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Saturday, November 13, 2010

Homemade Glimmer Glam

Who out there hasn't tried Glimmer Glam? Me either! Basically, Glimmer Glam is a very shimmery paint made by Tattered Angels (who make Glimmer Mist). But you can make your own! There are two ways to make this, they're both really simple. See the video below for a visual tutorial on how to make your own Glimmer Glam.

Now, here's what you'll need:
  • Iridescent Medium OR Sparkle Glaze paint (found at Hobby Lobby and probably Michael's and JoAnn's)
  • Re-inkers OR alcohol ink from Ranger (Tim Holtz)
  • Water
  • Paint brush
If you choose iridescent medium (do a Google search for it and you'll find it), you will need to remember that a little goes a long way. One jar could make countless batches of homemade Glimmer Glam. If you choose Sparkle Glaze (cheaper) you will need to use more.

IRIDESCENT MEDIUM TECHNIQUE:

Pour a dime-sized amount of iridescent medium into a mixing jar. Add 6 drops of re-inker and a small amount of water. Don't use too much water or you will dilute the mix and make it runny. Mix with paint brush and paint away!

SPARKLE GLAZE TECHNIQUE:

Pour a larger amount of Sparkle Glaze (between a quarter-sized and half-dollar sized) into a mixing container. Add about 20 drops of alcohol ink. Add a small amount of water being careful not to make the mixture too runny. Remember, you can always add more water, but once it's there it's stuck :) Now use your paint brush to stir the mix and start painting! TIP: be careful about getting the mixture on your hands and fingers -- remember that you are using alcohol ink that stains skin and is a pain in the butt to get off ;)

It's really that easy. This probably won't be my only method of using Glimmer Glam, but I do know I can't afford a whole lot of bottles of brand name Glimmer Glam so it's nice to have some small batches of homemade glam to avoid buying every conceivable color Tattered Angels has to offer.

Stay tuned, the next post will be about making foil tags! Keep up with me on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/theelegantcriminal!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

How To Make Money Scrapbooking #1

Ever considered an affiliate program? That's where you get money by referring people to another site that pays you for that referral. The one I use (and will accept your blog as your site for referrals) is shareasale.com. It's free and can make you money. As you can see from my last entry, I am an affiliate with Scrapbook.com. Just check out the banner to the right (or click the link earlier in this post) to Share A Sale to get started!

Stay tuned for Lesson #2 on how to make money scrapbooking!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

New Mini Paper Bag Album

Here is a mini I made out of paper bags. I really like how it turned out!



To buy products I used in this mini album, please visit the Scrapbook.com Superstore!

Products used in this mini (searchable on Scrapbook.com):

  • Advantus - Tim Holtz - Idea-ology Collection - 12 x 12 Paper Stack - Vintage Shabby
  • Prima - Petite Fleur Vine Collection - Flower Vine - Cherry Blossom
  • Advantus - Cropper Hopper - Tim Holtz - Idea-ology - Adage Tickets
  • Prima - Say It In Crystals Collection - Self Adhesive Jewel Art - Bling - Ceremonial Swirl - Gray and Clear, BRAND NEW
  • Prima - Tiny Tots Collection - Miniature Mulberry Flower Embellishments - Elf Mix
  • Prima - Wildflowers Pillar Pack Collection - Botanical Flower Mix - White
  • Prima - Fairytale Roses Collection - Miniature Mulberry Flower Embellishments - French White
  • Advantus - Cropper Hopper - Tim Holtz - Idea-ology - Long Fastener
  • Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads - Vintage Photo
  • Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads - Black Soot
  • Ranger Ink - Inkssentials - Ink Blending Tool - For Ink Application and Blending

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Mini Albums to Come!

Stay tuned, I have THREE great mini albums to share with you this week! I've been busy this weekend ;)

Friday, October 29, 2010

Layout Montage

Instead of posting a bunch of pictures, check out this entertaining and fun video of some recent layouts of mine!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

OneTrueMedia.com Video!

I wanted to share a video I made at onetruemedia.com!



Ignore the "happy holidays" thing at the end...couldn't figure out how to get rid of it or add a title to the first slide, but overall it's pretty cool for being free!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Altered Mardi Gras Mask

I'd like to share with you an altered Mardi Gras mask I made for my friend Yvonne on scrapbook.com for Martica's swap. Yvonne sent me a GORGEOUS mask that will be going on my wall as soon as I figure out what spot to put it on! :) So here are the photos:





If you stopped by today, leave a comment!

www.naiveglowarts.com

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Etsy Photo Help

It's time for an Etsy help post! Yay!

Today's topic: photos.

Don’t we all wish our photos were impeccable? Don’t fret, there are some very simple and easy tips to help you take brilliant photos that will display your product well. I went to the Etsy forums to get the best and most common suggestions for better photos.

Lighting
Perhaps the most important part of a photo is the lighting. Never take for granted the power of good light. And no, good light does not translate into “lots of it.” In fact, too much light can be just as bad as too little. But how do you go about lighting without fancy equipment?

All you really need is some daylight and a camera. That’s it. Editing software (freeware, nothing you have to pay for) is a definite plus, and I have some recommendations, but it is not absolutely necessary.

The basics of lighting:

  • Do not take photos in direct sunlight. This will cause shadows that can distort your item’s look.
  • Afternoon light is the best.
  • Try photographing near a window. This will give you a source of light direction and really add interest to your photos.
  • Never use your flash! This will wash out your pictures, cause glare, and make for a quite unappealing picture.
  • Next we’ll consider composition. This simply means where the item is placed in the photo. In photography and design classes the Rule of Thirds is always taught, but on Etsy you want to focus on the item. Crop, crop, crop! Get as close as possible to your item and capture the greatest detail you can. This can be achieved by using the macro setting on your camera. If you’re like me and don’t have a macro lens for your professional camera, I rely on cropping and zooming quite a bit! Another thing to consider is that Etsy always uses thumbnails. If you have too much background and “atmosphere” in your photo, the automatic square cropping may make your item lost in the thumbnail. This is why I suggest centering on most photos.

    However, keeping good props for your atmosphere around can really make a difference. For instance, the other day I took photos of a gift box topper flower. I actually showed it on a present in use with Christmas trees (small ones) nearby to set the mood. Don’t get carried away though, always make sure your item is the focus. Too many props or unnecessary ones will detract from your item, and that’s a no-no.

    Next, consider your background. Many things do well on white backgrounds, though if your item is light colored you certainly want to opt for a darker option. White gives the greatest contrast to most items, and you want contrast! This will highlight the detail of your product. Stay away from busy backgrounds, especially ones that are close in color to your item! This may seem like common sense but sometimes we have brain farts and forget that basic rule. It happens, we’re human. No worries if you mess up, you can always do it over.

    Next you want to take many angled photos, meaning different shots of your item. Turn it 90 degrees, 180 degrees, for God’s sake rotate it 124 degrees, doesn’t matter, just get an interesting angle. In addition, it is always helpful to show the product in use. Utilize models if you are selling something wearable. Like I mentioned before, I showed my gift topper flower in use to give buyers an idea of what it would look like on their gifts. Consider catalogs and how they photograph their items. Successful use of models and props can make a huge difference in your listing.

    Finally, you get 5 photos on Etsy. Use them all! Don’t be afraid to post five pics of the item at different angles. The more the better. It has been suggested to always have one photo showing your item in use.

    So to sum up, these are the guidelines:

  • Use filtered natural light
  • Don’t clutter your background and consider color
  • Use interesting angles to showcase your item
  • Show your item in use in at least one photo
  • Use all five photo spots
  • Utilize props and models wisely
  • And in the wise words of blackcatsupply, “Make sure your lens is clean.”

    Sunday, October 3, 2010

    TWS Mini Album

    I am participating this month in my first TWS (TradeWind Scrappers) mini album swap. Here is my album! The theme is Celebrating Womanhood, so I made it very feminine and decided to go with a bit of a vintage feel. I am hopelessly addicted to vintage now that I've tried it so many times. Ahh, vintage. Graphic 45...mmm. Funny story about Graphic 45...I had a dream all my friends were boycotting Graphic 45 because they were coming out with a paper line based on sensuality and sex...how crazy is that? What's on MY mind huh? Anyway, here's the album, cover to cover with close ups.


    Not sure what this bouquet is supposed to be for, but I bought it from crafta.com and slapped it on here and loved it!

    I used a Tim Holtz swivel clasp for the closure. I love it!


    Button as a charm, and a butterfly charm that's been in my stash for months and months.



    I made this flower...I LOVE IT!


    It says "smile" underneath the tags.


    On the right, that is a canvas coin envelope I made by taking apart an already-assembled paper one and tracing it.




    I am OBSESSED with that calla lily flower! There's another coming up soon :)

    Envelope mini.




    I learned to make a new flower...there's two on the left page, I love them! They resemble Prima's camelot roses only better ;)


    See, another calla lily!

    Thanks for stopping by, leave a comment if you like!

    Sunday, September 26, 2010

    Prize Winner Announced!

    We have a winner for my portion of the blog hop! Let's say congratulations to Resa over at http://hardlyworkinggirl.blogspot.com/! Congrats Resa! Love your blog :) Send me your address to the e-mail I posted on your blog in the comments section of your latest post so I can send you your prize pack!

    Friday, September 17, 2010

    Blog Hop is HERE!


    Welcome to the Ch{all}enge Masters F{all} into a Ch{all}enge Blog Hop! The challenge Divas have gotten together to create some fantastic Fall themed projects for you to be inspired and enjoy. You should have arrived here from Design Diva Jamilie's Blog. If not, then you need to start back at Tammy's Blog (Stash & Tag Diva) (http://tampatha.wordpress.com). We all have a secret word that you need to collect to spell an autumn phrase and to be entered to win one of the grand prizes. All the details are on her blog and you don't want to miss out on any great prizes along the way as we all have something special that you can win!

    My project was a Halloween card with an Alice in Wonderland theme. I used Graphic 45's Halloween paper line for 2010 and some natural cardstock. I did some distressing and used dimensional glue dots to set the image up. Inside you'll see a sentiment that I accented with

    orange peel Stickles. Here's the outcome:



    Now we are sending the ch{all}enge out to you! We want to see your fall themed projects! You can upload them to the CM gallery here. You'll need to sign up to the forum and while you are there we hope you'll have a look at all the great challenges we do every week! You have until midnite on Saturday September 25th to upload your project and then the winner will be announced a few days later! You can win a fantastic prize pack! My contribution is a Grandiflora stamp set from Heartfelt Creations, Timeless Lilac Glimmer Mist, and Lettuce Alcohol Ink.


    Now you are on your way to Leija's blog to see what she's created for you and don't forget the word you are looking for from me is....................IN.

    Thanks for stopping by ladies and gents!

    Monday, September 13, 2010

    Blog Hop with Prizes Coming SOON!

    Keep your eyes open for a blog hop coming later this month! Over at our awesome challenge forum, Challenge Masters, we are hosting a blog hop. Each blog will post a fall-themed challenge and have a word that will in the end spell out a phrase. By uploading your projects to the CM gallery and figuring out the phrase, you can win a fabulous prize pack! So be on the lookout and check back soon for your project! The prizes at CM are always incredible and worth a good chunk of change, so you don't want to miss out! :)

    I am also in the process of hosting a YouTube mini album challenge. Check out my channel at http://www.youtube.com/theElegantCriminal for more details. More info will come as I get the prize pack together.

    In other news, I won the weight loss challenge on scrapbook.com! I was floored by the prize pack! INCREDIBLE. I will be making a YouTube video of the mini album Martica made. The prize pack video is up on my channel already with a sneak peek of the album, but I want to go into more detail. It's mind-blowing.

    I went to the doctor today for a check-up on my meds, and finally got my thyroid and A1C checked. He didn't give me an option this time, he just sent me to the lab and made me get the tests done. It's been 2 years since I've had my thyroid checked (I have low thyroid function, hypothyroidism) and I am borderline diabetic so he was done letting me put off the tests. He said he would try to get me a discount on the cost ($70 for everything I got tested for). No health insurance sucks. And chances are I won't have it again until I graduate and get a job in a professional field. Bummer :(

    I also likely have a pinched nerve in my lower back. It's incredibly painful, but isn't full-blown painful all the time so I can manage with some pain meds. My dad just gave me some of his nerve pills (Neurontin) which I have taken before to see if that helps. So far I feel a little on the fence of loopy/coherent. And for some reason I just got nostalgic for rainy elementary school days. Weird.

    Ok, enough of this post...later friends!

    Tuesday, September 7, 2010

    Another Day...

    I woke up sick yesterday (well it's still "today" to me). One of my parents woke me up at 10:30 to remind me I needed to be at work at 11...as I was saying, "I need to call and tell them I'll be late..." I get a call from work telling me that it's been slow and I don't need to come in until 2. That was awesome. When I got there basically I rang up orders, helped people occasionally, made a card, and made 4 kits for that card. We closed at 5 due to it being Labor Day. I was happy to have a short day though, being sick sucks.
    I got $75 worth of Etsy orders today! One is for $52...100 mini 3x3 envelopes, my Prima-inspired flowers and butterflies, and an altered clipboard. Those things (clipboards) are selling like crazy! I'm going to the Dollar Tree today to get some more. I think they'll sell well at the craft fair as well, and I'm selling all my inventory of it on Etsy! So happy about that though. They're mini organizers, and I must say they're pretty cool :) I get $13 for each one, and they cost less than $4 to make at the most. Of course shipping is always free in my shop so I have that to consider but it's still a great profit to me considering the short amount of time it takes to put one together. Here's what one looks like:


    I'm still itching to list more stuff on Etsy...I need that USB cable!

    I am waiting for Michael's, Hobby Lobby, and the Dollar Tree to open to go shop. And the post office. I need to pick up some black sheets for my table covers at the craft fair, but those are WM...open 24 hours but I'd rather just do all my errands at once. Hopefully I can stay awake until then...if not I'll sleep through most of the day!

    I also got an order for a dozen red paper roses arranged in a bouquet. Got $16 for it :)

    Anyway, that's today's blog post. Leave a comment if you stopped by!

    Monday, September 6, 2010

    Updates!

    So my camera's USB cable has bitten the dust. I have stuff to list on Etsy and it's driving me crazy not doing it! I just overhauled my entire shop to make everything come with free shipping. Took a few hours, but hopefully it will attract more sales.

    I have entered a huge challenge at scrapbook.com hosted by Megan...it's going to be a challenge just keeping up with points! But my goal is 15 layouts this month. I have got to crack down and get some more done!

    That's all for now, later!

    Monday, August 30, 2010

    Giveaway!

    Ok so a site called Giveaway Scout wants to put my Etsy credit giveaway on their site. What this site does is search blogs for different giveaways and then compiles them into one place for people to find. It's actually pretty cool, a neat concept I hadn't thought of before. So I just wanted to share that with you :)

    Onto other news: I am employed! I got my dream job: at Archiver's, a scrapbook supply store. I started on Saturday and worked late, so hopefully that will help my reputation there and get me lots of hours. I sure need them. I want my Macbook Pro back SO badly! I am so sick of this old thing. It's slow and every time I see a Macbook Pro or look-alike on t.v. (which is a LOT), I get so sad. One day I'll have that $1,280 to get it fixed. I hope to save at LEAST $100 from each paycheck. I am opening a savings account just for that. I miss my graphic design software SO much. Photoshop, Illustrator, iMovie, iPhoto...I miss it all. One day...I'll get it back. I hope to get it back by Christmas. That would be the BEST present ever. I am head over heels in love with my 17" Macbook Pro with glossy screen and my external hard drive named Sylar...

    My scrapping suffers due to the lack of my Mac, as well. I can't edit photos as elaborately, can't split up 12x12 layouts and print them into fours and then connect them (that made no sense to you, I know, but I know what I mean!) so I can get exact measurements...and this computer gets viruses and malware and I'm just sick of it. And I don't have iTunes on this computer. I would have to reformat my iPod to work on a PC and it would erase all my songs. So I can't add new songs to my iPod now :( It's been that way since January. It sucks so bad, but I am happy to have a laptop to use in the mean time. It may be five years old but it still works. Trying to count my blessings here :)

    Ok, back to some projects!

    Sunday, August 22, 2010

    Challenge Masters $10 Etsy Credit!!!!

    Have any of you checked out Challenge Masters? It is the most interactive forum I know of...each week there are several challenges for you to participate in, and one winner is chosen! Sometimes you get a RAK (random act of kindness) for winning, sometimes it is all for the glory!

    I am in charge of altered art, a link to my challenge this month is at this link.

    I am looking for ideas for an altered challenge for next month...any takers? I would love your input for altered art! Maybe a canvas, maybe a book? Hmm...the possibilities!!! September's challenge will be issued the first Sunday of the month, so check back to Challenge Masters for next month's challenge!

    To encourage all of you to join the fun at Challenge Masters, I am offering this incentive: $10 of credit at my Etsy store (www.naiveglowarts.com)! To be entered, do the following:

    1. Comment here letting me know you signed up at Challenge Masters (www.challengemastersonline.com) and give me your user name that you chose.
    2. Introduce yourself in the Introductions subforum on the site!
    3. Enter one challenge by September 10th! Come back here and tell me what challenge you entered.

    Once you complete all these steps, you will be given $10 of credit towards any handmade item on my Etsy site. (This excludes the kits). Remember you must complete ALL three steps to get this credit! You can join ANY challenge but you must have your entry uploaded to the gallery there by September 10th! If any of these steps is not completed, you will not receive the credit.

    If you're not familiar with my Etsy store, check it out here: Naive Glow Arts By joining and participating in the Challenge Masters forums and challenge(s), you will get $10 of credit at my store, not including shipping. So that's $10 of free product, no additional purchase necessary! So you get $10 of free product with FREE shipping to anywhere in the CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. If you buy $15 worth of product, your total will only be $5, no shipping charges! If it comes to $10, you owe nothing :) If you are outside the continental US, you will only pay shipping.

    Any questions? Let me know! Again, the site is ChallengeMastersOnline.com. Check us out!

    Friday, August 6, 2010

    Inspiration

    Are you starting your own business? Be it official or just something on eBay or Etsy, you need motivation. You need something to drive you to succeed. That old adage, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" is pretty true...though it kind of contradicts itself...not planning in the first place doesn't lead to planning to fail...it just leads to failing...but anyway, we all know what it means :) But before we jump into planning (which I'm still learning), I'd like to share a few (ten to be exact) inspirational quotes that resonate with me.

    1. "Follow your passion and everything else will fall into place."

    2. "The secret of life…is to fall seven times and to get up eight times." - Paulo Coelho, from The Alchemist

    3. "Each moment of our life, we either invoke or destroy our dreams.” - Stuart Wilde

    4. “I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work." - Pearl S. Buck

    5. "I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

    6. "You can make mistakes, but you are not a failure until you blame others for those mistakes." - John Wooden

    7. "The only thing all successful people have in common is that they’re successful, so don’t waste your time copying 'the successful strategies' of others." - Seth Godin

    8. "Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads." - Erica Jong

    9. "A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." - George Bernard Shaw

    10. "Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." - Mark Twain
    I hope these mean something to you, too. They made me stop and think, and if you really read them with an open mind, you'll find that they ring true.

    Saturday, July 31, 2010

    Etsy SALE!

    I found the cutest anchor necklace on Etsy from ririprettyfulls. Here's what it looks like:


    Anchor by the Shore -- $25
    link


    I have decided to open a second Etsy store to feature my hair clips. I want to keep my paper crafts separate from the accessories, but I need to wait until I have more inventory. I will definitely keep you all updated on the grand opening.

    In the meantime, to celebrate the impending opening of my new shop, I am starting a sale at my current shop! 10% off EVERYTHING handmade! Even the scrapbooks! This excludes shipping, invitations and the kits I have available for sale. Check out my store at Naive Glow Arts! Discount will be refunded via PayPal after payment is received. Sale ends August 10th! Don't miss out!

    I sure wish I felt like creating today. I am working on new hair clips and got two done last night but just don't feel like doing any more. I am on antibiotics and they make me feel like crap. My root canal is on Monday but I am not worried about it at all. I get nitrous oxide so it's all good :)

    Alright, that's all for now!

    Thursday, July 29, 2010

    Etsy Tips

    As if you didn't know already, I spend a lot of time on Etsy, a site for handmade items, vintage items, and supplies for various crafts. My link is http://naiveglow.etsy.com. Along the way I have learned several things I would like to pass on to anyone starting their store, thinking about opening one, or to an existing store owner who wants more sales. I have collected these tips from fellow Etsians and some are my own. I won't differentiate which is which :) So here are 11 tips for success on Etsy.

    Tip #1: Make your descriptions...descriptive. Don't leave out a single detail. What's the size? Who is it intended for and what use does it have? What's it made of? What is your opinion on it? People want to know as much as possible about your product before making a purchase, so don't hold back on descriptions. There's no limit to how long it can be...though you should use discretion -- novel-length descriptions will likely not get read and turn your potential customer away. Find a happy medium.

    Tip #2: Use all 14 keywords. You get 14, so use 'em! What I do is look at my item and put the first things that pop into my head. "Vintage," "Moulin Rouge," "small," etc. Think about what your item's purpose is, and think of keywords people might type in to find a product like yours.

    Tip #3: Get a banner and avatar. This will make your shop more inviting and give it a branded presence. It makes it more memorable. A store without a banner looks barren and unfriendly -- so get yourself a banner with your shop's name on it. You can find plenty of free banners by searching Google or you can buy them from other Etsy members, custom made! It is great if your avatar matches your banner, but this is not entirely necessary.

    Tip #4: Get into the community. Make sure you make a presence there in the forums or chats...this will get people looking at your store, marking items as their favorites, and "hearting" your store, meaning they can easily come back to it by clicking their favorites. You will also get lots of great insight about Etsy in the community section of Etsy.

    Tip #5: Use all 5 pictures. You can upload 5 pictures at no extra charge. Take a picture of your item at different angles even if you think it's a simple piece. Turn it 180 degrees, 90 degrees, 45 degrees...however you want! Just use all 5 photos to properly show your product -- people want to get as close as possible.

    Tip #6: Take your photos during the daytime in the natural light. This makes them feel cozier and more inviting. Natural light is less harsh than a flash on a camera and doesn't reflect as badly. Also, download a free editing program such as Picasa3 or Photoscape to enhance your photos (brightness, contrast, etc.).

    Tip #7: Use keywords in the beginning of your shop announcement. You get a shop announcement section -- the first words should be keywords about the items in your shop. For me it's "paper flowers, hair accessories, scrapbook albums, invitations, fabric flowers & Paper Crafting Kits." Do this for one reason only: Google. When someone searches for an item on Google, the search engine will "crawl" the page and take the first few words on the page and use them as filters. Keeping keywords there will help people find your shop from Google searches and other search engines.

    Tip #8: Don't worry about the competition. There are so many shops on Etsy, you cannot worry about what they're all doing. Concentrate on your own shop. Ask a friend or family member to look at your page and tell you what they think -- what are their first thoughts? Do you have any items featured? Is your shop announcement too long? Are the pictures too dark? Do you have no categories for product, just a big mish-mash of stuff on several pages? Take their suggestions into consideration and see how you can adjust things to make them better.

    Tip #9: Don't under price. You may be concerned that others are selling similar products for less -- forget about them. If your item is superior, it deserves to be priced at what it's worth! Consider your materials and time, and your effort. What is all that worth to you? That's how to price your items. Make sure you are getting your time and effort's worth out of your sales.

    Tip #10: Make your customers feel special. Include a small gift with each sale, be it some ribbon or a few buttons. Include a business card so the buyer can save it when they realize you are a reliable seller. It is marketing to your customers, and that is priceless.

    Tip #11: Get into the blogging world. Blog about your items and gather a network of friends in the blog world. Comment on similar blogs and follow them, keep up with what they're doing. This can help you get business and get you ideas of what people are looking for -- the latest trends, so to speak. It's also fun and easy!

    With that, here are my latest additions to my shop :)

    Blue Satin and Lace Flower Hair Pin/Headband -- $10
    link


    Vintage Moulin Rouge Flower Headband -- $18
    link

    Wednesday, July 28, 2010

    New Etsy Items!

    These are my newest listings on Etsy. I have lowered my prices to be competitive, and if you use discount code BLOGK, you will receive 10% off your entire purchase (excluding kits and invitations), less shipping! The refund will be given after payment is received via PayPal.


    Fanciful Flower Headband -- $7
    (custom orders welcome)
    link

    Distress Ink Starter Kit -- $40
    link

    Alcohol Ink Starter Kit -- $40
    link

    Mixed Paper Flowers, Perfect for Cards -- $4
    link

    Gorgeous Flower Vine -- $3.49
    link


    Unique Elegant Wedding or Party Invitation -- $3.25
    link

    Prima Gallery Rose Tutorial

    Today we're going to learn to make a duplication of the Prima Gallery Roses. You will need:
    Tim Holtz Alterations Tattered Florals Sizzix DieHeavyweight paper or cardstockAdhesiveWater in a spray bottleMouse pad
    Round-ended tool (embosser, Empressor, end of a paintbrush, etc.)Cuttlebug or Sizzix Machine
    Cut four each of the two smallest flowers.


    Spritz the smallest petal with water.


    Turn your mouse pad upside down. With your round-ended tool, rub in a circular motion in the middle of the flower and at the base of each petal. Do this to all four small flowers so you have one open one, one that is more closed, another that is even more closed, and the last one should be similar to a ball shape (very closed...to get this you will rub longer on the flower).


    Repeat this with all the petals.


    Begin to stack the petals from the larger ones to the smaller ones.


    *Optional*: Use this flower from the Tattered Florals die and cut it from green cardstock or glimmer mist it a green color for petals underneath your flower.


    This is your final result! If you do better with video instructions, here is my YouTube video demonstration:


    Saturday, July 17, 2010

    Craft Show Creations

    So I did something new tonight, and it worked marvelously! I may never buy colored ribbon again. Ok so that's an exaggeration, but I glimmer misted some seafoam green satin ribbon with English Ivy Glimmer Mist and the color came out wonderful! So if I just buy a bunch of white satin ribbon from now on, I can custom color it :) Now I need to find some wholesale satin white ribbon so I have bunches to go around. I hate running out of ribbon.

    These last two days have been full of crafting, and I love it. I'm making items for a craft show that I will hopefully be participating in in October. I don't have the booth fee right now so I can't apply just yet, but hopefully they'll accept my application. I am so excited, and can't wait to take pictures of all the stuff I'll be selling. I need to get a good stock so I can photograph it for my application. I will definitely be selling:

    Post-it holders
    File Folder Notepad holders
    Notecard sets with matching boxes
    Gift card holders
    Wooden jewelry boxes
    Altered Composition Notebooks
    Headbands with fabric and lace flowers
    Mini Albums
    Jumbo Clothespins

    I might do some photo frames as well. I'm sure I will think of more things to make but that's my list for now. I can't explain how thrilled I am about the show!

    Wednesday, July 14, 2010

    Le Romantique Remember This Mini Album

    As many of you know, I love mini albums. I love the size and how they're just so darn cute! Here is one I made for my secret partner in a swap. I used Graphic 45 Le Romantique paper for this album.The cover is chipboard with various embellishments. I bound the album with white ribbon but covered that up with a strip of canvas. It is from Ranger and I painted it with gold acrylic paint, distressed it with Vintage Photo distress ink, and enhanced the edges with black acrylic paint from Adirondack.
    I made this flower using Tim Holtz's Alterations die, Tattered Florals.


    I used Making Memories letters for the title, punched a border strip with my EK Success border bunch, and added a tiny butterfly I bought from crafta.com.


    I cut out an image from the Le Romantique paper and glued it onto the canvas binding. It was missing something so I added a gold and pearl metal button. I also used dangling bead trim from alphastamps.com. I LOVE that stuff, and their site!


    The left page has a lace covering on the left side with several K&Co. diecut chipboard pieces. The right page features a lady I cut out from the Le Romantique paper stack. I added a Prima Camelot flower, a baby rose from my friend Kima, and added a photo mat bordered on the right with oval pearl trim.


    The left side of the left page has two laces, layered pink on white. The right page has a pocket I made from one of the pages of the paper from Graphic 45. I cut out the flowers and used it to hold tags from the punch out page of the Le Romantique stack.


    The left page is simple...I just used my border punch to add some contrasting red to the black background and tied a light green bow with a button glued to the knot. The image is from the paper stack. The right side is half acetate, half designer paper. That is a Prima flower on the top and more of my favorite tear drop pearl trim!


    A close up of the acetate sheet and the flower.


    This is the other side of the acrylic page. I added leaf ribbon to the edge.


    The left page is half acetate, half designer paper. I again used my border punch to make a decorative strip on the photo mat.The right side uses a vintage piano music sheet I distressed with Antique Linen and Vintage Photo distress ink.


    The left page is a simple photo mat with a K&Co. chipboard piece. I covered the right side with lace I Glimmer Misted with Raven GM and added more of my crafta butterflies.
    The right side is a hidden fold out page.


    A close up of the fold out.



    The fold out opened up.

    Well let me just say this was the biggest pain in the butt to post. The photo placement was a nightmare! Stay tuned, tomorrow I will post a flower tutorial!

    Meanwhile, here is the YouTube presentation of this album.