My Favorite Crafting Tool Might Surprise You

Because it isn't glue or a ruler or a craft knife.

It's Google.

When I'm trying to make something--anything!--I've found that googling that item is sure to improve my results.

1. Tutorials -- You can find tutorials on almost any subject these days. YouTube has tons of them, but there are also written directions galore. I even downloaded a free book on amigurumi, the Japanese art of  knitting or crocheting small stuffed toys with an emphasis on cute. Here it is: http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/10/what-is-amigurumi/

2. Freebies -- All sorts of cool artwork is available for personal use. Miniaturists love "printies," the word we use for printable items. Here's just one example:

You can find a ton of these on my Pinterest page at http://www.Pinterest.com/joannaslan

3. Tools -- Did you know that you can find graph paper on the Internet and print it out? Go to Formville.om

4. Patterns -- I love making my own patterns. Here are two good sites: https://www.stitchfiddle.com/en/chart/new  (for charting knitting, cross-stitch, etc.) and http://www.auntannie.com/BoxesBags/  and my all-time favorite http://www.templatemaker.nl/

5. Images -- Often all I need is a really good image, preferably a 360-degree view. That's where Google images prove invaluable. Looking at various photos/pictures of a heart, I constructed one to put in this dome. Then I switched and looked at brains. Next I checked out Venus Fly Trap plants and mortar and pestle combinations. Here's what I created...

Okay, your turn. What would you like to see me make for my dollhouse? What cool tools have you found on the Internet?

Top left, heart; top, right, gargoyle/imp; second row, right, cow skull; second row, left, Venus Fly Traps and moss; third row, far right, mortar and pestle; third row, middle, brain; and third row, left, plaque. 

Morning Glories, Pink Kitchens, and Pinterest

One of my new passions (and distractions) is Pinterest. Some people call it a virtual scrapbooking site—others say to think of it as virtual pin board. I sort of think of it as somewhere in between. In any case I love it. A new statistic suggests that I’m not the only one: it just reached 11.7 million unique users.
As you go around the web, reading websites or blogs and if you see a picture of something you like, you can pin it to your board on Pinterest. I think a lot of people are using it to keep track of things they like and want to get back to "someday." But it can be a mine of creativity for writers, artists, and other creatives.
One of my boards is titled Scrapbook of Secrets: Where I mess about with the things from my first novel. Some of the items I have pinned are morning glories, Beatrice’s house, and Annie’s pink kitchen. Another fun thing I added is what actors I would cast in parts for a Scrapbook of Secrets movie. Now, this all came after the creation of my book—so it was really just a fun exercise for me. If you'd like to visit, click here.
But some writers are using it for inspiration—or a board to help them out during the writing process. Therese Walsh, for example, has a board that she calls “The Next Book, visual inspirations linked with my work-in-progress.” It’s just beautiful.
Emilie Richards, author of countless wonderful novels that have quilts in them (including my favorite Shenandoah Album series) has a quilt board —among other things that are fun and inspiring.
Historical romance author Emery Lee has a board called “Historical Costumes,“ which is so fascinating to peruse.
Pinterest opens up a whole new of way communicating with our readers. I think of it as just another one of those social media elements to use (or not) that helps reach out to readers. We all have to pick and choose which ones work for us—or not. I can’t get into Google + for example, and I’m not going to sweat it. But Pinterest, I love. I’ve even heard of people having parties for their characters on Pinterest. I’m not sure how that would work—but you know me, I’m always ready for a party, providing that I can wear my red shoes, of course.
Have you explored Pinterest? What do you think?