In preparation for next weekend's Art of Craft, Cantabrigian crocheters and knitters are raising their needles to whip up flowers, leaves, and birds of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Their hope is that a garden of grandma graffiti will take over Concord Ave.

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By Tara Bellucci

Mom deserves more than a sad supermarket bouquet. Here's your chance to pick her up something original: students and alumni of Massachusetts College of Art and Design are displaying their craft for the school's annual Spring Sale, starting this Sunday and running all week.

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By Tara Bellucci

When it comes to crowdfunding, there's no shortage of online options these days. But Crowd Supply, started by MIT alums, is about more than just raising capital. From proposal to purchase, this platform takes makers through the process and delivers them real customers. FULL ENTRY

By Tara Bellucci

Photo: Mark Craig

As a hearty New Englander, Andrea Williams grew up learning the names of plants and animals native to the Maine shores. Her inlaid stone and metalwork jewelry is grounded and breathtaking, like that Atlantic coast. Her line, Bound Earth, is based in her belief that jewelry isn't just a status symbol to raise us up, but can instead bring us closer to nature, the place where the materials come from. Check it out in person at CraftBoston today and tomorrow.

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Covered with bright colors, playful patterns, and images of fauna of all types, you can't help but feel happy when looking at Hannah Niswonger's pottery. Born into a family of printmakers, quilters, knitters, and painters, it's no wonder the joy of craft comes through in Hannah's work. We caught up with the Winchester resident for an interview before today's CraftBoston show opens:

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By Tara Bellucci

Teresa Crowninshield's collection of elegant coats and jackets are confections of cashmere and silk, just begging to be touched. A craft born from visiting China's silk markets, Teresa's pieces impress — even in presidential company. Before you try them on at CraftBoston this weekend, read up about Crown Coats: FULL ENTRY

By Tara Bellucci

Mass Art grad Lauren Passenti has a bit of a dark side. At least her jewelry does. Striking a balance between industrial decay and the natural world, Lauren's pieces are crafted of materials some might call strange, like coral, horse hair, and fur, and antlers. Even the jewel-like quartz is rough. Her pieces are tough yet elegant — you can check them out in person at CraftBoston this weekend:

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By Tara Bellucci

Chris Osborne of City Lights acquires and refurbishes beautiful antique and Art Deco lighting. Though he also spends some time channeling Dr. Frankenstein, using vintage fixtures from the early 20th century as a starting point for his fascinating steampunk creations. Chris's Diabolical Boxes and other pieces that would be perfectly at home in a Jules Verne story will be on display at this weekend's CraftBoston show. FULL ENTRY

Photo: courtesy of Nicole Deponte

Known by many a hip, young Boston fashion lover by her iconic upcycled silk neck tie creations, Massachusetts native and Mass Art alumna Nicole Deponte returns to Boston for her second spring to exhibit at the Craft Boston market this week — with a new couture line, new offerings for men, and an excitement about where the local maker movement is going.

In this second installment of our Maker Moment series with Massachusetts artists showing at Craft Boston this week, we caught up with this cool emerging designer amidst the madness of packing up her studio for the show.

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By Tara Bellucci

Raised in Pittsburgh, educated at RISD, and now residing in Fort Point, potter Nicole Aquillano is our first in a series of Maker Moments with artists and craftspeople exhibiting at this month's CraftBoston Spring show. A former civil engineer, she turns architectural sketches into ethereal imagery on her ceramic and porcelain mugs and vases. Find out what this (soon-to-be) six-time marathon runner has to say in response to our ten questions: FULL ENTRY

Photo: courtesy of Gore Place

Ever daydream about the days of yore and (what must have been, right?) the simplicity of life on an historic New England farm? Ah, the honest joys of waking at the break of dawn, gazing out on your wide expanse of land filled with a sense of pride, giving your adopted dog an actual job to do, growing your own food, making your own clothes, hammering out the frustrations of the world in a barn workshop...

This month, indulge those farm fantasies and see what rural life is really all about by spending the day at Gore Place in Waltham for the 26th Annual Sheepshearing Festival. on April 27th.

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By Tara Bellucci

Cork crafts are all over Pinterest (even on our DIY Boston board) but this easy 5-minute DIY is our favorite because it doesn't require hoarding wine corks for months and months (who has the time and room for that?). All you need is one to make a super cute, super personalized stamp. So pour yourself some Pinot and save that cork! FULL ENTRY

By Tara Bellucci

Chronicle Books

If yesterdays's roundup of stitch-focused Saturday sessions has got your crafty fingers itching, here's a deal for you. DIY maven Vickie Howell's latest book, Step It Up Knits, is available on Kindle for only $1.99.

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Shutterstock

School vacation might be right around the corner, but this week it's time for the grownups to go back to class with six crafting events sure to help get your stitch on and shake the winter doldrums right out of your sewing machine.

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By Tara Bellucci

Nancy Dobrinski via MyPetChicken

As urban homesteading gains in popularity, more and more people are taking part and innovating. Not all of us urbanites have the luxury of outdoor space, but we can grow window and container gardens, and even compost. Though homegrown living favors those with yards, apartment dwellers can now experience the joy of keeping chickens. Even if you don't have Bob Craft's yard, you can roost your own hens in a 5th floor apartment, as long as you have a bathtub. FULL ENTRY

If this "Hey Girl" meme with Ryan Gosling makes you laugh, chances are you're a crafter who's encountered the dreaded pair of dull scissors at least once in your life.

Luckily, Gather Here Stitch Lounge is hosting an event today to help you spring clean your sewing kits, craft closets, and kitchen drawers to get a new edge on projects with discounted sharpening (even pinking shears!) starting at 2 p.m. today in their Cambridge shop.

Patti Small of On the Edge Knife Sharpening will be on hand to revive your favorite pair or blades for just $8 each (normally $10).

Who knows? You might even run into actress Amy Adams, who was spotted in the craft shop just last week!

Gather Here Stitch Lounge, 370 Broadway Cambridge, MA. Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, check out GatherHereOnline.com

The jury is out over whether Pinterest has enhanced the holidays for hosts or just added to the seasonal stress of striving for perfection, but either way it's easier than ever to find inspiration (and a DIY tutorial) for any of your holiday planning needs — like these 18 Easter egg designs, all of which can be done in a day with simple tools and some leftover craft materials.

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By Tara Bellucci

Right while the Northeast is in the grips of winter, little orbs of sunshine start arriving from California and Florida. Fragrant Meyer lemons, a hybrid of a lemon and a tangerine, are a welcome burst of Vitamin C during the cold season. If you're wondering what to do with these slightly sweet fruits, just 5 minutes of hands-on effort results in a jar of salty, savory citrus that add a pinch of umami to any dish. FULL ENTRY

By Tara Bellucci

Last night marked the first ever DIY Boston Night, a series we are hosting to bring people together to get their craft on. If you missed our Craft Swap evening, never fear: here is a virtual Kickstart Kit for you to make our featured project of the night: jute-wrapped vases a la Nate Berkus. FULL ENTRY

By Tara Bellucci

Image: Shutterstock

Did you know? March is National Craft Month! Started in 1994 by the Craft & Hobby Association, National Craft Month celebrates taking the time to do something creative, whether trying something new or picking up an old favorite project.

Here at DIY Boston, we're celebrating in our own way — with a Craft Swap! Click through for all the details:

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Photo: Windsor Button via Google Plus.

Continuing in the tradition of beloved Boston stores closing on a celebratory note (see: the Artifaktori Davis Square location closing last weekend), Windsor Button is going out with a bang.

Earlier this week, Racked Boston and The Boston Day Book confirmed that this historic, locally owned haven for Boston makers (Windsor Button opened in Boston in 1936) is indeed closing, and a call to the store revealed that it could be as early as the end of March — though the store representative we talked to said that the store will be open "at least a couple more weeks, and then week to week after that."

Here's hoping that week to week turns into month to month turns into year after year and they never really close at all. To hedge that bet, however; hightail it up to Downtown Crossing (35 Temple Place) for discounts from 20% to 50% off all their fabulous DIY supplies — and a chance to say goodbye to the Boston crafting landmark in person.

Windsor Button, 35 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02118 (617) 482-4969. Hours: 10 am to 6pm (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday); 10 am to 7 pm (Thursday); 10 am to 5:30 pm (Saturdays); closed Sundays.

By Tara Bellucci

When you pair the tried-and-true recipe testing power of America's Test Kitchen with one of our favorite topics, pantry staples, you know we're going to love it. The Brookline-based team behind Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country hits it out of the park with this one, delivering step-by-step photo instructions for each of the 100+ foolproof kitchen projects.

I made it a whopping six pages into the cookbook before practically drooling on their version of Nutella, a chocolate hazelnut spread so warm and nutty, you may never buy the imported stuff again.

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By Tara Bellucci

As we wind down from celebrating the Academy Awards and the wonderful works of film from the past year, we're excited to commemorate something really remarkable: the achievements of women in changing our nation.

Airing on PBS tomorrow, MAKERS: Women Who Make America tells the remarkable story of the most sweeping social revolution in American history, as women have asserted their rights to a full and fair share of political power, economic opportunity, and personal autonomy.

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Photo: Melissa Massello/Shoestring

Make a DIY Oscars statue in minutes using a Ken doll & some paint.

No Oscars party is complete with its own awards statue, and as we get ready for our annual #OscarUp tomorrow at 40Berkeley, we decided to create this DIY version of the iconic golden guy — using a Ken doll and some spray paint — in just a few minutes. Here's how we did it.

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By Tara Bellucci

Ever browse the racks and wish you could change the color of that dress, or the neckline on another? Aubrie Pagano feels your pain and came up with a chic solution. With her company, Bow & Drape, you can choose from a variety of garments and styles and completely customize them, from the hue to the hemline and everything in between.

Since we can't think of anyone more stylish than this lady, we invited her to be our very own red carpet "Kelly" at the 4th Annual #OscarUp this Sunday. Aubrie and our "Ross," Jeff Lehens of DressCode Boston, will be providing the arrival blow-by-blow, asking "who are you wearing?" and handing out the top honors for our Best Dressed Contest.

While you prepare rub well-dressed shoulders with Aubrie on Sunday, she's kindly answered our Maker Moment questions:

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