Tuesday TastyLinks!

I am a dollar short and a day late these days with the new job and the holidaze...far too many balls in the air. Some of them will be going on the Christmas tree, but the rest are overwhelming me to say the least. I neglected to share last week's Crafty Blogger Links, so here they are with my sincere apologies. Tune in later this week for a free blog project AND a link to my first Video On Demand for Jewelry Television's Jewel School.

Until next time, craft on with your bad selves!

Cheers,

Madge

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Book Review-Wild Color, Revised and Updated Edition: The Complete Guide to Making and Using Natural Dyes

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi is working away at finding more uses for expanded squares.

Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter
Madge's lovely and talented daughter Avalon whips up a super cute embellished hat and scarf this week for ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts!

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Who couldn’t use another tote bag? Here’s a Koi Beach-Themed Tote from Eileen for your beach holidays or just to use when you miss the beach and warm weather.

Crafty Princess Diaries
After much feeling around, Tammy has definitely determined which baby yarn she thinks is the softest.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
This week at Craftside there is a tutorial on how to paint a bee and dragonfly, draw a pilgrim, Native American and English Guard, videos on how to sew a yo-yo and a preview of the new show Brew Masters and how to paint on a vintage postcard.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi has a two part name tag making project highlighted this week.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen offers you Starbuck's upcyled bird ornaments to create. Gather the kids and have fun making these ornaments to hang on your tree, give as a gift or use as a tag!

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts: Snow Bunny Holiday Scarf and Hat Set

Snow Bunny Holiday Scarf and Hat Set
Avalon Potter for ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts


Winter is coming fast and I made this scarf to keep me warm during the holidays. I had a lot of fun making this and I think you will too. This goes perfectly with any type of coat and is a breeze to create. I hope you enjoy and until next time wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Crafting,
Avalon

Materials
Fleece hat and scarf in cream (I got mine at Old Navy)
Tulip Glam-it-Up Crystals Clear
Holiday Themed Stencils (Try The Holly Stencil from Tulip!)
Tulip Fashion Graffit Paint Taggers in Green and Pink
Tulip Dimensional Fabric Paint in Gold Glitter
Tulip Foam Sponge Pouncers
Aleene's Jewel-It Glue

1. Fold scarf in half and lay flat.
2. Apply stencil pattern on scarf using a paint pouncer. The leaves should be green and berries alternate between pink and gold glitter.
3. Add crystals to each pink berry using Aleene’s Jewel-It Glue.
4. Decorate the brim of your hat in the same pattern, adding a leaf and berry to each panel at the top as in photo. Decorate front and back of hat.
5. Allow to dry before wearing!

Let the Holiday Festivities Begin! Madge Crafts from the Couch...

I have been sick as a d o double g since Saturday. Avalon got this first and it's just hitting Drew. We got our dang flu shots, but I swear this was the flu. It's settled into my chest, but I'm hoping I'm on the mend now. I have to get back to work! I hate being sick because I get so restless. So, yesterday I worked on the final details of this stocking project. Jewelry Television is presenting these stuffed with gifts to vets at a local VA hospital. I was so pleased to be able to do something to say, "Thank you" to those who have fought for our freedom. I'm also pleased as punch with how this turned out! I have to make one for our mantle now.

I used a scanned and sized Victorian era postcard from my ephemera collection (the card had some damage which I fixed in Photoshop) and printed it on a sticky back fabric sheet. I added glittered accents using Ranger Stickles. Aleene's Super Thick Tacky Glue worked like a charm on the rick rack, ribbon, vintage button and repurposed metal elements. It's amazing what a little creativity can do for a dollar store Christmas stocking!

Until next time...craft on with your bad selves!

Cheers,
Madge

Fave Crafts Blog Hop and Monday TastyLinks!

I've been sick, so I'm a skootch behind on posting my weekly craft blog links, do forgive! I'm participating again this month in the Fave Crafts blog hop, it's a hoot in a handbasket, you should join too! On the 15th of every month you add a link to a project in your blog with a pic to their 'Finished on the 15th' post and it's a great way to connect with other crafters and generate a little more traffic!

I'm crawling back into bed here in a moment, but before I do here are this week's TastyLinks from the Crafty Bloggers. "We've got glue guns and we're not afraid to use them."

About Family Crafts
If you are looking for an almost instant Thanksgiving activity, check out these free, printable Thanksgiving projects.

Aileen's Musings
It's that time of year again to be thinking about cards an giftees. Aileen offers you a unique coffee sleeve card project to inspire you!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi makes a set of meaningful Remembrance Day cards with a free digital download.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
This week at Craftside there is a chance to win a copy of 1,000 Type Treatments and my Sizzix twist cube project it inspired, a tutorial on how to make serged thread chain and braid, a dining room mixed media assemblage and one of the quilts from the book-Journey of Hope.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Square time! Tammy is working on creating a simple (and hopefully fast) baby blanket pattern.

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Here's a cute tote idea incorporating a sticker embellishment made of cardboard and coated with epoxy. Yes, just plain cardboard!

Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter
Heidi Goes Glam Necklace and Madge's Pre-Debut Debut on JTV!

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi is giving away a copy of her new ebook on using found objects and unusual materials in your bead embroidery!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
See how to make a recycled bottle lid broken heart charm inspired by the book Fantastic Recycled Plastic

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts Falling Leaves T-Shirt

Avalon has a fab new project this week for ILoveToCreate! She did such a great job with this from concept to execution and her dad helped her since Mom's been a little busy with the new job. I'm endlessly proud of her. Just a quick FYI...I'll be debuting on Jewelry Television's Jewel School tomorrow sharing three fun, fast and fashionable projects from 9am until noon EST. If you don't get Jewelry Television, you can watch the show streaming live on their website.

Falling Leaves T-shirt ILovetoCreate Project Copyright Avalon Potter 2010

Once again I bring you another fun, easy and stylish project using ILovetoCreate products. This past week I’ve seen the leaves falling outside and the beautiful colors surrounding me, and when I saw the Tulip fabric sprays and foam leaves in the local craft store I knew exactly what my project would be. I would make a shirt inspired by the leaves scattered all over the ground using fall themed Tulip fabric sprays and glitter. I had a great time making this project with my dad, we really had some quality time together making this and I hope you will have just as much fun.

Materials:
Cotton tee (white and prewashed to remove sizing)
Foam shapes( doesn’t have to be leaves)
Three or more tulip fabric sprays
Tulip glitter dimensional fabric paint in silver
Tulip craft sponge
Double sided tape
Tulip fashion form

Instructions:
1. First gather all your materials, then take you shirt and put it on your tulip fashion form.


2. Next lay out were you want your foam shapes to go, you the size, shape or amount you use depends on what you want to do.

3. Attach your shapes with double sided tape and make sure all of your corners are down because you don’t want excess fabric spray leaking under your shapes and deforming the way they will turn out.


4. Make sure you cover the area underneath the shirt to prevent getting any spray on the floor! Then one by one spray around and on your foam shapes you can leave white in areas but I filled mine in with glitter.


5. Let the paint dry then the next day take of the foam shapes and apply the glitter paint with a sponge on the white spots where the foam shapes were.

TastyLinks Saturday Live from the Smoky Mountains!

Sunrise on the Smokies Copyright Andrew Potter

Well I made it through my first week at the new job mostly unscathed! It's a quantum shift for me to work for someone else and have to balance between cubicle and studio. My straw pile is already overflowing. Quel suprise.

I'm still amazed at the views from our windows, the Smokies are constantly changing. We had hail this morning and it's sunny now. This is a pic Drew took from the window and you can see the fog on the mountains that really does look like smoke. The drive to work is a breeze and the drive home is a revelation. Seriously.

I'm coordinating with the social networking team at JTV on blogging efforts and if you stay tuned I do believe you're going to dig what we throw down.

Here's what the CraftyBloggers have for your perusal this week. Until next time...craft on with your bad selves!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
See how to make a mini die cut leaf bracelet notebook inspired by Eco Books.

Mixed Media Artist
It turns out that rust and paint can be a great combination!

Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter
Madge shares an update from 'the busy zone.'

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
When the going gets tough; the tough get going. Have you thought of making a bit of extra money by crafting in your spare time? Read Eileen's advice to "worried mom" Gina.

Crafty Princess Diaries
If you have moved over to using e-readers, such as a Kindle, then you need something pretty and hand-crafted (of course) to protect it.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
This week at Craftside there is a chance to win a copy of Collage Lab with a tutorial on how to make a light up mixed-media mini house, a yarn necklace from the book Intertwined and step-by-step instructions for painting an olive.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi uses paper scraps to quilt some paper!

Aileen's Musings
Check out Aileen's scrumptious fall cookie recipe with a cool printable recipe card you can print out and include with a plate of cookies to give to your friends and family!

About Family Crafts
Read through these creative Thanksgiving tradition ideas and then share your own.

An Update from The Busy Zone!

Cades Cove, TN

Cades Cove, TN

View from Our Front Porch

I'm sorry for being so elusive as of late. Moving, unpacking, starting a new job...it's all got me busier than a bee these days. Do forgive. Soon I hope to be back on the blog saddle with lots of fab new projects and ideas to share.

View from the Side Yard

The new neighborhood is divine. The views from our front porch, the "Zen" hot tub room and the huge windows that wrap around the front of our house are amazing. I just keep pinching myself as we drive around here, it's really that fabulous.

The Zen Hot Tub Room

I'm adjusting to moving from being my own boss and making my own rules to working for someone else. Let's face it, dahlings, it's not easy for a know it all smarty panties to follow rules.

I've built this career mostly by breaking them.

Tee hee.

A Pic Drew Snapped of the Stormy Smoky Mountains

Here are a few pics for you to enjoy while I'm adjusting to the new digs. Until next time, craft on with your bad selves.

xoxo
Madge