Crafty Manolo

(Image via Tumblr feed Ask Hedgehog, which is well worth checking out for its own sake)

It has long been my considered opinion that hedgehogs rank well up among the cutest creatures in the world. They’re pocket-sized and sneeze in self-defense. How can you beat that?

Well, there are other people out there taking inspiration from hedgehogs, and I thought I would share a couple of them with you today.

Gilad’s Origami page features this noble example of the hedgehog. Be sure to scroll down to see a couple kick tushie badgers, an awesome okapi, and a rather spectacular anteater… and then go check out the rest of the site, including some diagrams of  fun origami projects you can do. The hedgehog, alas, is not included.

If you’re looking for a fun project to do with your kids, you might do worse than head on over to Kiddly’s archive and check out the instructions for making this pine cone and polymer clay hedgie.

The blog has been on hiatus since 2007, but there are some really great ideas if you go browsing.

This delightful hedgehog plushie was featured at The Art Zoo. I only wish instructions had been included.

And finally a graphic reminder from Disney Family Fun that just because it is possible to do something doesn’t always make it a good idea. I give you the hedgehog cupcake:

Sometimes it’s fun to just wander around and see what cool things there are out in the wide world. This fabulous Chinese dragon isn’t even the most spectacular piece of origami on the aptly named page ‘Origami that Will Blow Your Mind.’

There are some other really cool things I found around the internet, too. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

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via boncherry

Last night, Japan was hit with an earthquake that measured 8.9. To get an idea of what that means, the most widely accepted measure of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake was 7.9. This is what it looked like:

Mind you, a significant amount of the difference has to do with what came next. In San Francsico, the earthquake was followed by a fire. Last night’s earthquake in Japan was followed by both multiple fires and a tsunami. That tsunami energy has swept across the ocean and hit as far away as Santa Cruz, California this morning. Pretty much the worst damage there today has been a few damaged pleasure boats and at least one sunk. Not pleasant, certainly, but far from the horror of people swept out to sea, buildings demolished, thousands stranded in the streets, and pretty much the entirety of  Disneyland Tokyo submerged.

And so I find my mind turning to origami cranes.

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After months of dark, early nights and cold weather it’s nice to think about bright colors and cheerful images. It’s even better to think about making something so bright and cheerful.  Perhaps something as fun and happy as this delightful wildflower crewelwork pillow kit from Robert’s Crafts. It’s just $14.95 and includes everything you need: fabric, backing, threads, and instructions.

Oh, and if you order $50.00 or more from Robert’s by January 29, you can save $10.00 by using discount code ROBERTSTENW when you check out. (more…)

Okay, I’m guessing some of you have already started on any crafts you plan to give as holiday gifts and party decorations.  Thing is, I didn’t have this blog last month which would have been a better time to start talking about this.

All the same, it’s far from too late if you haven’t gotten started. If you’re looking for a few good, quick projects, take a look at a couple of these and get inspired!

Here’s a great idea if you want to make an advent calendar to help kids count down the days until Santa arrives. It’s even simple enough that a child could help make it.

Everyone can use a nice hat when it’s cold. Knitted ones are particularly welcome when the blustery winds blow… even here in California. Here are some thoughts for knitted hats for kids, women, and men. Not inspired by those particular projects? Don’t worry! There are plenty more where I found them.

More of a crocheter? Not to worry! There’s always time for a scarf or two.

And don’t forget that you can craft gifts from your kitchen as well. No, not just cookies and fruitcakes! Think about making small batches of your favorite jams and jellies. Or infuse some olive oil. It’s very simple:

Take one good-sized bottle of decent olive oil and several smaller bottles. Fill the smaller bottles with oil. Add a sprig or two of your favorite herb (rosemary is particularly pleasant, I find), a couple cloves of garlic, or a goodly strip of fresh lemon or orange peel to the smaller bottles. Stop up the small bottles well and leave in a cool, dark corner of your kitchen for at least a couple weeks. Pass them out to your friends and neighbors who enjoy cooking. They’ll love you forever.

A bit of imagination and a little time can turn into amazing gifts, if you harness your talents correctly.