Team FaveCrafts was SO excited to read and review Wise Craft by Blair Stocker. Filled with amazing ideas for turning thrift store finds into home decor gold, Wise Craft is a must-have book for making your own home decor and accessories.
We were just so inspired by Wise Craft and all the amazing projects inside that we couldn’t wait to find out what the motivation was behind all these awesome tutorials. Blair was sweet enough to answer all our questions, and even gave us some crafty tips on what to look for in thrift store finds and what three things she always has in her craft stash.
As a little added bonus, we’re giving away one copy of Wise Craft to one lucky winner! Scroll on down to find out more about how you can win this awesome book!
What inspired you to create Wise Craft?
There are so many books already on the market that go deep in one craft or medium (like crochet, knitting, quilting, etc). I like to do all of these things, and rarely meet a DIY project or method I won’t try at least once. I felt like there must be others out there also want to dapple in all types of crafts to make their home a lovely place, without learning deeply about one particular one (at least not at first). There seems to be lots of us, thankfully my hunch was right!
What are some tips you have for crafters who are looking to embrace the DIY lifestyle?
Get inspiration from your favorite catalogs and stores. Often my favorite color combinations for a household related DIY project come from my favorite apparel catalog or store. And my favorite motto when it comes to household color changes? “It’s just paint!”
What is your favorite project in Wise Craft?
That’s hard to say, every one of the projects have so much meaning around them to me. I really do love the Avalon Quilt project in the Winter section of the book. It was made from my kids outgrown corduroy clothing. I collected it over a few seasons until I had what I thought was enough to cut into, then supplemented with some clothing from the thrift store.
You seem to be inspired by everything around you…but when the ideas just don’t seem to come, how to you overcome “craft-block”?
I work at home in a basement studio. If I find myself stuck and I just can’t seem to get the cogs churning, then I know its time to get out and do anything but make something! I love to window shop high end stores to look at the colors and displays. Sometimes I take myself out to lunch and people watch. I try to get together with my creative friends on a regular basis just to talk about all the things we want to do. And I never stop learning. Whether its going to weekend quilting retreats, taking online or in person classes, I am ALWAYS inspired when I learn something new.
What do you look for in a good thrift store find?
I keep a running list in my bag of what it is I’m wanting to find, because my eyes can glaze over when I walk into a big thrift store. I think it’s more of a gut feeling to find something- like fabric, clothing to cut up, or something furniture related- and just know it’s THE perfect thing. I’ve been collecting things from thrift stores for years, and I still come home with things that leave me wondering what I was thinking. I’ve gotten better. Practice makes perfect!
I usually don’t bring anything home that has something missing or needs too much repair, because I never get around to it.
Tell us three must-have craft supplies you have in your stash all the time.
- Hot glue gun
- Good scissors
- A sewing machine
With these three things, almost every next step is possible 
BONUS! We’re giving away one copy of Wise Craft to one lucky winner! You have until August 29th to enter, and you can enter to win once a day…so the more you return, the greater your chances of winning this awesome giveaway! Head on over to the giveaway page now and register to win today!
Want a little sneak peek? Check out the Woven Chair Back project!
