We’ve just moved to another house here in Portland, so it’s been a busy and exciting month. Moving is huge task on its own, but when you add kids into the mix, of course, it’s an even greater challenge. We still have a ton of unpacking to do, but so far, we’re really...

I’m having a super fun time “pinning” all of my favorite images on the web that I find inspiring. I’m brand new at Pinterest, and really underestimated how brilliant it is. I’d love to see what you all are collecting on Pinterest, too. So far, I’ve started...

Just a quick note to say that I created a new site page for my book, Made to Play, where you can find info, download actual-size templates for the projects in the book, or ask questions. Here’s the link: http://madebyjoel.com/madetoplay Thanks...

If anyone wants to see how the Martha Stewart show went, here’s a video. It was a blast making dollhouses together! Here are the dollhouses I brought to New York for the...

And the winners, according to the random generator are Denise, and Kirsty! Thanks so much everyone for the enthusiastic response! I’ll definitely try to do another giveaway before the winter holidays. Also, so everyone can get a little something, below is a new coloring sheet that I just...

This morning I was on the news show, “More Good Day Oregon” here in Portland. It was pretty fun! Here is a video stream if you want to watch...

Now that my book is out, I thought it would be fun to do a little giveaway. I signed two copies, so I’ll randomly pick two winners. If you want to be entered to win, then simply leave a comment on this post. On Friday morning (October 28) I will randomly pick the winner from all those...

Got back late last night from the whirlwind trip to NYC. In case you’re as curious as I was about what it would be like at the Martha Stewart Show, here are a few photos from yesterday. My Editor for Made to Play, Jennifer Urban-Brown, and my publicist, Jennifer Campaniolo, came in from...

Just got done filming the Martha Stewart TV Show! Here’s a photo that my mom took on her phone of the monitor. I’ll post better photos later. I’m in the airport right now getting ready to fly home. It sure was a fantastic trip! Oh, and the show is schedules to air on November...

I’m really excited (and a little nervous) to say that I’m flying to New York on Monday to be a guest on the Martha Stewart TV show! I’m going to be making dollhouses and dollhouse furniture with Martha. I’ll be in the studio for two days. The first to set up and...

Wow, I’m so excited for my sister Lori. Today her album, “Outside My Door – Songs For Children Of all Ages” got a Parents’ Choice Gold Award! Nice work Lori! See the Parents’ Choice review of Lori’s album here if you’d like! Listen or get Lori’s...

This is my 200th post on Made by Joel! To make it easier to explore all of those posts, we’ve been working on a new design for the site. We’ll be adding a few more features, but you can start trying things out now. One fun thing to try, is when you click on a post, you’ll see...

I just had the most wonderful experience… Artist/author/teacher Ann Sayre Wiseman came to my house on Monday with her son Kiko Denzer, also an artist. Her phenomenal book, Making Things: The Handbook for Creative Discovery, is one of my all time favorites. You might recall I mentioned...

We’ve had a great week of family time with our new baby. I’ll be posting some more crafts and coloring sheets very soon! Until then, some of you requested to see the DIY baby socks in action. So here you...

Here she is! Born this morning, and everything is...

Our baby is coming very soon! The suitcase for the hospital is packed, and we’re really excited to meet...

This was a very exciting week for me. Etsy sent their video crew from New York to my studio on Monday to shoot a video craft tutorial for their “How-Tuesday” series. The video will be posted on May 3, but here’s a behind the scenes teaser image. Also, below are a couple of...

I’ve been busy during spring break, working on some new big projects for the blog. I think it will be worth the wait! Meanwhile, there is a lot of fun going on over at the Made by Joel Facebook Page. So many people are sharing photos and great ideas for kids crafts. Here are a few (used...

By popular request, I’ve made a small list of favorite tools I use for toy making, photography, and crafts. NON-TOXIC PAINT: To paint my kids toys I use Acrylic paints by A2 Chroma. They’re nice paints, non-toxic, and very affordable. CAMERA: I used to have a Nikon D70, but...

Ohdeedoh recently asked me to participate in a short interview to celebrate Learning at Home month.  They asked a few people about their favorite children’s book, illustrator and more.  If you want to check it out, click...

The London based company, Made in Me, has invited me to design some toys with them.  They are a fantastic group of people who focus on creating “interactive experiences that inspire kids to play and learn.”   I’ve already begun working on some wooden toys for them. Below...

LMNOP Magazine recently invited me to be their regular craft contributor, and of course I accepted.  I love the magazine.  Their new issue was just released yesterday, in which they mentioned that I’ll be working with them.  My new column will commence in their next issue.  Should...