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Get Crafty: Hip Home Ec
This is not your mother’s home ec!
When Jean Railla was in her twenties, she thought being a bohemian meant smoking in cafes and going home to a crummy, dusty walk-up apartment. But then she had a shocking thought—would vacuuming really get her booted from the riot grrls club? So she began to cook, and then to knit, and then she took up sewing. Soon she had launched getcrafty.com, the webzine for radical craftiness.
Get Crafty is about realizing that domesticity matters—that an apartment with handmade pillows or a bathroom with an Elvis theme is more life-affirming than the same old Ikea couch. Jean inspires readers to start making creative choices throughout their lives—in the way they shop, cook, dress, decorate, and, of course, craft. You will learn to consciously create your space, experience the joy of making things by hand, find the zen in cleaning, stock your pantry, and find treasure in the trash. It’s Home Ec, only hip. You
Discover the joy of making it yourself, with instructions for a knit bikini, DIY cards, floral soap, and homemade peppermint lip gloss
Create your own space and make simple home improvements
Take a Which craft is right for you?
Learn to thrift like an expert
Take up 20 crafty causes that make a difference
Organize crafty girl groups, and host a Naked Lady party
Get Crafty is more than craft projects; it’s a new way of thinking and living, a way of finding happiness by expressing yourself creatively in every aspect of your life.
When Jean Railla was in her twenties, she thought being a bohemian meant smoking in cafes and going home to a crummy, dusty walk-up apartment. But then she had a shocking thought—would vacuuming really get her booted from the riot grrls club? So she began to cook, and then to knit, and then she took up sewing. Soon she had launched getcrafty.com, the webzine for radical craftiness.
Get Crafty is about realizing that domesticity matters—that an apartment with handmade pillows or a bathroom with an Elvis theme is more life-affirming than the same old Ikea couch. Jean inspires readers to start making creative choices throughout their lives—in the way they shop, cook, dress, decorate, and, of course, craft. You will learn to consciously create your space, experience the joy of making things by hand, find the zen in cleaning, stock your pantry, and find treasure in the trash. It’s Home Ec, only hip. You
Discover the joy of making it yourself, with instructions for a knit bikini, DIY cards, floral soap, and homemade peppermint lip gloss
Create your own space and make simple home improvements
Take a Which craft is right for you?
Learn to thrift like an expert
Take up 20 crafty causes that make a difference
Organize crafty girl groups, and host a Naked Lady party
Get Crafty is more than craft projects; it’s a new way of thinking and living, a way of finding happiness by expressing yourself creatively in every aspect of your life.
- GenresNonfictionCraftsAdult
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
1 person is currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 14, 2010
In "Get Crafty", Jean Railla examines the culture of crafting and how to use crafts to simplify and enrich life. Ms. Railla introduces her motive and its origins -- as a teen, she quickly embraced feminism. In her twenties, Ms. Railla realized the appeal of the domestic arts and co-founded the website GetCrafty. The combination of crafting and feminism was emerging throughout the internet when GetCrafty was launched, and has only become more prominent.
In "Get Crafty", Jean Railla encourages the reader to discover a craft that appeals to them and to pursue that craft -- whether the craft is decorating, cooking, or knitting. Ms. Railla provides an interactive perspective (because the crafter's lifestyle is, in fact, interactive!) with a few quizzes, collage and journal prompts, and instructions and recipes. From soap-making to dumpster-diving, Ms. Railla encourages the reader to make their lives their own through creating and simplifying.
In "Get Crafty", Jean Railla encourages the reader to discover a craft that appeals to them and to pursue that craft -- whether the craft is decorating, cooking, or knitting. Ms. Railla provides an interactive perspective (because the crafter's lifestyle is, in fact, interactive!) with a few quizzes, collage and journal prompts, and instructions and recipes. From soap-making to dumpster-diving, Ms. Railla encourages the reader to make their lives their own through creating and simplifying.
January 6, 2013
This book is amazing. I was seriously inspired. I am a stay at home mom to a 13 year old & a housewife. I was kind of feeling lazy & just generally uninspired. The way she describes cooking for the family & taking care of the house gave me the outlook I needed on caring for my family & myself. Now, I had at one point had this outlook but overtime lost it. Not sure why or how, but I did. This book was so inspiring & put an artful spin on even the most mundane of tasks. Now, everything I do in my everyday-including the way I speak to my family-I consider an art & know just how precious it is. I definitely recommend reading this book, whether you need inspiration or not.
April 4, 2009
i've just read the first few chapters, and i'm totally inspired already. i'm about to go clean my bathroom after midnight for starters. much more than just a how-to, this is a compelling manifesto for a crafty lifestyle. i've never really considered myself much of a crafty person--i've kind of always relied on my friends for that--but this is giving me hope that i can be, or at least really makes me want to give it a go. i think i'm totally going to have to get this for my home library, since i'm sure i'll be going back to it time and again.
October 10, 2007
Promising recipes for home-made natural soap, vegetarian chile, A line skirts, oatmeal masques and more. Good resource for activist websites and organizations involved with making stuff to support people (like, when all your friends/family get tired of receiving your projects, you can make blankets for the poor). Reads quickly, is somewhat redundant -- we know that hand-made things are best, that crafting is neither lame nor ultra-domestic, yes?
March 14, 2016
Discusses the benefits of making things by hand and living creatively, providing instructions for making clothing, greeting cards, and cosmetics while offering suggestions on how to decorate a home and organize a craft circle.
Included some good websites for knitting and embroidering, and much more I'm sure! Oh, and even tips on how to buy antique/vintage furniture.
Included some good websites for knitting and embroidering, and much more I'm sure! Oh, and even tips on how to buy antique/vintage furniture.
April 28, 2019
Discusses the benefits of making things by hand and living creatively, providing instructions for making clothing, greeting cards, and cosmetics while offering suggestions on how to decorate a home and organize a craft circle.
Included some good websites for knitting and embroidering, and much more I'm sure! Oh, and even tips on how to buy antique/vintage furniture.
Included some good websites for knitting and embroidering, and much more I'm sure! Oh, and even tips on how to buy antique/vintage furniture.
October 10, 2008
Wow. Not at all what I was expecting. A phenomenal read and a mandate for any woman who loves/hates being a modern woman. Great, easy-to-read essays. Modern feminism - embrace craft/domesticity again without guilt of being considered June Cleaver.
December 30, 2010
LOVED this book. Railla has a sincere, original, and really creative voice that gave this "closet crafty" girl at least a dozen great ideas. Railla combines a recycling ethos with a fresh enthusiasm for D-I-Y gifts, personal style, home making, and cooking.
August 10, 2014
Cute book with great ideas for ways to be crafty. I always like getting new ideas along with being reminded of some crafts that I haven't done in a while (like sewing and embroidery). I want to break out my sewing machine again!
July 26, 2007
This book offers such a cool perspective on craftiness. It's how I want to be.
March 31, 2008
Another craft book I could not live without.
http://naughtysecretaryclub.blogspot....
http://naughtysecretaryclub.blogspot....
March 31, 2008
made me feel like I had found a crafty friend. I still check getcrafty.com a few times a week for the amazing projects people put in their blogs.
May 4, 2008
B Interesting ideas, esp if you are moving into a new place
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews