Mark Montano - The big-ass book of crafts

NOTE TO READERS All activities in this book should be performed with adult supervision. Common sense and care are essential to the conduct of any and all activities described in this book. Neither the author nor the publisher assumes responsibility for any loss, damages, or injuries that may occur, and the author and publisher hereby expressly disclaim responsibility for any loss, damages, or injuries, however caused. Neither the author nor the publisher endorses any of the products, tools, or services referred to in this book or assumes any responsibility for use of any such products, tools, or services. All trademarks of products are property of their respective owners. Be sure to read and follow all instructions and warnings that accompany any products, tools, or services referred to in this book.

Due to differing conditions, materials, and skill levels, the author and publisher disclaim any liability for unsatisfactory results. Nothing in this book is intended as an express or implied warranty of suitability or fitness of any product, tool, service, or design.
SIMON SPOTLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
An imprint of Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
Text copyright 2008 by Mark Montano
Photographs copyright 2008 by Auxy Espinoza
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
SIMON SPOTLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT and related logo are trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Designed by Jane Archer
Manufactured in the United States of America
First Edition 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Montano, Mark.
The big-ass book of crafts / by Mark Montano ; photographs by Auxy Espinoza.1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-3785-2
ISBN-10: 1-4169-3785-4
ISBN-13: 978-1-41695-801-7 (eBook)
1. Handicraft. 2.

House furnishings. 3. Interior decoration. I. Title.
TT157.M6347 2008
745.5dc22
2007039253

She said, Make sure your crafts are home worthy. At first the statement seemed simple, but then I began to think about how important it is and what it means. Anyone can paint a chicken on a ceramic pitcher, but does that mean its worthy of your home? Does that mean its something you created that is worthy enough to show off? Does it reflect who you are and express your personality? I hope that what you find in this book inspires you to make crafts that are beautiful, functional, fun, andmost importanthome worthy. I happened to be moving into a new home as I was writing this book, and I had endless space to fill, walls to decorate, windows to dress up, and lighting fixtures to play with. It was a blank canvas, and my goal was to fill it with home-worthy creations. While you probably wont devote an entire year to making enough craft projects to fill your house, thats just what I did. Here is the result.

Take your time, have a blast, enjoy the process, and feel free to let me know how it turns out. Im always available at markmontanonyc@aol.com, and I love hearing about successful crafting adventures! TWO IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER AS YOU EMBARK ON YOUR YOUR CRAFTING JOURNEY: Newspaper is crucial! Always have a stack on hand to cover your workspace. It will make cleanup a breeze and ensure that you dont get paint and glue on your tables and floors. And remember to always use safety glasses or goggles to protect your eyes when using power tools.

If you can deal with it, then you are good to go. If you cannot deal with it, well, then close the book and take up tap dancing. (But then you will just be known as that nutty tap dancer from down the street.) I dont think there is anything wrong with being called artsy, but the fartsy part I can do without. If, like me, youre able to embrace your artsy side, youll probably agree that there is nothing sadder than a bare wall or an empty table. The following projects can be used as a remedy for those sad surfaces. Go crazy and go BIG! Use your imagination and have a blast.

Embrace your artsy fartsy self. Who cares what people say, anyway?

Theyre free!) Color copies of anything you want to antique (I like old fashion plates, which I find in Dover Booksyou can go to any local bookstore, thoughand even some of my own pencil sketches from my life drawing class in college.) Spray bottle OPTIONAL: A place outside in the sun in the middle of a hot day HERES HOW: Pour your coffee or tea into the tray. Dip your color copies into the coffee/tea quickly, making sure it gets wet but not so soggy that it could tear. (Paper can get weak and fall apart, so you have to work fast and set it aside.) Lay the wet artwork flat on the newspaper. Place some small weights on the corners of your project. This will keep the edges from curling up as the paper dries. DONT WORRY: If puddles of coffee or tea form in places on the artwork.

That only helps enhance the overall effect of the process. When the artwork is dry, if its not as antique-looking as youd like, you may want to spray some more coffee/tea on it by using your spray bottle and letting it dry again. You can repeat this process, depending on how worn youd like the piece to look. Once you get the effect you want and the artwork is completely dry, flatten it further by putting it between some books or magazines before you frame it. (If the paper is wrinkled or wavy, it wont look authentic!)