Talk Crafty To Me Dedicated to all things handmade

Not a fan of the messy pumpkin innards? Don’t have time to get your hands dirty? Or just plain don’t like to carve? Why not try one of these easy ‘carve-less’ pumpkin ideas.

1. Try painting your pumpkin white then use a stencil and some black acrylic paint. More examples.

2. Lace inspired. With spray adhesive, place a doily on your pumpkin and use a small stencil brush to fill in the pattern.

3. For a cheap but expensive look, use gold and silver leaf.

4. How about glitter pumpkins to bring a little sparkle to your party.

5. Use ordinary black upholstery tacks to create a pattern on your pumpkin.

6. Ok, so this one does involve a little bit of carving…. Drill holes or use a nail to punch holes in your pumpkin, then place flowers through the holes.

Not all pumpkins have to be spooky, or even orange for that matter. Check out some of these gorgeous pumpkins for a less traditional look. These would also be great for Thanksgiving decorations as well.

1. Use an electric drill in varying sizes to get a quick and sophisticated look. You can also use a hammer and small cookie cutters to create a similar look.

2. Get inspired by patterns around you. Use lino cutters to carve out an intricate pattern.

3. This autumn centerpiece uses a flea market chandelier turned upside-down. (You could also spray the chandelier black for a spookier display at your Halloween party)

4. Use woodcarving tools or small pieces of pipe to create a lace-like pattern.

5. This thorny pattern is inspired by antique chinaware.

6. Light your front steps or your living room, with a lantern inspired pumpkin.

There’s definitely no shortage of inspiration out there when it comes to costume ideas for kids!

From left to right: Spring Chicken; Col. Sanders; Kermit the Frog; Snappy Lobster; Giggly Goldfish; Max from Where The Wild Things Are

Hosting a Halloween party this year? In need of some inspiration? Check out this amazing dessert table by Amy Atlas.

I just love how everything co-ordinates and is so pulled together. It’s almost too pretty to eat!

Check out Amy’s site for even more candy buffet inspiration as well as a recipe and step-by-step instructions on creating witch’s hats you can use for your Halloween buffet, or just as a fun treat.

The folks over at Got Craft? are presenting the western Canada Premier of Handmade Nation. The indie film, follows director Faith Levine, as she travels 19,000 miles across the US documenting the rise of D.I.Y., Art, Craft, and Design.

The Screening takes place July 9th at The Rio Theater, and will be preceded by a craft showcase featuring 14 local handmade artists. Faith Levine will also be there to introduce the film and hold a Q&A session after the screening.

Tickets are $20.00 online at Got Craft? or you can purchase them at the door for $25.00.

When: Thursday, July 9th, 2009
Location: Rio Theatre, 1660 East Broadway @ Commercial Drive
Screening: 8:00pm
Craft Showcase: 7:00pm
Get Tickets >>

Check out the trailer:

I found these cute little Amigurumi* patterns and couldn’t resist including them in the Easter Craft Week. Unlike the other patterns and tutorials this week, they aren’t free… but they are only $5, so you can’t really go wrong!

- Easter Set
- Bunny & Carrots

*For those of you new to Amigurumi, Amigurumi is the Japanese art of crocheting small animals or toys.

Ever wondered where all the great ideas and crafts on Martha Stewart come from? Well you’re in luck, the folks from the Crafts Department of Martha Stewart Living, have started up a brand new blog. The crafts dept is a behind the scenes look at the crafts they create for the show as well as the things they craft on their own.

www.thecraftsdept.com

I stumbled across this amazing playhouse made out of woven willow while browsing treehugger for some work related research. Judith Needham, is a basket maker and willow weaver from England, who set out to make a beautiful and magical playhouse for her daughter as an alternative to the all too common plastic playhouses, found in every suburban neighborhood.

Handmade from natural English willow, not only is this playhouse beautiful to look at, but it’s also incredibly eco-friendly. The structure gradually degrades over time, due to sun and rain exposure, but when your child out grows it and it becomes brittle, it may be recycled: shredded and used for garden mulch, added to a compost bin, or used as kindling for building a fire.

Currently only available in the UK, and with a hefty price tag it’s definitely not something for everyone. But I hope this inspires you to consider building something imaginative and creative for your child.

For more about the ‘Dreaming Spires Playhouse’ visit http://www.judithneedham.co.uk/

This video has been out for quite a while but I recently came across it again and wanted to post it here. Every time I watch it I am totally inspired. The video was shot using stop motion animation and the entire set was made out of yarn, wool, buttons and fabric. The walls, the furniture, the instruments, the recording equipment, even the camera were all knit, sewn or crocheted together.

For more information on the video check out this article.