Do you want to become an artist but don't have the funds to get started? Don't worry, you're not alone.  Many people think they need a lot of money to start their creative craft or hobby, but this couldn't be further from the truth. You don't need a lot of money to start your trade. You just need a cool idea and time to practice your skills. As an example, I would like to introduce you to the BOX LOOM. There is nothing fancy about this loom; it's just a sturdy gift box with a warping stick... That's it! I like this because it's easy to teach younger family members on this loom, and if they lose interest in the craft, recycle the box and move along with your day. Pretty simple, right. You can also store all of your tools in the Box Loom while not in use. I think that's the best part about using a Box Loom. Want to know more about this method of weaving and other awesome tips? Look out for my book from the Creative Thinkers Lab Project coming out nex

  Hello My Creative Thinkers, I'm so happy to announce a new series of free workshops debuting this Summer-Fall at our studio in the Kreate Hub arts building we have partnered with. This workshop series will focus on our studio's creative stance on textile design and our design theory. Starting off, our first workshop will focus on patchwork technique designs using crochet stitches. We will be hosting our workshops on the first floor of the art building, and space is limited due to COVID restrictions.  To attend our FREE workshops, you must wear a mask and bring proof of vaccination if you need to remove the mask for health restrictions. All materials will be pre-packed for you upon arrival. Sign up today!

  In my quest for the best sustainable fibers for my fabrics and yarns, I have been reading much hype about Bio Nylon Fiber. So much hype, in fact, that I had to try it out for myself. So what is Bio Nylon? Basically, Nylon-6 is made of crude oil that produces  the molecule caprolactam; Bio Nylon is created by fermenting plant sugars that produce  caprolactam which is turned into biodegradable nylon, which breaks down in our landfills within five years. You can read more about this process  HERE. I wanted to see how easy it is to work with Bio Nylon and is it a good blending source for wool fiber. I purchased four Bio Nylon colors but only used two in this experiment. I didn't use my drum carder but instead used my blending board for this process. First, I blended beige Bio Nylon and white wool, then I blended white wool and pink Bio Nylon.     Blending the two fibers actually worked pretty well. Spinning the fibers together took a moment to get used to. Though Bio Nylon fiber feel

  I've been working on my new book as well as my Spring 2022 collectiion. One of my biggest challenges is finding sketch paper that works well with the mediums I prefer to work with. Handmade watercolors are my favorite but COPIC Markers have been my GO-TO recently because I can refill the markers when they run out of ink. One of the biggest issues I have with COPIC is the bleed thru rate of the markers on paper. I've tried expensive mix media paper, marker paper, and watercolor paper but the bleed thru still continued. Finally I looked up Cresent Rendr No Show Thru Paper.   I read mixed reviews about the Cresent Rendr Sketch book. One of the issues artists seem to have with the Rendr sketch book is the vividness of the markers on the page. The other issue artists seem to have is how many layer they can use with the Cresent sketch book. One thing you should know is like most artists sketch books, the Cresent sketch book favors some markers and paint brands over other. If you

  In 2020, during the Pandemic peak, everyone was redecorating their homes and trying to find new workspaces in the middle of all the mayhem. I was working on a new retail studio and moving art supplies out of my home studio. Fast forward to 2021, I have been amazed by all the room make-overs I have seen and how inventive people have been in finding rooms in their homes where there wasn't any room before. As I was sorting through recycled packing supplies, I realized that my closets were under-utilized. I looked up pictures of closets turned into extra rooms, and I thought this would be an amazing challenge. What I didn't know was how much work this project would be! My first challenge was to take the measurements of the space. I don't know why but for some reason, I underestimated how big these closets were. The closets are 10 feet tall and 9 feet wide, the total size of my entire walls. Once I took the measurements, I had to take everything out of the closets and sort wha

  Summer is almost upon us. June has arrived, and most people are thinking about vacations and the summer sun. Others are thinking about the health of their companies mid-year, and it's time to do some major planning for the future of the business. For single-member companies, you're left wondering, "should I host a business retreat and have a meeting with myself?" Short answer, yes you should! It might sound silly to plan a meeting with yourself, but it's not. In fact, it's important for the future of your company. As a single-member company, you may also think you're the only paid person on your team, but this is also NOT true. As a company, you are paying web hosts, content creators, manufactures, and office building landlords to help grow your business. Their performance, how much you pay them, and whether your business relationships are working should all be decided at your work retreat or at least reviewed at your work retreat.  So, how should you pl