October Blog Contest Winner and funnies too

The winner of the two lip balms for October's give away is smallfootprints (I won't gift the real name since this is the name used on the posts).  Although I didn't have a second place prize originally, because Kayla posted so many times I will be giving her a prize as well.  She will receive two lip balms as well, but they will be the new ones I am trying which use a standard round tube and only contain 0.20 ounces rather than the 0.33 oz..

Smallfootprints has already sent me her address, so now I need your address Kayla.  I will also email you kayla just in case.  Thanks for your participation and your lips won't be capped and hurting this winter.

Does it depend on who gives the hug?

Do you know the feeling?

Isn't that the truth

That cat looks so distressed LOL

Well only 57 including today NOW

The Sugar Sugar Scrub Shop Story

This is the story of the Sugar Sugar Scrub shop. You can find her at both Etsy and the CraftCafe.

I started my shop in summer of 2009 when my marketing job put me on part time. I was already making Sugar Scrubs, but just for fun.

My new item ideas come from things I like and want to make for myself.   If I like it then I start selling it!  It is so hard to pick out my scents. I really just pick all the ones I like and also have facebook contests to choose scents like my holiday ones.  I currently have at least 30 scents and I keep adding to them.

Sugarita Lime Margarita scented

One of my new products is a  sugar whip which is a mix of oils from my sugar scrubs with my whipped soap + sugar! Its a great scrub for people who like a smoother feel instead of a rough scrub. Sugar does not dissolve in oil, only in water so it works. As for my blends I just do trial and error. I blend scents into a sample product for testing purposes and just use my sense of smell to decide what is good, it has worked so far

Love Story inspired by Taylor Swift

My newest product is my fabric flower hair pins, each is one of a kind. I know its not a bath and beauty product, but I love to wear them, so I am selling them!

I also have body sprays, body butters plus a whipped shaving soap.  I have a special section in my shop for Christmas and the holidays.  You can purchase a $20 gift certificate in my shop as well and I do have 2 sampler sets which you can give as gifts to others, or even to yourself to try various scrubs and find your favorites.

My business plan is to hand make what I love, not to try to make what I think would sell. If I love it, it will come across in my work.

Etsy
craftcafe.co
Facebook
Twitter

THE WINNER OF THE BLOG CONTEST FOR 2 LIP BALMS will be announce on Tuesday along with my funnies post.

Jen's Pens

There are many artisans on the web that create jewelry and bath and beauty products and paintings have been considered art for a very long time.  However, there are also many artisans who create hand made items you would never think of as a craft or hobby.  Jen of Jen's Pens is one of those artisans.  So I thought it would be interesting to ask her a few questions and see what kind of replies I would get.

Question:  What is the average length of time that it takes you to make a wooden pen also an acrylic pen?
Answer:  It takes about a half hour for a wood pen depending on how dense the wood is. For an acrylic pen, it takes about an hour. It is much harder and also more fragile.

Question:  Please list any special techniques you employ and explain them just a bit.
Answer:  There is really nothing special to it. It is just very important to go slow and steady to prevent the blank from breaking.

Ever heard of canary wood?

 

Question:  How long have you been doing your craft?
Answer: I have been doing this for about 5 years.

Question:  How long have you been selling on the internet?
Answer:  I opened my shop in June 2008

Question:  Where do you get your ideas for new items from?
Answer:  Most of my ideas come as I am working on the piece. I do look at other artists work and then put my own twist to it to make it my own.

 Question:  Which tools do you use and please give a brief explanation of their use.
Answer:  I mostly use a gouge for taking away most of the material, then I use a skew chisel to make the designs and do the final touches.

Question:  How did you learn your craft?
Answer:  I mostly taught myself. I purchased my first lathe at an auction and practiced until I knew it was something I could do. I then got a new lathe and studied different videos and tv shows that showed how to do different things on the lathe and mimicked that.

Question:  What different types of wood do you work with?
Answer:  I use as many different kinds as I can. I like to use domestic and exotic woods. My favorite is Cocobolo. 

Jen's favorite wood

 

Question: What is working with acrylic like?
Answer:  It is challenging, but very rewarding. There are so many different colors and designs to use. But it can also be very frustrating in that it can break very easily if you are not careful. But I love working with it and making it shine!!

Acrylic key chain

Question:  Do you buy it in sheets? Do you need to add color to the acrylic or does it come in various
colors and designs?
Answer:  The blanks that I buy come in about 1 inch blocks that are about 6 to 8 inches long. So I start out with a square and end up with a beautiful round pen! I buy them in the colors they end up in, but I plan to start making my own blanks sometime in the future!

Question:  Do you have any plans to expand your shop or new items in mind?
Answer:  I have done a few different things as gifts for my family that I would like to add to my shop in the near future. I do plan to expand once I have mastered the different techniques it takes to create something new. And I am always looking for suggestions!

You can find Jen's Pen at Etsy

Funnies for October 23rd

Have to love those ferocious small dogs

Does anything go away when you cover your eyes?

Just look at that curled up tongue

That kind of giving makes me feel so happy

For many children compassion is natural, don't teach them hate

Isn't that what we wonder about them?

The Holiday Stocking Company

It's well known that some people have a real hard time coping around the holidays. They are filled with angst and often depressed. This was me for years and years. I had to find a way to leave that behind. Making stockings became the answer. Throughout the year I would go to fabric stores and buy remnants to use for making stockings. Creating these gave me much inner peace and the angst began to leave as I donated what I made to local charities and communities in need all over the country. Giving has been very cathartic.

Near the end of the 90's I began thinking that perhaps I could do this on line so began researching what that would involve. Believe you me there was a lot involved! I researched every aspect of web sites, vendors, the Internet, business registration etc. and in 1990 launched my first web site which I had built and maintained from the ground up, until 2008.

Creating the stockings was such fabulous fun especially when a customer had design ideas that we could connect on. Communication of these ideas was often done via e mail but sometimes people would call and we would discuss the designs over the phone. Hanukkah stockings was something I had never thought about doing as I thought stockings didn't apply to that particular holiday but a woman called to ask if I could make her a few. She provided information that got my creative juices flowing. I sent photos of the mock-ups and nailed it in a few days. A gentleman from Boston once called to ask if I made Hanukkah hats. I asked him to describe what it would look like and by the next day I had one made for him then sent it with my compliments thanking him for such a creative idea.

I also have gifts on my site including earrings, bracelets and fine art.  I will continue to work on great Christmas items and do custom orders as time goes by, meaning that my site will keep growing.

 Since 1999 Holiday Stocking Co. has been a home based business allowing me to conquer the holiday angst, be a better person and afford me the opportunity to do something I feel good about. The original site was down for a couple of years but www.holidaystockingco.com is back!  To contact me with any questions or requests, email me at holidaystockings@yahoo.com Thank you!

Fine Art by Richard Faulkner III

Handmade Classic Raggedy Ann Dolls

 

This is a feature on The Yellow Roses shop on Zibbet that creates handmade Classical Raggedy Ann dolls and other really cute handmade dolls plus some quilts. I find the materials she uses to have a very interesting look and appeal.

I started sewing when I was in high school.  I learned from my Mother as she was an excellent seamstress. My mother didn’t finish high school, but when  I was a senior in high school, she got her GED and went on to become a practical nurse. She loved working as a nurse at a local nursing home.

I made my first Raggedy Ann when my children were young and about 15 years ago I began making teddy bears. I sold bears; dolls; and other handmade items at a monthly Market Day in Goliad, Texas.

Classical Raggedy Ann Doll

 Classical Raggedy Andy Doll

I began selling on an internet site in Jan of 2008 and came to Zibbet in March of 2011. I enjoy being on Zibbet as the other sellers are so friendly and the admin is so involved! I still enjoy doing craft shows and seeing people's reactions to my “babies!  I didn't start making bears until a little over 10 years ago when my first grandson was born. I had fun making them and I enjoy finding fabrics that make cute bears with.

Quilt Print Fabric Bear

Raggedy Anns are the most popular item in my shop. The bears and other stuffed animals do well at craft shows. I also enjoy making small quilts, they have also been popular at the craft shows.

Rosie the rabbit

I use patterns for everything I make. I work full time as an accountant, so I am a rule/pattern follower at heart! Something you learn early on is that if you don’t cut correctly your project will not fit together correctly. Most all of the patterns I use have been adapted to my designs.

I usually spend a couple of hours each day sewing and working on the computer. Weekends allow me to spend more time sewing. Like most other crafters, creating is something I enjoy!

I am always thinking of new ideas! Some work and some don’t!  My grandchildren (especially my 6 year old princess/diva, Maddie) keep me thinking in new directions! I am always inspired by the wonderful fabrics that are available.

Reduced to only $5

 One of my bears is made from quilt print fabric, and two other bears are made from actual vintage quilt tops that were pieced together by hand by my grandmother. Using a quilt top as fabric is a challenge, but one I enjoy.  Last year, I made two bears from ties as a special order . My customer's father had passed away and she had saved some of his ties. I was able to make a bear for both her and her mother, as a memory of both a father and husband.

theyellowroses on Zibbet

October 16th, 2012 funnies

I hope you all enjoy my funnies.  I don't like the raunchy ones so it's easier to find family friendly animal ones not to mention they are just so darn cute as well.

One of those days?  What about one of those weeks?

Hiding from Monday or just going to back to work?

 

 

 

What does a free country mean to you?

 

Just another point of view

They sure do hate when you leave them alone.

Introducing decorations by PJs Treausres

Why don't you consider your die cuts as supplies for carding making?

I don't consider my die cuts as supplies for card making because I can cut out a 12" pumpkin, decorate it and hang it on the wall.  My supplies in this case are card stock and the materials I use to decorate it.

What are your candy wrappers made from?

My candy wrappers are made from card stock or scrapbooking paper. I sell just the wrappers because of the weather.  I have done custom orders during cooler weather and included the candy.  I'm getting ready to introduce other candy/treat holders.  I've done them in the past, sold locally, and had good success with them.

Why don't you also make greeting cards?

I love making greeting cards but the market is so flooded.  I do make a lot of different types of cards to send to family and friends.  I try to make all my grand kids one a couple times a month just to let them know I'm thinking of them.

Where did you get the idea for making framed pin cushions?

I honestly don't remember where the idea for the framed pin cushions came from.  I don't remember seeing one any elsewhere.  I was making dry erase frames and I had done cork in frames before-maybe that's where the idea came from.  I think they are very unique and very functional.

How are your tags made and what do you use to make them?

I have made many different types of tags.  They can be attached to gifts, inserted in cards, or made in sets and given as gifts.  The latest ones I have made are "scraplings".  They are called this because they came into being from card makers cutting the ends of cards off to resize them.  They then used the 'scrapling' for a tag.  A crafter rarily throws anything away!

What inspired your mini albums?

My mini albums in frames were inspired by Heidi Swapp.  She is so very talented! I love making these because there is no limit to the content.  I do plan on making these for all occasions such as birthdays, holidays, new babies, etc... They are a great way to showcase photos!

What are your beautiful flowers made from and are the very hard to make?

I don't make a lot of flowers.  I play around with different techniques and make a few of the ones I really enjoy doing.  Most of them are made from laces and trims.  They really are quite easy but produce gorgeous results.  I am currently learning to make zipper flowers.  I found a bag of zippers at a thrift store and decided then I would try them!

How do you bind together your note pads?

I really enjoy making notepads.  The possibilities are endless with these also.  Years ago I bought up a ton of chip board coasters at a store that had them on clearance. I just knew I would use them "someday".  lol I finally got them out and started playing with them.  My notepads were born.  At first, I used a tool called a Crop-A-Dile to punch holes and assembled them with ribbon.  I finally invested in a Bind It All that can make spiral notebooks.  Love this little machine! For the covers, I use scrap-booking paper/card stock.  I also am making matching magnetic bookmarks. They make nice little gifts. 

Is there anything else you would like to talk about? 

Another item I love making are stick pins.  No limit on the creativity.  Thousands of beads to choose from; or I can just use what I have on hand to create the perfect embellishment for any project I may be working on.  Have I ever stuck myself?  Can we say "YES!!!"?

Aphrodite's Attique on Craft Cafe

Question:  What materials do you use to make sun catchers?

For the dragonfly wings, I use small beads, mostly glass seed beads and bugle beads, with some crystal accents, and larger beads for the body and head. For butterflies and rainbows, I can use larger glass beads, since they don't require as many. I use only glass beads and silver-plate wire in as small a gauge as possible for support. (With wire, the smaller the gauge, the heavier the wire - for example, 16 gauge is larger than 22 gauge, it's kind of confusing at first ( lol.)

Are the dragonfly sun catchers easier to make then the butterfly or rainbow ones?

The rainbows are the easiest of all, since the basic design and color scheme is set by nature...of the butterflies and dragonflies, I find the dragonflies easier - in fact, the dragonfly design came about when a butterfly I was working on sort of got away from me and developed a life of its own.

Are there very many people who still wear shawls and ponchos? I always think of shawls with the elderly for some reason.

Surprisingly, there are - I think they're coming back in style (especially the ponchos); I guess like most fashion, it goes in cycles. I have a friend in her 60s who has several of my ponchos and wears them constantly, and one of my daughter's friends in her 20s just ordered one, so I guess they span the age range. Shawls are a classic, but I think they have a more limited appeal - you have to know how to "manage" them, or you end up looking like the White Queen in Alice.

What is different about a cloche hat, than any other hat?

A cloche is a style of hat from the 1920s, it's a simple rounded shape that fits close to the head and is very feminine and flattering to just about everyone.

Are you also a graphic artist? If so what software do you use and how long did it take you to learn how to use it?

A Halloween craft printable

I've been doing graphics and digital art/photography for about 15 years - I moderated several boards on a huge artist site for several years and had a large web site with galleries of my images and resources for digital artists that I hope to revive someday, and still have a store on CafePress where my artwork is available as posters and calendars and on items like mugs and Tshirts. My favorite programs are Paint Shop Pro 7 and Poser (PSP is sort of a "poor man's" Photoshop, less expensive and with an easier learning curve), but I'm also familiar with Photoshop and some landscape programs like Terragen. I'm totally self-taught, mostly through experimentation and online tutorials and groups/forums...it didn't take long to become proficient, but I'm still learning and discovering new things I can do and new ways to do them - I don't think I'll ever figure it all out! (Kind of like my cell phone, lol.)

Are your printable gift tags the correct size and spacing to print out on any existing templates (as in you can tear each individual one due to perforations?

They are standard sizes, but not arranged for templates at this time - but as I find templates to work with, that's definitely an option for the future. Right now, they're spaced to fit as many as possible on a page and still leave room to wield scissors or a rotary cutter around them.

Do your pony tail scrunchies require a pattern? What do you use to keep them in the hair (typically rubber bands)?

The scrunchies have no set pattern - I currently have three styles that each use a different decorative stitch, but the number and size of the stitches depends on the yarn and the size of the hook used, so they're all a little bit different. They're crocheted around a standard size basic ponytail elastic in a neutral or coordinating color, although you won't see the elastic unless you stretch them out fully.

How long have you been doing your craft?

I've been crocheting for 25 years, doing graphics, art and photography for 15 years, and beadwork for about 8 years. I've always been a crafter - I've also done sewing, soft sculpture, needlepoint, paper crafts, silk flower arrangement, and am downright dangerous with a hot glue gun!

How long have you been selling on the net?

I've had my digital art store for about 10 years, but just started selling my crochet and beadwork a little less than a year ago.

Where do you get your ideas from for new items from?

Anywhere and everywhere, lol! Requests and suggestions from friends, pictures and patterns on the Internet, things that I find useful myself (like the scrunchies) - and usually one idea will lead to another (hmmm, what if I did it this way, or that way, or hey, what about...?) I always have some new idea simmering in my imagination, waiting for me to find the time or materials to try it out!

Any tools that you use and give a brief explanation of their use?

I can't do without my bent nose pliers for bead work - they help me grip small pieces when my fingers are just too big, and give me some extra "torque" for bending stubborn chain links and jump rings. For crochet, I prefer metal hooks, I just like the feel of them and they're smoother than plastic....I've heard good things about bamboo hooks, though, and plan to give them a try soon. For graphics, my favorite is the Tubes tool in PSP...tubes are single images on a transparent background that you can combine and layer to create more elaborate images - for example, I have a tube of a cat's head that I've embellished at various times with hat tubes, a Mardi Gras mask tube, an eyeglasses tube, etc...I've created entire scenes using nothing but tubes!

How did you learn your craft?

I'm pretty much self-taught through books, tutorials, groups/forums, and trial and error, except for crochet - I took a class to learn the basics, and then went on from there on my own.

How long does it take you to make your various items?

It takes about an hour and a half to make a sun catcher.  Crochet items depend on the size and how elaborate the pattern is - a scrunchie takes about 20 minutes, a poncho can take 4 or 5 hours, an afghan can take 10 or 12 hours...a printable graphic sheet takes about an hour to set up (including the watermarked promo pics), depending on whether it's a mix of images or just a single image, and whether I'm using an image I've already created - if I'm creating a new image from scratch, there's no telling; sometimes they just come together and sometimes they involve blood, sweat, tears and gnashing of teeth, lol!

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October funnies

Is this how animals make out?

They can be just like little kids

This one is borderline on the decency scale but it does have a point.  I would have been happier if she was in pajamas rather than under wear.

A funny for those who hate dieting

I have never seen a dog that flat

Ohhh those cookies