CraftSanity with Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood

I dig words. I talk a lot. I write a lot. I like magnetic poetry and those great removable decals that allow you to decorate your walls with an inspiring quote or excerpt from your favorite book. I love the alphabet and assembling words one letter at a time. So text is something I'm frequently trying to incorporate into my projects.

As a journalist, I also love magazines and newspapers and dreaming up new ways to reuse them in art projects. (I especially enjoy using headlines to make postcard collages.) Several years ago I warped a homemade weaving loom I conned my husband into helping me make, and then tried to weave wet newspaper. It sort of worked, but not very well. (See top photo.) I've also tried spinning wet newspaper, but have yet to achieve satisfying results.

So, when my friend Elizabeth sent me a link that led me to the work of Dutch designer, Greetje van Tiem, who makes yarn out of newspaper, I was delighted. I wish the artist's website was in English so I could read more about how she does it.
It's fantastic work. Check it out.

This is my first attempt at making a fabric postcard, a project inspired by the very talented, mix media artist I interviewed today for an upcoming craft column. I plan to reveal her identity and post instructions to make a postcard of your own soon, so check back here often.

I try out all the projects I write about because I want to be able to write directions with some measure of authority and make sure I can field reader questions. So today, I watched the artist make a postcard, then I went home and tried to make one myself without any assistance. I think my second fabric postcard will be better, but I'm pleased with the result. It would be cool to get one of these in the mail. I've always loved receiving letters and postcards from interesting people and would especially love fabric mail. I should join a swap.

The card was created this evening when I should have been washing dishes. Ah well, the dishes will still be there in the morning. Perhaps the fact that I used a print of a woman doing yoga is a sign that I need to get back to class. I miss that zen.

I thought pigs would fly before I ever would land a gig writing a weekly craft column for my newspaper. Thankfully, things worked out beautifully and I wrote this week's column about Geniene Hourigan a talented artist and crafter who happens to make felted flying pigs. How great is that?!

I invite you to read more about Geniene, 27, of Grand Rapids, Mich., and check out her pattern for this whimsical crocheted necklace over at my GR Press blog. I made one last week out of recycled string. These attention-grabbing necklaces are fun to make and a trip to wear. Enjoy!