Julianne Balmain - Crafty Girl: Cool Stuff: Things to Make and Do

Copyright 2001 by Chronicle Books LLC.
Line drawings copyright 2001 by Stephanie Sadler.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 978-1-4521-3364-5
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available under ISBN 0-8118-2945-6.

Line drawings by Stephanie Sadler
Designed and illustrated by Gayle Steinbeigle

Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107

www.chroniclebooks.com

Aleenes Tacky Glue is a licensed trademark of Aleenes Licensing Company, LLC. Astroturf is a licensed trademark of Southwest Recreational Industries, Inc. Ceramcoat is a licensed trademark of Delta Technical Coatings, Inc. Cracker Jack is a licensed trademark of Recot, Inc. Ding Dong is a licensed trademark of Interstate Brands West Corporation. Fimo is a licensed trademark of Eberhard Faber G.M.B.H. Gel Crystal is a licensed trademark of Pebeo Industries (S.A.). Lucite is a registered trademark of ICI Acrylics, Inc. Styrofoam is a licensed trademark of The Dow Chemical Company. Velcro is a licensed trademark of Velcro Industries B.V. X-acto is a licensed trademark of X-acto Crescent Products, Inc.

Notice: This book is intended as an educational and informational guide. With any craft project, check product labels to make sure that the materials you use are safe and nontoxic. Nontoxic is a description given to any substance that does not give off dangerous fumes or contain harmful ingredients (such as chemicals or poisons) in amounts that could endanger a persons health.

Says Jennifer

Thanks to my parents for encouraging crafty flights of fancy and to my sister Victoria for copiloting; to Tali Koushmaro, Miriam and Mitzi Schleicher, and the staff and students at Woodland Montessori Childrens House for being so generous with ideas and input; to Peter McGrath, Angela Hernandez, and Daniel Archer for putting up with a messy test kitchen; to Mikyla Bruder for being a superlative editor and friend, and for giving me a job; and to Stephanie Sadler, Gayle Steinbeigle, Laura Lovett, Jodi Davis, and the rest of the Chronicle crew.

Says Julianne

This book is dedicated to sweet Amy B., Ms. B., and all the other crafty girls in the hood. Many thanks to our team at Chronicle Books for their inspiration, creativity, hard work, and numerous invaluable contributions. Further thanks to all the crafty boys and girls out there who continue to expand our concept of what is possible, especially Heather Peterson Brown, who made her own gorgeous wedding dress and veil, and Derek Chen, who is in the garage building an armchair right now.

D oes the itch to embellish keep you up late at night? Does it feel weird to sign your name to a store-bought card? Does the sight of a plain picture frame make your fingers twitch with anticipation? Does nail polish seem like a vastly underused medium? If you answered yes to these questions, you are a crafty girl, and the world is a better place for it. Dont hold back; turn yourself loose and start working wonders. Crafty girls are special. You know who you are.

Yes, you can buy what you want, but what fun is that? Okay, its fun, but the real fun is making it yourself. Anybody can buy stuffit takes a crafty girl to fashion a one-of-a-kind, awe-inspiring, trendsetting treasure.

The projects in Cool Stuff will give you plenty of ideas for transforming your habitat into a wonderland, making almost anything you own unique, and inventing one-of-a-kind gifts for your friends and family. From school supplies to , a decadent project that turns your sleeping quarters into an exotic lair fit for 1001 sweet dreams.

No matter which project you tackle first, use our suggestions as inspiration, not law. When in doubt, improvise. The Mexican Hat Rack can lend swampy flair to most any plastic object. Once you have an arsenal of toolssuch as craft glue and acrylic paintsyour imagination will run wild and take your nimble fingers with it.

Whatever your personal craft vision may be, youll need supplies to make it real. Before you drop a bundle of cash, explore your options. Here are a few places to check out:

Craft stores

Fabric stores

Bead stores

Art supply stores

Copy shops

Office supply stores

Big discount chains

Drugstores

Thrift stores

Garage sales

Basement, attic, closet, garage, backyard
(ask before you use)

Craft catalogs

Web sites

Strange and wonderful places, craft stores are sure to get your imagination going. Fabric stores are also terrific hunting grounds. Good ones carry felt, fake fur, ribbon, lace, pom-pom trim, marabou feather boas, sequins, fabric paints, Velcro, and other inspiring frills. For the homebound, a little Web time can turn up a dizzying array of Internet sources for craft supplies and ideas. As for big discount drugstores and superstores, they can harbor everything from plain, cheap, basic frames, boxes, clocks, and lampshades to glitter and plastic critters. Salvation Army and other thrift stores are a must visit for weird objects, funky fabrics, and old jewelry to recycle for cool beads. Garage sales might as well be called crafty girl supply outlets. Of course youll want to start by exploring the backwater regions of your home turf for odds and ends to reincarnate. Basements, attics, garages, and closets are havens for raw materials (make sure you check before dicing up a family heirloom).

Even old magazines, old clothes and jewelry, and what others might call trash can be the raw materials for unbridled genius.

Did we mention the winter scarf we fashioned out of old gym socks? Point is, some ideas just dont work out. Dont be harsh on yourself if your masterpiece turns out to be an insult to the word ugly. You are surfing the great and mysterious sea of creativity. Sometimes you are one with the wave, sometimes you wipe out. Either way, grab your hot-glue gun and get back out there. A crafty girl knows creativity is a journey of discovery.

Finally, before we get started, a word of caution. Some of our recipes call for cutting, heating, sewing, and other potentially hazardous activities. Obviously, you could injure yourself doing any of these tasks if you dont use the materials properly. Remember to let hot stuff cool before you touch it; always cut away from yourself when using a knife; and watch those fingers. Always work in a well-ventilated room when youre using paint and glue and other smelly products, read labels, and wear gloves if you choose to work with anything that isnt certified nontoxic.