Lark Crafts

There’s a lot to be said for Valentine’s Day: it’s a celebration of the spirit of love, and there are so many ways to recognize that sentiment, especially if you’ve ever navigated by the compass of your sweet tooth (which, let’s be honest, some of us [ahem] do on a regular basis).

I like to think of Valentine’s Day as less of a huge bonanza for romantic love, and more of a time to show appreciation for the love of (and for) friends, family, community, and ourselves. It’s a perfect time—during the short, wintery days of February—to brighten the lives of all the people who bring sunshine into our own days, and one of the sweetest and prettiest ways to do that is with a little handmade I-Love-You.

As a craft publisher, we think, talk, and blog about handmade all the time, and there are countless ways to create a love-inspired special something for a lovely special someone. With that in mind, allow me to suggest a simple, delicious, and beautiful option: handmade vanilla caramels. Golden, soft strips of chewy caramel mellowed with the flavor of vanilla bean, rich cream and butter, and all the love you can pour into it.

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This recipe for Vanilla Caramels comes from Sweet Confections: Beautiful Candy to Make at Home by Nina Wanat. It makes 64 pieces of caramel, and we’ve included instructions for not just this recipe, but also for the basics of caramelizing sugar with some handy step-by-step photos. (Also: not only will you and your Valentine pals swoon over the decadent taste of these treats, but your kitchen will smell heavenly while you’re making them. Win, win, win, I say.)

So whether you’re sharing appreciation for your family and friends, your next-door neighbor, your dog’s best vet tech, or your hard-working classmates, Valentine’s Day is always sweet with a little bit of handmade, homemade love.

During the autumnal season of Halloween treats galore, why not indulge in a different kind of treat—make a batch of Milk and Honey Soap from “Soapmaking the Natural Way” by Rebecca Ittner, and enjoy its soothing oatmeal-flecked loveliness.

Also, in case you’ve already caught the pre-holiday gift-planning bug (this time of year just whizzes on by!), remember that handmade soap wrapped in pretty paper makes a stellar stocking stuffer or Thanksgiving hostess gift.

Happy soap-making!

This weekend, August 24^th – 26^th, will be a fun one for the Miniature Book Society.

Every year, the Miniature Book Society meets for its annual gathering of members, which is called a Conclave—a three-day event of speakers, workshops, tours, an all-day book fair, and most importantly an opportunity for miniature book enthusiasts to congregate and share in their appreciation of book arts.

This year celebrates the 30^th Grand Conclave for the Miniature Book Society, and we are thrilled that it is taking place in our hometown of Asheville, North Carolina!

We’re especially excited about the Book Fair taking place on Sunday, August 26^th, from 11am – 4:30pm at the Renaissance Hotel. The Book Fair will be open to the public and it will feature a gathering of bookmakers, booksellers, and book artists of all callings buying and selling their work.

Click here for location info for the Renaissance Hotel.

What, exactly, is a miniature book? Glad you asked.

According to the Miniature Book Society, “In the United States, a miniature book is usually considered to be one which is no more than three inches in height, width, or thickness. Some aficionados collect slightly larger books while others specialize in even smaller sizes. Outside of the United States, books up to four inches are often considered miniature.”

Interested in joining the Miniature Book Society? Visit the MBS membership page.

Interested in attending the Conclave? Visit the MBS Conclave page and scroll down to click the downloadable registration form.

You know we’re going to ask this next question: Want to make your own miniature book? We have an easy-to-make project for you from Making Mini Books: the Matchbooks, designed by Leslie Werner. Click here for the free Matchbooks project PDF.

Interested in additional titles celebrating book arts? Here’s a helpful list:

Making Mini Books

Making Handmade Books

Masters: Book Arts

500 Handmade Books

Eco Books

Penland Book of Handmade Books

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Do you have an old lamp that you want to freshen up? Good! Here’s where your old lamp and Mod Podge collide: this lovely project from Amy Anderson’s book Mod Podge Rocks!

All you’ll need is a piece of fabric (or fabric scraps), some ribbon, and Fabric Mod Podge. And your old lampshade, of course.

Download these free project instructions for the Geo Birds Fabric Lampshade and put your Mod Podge creativity to work–you’ll be so very pleased with your crafty bright idea.

Just in time for Mother’s Day, we’re so very pleased to share a project with you from Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kids by Jenny Doh: Tissue Paper Lanterns made by Kristin Zecchinelli and her sweet kids.

These pretty lanterns can be made with tissue paper or scraps of fabric, and you can decorate glass jars of any shape and size. Try a fabric pattern featuring sweet little flowers, or shine a spotlight on summery gingham for picnics with personality. Simply gather glass jars, glue, water, tissue paper or fabric, and some little votive candles, and you’ll be ready to create with the kiddos in your life.

This activity is a fun one for all ages*, and tissue paper lanterns are a lovely way to celebrate any occasion from birthdays to Mother’s Day to candlelit holidays. Click here for a downloadable PDF of the Tissue Paper Lanterns project.

Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kids is a celebration of the imaginative, playful, and inspiring ways we create with the kids in our lives. Twenty top parenting bloggers share their clever and thoughtful insights into creative parenting along with their 20 how-to craft projects from an ABC Photo Book to Felted Falling Stars.

We hope you enjoy this project, and we wish you and all the mothers in your lives a very Happy Mother’s Day!

*editor’s note: Kristin’s project really caught my attention when I was working on the book with Jenny, and I loved the idea of transforming mason jars into shining little lights. In fact, I was so inspired that I skipped the crafting-with-kids part altogether and made tissue-paper lanterns to illuminate an outdoor party all on my own. With that in mind, I can confirm that grown-ups big kids like making these crafts, too!

Sometimes Valentine’s Day is less about love, hearts, sentimental cards, and out-of-season rose bouquets, and more about angst. Real, live, snarky angst. Love, true love, (as mentioned in The Princess Bride) isn’t always a “dweam within a dweam.” Sometimes it’s sort of a Fire Swamp kind of thing (to reference The Princess Bride again).

Or, as good ole Will Shakespeare put it in a classier tone:

“The course of true love never did run smooth.”

Sometimes Valentine’s Day makes a person want to stick pins in things, which is why today’s free pincushion project from 100 Pretty Little Projects is just the ticket to letting your snarky flag fly.

Help yourself to a downloadable PDF of these Feeling Needled pincushions, complete with templates and a green light to pin to your heart’s content.

Happy Un-Valentine’s Day!

Happy New Year, friends! We hope you’re enjoying a festive start to 2012! We’re abuzz with excitement for the coming year amidst this inspiring and wickedly talented creative community.

With gratitude and appreciation in our hearts, we raise our glasses to you and the days to come—may you dive into this new horizon with a head full of fresh ideas and hands full of satisfying craft supplies.

To substantiate this celebratory toast, here’s a palate-pleaser from Homemade Living: Keeping Bees with Ashley English — a free PDF of the recipe for a Hot Cider & Honey Toddy, perfect for crisp, chilly winter days and toasts among friends.

Cheers!

Still thinking about the perfect adornment to complete your New Year’s Eve ensemble? Look no further: here’s a fun, customizable, easy-to-start (and equally easy to finish) project to bedeck tresses of any style.

Whether you’re sporting a fancy up-do, a tousled nest of loose curls, or a sleek side ponytail, this festive felt headband completes any party look.

Here’s a free PDF of Elsie Larson’s Chunky & Leafy Felt Headband from Signature Styles. Pick up some elasticized ribbon, choose two colors of felt from your stash, and add simple embroidery stitches to bring it all together. Easy, lovely, and so very 2012.