Remember when you were a child and would happily spend hours creating a collage to present to your mum and dad? Children are often happiest when left alone with materials to create things - they let their imagination take over and come up with wonderful ideas. But as we grow up we often lose touch with our creative side as 'real' life takes over and we find we have no time to do the chores let alone sit down and create something beautiful just for its own sake. Creativity doesn't just fade away though, and increasingly people are turning back to their favourite childhood arts and crafts skills in order to relax and rediscover themselves. "Creative crafting" is the perfect handbook for anyone looking to expand or re-awaken their creative side, and is packed with inspiring ideas and advice for creating something really special, whatever you're into - the only limits to what you can create are those in your imagination!
Creativity has long been thought of as a personal trait, a gift bestowed on some and unachievable by others. While we laud the products of creativity, the stories behind them are often abridged to the elusive "aha!" moment, the result of a momentary stroke of genius. In The Craft of Creativity Matthew A. Cronin and Jeffrey Loewenstein present a new way to understand how we innovate. They emphasize the importance of the journey and reveal the limitations of focusing on outcomes. Drawing on a wide range of scholarship, their own research, and interviews with professionals and learners who employ creativity in the arts, engineering, business, and more, Cronin and Loewenstein argue that creativity is a cognitive process that hinges on changing one's perspective. It's a skill that anyone can hone, and one that benefits from thinking with others and over time. Breaking new ground in the discussion about how we innovate, this book provides strategies that everyone can use to be more creative.
Creative Crafting tips and advice to show you: -how to save money, time and discover ingenious methods for utilizing non-craft related items -how to craft like a professional and create items that will impress your family and friends -how to increase your enjoyment of your craft and inspire you to learn a new craft -what a 'digitalulist' is plus other amusing facts -quotes which will prove to your non-crafting family and friends you're not the only one! Are you a craftoholic? Do you spend your life crafting? Do you want to improve the finish of your projects? Would you like to be inspired and save money at the same time? Then this is the book for you! Lynne Garner has pooled together the knowledge of the crafting community to bring you the greatest crafting guide around. This book covers seven of the most popular crafts: paper crafts, sewing, wool crafts, cross stitch and embroidery, candle making, jewelry making and glass painting. A must have book for anyone who is creative!
The Crafting Book The Crafting Book is an essential guide for anyone looking to explore their creativity and embrace the world of DIY crafting. Divided into ten chapters, this book covers a wide range of crafting projects suitable for different age groups and occasions. Chapter 1: Introduction to Creative Crafting Discover the benefits of crafting and learn how to get started with DIY projects. Explore the essential tools needed for various crafting activities. Chapter 2: Crafting for Kids Engage children with fun and educational crafts like making paper plate animal masks and homemade playdough. Spark their creativity with DIY pillowcase painting and let their imaginations run wild. Chapter 3: Crafting for Teens Teach teenagers the art of making friendship bracelets, a popular and trendy craft. Show them how to create unique graffit wall art and design their own personalized skateboards. Chapter 4: Crafting for Adults Learn to make handcrafted soy candles, perfect for relaxation and creating a cozy atmosphere. Explore the world of upcycling by transforming old furniture into stunning, repurposed pieces. Create beautiful embroidery hoop art to decorate your home and showcase your artistic side. Chapter 5: Crafting for Men Showcasing crafts tailored specifically for men, such as creating a DIY wooden beer caddy. Guide men through the process of making a stylish leather keychain. Enhance their man caves with unique and eye-catching wall decor. Chapter 6: Crafting for Women Unleash creativity with floral wreath crafting, adding a touch of nature to any space. Provide step-by-step instructions for knitting a warm and fashionable scarf. Guide women in creating stunning macrame plant hangers to bring a bohemian vibe to their homes. Chapter 7: Seasonal Crafts Discover ideas for creating beautiful flower arrangements to welcome the spring season. Get inspired by summer beach-themed decor to bring the vacation spirit into your home. Explore techniques for painting autumn leaves to celebrate the colors of the season. Chapter 8: Upcycling and Repurposing Learn how to make a trendy T-shirt tote bag, reducing waste and creating a fashionable accessory. Embrace the creativity of repurposing Mason jars into unique crafts for various uses. Create stunning art pieces by repurposing vintage books in imaginative ways. Chapter 9: Creative Home Decor Projects Learn to craft a unique DIY wall clock design to add a personal touch to your home. Showcase your cherished memories with a customized photo display project. Create stylish indoor plant arrangements to enhance the ambiance of your living spaces. Chapter 10: Holiday Crafting Get into the holiday spirit and make festive DIY Christmas ornaments for family and friends. Add a personal touch to Hanukkah celebrations with handmade decor items. Explore various Halloween craft ideas to create spooky decorations for a memorable holiday. Whether you are a novice or experienced crafter, The Crafting Book offers a wide selection of projects to inspire and nurture your creative side. From paper crafts to home decor, there is something for everyone to enjoy and express their unique style through the art of crafting.
As our world has become increasingly dependent on technology, and our Western societies have become woefully “Crackberried”— to use the title of a recent documentary on the emotional and social pitfalls of our too-wired ways—an intriguing phenomenon is occurring: There is an increasing amount of interest in returning to some of the simpler arts that were neglected or left behind with the onslaught of technology. Artisans and everyday crafters are finding a renewed satisfaction in making something with their own hands; some are even communicating about the inherent physical- and mental-health benefits found in handwork—and, even more than that, they are framing their handwork as meditation or spiritual practice. In today’s sophisticated and pluralistic society, people are more aware than ever that spiritual practice can be defined more expansively—and the popularity of books focusing on alternative spiritual practices demonstrate that readers are hungry for new (or ancient) ways of enhancing their inner lives. In Crafting Calm the author will explore these new forms of creative spiritual practice and the benefits they provide. The format of With Shannon's book will itself be creative, a rich “potpourri approach” that weaves together interviews, historical facts, projects for readers to do themselves, quotations, and suggested resources. Crafting Calm will serve as an inspirational resource guide to a broad assortment of spiritual practices gathered from the global arts-and-crafts communities, as well as from people who don’t consider themselves artists but who have adopted creatively expressive forms of spiritual practice. While there have been a few books published focusing on a particular form of creative spiritual practice (Skylight Paths, for example, has published books on beading as a spiritual practice; painting as a spiritual practice; and using clay as a spiritual practice), no one has yet explored the breadth of possibilities for creative spiritual practices contained in Crafting Calm.
"This book is crammed with projects, with...color illustrations....the instructions are good, and the book is full of ideas."--"Library Journal." "More than 300 adaptations for old greeting cards. Ideas tumble one after another, explained in a how-to format resembling a recipe, with ingredients listed first...color photographs of finished projects...guide readers....A cachepot of craftables for anyone."--"Booklist."
Apart from the sheer enjoyment of using our hands to create something new, crafting helps us to connect with who we are. Sarah Samuel casts fresh light on how the basic human need to create is often forgotten as mass-consumerism grows, and how we can all still find our unique path, craft and our own means of individual, joyful self-expression. Through personal anecdote and expert insight, this book unearths the true value of craft, and how we can meet our soul’s yearning to be creative and open ourselves up to infinite possibilities.
Beautifully decorated cookies are within reach for every home baker, thanks to the easy and practical methods developed by cookie-crafting enthusiasts Valerie Peterson and Janice Fryer. From rolling and cutting to flooding and piping, you’ll find dozens of techniques to turn plain cookies into fun treats for your next special occasion. With instructions for making stand-up cookies, tips on creating icing color palettes, and advice on freezing and shipping, the cookie fun never stops!
What do writers as diverse as Tom Wolfe, Norman Mailer, Joan Didion, and Hunter S. Thompson have in common? All are masters of the art of writing creative nonfiction, capable of infusing the most prosaic of topics with wit, poignancy, and style. "Writing Creative Nonfiction" outlines the tried-and-true techniques that such writers use to craft brilliant essays, articles, and book-length works, making the tools of trade accessible to those of us who have always dreamed of making our mark in publishing. You'll learn how to write gripping opening sentences; use dialogue and even overheard conversations to bring characters to life on the page: and conduct and incorporate research to add depth and breadth to your work. With the demand for content in both traditional and emerging medias at an all-time high, you too can become a cultural critic, biographer, or esteemed essayist with the help of this indispensable guide.
Nonfiction is in the facts. Creative nonfiction is in the telling. It reads like fiction, but stays loyal to the truth. Philip Gerard walks this fine line with confidence, style and utter zeal, looking at the world with a reporters unflinching eye and offering it up with all the skill of a master storyteller. With the same clarity and passion, Gerard offers instruction and advice to help aspiring and experienced writers create pieces so compelling, so engaging, that readers will never forget them.
