Thursday, September 4, 2008

Morsbags

I upcycled these sheets into shopping bags using the instructions from Morsbags. It was easy to follow and I love how they have turned out. This was the August Craft for a Cause hosted by SewCraftyHouston. They will be donated to local shelters and homes for the elderly so they can use them for shopping and reduce the number of plastic bags floating around. They were so fun I am going to make more!




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My Brand New Bag

As we are heading to Hawaii tomorrow, I decided that I needed a new bag. So, I found a pattern online, modified it to what I wanted and made it out of corduroy, a cute floral fabric and some scotch guarded fabric I had picked up from the Salvation Army store a few weekends ago. I made it big enough to hold my camera and accessories safely without looking like a standard camera bag. I even included some pockets on the inside. I am please with how it turned out.

Outside of the bag - note that the strap is lined in my floral print.



Opening the bag...there is a snap closure.


Inside the bag - with pockets and my telephoto lens. The lining is not the prettiest, but it is scotch guarded and thick so I think it will do well for the lining. I used the floral print again for the under side of the flap.
The straps are very sturdy on the sides! It was so think that I accidentally sacrificed one of my needles in the process before putting on a stronger one.

Poker Shirt

Over the Labor Day weekend, Wes went with me to the fabric store to pick up some items I needed for a new bag I was making. While there, he wandered off into the pattern catalogs and turned up with a shirt pattern. He decided that I should make him a poker shirt, complete with cards embroidered on the pocket. Here are images of the results - I like how it turned out. He is wearing it out to his poker game tonight so hopefully it will be lucky for him.



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New Sewing Machine

A few weeks ago, my new sewing/embroidery machine arrived. I have finally found the time to upload my pictures of the beauty in action. The first shot is of the machine itself with the embroidery hoop attached. Next, three shots of the progress on my first design - a pretty flower bouquet on felt. Last but not least, the final product. Let me know what you think!!





The above pictures were taken using my new telephoto lens with my camera on my new tripod - so much new stuff lately!!!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

10 City Promo Swap

I participated in a 10 city promo swap for Etsy shops. It was organized by AlwaysAmy. I sent off 10 of my promo posters and received 4 sets of promos from other Etsy shops.

I received items from the following shops:

Crazy Bliss
Daisy Mae Designs
Flaunt It Maternity
Victoria's Art

I put up our promos at Texas Art Supply and Inversion Coffee House. Here are pictures of the posted promos:Here is picture that includes my promo posted up by AlwaysAmy:

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

I am in a Treasury!

I was chosen to be in a treasury by someone that I met in the Etsy forums. Check it out:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=59842

Monday, July 28, 2008

ETC July Design Challenge - Summer Delights

As part of our team's Spend Your Mondays with ETC program, we would like to take today to show off interpretations of our monthly Design Challenge. This month's theme was Summer Delights!

My entry for the design challenge was a Fruits of Summer Note Card set. Wes and I worked hard at pulling together and photographing some yummy treats. Then, we suffered through eating the treats when we were done. It is a rough life!

Here are some of our team creations for the design challenge (click on the image for a better view):



Team members who accepted this Design Challenge and listed items pertaining to this month's theme include the following:

EtsyTexasCrafters.etsy.com - ETC Team Shop, loaded with Texas Goodies

AngelsAndOutlaws.etsy.com - A place for the romantic cowgirl in us all
ApacheMoon.etsy.com - Unique & Custom Silver Jewelry for a Joyous Spirit
AWPhotography.etsy.com - ACEOs, note cards and fine art prints from original photography
ByBethStudio.etsy.com - OOAK art quilted items such as fabric postcards, ATCs/ACEOs, bookmarks and journals
CarolBradley.etsy.com - Bead and wire jewelry
CarylsCreations.etsy.com - Novelty embroidered items: magnets, dish soap bottle aprons, squares for quilts, "glass slippers", flour sack kitchen towels
Chido.etsy.com - Fused glass pendants, earrings and bowls
ChristinasMagic.etsy.com - Wearable Art, Paper Goods, Paintings, & ACEOs
CindyJoy.etsy.com - Beautiful baby bounty from Bundles of Joy
EcoFab.etsy.com - Fabulous fabrics and finds
ElephantDreams.etsy.com - Photographs from around the world
FabFrills.etsy.com - Unique handbags, sassy art dolls & other fab things
FandangoMoon.etsy.com - Greeting cards, notes, bookmarks and tags
FriendlyBanter.etsy.com - Cute crochet accessories
GreerDesign.etsy.com - Whimsical Pet & Wildlife Art
HandmadeWhimzy.etsy.com - Fun, unique jewelry, bookmarks, handpainted decor and more
ItsMeCheri2098.etsy.com - Handcrafted jewelry, home decor, gifts and more
KillerBeeDesigns.etsy.com - Business Card Holders, Purses, Textile Art, Wine Bottle Carriers, and ACEO's
MayzBeadz.etsy.com - Handmade Lampwork Beads
MiaSophia.etsy.com - Stained glass panels and jewelry
PumpkinsBoutique.etsy.com - Custom Accessories for Your Little Pumpkin
RevolutionArtPhoto.etsy.com - Fine Art Photography
SerendipityRose.etsy.com - All kinds of Jewelry and Beaded Gifts
SimplyCynful.etsy.com - Custom Bows, Headbands, Socks, Flip Flops, & Tutus
SpiritMama.etsy.com - Spiritual and Nature Inspired Art & Jewelry
SweetWolf.etsy.com - Funky handmade items for you and your home
Thistlecraft.etsy.com - Handpainted glass & window clings, CD collage cards, crochet scarves, & other fun stuff
TimelessDesigns07.etsy.com - Wire Sculpture & Custom Jewelry
TinaLewis.etsy.com - Handmade pottery and ceramic art
Tulip36.etsy.com - Beaded Jewelry
UnkamenGifts.etsy.com - Jewelry and Dolls

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To find our Design Challenge Items, change the default search to "All Items: tags, titles" and search on "TeamEtsyTx DesignChallenge" or click on the following link:
http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=tag_title_all&search_query=teametsytx+designchallenge

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You can find a list of our current members in the following locations:
1. On our website at http://www.etsytx.org (includes shop descriptions)
2. On our Etsy team profile at http://team.etsy.com/profilest/tx.shtml
3. In our team shop's Favorite Sellers list

To find more items by ETC members, search for our team tag of TeamEtsyTx - don't forget to search All Items to find Supplies and Vintage treasures as well!

http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=tag_title_all&search_query=teametsytx

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Join our mailing list via our team blog at http://www.etsytx.org/wordpress & receive our monthly newsletter to hear about that month's sales & other events, plus get a special "newsletter-only" coupon valid on purchases from our team shop.

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Interested in joining ETC? Submit your information via our website at http://www.etsytx.org/contact.html
(membership requests are processed once a week)

Thursday, July 17, 2008

My first ACEO


Tulip1WM, originally uploaded by Annette98.

I have seen tons of ACEOs and I love the idea of having art in a small trading card format. I feel that the small format opens me up to a lot more creativity with my photography.

The listing that I have put up is a tulip picture that I took on our trip to Washington DC a few months ago. I altered the background to be black and white and then changed the central tulip to look like the painting. I had it printed on metallic photographic paper, which gives it a really interesting finish. To top it off, I have mounted it on watercolor paper.

This is a limited edition - #1 of 24.

I listed my first ACEO as a PIF ("pay it forward") which means I am only charging the $0.20 listing fee plus shipping. Shipping is free if it is combined with something else from my shop. I bought some PIF listings last week and this is my first step in paying them back.

Monday, July 7, 2008

ETC First Monday Sale!

It's time for another amazing ETC First Mondays Sales Event! So, come in out of the heat, grab you a glass of iced tea, and join us for some fantastic sales!!!

♥ With more than 60 ETC shops participating this month, there's something for everyone, including LOTS of great deals! But don’t daudle . . . these sales and special offers are only available from 12:01 am to 12:00 Monday, July 7th, Central Time (that's 1:01am Monday to 1:00am Tuesday, Etsy Time).

♥ Please join our mailing list & receive our monthly newsletter to hear about that month's sales & other events, plus get a special "newsletter-only" coupon valid on purchases from our team shop. Join via our team blog at http://www.etsytx.org/wordpress

♥ To find our creations, search for our team tag of TeamEtsyTx

♥ Interested in joining ETC? Submit your information via our website at http://www.etsytx.org/contact.html


♥ Here’s the awesome sales list for this month -- please wait for revised invoices unless sales listing specifies that items are already marked down (or gives other instructions).

♥ Here's this month's sales list.....

ETC TEAM SHOP
etsytexascrafters.etsy.com = 20% off all items in shop

%-OFF SALES: DISCOUNT DOES NOT APPLY TO SHIPPING UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED

2muchstuff2day.etsy.com - Handknit cloths, felted bowls, baby items, and natural stone jewelry
20% off all items in shop
angelsandoutlaws.etsy.com - A Place for the Cowgirl in Us All
25% off all items in shop
angiehallhaviland.etsy.com - Beaded, Collaged, and Mixed Media Art Creations
15% off all items in shop
apachemoon.etsy.com - Jewelry of many colors
20% off all items in shop
artbyjc.etsy.com - Original paintings, painted on leaves, ACEOs , bookmarks, wood & metal
15% off all items in shop
awphotography.etsy.com - Cards & Prints from Original Photography
20% off all items in shop
barbsgarden.etsy.com - Fine Art at reasonable prices
15% off all Studio sale items in shop, 10% off all other items in shop
beautifulmemories.etsy.com - Beautiful, lifelike Reborn dolls
10% off all items in shop
beckymae.etsy.com - Purses, Jewelry & Dresses from vintage items
50% off all Jewelry in shop, and as always Free Domestic (US) Shipping
brandyratliff.etsy.com - Quilts, Blankets, Afghans, & More
10% off all items in shop
christinasmagic.etsy.com - ACEOs, handmade jewelry, handpainted clothing, decorative ceiling fan and light pulls
10% off all items in shop
cindyjoy.etsy.com - Adorable onesies & baby blankets
10% off all regularly priced items in shop, plus Buy One item in Sale Section and Get Another Sale Section item 50% off
cinnascents.etsy.com - Retro style aprons & accessories
20% off all items in shop, plus Free Shipping
claytiger.etsy.com - Funky, Chunky Copper, Silver & Polyclay Jewelry
20% off all items in shop, plus Free Shipping - does not include collaborative items (raku crosses)
Crossties.etsy.com - handmade fashion and home accessories
15% off all items, plus Free Shipping on all sales totaling $50 or more after discount
DuctTapeAndDenim.etsy.com - Vintage papers, ephemera, fabrics, & mixed media collages
20% off all items in shop
elephantdreams.etsy.com - Eclectic Art Photography
20% off all items in shop
emilydeweesjewelry.etsy.com - Vintage Buttons, Glass drops, Portrait photo pendants
20% off all regularly priced items in shop
fabfrills.etsy.com - Handbags created from recycled and new materials, and art dolls with attitude
20% off all items in shop
finderskeepersthings.etsy.com - Inspired charms, repurposed jewelry, & original art
25% off all items in shop
gigglesgrinsdesigns2.etsy.com - Hand-painted children's & nursery room decor
15% off all items in shop
handmadewhimzy.etsy.com - unique jewelry, beaded bookmarks and decorative painting
20% off all Christmas items in shop (Cannot be combined with any other discount)
jinxydv8.etsy.com - Women's clothing & accessories
50% to 60% off selected items, plus Free Domestic (US) Shipping
jmday.etsy.com - Felt toys, blankets & accessories
25% off all items in shop
judy49.etsy.com - Judy, Jonesboro - Filet Crochet, Machine Embroidery, & Sewn Items
10% off all items in shop
lasewcouture.etsy.com - Mod inspired children's clothes
20% off all items in shop, plus Free Shipping
lavenderladybug.etsy.com - Supplies and Destash
25% off all items in shop
lucybluestudio.etsy.com - Eclectic jewelry and art
15% off all items in shop, and as always, Free Shipping on all purchases
margeeta.etsy.com - Handmade goods featuring original art
15% off all items in shop
marysmadness.etsy.com – Charm bracelets, photo mosaics, & supplies
20% off all items in shop, and as always, a Free Gift with purchase
miasophia.etsy.com - Handmade Jewelry with a Twist of Fun, and Stained Glass Panels
20% off all items in shop
Mydesigncollectibles.etsy.com - Polymer clay items and Kelly's Crosses (handcrafted crosses made with barnwood and various decorations)
10% off all items in shop
outoftheblue.etsy.com - Eclectic, vintage-inspired jewelry
25% off all items in shop
refabulous.etsy.com - Recycled items are blended with new materials to create one-of-a-kind, hand-made articles
20% off all items in shop
rhradcliffedesigns.etsy.com - Watercolors, photographs, jewelry, and prints
20% off all items in shop
serendipityrose.etsy.com - All Kinds of Jewelry & Beaded Gifts
20% off all items in shop
simplycynful.etsy.com - Custom bows, headbands, socks, flip flops, & tutus
10% off all items in shop, including Clearance items
simplyraevyn.etsy.com - Hand-beaded Jewelry
20% off all items in shop
sophiecls.etsy.com - SubEarthan Cottage has a variety of handmade soaps, jewelry and other unique gifts
10% off all items in shop
sparklystrandz.etsy.com - Beaded jewelry, baby jewelry and crochet baby onesies and gifts
15% off all items in shop
sugarlovehoney.etsy.com - Tutus, wreaths, baby & wedding corsages, pillowcase dresses, blankets
10% off all items in shop
sweetwolf.etsy.com - Funky handmade goodies for you & your home
25% off all items in shop, plus Free Shipping on purchases of $30 or more (after discount)
thistlecraft.etsy.com - Handpainted glass & window clings, CD collage cards, crochet scarves, & other fun stuff
20% off all items in shop (except Standing Sunflowers), plus Free Gift with purchase (one per customer, please)
tpdesign.etsy.com - Handmade home decor & paper goods
10% off all items in shop (except accordion books), plus Free Gift Wrapping if requested
ultratrixie.etsy.com - Vintage, destash, & other random whatnots
25% off all items in shop, plus Free Shipping on purchases of $30 or more (after discount)
windtwirler.etsy.com - Unique & unusual gifts and accessories
15% off all items in shop

BOGO SALES - DISCOUNTS APPLY TO ITEMS OF EQUAL OR LESSER VALUE, AND DISCOUNTS DO NOT INCLUDE SHIPPING UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED

designsbycher.etsy.com - Handcrafted Jewelry created with Love & Care
Buy One item at $30 or less, Get One 50% off (excludes all items over $30)
happyday.etsy.com - Beautifully designed knitting patterns and homemade baby/momma supplies.
Buy One Pattern, Get One Free - Just let her know which pattern you pick for your second in the "Notes to Seller" box during checkout
jachlomi.etsy.com - jewlery, kids' clothes, and lots of other stuff
Buy One, Get One 50 % off
lavenderlizard.etsy.com - Crocheted apparel and accessories & more
Buy One, Get One 50% off
raevyn77.etsy.com - Handmade Jewelry
Buy One, Get One Free
scribbles.etsy.com - Beaded pens and pencils
Buy One, Get One 50% off (excludes custom orders)
starmekcreations.etsy.com - Beautiful handcrafted jewelry
Buy 2 Pendants, Get 1 Scrabble Tile Pendant Free, OR Buy 3 Pendants, Get 1 Pendant and 1 Ball Chain Free
tiddlyinks.etsy.com - Original, one of kind illustrations created in watercolor and ink, as well as cards and custom nameplates
Buy one item under $30, Get One 50% off (excludes items over $30 and items already on sale)

FREE SHIPPING

goagainstthegrain.etsy.com - Paper crafts & Wood crafts
Free Shipping, plus Free monogram with purchase of any other item
joyceweaver.etsy.com - Original Handcrafted Bears, Dolls, Mixed Media, and Watercolor
Free Shipping
thealteredblacksheep.etsy.com – Jewelry, Magnets, Supplies, and More
Buy 4 "Just Enough" packets, and receive Free Shipping, and as always, a Free Gift with purchase


OTHER SALES & SPECIAL OFFERS

apunkincardcompany.etsy.com - Handmade personalized stationery and custom wedding invitations
Free card with every order (one per customer, please)
grandmamarilyns.etsy.com - Handcrafted beadwoven jewelry
Free Domestic (US) Shipping
preciouslinks.etsy.com - Custom Jewelry
Free gift with each order (one per customer, please), plus look for Christmas in July sales
unkamengifts.etsy.com - Jewelry & Dolls
Free keychain (of seller's choice) with purchase of $20 or more (one per customer, please)


♥♥♥ Happy Monday!!! ♥♥♥

Saturday, July 5, 2008

My Wonderfully Wasted Day

Today, Wes went off to Lake Charles to play poker with a friend. I had a wonderful day of doing pretty much nothing at home alone. I watched some Law & Order (is it on 24 hrs a day?), surfed the Etsy forums, shopped online a bit, and came up with some new ideas for things to list in my shop. I also crocheted a cotton face cloth - I just started using these recently and I love them! It has been fabulously relaxing.

Of course, what I should have been doing was cleaning the house, particularly the kitchen which was hit pretty hard by our dinner party last night. That can wait until tomorrow!

Later thie evening, I might get the sewing machine back out and make something from the fabric I bought at Ikea this week. Ah, the beauty of a lazy day at home.

To recap my shopping, I bought a few PIF (pay it forward) items on Etsy. They were a great deal and really cute! I love the idea of the pay it forward items. Once I receive these, I will be listing some of my own. Here is what I got:

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=9369575
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=9369574
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=9369573

Check out these sellers and see if you find something you like!

Monday, June 30, 2008

ETC Has Secrets!

Here is the entry from the ETC blog with all of the great information about the fun activity today. Check it out!!

ETC Has Secrets!

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Celebrate this rare 5th Monday of the month with the Etsy Texas Crafters, finding our Secrets!Our team mascot, Armadillo Tex, is hiding in several of our members’ shops…. Find him and purchase the item in which he is hiding, and you will receive a FREE gift as your reward!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26516432@N03/2616800663/in/pool-teametsytx

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ETC Secrets are only available from 12:01 am to 12:00 Monday, June 30th, Central Time (that’s 1:01am Monday to 1:00am Tuesday, Etsy Time).Each Secret in which Armadillo Tex’s picture appears will specify the free gift to be received with the purchase of that item. This will vary from shop to shop, and possibly between items in the same shop.There will be no more than 2 Secrets in each of the participating shops.
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ETC Members with Secrets this month include:

artbyjc.etsy.com Original paintings , painted on leaves , wood , paper , metal ,etc.
awphotography.etsy.com - Note cards and fine art prints.
bellalunacoffin.etsy.com - mixed media jewelry & accessories
cindyjoy.etsy.com - unique, handmade baby gear
etsytexascrafters.etsy.com - ETC Team Shop, loaded with Texas goodies!

fabfrills.etsy.com — Unique handbags, sassy art dolls & other fab things!

friendlybanter.etsy.com – crocheted items

handmadewhimzy.etsy.com - unique jewelry, beaded bookmarks and decorative painting
kcknits.etsy.com -Handspun yarn, spinning batts and handknit items

killerbeedesigns.etsy.com - Killer Bee Designs: Purses, Business Card Holders, Artwork and More!

lavenderlizard.etsy.com - Crocheted Accesories, Scrubbies, Supplies & More!

mayzbeadz.etsy.com - Handmade Lampwork Beads miasophia.etsy.com – Handmade Glass Jewelry With a Little Fun Added
preciouslinks.etsy.com – “A memory in every link” custom jewelry
raevyn77.etsy.com – Simply Raevyn Beautiful Handmade Beaded Jewelry
serendipityrose.etsy.com - Handcrafted Jewelry and Beaded Gifts
simplycynful.etsy.com - Custom Bows, Headbands, Socks, Flip Flops, & Tutus
simplyraevyn.etsy.com – hand beaded jewelry

sococreative.etsy.com - Stylish, decorative prints of original digital artwork

sophiecls.etsy.com - SubEarthan Cottage-Soaps, jewelry, and other unique gifts.

SweetWolf.etsy.com - Funky Handmade goodies for you and your home thepaperelephant.etsy.com - Greeting cards, paper favors, promo items, and supplies

thistlecraft.etsy.com - Handpainted glass & window clings, CD collage cards, crochet scarves, & other fun stuff

UltraTrixie.etsy.com - random whatnots and other interesting stuff.

-:¦:- . -:¦:- -:¦:- . -:¦:- -:¦:- . -:¦:- -:¦:- . -:¦:- Need help finding Tex? Search Etsy using the tag “ETCSecrets” and keep and eye out for listings with Tex’s picture in them — only the ones with his picture in them include FREE gifts! And, yes, some items have been tagged that do not include a picture of Tex — we didn’t want to make this too easy for you!

http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=tag_title_all&search_query=etcsecrets

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♥ Please join our mailing list & receive our monthly newsletter to hear about that month’s sales & other events, plus get a special “newsletter-only” coupon valid on purchases from our team shop. Join via our team blog at http://www.etsytx.org/wordpress

♥ To find more items by ETC members, search for our team tag of TeamEtsyTxhttp://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=tag_title_all&search_query=teametsytx

♥ Interested in joining ETC? Submit your information via our website at http://www.etsytx.org/contact.html (membership requests are processed once a week)

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Vernazza, Italy


Italy1WM, originally uploaded by Annette98.

This is by far my most popular picture on Etsy and on Flickr. I am doing a test post from Flickr for blogging my images directly...I thought I would use this one because I really like it.

Informative Blogging Topics

I have been thinking about what I could possibly post up here that would not make me feel like I am just talking about myself all of the time. The ideas that came into my mind are similar to the how-tos that I have listed below. I wrote those because I hoped they would be helpful to people. Now, I am trying to figure out what other topics might be helpful.

Here is what I have thought of so far:

* Gimp Tutorials
- Basics of resizing images
- Changing the background color
- Basic image enhancements
* Blogging
- How to add widgets
- How to use Google Analytics or other statistical information to track blog hits
- Suggestions for promoting your blog

Do you have any other suggestions? Leave me a comment and let me know what you would like to learn about!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Texas Sunflowers

Our trip to the Hill Country of Texas for the family reunion last weekend was a lot of fun. While were were driving on Hwy 90 west of San Antonio, we came across a beautiful field of sunflowers. Of course, I had to stop for a quick little photo shoot. I think the pictures came out great. I put them together as a notecard set in my shop. Here are my favorite pictures that I got:


Sunflower3WM

Sunflower2WM

Sunflower1WM

Sunflower4WM

Sunflower5WM

Monday, June 23, 2008

ETC Design Challenge - All Things Texas

Here is the post from the ETC blog on today's activity:

As part of our team’s Spend Your Mondays with ETC program, we would like to take today to show off interpretations of our monthly Design Challenge. This month’s theme was All Things Texas!

Team members who accepted this Design Challenge and listed items pertaining to this month’s theme include the following:

EtsyTexasCrafters - ETC Team Shop, loaded with Texas Goodies

AmberCripe - Baby Wipes Cases and More
AngelsAndOutlaws - A Place for the Romantic Cowgirl in Us All
ApacheMoon - Unique & Custom Silver Jewelry for a Joyous Spirit
AWPhotography - Cards & Prints from Original Photography
CindyJoy - Unique, High Quality, Stylish Baby Gear
ElephantDreams - Eclectic Artful Photos: Color, Black-White, Unique
FindersKeepersThings - Inspired Charms, Repurposed Jewelry & Original Art
GreerDesign - Whimsical Pet & Wildlife Art
HandmadeWhimzy - Unique Jewelry, Beaded Bookmarks, Painted Items
LavenderLizard - Crocheted accessories, scrubbies, and more
LindaGJ - Whimsical Sculptures & Prints
PreciousLinks - One-Of-A-Kind Custom Jewelry, & Doggie Jewelry Too
SimplyCynful - Custom Bows, Headbands, Socks, Flip Flops, & Tutus
SweetWolf - Funky Handmade Accessories for You and Your Home
Thistlecraft - Handpainted glass & window clings, CD collage cards, crochet scarves, & other fun stuff
TiddlyInks - Original Watercolors of Whimsical Animals & Kids

Here are just a few of our Design Challenge Creations

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Note Card Set

I finally decided to list some of my note cards as a set. I had them listed individually for $2 each and decided to go for a set of 6 for $10. I chose 6 of my favorite flower pictures - they are very bright and happy. Anyone who buys it is free to choose whatever images they prefer or multiples of the same image. Here are the ones that I chose:

* Floating Flowers

* Coral Tree in the Sky


* Orange Flowers

* Daisies

* Lotus Flower


* Hyde Park Tulips

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Experimenting with Gimp

Inspired by a question on the Etsy forums, I decided to do a quick experiment to see what kind of pop art-ish images I could create in Gimp. It is fun to be inspired to play around a bit in the middle of the night when I really should be in bed.

My favorite result was with my Celtic cross picture from Ireland, because it is a very simple subject:



Here are the results (using my current favorite flower photo):

And here of Wes and me in Scotland last year:

To do this, I just upped the contrast and played with the Hue-Saturation.

How to use a blog reader

I love to read lots of blogs - everything from friends, friends of friends, people I find through Etsy, random blogs I find. For a while, I would just go through each of them every day or so and see if something new had been posted. The more blogs I found, the more time consuming this because. Also, there are a lot of people who blog very irregularly so I would stop looking and miss new fun posts.

Recently, I discovered Google Reader. This is a great way to compile and subscribe to all of the blogs that you read and see when something new is posted. I know there are a lot of other options out there to do this as well.

If you would like to start using this, here are the steps that I followed (it is so easy)!

1. In Gmail or Google, click on Reader to get set up and log in.

2. On any blog that you see, just click on Subscribe. In Blogspot, at the bottom is will say "Subscribe: Posts (Atom)". Then, follow the on-screen instructions.

That's it - you are set up. Now, you just need to log in to reader to see what is new! I have my blogs organized by topic - Friends, Family, Etsy, etc. This seems to work well for me.

Feel free to test it out by subscribing to my blog!

Friday, June 20, 2008

Adding Pictures to Your Blog Header

I will start out letting you know, for the record, that I came up with this approach on my own by trial and error and that there is quite likely a better way to pimp your blog out on the internet somewhere. That said, I like the way it turned out and I like the flexibility to put up a picture that I like without bringing in all the other stuff that would come with a whole new template.

These instructions are based on the standard "Rounders" template in Blogger. It should work with any standard template that has a solid header across the top. In Dots, for example, the header is only on the side bar so this approach would not work.

Step 1: Upload whatever picture you would like to use to the internet. For this, I found the easiest place was on Picasa - just click Photos at the top of your gmail page or go to http://picasaweb.google.com/home.

Step 2: Open your blog, sign in, and click Customize in the top right corner. Under Layout, click "Edit HTML".

Step 3: Do not let all the HTML junk here intimidate you. You can ignore most of it - you are looking for one specific item. Scroll down until you see this:


/* Blog Header
----------------------------------------------- */
#header-wrapper {
background:$titleBgColor url("http://www.blogblog.com/rounders3/corners_cap_top.gif") no-repeat $startSide top;
margin-top:22px;
margin-$endSide:0;
margin-bottom:0;
margin-$startSide:0;
padding-top:8px;
padding-$endSide:0;
padding-bottom:0;
padding-$startSide:0;
color:$titleTextColor;
}

You will be replacing the italicized link with a link to your picture.

Step 4: Go back into Picasa, click on your uploaded photo and click "Link to this Photo". Select size Large.
Step 5: Select the HTML to embed in website. Copy and Paste it over only the italicized part of the above. It will look like this:

background:$titleBgColor url(< href="http://picasaweb.google.com/[username]/[folder]/ photo?authkey=CtiTjzgr4aQ#5213797577318411122">
< src =""http://lh4.ggpht.com/[username]/
SFshRc7bK3I/AAAAAAAABZI/5PetUjBddcc/s800/[image].JPG"

/>
) no-repeat $startSide top;
margin-top:22px;

Step 6: Delete only the RED portion of the above. Now it will look like this:

background:$titleBgColor url("http://lh4.ggpht.com/[username]/SFshRc7bK3I/AAAAAAAABZI/
5PetUjBddcc/s800/[image].JPG"
) no-repeat $startSide top;
margin-top:22px;

Step 7: Click Preview. Your blog should open in a new window and you should now see your image in the header. However, it might still be too small. You can adjust the height if needed (see Step 8). If you are happy with the way it looks now, click Save Template and you are finished.

Step 8: To adjust the height of the image, just enter the height in pixels that you would like after the semicolon like this (300 pixels for example):

background:$titleBgColor url("http://lh4.ggpht.com/[username]/
SFshRc7bK3I/AAAAAAAABZI/5PetUjBddcc/s800/[image].JPG"
) no-repeat $startSide top;
height: 300px;
margin-top:22px;

Step 9: Click Preview again to see how the height looks. You can go back and adjust Step 8 until it looks like you want it to. When you are happy with it, click Save Template and you are done.

Good luck! I know this may seem a bit complicated if you have not programmed in HTML before, but if you find the relevant section and only adjust these specific items then it will be easy to do.

Blog revamp

Today I decided to play around with the HTML on my blog layout. I found that I could add my own images to the header and sidebar sections. You will see my Hyde Park tulips peaking out at the top of the header and the ceiling from the Grand Lisboa Casino in Macao over to the right. I am working on finding something more than boring gray for the background, but have not had much luck yet. If you are reading this and the background is a more interesting color, I have had success. If not, then, well, not. Maybe I will be able to find a how-to on the internet somewhere.

It has been a lot of fun digging into the HTML for the template and trying to figure out what the programmers were doing and how I can adjust it without breaking it. If you are interested in learning how to do the same thing, just let me know and I will be happy to provide a tutorial.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

My first ad

I found an offer for 11 days of free ad space in the Etsy forum and I took it. Please check out my ad on this blog and let me know what you think!

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Hyde Park Tulips




When I was visiting Wes in London last April, I spent a relaxing morning wandering around in Hyde Park and surrounding areas of London. I had a lot of time to kill while Wes was in class. The spring weather was great and I got to take some great pictures of the beautiful flowers they had out in the landscaping.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Off for the weekend...

We are heading over the Hill Country to attend a family reunion for my husband's mother's family. I am hoping there will be good weather so that I can get some nice pictures. It is beautiful out there! With any luck, you will see some new Texas pictures coming soon.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

This is a lot of work!

As I am coming to the end of my first week of having an Etsy shop, I realize just how much work this is! There are so many things to think of - what pictures to use for my listings, what kind of prints, what kind of cards to use, how to price things effectively. Once I make those decisions, it is how to package, how to ship, how to promote the store so people see what I am doing. Then, there is all the time that I need to spend making sure the photos look right, posting the images and writing the listing, ordering the prints so that I have my inventory built up for what is listed. Not to mention the time spent in the Forums trying to keep up the visibility of my shop and learn the ropes. Whew!

In Etsy, I feel like a very small, very unfamiliar fish in a big giant pond. I guess most people must feel like this in the beginning. I am sure I will get the hang of it eventually...fortunately I have great support from my husband and my sister.

Wish me luck!!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Coral Tree in the Sky




This picture is very simple, but I love it. In the picture itself, I enjoy the color of the sky and the unique flowers of the coral tree. I think this tree is native to Australia, but we were in Carlsbad, California when this picture was taken.

The other reason that I love the picture is for what it reminds me of, although this may not mean much to anyone else. Wes and I were in California in March 2005 when he took me to San Diego for a surprise weekend trip. We were supposed to be spending the week at my parents house and he booked the flight from there! It was on this trip that he proposed (and I accepted) - he did a great job and it was very sweet. All of the pictures from the trip will always have a special place in my heart, despite all the other great places we have been together since then.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Vernazza - Cinque Terra, Italy



I thought it might be nice to move out of Asia and explore some of the other places we have visited. Last year for Easter, Wes and I traveled to Italy - we went hiking in the Cinque Terra for the first few days and then went to Florence and Pisa. The Cinque Terra are a series of 5 small villages along the Mediterranean coast of northern Italy (check wikipedia for more info). My sister and I spent time there years ago as well. It is a beautiful place!

This picture was taken on the morning of our last day in town. We got up early so that we could do a 2 hour hike before it was time to check out of our room. It was nice to be out when it was not too crowded. Easter was a busy time in Italy.

On a side note, this region is known for its pesto. We enjoyed all kinds of things - pesto pizza, pesto gnocci, pesto pasta...thinking of it makes me hungry.

My first sale!

Someone wonderful has purchased 4 lovely photo note cards from my shop. I will be shipping them out soon. Hopefully, the momentum will continue. I will not let my hopes get up too high, though...we will just have to see how it goes.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Glass Ceiling




This is the ceiling in the lobby of the Bellagio Las Vegas. The whole place is nicely decorated, but it is important to remember to look up so that you don't miss the best part. It is fun to watch people standing around and pointing up when they first arrive.

Rainbow at Sunset




This bright red shot just goes to show that good can come out of what was otherwise not a great day. To keep a long story short, Wes and I had rented a car and were driving around the south island of New Zealand for about 10 days in January 2006. We had had pretty good weather most of the time and I was looking forward to the drive on our second to last day because this took us through the middle of the island - the guide book showed pictures of beautiful mountains reflected in stunning, glassy lakes. Just our luck - that day it rained and rained and rained - all you could see were clouds. No glassy lakes. No mountains at all. To top off the end of the drive, it was getting late and we were about to run out of gas when we realized the gas stations in New Zealand close. No 24-hour pay-at-the-pump options were jumping out at us and we started to worry where we were going to make it to our destination. Arriving in town on fumes, we were able to buy gas about 5 minutes before the last station closed. We checked into our hotel and then were off in the rain to find dinner.

Just as we were sitting down to eat, the rain let up and a bright rainbow could be seen over the water in the setting sun. It cast a red glow over the whole place. Everyone in the restaurant was getting up to take a look. Naturally, I grabbed my camera and snapped a few pictures. I was not sure it would capture the light correctly, but in the end it turned out alright. A nice end to the day.

Orange Flowers in Singapore



Most of the time, pictures do not have a dramatic story behind them but just result from finding a small slice of beauty in everyday life. This is one of those pictures, and I have many many more with a similar background. In this particular case, Wes and I were walking through Singapore in October of last year. It is a very urban city, much like Hong Kong, but there was a good amount of landscaping to keep things looking nice. These orange flowers were a bush in the landscaping just up the road from the statue of Raffles. It caught my eye so I had to stop and take a photo.

Hong Kong Bird Market



While Wes and I were living in Hong Kong, we spent most of our time on Hong Kong Island - that is where we lived, where I worked and where Wes went to school. We would often take Saturday trips to Kowloon, on the other side of Victoria Harbor, for shopping or just a little walking tour. One of our favorite places to visit, and to bring friends who came to see us, was the Bird Market. Because of the tiny apartments that most people in Hong Kong have, there is not a lot of room for pets. So, birds are a very popular pet for people to keep. The men at the market showed how much they loved their birds by bringing them out for a walk in small cages and often talking to them. It was not uncommon to see groups of men together with their pet birds, just passing the time on the weekend while the birds got some fresh air. The markets sold all kinds of birds, cages, and accessories. They even had live crickets to feed the larger birds. This picture is of one of the cages of birds waiting to be purchased. I felt like the one bird in the middle was looking at me as the calm in the middle of a hive of bird activity.

Faces of Bayon



The Bayon temple, built around the year 1200, is close to Angkor Wat outside of Siem Reap, Cambodia. The most significant feature of the Bayon are the face towers that dominate the complex. This is a close up of one of the large faces there. It is not completely clear what expression they were trying for 800 years ago, but it looks to me like he is smiling just a little bit.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Ancient Angkor







As promised, I have added some of our Cambodia trip pictures to the shop, as well as on flickr. I went with sepia on these because I think it best captured the feel of the place. I have also included the color versions above so that you can compare!