded from the web site, here.

The Takoma Park Street Festival is entering its 25th year as a multi-cultural music and crafts festival in downtown Old Takoma. Check out their web site for more information.

Post in the comments if you have done this show in the past and what you think of this local opportunity.