Shark Attack!

I've finally finished making the last baby shower gift for a while, well...at least until July when the baby bashes start up again. This gift may be my favorite though. Shark towel puppets! Perfect for making bath time with little Billy Bob (sorry Gretchen, I know you probably won't name him that!) fun and hopefully easier.




I started out by giving the expecting mama a clue a few weeks ago. Nothing but a cryptic poem and a bar of soap with a teethy bite carved out of it. She didn't get the final piece to her puzzle until last week when she opened her gift to find this, a family of sharks. Watch out Gretchen, they bite!

Go here if you're really digging these little guys and would like to make some for yourself. (Note: all I did was vary the size of the template to get a daddy, mommy, and baby shark.)

Handmade Nation

The revolution in DIY (do-it-yourself) crafting is nothing new. Ever since blogging became accessible to the masses we've stumbled upon everything from political bloggers to culinary bloggers. From artist blogs to celebrity blogs. And you know what? I love it! I feel a thousand times more connected to the world. To be able to follow what one person is doing in another country or culture is facinating. Blogs provide a quick glimpse into many worlds. And my favorite land to explore is that of DIY crafts.

I recently came across Honestly, WTF, a site devoted to fashion (and all things cool). They have an amazing DIY section that tells you how to recreate high fashion on the cheap! I'm really looking forward to making these lace earrings. I'm telling you, anyone, and I mean ANYONE, can make this stuff.

Other worthwhile crafty blogs to check out: Instructables, Design Sponge, Craft, Craft Gossip, and Cut Out and Keep.

However, if you don't know what blogs or sites are best for you, then head over to Stumble Upon. It's like Russian roulette with websites. But prepare yourself, it's addicting!

And if you're just not a crafter, then you can buy anything and everything handmade straight from the maker at Etsy

Lace earrings from Honestly, WTF!