Interview with Bonnie Burton

We were lucky enough to catch up with the lovely Bonnie Burton this week. Bonnie is a San Francisco-based author, journalist, Content Developer for Lucas Online, and a staff writer for both Star Wars.com and Star Wars Insider magazine, and maintainer of the Official Star Wars Blog. She's recently authored The Star Wars Craft Book which is packed full of clever projects based on everyone's favorite iconic film franchise.

Easy Crafts: What was the most fun thing about creating The Star Wars Craft Book?

Bonnie Burton: I love making all kinds of crafts -- dolls, puppets, dog toys, art and so on -- but this book helped me to explore other craft projects that I've never tried before like giant plushies such as the Jabba the Hutt Body Pillow and home decor items like the Ewok flower vase and the AT-AT planter. Plus I got to revisit crafts I did as a kid like the Emperor Appletine Doll and the Star Wars rocks.

EC: What was the most difficult project to pull off?

BB: The paper-mache Acklay creature was the most extensive craft I've ever pulled off. I originally wanted to do its body too, but I realized I would run out of room in my apartment if I tried to make the whole thing life size. So I just settled for making its head so you can mount it like a taxidermy deer head.

EC: What's your advice for someone who wants to start crafting but has never walked into a craft store before or picked up a stick of glue?

BB: Craft stores can be mazes of creativity. You're never sure which way to go first. I would suggest that first time crafters start with something easy, like my Chewbacca Tissue Box Cover or the Wookiee Bird House. There's a LOT of easy crafts in The Star Wars Craft Book because I wanted to make sure both kids and 1st time crafters had a lot of projects to choose from. I also have recycle crafts like the Star Wars snow globes so you can make something fun from the stuff you already have around the house and you don't have to go to the craft store.

EC: Which Star Wars character do you think would be the craftiest?

BB: I'd like to think that Yoda knits when he's alone. A lot of knitters have told me that knitting feels like meditation at times. He has a lot of patience too, so I bet he's got impressive origami skills. I'd love to see the kind of craft projects Yoda would come up with. He probably has a model of the Jedi Academy made completely out of toothpicks.

EC: Which character would have the hardest time getting crafty?

BB: Jar Jar is all thumbs, so I could imagine him spilling glitter everywhere, or talking nonsense to a bag of googley eyes. Also you have to allow yourself some mistakes, so Darth Vader wouldn't be that great at crafting. He'd probably smash the Wookiee Birdhouse to bits before he ever finished it.

EC: What sort of mods would you make to your lightsaber if you could create one? And what color would it be?

BB: I think my lightsaber would probably look like a cross between a steampunk sword and a glitter wand!

EC: Were there any Star Wars projects you wish you had included in the book, or ideas that were just too big and involved to include?

BB: I wish I could have snuck a robotics craft in the book so kids could build their own droids just like Anakin did. I'm working now on a Sarlacc Pit bed for dogs. Luckily, I don't think I'll ever run out of Star Wars craft ideas.

EC: What are some of the most impressive Star Wars projects you've seen fans create?

BB: In addition to seeing the crafts fans make from my book, I've seen some amazing crafts from fans. Whether it's the R2 Builders making amazing astromechs that work, or the 501st and Rebel Legion making their own beautiful costumes, Star Wars fans are some of the most talented fans I've ever met. I included some of my favorite fan-made crafts in the book as well such as the Millenium Falcon bed!

EC: Do you ever visit and use Wookieepedia ? If so what's your favorite thing about that Wiki?

BB: I love Wookieepedia for all the weird facts and extensive files on every single Star Wars thing you can imagine.

EC: Any fun new projects you're working on that you want to share?

BB: I'm working on making an AT-AT room divider, a tauntaun puppet and lightsaber pillows! The fun never ends! ;-)