All Things Crafts Blog by Lyra Pappin

New York’s City Council, the Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Department for the Aging are pooling $1 million to bring arts programs to 150 senior citizen groups around the city. I heard their first project will be to make 10,000 Bingo cards. :)

Read full story: N.Y. Spends $1 Million to Move Seniors Beyond Bingo Into Arts Read more

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Although it’s probably not what author Philip Pullman had in mind when he wrote it, a Japanese jeweler has created an actual golden compass , which is worth 30 million yen ($281,400) .

A pure 18-carat gold compass inspired by the movie “The Golden Compass” starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig enchants with its craftsmenship.

Designed by Japanese jeweler Tanaka Kikinzoku, this golden... Read more

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80-year-old Leona Lozada from El Paso has taken celebrity up a notch by creating cross-stitched representations of them.

The senior has become a local hit and after stitching such famous female figures as Princess Diana, Oprah, and Ellen, I can only assume it’s just a matter of time before my face is cross-stitched into history. :)

Read full story: (broken link, removed)
Photo credit:... Read more

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A college senior from San Antonio named Chris Moreno has turned his love of, that’s right, crocheting , into a lucrative part-time job while studying earth sciences. He makes beanies, scarves and handbags.

Apparantly, San Antonio student is not the only men that's into crafts. Former Sex and the City" hunk Jason Lewis is busying himself with a new creative pastime - knitting ... Knit me... Read more

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The Japanese have a long history of craft making and for the fourth year in a row, crafting firms have travelled to Paris to sell their historically valuable pieces. I was on the lookout for the earliest crafted computer design, but was surprised to find mainly bowls and things. :)

Read full story: Japanese crafts 'glocalise'

Read full story: The Japanese have a long history of craft making and for... Read more

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The Welsh Arts Council is losing 3.5 million pounds to the 2012 London Olympics, which must be extremely annoying to them since they aren’t exactly known for their sports stars.

The only famous Welsh person I know is Catherine Zeta-Jones, although she would look pretty good in those track outfits.

Read full story: Welsh arts lose £3.5m to Olympics
Image credit: allposters.com Read more

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It isn’t just the crafty crowd that appreciates homemade work, everyone does! The recent surge in the crafting business proves that whether you are all thumbs or all crafty, people enjoy personalized and homemade items.

Perhaps you are just joining the crafting craze and haven’t made anything since your kindergarten arts and crafts days, but fear not! There are simple projects that pros love to... Read more

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Making your own stamps is easier than you think! While it might take some time to get started, creating your own stamps is not just a fun activity, but can add a nice personalized touch to gifts for friends and family. If you start with a simple stamp design, you can progress further into the realm of fancy and intricate stamping!

Stamps can be used to create your own stationary and gift wrap or as an... Read more

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While most people might look at arts and crafts as “just a hobby”, this creative pastime has become a booming 31 billion dollar industry in the U.S. With 57% of households engaging in crafting activities, the arts and crafts industry has enjoyed a significant bump since its $23 billion dollar earnings in 2000.

So what has caused this resurgence of interest in the Do-It-Yourself approach?... Read more

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