Guerrilla gardening is a form of nonviolent direct action. The gardens are planted on an abandoned piece of land which they do not own to grow crops or plants. Guerrilla gardeners wish to reclaim land from neglect or misuse and assign a new purpose to it.

important: Always try to use native seeds! Not native species can be invasive and harmful to the surrounding eco-system. (from the Toronto guerrilla gardening group)

more: inhabitat article on guerrilla gardening : join the guerrilla gardening pool : check out guerillagardening.org for events and tips : read primal seeds :: and you grow girls adventures in street gardening : Brussels farmer : green guerrillas educate - advocate and organise for community gardens :

email whipup(at)gmail.com for ideas, articles and links in ephemeral creativity

MindBites.com is a new instructional video community, self-publishing platform and marketplace where people can teach what they know and learn what they need to know. They have a contest beginning 15 May - called Spread the Craft - with $1500 in prizes. Spread the craft has a 6 week submission period, ending 23 June. Videos will be open for voting until 7 July and winners announced the next day. The link for the Spread the Craft will not be live until 15 May.

One of our contributors Susan Schwake who runs artstream studios in Rochester is participating in a public art project - art speak - overnight art- her illustrations are being taken from the 8×10 inch realm and blown up into public art pieces - her work: dialog was one of five works chosen for a summer long public art installation. She says of this work: Dialog is a large scale window banner featuring birds and vegetation. It was conceived to enliven the parking garage’s facade by adding a bit of whimsy and delight to a utilitarian public space, creating an enjoyable pause in the task of finding a parking spot. The piece asks the viewer to pause for a moment and consider the idea of nature larger than life size, thus fostering a momentary daydream.

Don’t miss this months guest lecturer at the Textile Study Group of New York - Cyrilla Mozenter who works with handmade paper and wool felt, creating 2-D and 3-D objects. Its on Wednesday, May 21st at 7 pm at Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist 40 E. 35th St. betw. Park and Madison, New York City (thanks Marci)

Be a Part of The Pillowcase Challenge Book! The common pillowcase is experiencing a creative transformation - being repurposed into everything from fashionable clothing and accessories to chic home décor items. Lark Books are publishing a book tentatively called The Pillowcase Challenge, and they would like submissions from readers. Share your favorite memory of a pillowcase past: perhaps it’s the one you couldn’t part with as a child, a cherished heirloom piece created by a loved one, a delightful patterned number that you simply had to have. If Lark select your written reminiscence for inclusion in the book, you’ll receive credit in the book and a free copy of the book. Send your pillowcase passion in 200 words or less by June 7.

For pillowcase collectors: here’s your chance to shine a spotlight on your fabulous stash and share it with the world. Send Lark a snapshot or two of your prettiest, most beloved pillowcases: floral, striped, polka-dotted, embroidered, whatever. They will then select the best of the pillowcase bunch to be shipped to us, photographed and then featured in the book. Send your stash shots to Lark by May 21. Yes, that soon. To enter visit the Lark Books web site, and click on the Submissions page. (image show in via Bella dia)

Great little tutorial for a sexy fabric basket. Link.

via whizzme clothkits are a kit that includes fabric that has the pattern screenprinted directly onto the pattern - you don’t have to fuss with paper patterns, as all the bits come with it - including zippers buttons etc. [read more four good corners who attended the launch] clothkits link (and yes they do adults skirts, kids dresses and skirts and dolls too)

Neta from Dolls stories has been running kids sewing workshops. I love what the kids have made here.

The class practiced the blanket stitch, while creating a doll of their own design using discarded clothes and socks.

The gals at the Purl Bee know their stuff. Here’s an awesome post about thimbles. Yep, thimbles!

Survival Sewing: Emergency Fixes for the Rips, Snags & Tears of Everyday Life by Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader & Nathalie Mornu, published by lark Books, 2007.

This is a fantastic little book. Firstly, it is tough. I love tough books that can handle the rigours of being well used in my house. It is a small format hard covered book with wire comb binding, so the book sits open and stays put while I am using it. After all, using a craft book usually involves two hands, and I hate having to hold the book open to the right page as well!

This book is like a first aid book for clothing and textiles. Not only are there fantastic tips for temporary-spur-of-the-moment-emergency fixes for just about everything you can think of, and many more permanent solutions, but there is a very useful plastic zip pocket at the back of the book containing a first aid kit for performing the fixes. There is even a chapter on using the bits in the kit, and where to shop to replace the bits when they get all used up. With this book in front of you, you will be able to do near instant emergency repairs to a jacket cuff in the thirty seconds before an important business meeting, fix a handbag or a ripped sheet, learn how to darn a hole or resuscitate lingerie, and even if you don’t know which end of a needle is which, there is a section explaining exactly that!

So if you are like me, a largely self taught sewer that has no patience for learning things the correct and proper way, instead just wanting to jump in and DO, then this book would be a fantastic addition to your crafting shelf (or hide it in your desk drawer if you are prone to last minute wardrobe catastrophes at work). The language used in this book is very straightforward and frequently chatty and funny. One thing that I really like about this book is that the authors assume that the readers are intelligent and capable, unlike so many of the instruction books on the market.

My husband, who is an engineer by day and very patient with my crafting addictions the rest of the time, liked this book for its language, common sense and clear diagrams. For me, I would rather some very detailed photographs (sometimes I am just too impatient to try to decipher written instructions) instead of funky diagrams, but the diagrams really add to the clear, crisp and groovy look of the book.

About the reviewer: Kate is a busy mother of three (soon to be four) and has far too many craft projects on the go at any one time. These could include, but are not limited to, crochet, sewing, dyeing, paper making, spinning, felting and bookbinding. Kate has challenges in the areas of finishing things, saying no and craft supplies storage. She also has a very very patient and tolerant husband.

The wooster collective - one of my fave sites is dedicated to showcasing and celebrating ephemeral art placed on streets in cities around the world.

Zonenkinder’s art in a run down building. || candle street art from know hope - KNOW HOPE is an artists from Tel-Aviv who creates handmade drawings out of paper and then lites them up with candles. || cardboard art in Melbourne || on the streets in Chile || on the streets of San Francisco || Moss graffiti by Edina Tokodi

send in your ephemeral creativity ideas, links or stories to whipup(at)gmail.com

I recently bought mine from this etsy seller and I love it. I did think of sewing my own but time and priorities came into it and I bought. However, for those of you that would like to sew your own, the ladies at Craft: have found an awesome tutorial. Link.

Lisa Lam from u-handbag - has an exclusive interview with Amy Butler

Hi Whip-Up! I am an avid reader, and so appreciate the breadth of depth of your coverage! I am the author of a blog called Scoutie Girl, where I feauture the work of other indie designers and artists. I currently have a giveaway going on, valued at $547! 24 artists have graciously donated items, and entrants have 24 chances to win. One winner will be chosen; contest ends Wed, May 14th

Lip mag is an alternative ’street’ mag aimed at young women. I dig their anti-consumer message and their focus on ‘reality’ rather than fantasy. They say:

We at lip feel that mainstream magazines do not help young women learn to deal with real life or to become culturally, politically, and environmentally aware people with strong self-esteem and individuality because of their focus on products, beauty and celebrity.

[The] subjects of fashion, sex, relationships, and glamour will be presented in a way that explores reality rather than fantasy, creativity rather than consumerism, and glamour as an inner ideal rather than a public one.

Get hold of lip mag - or contribute

Link, via Craft:

Nichola and Justine have just celebrated their 4th issue - 1 Year anniversary of Mixtape zine. It has gone from success to success and to celebrate they are kindly donating four packs of their first four issues (if you have the first four already - then they will send you the next four as they come out). To win a mxtape zine pack just leave a comment here about how the craft blog world has helped or inspired you to live your dream. (comments open until Friday this week).

Mix tape zine is a collision of craft, eco-cool and pop culture kitsch it features recipes, eco tips, crafty people profiles, ethical business practices etc - you can purchase back issues here or find out more here. Find Justine here and Nichola’s blog here.

Kath: Nichola and Justine you are both based in Melbourne and met through your blogs - finding out that you just lived around the corner from each other. I love that sort of serendipity. Can you tell me a little more about how you met - what ‘attracted’ you to each other?

Nichola: We met when Justine had read my blog and realised that she lived nearby the cafe I owned with my husband and we met up for coffee. Justine moved and soon after we closed our cafe and moved to the same area only 3 streets away, talk about stalker!

I think what attracted me to Justine is that in some ways we are so similar but in many ways we are total opposites, she’s an organised ‘let’s get it done now’ kind of girl whereas I’m more of a chilled ‘Yeah sure, I’ll be done at some point, usually the last minute’ kind of girl. A little bit of chalk and cheese but we complement each other nicely, she kicks me up the butt when needed and I tell her to chill when she’s running round like a headless chicken and it all works out well. She’s pretty funny too!

Justine: We have pretty much been inseparable since we first met. Our kids get along well and I think the fact that we are completely different is the “attraction”. Nichola is an “earth mother” and I love that about her.

Kathreen: Can you tell me a little more about how you first thought up the idea of mixtape zine?

Nichola: I had been thinking for some time that I’d like to start a zine of some kind. To be honest I was thinking small scale, something handmade that I could maybe pass around to fellow crafty people like myself. I told Justine of my idea and she expressed an interest in doing it together. We discussed what we thought the zine should be like and we came up with craft, ‘green’ ideas, pop culture, music and parenting amongst others, so really the zine has quite a broad range of topics. Then it was only a matter of a few months before our first issue went up for sale.

Kathreen: What sort of research did you do - how did you decide on format etc?

Justine: We based our zine on the American indie zine “Croq”. Heather was very helpful helping us out in the early stages. My husband Simon is a graphic designer so we left the design up to him.

Kathreen: Details details: Does the zine pay for itself? How much time do you spend on getting each zine to press?

Justine: We photocopied our first issue but after that we purchased a laser jet printer. We get our supplies wholesale which is the only way we can afford to print this quality at home. We have financed every issue via pre-sales, so that we only print for the demand. We have not had to put any money in ourselves, the zine pays for itself. We are going to apply for a grant so that we can at least pay our regular contributors. We do the pagination and Simon designs it all. The minute we release an issue we start the process for the next issue, so three months to get an issue together, that’s working on it most days.

Kathreen: You have had gorgeous covers - do you take submissions or do you commission the covers?

Justine: All the artists that have done the covers have done it for love! We approach people.

Kath: You both have a really great eye for design as well as being entrepreneurs and astute business women - can you tell me a bit about your backgrounds - what did you do before?

Nichola: I’m originally from the UK and moved to Melbourne with my husband and daughter in 2004. I was a pastry chef up until my second daughter came along and now I’m a stay at home mum to three girls who keep me very busy. I took up sewing, crafting and blogging when I arrived in Melbourne and things took off from there!

Justine: I come from a sales/marketing background. I worked in the music industry for a good 10 years.

Kathreen: Can you tell me a bit about the craft movement in Australia?

Justine: You know to be honest I’m not sure about the “craft movement”. I just happen to be following my heart and this is the path it has lead me down. Once I discovered the craft blogworld in 2005 I was hooked. What a bunch of fabulous artist/crafter that merge together and inspire. I realised that there was a market for a zine and we took the plunge and have one up for offer!

Lenny’s nature boats are so gorgeous … He calls them pooh sticks - he beach combs for bits of wood, feather or anything else that appeals and has a loose set of rules for each construction eg. he might only build the boat out of stuff that is within reach when sitting down, or he might restrict the use of tools (usually a penknife).

Such an awesome idea. Link.

..is a boutique social enterprise.

…connects socially isolated nannas and mature-aged ladies through craft, economic participation and social networking.

…designs and manufactures unique handcrafted products for women.

…appreciates and values the skills of mature-aged women and challenges the idea that the older you get the less you have to contribute to society.

…is inter-generational, combining contemporary fresh ideas of young women and the skills and crafting abilities of older women - to create the Biddy Bags designs.

via bloesem - these birdhouses by Tamar Mogendorf - hand-crafted from collaged vintage fabrics, linens, tweeds, and antique embroideries.

from laughing purple goldfish: For months I have been collecting plastic bags and cutting them into strips. Supermarket bags, bread bags, fruit and vegetable bags. Collecting and cutting. Collecting and cutting. Then I spun two strands together, and plied those with another two strands I had spun together. I ended up with two balls of plastic yarn. Much less than I would have anticipated. A little disappointing, but an interesting experiment all the same.

Awesome idea. Link.

The new CRAFTzine is out, and it contains a ‘how-to’ make a bow and arrow by my husband and son. Thats my cutie pie boy featured holding his new bow. Its a great father son weekend project. CRAFTzine the latest issue - has heaps of other great stuff - so check it out online or pick up a copy.

Vintage Vavoom: Romantic Decorating with One-of-a-Kind Finds by The Editors Of Romantic Homes, published by Clarkson Potter (December 31, 2007).

This is a book all about how to create a vintage/romantic style for your home. It includes tips for collecting, displaying and caring for your pieces.

But what really is ‘vintage vavoom’ (apart from a crazy name), its an eclectic style - decorative vintage, romantic, with collections of heirloom objects, vintage linens and crockery, with personal meaning as well. It is an instinctive decorative style - a mix of various eras, that comes together because of the personal meaning underpinning it.

This style is not supposed to be precious, yet obviously there will be treasured items that need looking after. Its a comfortable style - with layers of stories, memories as well as objects and styles. Objects such as vintage linens, faded quilts, an assortment of coloured glassware combined with your collection of animal salt and pepper shakers. It is nostalgic and worn and slightly rumpled.

There is a rather large section of the book taken up with shopping and collecting and getting inspired by shop styling. As well as showcasing shops there are also homes - some of which are more real and practical than others. This style might not be for those with small children running around - with its emphasis on nic-nacks. It is a lovely book, lots of yummy images as well as some practical tips on how to get this look.