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Crafts & Keepsakes from Martha Stewart Living

A year ago, while visiting a used book store in California, I found this wonderful binder that contained some of Martha Stewart Living's best crafts and keepsakes.  I had never seen it before, but I was told by several friends that it was worth owning.  While looking through it I found it to be wonderfully organized and appealing, so I took the advice of my friends and bought it.  At five dollars I don't think you can blame me for treating myself.  


I love being inspired by things from the past.  This special-edition binder contains some of the best crafts and keepsakes that have graced past issues of Martha Stewart Living magazine.  No doubt many, if not all of these crafts, have made it into the subsequent craft encyclopedias published by Martha Stewart Living.  Still, it's so nice to have a few memorable crafts in this flax-colored bookcloth binder.  


I love this idea of using eggshells to start seeds in one's home.  It's a great project to involve the kids in.  All you need are eggshells, potting soil or germinating mix, seeds, paper for tags, glue, coffee stirrers and an egg carton.


A set of collectible plates can be hung on a wall using annealed iron wire (18 gauge), plates that appeal to you and wall hooks.  The great thing about employing this technique is that you can make the hangers to size, rather than having to rely on store-bought ones that are already premeasured.  


Candied citrus peel is very much of the holiday season.  It's so easy to candy orange, lemon or grapefruit peel and either roll the finished strips in sugar or leave them in their own syrup.  This is a perfect gift for people that like to bake with citrus peel.


A grouping of framed silhouettes can provide such an interesting focal point for any wall.  I like this idea very much.


The easy project has you photographing the subject against a neutral background.  Each print photo background is then painted in white acrylic, while the actual person is filled in with a black marker.  The doctored image is then photocopied onto quality paper, which can be framed and arranged on a wall as shown.  This would be perfect for the pets of the family.  


Every year for Christmas I tell myself that I will make gingerbread tags for people's gifts, but somehow I forget to!  I really want to do this for friends and family that live near me, because it's such a charming way to personalize a gift. I have just the perfect mini alphabet cookie cutters for this project.


Pipe cleaner wreath ornaments are fun and festive for any tree.  I can see a grouping of these for a white feather tree or for a small tabletop Christmas arrangement.  Perhaps having several along a mantle or a single one attached to Christmas stockings would be nice too.


Easy!


I've seen this Crafts and Keepsakes binder come up for auction every once in a while, so look for it if you don't already own one.  It's the perfect reading material to get you in the crafting mood this coming holiday season.

Happy collecting and crafting!

Comments

  1. Quick! Before Halloween, make some cookie gift tags. You might be too busy after that.

    ReplyDelete

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