Cutting it up with a real turkey and Cyber Monday Crafty Blogger links

This turkey was not impressed with my scissors. He clearly was not harmed in the making of this photo or by any knife or oven. That said, his owners were deep frying one of his "peeps" just a few feet away. Surreal Thanksgiving for sure!

Aileen's Musings

Aileen invites you to join a creative challenge with her called the Erosion Bundle Project. Take a peek at her pictures and find out exactly what erosion bundles are!

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Craftside's got yummy pumpkin cookie and biscuit recipes, an inside peek into Bead Quilled Jewelry, eco friendly recipes for casein glue and an all-purpose cleaner, and starting Monday- The 19 Days of Holiday Goodness Giveaways starts, answer each day's question and you are entered to win a free book every day!

Crafty Princess Diaries
Tammy is making her first crocheted hat for herself. Now, hopefully it will be done by the time it gets cold down South!

Cross Stitch at About.com
The 2009 Holiday Ornament Collection is ready! Whip up some super quick back stitch ornies or cross stitch some more colorful ones.

Farm Girl Roots, City Girl Style
Don't fence her in! Linda shares the story of her Fences and Ferns Quilt and how creativity can prosper even in dark times.

Mixed Media Artist
Mixed media artist Nicolette Anderson shares her lovely work!

The Artful Crafter
Whatever the holiday, make cute pop-up place cards to organize the dinner table and delight guests of all ages.

The Impatient Crafter
Madge is ready for Christmas so bring it on! Check out this retrolicious frame she designed for iLoveToCreate

About Family Crafts
Does your family have any creative Thanksgiving traditions. You can read about other people's Thanksgiving traditions and then share your own.

Make it Merry 1

Snowman Ornament


Sherri Osborn will show you how to create a cute snowman face using a clear, glass ornament. It's a great project for the whole family.

Recycled Pine Cone Gnome


Get a glimpse of this pine cone gnome at the Recycled Crafts blog. It's a cute reason to collect a few pine cones around the yard.

CopprClay Pendants


Try your hand with pendant making this year with a little help from some winter foliage. The Beading Arts blog will show you how.

How to Make Paper


Handmade paper not only makes a great gift for the avid scrapbooker in your life, but you can also create tags and cards for every present on your list. Marion Boddy-Evans shows us how.

Little Town of Bethlehem Cross Stitch


Get down to the true meaning of Christmas with this simple cross stitch pattern from Connie G. Barwick.

Mitten Earrings


Tammy Powley shows us how to make these cute mitten earrings using lampwork beads.

Christmas Stocking


This cute two-color Christmas stocking is a breeze to knit, even if you've never knit a sock before. Worked with bulky yarn on big needles, it will be done and ready for you to embellish in no time.

Advent Garland


If you are looking for something a little different when it comes to counting down to the holidays this year then take a look at this pyramid box garland. Use the free template to make the boxes and decorate them with your favorite festive stamps.

Miniature Gift Boxes


Have a little gift to give? Check out these free printable miniature gift boxes for small gifts or advent calendars from Lesley Shepherd.

Manga Holiday Card


Instead of a traditional Christmas card, you could go with something a little more contemporary this year. Helen South has tips on how to create a manga style card.

Want to Join Make it Merry to show off your holiday crafts? We will showcase your crafts and recipes of all holiday traditions. Learn more.

A necklace and bracelet made from the same Blue Moon Beads pendant with a how-to video

Bling!

After producing a million episodes of how-to TV shows I am now on the other side. Yup that's me in those Craftside videos and now you can see my hands and hear my voice in these cool new how-to videos with Blue Moon Beads! Check them all out there are project ones and technique ones.




I love their stuff! I design with it all the time. In the video you can see a cool necklace with the giant round Manor House rhinestone pendant. And here is another photo of the bracelet I did using the same components. They really are flexible.

Crafty Blogger links that I am thankful for

Just one of the things I am thankful for.

Another thing I am thankful for, fellow crafters and their generosity in sharing their creativity:

Farm Girl Roots, City Girl Style

Linda shares one of the first quilts she designed and tells the first of many stories about lessons learned.

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi has finished a second Garden Quilt and is offering her tutorial!

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Over at Craftside you can enter to win a Mixed-Media Doll by Linda O'Brien, Co-author of Who's Your Dada?, download a free intricate leaf paper cutting pattern, get a fun how-to on making a paper cupcake and a pretty pair of fall leaf earrings.

The Artful Crafter
Check out Eileen's latest craft finds: lots of free stuff and free advice, well that's usually free, isn't it? LOL.

The Crochet Dude
Drew kicks off the holiday season with a crochet pattern event!

The Impatient Crafter
In this week's teen crafts blog for iLoveToCreate Madge makes a stunning mixed media necklace. You might just want to sport this one yourself!

About Family Crafts
Do you play with clay? If so, please take a moment and share your favorite stories, projects, recipes, techniques, and more.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen is offering Vintage freebie images for you to download and use in your art. Get started on those digi holiday cards using some of them.

Cathie Filian
Cathie has lots of Thanksgiving recipes, crafts and family activities posted. Plus tips for a smooth Thanksgiving!

Crafty Princess Diaries

Mix up altered books, glitter, and teenagers, shake well, and voila! You have a fun day of art combined with writing.

Cross Stitch at About.com
Stitch a Simple Hanukah Menorah Motif for a card or ornament. Suitable for knitting or crochet projects too.

Sweater Surgery attacks t-shirts and cuts them up into some cute gathered tops with the help of Generation-T Beyond Fashion

Me and my scissors have been busy!
I won a copy of Generation T: Beyond Fashion over at Cut out and Keep and probably next to cutting Sweaters up I like cutting t-shirts up, aw who am I kidding, I cut all types of clothing up. Well, this book is uber -inspirational with cute and easy to follow instructions for 120 more ideas (I have the first Generation-T book too).

This T-shirt project for adding a gather under the bust line they call a "materni-tee" but I love empire waist clothing so this NOT preger whipped up 2 tops.

The one above I also top stitched elastic on the sleeves making them pouffe (technical term)

I also took strips of scrap t-shirt from another project and used them to pull down the cut neckline into a square neck.

To do this just make a little snip in the t-shirt along the armhole, thread the strip of t-shirt through this hole and around the neck opening. Then just tie a bow.

Here is another big t-shirt that I did a gather too and I also cut the sleeves off to make it tank style and open up the neckline a bit.
More about the book from Workman Publishing:

Generation T: Beyond Fashion: 120 New Ways to Transform a T-shirt
By
Megan Nicolay

"Megan Nicolay revolutionized the T-shirt. She repurposed it, reinterpreted it, reinvented it—and created the #1 craft book in the nation, Generation T, which continues to dominate. Now she explores new ways to slash a tee, scrunch a tee, and sew a tee with Generation T: Beyond Fashion. A collection of 120 projects for every occasion, it takes the humble yet ever-malleable tee in dozens of new directions—from baby gifts to pet accessories, stuff for the home, the car, the road, the boyfriend.

The rallying cry is: Don't buy; DIY. The result is hip, imaginative, crafty, and very green. There's a basic primer on techniques—knotting, sewing, braiding, lacing—plus a full tutorial on embellishing. And then an amazing range of projects. There’s fashion, of course: all-new halters and tank tops, sexy gaucho pants, a baby-doll dress, twisted shrug, and hooded scarf. But also baby gifts: Jumper for Joy, Baby Back Bib, Wild Thing Blankie. Home décor: plant hanger, wine cozy, toilet seat cover, ruffled apron, and Spastic Plastic (grocery tote). Grill mitts and bolo ties for the guys, doggie tee and stuffed cat toys, a steering wheel cover for the car, the Ants Go Marching (picnic blanket), and Beach Bum (beach caddy). Projects range from the simplest no-sew to intermediate, and all have easy-to-follow illustrated directions—plus, how to throw your own Tee Party.

Time to get your craft on.

Megan Nicolay has been traveling around the country like a pied piper of DIY, giving workshops and consulting at craft events since the publication of her bestseller, Generation T. She is a founding member of the Department of Craft, a New York City–based craft collective, and lives in Brooklyn, New York."