happykatie :: katie rocks out the interwebs

Scrapblog wants you to 'Get Crafty!'

Check out Scrapblog's new 'Get Crafty' vidcast!  Their premiere episode looks at online photo cropping tools that Scrapblog has recently updated.  I look forward to when they showcase not only their own *awesome!!* software, but bring in outside designers and external creative influences as well. 

About Scrapblog's 'Get Crafty!':  Get Crafty! is the new show produced by Scrapblog that will showcase designers, new features and crafty ideas for preserving your digital memories. Get Crafty will introduce you to online scrapbooking and new techniques that will rekindle your love of crafting.

It's embarrassing that i haven't Scrapblogged more, but you can always find me here:  www.scrapblog.com/happykatie.  Perhaps now that I've gone public I'll shame myself into working some more Scrapblog magic...

High Tech Craftiness at SXSWi 2008

They blinded me with crafty geeky science!  A group of lady crafter fanatics chatted online technology and the role it plays in the ever-growing DIY community at SXSWi 2008.

I've heard various review on the panel, but it's funky and inquisitive nature really hit home with me.  Panelists brought in objects they've been working and a lots of super how-to resources for DIY/crafty typs everywhere.

Natalie Zee Drieu  Senior Editor,  CRAFT Magazine
Syuzi Pakhchyan SparkLab
Alison Lewis  Producer,  IHeartSwitch
Mouna Andraos Electronic Crafts
Diana Eng  Fashion Designer,  Diana Eng

Read on for cool projects the panelists brought to share and other awesome goodness.  Photo thanks to Natalie Zee's Flickr stream

Threadbangers - DIY with love from YouTube

I'm so in crafty-love with Threadbangers - a killer online DIY network full of how-to crafty videos, forums and brain candy for those that want to re-fashionize their wardrobe and look fah-bulous doing so. 

There are oh-so-many dedicated crafty and DIY fashion sites out there right now, both for selling/purchasing handcrafted goods (or gleaning ideas and inspiration from) and for learning how to make them yourself. 

Here are just a few of my fave Crafty/DIY sites (don't hate me if I left you off - this is seriously off the top of me noggin):

• Etsy (www.etsy.com)
• Get Crafty (www.getcrafty.com)
• Burda style (www.burdastyle.com)
• The Anti Craft (www.theanticraft.com)
• Not Martha (www.notmartha.org)
• Fitz Patterns (www.fitzpatterns.myshopify.com/collections/free)
• Pink of Perfection (www.pinkofperfection.com)
• Craft Sanity (www.craftsanity.com)
• Shana Logic - formerly PixelGirl (www.shanalogic.com)

Artful Blogging - getting purdy in the blogosphere

I splurged a little bit today and bought a cool Canadian magazine called Artful Blogging.

It is a beautifully designed magazine with an eye out on the blogosphere looking for talented bloggers and crafty types.  Do give it a read through.

Knitty love for all the world to stitch

This weekend Buffy treated me to a knitting class to help me get back in the swing of yarn obsession and stitch counting madness.

A few years ago I started getting knitty and it's time to push forward with the awesomeness.  Now that I've been once again inspired by happybuela's  knit lovelies for the Bunn, it is so on.

One of the best things about knitting is the appallingly wonderful textural experience you get strolling down the yarn aisle.  All of  the lovely soft brilliantly colorful gems blinking at you as you walk by, just DARING you not to touch them, carress them, sink your fingers deep down into the skeins.  Little furry buggers...

Loving:

• Lush and gorgeous Kim Hargreaves knit patterns
• Yummy, free Berrocco patterns for bags, toys, knitted treats
• Knitty patterns!!!!
• Knitpurl tribal camaraderie

Readymechs = fun for your printer

Cool thing of the day:
Readymechs are super-cool free 3-d toy templates that you can print out and build for a fun cubicle play experience.

Knitting from the future?

Check out Venezia - a very neat Knitty pattern for cool napkin rings or maybe a rather uncomfortable bracelet.

There are some really great patterns this season, including the silly Piggle hat with space for pigtails.

Moo card mag love

After reading Eloy's blog yesterday I was reminded of the incredibly awesomely cute Moo cards.  They are modern day calling cards that are a great way to display your Flickr photo magic. 

I love little crafty paper-based projects and see lots of potential for this pretty little cards.  You can check out this cool Flickr Moo card pool to see how other people are using them and also look at neat-o moo-gnets here on Meish's site.

Plum delicious - crafts by the month

I love getting mail in my mailbox.  That is, the mailbox that sits around looking bland on the front of my house versus the one that constantly harasses me to archive my old items.

Sometimes I worry that our postmen/postwoman get lonely having only bills, Papa Johns coupons and junk mail to keep them company throughout their long neighborhood treks.  Or maybe that is just me being overly empathetic about absolutely nothing...

But anyway, here are two things that will be sure to perk up your mailbox blues:

• Plum of the Month club - Awesome, discounted crafty gifts mailed to you from a huge variety of DIY indie crafters.  Not only do you get unique funkiness picked out just for your enjoyment, but you also get the satisfication of supporting indie businesses around the world.
  
• Sweet Thunder's Earring of the Month club - A great way to make sure you get all of Sweet Thunder's latest designs automatically.  $45 gets you 3 months of sterling silver shininess.  Lovely.