Happy Holidays, my friends! I had plans for a larger post, in which I shared more images from my vintage Christmas books and waxed rhapsodic about 2011. But then…

… My activities counselor decided it was time I stopped doing things and threw himself down on my photo background.

Thank you indeed for reading and commenting here in 2011. We’ve had a lot of big, productive discussions this year – about free and sustainability, about paying designers, about Pinterest, and about the challenges of monetizing online content. As always, I am humbled by how thoughtful and smart you are, and how many times you’ve helped me think in new ways.

I love having this space to talk with you, and I hope we do lots more of it in 2012!

But for now, I’m taking a good break. Other than the new podcast on 12/30, you won’t hear much from me until the new year. I hope you get some restorative downtime among your merrymaking, too!

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

Well, it’s been announced on CRAFT, so I can talk about it over here. I’ve decided to end my contract as Editor in Chief and come back to my own business.

It’s not appropriate to discuss too many details, of course, but the position just wasn’t a good fit for me. Of course CRAFT is still amazing, and we should all be reading and supporting it. But do not worry – I’m completely fine, and 100% happy to be moving on.

It’s been really sad the past 3+ months, watching all the tumbleweeds blowing through this space. It was impossible to maintain CraftyPod and do that job. I’ve hated watching my traffic numbers decline, and I’ve hated being such an infrequent and largely uninteresting blogger. I worked hard to build this blog, and it means so much to me that you come by here and witness the stuff I do, and offer supportive and thoughtful commentary. It felt like I was letting you (and myself) down.

So… moving forward! I have about one bazillion new ideas, and I’m energized enough to toast bread with my mind. I’m going to take a few days off and regroup (i.e, clean my house for the first time since May), and then look out, y’all! There be a new content renaissance ahead.

In the meantime, I send you hugs and one of these amazing truffles my Mom makes. Thank you for putting up with the dry spell.

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

OK, here’s why I have such a “Deer in the Headlights” face in that photo.

You may have seen the announcement by now – I’m the new Editor-in-Chief of CRAFT.

(I can’t believe I just said that out loud.)

You should read it in her words for sure, but our beloved Natalie Zee Drieu has decided to move on from CRAFT and focus on her family. She will be so sorely missed as the guiding hand behind what has always been my favorite craft website, but I do love the fact that she’ll be crafting with her daughter and maybe even making a little something for herself now and then. (She’ll also be blogging over at Coquette and Coquette Maman.)

Nat and I have been hard at work all week transitioning, and yesterday I got to visit the MAKE offices in Sebastopol and meet all those nice people whose pictures appear in the CRAFT sidebar in person. (They are amazing. The offices are amazing.) While I was there, Brookelynn snapped the awesome polaroid-esque photo above of Nat and me.

I’m proud to say that I’ve been actually in the site today, entering posts and doing editor-type things! I have a lot of information to absorb, and a lot of learning and adjusting to do, but lordy. This is an absolutely delightful and exciting challenge. To me, CRAFT is so much more than a collection of pretty pictures. It’s a driving force for originality and pushing the boundaries of what craft can be. CRAFT has helped me think about making things in new ways more than any other website. What an honor to be part of it.

I think I’ll take a couple weeks off blogging over here – I just need time to get my bearings. But I’ll be back, and we’ll keep talking about crafts and community.

And plastic canvas. Of course.

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

Recently, I had a consulting session with the fabulous Kirsty Hall. She pointed out a number of things I really need to tune up here at the ol’ CraftyPod.

(Because, no matter how much you know about blogging or any other subject, you can never beat the laser-beam view from a fresh set of eyes. Especially, Kirsty’s eyes.)

Anyway. Here’s the first of several upgrades – and I think you’ll like it. I’ve completely revamped the way CraftyPod’s 1,000+ posts are organized.

Take a look in the sidebar, and you can see the whole list. It’s a long one, but then again, I blog about a lot of things here. And it was getting so that you couldn’t really find any of them.

But now you can. (Come on, you feed-reader people. Click out and take a look. Just this once!)

This re-org took about 80,000 mouse-clicks to accomplish, so if you wanted to (ahem!) leave a comment and (ahem!) mention that it was useful (or offer suggestions), my aching mouse-arm would love you.

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

Okay, so as I was surfing around the interwebs, I discovered this interesting website called Flickr. Maybe you’ve heard of it?

…And it appears that you can set up your own groups on this Flickr. So I had this really revolutionary idea: Why don’t I create a group for CraftyPod? You know, where people could share their photos of projects they’ve made from the tutorials posted here?

Crazy, right? Well, here’s the CraftyPod Reader Projects Group! And I would love to see your photos there!

‘Scuze me now. I have to go feed my pet dinosaur.

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

I don’t think anybody would deny that the ol’ CraftyPod has needed an overhaul for quite some time. It’s one of my biggest failings: I get involved in so many projects all the time, I always get behind on maintenance things.

Anyway. This new layout is a work in progress, but already orders of magnitude better than what you’ve been putting up with for the last three years. For the curious, I used a WordPress theme called Thesis, which is the bomb-diggety. (Not cheap, but endlessly customizable.)

I have a punch list several miles long, and will be tweaking things as I have time. So now’s a good moment to ask you:

What features and functionality would you like to see on this here blog?

…And thanks so much for your endless patience with the old layout. :-)

…Now to redesign my shop!

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

It’s Christmas Eve and a nice, puttery day around here. I hope you’re having a fun and relaxing celebration, too.

Thank you so much for reading this blog in 2009. It is always a joy and a privilege to share crafty goodness with such a talented, excellent-brained group of kindred spirits.

Here’s to a 2010 filled with good things for all of us! See you after Christmas!

(PS – isn’t this snowglobe, made by Pam, the cutest?)

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

Here’s where I’m spending my October weekends – at The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island. I’m helping my parents with their Fall photo booth.

Here’s the stage, all set for photo-subjects.

My job is to pull the images from the camera and make photo prints.

The Patch is a hub of activity all month – hayrides, animals to pet, a farmer’s market, and The Maize, a giant cornstalk labyrinth. These scarecrows are apparently watching over things.

If you’re out that way some weekend this month, Locals, stop by and say hello!

…And, my apologies, but I’m afraid I won’t have a new podcast for you this week. The week was not kind to my To-Do list at all. But I do have some fun shows in the works for future!

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

Something a little different today – a review of a fiction novel!

The Enthusiast isn’t exactly a crafty novel, although crochet does figure prominently in the plot. Actually, the back-cover summary had me at hello:

“Henry Bay has his own America going. If there’s an offbeat interest or extreme sport that’s poised to sweep the nation, chances are there’s a magazine for its enthusiasts, and chances are also good that Henry has worked there. He’s a modern nomad, associate-editing his way from state to state, exploring the small worlds that make up modern America from Spelunk to Ice Climbing, to Cozy, The Magazine of Tea.“

I dearly loved this book for its delicious portrayal of people who have passions. We can all relate – and it’s fun to be reminded that the joy we feel in crafting is the same joy rock climbers feel when scaling a wall. Or skateboarders feel when airborne.

Aside from the enthusiasms, the novel is great fun for its portrayal of the quirky world of small hobby magazines – a sadly dying breed these days, as we know so well. The author, Charlie Haas, has written for quite a few magazines and knows this territory.

Still, this isn’t a merely funny book – it’s also a poignant story of family bonds changing, friendships waxing and waning, and the all-important search for that one pastime that makes you forget the passage of time.

Add this to your summer reading list. You won’t regret it.

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

Happy Friday! A couple cool things happened around the webby-neighborhood today:

This week’s tutorial went up at CraftStylish. Since it’s Weddings & Celebrations month over there, I made these cute party favor baskets from stiffened fabric. They’re super easy to make (just need lots of drying time) and are fun table decorations.

And then, I was honored that Rachel included my Mom and I in a CRAFT blog series on crafters and their mothers. The piece is here, and you can read the rest of the series here and here.

(Here we are, tying a quilt for my great grandmother, circa 1980. I made that crazy sweatshirt – hand-sewed on all that braided trim, Wish you could see the whole design, as it’s truly weird.)

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

In the OMG, OMG, OMG Department, my grandmother recently sent me a box of buttons. Some are from her stash, and some are from my great great grandmother’s stash. Yes, I pretty much was freaking out.

I still have a lot of sorting and photographing to do, but here are a few early highlights! I love imagining what kind of dress these red glass buttons came from.

My great great grandmother, who we called Grammie, was a great seamster, cook, and maker. Mom recently blogged about an amazing hand-sewn Double Wedding Ring quilt top she made.

(Sigh. Filigree.)

Grammie also saved buttons. These Girl Scout buttons came from Mom’s uniform.

Some of these may have some collector value, but I don’t really care about that. I’m an equal-opportunity button-lover.

These are tiny – like doll-sized. Smaller than a dime. Which makes those little green deer impossibly precious.

These little pink doll buttons are also wonderful. They make me think of frilly Easter dresses and doll clothes.

And there are two of these crazy sword closures! Seriously, what coat were these on? I want that coat. I don’t know whether I’ll reuse these, or just look at them periodically and cackle to myself.

There’s still lots to show, including some pretty carded sets on vintage cards. And some shank buttons from my grandmother’s stash in beautiful, jewel-like colors, which likely need a project of their very own.

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

Taking a break from the repetitive process of preparing my taxes to share a couple of repetitive crafty things I’ve been working on lately.

I’m making a large number of Kanzashi flower magnets for my publisher to use in marketing my upcoming book. Many more of these in my future….

And then, here’s a magazine reed project I just finished. Can’t show you the whole thing, but let’s just say, it was a lot of magazine pages. And a lot of hours of Mad Men.

…Although I’ll take this kind of repetition over the tax-preparing kind any day.

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

Busy busy over here this week! Here are some recent events:

I scored these beautiful handmade buttons over at Lisa’s shop. She’s amazing with polymer clay. Writes a dang fine blog, too.

It’s also Nephew Birthday Season, so K. and I are hard at work on the construction of a puppet theater. More on this later!

And . . . I got a couple proof copies of my book in the mail! They’re black-and-white inside, so I’ll wait to show you any pages until I have them in color. The design team did an absolutely amazing job, though – can’t wait to show you more!

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

Well – it was a belated Christmas, but it certainly was a lovely one after all. I had so many wonderful gifties from creative friends. Wanted to share the awesomeness.

Above there are gourd bowls that Bridget brought from her trip to Oaxaca. I’m amazed by the intricacy of the carvings. Bridget says that the artisans carve into he gourds while they’re still fresh, and then let them dry. Interesting…

She also gifted me with one of her fabulous matchbox birdhouse ornaments, but I sadly packed it away before I remembered to photograph it. But follow that link for her great how-to!

Laura gave me one of her amazing fused glass pendants. I love, love, love her work, and am sure to wear the heck out of this.

Missy and I swapped zines, and I’ve been having a great time digging into all this charming stuff.

Heather ingeniously modded the salt dough recipe with cocoa powder to create these chocolate hearts. I’m so excited to try this next year! What a pretty decoration!

Kari and I swapped Christmas music, and she included some extra goodies in the package. Don’t you love that bird pin? It’s made from recycled sweater.

She also sent this great Keri Smith book – it’s all about leaving art in public places. Really good food for creative thought.

Her kitties also sent Pushkin a gift – two little furry mouse toys. I think it’s safe to say that he, er, enjoyed them aggressively. I think his eyes really were glowing like this.

XOXO to you all!

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!

Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! It can’t be said enough: I’m so grateful to you for reading this blog, and leaving comments, and being such an awesome community of like-minded souls. I’m so looking forward to more communal creating in 2009!

I’m going to take a few days off from blogging here, and enjoy the holiday. Hope you do as well. See you soon!

CraftyPod is a blog about making crafts and making media. If you're seeing this post on another website, I'd love to know. Thank you!