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.

Through the careful selection and arrangement of items readily found in nature, Goldsworthy creates installations in the natural environment that last from only a few moments to several years. The tools of his trade are his own two hands; his media are stones, sticks, leaves, sand, feathers, snow, ice, or whatever the natural environment offers him. Fixing his fragile compositions in place are thorns, water, ice, and gravity itself. His results are amazing. from University of Michegan Museum of Art

There is a flickr group dedicated to his work and to others work who have been inspired by him.

Andy Goldsworthy, Woven bamboo, windy…, Before the Mirror 1987

Andy Goldsworthy, Sheepfold MI87, Tilberthwaite Glen, Cumbria, Photographer: Dave Mulligan Picture by nvmdigital.com

was at Yorkshire Sculpture park 31 March 2007 - 6 January 2008 - Cow dung on window

List of winners from the Sew Mama competition.

flower squiggle from piperkinsvater flickr user

leaf circle from JRT Pickle flickr user

grass skirt from crows_in_trees flickr user.

to contribute an article, link or story on ephemeral art email whipup (at) gmail.com

Pretty Little Pincushions published by Lark Books (November 1, 2007) is a delightful book. Whimsical and sweet - yet practical too. pincushions are not for nothing after all. But these pincushions do double duty as practical holder of pins and decorative object or plaything (as long as there is no pins in it at the time).

The cover just doesn’t do the book justice - sort of a too cute design (although the project is lovely - just the photography I am complaining about it). The projects inside the book however are pretty much all lovely in their own way. From sweet simply embroidered linen squares by Cassi Griffin (she admits they could do double duty in the nursery), some not so scary zombie pin cushions by Joan K Morris to the very cute little simply shaped ‘pin pals’ plump little cacti stuffies by Toni Weber.

There is a hilarious funky chicken made from a repurposed knitted glove, by Nathalie Mornu, and some googly eyeballs as well as other bottlecap design minis by Jen Seacrest. Amy Karol has contributed a no-sew kitsch pin cushion using vintage teacups as the base. Meg Rooks design, inspired by the cup cake is made from vintage scraps.

I love the fried eggs and bacon by Jen Seacrest, and Cassi Griffins beehive is adorable. There are heaps more adorable projects in here to make use of scraps and to hone some of your skills or find new ones - and lots of room for experimentation.