I love going through Family Fun magazines or their website http://familyfun.go.com/ .
I look through all the new craft books and magazines. I like to program around new YA crfat books like Hardwear: Jewelry from a Toolbox by Hannah Rogge (c2006 ISBN 978-1584794806) which I used year before last during SRP.
Many of my ideas come from seeing something at a craft bazaar or noting something popular and figuring out how to do it (rubberband bracelets). Catalogs for kids’ toys or general merchandising ones tell me a lot about what’s currently popular.
Klutz books often spring board into buying supplies for less than the book kits.
Craft supply catalogs ( www.http://www.dharmatrading.com/ which also has video instruction for crafts including tie-dying which I do annually) or even party/trinket catalogs like Oriental Trading ( www.orientaltrading.com/ ) have spring board ideas that I can alter for teen purposes.
Science experiment books would give you things like sun prints ( http://www.sunprints.org/products/ ).
Totally Irresponsible Science: 64 Daring Experiments for Young Scientists by Sean Connolly c2008 ISBN 978-0-7611-5020-6 —
The Encyclopedia of Immaturity by the editors of Klutz ; v. 01 (c2007 ISBN 978-1-59174-427-6) and v. 02 (c2009 ISBN 978-1-59174-689-8) –office supply critters
Resources that I used from my background in Camp Fire, summer camp, day camp, outdoor school, child care all have ideas that can be tapped for inspiration but might be overlooked.
Marketing crafts for teens in a fashion of self-expression taps right into their developmental levels.
When my ratio went from mostly girls to mostly boys, I started adding crafts or experiments to other activities where I had them as a captive audience like marble magnets during Anime Club with old issues of Shonen Jump or other donated anime/manga magazines and even deleted mangas that can’t circulate anymore. When they wanted a Pirates of the Caribbean marathon a couple summers ago, I added a science experiment that pulled the copper off of pennies and attached it to nails and DIY henna tattoos. Mini buttons/pins are great fun with FB images slightly enlarged or added to.
From Lisa at Tigard Public Library:
Books
Bonaddio, T.L. (2009). Stick it: 99 D.I.Y. duct tape projects. Philidelphia, PA: Running Press Book Publishers.
Divided into sections with eight different categories of crafts from wallets to earrings, this is a duct tape lover’s bible. Tuck your craft samples in the handy pockets at the beginning of each chapter.
Campbell, J. (2009). Steampunk-style jewelry: Victorian, fantasy, and mechanical designs, necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Minneapolis, MN: Creative Publishing International.
This book provides instructions for several different one-of-a-kind projects, as well as a complete list of tools and materials required. Ask your staff and volunteers for donations of vintage jewelry, keys and objects and you will be amazed with the exotic items that land on your desk.
Coleman, T. & Llanes, P. (2009). The hipster librarian’s guide to teen craft projects. American Library Association.
You don’t have to be a hipster to enjoy these projects, in spite of the title. Each craft description begins with a rating of the difficulty, level of supervision required, the time it will take, and the mess you can expect. Pictures accompany the instructions and materials lists.
Nicolay, M. (2006). Generation t: 108 ways to transform a t-shirt. New York, NY: Workman Publishing Company. and Nicolay, M. (2009). Generation t: Beyond fashion: 120 new ways to transform a t-shirt. New York, NY: Workman Publishing Company.
These easy to follow instructions outline hundreds of ways to turn drab t-shirts into fabulous duds and accessories. Many projects do not require sewing or crafting experience. The Generation T website (www.generation-t.com) is frequently updated with new projects and templates.
Pailloux, N. (2009). Felties: How to make 18 cute and furry friends. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel. and Tedman, N. (2010). Zombie felties: How to raise 16 gruesome felt creatures from the undead. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel.
These little, stuffed felty critters are cute, fun, and require minimal sewing skill.
Smith, K. (2007). The guerilla art kit. New York, NY: Princeton Architectural Press.
Get inspired by these clever, mostly legal ideas that use materials like chalk, stickers and yarn to make the world a little brighter in surprising ways.
Online
ilovetocreateblog.blogspot.com
The crafty ladies that run this site post new crafts frequently, complete with instructions, templates, and videos.
www.thecraftycrow.net
Add this blog to your feedreader and you will be impressed with the volume of updates as the writer scouts the net for great crafts for kids. Most projects are for the young ones, but there’s fabulous stuff for teens as well.
Other
Collaborative Summer Library Program’s (CSLP) annual teen summer reading manual is choc-full of great ideas contributed by librarians across the continent and beyond.
From Aimee at Tualatin Public Library:
I regularly use these websites:
http://www.the4yablog.com/
http://video.teen.com/craft-club/
http://craftingagreenworld.com/
http://blog.craftzine.com/
http://www.instructables.com/
http://www.make-stuff.com/indexes/recyclingindex.html
And I try to look over new craft books (regardless of the craft) as they come in to get new ideas!