Half remembered craft article - a cute gift made with an egg. You pricked a normal egg, sucked the contents out, then bored a little hole in it. You could then roll up a nice little note or something, slip it in the hollow eggshell, then conceal the hole by making the egg spotted - sticking circular stickers on the egg including one covering the hole. I think the egg was also spraypainted gold. It was a pretty cute idea, anyone remember this?
[more inside]
posted by oxala
on Feb 11, 2011 -
7 answers
Please recommend small, pretty gift ideas (preferably personalized!) that I can hand-make as new-baby, birthday or Christmas presents for small children.
[more inside]
posted by Bardolph
on Feb 7, 2011 -
21 answers
Mefites with Craft/Artistic aptitude! I need advice on creating the coolest card table ever!
[more inside]
posted by Cainaan777
on Jan 22, 2011 -
6 answers
Need advise on repair of burnt
Giant Plush Squid. Through an accident our lovely plush squid was damaged, so I now am trying to figure out how to clean and repair the fellow...
[more inside]
posted by batgrlHG
on Jan 17, 2011 -
10 answers
I need help finding a company that takes your existing wine bottle and turns it into a pillar candle by cutting off the top and pouring a candle into it. I believe it was in OR or WA.
[more inside]
posted by bq
on Jan 6, 2011 -
6 answers
What are you favorite crochet blogs? They can include knitting and other crafts but crochet should definitely have a main part.
[more inside]
posted by kanata
on Jan 5, 2011 -
8 answers
Looking for general advice, tips, personal anecdotes, etc from autodidacts (or anyone else) about learning a complex craft/set of skills
on your own. (details on the particular discipline inside)
[more inside]
posted by Griffinlb
on Dec 6, 2010 -
6 answers
I need to build a short-ish (maybe 15' or so?) pneumatic tube system between two large (12") clear globes powered by a leaf blower. I have the globes, and the blower is being sourced, but now I need the tubes themselves. I'm looking for clear plastic tubing around 3" in diameter (though I'm flexible) that comes in both straight and curved segments. Cheap is good! Also, I'm in the Chicago area, but I can drive to pick up the items as this is somewhat time sensitive. Any suggestions for vendors that might have such odd items would be greatly appreciated
TIA!
posted by Imhotep is Invisible
on Nov 29, 2010 -
10 answers
I have a set of enamel/china tea cups, the sort you see in Chinese restaurants. I want to paint them gold (or make them gold in some way). What sort of paint/covering/etc would I use?
posted by divabat
on Nov 8, 2010 -
5 answers
I have a favorite pair of pink flats that would be awesome to have in yellow, red, green, eggplant, you name it. They aren't being made anymore. Can I easily DIY-replicate them in other fabrics/colors?
[more inside]
posted by stellaluna
on Oct 6, 2010 -
4 answers
Does a 120V AC -->12V DC power supply need an RF choke when used to power a small DC motor?
[more inside]
posted by jon1270
on Oct 6, 2010 -
7 answers
I know we've got some fabulously crafty people hanging out on the Green. What have been some of your best appreciated,
cheap Holiday projects?
[more inside]
posted by Ys
on Sep 21, 2010 -
47 answers
These are my perfectly ordinary shoes. I'm terribly bored with them. How can I hack them to make them more interesting?
[more inside]
posted by tavegyl
on Sep 2, 2010 -
17 answers
I am interested Japanese-style doll-making, like amigurumi. I have seen a lot of great amigurumi crochet patterns, and hand-sewn felt doll patterns, and also waldorf-style large doll patterns, but they seem to be mostly only available in Japanese. Does anyone have a good source for these patterns in English? Any other suggestions for good sources of patterns for cute mascot dolls and otherwise?
posted by lakersfan1222
on Jun 14, 2010 -
7 answers
What is the long-term impact of reusable art/craft projects (e.g. school "environmental" arts projects or Etsy-esque recycled jewelry & knickknacks)? Do they really help the environment or do they just delay the impact?
[more inside]
posted by divabat
on May 9, 2010 -
12 answers
I have a vague idea about making a friend in the UK a birthday present of some hand-decorated (by me) socks. Where can I get some perfect, already-beautiful but understated, socks to enhance? What kind of socks would a feminine academic in Oxford, UK, find wonderful? Do you know your online sock options?
[more inside]
posted by amtho
on May 4, 2010 -
13 answers
Help me make a gift for a friend. I have a friend that enjoys shopping at the the Hobby Lobby / Michaels kind of stores, and she also likes board games. Help me adapt a board game rule set that would go nicely with shopping at such an establishment. (One problem, she hates Monopoly - so it can't be a Monopoly adaptation.) She really likes Taboo, but I can't think how to work it in with this theme.
posted by Brent Parker
on Mar 25, 2010 -
11 answers
A space in or near Camden (London, UK) we can take over to build kites and paper planes?
[more inside]
posted by metaBugs
on Mar 18, 2010 -
3 answers
Where are the art and craft galleries in the Los Angeles area? I'm looking for galleries that sell art, jewelry, pottery and so on that's not mass-produced, but not crazy expensive fine art either. I'd love to find something like Portland's
Real Mother Goose. Nice stuff, not too experimental or edgy and perfect for buying gifts for my parents.
posted by kbuxton
on Mar 17, 2010 -
11 answers
Recently started weaving chainmail in a search for a quiet crafty activity to do at my desk during downtime at work. Sunk ~$100 into getting a good mix of starting materials (anodized aluminum, brass, and a steel "coif kit" for when I get the hang of it.) Have so far learned basic 4-in-1 weave and made a bracelet and some earrings for my wife. (The latter turned out, the former is so-so.) What are some good resources for patterns, advice, other info?
posted by Scattercat
on Mar 16, 2010 -
4 answers
Help! I'm making a craft resin beltbuckle for an xmas present-and I have done the first layer which hardened just fine over the photo in the mold-but the second layer is still unhardened at the 40 hour mark-its not totally liquid-but sticky to the touch. Is there any way to make this harden-I'm heating it under a heat lamp-but any crafty people got a sure fire solution? I don't have time to start over.
posted by donabean
on Dec 21, 2009 -
6 answers
I have a creative block. Every time I start a creative pursuit, I accuse myself of a lack of originality and/or plagiarism and quit.
[more inside]
posted by Sophie1
on Dec 16, 2009 -
14 answers
Monopoly and decorating cookies aren't interesting enough to woo my relatives away from their naps. What are some fun
projects, challenges, and DIY kits the adults in my extended family can do together for entertainment over Christmas week?
[more inside]
posted by ollyolly
on Nov 30, 2009 -
12 answers
I have old clothes, I have a paper shredder (confetti style), can the two come together and make stuffing for pillows?
[more inside]
posted by patheral
on Nov 29, 2009 -
10 answers
Is there a machine that will allow me to cut a hole in a stack of paper?
[more inside]
posted by edmz
on Nov 27, 2009 -
16 answers
I want to make lots of neat little gifts to give friends for Christmas. I'd like these gifts to be useable, elegant, consumable, and grown-up (not decorative, artsy-fartsy crafty crap). My recipients are Pragmatic New Englanders, and would be irked receiving potpourri, eye pillows, embroidered towels, door-hangings, pine-cone-bird feeders, or anything of that ilk. Hence: consumables. In the past I've had past successes making figgy pudding with brandy butter and a collection of homemade ketchups, relishes, mustards, and chutneys, but this year I want to move out of the kitchen. Blow me away with millions of amazing little home-made gift suggestions.
[more inside]
posted by mr. remy
on Nov 6, 2009 -
29 answers
How to obtain
gutta percha? Once used to fashion tintype cases and to insulate the first trans-atlantic cable, it's since fallen out of fashion. Now, it's primary application is for the filling of root canals. Where can I find some in sufficient quantity for a craft project?
posted by aladfar
on Oct 14, 2009 -
8 answers
I have the crystal pieces from an old, broken chandelier. What can I make from them?
[more inside]
posted by jeather
on Sep 14, 2009 -
9 answers
Where can I find woodworking plans or guides for creating outdoor furniture with a minimum of fasteners?
[more inside]
posted by odinsdream
on Sep 8, 2009 -
13 answers
Knitting, crochet, beading, sewing.. what am I missing? Looking for some unusual craft techniques and projects.
[more inside]
posted by psychostorm
on Aug 18, 2009 -
36 answers
What are some good resources for learning to work with old tyres - crafting them into products and designs?
+or could you explain the basic processes?
[more inside]
posted by Not Supplied
on Jul 31, 2009 -
7 answers
What kinds of advertising options should a new internet startup offer its customers and how should they be priced?
[more inside]
posted by tnoetz01
on Jul 29, 2009 -
2 answers
I have a dress that I love. I want more dresses just like the dress that I love. Help me find someone in London who will make me cute dresses!
[more inside]
posted by shewhoeats
on Jul 14, 2009 -
6 answers
Which crunchy/crafty/eclectic/kid-centered type stores should I visit when I'm in NYC? I'll be there for a seminar but will have some free time afterwards.
[more inside]
posted by printchick
on Jun 8, 2009 -
8 answers
Items weighing less than 1lb that make you think "WOW that's cool!" or "GOT to buy that!" on first glance?
Catch: items already in your home or could do a bang-up job of creating in two weeks.
[more inside]
posted by variella
on May 27, 2009 -
16 answers