Hello there! I'm Sister Diane and I have two grand passions: making crafts and making media. That's what I write about here, and sometimes, I get all thoughtful about internet culture and creative small businesses. Thanks for stopping by! Would you like some tea?

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A Bouquet (as it were) of Past Valentine Tutorials

A Bouquet (as it were) of Past Valentine Tutorials

Holy moly, it’s that time again! Wasn’t it just New Year’s Day? Anyway. I thought I’d compile a bunch of Valentine-related tutorials I’ve done here for your crafty pleasure: Top row, from left to right • Here’s a little video how-to for a pretty stand-up gift-topper. It uses plastic canvas. Of course. • This button-embellished notebook cover is …

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In Which I Make a Kindle Cover, With Some Help

In Which I Make a Kindle Cover, With Some Help

Some of you (hopefully most of you, actually) are familiar with Nancy Zieman, of Sewing With Nancy fame. (That’s the longest-running craft TV program in the country – it’s been on PBS since 1983.) Nancy has a new line of Tablet Keeper products with Clover, and she offered me a chance to try them …

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How to Make a Kanzashi Candle Wrap (and win Kanzashi Makers)

How to Make a Kanzashi Candle Wrap (and win Kanzashi Makers)

Back in August, I got to meet Jason and Courtney Dirks, the dynamic duo behind Meylah. They’re lovely people, and I ended up doing a tutorial for their site – this Kanzashi Candle Wrap. It’s a simple project that works with Kanzashi or really any favorite fabric flower. Pop on over and download your free …

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How to Make a Felty Easter Gift Box (my first donation-ware tutorial!)

How to Make a Felty Easter Gift Box (my first donation-ware tutorial!)

I love a good Easter basket as much as the next gal, but I adore the idea of this simple little gift box. Sometimes you just want to give one beautiful egg or a few choice candies to a favorite teacher, co-worker, or friend, and this little presentation is perfect. The whole thing is constructed …

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New Tutorials! Come and Get ‘Em!

New Tutorials! Come and Get ‘Em!

Happy Friday, everyone! Here’s a little roundup of tutorials I’ve done lately, in case you were at a loss for stuff to make this weekend. (Which of course you are NOT, but still….) First, up top there is honestly one of my favorite things I’ve made in recent memory – many thanks to The Oregonian …

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How to Make a Franken-Blanket

How to Make a Franken-Blanket

I swear, this is one of the least-attractive things I’ve ever made, but it’s also proven to be one of the most useful, so I decided to share. But before the tutorial, a little background: I am always cold. Even in 80-degree weather, I can find a way to need a sweater. Heck, I’m a …

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Recent Tutorials & Columns

Recent Tutorials & Columns

I’m still over here thinking and re-thinking about Free and my future plans for this blog, which means I’ve been light on the crafty posting lately. Sorry. Here are some things I’ve done for other folks recently… First, the Perpetual Button Calendar above was a tutorial for CRAFT. Any project that gives you an ironclad …

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New How-To’s and Classes

New How-To’s and Classes

I’m loving all the discussion coming out of yesterday’s post about Free and Sustainability. Please, keep it coming! If we all put our heads together, we can find so many solutions. In the meantime, I wanted to catch you up on some tutorials and things I have going on right now… First, you may have missed …

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Turning an Ebook into a Crafty Gift, part 5: a Thumb Drive Box

Turning an Ebook into a Crafty Gift, part 5: a Thumb Drive Box

Today, we wrap up our series on ebook gifting with a cool little box presentation. You can buy someone an ebook, put it on a thumb drive, and then tuck it into this little book-looking box as a stocking stuffer. This is a nice presentation for ebooks with a hefty page count, and ebooks …

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Turning a Crafty Ebook into a Cool Gift, part 4: Perfect Binding

Turning a Crafty Ebook into a Cool Gift, part 4: Perfect Binding

Our series on giving ebooks as gifts continues today, with a really beautiful binding method known as “perfect binding.” It’s a great way to bind ebooks that print out to 1/4″ thick or thicker, and it takes surprisingly few materials. Today, I’m binding a copy of Handwork for the Holidays, by Katie Startzman and …

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