Featured

10 Minute Drum Shades

It appears that I’m going through an anti-curtain phase. A year ago I thought extra tall patterned curtains were the best thing on the planet, but now I’d be happy to live curtain free the rest of my life. That’s me. Fickle, fickle, fickle. I worry I’ll exhaust my options and a year from now I’ll go head-on into a vicious passion for vertical blinds. Won’t that be fun!

Welp. The dining room curtains came down for painting the walls this summer, and the moment they were off, I realized how much more spacious and bright the room felt without them. So they stayed off long after the paint dried. Me likey. Isn’t it funny how painting a room has a domino effect on everything else?

If I didn’t live so close to neighbors, I’d probably live curtain-free altogether, but as privacy is an issue, I need something. A little something. Café curtains would have fit the bill, but I wanted a cleaner look. I measured the panel the exact width of the window, and stitched two channels along the top and bottom hem, then slipped in the tension rods and BAM. Tight as a drum.

The bottom half of the window is covered, but light can still get in, and the fabric panel is shown off to its best advantage. Plus, I can still open the window whenever I want – I just nudge up the bottom tension rod and the fabric folds over nicely. Nifty huh?

You could do this in any room of the house with less than a yard of fabric, and very little sewing skills. In fact, you could probably skip the sewing and use a roll of iron-on stitch witchery, or fabric glue instead. I’d still use an iron to get the crisp edges, but other than that, it doesn’t take much. Just a little fabric and tension rods. Shazam!

PS: I bought this Marimeko fabric for $5.95 a yard at the Crate and Barrel Factory Outlet in Naperville. Marimekko normally sells between $50 and $100 a yard, so I stocked up good. If you in the area, you have got to get out there. They just put out the Christmas goodies and the getting’ is good!

Happy Monday: Mr. Darcy and the Secret Past of Japanese Fart Art

by aunt peaches 2 Comments

This pineapple jack-o-lantern is rad yet really intimidating. I think he can see my soul.

No costume? Here is a simple step-by-step on how sugar skull yourself with face paint. (And a kid friendly version too!) Or what about some nifty Dollar store skeleton accessories? Remember the necklace I made last year? Yeah. It’s still creepy.

Ugly door + stickers = Yass!

Who has two thumbs, 176 scarves, and a trunk full of pompoms? This tutorial was meant for me.

A complete ranking of Mr. Darcy through the age of cinema.

The last of the Japanese mermaids. Fascinating.

Speaking of Japan: That time farts became arts.

This video of water transfer printing on a hubcap has me in a trance. I always wondered how they do that!

Imma need this Boo pumpkin on my porch.

Whitney English on staying creative.

Jenny Andrews Anderson, one of my favorite artists ever, is having a sale on her already more-than-reasonably priced work. More important (because it involves meeee!) itite promoted the sale on her blog (which is also amazing) using a picture of my patchwork pumpkins, which, were largely inspired by one of her prints hanging on my wall. I don’t think she had any idea I was such a fan, so I’m pretty stoked!

Two words: Lego flamingos.

Who needs spans when you can squeeze your ass into dinosaur shorts? Hell. Yes.

I have always wanted to try my hand at painted ceramics. These painted tiles from Crafty Chica have me thinking.

Problems that only 90s kids will understand.

Chicago, peeps! Al Capone’s old house is for sale. What do you think is in the basement? (nobody say “Geraldo.”)

Philadelphia’s Natural History Museum is having a chocolate exhibit. Someone needs to go for me, k?

Remember last week when I was freaking out about collage clay? Here is another example of how to use it: faux bricks…which makes me think about gingerbread houses. You could make the biggest, baddest gingerbread house, like, evurrr.

A table spread inspired by Beetlejuice? Yes please!

Sometimes I get flack for occasionally cursing on this blog, which I find hilarious because I have never met anyone who gets up in arms about swear words who can explain why the word they find offensive is designated as profanity. The fact is there are a lot of profane things going on every day that those same folks forget to give a crap about. Ahem.

Also, I made these no-sew pillows from store-bought napkins. Secret ingredient? Check it out on IloveToCreate.com.

Speaking of ILovetoCreate.com, they sent me samples from their new line of bottoms-up, always ready Tacky Glue. For someone like me, who uses Tacky Glue more frequently than toothpaste, this is more miraculous than that time I washed a bag of skittles in my jeans and they came out perfectly intact (and very tasty). Like I said, I lucked out because they sent me these as a preview, but you can find them near the checkout counter at Joann’s starting November 2, that is unless you live in Northern Illinois, in which case, you are going to have to fight me for them. Cage match!

Mercury Retrograde

by aunt peaches 21 Comments

Want to see an impressive eye roll? Start talking to me about astrology.

Look, I know Yoko Ono won’t get her hair cut unless the stars are aligned in her favor, and that is a valid opinion, but I do not share it. Not even for Yoko. Not long ago I heard someone on the news, who was actually a credible reporter, explaining that the Bashar al-Asad, Asyrian president and overall genocidal tyrant, was doing the things he does because he was born in September, and as a Virgo, he has “extreme control issues.” Honestly. WTF? He was born in September because his parents had sex in January. That’s how human gestation works. It’ not a Virgo thing, it’s an asshole thing.

And hey! Guess what? I’m also a Virgo. Surprise.

Anyhow. Despite the fact that I do not believe in astrology, I wholeheartedly believe in the concept of Mercury retrograde. A lot of people understand, conceptually, Mercurian retrograde is a time of upheaval. Bad luck. Chaos. Astrologers explain it as the universe’s way of reminding you that you are not in control, and to surrender to the forces of sacred things that never wear deodorant. Scientists explain Mercury retrograde as a blip in the cycle. Most people have heard of it but few understand what it is, so let me explain it in a nutshell; both the Earth and Mercury orbit the sun, but at different rates. Mercury walks a little faster. Eventually that slight extra speed creates a noticeable distance, so a few times a year, Mercury sees the Earth has fallen behind and takes a quick break in rhytym wait for his pal the Earth to catch up. In that brief period of time, there is a sort of catch-up thing that happens and everything in the universe notices that the pair were briefly out of lock step, and it’s awkward. Really awkward. And while I do not believe in astrology, I do believe in physics. I believe in energy. And believe in the immeasurable domino effect that is created when something as BIG AS AN EFFING PLANET decides to quit marching along with everyone else.

It’s like, have you ever been driving along and someone in front of you suddenly slams on the breaks, so you slam on yours, and even if you don’t hit the person, it scares the crap out of you and you can’t think or do much of anything for a couple minutes? You know that lingering feeling of fear and chaos? That. That is Mercury retrograde.

I hate it. And guess what? Mercury has been in retrograde alllllll week.

So if you have been having a crappy week, good news, it’s be over on Saturday the 25th! And let me tell you, I cannot wait. This week has been a goat rodeo. I have surrendered all control. And while I will not bore you by complaining about everything that has gone wrong this week, I will say that yesterday, just as I had settled in to what needed to be my most productive work day in months….THE POWER WENT OUT.

Thanks, Mercury!

The power company estimated a 2 hour blip, then 2 hours came and left, then it was 4, then it was 6. All is fine now, and I’m thankful for this luxury that we call electricity, but yesterday, when I was freaking out, I needed something to do. This went way past the point of stress cleaning, and since I didn’t have any ice cream in the house, and it was too early for decent liquor, I went with the next best thing: rhinestones.

I organized my beads, sequins, crystals, confetti, and anything else that came in a tiny cup. It started as total chaos, but I took control, and not because I am a Virgo, and whipped this mess into a thing of beauty.

Tangent: Why can’t bead/sequin/notions manufacturer up their game with packaging? Could they not take a hint from the shredded cheese people and sell things in clear resalable bags? Would that be so hard? Would it? Think cheese!

So. Lucky for me, Menards sells these bin organizer tackle box situations. I have seen similar tackle box things in stores before, but usually the drawers are really small. This model offers a mix of big and small drawers, so I have room for growth. Which is important when you have hoarding issues.

Before this, I was keeping everything in a Tupperware full of ziplock baggies. And most of the beads are still in that set-up in a drawer, just a lot more organized. There is something so cathartic about sorting through sparkly things. I don’t know how to explain it, but it might be better than therapy.

Remember the gold magnolia wreath I made for Kiki a couple years ago? She gave it back!

And now it’s all done. I have my power back, and I can see all my sparkly stuff at once. This makes me want to make gem sweaters for every day of the week. Not this week though. If you need me, I’ll be holed up at home waiting for Mercury to get his butt of retrograde!

Sparkle Tooth Alert: Collage Clay Crystal Skull

by aunt peaches 15 Comments

Two things I can never get enough of: frosting and rhinestone skulls.

I needed something to coordinate with my Liberace gourds, naturally, and since sugar skulls are all the rage, this needed to happen. He’s out on the bookshelf now but I’m thinking he may need to stay out year round. Nothing says Christmas like a crystal skull!

I must give credit where credit is due — I totally stole this idea from this crystal skull I saw on Cathie and Steve’s Facebook page. I don’t think they will mind me telling you because I’m also going to tell you about their product, which is my new favorite thing: Mod Podge Collage Clay.

Materials

Mod Podge Collage Clay goes on like frosting but it’s a actually a glue. A puffy, air-dry glue. If you have ever made mosaics using tile adhesive and grout (love the look – hate the process) you are going to LOVE THIS STUFF. It comes in a tube, like frosting, with tips, like frosting, in pink or white…like frosting. Dries light weight but heavy duty enough to hold your stuff in place. I picked some up at Michael’s for $10 (now on sale in stores only for $5.99), and used a little more than half the tube to cover this basketball sized skull. Now I’m thinking of eleventyseven other things I want to make with the other half of the tube. I’m not going to say what rhinestone creature will emerge next, but it might begin with “tape” and end with “dispenser.” Shhhh.

Skull I also found this jumbo foam skull at Michael’s for about $10 (now on sale for $6.99), however, now that I am contemplating keeping this bad boy out year round, I am regretting that I used a foam base. Next time I’m thinking about getting a hollow plastic skull ($1 at Dollar Tree), filling it with sand, sealing it off, then cover with crystal sparkles, then set on the bookshelf. BLMAO Instant book end! How’s that for practical thinking? I know. You’re welcome. If you’re not into bookends, the foam is nice and light. Actually, they sell these HUGE foam skulls at World Market too, like, as big as a car seat. They go for $40 right now, but I’ll bet they will be on sale any day now. I’m thinking you could just make a huge one and mount it as a hood ornament. I’m so tasteful.

Rhinestones I’v mentioned this before but I’ll say it again, the best deal running on crystal gems is this one pound bag. I have never seen it in stores, but you feel free to hunt around. This project could also be a great opportunity to break up an old necklace and salvage the beads, or buttons, or maybe just the sparkliest crap at the bottom of your junk drawer. I’ve got 46 cents in Canadian coinage that me best destined for new and glamorous heights!

Applying the Collage Clay really is just like putting on frosting. I know I keep comparing it to frosting, and you are bored of that, but that is the only relevant comparison I can think of. Just squeeze it on and spread it out….don’t lick your fingers.

Then you stick in your gems and goodies and leave it alone. The package says it dries within 1-5 days, but I found it to be much faster. I would say it dried to the touch within 5 hours and was perfectly solid overnight. It probably didn’t cure 100% for another day, but I was free to put it on display the next morning. No coaster or special protection needed.

After the collage clay dried, I went back the following day and coated the eye sockets, nose and mouth with clear-drying Tacky Glue and laid in some more sparkles. I can’t tell what makes him look more crazy – the pink eyes or the diamond teeth. Every time I look at him I hear him singing “LET ME SEE YOUR GRILL.”

Let me see your what?

“Got da whole top diamond and the bottom row’s gold.” – Nelly

Annnnnnnnd that’s about it. Easy peasy. I’m not sure if you are supposed to use gloves, but I didn’t. I got some on my counter but it wiped off with a paper towel like….wait for it…frosting.

You knew I was going to say that didn’t you?

Also. Because this is important. I would like everybody to know that I did not stage this rhinestone skull on a field of gold sequins; it’s here laying around all the time. And by all time, I mean all week. It’s costume season and Abigail wants to be an iguana. I think she meant the iguana from Dora the Explorer but I’m going to reinterpret this as the iguana from the Solid Gold Dancers and telling myself it’s for her personal safety. Sequins are mother nature’s safety reflectors. We must keep the children safe.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Monday: Vin Diesel and Skelton Flamingos

by aunt peaches 4 Comments

Skeleton Flamingos. Because who needs good taste when you can have skeleton flamingos?

What’s shaking, Sweetums?

Welp. Let’s mention the obvious: last week I finally switched my blog platform. Goodbye Blogger, hello WordPress! Things look a little different on the front end, but trust me, they look VERY different on the back end. You like? I’m diggin it. My cyber housekeeping list is as long as my arm right now so I’m chipping away a little more everyday. Bear with me if things look a little wonky in-process. She still hasn’t put on her pantyhose just yet.

And, speaking of technological learning curve…here are six holidays that need to be updated for the internet age. Who is starting to feel guilty about Columbus Day? Dang.

Looky: 24 awesome tattoos for librarians.

Also, I hate taking selfies, but this new French Girls app has me tempted.

Someone ranked all top ’90s YA fiction. I’m not saying I agree with it (*cough cough* Sweet Valley High plays second fiddle to no one! *cough cough*) but it’s a trip down memory lane (or shall I say, Fear Street.)

Other exciting news on the book front: how the lost chapter of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was discovered.

And here’s a map of European countries with literal translations of their Chinese names. This means, potentially, Ikea exports could now read MADE IN VERY LUCKY SOLDIERS.

I am a recent convert to the pom-pom maker gizmo cult. This is a really good tutorial on how to make them.

Equal parts delightful and disturbing: Vin Diesel singing Christmas carols alone with his computer. You could not pay me to watch a Fast and Furious movie, but the dude’s voice is oddly compelling.

…in other news, it’s been an exciting week for me on the social media front.
Pop on over to check out my latest blog post for Queen Latifah; 13 No-Carve pumpkins that are going to rock your world. Everything from thumbtacks to decoupage to birds in jaunty hats.

Speaking or rocking my world…Mark Montano —best-selling author, designer, television host, Gandalf-level craft wizard, and fellow possum lover— instagramed my gourds! This means I have officially made it as a crafter. Even my cat was like, MARK MONTANO???? NO WAY! And I was like, I KNOW LOLA. I KNOW.

So that was exciting. Let’s close out with one of my all-time favorite Mark Montano videos featuring zip ties, peeler beads, and not-at-all creepy circus music. Happy Monday!

Pimp My Gourd

by aunt peaches 21 Comments

Now is as good of a time as any to tell you that I watch ice dancers on youtube late at night and sometimes I get really angry that they are not wearing enough bling. I mean, the hell? If you can’t count on ice-effing-dancers to hold down the sequin quota, who can you count on? Nobody. That’s who. It used to be the Russian contingency could always be counted on to festoon themselves in sparkles (that’s what 80 years of communism will do to a nation) but now they have all gone tasteful too. I blame Vera Wang.

Anyway. Now that the weather is cooler and it’ll be another three winters ‘til I get a decent round of icecapades, I turn my eyes to the humble bounties of the Midwest: gourds.

Here in Illinois, gourds are easy to find. Just about anywhere that sells pumpkins will sell some sort of gooseneck gourd situation. Home Depot sells small ones for a buck, and big ones for $10. Important side note: my local Home Depot also keeps a shelter cat in their greenhouse named Xena The Warrior Princess, so you know they are good people. So that’s why I buy my gourds from them. Last year I spray painted a bunch of them gold, then I let them set out in a box on my sun porch all winter thinking they would dry out and by this fall the gourds would be nice and dry. But you know what happened? One of the gourds went rotten and instead of drying it just melted over the other gourds and one day I opened the box and was like a car accident. A big, moldy, wet fart smelling car accident. So. That’s my way of saying I do not suggest you dry your own gourds. Unless you have a nice cool/dark place you can dry them without touching each other. But that’s not me. Where was I? Oh yeah, gourds.

If you have the patience to dry your own gourds for decorating next year, by all means, be an over achiever like that. I found mine on clearance at Crate & Barrel for $3 (another advantage to living in Illinois: the Crate & Barrel Factory Outlet) but you can also buy them online from farmers like this guy.

If you wanted to make these I’m guessing you pretty much know what you’ll need.

-Dried Gourds
-Rhinestones*
-Tacky Glue*
-White and/or Gold Sharpies**
-Gold glitter sparkle glue paint***

*Note on rhinestones. There are a lot of things in life I know very little about, but cheap rhinestone isn’t one of them. If you are looking to buy/use/hoard acrylic gems, the best bargain is this one pound bag from Michael’s online, courtesy of Darice. My local store sells some smaller grab bags of crystal-rhinestone-thingies, and they are great, but if you want some bang for your buck, this is it. It comes in a giant jumble bag, which I like, but if you don’t, sorting rhinestones by color is oddly soothing. It’s also a great way to occupy a squirrely kid for an hour or two. This bag runs for $15 online, but if you use one of their 40% coupons it runs less than $10. Ten bucks for a pound of happy is a good deal.

** Note on Tacky Glue. I don’t know why anyone bothers to use any other kind of glue. Just don’t. Tacky glue is THICK. And it holds stuff. And it dries clear overnight. Rhinestones deserve a firm glue. They deserve it!

***Note on White/Gold sharpies. There are a lot of good paint pens on the market, but to write on a gourd it will need to have a felt tip or the nib will get gooked up writing over the textured surface, especially if you purchase the gourd and it’s oiled. No water-based ink is going to stick. Sharpies are the best/cheapest/most effective.

***Note on gold glitter sparkle paint. I’m insane for the Scribbles brand of gold glitter puff paint. Actually, I shouldn’t call it puff paint because it doesn’t puff. It dries flat, but, the density of the glitter is much higher than other brands. You’ll find very similar glitter paints/glues in any given craft store, but the Scribbles packs a lot more punch. I use it on lot’s of projects just as tiny little dots like putting tinsel on a Christmas tree. It adds an extra layer of depth and sparkle. And it’s cheap, so you know I love it.

I like to snake a line of the gold glitter all over the surface like a snail trail or something (see wet blobs above). You’d think they’d be glittery enough without it, but no, they really need that extra punch. Trust me.

These gourds joined some of the rest of my Liberace pumpkins from previous years. Weirdly, I can’t find half my Liberace pumpkins right now, so you every well might see them making an appearance come Christmas. I don’t think Jesus will mind.

Note the giant rhinestone sugar skull on the right. I found an awesome new secret indigent on that one. Stay tuned.

PS: Further reading, unrelated yet very awesome; Collin Nissan’s “It’s Decorative Gourd Season, Mothef@ckers.”

No-Sew Flying Spaghetti Monster

by aunt peaches 13 Comments

Know what’s cuter than a cute dog? A cute dog dressed like spaghetti.

Yup. It’s happening!

Kiki’s dog Abraham is one of those dogs that never stops moving. I think it’s a terrier thing. Jumping, dancing, hugging, wiggling, kissing the mailman, barking orders at the squirrels. Weird thing – he likes wearing clothes. He doesn’t even like it when you take his collar off. I think this goes back to his time in a shelter when the only time a collar came out was when a human would come to take him for walks or give him attention. I think he associates wearing things as a public mark that says I BELONG.

Okay. That’s me projecting my Lady and the Tramp pseudo-psycology on my friend’s dog. But you know what? I know what I know. And I know Abraham loves clothes, especially the ones that make him look extra adorable.

I mean…

I’ll have to get my video camera out so you can see the spaghetti wiggle with him. It’s pretty spectacular. And the cool thing about this costume is that it was inexpensive and came together in under an hour. Sure, this is a dog costume, but there is no reason you couldn’t take this to human size. OR EVER BETTER: make one for doggy and human to wear together.

That’s not weird at all.

You’ll need…
-Red or White base coat or sweatshirt (Abe donated his old coat to the cause)
-Brown yarn
-White yarn (extra thick blanket yarn is nice)
-Hot glue
-Pom-pom maker (optional)

Have you ever used a pom-pom maker? I grew up making pom-pons and tassels the old-fashioned way (just wrap yarn around a small book or piece of cardboard) and they are great, but I saw a woman at a craft fair demonstrating how to use a pom-pom maker and I was stunned, stunned, how nice and round her pom-poms came out. These really do look like little meatballs.

I hot glued some rough spirals shaped to the coat, which is a red fleece base. If you are ever considering making a costume with this method I highly suggest pairing it worth polar fleece. It takes to hot glue like peanut butter to jelly. I don’t know why that is, but it is. Those two love each other!

After the white spaghetti yarn was down I attached a few brown pom-pons, and that was that. Look how cute it came out!

Abe is sending you and yours spaghetti wishes and meatball dreams for a very happy Halloween!

This post is made possible thanks to Michael’s. Join me and the other Michael’s makers in creating costumes for those we love!

An InLinkz Link-up

<!– end InLinkz script —>

Patchwork Pumpkins with Oil Pastels

by aunt peaches 10 Comments

Reasons I don’t carve pumpkins:

1. Smell. 2. Slime. 3. Smell. 4. Ewww.

Did I mention I don’t carve pumpkins? Yeah. No. It’s not happening.

As much as I admire those who brave the pumpkin slaughter in a decorative fashion, I’m not doing it. That said, I still wanted some pumpkins to put out on the front steps. Problem: these pumpkins are exposed to the elements — wind, rain, unseasonably-early frost. Answer: oil paint. But oil paint is crazy expensive and won’t dry until Downton Abbey is back (because British people are mean and make us wait until January). So what is a no-wait alternative to oil paint? Oil pastels.

Warning: you are going to want to make one of these.

Pentel oil pastels that are crazy easy to work with. They are like crayons on steroids. I could cover a whole pumpkin in a manner of minutes, and then some. The patchwork pattern here was taken from traditional Indian kantha quilts, but you could just doodle your heart out same as if it were a marker or a pencil or crayon.

Did I mention you can buy a giant box of them for under $10? I know.

Now, I had tried using pastels in art school and hated them because they were so chalky and the residue got on everything – these are much more self-contained. Kid friendly. They are still oil based so you’ll want to cover your workspace to save on cleanup, but really, y’all. These are good. Pumpkins and beyond.

Hop over to Pentel to see how to make your own!

Happy Monday: Who runs the world? Girls.

by aunt peaches 5 Comments

White pumpkin + black Sharpie = something awesome for owl lovers.

Speaking of cool stuff with pens…do you ever get jealous of people who always have these impressive and elaborate doodles? Yeah. Look into these tangle patterns. You can be one of those people.

Here are some ideas on how to support the bloggers you love. *Yes, I write a blog but I also read them. Sometimes I forget how dependent they are on my engagement and feedback. It doesn’t take much to let them know you are listening.

Here are 15 Netflix hacks I wish I knew sooner.

Have you ever tried painting on paper towels? I’m intrigued.

If you read one thing today let it be this: How we punish people for being poor.

Quote of the week:

Is having children on your priority list? “I’m not going to answer that question. I’m not mad at you for asking that question, but I’ve said it before: I don’t think people ask men those questions.” —Zooey Deschanel, Marie Claire, September 2013.

…and 25 other famous women on not having children.

Malala, the 17 year old girl from Afghanistan who was shot in the head for publicly advocating for education for girls, was just awarded the Noble prize. This 30 minute NY Times documentary, Class Dismissed: Malala’s Story, was made in 2009, three years before she was targeted for assassination by the Taliban. It’s chilling to watch it now and realize the danger it put her in, and the good that will come from one girl’s story.

Speaking of brave young women, remember the social media campaign to bring back the 300 Nigerian girls kidnapped by Boko Haram? Yup. They are still there. Here is an account of one of the girls who escaped.

And on the subject of young adults, have you noticed that all young adult fiction follows the same story these days?

This SNL skit parodies popular movies, but it raises a good point; what is it that makes this particular storyline of survival so popular right now? A wide variation on ‘the hero’s arc’ goes back to ancient times in just about every culture, but why have we suddenly decided to paint this picture with such a narrow perspective? You can blame it on the author, but it’s the audience that drives the tide, and that says something about us. Hmmm…

Whoa. That was heavy. Let’s lighten it up with a slow motion cat video.

Happy Monday!

Marbleized Switch Plates with Guidecentral

by aunt peaches 1 Comment

I decided the switch plates in my dining room need a little kick. I could have used paint, or decoupage, but when I saw this easy DIY on Guidecentral,I knew that was it!

Are you familiar with Guidecentral? It’s like a nightclub for craft/DIY/food tutorials. No bouncer, no velvet rope, but you can meet and greet with amazing projects all night long. Cocktails optional (but there are some good cocktail recipes in there too).

Guidecentral is open for viewing by anyone on a computer, but, even better, you can join the community for free. You can download the app for your phone tablet (Apple or Android) and then you can cruise craft tutorials while you are waiting in line at the grocery store. Not bad, huh?

Actually, I liked it so much that I signed up to be a Guidecentral Maker by posting a couple of my tutorials from my phone, and it was surprisingly easy. This is sort of a new concept for those of us who spend time looking/making craft tutorials on the internet. From my standpoint, there are three crowds of people that will want to start posting on Guidecentral;

People looking to make some extra money. Guidecentral pays Makers $7 for contributing the project, plus a little more for every person that views and likes the project. The more interaction, the more money you can make.
People who want to share their creative projects without the weight and obligations of operating a blog or youtube channel. I know a bunch of people who would love to start sharing their ideas on the web, but are intimidated by the technology. This is much easier. If you can upload an attachment to an email, you can make a guide on Guidecentral.
People who already have a craft blog (or similar) but want a new venue for sharing old content with a new audience. If a Guidecentral user digs your vibe, they’ll click through to your profile and find your site, along with all your other awesome stuff. As you can see, I posted a couple of mine (this Fall wreath made with coffee filters and this jewelry hanger made from an old sign). This also works great for folks with Etsy shops looking for a new way to reach out. Guidecentral members come from all corners of the globe. Who knows what (or who) is out there!

I’m happy with my new switch plates, and I have a nifty new library of creative adventures waiting on my phone at any given time. Hope you join in the fun!

####

I am happy to join the Guidecentral community as part of this sponsored post.

All words and opinions are my own.

Main navigation

Featured