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I’m not usually one much for protesting; but this was just the Perfect Protest! Literally.

Brené Brown launched a protest against perfectionism at her Ordinary Courage blog.

I learned about it from my friend Eden at Draw, Doodle and Decorate. Click on over to see her cute protest sign. [Love the funky socks and shoes, Eden!]

The picture above is my contribution. As a practicing artist - as in, "I’m not perfect, I’m always practicing" - I’m very drawn to the Japanese Wabi-Sabi aesthetic of the imperfect, the asymmetrical, the unique, the impermanent.

Perhaps that’s why I’m attracted to the very Wabi-Sabi art of scrapbooking as practiced today. Collages, altered books, steampunk and the grunge look also are excellent examples of Wabi-Sabi.

Can you think of any other Wabi-Sabi art forms?

Feel free to join in the fun over at Brené’s blog. The more, the merrier!

We have some new projects on site as usual. Plus you’ll find lots of other holiday projects to inspire you in our Holiday Craft Ideas Section.

Please read on for all the fun details.

Eileen

Thanksgiving Crafts

• Artificial Pumpkin
• Fall Table Runner
• Goofy Turkey Place Card Pattern
• Pumpkin Centerpiece
• Thanksgiving Doily Bowl
• Turkey Napkin Rings
• Turkey Place Card Holder

New Articles

Crafting by Camp Light - Sometimes inspiration comes despite special challenges.

Handcrafted Donations: a Win-Win - De-clutter your craft stash and put the items to good use at the same time.

Take Care of Your Muse - If your Muse has been eluding you lately, think about what you can do to lure her back.

My Season of Hope Contest Submission: Remembering Pam - You don’t have to run races to raise awareness and funds for the fight against cancer. Season of Hope was for all us scrapbookers. Check out some of the touching and courageous tributes.

Tips for Aspiring Young Artists - Do you have words of encouragement for young aspiring artists? Please leave a comment for Tara and others like her.

Angel Friend Charm Bracelet - Make a charm bracelet with a message.

Don’t Forget to Scrap Those Special Moments - Thanks to Deb for the nudge reminding me of the fun photos still sitting in my camera - unscrapped!

Art Inspiration: Messy Canvas - Mandy Steward’s free eBook Messy Canvas has inspired the artist in me. You can still download a copy for the artist in you.

Do I Look Like A Mind Reader? - Miscommunication between spouses can lead to some interesting crafty developments.

The Artful Crafter Home Remodeling - Working from home has its plusses and minuses.

Top Secret Mail Art - Have you heard about mail art? I never had; now I love it!

Crafters Anonymous: Tackling Our Stash 1 Step at a Time - Have you cleared away any of your craft stash lately?

Free For All Fridays

Some of the freebies we share in our Free For All Fridays are evergreen or have long open times before expiration. Here’s a great one for you Photoshop users.

If you have Photoshop CS5, download this free plug-in filter, Pixel Bender, which allows you to create (almost) instant art from your photos. There’s also a very helpful video tutorial to get you started.

Within an hour, I created a faux Seurat ...

... and a faux VanGogh ...

... from this photo of the Lakefront near our home.

To find past Free For All Fridays, just go to The Artful Crafter Blog and search on the phrase "Free For All Friday".

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