Tag: crafts

Beautiful ofrenda at San Diego History Center.

The San Diego History Center in Balboa Park, which is open free to everybody, has put up a beautiful ofrenda (altar) for Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Their ofrenda appears a bit different from prior years, but it still honors and remembers figures from San Diego’s past. Oh–and San Diego’s famous town dog from the late 19th century, Bum, too!

Making a family ofrenda is a beloved tradition in Mexico. The beautiful altar in the San Diego History Center also contains traditional objects like marigolds, candles, papel picado and photographs of loved ones who’ve passed on.

A nearby table invites visitors to the museum to make their own tissue paper marigold. These hand-made marigolds can be added to the altar with a note containing the name of your loved one and a message.

You may also take your special marigold home.

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House of Somalia showcases their culture!

Last Sunday, members of the House of Somalia in Balboa Park greeted visitors inside the Hall of Nations. They were pleased to showcase traditional crafts and artifacts that represent Somalia.

The House of Somalia is the first African house to join the International Cottages in Balboa Park. Like about a half dozen other nations, they don’t yet have a cottage, but perhaps they might at a future time.

The table in the Hall of Nations contained a variety of beautiful drums, cups, sandals, beads and other cultural objects. Both members were super nice when I asked if I could take photographs!

To see the Hall of Nations hosting schedule, click here. Next Sunday it will be the House of Lebanon.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

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Make art, help kids in Balboa Park!

A very cool event is taking place in San Diego this weekend through tomorrow, Sunday, August 21, 2025. Artists from the Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park are helping you to create your own art, in a fundraiser that benefits kids!

It’s Art Galore Days!

Between 11 am and 4 pm, head over to the Casa del Prado’s outdoor courtyard and look for various stations where you can make fun art!

Purchase $5 tickets and use them to create what you wish. You get entered in a raffle, too, where you can win a fine work of professional art!

The awesome thing is, funds raised will be used to support Spanish Village art education programs for kids and young students!

Some of the beautiful pieces you can win in the raffle:

You can create a snowman button!

You can paint tribal rocks!

You can paint a sunset (or anything you desire) with a frame!

Make a cool succulent shoe!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

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Hidalgo exhibit opens at House of Mexico.

A new exhibit opened yesterday at the House of Mexico cottage in San Diego’s Balboa Park. The history and culture of the Mexican state of Hidalgo is celebrated with displays of art, crafts, dolls, fashion, photographs and more!

Hidalgo is a small state in central Mexico, located directly north of Mexico City. It is known for its mining history. Hidalgo has its own unique attractions, including local traditions, picturesque towns and architecture, thermal springs, and beautiful natural landscapes. The objects on display inside the House of Mexico’s cottage help to show why Hidalgo is a popular tourist destination.

Friendly members of the House of Mexico welcomed me to their cottage and happily explained what I was seeing. But you must see all the color yourself! Just head over to Balboa Park’s always fascinating International Cottages.

I was told the House of Mexico welcomes new members. Anyone can join. Even I was invited! You can visit their website here.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Win a community quilt in Old Town San Diego!

Would you like to win a beautiful handmade quilt? You have that chance if you enter the raffle at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park!

A colorful community quilt was made with the help of volunteers, visitors, and California State Park staff, who sewed together a checkerboard of different patches, including many that are hand illustrated. The quilt will be raffled on the Fourth of July. (A variety of fun outdoor activities will be enjoyed by park visitors on Independence Day, too!)

You can view the quilt inside the park’s Robinson-Rose House Visitor Center, which is where you purchase the raffle tickets. One dollar buys a single ticket; five dollars gets you six tickets.

It appeared to me today that people have a decent chance to win this amazing quilt. The small glass jar containing tickets was perhaps a quarter full.

The cool thing is proceeds from the raffle will help fund the activities of the volunteers at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Make a cosplay superhero cape for Comic-Con!

The IDEA Lab on the 4th Floor of San Diego’s Central Library will be open for maker activities before and during Comic-Con 2025!

In addition to providing cosplay repair during Comic-Con, would-be superheroes can make superhero capes in the IDEA Lab on Saturday, July 19, 2025, between 2 pm and 5 pm.

All the materials you need are provided. Yes, there will be fabric, sewing machines, and the ability to create cool designs on your cape, as in the above photograph! It’s the first time they’ve had this cape making activity since before the pandemic.

The IDEA Lab also has 3D printing available for your other cool Comic-Con creations!

I was told today that additional activities might crop up during Comic-Con, but it’s still a month away. The cosplay repair and superhero cape making are definite, however!

Less than a month to go. Is your cosplay ready?

Here are some other fun photos from inside this maker space…

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Crafty armadillos roll into San Diego!

Dozens of crafty armadillos have rolled into San Diego. I observed them today in Balboa Park, inside the Mingei International Museum!

The roll of armadillos (that’s what a group of armadillos is called) is hanging out inside several glass display cases on the ground floor of the museum. Tuck and Roll: The Art of Armadillos is the name of the free exhibition.

The exhibition includes folk art armadillos crafted from wood, clay, glass, metal, stone, fiber and various natural materials such at shells, gourds and coconuts. There are bowl armadillos, toy armadillos, ashtray armadillos, pipe armadillos, jar armadillos, coin bank armadillos, toothpick holder armadillos…

These crafty armadillos were made primarily in Central and South America, and Mexico, where the roly-poly animals are found in the wild. Many of the objects were created by indigenous peoples following centuries-old traditions.

I took a few photos, but if you plan to visit Balboa Park, step through the Mingei International Museum’s door and encounter these fun armadillos yourself!

Tuck and Roll: The Art of Armadillos will be displayed into January 2026, so you have plenty of time.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

An exhibition of very unique textile art!

There’s a museum in Liberty Station that visitors might mistakenly pass by. When I walked by today, it occurred to me I hadn’t stepped into Visions Museum of Textile Art for many years. So I had to see what I’ve been missing!

Long before I started Cool San Diego Sights, I remember how the museum was called Quilt Visions. The last time I visited, in 2019, it was called Visions Art Museum. I was told the name has evolved over time as the museum has enlarged its scope to cover many different types of textile art.

Today I was excited to see the Visions Museum of Textile Art is thriving!

I discovered several current exhibits, and chose to blog about one that features some very unique pieces. It’s titled INTIKA: Men In Textiles. As a sign explains, the INTIKA exhibition seeks to showcase the diverse works of male artists from various backgrounds, each employing different textile techniques. These artists push the boundaries…by experimenting with unconventional materials or incorporating elements from other disciplines like sculpture or installation art.

Check out the next photo. This visually complex piece, composed of sliced and woven street posters collected from the walls of New York City, Berlin and Venice, is definitely unconventional!

There’s all sorts of textile art to admire, including unique clothing, hangings and other needlework. More examples…

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

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Making traditional crafts in House of Sweden.

What you see here is a traditional Swedish Dala horse. It’s one of many crafts created by members of the House of Sweden in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

I stepped into the House of Sweden‘s cottage today when I noticed it was open. Even though it’s Tuesday and most of the International Cottages are closed during weekdays, a few were open because school students were having a field trip in the park.

Inside the cottage I was greeted by a group of friendly ladies sitting around a table, hard at work crafting small gifts that will be sold during the House of Sweden’s Midsummer Festival later this year. Among other items, they were creating yarn dolls and flower wreaths!

The ladies call their group Pysselgruppen, which in Swedish means “Craft Group” or “Activities Group.” They invited me to join them, but sadly I had to say no. My efforts would be a disaster!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Free live glassblowing event in Escondido!

Tomorrow, Saturday, April 19, 2025, a free, live glassblowing extravaganza continues at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido! The special event is being held outdoors in the Cal Club Courtyard between noon and 6 pm. Look for the signs! You can check out the event webpage by clicking here.

The two day event began today. I swung by as everything got underway. In addition to a very cool glassblowing demonstration, various San Diego County glass artists have tables with some of their fantastic creations for sale.

The artists have also created a bunch of beautiful glasses (see my final photograph) which are for sale for $25 each. Funds raised through the sale of these stunning glasses (and the sale of beer, too) benefit the California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

I sat and watched as expert glassblower James Stone created an elegant wine glass. He has years and years of practice, and you can see the excellence of his work. He’s a friendly guy who likes to explain what he’s doing.

James Stone demonstrates glassblowing work in progress. The glass changes color when it is heated.
An amazing iridescent bowl created by James Stone.
These extraordinary glass cubes were created by Tom Marosz.
These fantastic glass sea shells were created by Mariah Armstrong Conner.

Amazing blacksmithing work was displayed as well! A representative from Vista Forge showed me some cool creations.

Blacksmithing and Glass Art classes can be found here. They’re held on the grounds of the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum in Vista.

Purchase one of these colorful glasses, blown by a local artist, and you benefit the California Center for the Arts, Escondido!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!