The words craft and crafting are open to interpretation. One person’s craft may not be another’s. That’s okay though, because here at Craftmodo, we believe that anything you create, and apply yourself to and into, is a craft. Photography, particularly photography with a message is a wonderful craft that is often overlooked in the arts and crafts community.

The Self Portrait Challenge is probably one of the most unusual ideas I have seen on the Internet in awhile. It involves some real no-strings-attached honesty. Cameras tell no lies, and how the artist, or photographer, interprets those images say much about his or her view of the world.

Never is that more true than in a self-portrait.

This site is fascinating. I think some amazing things will be showing over the next four weeks.

Self Portrait Challenge

I have always wished I had a talent for drawing, sketching, painting… anything that I could paint or capture with charcoal. But alas, that is not a gift that has been given to me. Fortunately, artists need an audience so I am still part of the process. And if you can draw, or have the basic skills and motivation, I found some wonderful classes online to teach you more about improving your talent.

Art E-Lessons has a variety of online classes for artists. Many of these are free, including:

• Drawing and Painting Birds
• Improvising From Nature
• Thumbnail Sketching
• Exploring Negative Space
• and many more

The paid classes averaged around $5 to $8, with the highest being only $10.00. They all looked like fun and I know would be of benefit to people who express their creativity through art.

Art E-Lessons

Speaking of tatting - weren’t we speaking about learning to tat? - I found a wonderful site that has been left up as a memorial to a woman who was obviously loved very much. Wonderful news - She is alive and well! I totally fell for the eulogy that was intended as a joke! She apparently taught teaches people to tat, standing on their head! I missed out on that one but it may work - if it does, do indeed let me know. All I know is that these patterns are beautiful.

You can go look in your local needlecraft store, but I can assure you, you won’t find patterns as nice as these. And these are free. I love the tattysaurus!!

Tatting Patterns by Jame Eborall

Have you ever tried tatting? It is a very old needle art and very elegant.  And it isn’t nearly as hard as it looks.  Once you have the basics down, the rest is easy.  It is relaxing and very inexpensive.  Even if you only knit or crochet, learning to tat could help you in creating a beautiful and unique edging.

Tatting Home at Be-Stitched