Craftzine points to Curbly’s video for this “cheap, easy, and fun project [that] is a great way to add some artwork to a room without breaking open your wallet“:
Bruno notes:
For the complete instructions, you’ll have to search around online or get Budget Living’s Home Cheap Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to Great Decorating.
Looks fun!
Craft: 02 hits newsstands on January 23 (update: on newsstands now):
We are so excited about this issue that we can’t seem to contain ourselves! Vol 2 is themed “Creative Copies” which just goes to show you sometimes things aren’t exactly like what they appear to be — they are better! Learn to make felted fruits, build a circuit board mini cabinet, crochet a retro purse, learn the art of Hawaiian quilting, make a tea light lantern, needlepoint some bohemian sandals, 101 on linocuts, and a whole lot more.
Natalie’s excitement is justified. This issue is beautiful and packed with great projects. It’s great to see the magazine keep getting better–and not just because it includes another article by Kristina, this time a full-length project on these needlepoint sandals mentioned in the launch post:
I even managed to sneak an article in this one myself, a DIY on altered books, borne out of the seeds planted in this post:
Look for it soon, in your mailbox or at a finer bookstore or craft shop near you!
Paperback Writer’s Devil’s Publishing Dictionary provides this helpful definition of the harmless drudge who often appears as “a character out of a 30s screwball comedy“:
Editor – 1) a sadomasochist; 2) a kind but crazy person who makes a career out of working with authors to improve their manuscripts; listens to their lies, tantrums and crying fits; extends their deadlines; meets with them over mystery chicken entrees at industry cons and suffers countless bouts of depression, con crud and tinitus as a result; 3) an industry professional who drinks Maalox or Jack Daniels for lunch.
The rest of the entries (continued here) are equally astute and edifying (via Boing Boing).
During FOO Camp this past August, Google flew over O’Reilly Media‘s Sebastopol campus to get some high-rez shots of the event. They’ve finally added them to Google Maps, but the resolution is much higher in Google Earth. If you fly over to 1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472, here’s what you’ll see:
Zoom in a bit further, and you can even get a glimpse of me:
Still can’t make me out? I’m pretty sure that’s me in the upper left part of this detail, wearing khaki pants:
I’m having a great conversation with Natalie Zee Drieu and Doria Fan.
wow looks like a picnic! 
Apropos of my review of Real Men Knit, check out ESPN Gameday’s profile of Boise State football’s Ian Johnson:
What a refreshing, positive gender image. This guy is the real deal. He’s got talent and heart both on the field and with his hooks, and he’s equally comfortable with himself for exercising each skill.
NCAA rules prohibit him from advertising, but he can sell his beanies to anyone who contacts him via word of mouth. Anyone have his contact information?
UPDATE: A couple people wrote to let me know that the NCAA has stepped in to prohibit Johnson from selling any of his crocheted goods at all. Check out this very disheartening snip from this article:
And just in case the young man’s spirits weren’t low enough, the NCAA decided to stop in and take away his main source of income, which happens to be crocheting hats and scarves. And not only can he not make any money from them, he can’t give them to charity, either. The NCAA has a star running back on their hands who is able to crochet, and willing to give hats and scarves to charities, and they’ve stepped in to stop the practice. I think they should have commissioned him to crochet Boise State’s uniforms for next year.
I’ll bet if you went to BSU’s website you could search the student directory and get his email.
I found an article on his crocheting that provides an E-mail that he can be contacted at in order to purchase hats.
the site:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/360/story/58188.html
the e-mail:
bigez05@hotmail.com
I hope you can get ahold of him!
I think it’s great that he crochet’s….. for pleasure, for income, and for charity. I think it’s wrong of the NCAA saying that he can’t sell the items he makes, even by word of mouth. Worse yet, that he can’t even donate what he makes to chairty. Why can’t he at least donate what he makes to chairty ? What in the world is wrong with that ? He should be able to do whatever he wants to do with it. What’s the differance between crocheting and selling the items made from working some place for a few hours each day, weekend what have you and being paid minimum wage ? Heck, most folk don’t even pay minimum wage for the crocheted items that we make. I mean come on…. a hat could take 2-3 hours depending on how complicated it is, hour large it is, if it’s a double sided roll brim hat, etc. Are they going to pay you a minimum of $15-$20 for a hat ? That’s not even what you should really charge… you’re suppose to charge what it cost for materials X 4. That would equate to $20-$25 (minimum) for the roll brim (it’s a double sided/reversible hat) hat I’m talking about… most folks aren’t going to pay that, now are they ? Anyhow…. Like I said… I think it’s great that he crochets, and that it’s wrong that the NCAA has put restrictions on him and his lively hood and chairty work like this.
im a closet crocheter, and i havent even been picking up a hook or anything but i cheer on privately those who deem the hook a necessary item my mom crochets like a lot more than the average bear, and im sure not knocking that…its just that i dont want to wear it especially…the crocheted booties are ok, just not hats or anything like that…i dont give a rats patootie who crocheted the damn thing but i give support because its an art form and im all for art i draw and paint when i can get the materials…so thanks for listening to me…sorry about the hats just cant stand them.
tom odaniels
Not only did they stop him from selling what he makes, but they have prohibited him from donating his work to charity.
I’d give my knitting needles to guess that the powers that be are only concerned with the non-macho image he is projecting to the public, forgetting that it’s a POSITIVE image.
Just what I’ve always said, American Football should be banned.
i don’t understand why they did this
I am thinking about taking up crocheting because I heard that it is a good way to relax. I love the fact that Ian is making beanies for everyone plus the fact that he can whip one out in 45 minutes is great.
Ok I admit I don’t much care for football. My son in law loves it to extreams.
But after watching this video, I do like this guy a lot.
Good for you Ian and god bless your mother.
Linda
I need someone to copy a christmas stocking pattern and make several for my grandchildren
Gayle Griffin, 
You guys are the super crafting couple! It’s cool to see the pics of your projects together.