Crescent® OddJob™ Tool and Giveaway

Wednesday, March 6, 2013 by Cathe Holden

Recently I was sent the OddJob™, an all-in-one DIY Multitool by Crescent®. The timing couldn’t have been better since I’ve been setting up my new barn studio over the past few months and really need the extra help. Normally I would go digging for my husband’s tools when I needed to fix, repair, hang or build things. But having this awesome lightweight tool has really saved the day! When I first opened the package my husband stated, “Wow! It’s from Crescent! They make really good tools!” (Take it from a firefighter.) This bright red baby is now the number one hardware tool in my studio.As you can see it’s a hammer- for driving small nails and tacks with the steel head side- but the other side is a soft mallet! The bottom of the handle is a ratchet screw driver with forward and reverse functions for tightening and loosening. The OddJob™ comes with a Phillips head screw driver in place, and there are six additional drill bits tucked into a removable compartment in the handle. I collect vintage standard screws that I find at garage sales or flea markets for the purpose of repairing vintage pieces or adding antique embellishments to things. Standard screw driver heads are getting harder to find, so I was really glad to see that one was included.

The OddJob™ also comes with a flexible screwdriver attachment. This allows you to reach awkward areas like with these plate racks that I hung for storing craft supplies in my studio. I could get a long screwdriver to fit through those wires, but not one with a ratchet mechanism that makes turning so much easier.

On the top of the hammer section has a handy a nail puller. And there’s even a removable utility knife on the other side of the handle.Here’s a quick video demonstration of it in action:

THE GIVEAWAY:

Crescent® is sponsoring the giveaway of OddJob™ Tools for

THREE LUCKY JSIM DIYers!

TO ENTER: Leave a nice, relevant comment below. Entry open to US residents only. One comment entry per person, please.

~~It’s always nice, but not required, to share giveaway links with your friends!~~

ENTRY DEADLINE: Monday, March 11, 2013. Winners will be randomly chosen, notified and posted here shortly after deadline.

You can purchase the OddJob™ from Crescent® on Amazon.

UPDATE: Thanks for all the entries! The randomly chosen winners are: #61 Kim, #79 Kelly, and #132 Alicia

Congratulations!

184 Comments | Posted in Barn Studio, Giveaway, Tools, Uncategorized | Tagged Crescent, Giveaway, OddJob, Tools

The Ribbonerie: The Ultimate Ribbon Store

Saturday, March 2, 2013 by Cathe Holden

In my last blog post I mentioned utilizing my time in the San Francisco Bay Area (while there on jury duty in federal court) by visiting unique creative shops. One that I just discovered and have already been to multiple times is The Ribbonerie tucked among the Sacramento Street shops. I’ve never seen or experienced any place like it. Opened in 1997, it has since become the largest retailer of specialty and imported ribbons in the western United States. Paulette Knight, proprietor, was the original US importer of French wired ribbons over 25 years ago.The Ribbonerie stocks over 1,000 styles of ribbon, high quality trims and embellishments, rare vintage accessories, exquisite fabrics, couture trims, heirloom accessories and vintage crafts from around the world. Also in the shop:

Bridal Trims
Vintage Hats & Gloves
Antique Buttons
Hand Crafted Silk Flowers
Cording
Military Braids
Bindings & Ric-Rac
Feather Plumes
Beaded Flowers
Fashion Accessories
Specialty Boxes
Rare Textiles
Vintage Jewelry
Handbags

Paulette has also amassed several spectacular antique display cases for ribbon and other textile related supplies. Here is a photo tour of the store from my last visit. This is the grosgrain ribbon section where I found this gorgeous spool of vintage red, white & blue that I will be using in my workshop at Craftcation this month.There are shelves and shelves of color and textures. Stunning brocade ribbons.

Many beautiful color palettes and styles.

Metallic cording and trims. Even ribbon custom designed by Paulette herself.

Posies and other floral and garden-style embellishments. Metals and foils. The showpiece of the shop, an early spool cabinet filled with vintage buttons and trims. Silk ribbons.Holiday ribbons, trims and cording. Antique textiles. Dots, stripes and checks.And just look at all those tartans! The Ribbonerie has bins and bins of half-price ribbon. And antique display cases filled with vintage jewelry and textile-related antiques. While I was visiting in February, the beautiful collection of boxed ribbon candies by Candace Kling was on display. My favorite ribbon in the shop is the elasticised pleated ribbon. It’s a bit pricy when pulled taut for measuring, but a little bit can go a long way. Here is rosette I made using that and other Ribbonerie ribbons.The Ribbonerie also hosts in-depth decorative arts classes. For more information, products, pricing and inspiration visit The Ribbonerie online. You can also follow the shop on Facebook!

22 Comments | Posted in ribbon, Rosettes, Uncategorized | Tagged ribbons, textiles, The Ribbonerie

Castle in the Air: A Creative Slice of Heaven

Sunday, February 24, 2013 by Cathe Holden

I am currently serving on a jury in the US District Court in San Francisco. Court was in session last week and looks like it may be another week or so until this case is over. So far, it’s been a very interesting experience and I’m quite glad to be there. But needless to say, I’m not getting much crafting time in as I’d like. I’m up and out the door at 5:15 am each morning for the commute into the city, but luckily we are dismissed daily around 1:00pm. So instead of driving straight home some days, I’m taking advantage of being in the Bay Area and hitting a few creative shops in the afternoons. The other day I drove over to Berkeley to one of my favorite little ones- Castle in the Air. I was shopping for a few craft workshop supplies, specifically Dresden trim. So while there with my iPhone in hand, I took lots of photos to share with you just how incredible this dreamy wonderland is. If you see some supplies you like in the photos, there’s a very good chance you can find them in the Castle in the Air Online Shoppe.If you live in the Bay Area or plan to visit, be sure to check out their exciting line-up of classes. You can keep up with Castle in the Air by subscribing to their newsletter, liking them on Facebook and visiting their blog. Now, sit back and enjoy the show: Aimée Baldwin’s Vegan Taxidermy– Antique reprint paper models you can construct yourself. Paper, paper, paper.And more paper!Sweet little supplies. Curiosities.The book nook. I spy lots of Chronicle Books titles. My fingers are crossed I’ll find my book in there one day!Breathtaking assortment of fine pens.Beautiful tools. Dresden trims. German glass glitter.Crepe paper galore.Antique handcrafts on display.Stationery.Ribbons, trims, & trinkets.Fresh twine just arriving.Handmade leather goods.Here’s my little bit of loot from the day.I hope you enjoyed the tour. There are so many more things to see at Castle in the Air than I can share in one blog post. Please visit their store in Berkeley California or their website to see just what I mean.