What Can I Do With Paper?

Jen here. Lately, I've been looking at my collections of random materials and trying to come up with ways to finally use it. I'm an infamous pack rat but since I'm rapidly running out of space to store new goodies, I need new projects to use up the old ones. I love paper and since we started up The WonderCraft we have made some great things with scrap materials. We have decorated cardboard wallets and mustaches as well as made paper mosaics out of recycled magazines and other papers.

Here are some more ideas and inspirations to help get your creative juices flowing with regards to recycling old magazines and paper products.

Collage:

Clemens Habicht


Jonathan Oxlade

PaperCrafts:

from Cubecraft

Origami:

from Origami Club

Don't forget decoupage! You can cover all sorts of things from the backs of cabinets, table tops, dresser drawers, mirror frames, etc with any paper scraps you have collected. It is a great way to alter old pieces to give them new life.

Ohdeedoh

Visit our Airstream during the East Austin Studio Tour

Enjoy free, fun craft projects, local food & drinks and shopping our boutique full of wonderful local artists! We'll be parked in front of Creative Side. Lots more info on our Get Crafty blog. Hope to see you there!

A new Kit in town!

Beth A here, I've been working on a new kit of ours that Beth H had started off with a class (it was our first class) And we figured that it would make a great little kit so we worked on the instructions, making them easier to understand and include lots of diagrams. I also wanted to try making a smaller version of the star to include.


So last night I tried it out and even had my husband Aaron try following the instructions, he had some good comments, like which side is the "front"? With the new instructions, some packaging design and now photos I've gotten these kits up on our Etsy site.

When I first tried the little star, with just scaled down dimensions of the bigger one, I didn't really like how small the center was (see it on the left), so I augmented the template and made another one that I like a lot better (the one on the right). I'm sure you all know about crafty trial and error!

Craftin' Masks for the Mixx & Make!

We'll be doing make & take masks at the Mixx & Make Pre-Halloween Craftacular this Saturday! It's gonna be so fun! Last night we WonderCrafters got together with Candace from Electric Promotions and made some example masks. We've got quite a stash of creative supplies and Candace made some rad mask templates that you've gotta see! We had a blast & made these funky masks. Come out to the partay this Saturday & make a fabulous or freaky mask with us!




All of us here at The WonderCraft are excitedly working on our Halloween costumes for it, too. Omg, we've only got 2 more days! What are we going as???? It's a surprise! You'll have to come out to the Mixx & Make to find out, although you may find some hints on my blog, Crafty Mishmash, and Jen's blog, Crafty Redhead. Join in the fun & show off your own awesome costume Saturday night! I have a hunch there may be prizes involved...

There will also be Treaty Oak red rum, coffin cakes from Blue Note Bakery, a fun photo booth with Trevor Ray Thompson, an amazing guitar giveaway, local music plus lots more! RSVP online to get in for $6. $8 at the door.

Looking for a way you can turn your trash into treasure?  Want to impress your friends with your brilliant crafting skills?  Looking for an inexpensive gift idea?  Dont worry, because here I am with the latest DIY project to brighten up your home space!

What you will need for this project:

*one jar/glass container/ or tallish tin

* two colors of spray paint

*piece of lace ribbon

*spray adhesive

*ribbon or fabric strip (optional

* Newspaper/ cardboard box/ or tarp for spray paint surface

What you will need to finish your gift

*potting soil 

*flower or plant of your choice

STEP 1: Clean and dry your glass container

STEP 2: Lay out your newspaper/ cardboard box/ or tarp to protect your work space

STEP 3: Working in your newly defined, and protected work area, spray the outside of the container with the paint color you have chosen to be your base.  Let dry.

STEP 4: Lay your lace flat and spray one side with spray adhesive.  (always using your protected work area)

STEP 5: Wrap your lace, sticky side down, around the glass container.  Press to secure all edges.

STEP 6: Use your second paint color to spray overtop the lace.  This will allow the lace to act as a stencil.

STEP 7: THE BIG REVEAL! Remove your lace...OHHHH!!! AHHHH!!! Let Dry.

FINISHING TOUCHES

STEP 8: Tie your ribbon or fabric strip around the container in a bow 

STEP 9: Add the flower or plant of your choice and fill with potting soil.

Now your ready to enjoy it for your self, or give it as a gift!  They are great for housewarming or business warming gifts!  

Halloween Inspiration

Jen here. I know a few of you folks out there are still trying to pull together some costume ideas. Most of the girls here at The WonderCraft are scrambling around trying to get ours together for both Halloween weekend and our Pre-Halloween Mixx Make bash this Saturday. I thought I would post a few helpful links to get your creative juices flowing. The costumes I picked use the humble cardboard box as inspiration. Believe me, it is amazing what you can make from cardboard.


As most of you know, I love robots. My new favorite blog (Mostly Forbidden Zone) has several postings of old Popular Mechanics articles illustrating how to build a robot costume. Great stuff. Cardboard robots are a classic and economical costume solution.

The Operation game costume has been a favorite idea of mine for years. Anything interactive is always a good idea. Makes breaking the ice at Halloween parties much easier.

For another interactive but economical costume, try being a camera. I love that the maker included a working flash. Makes night, party shots much easier. Plus, you would be expected to take photos. A great motivator for the shy photographers among us.

If you still need a few ideas, try the Instructables website. You can also join us Saturday and make a mask!

Thought about the holidays yet?

Every year Austin is host to a number of awesome holiday shopping venues and events. The WonderCraft will be at a few, so I thought I share a little list of what we're signed for and what else is out there.

First on the calendar is early November, The Hill Country Arts and Crafts Fair. Saturday November 7 from 9am-4pm and Sunday November 8 from 11am-4pm and located at Sun City Texas Social Center Ballroom at 2 Texas Drive, its a free event too. Get on out shopping early and see Beth H out there with her Snuggle Herd!


The following week we'll be out with Stella at EAST. The East Austin Studio Tour has become an annual event where galleries and studios all over the east side of Austin open their doors and host events of all sorts. We are going to be across from The Creative Side Jewelry Academy of Austin at 628 Allen Street with our big Airstream Stella, she'll be a boutique, a gallery, and a crafty space. Come by and create something with us!

Then starts the famous Blue Genie Art Bazaar going from December 2-24th! At the Monarch Evens Center.

Next up December 5th and 6th there are two great shows going on, one is hosted by the Wheatesville Co-Op and goes from 10am-5pm. The other is Presented By EtsyAustin and is called Craft Riot! - A handmade revolution in shopping. This year we have the luck to be hosted by the owner of Wines.com at his headquarters near the intersection of Springdale Rd and 290, at 5005 Commercial Park Dr. We're also bringing Stella out to this one to house the photo booth with Santa as well as some of our wares. Its happening Saturday Dec 5th from 10am-8pm and Sunday Dec 6th 11am-7pm, $3 entry includes a glass of wine! (or bottled water) Also on hand will be yummy eats and a ton of our EtsyAustin friends.

After that starts the ever famous Armadillo Christmas Bazaar going from December 11-24th at the Austin Convention Center.

Then comes a fantastic show the Cherrywood Art Fair, Saturday Dec. 12, 10am-6pm and Sunday Dec. 13, 12-6pm at Maplewood Elementary. This is another one that Stella is coming out for, we'll be hosting a DIY gift wrap station and of course she'll have the boutique interior set up for selling.

Finally finishing the season with the Keep Austin Bizarre, at Fiesta Gardens December 18-21st, we're not vending but we'll be out shopping by then!

Hope your holidays are as handmade as ours!