Tuesday’s Treasury Showcase

 Buying Handmade, Tuesday's Treasury Showcase, Uncategorized
Mar 132012
 

We dusted off our walking shoes this past weekend to stroll around the nearby pond at Walker Johnston Park, where a lot of work was recently completed. Besides paving the parking lot, a bridge was rebuilt that had washed out more than a year ago during heavy rains, and a walking path to the pond was added. The same kind of spring renewal is taking place at Etsy right now, with one Treasury after another reminding viewers of spring flowers, warm sunshine and birds returning from the South. Thanks to the curators below who included me in their spring (and other)-themed Treasuries!

Amy of RoyalFam included one of my felted wool coffee cup cozies in her Treasury titled “Colors For Mom ~ Life, Love, and Fun**.” She specializes in crocheted infinity scarves, headwarmers and hats. I especially like the beret-style hat shown below.

Valentina of Felt Things from the Ukraine included my Bird and the Rainbow Felted Wool Needle Book or Earring Holder in her Treasury named “Earrings.” As the name of her shop suggests, she designs felted accessories such as scarves and hats, but each item is unique. The scarf collar below, for example, is stunning.

Shazzabeth of Shazzabeth Creations from Australia included my Burgundy Felted Wool Bowl in her Treasury called “Burgundy Richness.” She designs sterling silver and gold-filled chainmaille and wire jewelry such as this amazing Dragonscale Diamonds Chainmaille Bracelet.

Janet of Honey From The Bee included my Chicken Little Mini Brag Book from Mister PenQuin and my Hot Pink Fingerless Gloves from JN Originals in her Treasury named “Sunshine on my Shoulders.” Janet’s nature-inspired jewelry designs include glass, lampwork and stone beads.

Valdina of Valdina’s Designs from Alberta, Canada included my paisley-themed Mini Clipboard for Post it® Notes in her Treasury titled “Last Night I Dreamt in Paisley.” Valdina designs beaded jewelry such as this lovely Pink and Black Flower Lampwork Necklace.

Linda of Pruitt Creations included my Chicken Little Mini Brag Book in her Treasury called “Birdies and Grey Skies.” Linda designs practical gifts from fabric, such as these skillet mitts.

© 2012 Judy Nolan. All rights reserved.

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February BBA Challenge: Month of Love

 Blogging Business Artisans, Blogging Business Artisans, Challenges, Uncategorized
Feb 282012
 

Each month members of the Blogging Business Artisans team on Etsy are challenged to stretch their creativity. This month’s challenge was conceived by Edi of Memories for Life Scrapbooks:

In February we celebrate Valentine’s Day.  My challenge to you: Create a love-themed item.  You can write a creative love letter, make a valentine, make a love-themed home decor item, etc.  Be Creative and Have Fun!

The way in which I chose to implement this challenge was to craft my first-ever hardcover book, a photo journal whose pages consist of modified envelopes, covered with designer card stock cut and folded to form pockets. The theme for this journal, which is a gift for a family member, is “Cherish,” which suggests the relationship between a couple. My German-born mother (now deceased) used to tell us as we were growing up, “People are for cherishing, not for teasing,” so I’m reminded of her with this single word on the cover of the journal.

I learned the techniques for making a hardcover book, creating pocket pages and binding them by watching several YouTube videos, among them the Envelope Mini Album Series (click on the link for the first video) by Kathy Orta of Paper Phenomenon, Stack the Deck Mini Albums by Laura of The Paper Trail, and Robyn’s Scrapbook Mini Album Binding Technique  by Robyn of Injoy Stampin’. I blended these techniques, made some mistakes along the way, and adjusted.

The most fun part of the project was making the photo-matted cards. I adhered various patterned paper shapes, collage-style, onto textured card stock, forming a patchwork of colors and patterns. Each photo-matted card was unique, as well as a surprise, since I simply moved the pieces around until they pleased me.

Another part of the photo journal project that I thoroughly enjoyed was designing journaling tags with different topics, such as Favorite eats & treats, How we met, Words we live by, Our house rules, Our recipe for love, Our favorite vacation and We’ll never do that again!  Once upon a time I ran a home-based desktop publishing business, developing all of the forms, brochures, newsletters and other designs using Corel® WordPerfect® software. I used the same software to design the journaling tags. You could use Microsoft® Office Word software just as easily; I simply prefer the former program. There were 24 journaling tags by the time I was done, not all of which will fit in the journal. However, I figure that if some of the topics don’t strike a chord with the recipient, others will do the trick . . . or they can simply be used in another journal.

I inserted some of the journaling tags in the book itself, and put the remainder in a gift box I made from patterned card stock. For each half of the box, I decided how big I wanted the box to be and added 2 inches to that, cut a rectangle with those dimensions, and scored each side of the shape at the one-inch mark. I folded along the score lines and cut corner flaps, and glued into place. If you don’t have a scoreboard, you can accomplish the same very easily by following this tutorial by Nancy Fallon of The Life and Times of One Loopy Knitter in How to Make a Card Stock Gift Box.

The book was supposed to have six envelopes for its foundation pages, but I made the mistake of not leaving enough space between the last page and the back cover, and it tore off. The lesson I learned was to create a wider spine. Also, the video tutorial called for library-style pockets on both sides of one page. I really think this makes the page too heavy, and would not do this in the next book. This extra weight probably contributed to the last page tearing off. I salvaged the pockets and adhered them to the front and back inside cover. You can see one of these pockets on the left side in the next photo.

You’ll notice, in the above photo, that the far right pocket (actually, a double pocket) is kind of bulky. The video tutorial suggested you use a smaller envelope to form this pocket. On another page, I decided to use card stock instead. Take a look at the difference below.

You can see the “salvaged” library-style pocket on the back inside cover. In my next book, particularly because there are so many tags, I will add a few more pages, keeping in mind that the spine needs to be wider. I would be interested to see if this book would be less bulky using card stock instead of envelopes, too.

I learned a great deal from this challenge, and look forward to making my next hardcover book.

© 2012 Judy Nolan. All rights reserved.

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Five simple ways to wrap your holiday gifts

 Paper Crafts, Special Occasions, Tutorials, Uncategorized
Dec 122011
 

If you’re like me, you’re counting the days till Christmas, hoping you can wrap your gifts without having to run to the store for extra gift tags, ribbon and paper—or heaven forbid! a last-minute gift for someone on your shopping list. There are a few shortcuts you can take that will help you simplify the packaging process, yet still have attractively wrapped gifts.

Bag it. Use simple brown or white lunch bags for small items, round up some solid color bags, or re-use paper shopping bags. Cover store logos with cutouts from last year’s Christmas cards, paste a design on a bag that you have cut out from wrapping paper, or use double-sided tape to adhere a family photo (two gifts in one!).

Use yarn instead of ribbon to embellish your gifts. It’s inexpensive, doesn’t crush during shipping as ribbons do, and is available in an endless array of colors. If you knit or crochet (or know someone who does), there are always leftover balls of yarn, just waiting to be used in some way.

Make a small box in 3 minutes or less. Need a quick jewelry box for a pair of earrings or something tiny? Make a triangle box that needs only a piece of card stock measuring 3 inches x 9 inches and a length of ribbon, yarn or lace to tie it together. Watch the video below, and you’ll be surprised how quickly you can make this box that’s a real standout. Your gift tag is the only embellishment you’ll need.

Clean out your cupboards of onesies. We all have plates, cups and saucers in our cupboards that don’t match anything else. Give them away, filled with items that will please the recipient. Fill a plate with home-baked cookies for your brother, bury a necklace or earrings inside a cup filled with sweet treats for your sister, stuff a mug with brushes and markers for your artistic friend, or tuck a bookmark and gift card to a local bookstore inside the mug  for your favorite bookworm.

Invest in a hole punch and card stock for tags. You can run up a daunting total at the check register with tags you purchase in retail stores. The alternative is the Internet, where there are many free sources for gift tags that are unique and appealing. Print them on plain card stock, cut them out with scissors, and either tie them or tape them to your package. All the tags in this post were free Internet printables, with the exception of the tag used for the triangle box. Here is a list of 10 sources for free gift tags to get you started:

  1. We Love to Illustrate for Children, FREE Holiday tag PRINTABLES
  2. Digital Antiques: Big Brown Dog Primitives, Free Christmas Tags
  3. Karla Dornacher, Free Christmas Tags Download
  4. LollyChops, Holiday Tags: With Birds-n-Stuff
  5. Gooseberry Patch Blog: New (Free) Christmas Tags!
  6. Debbie Mumm, To & From
  7. Mary Engelbreit, Holiday Gift Tags
  8. Design Sponge, Merry Christmas: Downloadable Holiday Tags
  9. B. Nute Productions Party Place, Free Printable Father Christmas Tags and Simple DIY Christmas Crackers
  10. Arian Armstrong, Free Gift Tags . . . And Stay Tuned

What simple solutions have you discovered to make your wrapping process easier?

© 2011 Judy Nolan. All rights reserved.

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Regenerating the spirit

 Uncategorized
Mar 042010
 

It has been quiet here in Blog Land, so apologies go to my readers who have visited this page repeatedly since December, only to discover that nothing new was being reported. There have been happenings, but I guess I haven’t stopped long enough to write about them.

About the same time in early January that my husband lost his job due to a restructure, we officially joined the Sandwich Generation, dividing our time and attention between life here in Iowa, visiting our son in Chicago who is getting married in August, and visiting my father in Wisconsin who moved into assisted living in early January. My father has been dealing with some health issues, so after a family conference we all decided that this was a good place for him to be. Moving is always easier said than done, especially when you’re moving from a house in which you’ve lived for forty-plus years. We are now regular travelers on the roads between Iowa and Wisconsin as we get ready to sell my father’s house. When we can, we stop in Chicago to see our son.

This is also the time of year when our volunteer commitments ramp up; my husband and I are both involved in the creative problem-solving program called Destination ImagiNation, and it is currently tournament season. Between training and appraising and answering e-mails, we find it’s important to take time for ourselves  in order to keep our energy levels high. To meet that need, John and I joined WeightWatchers Online and are watching the line on the graph descend. It’s a good feeling.

There is nothing that is more regenerative to my own spirits, however, than creative expression. As busy as we’ve been the last couple of months, I’m afraid that I have not been writing, stitching or crafting very often. So, I’m more than ready for a new creative challenge. To that end, I–along with 15 other fellow EtsyBloggers–am participating in a journal swap. Not sure what that is? Think about blending an Advent calendar containing 24 secret doors with an old-fashioned junior high-style slam book. Every day for a month, you write a journal entry about a specific topic. At the end of the month, you send your journal to a fellow blogger you’ve never met, and a different blogger sends her journal to you. In the process, you meet two new friends and learn a little more about yourself. In my case, I’ll be sending my journal to a woman from Thailand, a land about which I know very little. I wonder how much she knows about Iowa?

The EtsyBloggers Journal Swap for March is the inspiration of Storybeader, another EtsyBlogger who credits the Web site called Swap-bot for the idea of swapping items through the Internet, but especially ratbrazine for the journal swap twist. I’m sure there are many variations on the journal swap idea, but if you decide to do your own swap, you may find the topic list for the EtsyBloggers Journal Swap to be helpful:

1. Write an introduction or short description of yourself. Include your blog banner and a photo or drawing of yourself. Make this your first entry.

2.  Make a list of 25 things you want to do in 2010. These can be as simple as “participate in the thread every week” or as big as “save up for an overseas vacation.”

3. Cut out a local news article and paste it into your journal.

4. List the URLs of the latest four favorites from your Etsy shop page. Are these items on YOUR wish list, or for somebody else?

5. Copy your mate’s Etsy banner, and make a greeting card with it. Attach it so it can be used.

6. List 10 things you can see from where you’re sitting.

7. Turn your journal around and write an entire entry upside down. Your choice of topic.

8. Make a suggestion about your mate’s blog layout, that you think will help him/her.

9. Take your business card or another marketing tool, and use it as a centerpiece for a drawing.

10. Write down lyrics from a song that inspires you, moves you, or creates a strong emotion.

11. Write about an issue in the world that is important to you, and tell why.

12. Describe your day in one word. Write this word in large letters across the page.

13. Write about another Etsy team to which you belong. Do you recommend this team to your mate?

14. Write about something in your mate’s profile.

15. Write about a project you are working on right now. This could include arts, crafts, a presentation for work, etc.

16. Glue an envelope into your journal and seal a secret inside. When you receive your journal, you can open your mate’s envelope or choose to leave the secret hidden.

17. Write down a recipe.

18. Write about the town where you grew up. Are you still there? Have you gone back to visit?

19. List 10 reasons you smiled or plan to smile today.

20. Write with multiple colors on the same page. Your choice of topic.

21. Describe your favorite place to write in your journal and why it’s your favorite.

22. Attach an artifact you use in your Etsy artwork, and describe it.

23. Write a blog post about a favorite item in your mate’s shop. Write the URL here and explain why you chose it.

24. Tear or cut up a photo and glue the pieces back together randomly.

25. What’s your favorite color? List what you have that is this color.

26. Make a promise to yourself today and write it down in your journal so that it fills the entire page.

27. List 5 books you recommend to your mate and 1 book you hated.

28. Glue in an artifact from your day. This could be a business card from a place you visited, a ticket from a movie you saw, a stamp from an envelope, etc. Tell your mate about it.

29. Make a list of things you sense right now for each of your five senses: touch, taste, sight, smell, sound.

30. Talk about the weather.

31. Press a flower or leaf between waxed paper and attach it to a page.

© 2010 Judy Nolan. All rights reserved.

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The power of tutorials

 Uncategorized
Mar 182009
 

When I’m reading a blog post and run across a crafting how-to piece, I feel as if I’ve been given a special gift. I sit back and ask myself, “Really? I get this information for free?” That’s the power of a tutorial.

Tutorials often teach you something unexpected, something that is potentially useful just for you, or they provide inspiration for a next step you are considering. After I read a post on BBEST artist Liz Plummer‘s blog about How to create a concertina book, for example, I was inspired to purchase several books about bookmaking. Liz also writes about her Gocco printing process on her blog, as evidenced by the moleskin journal below that includes a Gocco-printed cover.

The writer/artist who writes tutorials is in an especially good position to create a sense in the reader’s mind that he or she is an expert about the topic at hand, someone who can be trusted, and possibly someone whose work you might wish to explore further. In short, tutorials clarify who the person is behind the writer’s voice, and provide an indirect method of promoting the artist.

When you read Suz of whimseys‘ Short Tutorial on Eco Cloth Shopping Bag, you’re impressed right away by her concern about the earth, and will wish to browse through the products in her shop, which (like the shopping bag in her tutorial) are also made of fabric.

Sherrill Kahn Fabric Bookcover Dayplanner
Journal Book Cover, by whimseys

Likewise, Joon of joonbeam inspires trust in her values when you read her blog tutorial, Love Our Earth & Things Can Be Pretty! by golly!, about recycling a grocery sack into a mailing envelope. Joon’s writing personality takes you straight to her shop, where (among other items), she promotes ecology-minded practices.

While there are many indie tutorial sites on the Web such as Craftster, CraftStylish and Craft, the tutorials on these sites differ from the tutorials found on blogs. A blog tutorial tends to make you feel that you have a personal connection with the writer, not that you’re reading an encyclopedia of instructions. If you have a question or a comment, you can communicate directly with the writer and be reasonably certain that your response will be read in a timely fashion, and that any questions you have will be answered just as quickly.

The writer of a blog tutorial has several decisions to make, however, before posting. These include the focus, the fiber and the format of the tutorial:

  • Focus. What is the reason for the tutorial? Does the tutorial give the reader a taste of what is in the artist’s shop, but on a simpler scale? Does the tutorial describe a process that creates curiosity about the artist’s products? Does the tutorial establish or confirm the artist’s expertise in a particular area? The purpose of the tutorial may be answered by one or several of these questions, but the writer/artist needs to establish a business reason for sharing his or her expertise through a how-to post. Moreover, to justify its existence, that post actually needs to be useful to the reader in some way. Because many people do not realize the extent of design effort and manual dexterity that go into machine knitting, for example, Barb of Blazing Needles cleverly educates her readers about that process in a series of blog posts, beginning with Machine Knitting – Part 1.

  • Fiber. The fiber of a tutorial relates directly to the content of the post. What is it about? Does the post provide step-by-step directions to produce a product? Does it describe a process? Does it give an historical overview of a specific art or craft? Does it provide general information that can become a jumping-off point for the reader to explore the topic further? Again, the fiber of the tutorial may consist of the answers to one or more of these questions, but it affects the approach the writer/artist takes to the topic, and ultimately the format. When Kimberly of thewildhare writes about her felted rabbit-making process, for example, in Where is the brown bunny? you will find the process so intriguing that you cannot resist visiting her shop to see her cute rabbits.
  • Format. The format of a tutorial is determined by both the focus (purpose) and fiber (content) of the post. In its purest form, a step-by-step tutorial includes numbered or bulleted instructions, as well as clear photos. A tutorial that describes a process follows a logical sequence from beginning to end, with photos, but is a little more general. A post with an historical perspective will take the reader through a timeline of stories, again with photos to illustrate significant points. A general information post often provides links to useful information so that readers can take charge of the next step in their learning. Alysa of Alysa Merle Handcrafts, for example, not only describes the process of making plarn (plastic yarn) bags on her blog, but she also writes articles for Helium, establishing herself as a credible expert in this area. Her blog includes a link to Creative earth-friendly crafts, which educates her readers about the process she uses to crochet recyclable totes from plarn. The article also includes suggestions for how to explore this topic further.

by Alysa Merle Handcrafts

During the fall of 2008, Zuda of ZudaGay participated in an online group activity that resulted in a series of tutorials on her blog, beginning with Day 1 of the 30/30 Day Challenge. By using a “photo story” format, she informs us not only about the creative process she employs while developing her beautiful polymer clay flowers, but she also tempts us to visit her shop to see the final products.

Blog tutorials provide a perfect opportunity for writer/artists to inform readers about their creative process, highlight their work, and create a sense of their trustworthiness. With careful attention to focus, fiber and format, these tutorials become wonderful “freebie” gifts for their readers, and highly effective marketing tools for the artist.

© 2009 Judy Nolan. All rights reserved. Please note that the images in this post are owned by the artists and may not be used without permission. Simultaneously published at http://boomersandbeyond.blogspot.com.

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