FAVORITE WEBSITE WEDNESDAY: I ♥ Handmade

If you're like me, you love handmade goodies but find searching Etsy a little overwhelming.  Enter I ♥ Handmade, a fabulous site that helps crafters market their adorable products.

Here's how it works.  I ♥ Handmade has seasonal markets which feature items tied to a particular theme - Holiday, Weddings, Eco-friendly, etc. - making it much easier to locate something amazing, like jewelry from Plum & Sage, which was part of their Valentine's market.

And I ♥ Handmade has a blog too, where they spotlight fabulous finds like this fun Japanese washi paper tape from happy tape....

And offer terrific giveaways like this adorable coin purse from Pretty Lulu.

If you're a fan of unique products, be sure to check out I ♥ Handmade.  And be sure to have your wallet close by 'cause you're gonna want to use it!


Images: Pretty Lulu, Plum & Sage & I ♥ Handmade

FAVORITE WEBSITE WEDNESDAY: So You Think You're Crafty

I'm a huge fan of reality shows.  Project Runway, Survivor, American Idol, Big Brother - you name it, I watch it.  I also love crafts.  Even if I can't pull some of projects off myself, I love to read about them and get inspired by them.  So when I stumbled up the fabulous blog So You Think You're Crafty, I was overwhelmed.  Crafts + eliminations = heaven in my book! 

Here's how it works.  Ten of the most creative crafters on the web have been selected to compete for 10 weeks creating 10 crafts.  Each week is a different theme, and the blog's readers vote for their favorite project.  The person who creates the week's winning craft provides a tutorial for how to make it, and the lowest vote getter is eliminated.  The catch is that you never knew whose craft you're voting for.  I read the blogs of a lot of the participants and I try to guess whose project is whose but I'm usually wrong which helps to keep things interesting. 

This is the second go round of So You Think You're Crafty and the second challenge is underway. The first week's theme required the crafters make something for themselves. The winner was this adorable wallet made from clothing tags by Kalleen from At Second Street.

Super impressive, right?  You can find the tutorial here.

This week's theme is Under $5 and you won't believe some of the amazing things the crafters came up with for next to nothing.  Like this great clutch bag made from an old men's tweed jacket.

This fantastic children's on-the-go book.

And this fun fabric alphabet set.

There are two days left to vote in this round so head on over to So You Think You're Crafty, check out the other entries and like Heidi Klum, Michael Kors or Nina Garcia, pick your favorite.  Because really, why should they have all the fun?

Images: So You Think You're Crafty

FAVORITE WEBSITE WEDNESDAY: Crafty Nest

Today's favorite website is Crafty Nest, a great source for inexpensive projects geared toward feathering your nest.  Once you start browsing through the tutorials, I guarantee you'll be hooked.  I love the site's more kid-oriented crafts like this fabulous repurposed bulletin board:

Can you believe it used to be this ugly $9 plastic mirror?

I adore this stenciled dresser and want to attempt to make something like it when Gabrielle & Alaina graduate to their "big girl" room.

And how sweet are these fabric silhouettes?

They'd look great in a little girl's room and would also make terrific holiday gifts!

Speaking of, these framed doilies are simple, inexpensive to make and would be perfect presents too.

And if you need an easy holiday project for your kids, check out these craft stick snowflakes.

Such a fun and creative way for your little ones to get into the holiday spirit! 

Like what you see?  There's lots more where these came from.  Head on over to Crafty Nest for fantastic (and cheap!) projects as well as the full instructions for all of the ones you see here.  And if you do one of these at home, be sure to send in a picture so we can feature your handiwork on AFOMFT!


Images: Crafty Nest