{Happy early 4th of July Everybody! Patti Wallenfang, Leisure Arts designer and creator of all the cool duct tape projects in our craft pattern books—Go Crazy with Duct Tape and Just Duct Tape It!, is back again today as a guest blogger here on Everyday Life at Leisure! Check out her fun idea for making patriotic coozies for your 4th of July celebration!}Get out the red, white and blue duct tape! Time to get ur “patriotic” ON!I know you are probably planning some fun things to do for the 4th of July, and I’m sure being outdoors is in there somewhere. Swimming, havin a cook-out, goin to watch the fireworks, maybe even camping!? Don’t forget the bug spray!Another thing you’ll want to have is a drink “coozie” to keep your beverage of choice COLD!And, of course, this coozie should be made of duct tape to reach the ultimate level of “Coolness”...Here’s a picture of some that I made.
God Bless America! Besides the duct tape, I also used some stick-on foam stars and some sparkly garland. Adds a really festive touch, don’t you think? As I always say, it’s all about the shiny stuff! If you are going to be with a whole gang of people, putting your name on ur coozie is a great idea. That pretty much eliminates the chance of someone else’s cooties getting on your drink! Hahaha!To make the coozie with the personalized star, stick some duct tape on a piece of non-stick foil (get it at the grocery store by the reg. foil...Super great for duct tape crafts). Trace or draw a star on the tape, cut out and then peel the foil off the back of your shape. Sam Patriot, u have a sticker!Stick it on ur coozie and write ur name on it with a permanent pen. As a joke, I like to write “not yours” on my coozie. Well, it’s NOT! This always makes people laugh. I write that on my luggage tag, too...Learn to Make Duct Tape CooziesSo, to make the coozie, follow the instructions from my Just Duct Tape It book or watch my free video—Learn to Make Duct Tape Coozies. Lots of other cool ideas in the book, too. Check it out. Now that you already have the patriotic duct tape rolling, make some patriotic flip-flops if you have time. Or a tote bag, or a hat, or a flower, or a...Have a great 4th of July! Be safe with your sparklers and eat a bratwurst for me....L8r!





Publishers Weekly (03/19/2012):

If there ever was a book subtly designed to seduce readers into a jewelry-making career British artist Young's is it. And if slipcased with her first book, The Workbench Guide to Jewelry Techniques (2010), it would be half of an excellent map to the workings and how-tos of the business. Its four sections Introduction to Design, Gemstone Directory, Techniques Directory, Reference are packed with information. The first sets the stage by zeroing in on contemporary practices, inspirations, and outsourcing, with lots of jeweled examples (who could resist one tongue-in cheek beauty called Glue Ring, in which Philip Sajet carves the ring's shank from rock crystal, molds the stone in gold, then joins the two with adhesive?). More than 30 groups of gemstones, from the hardest (diamond) to artificial stones, are the focus of section two; expect lengthy but highly instructive blurbs to include information on availability, synthetics, and care. By far the largest and most critical set of information is the third section's presentation of five different types of techniques, which are not only explained but also extraordinarily well illustrated. Section four is filled with data about conversions, stone shapes, templates for settings, a glossary, and lists of suppliers and services, further reading, and galleries, fairs, and organizations. Glorious color photographsa real visual distraction to those just being introduced to the artpopulate every page of this tome. Sparkling, and with substance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)
"Custom Knits Accessories "is the third book in the Custom Knits series by acclaimed designer Wendy Bernard. While the first two books focused on techniques for customizing top-down sweaters, this one showcases the ever-popular quick-knits: hats, scarves, gloves, mitts, socks, and more. Each of Bernard's 25 sassy-chic patterns offers specific ideas for customization--from switching out yarns to personalizing fit and style details--and fun, glamorous photographs show off the finished pieces. Also included are formulas for knitting all types of accessories without a pattern, using a single body measurement as a starting point. In true Custom Knits style, Bernard encourages knitters to unleash their inner designer every step of the way.
Publishers Weekly (03/05/2012):
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