Q&A with Santino Rice soon

Q&A with Santino Rice -arguably the most memorable contestant of Project Runway- coming soon.

-Amanda

Notable mention!

We got a notable mention in Whipup! Whoopee!

-Amanda

Neat magazine

Anxiously awaiting the new issue of N.E.E.T magazine, dedicated to- as the editor says- 'grassroots creativity'.

*Edited to say... the new N.E.E.T is available in all its splendiferous glory. Yes, it does warrant making up a word to describe it on the spot.

Christina from Rx Apparel Part Deux

Above: the artist in the flesh, quite unlike the mannequin beside her

Interview with Christina Ewald Continued...

What's it like to be self-employed- to live by your own deadlines and your own rules?
It's terrible! I am really a bad procrastinator, but then, I do much better work when I've invested interest in something, when it's for me. In New York there are so many distractions, but you have to know where to draw the line. I like to go out a lot, and I'm always mixing up business with my personal life- like I'll say that if I go out tonight, I might meet someone interesting or important. But sometimes, you need time alone.

What do you spend the most time doing, apart from your job?
Seeing friends. I have a lot of artsy friends (that are into the same things as me). I go out to dinner alot- I'm always networking. I like talking to new people.

Do you have any favourite designers, or indie designers?
Well, I have a lot of friends who do art. I'm really into Vivian Westwood now, but her older stuff from the 70s when she was working with the Ramones and other rock bands. I'm into her at the moment. Since I just got started at making clothing, I don't really know any designer names and I don't have any real influences.

That's cool, though- it's like the process and the clothes come wholly from you, or maybe from some subconscious area, since you don't think you've got influences.
Yes, I wish I had more things to say! I just have this whole arsenal of vintage, and I'll just grab a polka dot thing and chop off of sleeves. I use this weird stream of conscious method of creating. I just start without knowing what I'll end up with. That's another thing- I don't work with patterns.

So, are you still fluent in Japanese?
I haven't studied Japanese for years! I used to be very fluent. Fortunately, in Minnesota they offered it in High School so I ended up studying it for like seven years. I've forgotten a whole lot of it though. I should really pick up a few books; I miss studying it but I've been so busy!

Why are vintage stores in New York so incredibly expensive?
[Laughs] It bothers me too. I have no idea! Everything in New York is so expensive, and vintage clothing is cool now. I haven't really bought anything in clothes stores here. They're boring to me, and everything is too expensive! I like to window shop, though.

Have any vintage shopping tips?
Go to legitimate thrift stores, where they sell clothing by the pound. Unfortunately, there aren't any that I know of in New York.

I meant to go to Beacon's closet when last I went to New York, but it didn't end up working out.
I've heard good things about it. Perhaps I'll go this week.

During your travels as part of the theatre troupe, which state do you think has got the best vintage clothing?
Any place that is not New York! I found a lot of stuff in thrift stores in Boston and Philadelphia, as far as cities go. We ended up in some really random small towns, so it was fun to go to random small thrift stores!

What catches your eye when you're looking for something to reconstruct? What has got the most potential?
Anything really bright, ridiculous, and polyester! I like to pick out ugly things and make them look cool. I especially like huge heinous things from the 80s, like sweaters and appliques. Sometimes I'll just keep them heinous- there's beauty in everything, and hipsters will buy anything!

Do you consider yourself a hipster?
Some people would. I consider myself a bohemian artist.

-Amanda

Word

SG: What advice do you have for girls who wanna learn how to play guitar and write songs?

Chan: My advice is to go to a guitar store and get a flamenco-style acoustic guitar—they’re usually cheap—or just a cheap electric guitar. Or, you know, go get a casio keyboard or beg your parent to get a piano. Actually, you can often rent a piano for about 25 bucks and once a month they will come by your house and tune it. You know, get some instrument and stash it in your basement or whatever….and then whenever you have that feeling like….like, I want to paint or I want to make something, like, a purse, or I want to cut my t-shirts up and make a new outfit or I want to call my friend Susan and do something, but I don’t just want to go to the mall or hang out in the park, I want to do SOMETHING. Whenever you have that feeling, then go to the instrument of choice or get a pencil to write or steal your parent’s video camera and make a short film—whatever it is, just go to that thing and do it. Whether it’s once a month or after school or before you go to sleep, just make something or create something…and let it be just for you. Don’t ever listen to what anybody says about what you’re doing. I never let anybody teach me how to play guitar because I never wanted to play like anybody else. Just as long as you’re being creative and not getting wasted or doing drugs or just hanging out with dudes because they are in a band and seem cool, but they are really just trying to sleep with you or whatever….as long as you are making music or making art for yourself and for the sake of doing something good in the world—not to get famous or rich to date the cool guy or girl—then you’ll never fail. Even if you don’t become famous, you’ll still have given yourself something really important.

Excerpt from Chan Marshall interview via Soundgirl.

-Amanda

Explorations of the Familiar

I'm really intrigued by Keri Smith at the moment. She's an author, illustrator, and self-described "guerilla artist". Her illustrations are quite familiar- you may have already seen them in your favourite magazine. They recall the whimsy, simplicity and childish innocence of artists such as Susie Ghahremani of boygirlparty.

Keri's site is like a virtual playground, with cool new things to discover at each click. One of the most fantastically wonderful finds is her blog- The Wish Jar journal (discovered via Whipup)- which chronicles her various projects. Recently, she's been trying to make connections between herself and strangers through the use of creative media. (See above)

Also worth mentioning are the activities and advice featured in the 'play' section of the site, for the times when you're bored or stuck in a creative rut.

-Amanda

Mac Has Done It Again

M·A·C Cosmetics | Barbie Loves MAC

Just like fashion the world of makeup brings new concepts to old ideas. Mac Cosemetics presents...A Limied Edition Collecton names after Barbie. This collection is splended mixed with bold and vibrant colors, looks that no one but Mac could create. These six different looks will have everyone turning there heads. Each look has intructions on how to create that same look.

At last: Christina from RxApparel- Part 1

If there's anything you learn from Christina while chatting with her, it's this- sometimes you've got a plan for life, and sometimes life's got a plan for you. Pursuing a major in Political Science and Japanese in Chicago, Christina never thought she'd end up a designer, struggling to keep afloat in the great big sea of New York. Yet, it's evident that she's succeeding- her soon-to-be- opened store in Brooklyn is a testament of that fact. Presenting Part 1 of a conversation with Christina Ewald of RxApparel.

How did Rx Apparel begin?
This is going to be a long story, because I tend to ramble a bit. I'm from Minnesota originally, I did a double major there in Japanese and Political Science. I never studied Fashion or anything. Then I moved to Chicago to start fresh. I grew up poor, so when I was younger I was really into thrift store shopping. I was bored one day, and I found this awesome dress in a thrift store in Chicago. It was huge, so I decided to spread it on the floor and chop it up. I took the whole day. I didn't have a sewing machine so the entire thing was hand sewed. I wore it the next night... I went into a thrift store downtown and the girl behind the counter asked where I got it. I thought she was making fun of me! I don't normally make stuff, and I never sew ever. She told me that she liked it, and said that she was the owner of the store. She said that she would so sell something like that! Her name's Jamie, she's the owner of Clothes Optional in Chicago. While I was in Chicago I toured with a Children's Theatre Troupe for 3 months. We rented a car and for every city we stopped at, I would drive to thrift stores, make things in my hotel room and send them to her. She'd sell them on consignment and send back the money. I was able to afford to live on this, and then I realized that I could make it a more lucrative business.

Do you think this will be your main career, or do you have plans to pursue something else in the future?
This will be my main career. It's a good thing you asked me this question now- two days ago I might not have given that answer. I just signed a lease for a store front in the Lower East Side, Manhattan. It's going to be an Andy Warhol type Factory, where I plan to sell vintage clothing, vintage reconstructions, and other artsy stuff. I do plan to do this now, forever. Here, it's impossible to be a starving artist- it's really expensive. It's been hard moving, New York is a city that can really eat you up and spit you out alive. I thought that my back up plan would be to study hairdressing and become an apprentice to my friend Daniel, a hairdresser in Manhattan. Four years ago I never thought I'd be doing clothing. Ten years from now I used to think that I might be in law school, or teaching English in Japan. But, I'm having a good time doing this.

That sounds really depressing, what you said about New York.
It's hard unless you're really doing very well. You can't be a struggling artist. You need a back up plan. But then, the potential for success is so great. The grand scheme is so much bigger and better. I used to be a big fish in a small- what do they say? Sea? [laughs] But now I'm a small fish in a big city, a very big city. There's so much potential to grow. New York can be a wonderful place. I've heard that it's always hard the first year!

So, how'd you end up in Brooklyn, where you live currently?
I felt that I'd done everything there was to do- no, that's not right [laughs]. I think my ego was getting far too big for the city of Chicago, so I moved to New York. I thought it would be the perfect place to move to. My friend Ethan (Ethan Bee, illustrator) had moved from Chicago to New York three months prior, and he was able to suggest a place that his friend owned. It was perfect timing, I was like “I'll be there tomorrow!”.

Right: One of Christina's creations (alliteration, woot!)


Part 2 coming up next week!

-Amanda

Q&A with Yana of Supayana

Yana Gorbulsky's living proof of the success that the Internet can provide budding entrepreneurs. Originally from Moscow, she taught herself to sew as child. Since then, she's relocated to New York. Her business has garnered an enormous following, from livejournal hipsters to members of indie rock bands. Supayana's combination of edgy vintage and and girly japanese lolita have had a huge inspiration on the tastes of many aspiring fashion designers and diy-ers today. Read and become inspired as well!

How did the Supayana clothing line begin?
I was in college (majoring in speech pathology) and started selling clothes I made on eBay to pay for textbooks.

You've never recieved any professional training in fashion design. Was this ever an obstacle in clothing contstruction?
Well, it just took me longer to figure out the right way to construct things...I had to learn from trial and error instead of somebody showing me the correct way from the start. From what I hear about fashion schools, however, is that they don't really emphasize

the importance of being able to sew your own designs. They train you for the field, where you pay people to make your patterns, samples, and produce your garments. I don't really think I missed out on anything.

You're originally from Russia. Has your heritage impacted upon your clothing in any way?
I think it makes me less wasteful than most Americans I encounter, but other than that...not really? I try to use up all my scraps and ship in materials that can
be recycled easily.

What's the most important thing you've learnt from your experience as a designer and business owner?
Be grateful for your customers!

It's undeniable, the impact you've had on other budding designers. How do you react to people who have borrowed heavily from your designs?
Well, when it first started happening I would get really upset about it, but I'm too busy to even care about. It's just part of the fashion industry!

You've said that your parents encouraged you to study speech pathology, because you weren't sure of what you wanted to be. How have they reacted to your occupation as a designer?
They've been really supportive! My mom collects all of my press and shows her friends. It's so cute!

What's the best and the worst thing about living in Brooklyn?
The best thing is the diversity of people living here. I rode my bike from Williamsburg to Sheepshead Bay a few times, and I was always astounded by how many different communities I rode past along the way. You have people from all over the world in one place. It's an amazing thing.
The worst thing...it's overpriced. So many neighborhoods in Brooklyn have Manhattan prices nowadays, and I think that's just ridiculous. NY used to be a place for artists, but artists can't even afford to live here anymore. I feel like the growing prices have really stifled creativity here.

Check out Yana's site for more information on purchasing.

gURL.com also has a great feature on Yana's day-to-day life as a designer.

Over and out.

-Amanda C.Q.

Nostalgia

I was born and raised on the Internet, I'll admit it. I got my first computer when I was about seven, and from the age of ten I was addicted. I was an only child and I'd spend most of my time in the company of a cold, dimly-lit screen, absorbing information like an over-enthused vacuum.

Was that an entirely healthy way to grow up? I'm not too sure, but I do credit those moments for shaping the person I am today.

One of my favourite sites was . I don't think that it bears much relation to the Get Crafty which exists presently, but has since then been reincarnated into the online magazine Supernaturale (both of which are worth checking out).

The original Get Crafty was responsible for my crafty/diy ethic. I was able to become proud, instead of embarrassed, about anything I'd create. It made me feel cooler, in a way, to wear something that was completely original and made from my own hands. It introduced me to a wider group of people who were always there to answer any questions I'd ask, or to share useful information. I was encouraged not to be afraid to try new things. I learnt about music and society and people and relationships. I learnt that, no matter how far away people may live, ultimately they're the same.

I'm currently in the process of checking out Get Crafty in the Web Archives, searching for posts I made on its forum, and sifting through memories.

I think I'll make a project of it to rediscover the crafty sites I frequented when I was younger.

-Amanda

Life's Hard

The biggest thing about living the "grown up" life is creating a Budget. Budgeting will keep your head above the water. My first thought was to purchase cable or to get After taking the time out to weigh the Pros and Cons I decided was the way to go.

This Is My Pro and Con List
Pros-Netflix
*Free Trial
*Prices Starting at $4.99
*Cheaper Than Cable or Satellite
*No Late Fees
*I can get T.V series episodes for cheap
*Did I mention no late Fees

Cons-Cable
*No Free Trials
*Installation Fee
*For the Basic service $29.95
*Late Fees
*Cost extra to see T.V Series I love with On Demand

I've had Netflix for a while know and must admit I am a very satisfied customer. Just try it!!!! What a free trial going to hurt? Nothing!!!!

link: netflix.com

Put Some Flare In Your Life

You have to see the funky clothes and accessories at Fred Flare. Fred Flare allows you to dress with a look that will turn all heads. Fred Flare has women and men clothing, stationery, books, and things for your home. The item I'm loving are their shades, never can have enough shades !!! Everything is really affordable and stylish, what else could you want? They have a cute little blog, they podcast( a must see) and a diary of them presenting themselves.


If you're lucky enough to live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY they are hiring for "supermodels". The also have unpaid internships for the buying department and technology development, forget pay-experience rules.

Click the link and check out this site.

Art meets Craft, and Crafters meet Bliss

The beta issue of LAB magazine is finally here. Don't let its uber-chic layout intimidate you, however. It's brimming with interviews with artists, creators, and diy business people. The zine is a combination of hip and edgy fashion/art magazines like Nylon or Artforum and zines like Croq, Craft, or Venus. It's also reminiscent of some sort of children's activity book, where projects are included so that you can interact with the text instead of just reading it.

The layout's clean and minimalistic, allowing the focus to be strictly on the interviews and articles.

The writing style is friendly and often humourous, never pretentious or preachy.

Best of all, it's absolutely free and available for download as soon as you're able to click on this link.

-Amanda

P.S. If you're not familiar with the magazines mentioned, please promptly check them out. Many (including LAB) offer the opportunity for you to submit articles or illustrations. Just in case you wanted something to do for the weekend.

Love, for real

Valentine's day is coming up soon. It feels as though it has crept up upon me.. it's not something I look forward to- or, in fact, have ever looked forward to. I've never sent a card to anyone, or even written a love letter (God forbid!) Sharing intimate feelings has always left an unnerving aftertaste of embarrassment and awkwardness in my mouth. If I'm asked as to whether I have a valentine this year, I'll most likely laugh and change the subject.

It always impresses me when people are able not to be as guarded as I am. Take Asia, for instance, webmistress of sleeptrip.com and creator of the love letters project. I discovered this link a few years back and recently happened upon it again. The site features 400 letters, written to strangers, friends, enemies, and lovers. The actual letters that were sent are published online, in such a frank and honest manner that I never could fathom applying to my own life. They're refreshing, sweet, and sometimes unpleasant glimpses into Asia's actual experiences with actual people.

Read, and don't forget to explore Asia's other noteworthy projects.

-Amanda

Learning from each other

Tonight while I was washing dishes, the story of a fifth grader at a local elementary school came on the local news. I had to stop what I was doing to listen to her story.

Tara Galvin created a button bracelet to call to mind children who have been physically or sexually abused. She organized a campaign, “Operation Hot Button,” in which friends and family donated buttons so that she and her classmates can make approximately 600 bracelets for a fundraiser for the local child advocacy center.

This young girl has taken a stand and is making a difference in her corner of the world. Her inspiration came from a button display in the advocacy center that stands to remind the children that come there that they are not alone.

Her inspiration then went on to inspire everyone around her.

Every day we all come in contact with people – family, friends and even strangers – who have the potential to light a fire in us to get up and do something. In some cases, we strive to make a real difference in the world and in others. In other cases, we simply are moved to enrich our own lives.

I wrote a letter to my brother once, and in it I told him how his son, my nephew, had reintroduced me to the world. Through his eyes, everything was new and fresh again. I felt compelled to go out and discover my own new things. That little boy is still my greatest inspiration.

Take a moment when at the mall to sit down on a bench and watch the people move around you. Take in those that walk with determination and purpose. Look for those who have no real aim and wander without a goal. Take in children and the elderly. How do each of these people make you feel?

We can find inspiration in others every day. Galvin is leading a movement to help and support children who have been abused. My nephew showed me how to look at things I see every day with a whole new light. Watching people at the mall makes me smile and moves me to tears all at the same time.

Open your eyes and your ears. Learn from some; reach out a helping hand to others. We all need and affect one another whether any of us are willing to admit it or not.

- Denise

Read, then do

The best thing about the growing popularity of crafting is the new wave of oh-so-cool books!

Second Time Cool: The Art of Chopping up a Sweater

Not really new, but translated from an original Swedish book to English. The book seems filled with pictures of sweater reconstruction possibilities, but skimps on the intructions. Oh, well- the pictures are fantastic!

Check out a few free sample pages from the publisher here.




Alternation is a book that hasn't been released yet. It deals with reconstruction of thrift store finds. Will be available some time this year; I haven't seen the exact date posted anywhere.

Check out the Alternation blog for updates.



The last is a book which hasn't been getting much publicity at all, when compared to other popular books such as Craftivity and Tease. This is really surprising, as the title's been out for a while, seems pretty interesting and includes contributions from the superstars of indie craft and design, like Jenny Hart. It's called Making Stuff: An Alternative Craft Book and features basic knitting, crocheting, sewing and other craft projects. The snippets provided by Amazon are tantalizing enough to push the book into the realm of something I'd buy.



Apparently I qualify for a free trial of Amazon Prime, so these plus the new Harry Potter will definitely make my year. Expect real reviews pretty soon, as well as reviews of Sew U, Tease, and 108 Ways to Reconstruct a T-shirt.

-Amanda

Be not afraid of what you may find...

Check out Drop Spots.

Ever thought of starting your own record label?

Well, start thinking.
Dave Conway shows you how, as he chronicles his (mis)adventures in doing just that.

Record Label 101.

-Amanda C.Q.

The Evolving World Of Fashion

It's not even spring yet, but the world of fashion is already telling us what to wear for Fall 2007. Oh, the excitement, the hair,the shoes, the makeup, the clothes!!!!!!!! Can't you smell the innovation in the air ? The talk of the town was Kimora Lee Simons Fall 2007 Baby Phat collection this past weekend. They compared her to Micheal Kors, get it Kimora! There was other Fashion Collections that had me saying Oh my, of course. You can see all the looks by going to WWW.NYMAG.COM/FASHION/FASHIONSHOWS. Please go to the website so you can know what to sell at your yard sales, give away at freecycle.org, or swap with a friend. Wearing last seasons fashion is a NO-NO.

If you have any questions about where to get these looks at regular price or for less or in your size, please contact me at ehbmoore@peoplepc.com .

Be Not Afraid Of Self-Expression :All You Aspiring Designers

Have You Heard ? Do You Know ? If you don't than allow me to tell you ....

Bacardi wants to give you the hottest Fashion Designers $5k

Go to www.fashionweekdaily.com/expressyourstyle and find out the details.

Open to U.S. residents age 25+, void in CA, UT, RI, and where prohibited.

Distros, Zombies, & Zines! OH MY!!!

When I first started out running Avocado Tree Distro, Mae Undead of Gimme Brains!!! Distro was the first to message me wishing me luck & offering flyer & link trades. I had the chance to interview her tonight about running a distro and writing some amazing zines.

Raven: okey doke. So first off, tell us about yourself!
Mae Undead: well, i'm mae undead in my zines but for real, i'm lisa mae that loves zombies way too much. i also run gimme brains!!! distro and write several other zines
Raven: Lisa Mae is such a pretty name! How did you come up with Mae Undead as a pen name?
Mae Undead: thank you! that's a kinda funny story about the name. i showed my friend andrew a picture i took of myself from halloween (2004) and he was like, "that would look great on a shirt. underneath would say mae undead." and i totally just laughed and the name stuck with me ever since.
Raven: Haha. That`s awesome. So how long have you been running Gimme Brains!!! Distro?
Mae Undead: almost 2 years! next month is going to be the 2 year mark.
Raven: Congratulations! What got you into zines in the first place? & do you remember the first zine you ever read?
Mae Undead: i got into zines because of my friend joyous, who ran frenzy distro. i met her my sophmore year. she was my cousin's best friend's sister and it so happened she was also in my class! we hardly talked in that class though. she handed me a flier of her distro and i totally looked it up. it opened me to a new world! but the first zine i read wasn't from her. it was from this couple. i forgot their names. the zine was called, "i love her, dude" and it was about their relationship and how they toured with each others bands. it was cute. i can no longer find that copy though.
Raven: Awww. So I`ve read a couple of your zines, which I absolutely love! What is your inspiration for writing them?
Mae Undead: thanks for reading 'em. for "i know you're out there" that was totally just a gift for one of my friends(now partner!), i wanted to tell him a sort of life story and stories that i found are important in my life. i copied it in color for him and it was so nice! he loved it! i wasn't sure if i wanted to get it distributed since it was way personal. so i decide to forget about my worries and just send it out to a couple of distros and they picked it up! i was really surprised.

now for my other zine, i was participating for 24 hour zine thing. i remember reading "High on Burning Photographs / Laminated Hearts Club" and i was like, "this is way amazing." i decided to do it in a similiar way with my alter ego. i like to create gory stories in my head, stories that i would love to make into short films. the other side was just all me! no alter egos!
Raven: Everyone Has a Summer was an amazing zine. I could never write one so personal! How did you feel writing it?
Mae Undead: it felt like i was having sex with a zine! well, mentally. when i would write some of the pieces, it would just come so naturally. especially my dream. it felt good to get that out, i wanted to share just thoughts i had on the subject.
Raven: So what is in store for the future of the distro, your zines, and yourself?
Mae Undead: for the distro, i want to expand other sections like more crafty or random things. as long as i have stories to tell, i'm sure i will write zines. the future holds a lot, i'll just open to new experiences as they come!
Raven: any advice for people who are looking to open a distro?
Mae Undead: to be passionate about it! i find that if you lack passion for your project, it would be a pain to open one.
Raven: that`s really good advice. Thanks so much for your time, & good luck with all your projects!
Mae Undead: thank you, i hope the same for you!

definately check out her zines, Everyone Has A Summer, My Mystery Girl, and I Know You`re Out There!

♥Raven

Get busy living, or get busy trying!

So you're probably sitting in front of your computer, tired from a long day at school or work. Maybe you've just put the kids to bed- maybe you're just trying to avoid the pile of work you've got to finish tonight. In the fifteen minutes you've got to yourself, you recall the times you used to dream about becoming an astronaut, or a director, or a famous writer. Maybe you still dream about these things. Maybe you make excuses- you think you're too broke, or you didn't go to some fancy film school. Sigh.

Here's where Jim from No Media Kings comes in. He used to be a novelist under HarperCollins, then decided that he could publish his work on his own. He has subsequently released several novels, short films, and is currently publishing a graphic novel. He's not a magician who keeps the secrets of his trade up his sleeves-on his site are detailed guides to writing, marketing and releasing books and films. Special mention goes out to the short guide on "Time Management for Anarchists", as well as the screenprinting tutorial.

Two of his books are available for free download here. (This site is also pretty great- it offers other free books you can download and put on your ipod!)

And if you were wondering- yes, this guy is incredibly awesome.

-Amanda

Inspiration..Schminspiration? Part 1

What exactly is inspiration? Where does it come from? How is it helpful?

Inspiration's something that triggers off a spark, or one of those cute little cartoon lightbulbs in your brain. One of my favourite authors, Philip Pullman, has said that if we wait too long to become inspired, we'll never get anything done. He relies more on self-motivation than on inspiration.

For me, however, both concepts are the same. We can motivate ourselves to start a project by using the things that inspire us as a springboard to create new ideas and concepts.

Inspiration's especially a useful tool for when you've got "creator's block". You know you want to do something, let's say- design a logo, sew a dress, or maybe cook something new for dinner- but you've got no idea where to begin. Here's what you do:-

1. Research. Look through crafty communities, read interviews with your favourite designers, look through Google images, listen to music. Try to find pictures or ideas that you admire, and that you'd wish to try yourself. Also look for tutorials for projects, if it's the first time you're trying a particular technique.

2.Compile. Whip Up and Handmade Detroit, two of my favourite crafty blogs, both have a lot to say on the concept of an Inspiration Board. Use an ordinary message board or even an old piece of a cardboard box hung on your wall to store all the bits and pieces of things you collect.

3. Brainstorm. Most people just stop at the compiling step. I know I do- I'm a HUGE craft hoarder. Patterns, pictures, links, tutorials, you name it.. I've probably got it. I'm a self-confessed procrastinator- I hardly get at much done as I want to. I sometimes think this is due to information overload. The Internet provides so many resources with regards to diy and making stuff that you can become bombarded and stifled. If you realize that you're falling into this trap, don't! Spend some time away from your computer with your inspiration board for a little while. Challenge yourself to think of new, interesting ideas to build upon those you've already collected.

4.Do. Set aside some time to make one of the ideas you've just come up with, using your inspiration as a starting point. Pretend it's a reality show- challenge yourself to think of ideas that are original, interesting, and practical. If they aren't practical, try to work out the kinks by breaking the idea down into manageable steps. Make a plan or design and stick to it- without forgetting to have room for experimentation. But, most importantly, have fun! This may just be a prototype for yet another cool project! How about only using recyled items, or only using things you find around the house?

In a next post, I'll illustrate the process by using something that inspires me to create something new. But, for now, I'll just share a fascinating inspiration board I've found on Flickr.

Board from
Tania Ho on Flickr.





-Amanda C.Q.
happiness_is_a_pretzel@yahoo.com

Stay tuned for follow up!