Peekaboo! Sneek a peek at the Saturday Tastylinks!

Peekaboo Mixed Media Necklace Copyright Margot Potter 2009

I got bored. So I made a new blog header. I felt like maybe I needed my actual design work in my header. This necklace is featured in my new book Bead Chic. Did you get your copy yet?! I'd put my picture in my header...but maybe that's just a little too much Madge. I'm feeling rather black and white and gray right now, which makes my 'i color outside of the lines' mantra seem slightly ironic. So be it.

I like irony.

I do not, however, like ironing.

Just for the record.

I did enjoy Iron Man though. The movie...and the song.

That about covers that.

How are you enjoying the videos? Do you like them? Is there anything you'd like to see? I've got to make one every single week, so if you've got ideas please, please share with the class. It's Jewel School...get it?

Har har.

And without further drivel, blather and ado... Here's what the fabulous crafty bloggers have for your entertainment, education and edification:

The Artful Crafter
Come one; come all. See The Artful Crafter Parade of Valentine Crafts.

Mixed Media Artist
There are lots of products that will give a translucent finish to paper. Cyndi experiments to see which ones work the best!

Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter
Madge shares basic beading techniques in this week's video on demand for JTV's Jewel School!

Cross Stitch at About.com
Join in the Cross Stitch Forum SAT, SWAT and don't forget about the January Forum Challenge and the Duh One Challenge. Learn about these opportunities and other stitchy wonderfulness going on on Connie's site.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Tammy is duckie over some baby yarn she's using for a new baby afghan.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
This week at Craftside there is a free penguin graphic download, a doll boot pattern and sewing tutorial, a video interview with Carri Hammett author of Mittens and Hats for Yarn Lovers and the pros and cons of petroleum verses synthetic oil.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi tests glitter in a spray format to create beautiful sparkly cards.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen shows you how to make a glittery crown any birthday Queen would be proud to wear!

About Family Crafts
If you can't beat winter, celebrate it everyday with these simple crafts and activities!

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Volleyball Spirit Socks

Volleyball Spirit Socks
Avalon Potter for ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts
"Teen crafted, mom approved."

For my project this week I decided to create some knee high volleyball socks! I have recently been preparing for a volleyball tournament and when you play volleyball your uniform usually includes knee high socks. Instead of buying a pair of fancy socks, I decided to decorate them myself! It is fun and easy and is even better once you try them on. You can adapt this project to any sport or if you're not sporty, just for fun!

Materials
White knee socks
1” grey grosgrain ribbon
Pink Felt
Aleene’s Fabric Fusion fabric glue
Tulip dimensional fabric paint-slick black
Tracing pen
1” circumference circle template
Tube or rectangular form large enough to secure socks and hold their form


1. Place sock on form.

2. Take your pen and mark where you will put your volleyballs and bow on socks.



3. Take your circle cutout and trace it eight times with your pen on the felt.



4. Cut out the circles and use the fabric paint to make a volleyball design on each felt cutout.

5. Let those dry and start on your two bows.

6. Find out how big you want the bow loops to be and cut a piece of ribbon to the desired length. Glue down the two ends in the middle.



7. Add a little bit of glue in the center of the bow where the ends meet. Cut a small piece of ribbon just long enough to go around the bow, fold in the ends.

8. After all of the volleyballs and bows have dried place the first four volleyballs and bow out on your sock.

9. Use Aleene’s fabric glue to glue the volleyballs and bow on the sock. Cover the whole backside of the volleyball in glue and only the center of the bow. You can tack the bow and volleyballs down with thread if you like.

10. Use the dimensional fabric paint to create dashes moving diagonally between the volleyballs on the front of the sock.

11. Let it dry on the tube. Repeat for second sock.

12. Enjoy!

The Global Genes Project and Saturday TastyLinks

I was contacted this past week by Elizabeth Joshi from The Global Genes Project. They have started a campaign to help raise awareness of children with rare genetic disorders and you can participate! The 7000 Bracelets for Hope initiative gives denim blue bracelets created by jewelry designers to parents of children with rare genetic disorders as a symbol of hope. I can't think of a better way to use your creative talents than to do something small and powerful by sharing a denim blue bracelet. It's just a bracelet, not a check, which to me is even more meaningful because you're putting your time and your love into something that will bring someone else a little joy. Here is where you can send your denim blue bracelet (the denim blue ribbon is their symbol-jeans and genes, see?):

Nicole Boice at the Children's Rare Disease Network
24701 La Plaza, #201
Dana Point, CA 92629.

For registration to donate a bracelet and to find more information about this worthy cause visit:
www.globalgenesproject.org

Please share this with your friends, family and if you blog, your readers.

Now without further ado, please enjoy this week's TastyLinks from The Crafty Bloggers Gang!

About Family Crafts
Play along with this week's make-it-over craft challenge by submitting craft projects made using bowls.

Aileen's Musings
Find out what an Artist Trading Block is and sign up for a Valentine swap with Aileen!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi uses a new punch to create these cute word sentiments.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
This week at Craftside there is a chance to win a 26 pack of Gutermann thread and a copy of 1,000 Clever Sewing Shortcuts and Tips, a free Valentine cherub shooting hearts graphic download, a link to a free "How to Draw" app for the iPad, tips on painting shadows and some apple recipes.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Tammy's new jewelry making book is totally official now, finally!

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Jewelry closeout items at deep discount and a few things from your stash can make wonderful jewelry on the cheap. Check out Eileen’s Serenity Bracelet.

Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter
Never get burned by a glue gun again! Check out this FABULOUS Hot Glue Gun Helpers from Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza!

Mixed Media Artist
Have you ever wanted to try combining collage with quilting?

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Book Review-The Knitter's Guide to Hand-dyed and Variegated Yarn

Product Review: Hot Glue Gun Helpers

I was so excited when my crafty pal Cathie Filian from HGTV's Creative Juice first showed me the new line of glue gun tools she and Steve Piacenza developed for Plaid. If you've ever been burned by a hot glue gun, you'll be blown away by this super smart set of tools to prevent that from ever happening again!

The set includes a craft mat, which is a great surface to work on because the glue will not stick to it and it protects the surface underneath from getting burned. You also get finger caps made of the same non-stick and heat resistant material, so now you can press down into the hot glue safely. You also get a kicky little pair of tweezers to help you pick up smaller elements and place them into hot glue and on items you're decorating. There's a little paddle for soft pressing and a thicker press wand for heavy duty pressing and smearing the glue. Five simply fabulous tools all in a perfectly perky shade of pink.

Do I love these tools? Does a bear like honey?

This is an absolute 'must have' for any serious crafter. You can find out more about them here and you can buy them here!

Cheers,
Madge

I was sent a sample of this product for review, but I was not compensated. The opinions in this post are entirely my own. I don't review it if I don't love it. Period.