Desk Project

I have been looking for a small writing desk for quite a while now. I saw this ratty little desk with a glass top in the garbage in one of Ottawa's well-heeled neighbourhoods. I thought to myself, "As an extreme crafter, I can transform this desk into something beautiful by putting a fabric skirt on it." Stay tuned. I'm looking at my fabric stash, pulling out the staple gun. This might not even involve sewing at all.

"Stuffing" for upcoming projects

I have a long list of things I want to make, and many of them require "stuffing" of some sort. I'm exploring the world of buckwheat husks because I plan to make my own meditation cushion. Buckwheat husks are expensive! Can I use a cheaper alternative? Can I find something comparable at the Bulk Barn? Help!
Also, I want to make my own "magic bag" -- you know, those things you throw in the microwave, then wear around your neck? What kinds of materials can be nuked?
I'm happy with the flax seed/lavender combo I used in my eye pillows. I used a bit of basmati rice in one, too, and that worked as well.

Needlepoint pin cushion

Extreme crafters become obsessed with things sometimes. I became obsessed with this needlepoint pin cushion I found at my aunt's house. I apologize for the poor quality of the photo..
My grandmother made this pin cushion many many years ago -- along with dozens of pillows, chair seats, wall hangings and other needlepoint masterpieces. My grandmother was good with a needle and a patient teacher of needlepoint. She started me off with a kid's kit with thick wool and a massive needle. Then, she quickly moved me to an "adult" needlepoint kit that required finer stitches and a steadier hand.

I hadn't even thought about needlepoint for about 20 years! Then, while visiting my aunt, I spotted this needlepoint pin cushion and wanted it really badly -- so badly that my aunt gave me the pin cushion. Hurrah!

But the obsession continues. Now I want to make my own needlepoint pin cushions. I found some similar patterns here. Expensive. But when you're obsessed, what can you do?

Flax/Lavender Eye Pillows

Lately, I've been saying I don't "have time" for extreme crafting. But, this is just not true. There is always time. This perception of having "no time" is perpetuated by stress. In times of stress, it's more important than ever to get the scissors and start cutting. I decided to make something that would help me relax, and thus allow more space in my life for extreme crafting. So, I made two eye pillows in two different sizes.
One of them turned out to be a wee chest pillow. The bandaid on my chin is compliments of my new kitten, Ti-gris.

Nina's Fish

This happy fish swam onto my facebook page last week.....it is the work of our friend Lynn - she is making a quilt for her first grandbaby, NINA!!!
I love the fabrics you are finding Lynn!

Project LP Bowls

A January project featuring the extreme crafting enthusiasm of "Q". LPs are melted in the conventional oven for 4 minutes....at low temps....fumes are inevitable. Inspiration for the project and instructions: http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/

Meh!

Extreme crafting friend, Daphne, shared this with me today.

The Manifesto

"The cutting up of shit is liberating, let's face it."

-Aggie, Lepreau 2008

Basic Tenents of Manifesto (draft)

1. Create and protect the space to have the retreat. Unless birth or death are imminent, perservere with your retreat concept.

2. Retreat means TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES.

3. Cultivate space and time for creative interaction.

4. Emerge from retreat with new tools and inspiration to take back to our regular lives.

5. food. Not over thought. 4 minutes at NB liquor, 10 minutes at Superstore. Basics to cover include beverages (happy hour, wine for dinner, coffee) Snacks (nuts, chips, vegetables) , quick and delicious meals (baked salmon w/fennel, potatoes and brie-lemon-sun-dried-tomato penne) 6. Limited access to outside world. Email and phone in moderation or not> at all.

7. Dave Scrimshaw:" You can help me by looking after yourself". This in reference to our special needs friendships/small children/needy men/relatives.( note: Dave was not actually AT the retreat, but the spirit of Dave was often invoked for inspiration/creative direction)

8. Loose schedule..reasonable expectations. Like 3 aprons by 3:oo pm.

9. Passionate about work/process, but not striving towards an end (or competing)

10. OPen to serendipitous inspiration.

11. Baby steps/warm-ups such as the flotsam and jetsam still-life exercise developed at last retreat.

12. Creative naming, such as "bait bag".

We aspire to see things differently, outside the box. We will take a sweater off our back and throw it into the saltwater felting pot. We will work outside our comfort zone...in the zone of true creativity.

Artists we like: Alice Neel, Milton Avery

Cooking Show Hosts: Jamie Oliver( contact for guest spot on Extreme Crafting tv series) WWJOD (what would jamie oliver do)

Music! Poetry !Other ! We believe in learning, growing, sharing, asking. Sharing resources, cross-pollination of ideas across disciplines. Felting, knitting, quilting, painting, sculpting, collage. We reserve the right to call Joan Wiebe (Gwen's mom) for technical support.

In the beginning.....

in the beginning........we made the aprons. The aprons somehow embody the true spirit of the extreme crafting collective (ecc). Perhaps it was the rickrack. Perhaps the recycled kitchen curtains from Value Village...or even the simple but desperate act of the dash to Saint John to procure the rickrack and curtains..even as we did not know they were there waiting for us...or that we needed them.. We did not know where we were going, but we believed in the manifesto.

The extreme crafting collective was born.