Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with crafts

How do I become a Wizard?

justalisteningman — Thu, 02 May 2013 21:39:52 -0800

How do I become a Wizard? (for party planning purposes, as opposed to real magical ones). So, I want to throw a party in a month or so.

I want everyone (who wants to) to dress up as a wizard.

In my ideal, I want people to have fake long white beards, wizard staffs, wizard hats, wizard cloaks and wizard pipes.

However, crafts are very...difficult for me. I need help.

For this, I turn to you.

I have a beard. What's the best way to turn it into a white/gray wizard's beard?

For those without beards: what's the cheapest way to get or make a beard?

How do I make a wizard cloak? On the cheap?

How do I find or make a wizard hat? On the cheap?

I've got the staff part down. I'm going to a park nearby and finding one. Others will be advised to do the same or make their own.

Of course, this is open to interpretation. Aside from the questions above, I want to ask: what would you do to become an awesome wizard if you had a month to prepare?

And from a larger party planning perspective: What drinks would you prepare? What decorations would you put up? What music would you play? In general, how would you make a wizard party? I'm thinking of having some brew-happy friends make something specific for the party. What recipes or recipe names would you suggest?

As part of the party, I want to raise money for a non-profit I used to work for a couple years ago.

The money would go to a $2000 business loan for a farmer in rural Africa. I was actually friends with this farmer when I was there (he was one of the most boss farmers in the region btw, for how much capital he had) On the day I left, he gave me a magic plant, and told me to wash my face over it 3 times a day, and it would carry my prayers up to heaven for me. Part of me want to incorporate this very specific memory into the party in some way. I would also like suggestions as to how to do this, or if this is a weird idea, a suggestion to not do it.

Even if that idea is weird, or if you have a better one, do you have an idea to couch the raising of money for this into the broader wizard theme?

Bonus points for creativity, cheapness, incorporation, and helping people make something for themselves. I want ( and I would like others) to put a lot of thought, effort, and enthusiasm into this.

Emphasis on reuse

bq — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 06:58:29 -0800

What are some craft projects that are made out of things that would be thrown away? This question was inspired by belladonna's suggestion of dryer lint fire starters as a craft project. Amazingly almost all of the materials are things that would otherwise be discarded. What are some other craft projects that primarily use or repurpose trash?

advice for a newbie soap maker

spunweb — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:23:44 -0800

I just made my first batch of soap. Now what? I just made my first batch of successful soap! IT WAS AMAZING.

I have no idea why -- for some reason this is the hobby/craft that I've found most satisfying thus far. I got Basic Soapmaking and am looking for other resources, particularly regarding recipe suggestions, safety tips, and techniques. The forums I've seen so far have seemed to be really out of date, and while there are a few blogs (I found a great one on beer soap! What won't they think of next??) I've been stymied in finding, like, a forum or something like that. Even the last Ask on this is from 2008. :(

Where else should I be looking?

Questions I'm particularly concerned about:
1. What are some safeguards I should take when making cold process soaps when I have a cat? I figured keeping her out of the room while making the soap and cleaning up would be enough, but should I do more?

2. What are the recipe differences between solid shampoo bars and soap?

3. What are some absolute no-nos for soap making?

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Is there such a thing as a knitting briefcase?

epersonae — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:01:29 -0800

I like to knit in meetings; it actually helps me to listen better! But the bag I have for my projects doesn't look particularly professional. Most craft bags are so cutesy, which is not at all my style. What can I get that would look simple & respectable? I have a little soft canvas bag (from a conference) that I keep my current project in, which isn't really cutting it for me now. I don't need a particularly large bag, since usually I'm making scarves, hats, mittens, etc. But I would prefer something simple that I can have on my lap or next to my chair, preferably with some pockets for notions.

Budget would preferably under $30. Bonus points for being able to fit inside my (medium?) Timbuk2 messenger bag.

FWIW: I work in higher ed, in a marketing/technology function. It's not a formal environment, so it's as much about my style as the organization's.

I'm epersonae on Ravelry.

How to avoid a post-workout sugar-candy-brain-rush

sucre — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:55:07 -0800

What can I do with excessive amounts of candy, besides cramming it into my craw? Today after visiting the gym, I stopped by the gas station to deposit a couple of checks. I thought I might buy a small snack to tide me over until I got home and had dinner (a short walk away).

Instead of doing this, I was drawn to a large display filled with bags of sweets on sale. I walked out of that gas station with 2.5 pounds of red licorice and gummy bears. I now regret this. Is there anything I can do with this massive amount of sweets besides just eating it or throwing it out?

Recipes? Crafts?

(By the way, I am working on some solutions to this post-workout attack of hunger and mindlessness, possibly involving homemade energy bars. Bags of candy and huge containers of Thai food are not serving me well at this time.)

An embarrassment of hood ornaments

cosmicbandito — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:20:04 -0800

I've come into possession of a large box of hood ornaments from late 40's- early 50's American cars. What cool/fun/funny thing can I do with them? None of them are particularly rare or worth much. ($30-$50 on ebay). They were part of my father's hoard of old car parts, and I'd like to make something with them that's both whimsical and beautiful. All have threaded posts for mounting. Mostly "jet age" looking, this stuff. Some have curved bodies that would match up with the curve of the car's hood, so they can't be mounted on anything flat. What needs a hood ornament in this day and age?

Short, simple videos of craftsmanship

pilibeen — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:13:03 -0800

I want to see more well-shot video of traditional crafts/trades-people who are excellent at what they do. Links? I don't really care what the trade or craft is. I don't really care if they're instructive either. I'd just like to see more of people excelling at their craft. Some examples of what I'm sort of searching for:

Broken link now, but for those that remember this Mefi post:http://www.metafilter.com/90004/How-to-Iron-a-Shirt

These sign painters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd0K76H7sU8

Dick Proenneke's carpentry skills (really anything out of Alone In the Wilderness): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJKd0rkKss

Jacues Pepin' making an omellette: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=57afEWn-QDg

Anything similar I might like?

Making a calendar gift

little_dog_laughing — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:21:17 -0800

I have an idea in mind for what to give my niece as a HS graduation/off-to-college gift, but I'm overwhelmed, not knowing where to start on making it. Any crafty people w/ bookbinding or relevant experience wanna give me some (much needed, much appreciated!) guidance? Here's my vision. My niece will receive a nice, kind of pro-looking, durable planner from me as a gift. I imagine it to be spacious enough that she could jot down a note or two on each day or each week. I'll have a good number of days already marked w/ info like the birthdays of her numerous relatives, holidays, anniversaries, maybe some pop stars' b-days or days of historical significance. I envision some other notes from me in the margins, perhaps some good quotes, or some questions she can ask herself and gauge the way her thinking and experiences are changing throughout her freshman year at school if the questions repeat.

It's supposed to be for fun and to comfort her as she's away from home. I imagine she uses digital media to actually keep track of assignments and whatnot, but to have a personalized calendar that she could keep in her school bag (or whatever) would be nice, and would link the two of us together.

Where do I start? Let's say I have gathered all the dates of note, some quotes, questions, etc. Is there a website with a template for this kind of thing, that will bind a hardcover or a nice spiral-bound book for me in an accessible (user-friendly) way?

I want the calendar to run from August 2013 through July 2014. Ideas, anyone? Trying to have a go at this myself is making me freeze up. Many thanks!

Best simple way to affix light dots to a black t-shirt?

homelystar — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 14:47:40 -0800

My son's school has a "100th day of school" t-shirt project coming up, requiring 100 of something to be on the shirt. He's a kindergartener with fine-motor issues who suggests a Pac-Man theme. I'd like him to decorate the shirt himself or at least part of it. So, how should he get 100 colored dots in various pastel colors on a black or navy t-shirt? Ideally the dot-making wouldn't require a lot of grip strength or precision. (We adults will help with the Pac-Man, ghosts, and maze lines as needed.) Bonus points for washability, but that's not essential.

How to scope a grandma crochet blanket project?

RolandOfEld — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 22:16:29 -0800

My wife's grandmother is an amazingly talented seamstress who also crochets. She recently put out an all points bulletin request for projects, what do I need to know before I request a crocheted throw made out a material that might be outside her comfort zone and/or budget? So first off, I know next to nothing about crochet[ing]. If you asked me the difference between crochet and knitting I'd be at a complete loss. My wife knows more, she's done a scarf or two but the grandma is no slouch and has put out quite a few awesome throws, though mostly for other family members.

All that said, I figure a medium size throw, or heck a full/queen size blanket depending on how this pans out, would be amazing.

So, what's next? I want to go to her with as specific a request as possible while still staying off of her toes. Thoughts/requests are as follows:

1) I'm not necessarily all that picky with regards to the pattern. Don't get me wrong, it'd be awesome to have a thematic HALO4 or Alabama Crimson Tide throw for the man room, but I'm completely ok with, and possibly even preferential to, a natural/undyed look, that goes double if natural/unbleached/undyed stuff is stronger/better as some things I've read have said.
2) That said, neither I nor the wife really like throws that have large holes in the pattern. Drafts are not a good thing for the type of lounging/use case we have in mind for it.
3) Natural, awesome yarns are something I'd really like to look into; however, I have no idea what this will entail for grandma. I just know that I have a pair of amazing alpaca socks that I got from a ladies coop while visiting Ecuador that I don't think I would mind wrapping around my entire body. I don't know how familiar she may or may not be with this type/size of yarn. So, here we are I guess....
4) Following up on number 3, I'd like to provide her with the materials to offset the cost/PITA factor of procuring yarn that may not be her usual go-to synthetic stuff. Barring her having an inside or preferred supply house I think I could probably handle buying the skeins if I knew enough about what she needed (or what we wanted I suppose). I wouldn't want to have her out a whole bunch for our blanket because her income is quite fixed and she already does alot of these type of projects for the family.

So, all that said, what else can I provide her besides a reminder that we don't really get the whole swiss cheese blanket thing, a request for certain alpaca/wool yarns types, and a request for what she'll be needing me to buy? Or am I misunderstanding something altogether about crochet/yarns that makes everything I've said moot?

For example is it going to be a complete impossibility for her to use a new yarn without a long, difficult learning period because the z-axis of the fibers won't align with the constant divergent of the garment (sic), ya'know? Or will crocheting them make the alpaca fibers all unhappy such that I'd be better off with wool or bison hair yarn because the get a +4 to constitution and +1 to strength when crocheted by a grandmastergrandma.

I guess this seems a bit rambly and I'm sorry for that but I'm just guessing about so many aspects of this whole thing. Oh, please understand I'm not asking for etiquette tips with regards to how to interact with one's grandma or how to ask for gifts. We get along well and that's not the issue. It's more me asking how to talk intelligently to a crochet person offering their time and what factors I may be missing from the get go.

A labor of love

xiaolongbao — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 07:18:52 -0800

Help/ideas/moral support needed for handmade wedding invitations for a 10-person wedding. Hello. I am getting married this July and want to hand make my invitations (and save-the-dates, plus possibly programs depending on how ambitious I get). It will be a destination (Hawaii) wedding and I my 'theme' is pineapple. I am not a calligrapher, but willing to learn simple calligraphy (if that's not a disastrous idea), and am a reasonably crafty person.

Some inspirations:

Laser Cut Pineapple Wedding Invitations (waaaaay fancier than what I believe I'll be doing, but so inspiring, I'd love to incorporate some of these elements!)

Square Pineapple Plumeria Invitation
- really like the embossed pineapple and Hawaiian phrase

Pineapple Invitation (Green Kangaroo) - one I might just have done if the "make it myself" plans are too ambitious

Pineapple custom snap embosser - an embosser I think would be really cute for the envelopes or the invitations themselves (couple's name, location of wedding, date!)

My questions:

Am I insane for thinking it's possible to do it myself? Will I really regret this? I have seen previous posts where others detailed the torture -- does that still apply since I'll be making a "small" quantity?

Is there some compromise I could strike in terms of having part of the invitations printed (since I'm no calligrapher)

On a similar note, would it be possible to print my own invitations if letterpress is not a requirement? I'm assuming no, that would require an expensive printer capable of handling a higher weight paper.

What are your favorite sources for paper & other materials? I'm willing to buy online or locally (NYC or eastern PA are options).

What about envelopes? Should I even think of making those myself?

Your suggestions for unique Hawaiian phrases appropriate for the invitations/save-the-dates/other would be lovely

Any suggestions for a super paper cutter or papercutting method (exacto too daring?) - my mom's papercutter is old enough to cut on a slant, which will not do.

Anything else I haven't thought of?

Mahalo in advance!

Help picking a loom

Raichle — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:58:16 -0800

Need help buying or building a real loom. Ideas? A friend wants a "real" loom. I'm not exactly sure what that means but she's crafty and studied fashion design and textiles. So, some of us want to get her something like this for Christmas. All we're finding are these 12" or 16" things for $100 or ones that cost $700 and aren't much bigger. So, what do we do? We're happy to build one if we find a kit or plans that make sense. One of the people involved is quite crafty with woodworking. So, Mefites I appeal to your ingenuity - help us fulfill her wish in a way that costs less than $200.

Future 15 month old wants something dangling that won't kill her

shortyJBot — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 17:35:49 -0800

Please help to give me ideas for safe Christmas ornaments/baby toys to hang on a tree for a 15 month old, that (individually) aren't too expensive. My sister has just one request for her new daughter for Christmas: ornaments that she can play with next Christmas, when she will be 15 months old.

They are overwhelmed with toys and books and clothes and baby things for her to use now through her first year of life, so I'd like to honor her request instead of adding to the baby pile.

I've only looked at Target so far, but the ornaments are all for ages 3+, and the baby toys would look odd on a tree and are kind of expensive for that sort of thing.

Can you help me think of ideas for baby toys that I can buy or make that would look pretty on a tree and that would be suitable for a 15 month old?

Packs of Warhammer 40k tabletop terrain?

CelebrenIthil — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 13:33:34 -0800

I'm looking for some sort of "Starter pack" Warhammer 40k tabletop terrain, shippable to Canada. My brother was convinced by his best friend to pick up Warhammer 40k. He's bought his figurines to build a Grey Knight army which he'll assemble and paint (and I'll probably end up helping him).

Anyhow, I thought that, for his birthday and possibly Christmas combined, I could buy him a "pack" or "set" of terrain objects, if such a thing exists. I don't know much about Warhammer but I know people are selling bits and pieces on Ebay of stuff they do themselves, or pass off things like aquarium decorations for tabletop accessories.

I can pretty much figure many people go with home made solutions like this but maybe there also exists official packs (containing a couple rocks/trees/obstacles/etc.)?

Do you guys know of any such things? Or shops who sell handmade stuff by the lot? We live in eastern Canada and shipping is sadly an issue.
I did find a few people selling packs of terrain stuff they crafted on Ebay but, while I'm willing to fork a tidy sum if I bundle my budget for both his birthday and Christmas on it, it often got a bit too expensive, especially when it would ship from Poland or the such.

Any help, pointers, shop recommendations and so on are greatly appreciated!

Hold onto your butts!

hamandcheese — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:52:02 -0800

Mrs. hamandcheese teaches children education programs. About dinosaurs. She needs your help with a specific crafty art activity teaching kids about bugs stuck in amber. Suggest us some amber-like glue solutions! She is developing a program for grade 2 in which the kids will make their own insect caught in prehistoric amber. She has the plastic insects, but is having a tough time finding glue or epoxy or some other resin solution that will do these things:

- dry quick and transparent (preferably 30mins or less, but she is open to having something that the kids will be able to take away within 24hrs)
- relatively cheap
- accept some dye to make it look like amber
- be something safe that the kids can pump themselves
- no crazy fumes for the kiddies

She has tried Elmer's glue (too long to dry), nail polish (bad idea), Castin' Casts Resins (made for beaders -- but is too finicky). We've thought of hot glue, but it's not something the kids can do themselves.

She would love to be able to put it into a pump that she can disguise in a fake prehistoric "tree" that the kids can go up to, and do a pump or two pumps to get their bug covered.

Any ideas?

Occupy Muldoon's!

168 — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 06:08:54 -0800

What kind of art project(s) could I create with old paperback edition of Muldoon's Handling a Criminal Case in New York (that I'm willing to take apart)? I'm almost never willing to destroy books, so this is a very exciting opportunity for me! But I finally left the practice of law, this edition is obsolete (2006-2007), and I have a newer edition that I don't need anymore either, anyway.

What cool projects could I make with the pages?

DIY Felt/Flannel Story Pieces

lirael2008 — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 23:53:38 -0800

What is the best method for making my own flannel or felt story board and story pieces? I've searched online, and while there are prepackaged sets that look fairly nice, I'd rather have the flexibility of creating my own. It looks pretty easy to adhere flannel or felt to a board, but I'm wondering what is the best way to create pieces.

It looks like for basic shapes, you can use felt directly and draw on it. However, for more detailed figures, I'd like to print it out in color and find a way to adhere to the flannel board.

Here are ways I've seen so far:
*print on cardstock, laminate, then attach velcro
*print on iron-on transfer paper then attach to felt
*print on paper and glue to felt

I'm afraid that attaching to a small piece of felt may be too heavy and not stick well to the flannel board. I'm afraid that using velcro will damage the surface after multiple uses.

What do you recommend?

LA to DC - Fabric and leather supply stores

krikany — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 08:54:40 -0800

LA to DC Crafting - Fabric and Leather supply stores? We're moving from LA to the DC area. Does anyone know how I can replace Michael Levine Fabrics and Savemore Leather supply in this part of the world? Or at least fabric and supply places that offer wholesale pricing?

Help me sew a bamboo martial arts gi.

jeffmshaw — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 16:44:31 -0800

I want to use bamboo fabric to sew a custom martial arts gi. Help me find fabric and plan this out. I love bamboo fabric. It's light, breathable, soft, and environmentally friendly. I also love Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and it's how I spend a lot of my free time. Initially, I wanted to buy a bamboo gi -- but only Lucky Gis are made of bamboo, and they're expensive and not quite my style.

Besides, I thought it would be nice to have one custom-tailored to me, and I'm always up for a new project.

There are bamboo fabric retailers and wholesalers, but they seem to be aimed at sheets and shirts (which are cool, but I already have some of those).

Where can I find bamboo fabric that would be thick enough for a gi? Any tips on acquiring the fabric, and/or on sewing it?

If you know of any tailors that would do this kind of work, by all means suggest them, but I'm planning on doing it myself unless a better alternative presents itself.

Mixed Media Art 101

booksherpa — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 20:41:45 -0800

I think I have fallen in love with mixed media arts and crafts! Help me do more of this! I spent part of last week taking a workshop called "The Art of Happiness". Basically, we played with a large quantity and variety of all kinds of craft supplies, with help from our teacher. There were specific projects she had brought that we could do if we chose, and they mostly seemed a combination of collage (using paper, bits of tissue, cloth, ephemera), gluing things to a base thing, stamping, painting, all kinds of techniques. I played with paper, tissue, cloth, stamps, paint, grommets, matte medium, E6000, and all sorts of other bits and pieces.

I think the term for what we did is "mixed media art". My teacher recommended a magazine called "Cloth, Paper, Scissors" but other than that, I have no resources. Please feed my potential new obsession! My previous crafty background: making jewelry, knitting, and amateur digital photographer. I've got a fair amount of beads and yarn, not so much paper or cloth.

- suppliers - I've got Michaels, AC Moore and Hobby Lobby nearby, but I'm also looking for online suppliers and outside the box ideas for stuff. Cheap paper and cloth suggestions especially appreciated as I'm neither a scrapper nor a sewer.
- terminology - is mixed media art the right term for this? Is there a list of acronyms and insider langauge somewhere? Every hobby has their lingo...
- other magazines (and books) to read, as well as good blogs and other online resources. I'm looking for how-tos as well as inspiration
- organization - it seems like it would be easy to have a big disorganized mess of materials. I'm thinking of a number of small plastic shoeboxes, well labeled

So, how-to and inspiration... I'm looking for all kinds of how-tos. How do I use matte medium (my new best friend in the workshop) and when do I use it instead of something else? What other glues and things are there? What's a good minimum toolkit for making art? Where can I find both ideas for projects (what can I do with the stuff?) and pretty pretty inspiration (look what other people did with their stuff!) What questions do I not know enough to ask?

TL;DR: Basically, I loved my recent mixed media workshop and want to do more of it. Give me Mixed Media 101. Thanks!

making pith helmet cat ears - advice?

amtho — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:09:01 -0800

Please help me: a) procure 2-5 pith helmets (natural straw type), inexpensively; b) procure material to make matching cat ears; c) add cat ears to pith helmets, in "airplane ears" or "listening behind" position, because cat safari is serious business. Found $15/helmet source for (a), but wonder if there's a less expensive way. For (b), I have no real clue - what should I even buy? Very thin chair caning supplies? Tiny willow branches from a nearby tree? Any ideas? My neighbor and friend has been active in feral cat trapping/neutering/releasing, and has accomplished a lot. She's been very devoted, going out many evenings after work to retrieve cats, bringing a lot of kittens into the local animal rescue organization, etc. She's moving away soon, and her mentor is throwing a little party.

The whole idea of going out to strange places to find and trap hidden wild cats is probably not as romantic as I'm making it out to be, and it's not like she gets to use a tranquilizer gun or march for days under the sweltering sun with native porters, but there's no reason not to add a bit of celebratory panache.

I'd love to make her a "cat safari" hat, along with one or two more to her mentor, who will feel her loss and will need to look hard to find more volunteers.

My efforts to find ways to make cat ears yielded mainly textiles. I want this to look like part of the hat (made of a straw-like material), to be a little understated so that it won't be too embarrassing to wear in public, and to be less cute than is the norm for kitty cat ears on the head.

Ear shape should, I think, be like "airplane ears" -- ears extended to the sides, not laid flat back. Maybe a little back, as though listening to something behind.

Making Youtube Videos to promote your site on a shoestring budget

sunnychef88 — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 10:18:02 -0800

Is there a way to make high quality youtube videos using a smartphone (Iphone 4 or Samsung Galaxy S2)? I want to do some cooking and craft tutorial videos in which I'll be casually speaking about my work (the recipes, the steps to follow, little anecdotes) and showing different shots of the blender, bowls, etc. in the process. I'm guessing you have to cut different clips together for that with an editing program, so I'm wondering

a) How to do the sound
and
b) Whether a nonamateurish video can be made with a Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone or Iphone 4 (I have access to both), cheap editing software, mic, and reasonably priced lights.

I have a *very* limited budget for promoting my venture, but I know that being seen and heard on camera will be an asset to the other content I offer my substantial following of readers. Will the video look so poorly done without a fancier camera that it will detract from the professional looking content posted at my website?

Tile importing + baby clothing = ?

rachaelfaith — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 17:28:47 -0800

Can you help me come up with some cute ideas for a customized onesie or other baby gift, having to do with tile? So, this is probably a bit weird, but my supervisor (who I'm very close with) is starting maternity leave on Monday. We work at a close-knit tile importing company and because we're almost a family there, I wanted to make some cute tile-themed onesies or other paintable/customizable gifts.

I've painted onesies before (wash-safe, nontoxic paint) and I'm pretty confident I can have them all done in one evening, maybe three to 5 total, but I need ideas of what to paint on them.

I'm definitely doing a teeny version of our work shirts. Here are some other keywords to help; I can either paint images or text or some combination:

-tile
-porcelain
-ceramic
-installation
-grout
-renovation
-mosaic
-stone
-pallets
-importing
-shipments

If I can't come up with anything good, I can do cute, standard baby stuff, but I'd love to go with this theme.

Thanks in advance!

Crafting ideas for a hodge podge of old photos?

Quincy — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:37:23 -0800

Calling all artistic, creative MeFites! Help me figure out something creative and not insanely expensive to do with all of these awesome old photos of Memphis and Memphians! So I have recently stumbled upon the Library of Congress online photo archive, and have spent hours paging through old photos of my home town, Memphis. I have decided that I have to have these photos in my life. The only problem being that there are too many that I love, and framing all of them would be challenging and costly since there are so many, and most will have to print in odd sizes. So fellow MeFites, give me some creative things that I can do with bunch of photos like this. I am very open to crafting, but lack the imagination and creativity to come up with different ways to display things beyond the traditional. Any ideas?

Oh, and of course, links to a bunch of my favorites.
Old Memphis Pano 1
Old Memphis Pano 2
Awesome dudes on corner
Hey, that building is at the zoo!
Just awesome
Cotton Bros

These are only the tip of the iceberg!

Sprucing up a junky old wood table

elizeh — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:08:34 -0800

Ideas for refinishing an old dining table without stripping it? This is just a for-fun project for an old (not vintage, not antique, just old) wooden table that will serve as our dining table for a year or two, and then go to the flea market. I'd like to update it, but I don't want to go through the effort of stripping it. (I know my crafting attention-span limits.)

I like this look of bright, semi-glossy paint on traditional-silhouette wood furniture. So that's one option.

But: if I wanted to keep it wood-colored, could I just apply a darker stain over the existing stain? It currently the color of iced tea, but a nice chocolate finish would look great.

Any other ideas?