Noonday!

This company is just another way the internet has been an influential tool in the spread of creativity, and in this case, a very worthwhile cause.

This woman began this company as a way to help families to fund adoptions of orphans in Rwanda.

The products of Noonday Collection are from the villages of Rwanda, as well as other places the company has expanded, such as Peru, Madagascar, India, and others. The products are sold in the States and a certain amount of money from “trunk shows” goes towards adoptions.

Some purses from a trunk show

This blog and site show an amazing story through images, experiences, and a plea to contribute to the cause it supports. The visuals and stories alone make me want to be a part of this project!

It is amazing how easy this company, through its website and blog, have made it to contribute. The site is navigable and makes its mission clear through the “stories.” The blog gives consistent updates of what is going on with the company and the progress its making, so that you stay involved and removed from the goal of the company once they receive your money.

Overall, this is a compelling company, made possible I’m sure, through their presence in the online world. Not to mention their products are fantastic!

Making Things

This place is just one of may that shows you only some of many things to make.

Just fun, colorful, creative additions to the many things you probably already own. However, this site is definitely worth checking out. It has many tutorials and images to show you how to make so many of these things. Of course, these tutorials allow you to add your own twist and style.

Example:PIIGS 

This particular project  has a political slant to it, but like many other things to do, it can be a fun little craft as well.

I thought it was interesting how this blog does have ads along the sidebar, but they are hardly noticeable as they advertise things related to the site so they just blend in. one of few times ads are not annoying and make you want to turn away from the page.

Learning to Knit…On the Net

This past summer I decided to learn how to knit. Little did I know how easy this would be with the Internet. People always say there is endless information out there, yet all we do is watch comical YouTube videos of random acts. However, I decided to stray away from the YouTube videos and learn something new.

I found a few websites that not only show really cool patterns, but step by step instructions on how to create said patterns. 
After seeing all the jargon used for knitters, I was scared initially. But hey, this website that explained all that to me as well. 
I wonder if learning skills like this will take the place of traditions passed through families. So many family tradition-type skills are now posted on the web. It seems like they may have skipped a generation or two, but now some of us want to get back to learning those skills our grandmothers or great- grandmothers had. I think the “craft” movement of the last few years may have helped contribute to that.

Just one of several different patterns I learned to do 

Color! Pattern! Fabric!

This is what fabric designer Anna Maria Horner is all about. I mentioned her in my last post, but her blog is one of favorites. It is always refreshing to see the designs she is coming up with. An interesting feature to her blog is that she has Flickr pages where people can put up images of their creations with her fabrics. Each page is from a certain collection or set of patterns or book of hers. This is just another way of bouncing around ideas between crafters, sewers, artists and the such in the online world.

Anna Maria Horner’s voice on her blog is very personal. It is evident from looking through her blog that she is a mother and works from her home. However, this is not a typical “mom” blog, because her posts, at least for the most part, relate to her work and how she gets inspired for her work. 

Living Room

Garden

In-progress project

Just seeing what this woman does with everyday life type things is colorful and  inspirational. It is interesting how she shares her private life of day to day things on a blog that is obviously meant to be seen by many. This is just another way of how we see people communicating over the web and using that means of communication as a way to inspire others and share ideas.

Inspiration Online!

I am amazed at the sources of inspiration one can find in the online world. I’m sure many of you have seen or at least heard of Pinterest and all the amazing things that come from it. However, it is a very interesting site. I personally love to see pictures of projects and events that people create. It is an interesting way of communicating ideas. I am sure you have heard of "pins" and "boards," but for those of you who haven't, it's simply a way for people in the Pinterest community to share images of their own projects or simply things that inspire them.

Just seeing images like these are inspiring and at least look like an attractive project to take on...

This is fabric from Anna Maria Horner, a textiles designer. Her site is always inspirational!

It is so exciting to see what people come up with and are willing so share with the rest of the world.

This project is from "Apartment Therapy." Seeing as I live in an apartment that could use some help, I will have to check out what they have to offer. 

I will definitely continue to explore other ways people show how they are inspired and what they share on the web.