The Internet is overflowing with information, challenges and inspiration. Sometimes we feel overstimulated & flooded with information that doesn't seem easy to apply to our own projects. But
Project 52 is a unique site that provides weekly step-by-step directions on how to make unique items, take photos, create original corners in your home, organize your supplies, write with your heart, capture you and those you love, and turn inspiration into reality. These guidelines & projects will inspire you to create your own little masterpieces & treasures.
Project 52's monthly guest instructors include lots of well-known artists, such as
Rachel Denbow,
Amy Tangerine &
Ashley Wren. These creative women will lead you through various crafts, projects, gift ideas, photography, organization, inspiration, & techniques while sharing their philosophies on all things crafty.
Sign up before February 1st & pay only $52.00 for the WHOLE year. That is one dollar a lesson!
(Membership will cost $78.00 after January 31st) You can sign up at any time & all lessons are archived so you can access them whenever you'd like. Give yourself this fabulous gift to yourself & start the new year with purpose in your crafting. Contact Courtney at
projects52@yahoo.com with any questions.
Today I had the pleasure of attending a jewelry design class taught by Jennifer Perkins of The Naughty Secretary Club at Make Shop & Studio. Make is located in the Bishop Arts District of Dallas, Texas, a funky cool historic area full of great shops. I am one of those people who has always sworn up & down that I would NOT get into jewelry making. It's too meticulous, too time consuming, just not for me - the list of excuses was a mile long. But after attending Jennifer's class, I am ready to being my great jewelry making adventure!
Jennifer is a laid back kind of gal that you feel like you've known forever even if you've only just made her acquaintance. She has a fun way of explaining her techniques while sprinkling her directions with her own terminology, my favorite being 'doodle,' as in "squeeze this little doodle..." She brought a large stash of beads, pendants & other jewelry making supplies for us to choose from. Each of picked out the items we wanted to use in making a necklace & a pair of earrings and we were given a handy bead design board to lay our piece out on. We then proceeded to follow Jennifer's instructions & began stringing our necklaces. Once we finished that assignment, we moved on to making a pair of earrings which I especially enjoyed.
My biggest challenge when starting a new hobby is knowing which supplies to purchase & how to use them. Jennifer's book, The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girl's Guide to Handmade Jewelry has a terrific section explaining the various supplies & tools and tips on how to use them. I purchased the book today, so I haven't had much time to peruse it. However, at first glance I can tell you that the pictures & step-by-step instructions look to be well-written, detailed & easy to understand. The book is very well printed & is full of great eye candy. I would highly recommend taking a class at Make, a terrific shop & studio owned by Julie McCollough Kim. There is a wide variety of classes that are offered ranging from screen printing to sewing. And the atmosphere is so fun & relaxed. The only disappointing part about today's event was that it had to end. I was ready to keep designing & crafting!
