General HelpThis section will be about topics that are not specific to any particular technique or incorporate more than one technique. There are certain things all of us crafters need to know in order to create the best crafts possible. We need to know color, craftsmanship, and design basics. Season, culture, and history can inspire us. Lastly the practical sections of using stuff up and repair will help in those realistic loose ends of crafting: what to do with extras and what to do when things fall apart. ColorPrimary Colors Opposite Color Help CraftsmanshipYes, I know it's a gender biased term. But "Craftspersonship" sounds so bizarre. So, can't we just let this one sexist term slide under the radar? When I think about the term crafsmanship throughout history I think of the beginning of guilds where average people could make a living not just from farming. This lead to cottage industries and the rise of the middle class. And, it wasn't always men who were the best craftsmen. Then, in modern times the term craftsman was linked to followers of the Arts and Crafts movement in Europe and the US. Then, it was used by Sears and Roebuck (and still is) where average people would build their own homes from blueprints offered in the catalogue. This is one gender biased term that isn't offensive to me.But, let's hammer out a defintion (pun intended). I think 80% of craftsmanship is neatness. The other 20% is unmistakable signs of experience. Okay, neatness is easy, but how do we gain this experience? One way is to keep working at our craft until it is excellent. Unfortunately, another way is if a project isn't coming out right then start all over, and learn from those mistakes (sob). DesignThe official definitions of design seem to be all about the planning of objects rather than why the finished object works as a good design. I tend to be a by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of crafter. I usually do not plan what I want to craft. So, I'm going to try to pin down what it is that I like about my designs.Rule-of-Three Cool Books about Design Seasons and HolidaysSpring/EasterWhat can we say about spring? I'm reminded of Edna St.Vincent Millay's view...April comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers. There's something to put in the scrapbook. This quote from Simon and Garfunkle is little tamer: April come she will, when streams are ripe and swelled with rain.Easter and spring go hand-in-hand. Many of the activities that can be planned for spring can be used for Easter and vice versa. So that makes it easier. 
Spring Hats
Mother's Day
Mother's Day Card
HalloweenHalloween is the rare holiday that actually has a sense of humor. Groundhog Day is kind of funny, but only because of the movie. Christmas can be funny, but it’s actually more joyous than funny. New Year’s Eve is raucous and boisterous, not really funny. I suppose that there are ways to make any holiday funny, but with Halloween it’s already built-in with such decorations as the splat witch, vomiting pumpkins, and jokey costumes.It seems to me that there are four ways of decorating for Halloween: funny, cute, classic, and scary. The cute style of decorating for Halloween is especially apropriate if there are small children around. Classic Halloween would include lots of uncarved pumpkins which could phase into Thanksgiving. Scary/gory is self-explanatory. Mixing styles too much can get us crafters into to a big decorating mess. Personally I like scary and funny for the outside decorations and classic and cute for the inside decorations. I wouldn't recommend mixing cute and scary styles in the same area, though. It might work if your family is made up of vampires. 
Halloween Puppets
Halloween Iron-ons
ChristmasAs tax seasons is to accountants, Christmas is to crafters, in a good way though. We're busier this time of the year because we're decorating our homes and making crafts for people we love. With that in mind, here are some quick craft patterns ideal for gift-giving.
Free Christmas Iron-ons
Using Up Your StashThis part of the website will be dedicated to using up those bits and pieces that are left over after other projects are finished. Ribbon, yarn, and material always seem to be the most usable and the majority of remnants, even in the crafting stores. Quite often there will be a small scrap remaining that's just too pretty to throw away. Mismatched beads are another bane of the crafter's world. Sometimes we have to think of a whole other project just to use up the stuff we don't want to get rid of. If you really can't think of another project and your remnant box is getting a little packed, here are some suggestions:
Here's a project that uses up 10" of ribbon
RepairFix This Craft ForumInspiration and NewsInspiration is such a big topic. I'm here to help, but keep coming back for updates. Here's where to go when we crafters are running in circles, at a dead standstill, or going in slowmo.Dreams Sad Crafting Here's some cool news from the World of Crafting!
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