Gobble, Gobble: Thanksgiving is Here!

Thanksgiving is TOMORROW and we're here rounding up our very favorite Thanksgiving projects from crafty friends from around the web. We love Thanksgiving! It's the perfect time for hostessing projects, fun interaction with kids and gearing up for the December holidays. Take a look at our favorite projects below, starting with last year's Make Your Own Felt Turkey Dinner (perfect for vegetarians!) Check it out here for pattern and instructions.

Plus, here are some of our favorite projects, recipes and treats for this Thanksgiving! Start in the top left corner, and make your way clockwise for some Turkey Day fun:

1. Some of the best Clean Green Bean Casserole (vegan + paleo) that I've ever had, from Detoxinista. We made this a few nights ago as a test, and it's fabulous! Bless that nutritional yeast.
2. Make one of our favorite projects! Fun little Felted Acorns for a sweet tablescape or fun afternoon craft project.
3. Delicious-looking Swedish Cinnamon Rolls from Have a Yummy Day. The photo itself might kill me.
4. Free Thanksgiving printables for gift tags and notecards from She Wears Many Hats. So cute!!
5. We can never get enough gold--glitter up your table with this idea from A Pumpkin and a Princess.
6. More awesome printables! Animal cup cozy patterns by A Subtle Revelry. Gobble!

Have a great Thanksgiving, folks!

Images as linked above.

Make This // Gift That with Papernstitch + Send Us Your Projects!

Check it out! Brittni Mehlhoff of Papernstitch wrote a great post with tutorial on using our Crafting Studio Rubber Stamp Set to wrap special gifts this holiday season. We love the adorable stamped ribbon!

We have seen so many ways that you guys have been creative with our rubber stamps--please share your lovely projects with us! If we get enough, we'll do a special post with photos and links of all of your projects. Email us at info [at] assembleshop.com with subject heading "Rubber Stamp Project."

Thank you so much, Brittni! Oh so cute--for more on this project (and more beautiful photos), head over to Papernstitch.

Photos courtesy Papernstitch.

Artist Spotlight: Christopher Boffoli

Sometimes we sooo wish that we had the physical Assemble space in order to have amazing art shows with local, fabulous artists. Christopher Boffoli would be at the top of our list. A Seattle-based photographer, Boffoli uses miniature models and every day food products to create a whimsical, dream-like world for his pieces in a new collection: "Big Appetites."

The collection is hilarious at first, but a darker, underlying tone about the relationships that humans have with food makes this work resilient and timeless. Check out more of the collection on Boffoli's website and read his statement about the project.

What awesome work!

Images courtesy Christopher Boffoli

Assemble Shop & Studio + Drygoods Design Stamp + Tea

We had our Kickstarter Backer Stamp + Tea! It was so fun--cupcakes, rubber stamps and delicious hot tea, perfect for a Fall day. We made mini stab-bound booklets and stampy patterned covers. A special thanks to Drygoods Design for donating their space to our cause. We love you, Drygoods! If you're in need of some fabulous fabric or stitching accoutrement, make sure to drop by their shop! Enjoy the photos!

Assemble Rubber Stamp Project #2: DIY Wrapping Paper

It's been a bit since our Assemble Rubber Stamp Project #1, and with the holidays coming, we thought we'd do a quick tutorial on DIY wrapping paper with our dashing polar bear stamp. We wrapped this package with DIY wrapping paper made from regular old printer office paper, junk mail (yes!) and our stamp.

To create this package, you will need:
• blank sheets of paper (we used office paper and a Tiffany & Co. envelope)
• a stamp
• ink pad
• your box!
• double-sided tape
• scissors
• baker's twine or ribbon

Stamp your image onto the paper in whatever design you prefer. I stamped this paper a few days before hand because the coating on the printer paper was a bit slick, and the ink needed to dry.

If you need to seam pieces of paper together to be big enough to fit your box, flip the page over and place double-sided tape as close to the edge as possible.

Connect with the other sheet, and remember to use this "seam" as one of the box's corners (see photo below).

Fold your page over, find the edge of the box and either cut or fold your paper to size. Place double sided tape to the very edge of that fold or cut and tape to the other side of the paper (which should be folded in underneath).

Push the end flap down and create a seam. Fold the side flaps into perfect triangles and place double-sided tape to the edges of these folds (see pic below, you can just make out the tape).

Tape the two side folds in and secure. Place double-sided tape along the triangular edges of the last flap, and fold in toward the center. Secure in place. Repeat these steps on the other side.

To create your gift tag, stamp on a different colored cardstock and cut close in a rectangular shape. Tie baker's twine around the package and slip the card under the top bow. Done and done! A perfect package for pennies.

The Big Reveal: Our New Crafting Kit Redesign

Oh boy, we are so excited about this one. We have been wanting to redesign our crafting kits for a while now, in order to make them more "shoppable" for our customers--and we finally did it! Our new kits have comprehensive labels and photos that tell you exactly what's in each box and how many projects you can make, plus they match our new stamp labels! Click over to our shop or etsy store to browse our newly redesigned kits!

Let's Get This Tea Party Going, Guys!

We've had some RSVPs to our awesome Stamp + Tea Party--but we need more signups to make this party awesome. Click the image below for more info: