The Beadings and Buttons of Randomcreative

Friday Feature: when the going gets tough

2012-01-27T08:00:00.054-06:00

Thanks so much to everyone who linked up with me this past week for my Friday Feature link up! Here are just a few of the great finds that they featured. Click on the photos to check out the item listings, blog posts, etc.

Some weeks in life are really tough. It's great to have some reassuring words and images during these times.

Keep Calm and Carry On Sign - Solid Wood - Distressed - Pick Your Own Colors - Large by WordWhipped

Stay Strong Aluminum Bar Key Chain, hand stamped, 2 sided customization available by riskybeads

Wall Picture - Just Breathe - Pink 12 x 18 Relaxing Wall Decor Poster by TheWallaroo

Large 'For I Know The Plans I Have For You...Jeremiah 29:11' Vinyl Wall Decal by InitialYou

Hand Dyed Silk Wrap Bracelet with Believe Charm, Smoky Quartz, and Pearl by charmeddesign1012

Keep Calm and Trust God Vintage Dictionary Print Upcycled 8x10 by TheRekindledPage

When all else fails, if a cute animal picture can't cheer you up a little, I don't know what will. (I love this one, too.)
Cat Hugging Yarn B&W Photo Greeting Card by mistergandme

What words and/or images do you turn to when things are rough?

Also, I'll be featuring Valentine's Day greeting cards next week. If you want me to consider one of your card listings, please leave a link in the comments.

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Where else I linked up today:

another goal for 2012: finishing those UFOs

2012-01-26T08:00:00.001-06:00

Although this is not one of my official goals, one of my unofficial goals for 2012 is to finish up the few UFOs that I have lying around. Nope, I'm not talking about flying saucers, I'm talking about those craft projects that you start with good intentions but never get around to finishing. For the most part, I am good about not doing this. But it still happens sometimes.

Remember my cross-stitch from Monday? I started it back in 2008, right around the time I started getting serious about my jewelry making. I'm sure that it's not a surprise why I haven't finished this. I did cross-stitch almost exclusively from 2003-2008 so it was time for a little break anyway. I'm more than ready to come back to this and am at a point where I can make time in between beading and card making.

When will it be done? This is a HUGE project. Honestly I don't anticipate finishing it during 2012, even if I work on it every week. Finishing it during 2013 is a more realistic goal.

Do you remember my button tree?

I bought a second Styrofoam base and enough felt, fabric, pins, and buttons for one more tree, with a fall theme with time. I even ironed and pinned on the fabric when I made the first tree. But then I didn't do anything else.

I love my Christmas button tree and would enjoy a fall one, too. It just hasn't been a high priority.

When will it be done? The button pining process is tedious so I like to break it up in 20-30 minute stints. If I started this in the late spring or early summer, there's no reason that I couldn't have it done for the fall of 2012.

My next PDF pattern...still in the works...

I started taking pictures for a clasp pattern back in late August. I was determined to finish the pattern by the end of October, but it got lost in the shuffle with all of the stuff that I was working on for Christmas and my fall/winter craft shows.

When will it be done? I only have 2, maybe 3, more hours left of writing, editing, and formatting work left. I have all of the pictures taken and edited already. I'd like to get this pattern finished and listed online by the end of February or early March.

I know that many of you probably have a lot more UFOs lying around than I do! Do share.

another simple solution from Pintrest: art drying rack

2012-01-25T08:00:00.057-06:00

I'm not sure how much I've posted about this topic here, but some of you know that when I started working with paper again a couple months ago, I didn't have a good place to put my drying paper. So I usually spread it all over the floor. I'll spare you a picture of what this looks like because I'm sure that you have a pretty good idea. Needless to say, this wasn't a good long term solution.

I briefly looked at options on Amazon. Most of them were $100+ and appropriate for art classrooms and other large studios. I wasn't in the market for anything that sophisticated. On a whim, I turned to Pintrest. I had such good luck with my ring display that I thought I might get lucky again. Pintrest did not disappoint.

Source: realsimple.com via Catherine on Pinterest

How awesome and simple is that? I went out to Target the next week and picked up a simple plastic dish drainer ($13) and another simple plastic dish drying rack ($5).

I love how there's room to store pieces standing up or laying down.

The other drying rack is perfect for smaller pieces like my little button flowers.

I can store one right on top of the other to take up even less space when I'm done working.

For now, I'm keeping them on the floor there, which I know isn't ideal, but they are tucked out of the way under the edge of my table.

I'm not using the silverware drying rack for anything right now, but as the Pintrest photo shows, this is a great place to store some supplies.

Obviously, this isn't an appropriate set up for larger art work, but for anyone who does smaller gluing work or other art work that needs drying time, it is great!

Does anyone else have a DIY/alternative art drying rack? I'd love to hear about them and know that other readers would, too.

Finally, a number of people expressed an interest in the paper cutter that I use that I had in some of my photos yesterday. I had a cheap one for about a year and when the blade dulled, I decided it was time to upgrade. I've been using this new one for about a month and a half and really love it. I bought a cutting mat (remember my large Christmas boxes?) and replacement blades at the same time. I will need a replacement cutting bar at some point, but the rest of the supplies will keep me set for quite a while.

Do you have a paper cutter that you love? Share it in the comments!

in the works

2012-01-24T08:00:00.008-06:00

One of my goals for 2012 is to finish a couple UFOs I've had for anywhere from 6 months to 3 years. More on that later this week. One of those UFOs is my neglected cross-stitch that I mentioned yesterday. I've been spending a lot of time on it again the past couple weeks. Of course I've still had to fit in some jewelry and card projects, too.

I sold a turquoise leaf bracelet back in 2009 before I could even list it on Etsy. I got some lovely turquoise lamp work focals for Christmas last year (from Jen of blueserphim's shop) and have slowly been collecting blue leaves all year. I'm finally putting it altogether for a new leaf bracelet.

Usually I make two versions of one design (often in two different sizes) while I have all my beads mixed up. Unfortunately I only had enough leaf beads to make one bracelet. Hopefully it'll sell quickly, and I'll have an excuse to keep looking for more beads.

As I've mentioned before, my card making is a little scattered. I got inspired to start working on a Mother's Day set this month.

I went crazy with the little flowers and have enough for a whole bunch of projects now.

Back to more topical cards, as I mentioned in my Valentine's Day post earlier this month, I did finish a set of Valentine's Day mini cards. I actually finished two very similar sets.

Here they are in the works.

Here's one of the finished sets.

They're available here. They SHIP FREE to all US addresses. No coupon code necessary.

I have been starting to research sewing with paper techniques this month and am very excited for all of the possibilities there. I don't know if I'm going to get a Valentine's Day set with a sewing technique done for this year, but I may try a St. Patrick's Day set.

What are you working on this week? Have you blogged about it? Leave me a link in the comments so I can check it out!

Where else I linked up today:

I included this post in Michelle's Delicately Constructed Friday 1/27/2012.

Scavenger Hunt and I Heart Macro on Monday

2012-01-23T08:00:00.008-06:00

Welcome to another edition of the photo Scavenger Hunt and I Heart Macro! Enjoy!

1) Sunset

Clearly whoever suggested this prompt this week does not live in the Midwest because this is a terrible time of year to take sunset photos here as 1) most days are cloudy and 2) it gets dark around 5/5:30PM when most of us are working or making dinner. I took this picture on a cruise to Mexico and Honduras in late December 2007/early January 2008. There is nothing quite like a sunset on the water.

2) Black and White

This is the second time I cracked a double yolk egg this past month.

3) A Day in My Life

I've picked up an old cross-stitch project again the past couple weeks. Angel lived with my in-laws the first 10 years of her life. She and I first started bonding through cross-stitch about 6 years ago. She can ignore beading all day, but within minutes of when I start to work on cross-stitch, she's up on the couch with me.

She loves to hang out on the couch with Jake, too.

4) Four

I've been having so much fun making Valentine's Day cards and other items lately. I thought that it would be fun to photograph four hearts.

Stacked buttons waiting to be made into thumb tacks
A set of Valentine's Day stamps that I got years ago (I don't even remember if I bought them or they were a gift) and am finally using
The Valentine's Day stamps with different colored mattes
Heart stickers left over from teaching that I cut out (they were square stickers) and matted on purple card stock

5) Colorful

I'm sure that it's not a surprise that one of my favorite parts about well-designed cross-stitch kits is the wide range of colors that they include in the designs.

Please check out Ashley's blog to see what other people photographed for these themes this week!

Here's my photo for I Heart Macro.

The old item re-shoot process continues. This lovely piece is perfect for Valentine's Day and is available here.

Where else I linked up today:

Treasury Round Up

2012-01-22T08:00:00.049-06:00

It's been another good treasury week! Please help me thank the curators who featured my work this past week by visiting their shops and checking out their treasuries.

Sher (SherHastingsDesigns) included my Beaded Dangle Earrings - Pink Leaves in her Love, Romance, Flowers, & Hearts treasury. I love seeing all of the heart items featured on Etsy for Valentine's Day. Check out Sher's Cookin - Utensils Graphic and Clipart Set - Digital Scrapbooking Kit.

Nicole (KnitNicoleKnit) included my Button Bracelet - Multicolored (Green, Blue, Purple) in her Grape Jelly treasury. The rich shades of purple in this collection are stunning. Check out Nicole's Tiny Valentine Heart Earrings.

Cassie (cburnscreations) included my Beaded Wrap Bracelet/Necklace - Pink her Valentine's Day - seed Bead Style treasury. There are so many beautiful beaded Valentine's Day items out there. Check out Cassie's Seed Beaded Purple Dolphin Keychain.

Connie (AsteropeBC) included my Beaded Dangle Earrings - Pink Leaves in her Pink Roses are for Love Hopeful and Expectant treasury. This is a great message with beautiful pink items to accompany it. Check out Connie's Floral Beadwork Necklace in Gray, Pink, and Orchid.

Ann (FrancescasFancy) included my Beaded Cuff Bracelet - Embellished Square Stitch - Red/Purple in her Bleeding beaded hearts treasury. The beadwork here is stunning. I love all of the red, too. Check out Ann's Valentine Heart Pearl Earrings - Beaded Russian Leaf.

Karen (MysticWynd) included my Beaded Bracelet - Silver Links - Celestial in her Got the Blues... treasury. I never get tired of blue. I love the mix of items here. Check out Karen's Blown Glass Earrings in Capri Blue and Lime Green - Curacao Dreams.

Edi (memoriesforlifesb) included my Beaded Bracelet - Something Blue in her Bridal Guide treasury. This is a great set of ideas for anyone who is planning a wedding. Check out Edi's Personalized Guest Book Double Name Album.

Jim (allrescreeningbyjim1) included my Button Charm Bracelet - Green in his Blue and Green in My Sight treasury. I love the mix of items here. Check out Jim's Victorian Hanging Baskets.

Thanks to those who linked up with me last week! Here are a few of the items that they featured last week. Click on the photos to check out the product listings.

I am really touched by all the people who I have inspired to start their own treasury round ups with awesome shop features and write ups! Please link up with me and grab a button for your own post. I know that not everyone posts these rounds ups on Sundays, which is fine. I will leave this link up open all week.

Saturday Link List: the January tutorial edition

2012-01-21T08:00:00.014-06:00

Welcome to my Saturday Link List! I have a lot of links in my bookmark list saved up from 2011. I'm cleaning out this month so I can get organized and start rolling out brand new links in February. The link lists the past two weeks have been very well received so I'm continuing this week with the tutorials edition. I've included tutorials for a wide variety of items. Enjoy!

How To Digitally Restore an old Photo in Photoshop from ChristinS

Instead of taking your photo someplace to have it restored (and honestly I'm not even sure where you'd do that these days), you can do it yourself at home with these great instructions.

The Twenty Minute Tote from the purl bee

Soap Making Tutorial How to Make Men's Shaving Soap *Easy Recipe* from ChristinS

Create a Custom Scrapbook Clipboard in 5 Easy Steps! from KaeliElyse

Sewing 101: Electronics Sleeve from Design Sponge

Upgraded Dry Erase Board from Three Fates and J Grow Up

Mason Jar Lid Matching Game with a Free Printable from Smashed Peas and Carrots

Check out lots more tutorials from Smashed Peas and Carrots right here.

Scrabble Tile Tutorial from a little etsy love

Leaf Fringe from Inspirational Beading

Create your own link list and grab a button for your post or simply spread the word on your blog.

Did I feature your work here? Grab a button for your blog or web site!

Did you use one of the tutorials from my link list? Leave me a link in the comments or send me an e-mail (randomcreative28@gmail.com) with your photos and stories. I would love to post them here.

Stay tuned next week for the Valentine's Day edition!

Friday Feature: leafy - the random January edition

2012-01-20T08:00:00.007-06:00

Enjoy the random January edition of my monthly leaf feature!
Fingerless mittens, moss green knit cabled half mitts, leaf ribbon ties by LeafyDesign

Mixed Metal Hoop Earrings with Peridot Green Glass Leaves by WillOaksStudio

cherie - vintage brass leaf and rose earrings by jewelryvixen

Fall Leaves Necklace. Black and Orange Embroidered Pendant with Golden Brown Beaded Wood Chain by sagescupboard

Fabric Leaves Wreath - Purple Tile by janejoss

oak leaf - bare branches - simple truths pendant by TesoriTrovati

Apple Cozy in Burgundy by MontanaDaisyGirl

Grab a blog button!

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Where else I linked up today:

how do you create a nest piece of jewelry?

2012-01-19T08:00:00.003-06:00

The February EBW Challenge theme is simply Nest. You can read more about it here. Around the time that the challenge was announced, I came across this tutorial via Pintrest.

Source: sarahortega.com via Rose on Pinterest

There are a number of variations of this idea out there, but I decided that this tutorial would work perfectly for a little nest that could be part of a beadwoven piece.

I made the nest first. I used some pearls that I had left over from an old project. Wire wrapping is not really something that I enjoy, but this was pretty easy and the result is very satisfying.

I paired the silver nest with brown cube beads, brown and white lamp work beads, and seed beads in earthy tones.

There are so many possibilities for these little nests, but in keeping with my goals for this year, I used my skinny wrapped peyote cuff design as the base for this bracelet. The nest is so small and delicate that it doesn't need a substantial piece of beadwork paired with it. It just needs something that fits with its style.

The lamp work glass beads are from Jen of blueseraphim. I'd never embellished a cuff this skinny with lamp work beads, but it worked very well. (I used a larger white bead of hers for the clasp, too.) I have some square beads from her in other colors and may use them for similar bracelets. Any thoughts on this?

I am not planning to make nests for more beadwoven pieces in the near future. However, I would like to get some metal charms to pair with them for charm sets.

Do you have a preference? Are there other bird charms that you like?

This bracelet is available in my Etsy shop right here. Voting for the EBW challenge will take place February 9-15. I will post more information about it then. For now, you can check out the other entries for the challenge by searching "ebwc" on Etsy.

I included this post in Michelle's Delicately Constructed Friday 1/20/11.

one of the easiest craft fair ring displays imaginable and other great DIY ring display ideas

2012-01-18T08:00:00.007-06:00

One of the new craft fair lines that I'm developing for 2012 is button rings. If you've spent any time browsing jewelry on Etsy, you have probably seen some type of button ring. They are fun, relatively easy and inexpensive to make, and completely fitting with my product lines.

As I'm developing my new craft fair lines this year, I'm considering product displays as I go. As many of you know, creating the items is only a tiny part of the selling process. I do not want to have lots of products and no way to display them when I start up with shows again. Creating a hair pin display was one of my first projects. Obtaining a ring display was one of my next projects.

This is just simply a great idea that I got through Pintrest. I did absolutely no creating for this. You can decorate it as you like, though I will most likely leave it as is and simply add a price sign to the bottom.

I'm sure that some of you already know what this is, but for those of you who don't sew, it's a bobbin rack. You can hang them on the wall or stand them up on any flat surface. They come in all different sizes. This is the second smallest one that they had at Jo-Ann. They're also available online. It holds 30 bobbins (or rings). The rings are small enough that you could easily stack multiples on each peg. For my shows, this should be plenty sufficient. All of the bobbin racks were 40% off when I went to Jo-Ann, which meant that this only $6. You can't beat that.

This was the idea that originally inspired me.

Source: uncommondesignsonline.com via Rose on Pinterest

Of course there are a number of other great DIY/simply very inventive (like the one I used) ring display ideas on Pintrest, too. Here are a few of my favorites.

Source: studio-eleven11.blogspot.com via Rose on Pinterest

How creative is this? If you don't like the look of the natural egg containers, you could easily spray paint or decorate them.

Source: mrsvolnoff.blogspot.com via Rose on Pinterest

Source: theglitterguide.com via Rose on Pinterest

This is from Jenny of A Bird in the Hand Art!

Source: abirdinthehandart.blogspot.com via Rose on Pinterest

Source: younghouselove.com via Rose on Pinterest

I still have a few $10 ad spots that will run for all of 2012. Get them while you can! All of the information about my private ad sponsorship can be found right here.

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Homemade Handmade Greeting Card Making Ideas with Balloons: Birthday Cards, Pop Up Designs, and More

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Are you ready for Valentine's Day?

2012-01-17T08:00:00.010-06:00

If you are in retail, you should be! It's hard to believe when we just put our Christmas decorations away a week or two ago, but Valentine's Day is less than a month away now. Valentine's Day is far from my favorite holiday so I'm not really sure why I've gotten so into making things for it this year except that I really like heart items. I also got fired up about my Christmas promotion and decided it would be fun to do a much smaller Valentine's Day promotion with some new items.

Greeting Cards

I am not listing a lot of cards on Etsy, because I don't HAVE a lot of cards to list yet and because I'm not planning to change my shop focus drastically. However, I am starting to offer a limited number of seasonal cards. I'd like to add some all-purpose cards (i.e. birthday) at some point, too. These Valentine's Day cards are my first listings. I got the "Inspire" stamp and "Inspire the ones you love" just came to me. I thought that it would work well for Valentine's Day. Edi of memoriesforlifesb loves the "Live, Laugh, Love" phrase, which inspired me to make a card with it. Thanks Edi!

What's next: I have some mini cards in the works. I'm planning to get them finished and listed within the next week

Wrap Bracelets/Necklaces

Of course I had to make something for my new line for Valentine's Day. I loved the pink mix from this piece so much that I set it aside for later. I added a couple more shades of pink to the mix for these new pieces. No, the first piece doesn't actually wrap, it's just a single strand bracelet, but it is still a herringbone stitch like the pieces in my wrap line.

What's next: I don't have any more pieces in this line planned for Valentine's Day this year, but as always, I'm happy to make something custom.

Charm Set

I was not able to find any heart patterned paper that I really liked except in a huge scrapbook pack that didn't have a ton of other prints that I loved. So I cut out my own hearts and put them on a red background for the glass piece in this set.

What's next: I'm still planning to list a music set next. I also have a beach themed set that I'll launch with my March EBW Challenge Destinations piece sometime next month.

Oldies But Goodies

I've added some older pieces to my Valentine's Day section, too.

What's the deal?

I'm offering free shipping worldwide on all jewelry items in my Valentine's Day shop section and free shipping in the US on my Valentine's Day cards. I will lose money if I ship cards for free overseas so I just can't justify it. Sorry!

Check Out My Sponsors

All of my blog sponsors have some great items for Valentine's Day.

Love Scrapbook Photo Album - Perfect for Valentine's Day

Fine Art Watercolor Painting Original Art Love Valentine's Day

Pink and White Dots Korker Bow

Where else I linked up today:

I included this post in Erika's It's a Wrap Link Party 1/23/2012.

Scavenger Hunt and I Heart Macro on Monday

2012-01-16T08:00:00.058-06:00

Welcome to another edition of the photo Scavenger Hunt and I Heart Macro! Enjoy!

1) Stacked Up

Just a few of my scrapbook stamps stacked up on my basement crafting desk.

2) Winter Wonderland

It snowed about 6 inches here after I took this photo of one of my winter card designs. I saw enough snow and took enough pictures of said now in Iowa to last me for the next 10 years. So I'm leaving you with my card design.

3) Sweet

I got a lot of comments about the Cinnamon Roll Pancake recipe that I posted last weekend. Thank you! I have tried a few recipes from that list but not this one so I gave it a shot. Here are my thoughts on it:

Unless you have a huge spatula, I recommend making 6-8 smaller pancakes instead of 4 large ones. There is no way I could flip large pancakes with any of the non-slotted spatulas that we own. These smaller sizes are much more manageable anyway, especially for kids.
The cinnamon mix in the Ziplock is really messy. If you aren't set on creating a perfect swirl, I would simply put it in a bowl and spoon it or pour it slowly on the pancakes.
The cinnamon mix measurements created enough mix for about 2 batches of batter. I'd either cut it in half or double your batter. I saved my extra mix in a Tupperware in the fridge to make another batch of batter later.
I skipped the glaze altogether. These pancakes don't need any more sugar or butter unless you want to go all out and create something that is really a dessert. If you want to add something extra, I'd simply sprinkle some cinnamon-sugar mix or powdered sugar on the top.
I'm not trying to knock this recipe. I'm just trying to give some tips about preparing them yourself. The pancakes were delicious and not too much more time consuming that normal pancakes. They would make a fun weekend treat, especially with kids and/or extended family (i.e. holidays).

4) Hole

The hole where our Christmas tree was before we took it down at the end of last weekend. I took the rest of our Christmas decorations down then, too.

5) Frozen

Normally I don't do a lot of prep ahead of time for meals, but I prepared shredded chicken and pesto ahead of time and froze it for homemade pizza. Some of you may remember me posting about my original mozzarella pesto pizza recipe this fall. I did take pictures when I made the pizza this week so I have a written recipe in the works.

Please check out Ashley's blog to see what other people photographed for these themes this week!

Here's my photo for I Heart Macro.

That's a sneak peek at my Jan./Feb. EBW Challenge piece for the theme Nesting. Yep, I did make the little wire nest myself. I'll have more information about this piece later this month.

Where else I linked up today:

Treasury Round Up

2012-01-15T08:00:00.030-06:00

It's been another good treasury week! Please help me thank the curators who featured my work this past week by visiting their shops and checking out their treasuries.

June (theWiZardofFelt) included my Beaded Cuff Bracelet - Angels in the Architecture in her January Jewelry treasury. This is a beautiful mix of wearable art to start the new year. Check out June's Autumn Leaves Shawl (approximately 72" x 32").

Karen (MysticWynd) included my Beaded Cuff Bracelet in her Beaded Cuff Bracelet - Red Striped Embellished in her Skinamarinky Dinky Dink, Skinamarinky Doo treasury. I love her title for this great collection of gift ideas for Valentine's Day. Check out Karen's Neo-Victorian Necklace w Aqua Flower and Chunky Green Beads - Garden FantaSea.

Linda (lindab142) included my Button Charm Bracelet - Pink in her Valentine's Day Gift Ideas treasury. There are so many great Valentine's Day gift ideas right in our own BBA team. Check out Linda's Red Valentine Heart 3 Strand Necklace - Ready to ship.

Margaret (SplendidLittleStars) included my Beaded Cuff Bracelet - Angels in the Architecture in her Winter Morning Poem treasury. You'll have to click through to the treasury to read the poem that Margaret used as her inspiration for this beautiful collection. I love all of the winter shades of blue. Check out Margaret's SILK Scrunchie, hand dyed, soft for hair, pink.

Trudy (TrudyAnnDesigns) included my Beaded Necklace - Round Stone Amazonite Focal - Light Blue and Champagne in her Am I Blue treasury. I love the vintage feel and mix of items here. Check out Trudy's Bird Image Pendant Necklace Brass Chain Long for Layering Blue Glass Bead.

Thanks to those who linked up with me last week! Here are a couple of the items that they featured last week.

Saturday Link List: the January resources edition

2012-01-14T08:00:00.004-06:00

Welcome to my Saturday Link List! I have a lot of links in my bookmark list saved up from 2011. I'm cleaning out this month so I can get organized and start rolling out brand new links in February. The recipe link list last week was very well received so I'm continuing this week with the resources edition. I've included links with blog resources, Etsy shop resources, and more. Enjoy!

Guest Posting Secrets from Dave Lucas

If you are looking for a way to change up your blogging routine for 2012, consider guest posts from some of your favorite bloggers. Dave has some great tips for how to do this successfully.

Does the Order of Keywords Matter in a Title AND in Google Searches?

Hopefully you already know that the short answer to this is yes. For more information about the topic, check out this forum thread on HubPages and this article from layeredthoughts.com.

Free Photo Websites for Blogs and Hubs - Creative Commons Photographs from Miss Olive

This is a great resource to bookmark if you like to find images online for your blog posts and/or online articles.

7 Blog Post Ideas to Copy If You're Stuck from Tribal Blogs

This is another great resource to check if you're looking for ways to mix up your blog routine.

Meme-Aholics

Thank you to Margaret of SplendidLittleStars for sharing this link with the BBA. This blog has lots of memes (over 450!) organized by day of the week with new ones posted each week. If you aren't already participating in at least one meme 1-2 times per month at a minimum, I highly encourage you to consider it. It can be a great way to challenge yourself while getting new blog followers.

biz ladies: How to Use Twitter to Make Your Business Grow

I am finally making an effort to use Twitter more effectively. I am slowly working on greatly reducing the number of people I follow so I can interact with the ones that I do follow. I am also finally using Hootsuite to schedule regular non-promotional links for my followers. I highly encourage everyone to do both of these things. Check out this article for more great Twitter tips. ohmyhandmade.com had a good Twitter article this week, too, which you can check out right here.

Tips to improve your Etsy shop

There are not a lot of people (besides me) on HubPages writing about Etsy. I like to promote the good articles about it there when I can.

6 Reasons Every Small Business Should be Blogging

If you aren't sure that you can really accomplish for your business through blogging, check this out.

Top Commentator Widget for Blogger with Backlinks

Adding the commentator widget and including featured items and shoutouts during my monthly news post at the beginning of each month has been very successful. One of the most valuable things that I get out of my blog is feedback and interaction. I want to make sure that I show my appreciation for this. Think about doing something on your blog to recognize the people who comment regularly.

buttons! a tutorial from studio waterstone

For those who want to step up their advertising in 2012 with new blog buttons, check this out. She uses Picnik for this tutorial so you don't need Photoshop or a lot of photo editing skills for this.

Create your own link list and grab a button for your post or simply spread the word on your blog.

Did I feature your work here? Grab a button for your blog or web site!

Did you use one of the resources, tutorials, or recipes from my link list? Leave me a link in the comments or send me an e-mail (randomcreative28@gmail.com) with your photos and stories. I would love to post them here.

Stay tuned next week for the January resources edition!

Friday Feature: black cats

2012-01-13T08:00:00.007-06:00

Thanks so much to everyone who linked up with me this past week for my first Friday Feature link up! Here are just a few of the great finds that they featured. Click on the photos to check out the item listings, blog posts, etc.

In addition to doing a black cat feature for Halloween, I like to do one for Friday the 13th. If you've been following my blog since this past Halloween or earlier, you've heard me talk about the black cat that I had for 14 years growing up. These features are always in honor of her. I don't have any digital pictures of her, so I scanned one just for you blog readers. She was full grown here. She was just always a little cat.

Enjoy the black cat features today!
Antique Blue Stoneware Mug with CAT SILHOUETTES by potterygal66

Double sided hand painted cotton tote bag with black and white cats by MaijaSMArt

Bokeh Photography Black Cat Silhouette Pendant Necklace by Collettestreasures

Black Art Print - Black Cat Posters by DeborahJulian

Black Cat Collage art pendant charm by thependantemporium

Black Cats Embroidered on Black Dot Towels by SewManyThreadss

Black Cat Set of 3 Bookmarks by Mimiandlola

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January BBA Giveaway: Win one of my wrap bracelet/necklace pieces!

2012-01-12T08:00:00.001-06:00

Every month, one member of the BBA does a giveaway. In honor of my brand new line of wrap bracelets/necklaces and charms, I decided to do the giveaway this month. I'm giving away a neutral mix rope that can be wrapped twice for a bracelet or worn as a single strand short necklace.

More information and all of the details about the giveaway can be found on the BBA blog January giveaway post right here. Please don't leave entries on this post for the giveaway. They must be left on that BBA blog post. I'm not planning any other giveaways for quite a while, particular one that is worth this month, so enter while you can. Entries will be received through Jan. 19. Good luck!

in the works

2012-01-11T08:00:00.047-06:00

I have been putting so much effort into making and photographing pieces for my new line and working on holiday items that I haven't been taking a lot of pictures of "in the works" pieces. I've also had so much scheduled here lately that I simply haven't found time for this in a few weeks. It was way past time to bring it back! Here are a few things that have in my beading bowls and on my crafting table lately.

The newest piece in my rock garden line is going to be a a winter piece in neutrals. And no, there are no pinks in the mix. The design on the bottom of the bowl has a lot of pink, which shines through the clear beads.

Thank you for all of the wonderful feedback that I've received on my current header piece that I gave to Bethany for Christmas! I will be offering a similar piece in my shop.

I have been working on a lot of greeting cards, including a couple Valentine's Day designs. My card designing is pretty scattered (one day I'm working on Valentine's Day items, the next day I get inspired to start working on flowers for Mother's Day cards...), but I may try to get at least one more Valentine's Day design together before the holiday.

I have to say that I am really thrilled with how well I've been able to photograph cards in my light box. I was worried that it wouldn't be big enough and that I wouldn't be able to crop the sides of the box out. I was also worried that I'd get weird shadows on the cards when I stood them up. So far neither of these things has been an issue at all! There will still be some learning curves I'm sure, but I'm off to a good start at least.

This doesn't have anything to do with "in the works" but I wanted to say thank you for all of the anniversary congrats from the end of December. Jake and I had a wonderful dinner out together. I enjoyed the leftovers at home the next day. Look at how big those scallops are!

I still have a few $10 ad spots that will run for all of 2012. Get them while you can! All of the information about my private ad sponsorship can be found right here.

January BBA Challenge: New Techniques - DIY Hair Pin Craft Fair Display

2012-01-10T08:00:00.008-06:00

As you know, one of my goals for 2012 is to expand my craft fair lines. This means that I am also continuing to expand and improve my craft fair display. I am looking for as many ways to make or purchase inexpensive display components as possible. I decided to use my first new display for the January BBA Challenge: New Techniques. The hair pins themselves are a new technique for me, as is the display.

I got the idea for this from another vendor at one of my fall shows who, among other things, sold fabric covered hair pins. She had a larger display with a wood base as opposed to cardboard, but the concept is very similar with the fabric background and ribbon/rick rack display rows.

Supply List

-Several pieces of thick cardboard. Mine are 7" x 14". (I cut up a large mailing box from Christmas.)

-Approx 1/8 yard of fabric or enough to cover your cardboard in the color/pattern of your choice. (I purchased 1 yard of black cotton fabric for $4.00 with the intent of using it for several different projects.)

-At least 3 1/2 feet of ribbon and/or rick rack of your choice. (I purchased 2 new spools for about $1.00 each.)

-Packing tape. (Obviously I already had this.)

-Tacky glue. (We had some on hand. You can buy it at any craft store and most big box stores for $3-$5.)
-Fabric scissors for the fabric and ribbons. (I already had them.)
-Table top paper cutter. (optional) You can use a ruler and regular scissors to cut out your price sign and matte for it, but if you have a paper cutter, please use it.

-One piece of card stock or scrapbook paper for the price sign matte, approx 6" x 2". (I used a leftover scrap with something on the back that I wasn't going to use.)

As you can see, I spent about $6.00 on this project and will have lots of fabric, ribbon, and rick rack left over for other projects. You could spend less if you didn't want leftovers, but I bet that many of you reading this already most of these materials and can use these things that are on hand.

Here are my cardboard pieces and fabric ready to go. I used 4 pieces of cardboard.

I made a couple thin lines of glue around the edges of the first three pieces of cardboard. I stuck them together and stuck the fourth piece on top.

Make sure that the pieces of cardboard are lined up and pressed tightly together.

I put the stack around one of my button storage boxes for a couple hours while the glue dried to ensure that none of the edges curled up.

Cut out a piece of fabric that has at least one extra inch on each side. The other projects that I'll be using the extra fabric for do not require specific measurements so I did not make measurements before cutting and just eyeballed it.

Tape the fabric to the back of the cardboard. Check the front periodically to make sure that the fabric is pulled tight. I ended up adding one more piece of tape to the right side after I took this picture to secure that loose piece near the bottom. The tape can touch the sides of the cardboard as long as it isn't visible from the front.

Here it is taped up.

I also eyeballed the ribbon measurements. Make sure that you cut them long enough so you can tape them to the back. That way your handy work will stay hidden.

I got out some of hair pins that I've made thus far to check how much space I should leave in between each ribbon/rick rack row. I did the rows one at a time so I could double check that there was enough space in between each one. I don't have a picture of the completed back, but I just used more of the packing tape to tape the ribbons in place.

I had enough space for five rows. Depending on how wide your ribbon/rick rack is and how long your hair pins are, you may be able to squeeze six rows. I know that those poor pins look a little lonely. I'll have lots more done soon enough.

You don't have to add a price sign, but personally I would. If you've done any craft shows, you know how often you get asked about pricing from customers. The more places you can list the prices, the better.

I typed my price sign in Word. I centered the text and didn't do any special formatting. You can play with the font/size as you like. I cut out both the price sign and the card stock matte for it with a table top paper cutter. I did not take exact measurements but simply eyeballed it before cutting. I attached the sign with packing tape. I made little tape rolls that I stuck to the back. If you decide to change your pricing at some point, it's easy to enough to remove this and tape in a new sign.

I added the remaining pins that I've made so you can get a better idea of how it will look filled up.

I don't know how many pins this would hold, but probably at least 50. Most likely you could fit 60-70.

The ribbons and rick rack do sag a little bit in the middle with more weight. If you don't like this, it's easy enough to add a couple drops of glue (I'd use Tacky glue or a fabric glue) in the middle of each row.

For displaying this at craft fairs, I will most likely put it on an easel (I buy my easels at Michael's for about $10) or lean it against some sort of large display item, like a basket, that is covered in fabric.

Obviously I designed this to hold hair pins, but I'm sure that this design would be useful for displaying other items, too. Any thoughts on this? Please leave a comment!

Also, if you make your own display, please leave me a comment with a link to your pictures.

The BBA is looking for new members. If you enjoy blogging regularly and are looking for new challenges and ways to promote your business, consider joining up with us. Check out the team requirements right here.

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Where I linked up today:

I used this post for Michelle's Delicately Constructed Friday 1/13/12 and Erika's It's a Wrap Link Party - 1/16/2011.

Scavenger Hunt and I Heart Macro on Monday

2012-01-09T08:00:00.023-06:00

Welcome to another edition of the photo Scavenger Hunt and I Heart Macro! Enjoy!

1) One Color

Some of my new Christmas button stash will be perfect for baby girl shower and birthday greeting cards. And no, they aren't from Art Beads. I'm just storing this little stash in that Ziplock.

2) Laundry

Does anyone else have a few items that they always forget to throw in the laundry? One of the items that I almost always forget is my pot holders. I use them all the time for baking and handling hot microwave plates so I should throw them in more often than I do.

3) Empty

It's not a surprise why Angel weighs as much as she does.

4) One Dozen

This was the first thing that came to mind. I love to bake, and Jake and I both love breakfast food so we always have eggs in the house.

5) Soft

Soft kitty on a soft couch with a couple soft blankets. What more do you need?

Please check out Ashley's blog to see what other people photographed for these themes this week!

Here's my photo for I Heart Macro.

This is yet another older piece that needed updated photos. Will this process ever end? As I've become a perfectionist about my listing photos, probably not. That's okay. It can be a continual process.

Where else I linked up today:

Treasury Round Up

2012-01-08T08:00:00.027-06:00

Thank you to everyone who got 2012 off to a great start with treasuries on Etsy! Please help me thank the curators who featured my work this past week by visiting their shops and checking out their treasuries.

Blitzrider included my Button Charm Bracelet - Turquoise and Red in her Turquoise is a Girl's Best Friend treasury. I'm really happy every time I find someone else who enjoys this color combination. Check out Blitzrider's Emerald Midnight - Beaded Bracelet Cuff.

Kathy (tapestry316) included my Charm Bracelet - Beaded - Yellow and Green Stars in her Celebrate a Happy New Handmade Year! treasury. This is a very fun, inspiring collection to start off the new year. Check out Kathy's This pretty buckskin mare reminds me of Dale Evans horse - Buttermilk - This is an 8 x 10 inch print of my original watercolor painting.

Janet (HoneyFromTheBee) included my Beaded Bracelet - Silver Links - Turquoise and Red in her You and Me Go Together treasury. This is a fun idea for a collection. I love the mix of colors and items. Check out Janet's Handmade Jasper and Laurel Leaf Earrings.

Nancy (nfall2rt) included my Beaded Cuff Bracelet - Angels in the Architecture in her Three Cheers to a Successful 2012! treasury. As much as I enjoyed all of the holiday collections, it is very inspiring to see all of these bright colors and fun mixes for the new year, too. Check out Nancy's Knit Coin Purse Zipper Pouch Wallet - Green / White Geometric Triangles.

Alice (PipingHotPapers) included my Beaded Pendant - Peyote Triangle - Red Striped in her Random Friday treasury. This is such a fun mix of items. Check out that button necklaces! I love Alice's shop and had a really hard time picking just one item for this post, so please hop over to her shop to see more. For now, check out the Elephant Magnets - Pachyderm.

Joan (AllThingsTangled) included my Beaded Bracelet - Purple Rock Garden in her Purple Perfection treasury. This really is a perfect collection of all different purple items. Check out Joan's Fingerless Gloves - Blue Chevron.

Sharla (BeadedTail) included my Button Charm Bracelet - Valentine's Day in her Hearts, Frogs, and a Cat OH MY! treasury. This bright, fun collection definitely makes a cold, dark winter day better. Check out Sharla's Tennis Bracelet Purple Velvet Swarovski Crystals.

Finally, I curated my own treasury this week: Sweet and Whimsical for Valentine's Day. I am already in full crafting mode for Valentine's Day and hope that others are, too. I am not normally drawn to pastels and vintage inspired items, but I didn't want to go bright pink for this so I ended up going with sweeter, whimsical items.

Saturday Link List: the January recipe edition

2012-01-07T08:00:00.039-06:00

Welcome to my Saturday Link List! I have a lot of links in my bookmark list saved up from 2011. I'd like to clear out a lot of them this month so I can get organized and start rolling out brand new links in February. I'm going to organize the lists a little bit differently this month. Let me know how you like this format.

This week is the recipe edition. I've focused on soups, crock pot meals, baked desserts, and other good winter dishes. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes from Recipe Girl

Cheese Potato Soup Recipe from Pillsbury

Homemade Sweet Ravioli with Fresh Tomato Sauce from Living the Gourmet

Slow Cooker Spicy Chicken in Peanut Sauce from Pillsbury

Slower Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches from Sweet Treats and More

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken from Skinny Taste

Coconut Shrimp-Baked from pedrn44

Chocolate chip hazelnut scones from The Housewife Chef

Sinfully Rich Brownies from Sweet Treats and More

Thick and Rich Homemade Hot Cocoa from Sing For Your Supper

Finally, click here for a Betty Crocker EBook with Soups, Stews, and Chilies!

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Stay tuned next week for the January resources edition!

Friday Feature: random

2012-01-06T08:00:00.036-06:00

Welcome to the January random edition of my Friday feature. Enjoy!

I've featured a few items from this shop in treasuries over the last few months. The clothespins are so adorable.
FAVORITE TEACHER KITTIES hand painted magnetic clothespin set by SugarAndPaint

I love this dagger design!
Bead Weaving: Wild Dagger-Bead Peyote Spiral with Antique Amber & Onyx by TheHighBead

I saw this on Amy of PonderandStitch's blog a while back. Parks and Recreation is an amazing show. This is one of just many great quotes from it.
Ron Swanson Parks and Recreation quote Ladies Girls Alternative Apparel t shirt X, M, L, XL by SmokinChix

For those of us who love blue.
Sterling Silver Mediterranean Blue Stacking Set, Size 6 by onegarnetgirl

I think that this might have been another recent blog find. If you posted this, thank you! It's awesome.
Mens t shirt - Real Men Love Cats on American Apparel long sleeve t shirt by rctees

Isn't this a creative idea? It would make a great wedding or anniversary present.
vintage button love by tatteredroseart

This is another great dagger design.
Double Strand Bracelet, Red and Black Czech Glass Dagger Beads, Hematite Beads by DazzlingDezignz4U

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Where I linked up today:

Also, if you wrote a post about your goals for 2012, link up right here with the BBA! We were really inspired by all of the great goals among our team for 2012 and thought we'd keep the party going with a link up for everyone. You don't have to be a member to share your goals on the link up.

the new line is up and some standard designs are back in stock

2012-01-05T08:00:00.035-06:00

Last year I started making multiple versions of single designs, which makes it easier to re-list items. During the last few months this has paid off, and I got a few popular listings up and running again pretty quickly. Although no two pieces I make are exactly identical, I do like having some standard listings that sell well. Here are some of the newest ones that are back in stock.

Now what we've all been waiting for:

The new herringbone wrap bracelet/necklace line and detachable charms are officially up and running!

Here are some of the first brand new listings.

Beaded Wrap Bracelet/Necklace - Purple - Detachable Love Charm

This is not a wrap bracelet but it is one of my new herringbone listings with a custom charm option.

Beaded Bracelet - Black - Detachable Sterling Silver Initials Charms

As suggested, I am listing a separate sterling silver chain in case people want to hang their charms/pendants on a chain and don't have one of their own or want to give a necklace set to someone, etc.

I listed three charm sets: custom initials, flowers, and leaves (surprise, right?).

Next up will be music and a heart set for Valentine's Day. I have some bracelets in the works, too, including a couple pink bracelets to list for Valentine's Day.

Like most of my work, all of these new bracelets can be customized in different colors and lengths. I can also work with you to make custom charms for just about any theme you can imagine. I'm trying to keep my listing descriptions as concise as possible so my buyers don't get overwhelmed. But the possibilities are endless so don't hesitate to contact me.

I included this post in Michelle's Delicately Constructed Friday 1/6/11.

Are you interested in a $10 ad spot on my blog that will run for all of 2012? Hop on over to my advertising page for more information.

Goals for 2012

2012-01-04T08:00:00.113-06:00

If you missed my accomplishments for 2011 post, you can still go back and check it out. Thanks for all of the wonderful feedback that I have already received on it! I don't usually set year resolutions or goals. However, this is the first year in a long time that I don't have to make school, moving, or teaching a priority and am looking forward to focusing on more of the things that I really enjoy. I am thankful for the time that I had in 2011 to do this and am looking forward to even more of it in 2012.

1. Have 140 sales on Etsy in my randomcreative shop. I averaged over 1 sale per week for 2011 and am hoping to increase this to over 2 sales per week for 2012. If I have anywhere over 100 sales for the year, I'll be really happy.

2. Introduce and continue to develop my new herringbone line and its charm/pendant components. I have been working on this idea since the summer and am really excited that I've finally started to roll it out. I have high hopes that this new line and the components for it will help me reach that sales goal. I hope that this new line does well at my shows, too.

3. Double my current long term earnings on HubPages. I have been pleased with how much I've been earning on HubPages thus far, especially considering that I haven't even finished my first year there. A lot of people don't see real long term freelance writing earnings for well over a year. Ideally I'd love to triple my current earnings by the end of the year. We'll see how long it takes me to double before I think about that too much.

4. Make at least one new greeting card design per week. As much as I love making jewelry, I'm looking to branch out a little more with my crafty projects in 2012 for a few reasons.
1) I don't want to burn out on jewelry making.
2) I have a lot of crafty interests (hence my shop name) and don't want to neglect ones that I really enjoy simply because I primarily sell jewelry.
3) I want to have another non-jewelry product to offer at craft shows to give me a little edge. As many of you know, the jewelry competition is very steep.
4) I love to send/give cards and would rather make my own than buy them. I didn't do a lot of this while Jake was in med school, but I would like to do it more often again.

5. Expand my craft show lines. I'm going to start offering button rings, button bobby pins, and glass magnets at craft shows. I am planning to do some seasonal limited edition ones on Etsy as well. I greatly expanded my higher end products during 2011 and would like to have some more lower end lines for 2012, especially for craft shows.

As mentioned above, I would like to start selling greeting cards at shows, too. I'll have to see how the design process goes this winter and spring before I decide what I want to sell. Ideally I'd like to have a wide range of prices, set options (singles, 4 packs, 8 packs, etc.), and topics/themes, but I will most likely start with limited numbers of seasonal cards and a few all-purpose cards (i.e. birthday) for the spring/summer shows.

I am planning to offer a few seasonal cards on Etsy, too, with the hopes of eventually expanding this. Again, we'll see how it goes this year.

6. Complete a minimum of 6 EBW challenges and 6 BBA challenges. I'm primarily planning to use the EBW challenges to develop new pieces for my existing lines and to use most of the BBA challenges for greeting card designs. Most likely I will complete more challenges than this, but I don't know how busy I'll be the later part of the year so I'm keeping it at 6 of each for now.

7. Participate in 4-6 craft shows. One of my goals for 2012 is to build more of a local following, which means among other things, doing more shows. I did 3 in 2011 and would ideally like to double this number. Milwaukee has an amazing art scene and there are so many shows. Honestly it's overwhelming. I need to figure out which ones are the best ones for me to do.

8. Starting making this blog more profitable. I did make a little money with my blog in 2011. I'm sure it's not a secret that I put a fair amount of time into this blog. I would really like to make that time pay off at least a little bit. While I get a lot of great feedback and interaction with this blog, I don't get a lot of sales from it, so the money needs to come from somewhere to justify its existence. At this point, I see this money primarily coming from advertising. One of the ways to do this is private sponsorship. I am offering a limited number of $10 spots that are good for the entire year! Take advantage of them while you can.

9. Better list making organization. This may surprise some of you because I do consider myself to be a very organized person. However, my list organization is terrible. I have a notebook for taking measurements and notes about new Etsy listings. When I started writing for HubPages, I began brainstorming article ideas in the back of this notebook. Eventually that turned into also keeping track of blog posts, daily "to do" lists, craft ideas, and a lot more. While it's good that all of this is in writing, it's very disorganized. I'd like to start keeping separate notebooks for different topics.

I included this post in Erika's It's a Wrap Link Party 1/9/2012.

December Top Droppers and Commenters and January News

2012-01-03T08:00:00.018-06:00

A couple things to follow up on yesterday's post:
I explained what Match Day is at least three or four times on this blog throughout the last year. I almost included another explanation with some of the pictures in yesterday's post but I decided that simply wasn't necessary. Apparently I was wrong. If you missed all of the posts, take some initiative and look it up yourself.

It's not a compliment when you're 28 years old and people tell you that you look 16, especially in public and/or in professional settings. Whether or not you have made that specific comment to me, it's not helpful or any kind of compliment to tell me that I look that much younger than I really am. Whether or not I look young, people need to mind their business and think about how it feels to hear comments like that over and over again. Maybe it will feel better when I'm 40 or 50 and hear comments about how I look young (if they are said in an appropriate manner, which very rarely happens), but I'm not even 30 yet. So it really isn't relevant right now.

Moving on...It's a new month, which means that it's time to thank my Top Droppers and Commenters once again and let you know what's going on with my shop next month. I was so busy right through Christmas that I'm just now starting to slow down, get into a more normal work routine, and fully focus on what's ahead for 2012. Thanks to everyone who made this retail season so busy for me! It was really crazy but well worth it.

TOP DROPPERS:
Thankfully Entrecard kept its act together this past month. December was a much more successful dropping month all the way around than November. Here are the top 10 for December. Thanks so much to those of you who also take the time to leave me comments!

TOP COMMENTERS:
If you're new to this blog, you can check out my Top Commenters widget on the right side of my blog. Just scroll down to see where you rank. It's right under my blog roll. I will feature an item or give a shout out to everyone on that list or who has commented regularly (even if not within the last week) in this monthly post. I really appreciate those of you who take the time to leave me feedback!

Thanks to Grace of Dragon's Alley and Anne of Small Town Mommy for stopping by and commenting regularly! Here are some lovely items from the ladies on my list who have Etsy shops.

(Top Row)

1. Holiday - Swarovski Crystal and Pearl 14K Gold Filled Earrings by BeadedTail
2. Art journal - collage and lined interior "Junque Journal" by storybeader
3. DISNEY Princess Scrapbook Photo Album - Perfect for 4x6 Pictures by memoriesforlifesb
4. SILK Cut VELVET POUCH, zipper, hand dyed, luxurious by SplendidLittleStars

(Bottom Row)

5. Pink and Blue Daisy Korker Bow by ForLoveofCupcakes
6. The Sewing Room Graphic and Clipart Set - Digital Scrapbooking Kit by SherHastingsDesigns
7. Crochet Can Cozy, Watermelon by MagnoliaSurprise
8. Crossword Fabric Coasters Special set for you and a friend - Reversible by PruittCreations

SALE:
I moved all of my discontinued items to my sale section and am also starting to mark down a number of older pieces. I want to clear out as much older inventory as I can to make room for all of the new 2012 inventory. All discontinued items are 25% off or more and all other sale items are 15% off. Get them while you can! Once most of these items are gone, they're gone.

These items will stay marked down through at least February. I will also be starting a big Valentine's Day promotion in mid January with a number of new items and free shipping on all promotional items. Check back in a couple weeks for more information about that.

ADVERTISING:
To kick start 2012, I am offering a limited number of $10 ad spots that will run for all of 2012. Get them while you can! More information about my private sponsorship is available right here. Send me an e-mail at randomcreative28 at gmail dot com or leave me a comment on this post with your contact information if you're interested.

Stay tuned during the next couple weeks for lots of pictures of and information about my new wrap bracelet/necklace line and detachable charms! If you're curious to see what's listed before then, hop over to my shop any time. I have a few things up and will be adding lots more this month.

Memories, Dreams, and Reflections 2011

2012-01-02T08:00:00.014-06:00

Instead of a Scavenger Hunt this week, Ashley created Memories, Dreams, and Reflections 2011. Even though we didn't have to take any new pictures for this, I think that I spent more time on this than I normally would for a weekly hunt. It was definitely worth it, though. Enjoy!

1) me

I'm 28. Don't leave me any comments about how young I look.

2) I Love You

Angel loves both of us equally and enjoys getting this kind of attention from me, too. (Jake doesn't appreciate comments about how young he looks either.)

3) Still Laughing

I REALLY wish that I had a picture of the time that Angel stole Jake's egg and bacon sandwich right off the coffee table while I was helping him do our taxes back in the spring. We literally are still laughing about that. The above picture is one of the times that Angel was "helping" me photograph a bunch of things for Etsy and this blog. Angel lives up to her name and very rarely does anything mischievous, let alone downright bad, so it's really funny when she does do something that actually isn't very good.

4) Winter Wonderland

I'm cheating and using a picture that I actually took in 2010. I had a lot of pictures of snow in Iowa by 2011 so I didn't take any more the last winter we were there. But we still saw this exact picture from our condo sliding doors on several occasions in 2011. We haven't had any snow like that yet in Milwaukee this winter! The longer it waits, the better.

5) Birthday

Jake got this book for his birthday this year from one of his new friends in Milwaukee.

6) Friends

This is us with some of our friends in Iowa on Match Day.

7) I Was Inspired

I am constantly inspired by the materials that I use. One ideas leads right to the next.

8) Spring Fever

I took these pictures at work a couple weeks after Match Day. So so ready to be done with the school year!

9) Travel / Vacation

Jake and I took a trip to the Washington DC area this summer. This is a picture of part of the World War II memorial.

10) Summer Days

Jake and a friend at the Bristol Renaissance Faire this summer. Jake and I did this almost every year when we were dating and are glad to have started the tradition again.

11) A Day In My Life

Just about every day in my life involves working with beads, buttons, and/or some other type of crafty material (paper, fabric, etc.). This was true even when I was teaching full-time. Finding even 15-20 minutes a day to work on a project is really relaxing for me.

12) All Smiles

My cousin's little one at the Milwaukee County Zoo this summer.

13) Autumn Harvest

One of my favorite parts of the midwest is the seasons here. Fall is always so gorgeous.

14) Family or Home

We love our new house in Milwaukee.

15) Celebrate!

This is us before the matches on Match Day. How do we look so relaxed?!

16) Let's Do It Again...

I was able to go the zoo three times this summer/fall. I am looking forward to going again in the spring.

17) I Miss You

As I said in my 2011 accomplishments post, the part of teaching that I do miss is the students.

18) Beautiful

We got to visit the National Cathedral during our DC trip.

19) Dress Up

At the med school reception before the graduation. They didn't get to keep those sashes so people borrowed them beforehand for pictures.

20) Macro

I went with the first one that came to mind, as this decision for this prompt would have been way too tough if I spent a lot of time on it. I still feel like this piece really says "me" and my shop.

21) Holidays

Angel was more excited about my basement floor present storage area than the Christmas tree upstairs.

22) My Favorite

I actually like the picture of us for Celebrate! (#15) more, but I like one a lot, too. This was part of the post-match picture taking session.

23) Don't Ever Change

Many neighborhoods in the Milwaukee area have a lot of character, including our neighborhood. I hope that doesn't change any time soon.

24) Just Because

I figured I'd spare you another picture of Angel and show you something else that I enjoy taking pictures of: ducks. This is another picture from our DC trip.

25) Hopes and Dreams

I am really excited for this new line that I'm officially releasing this month and for all of my other shop plans for 2012, too.

I hope that you enjoyed this! Stop by Ashley's blog to check out the other submissions for Memories, Dreams, and Reflections 2011.

first treasury round up for 2012

2012-01-01T08:00:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year! And happy birthday to my wonderful BBA teammate Erika! I am so excited that it's 2012.

My regular weekend schedule will be back next week. I wanted to fit one of these in again today. Many of these treasuries are actually from the end of 2011. I am thrilled to announce that I was included in almost 250 treasuries in 2011. Thank you to everyone who made that possible! Here's hoping that 2012 will be just as great in treasury land, if not even better.

Please help me thank all of the curators who were kind enough to include my work in their treasuries by checking out their shops and treasuries.

Jenny (ABirdInTheHandArt) included my Beaded Bangle Bracelet - Warmth in her Colorful New Year treasury. All of these colors definitely are inspiring for the new year. Check out Jenny's Green Clay Bracelet.

Edi (memoriesforlifesb) included my Beaded Bracelet - The Leafy Series - Winter in Walking in a Winter Wonderland treasury. This is a gorgeous winter color palette. Check out Edi's Personalized Wine Glasses - Custom Etched Glass - Set of 4 First or Last Name.

RosaMaria (464Handmade) included my Beaded Bracelet - Chain Links - Black and White in her Dreaming grey treasury. You can't go wrong with this classic color combination. Check out RosaMaria's Handmade Large Tote bag Rust Tossed Flowers.

Erika (LittleAndalucia) included my Beaded Bracelet - Button Embellished - Purple and Red in her Go Red for the New Year treasury. I never get tired of red! Check out Erika's Restaurant Saver - Crayon Roll Carrier PDF Pattern.

Linda (PruittCreations) included my Silver Dangle Earrings - Purple Shell in her Cocoa Brown and Lavender treasury. Linda does such a great job pairing unusual colors. This is no exception. Check out Linda's CUSTOM Market Tote - your fabric choice.

Jessica (JMHomeCrafts) included my Beaded Cuff Bracelet - Monochromatic Explosion in her Monochromatic Wonderland. This is another great collection of items in one of the most classic color combinations. Check out Jessica's Children's Hat 29.

Finally, I curated this treasury right before Christmas: Who else loves orange?

I love orange and wish that it weren't such an underrated color. I always enjoy featuring it.

Saturday Link List: the advertising edition

2011-12-31T08:00:00.008-06:00

Happy New Year's Eve!

Thus far I have not done a lot of paid advertising for my Etsy shop or blog. I am planning to start doing more in 2012 and have been rounding up advertising links for a while. I have mainly focused on blog advertising. If anyone of you have had good (or bad) experiences advertising on any blogs (whether or not they are on this list) or any other sites, such as Craftopolis, Craftcult, etc., please share those experiences in the comments.

One of the ways that you can help me advertise is my purchasing from my Etsy shop and/or buying an advertising spot on my blog. Those funds help me purchase ads. An additional way to help me advertise is to trade an ad spot with me. If you offer advertising on your blog and want to exchange ads, let me know. I am always willing to consider this.

As I know there are at least a few other readers looking for new advertisement opportunities for the new year, I thought I'd share my advertising findings thus far. There are many many blogs out there that offer advertising, but these are some of my favorites. Also, many of them are aimed at crafting/DIY/handmade so they are a good fit for many of my readers. The costs for these ad opportunities vary widely with everything from $1 per month to over $300 per month. There is something for just about every budget.

I've linked the advertisement info for each blog. Click the links to see prices and contact information.

N. Fallon Design Studio

Knit, Nicole, Knit!

For Love of Cupcakes

Everyday Inspired

art and tree chatter of aquariann

Delicate Construction

Inspirational Beading

My Girl Thursday

Young House Love

How About Orange

Alisa Burke (see the Sponsors section on the right side of the blog)

Just Something I Made

See you in 2012!

Friday features: herringbone jewelry

2011-12-30T08:00:00.004-06:00

With the release of my new line coming up in just a few days, I thought it would be fun to do a herringbone jewelry feature. Enjoy!

Herringbone wrapped Paua Shell with Teal Sparkly Glass Drops by GeishaCreations

Herringbone Bracelet, Violet, Beadwork, Beaded Purple by BeadfulStrings

Ear Cuff - Herringbone by silvermason

Bead Weaving: Rose Gold and Copper Herringbone Necklace by TheHighBead

Beadweaving Herringbone Belt Buckle Bracelet Swarovski Olivine Smoked Topaz Seed Bead by TheBeadnikDivas

Crystal Ring - Herringbone Ring - Beaded Blue - Green Glass Bead Ring by NazoDesign

Pink Aventurine Silver Herringbone Wrapped Wire Ring by sandijagt

celebrating 5 years of marriage

2011-12-29T08:00:00.089-06:00

Today is my 5 year wedding anniversary. I've known Jake since I was 16. We've been together almost 10 years and have been married 5 of those years. Getting married is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Jake is my best friend, and I'm very fortunate to call him my husband, too. We have been through a lot during the last 10 years, but it's been worth it. I hope that we have many more years together.

I thought that you'd enjoy seeing a few older pictures of us before I show you my new ring. The earliest digital pictures I have of us are from late 2005 and I didn't scan anything older so these pictures are mostly 2006-2010. Please don't leave me any comments about how we look really young and/or we look way too young to have been married for 5 years. It isn't appropriate or original and just don't need to be said here. Thanks. Enjoy!

Christmas with my in-laws (Christmas 2005)

formal dinner night on an Alaskan cruise (June 2006)

wedding reception with two of Jake's good undergrad friends (December 29, 2006)

on our honeymoon, at the Benihana's in the Hilton complex in Oahu (New Year's Day, 2007)

Jake's undergrad graduation (May 2007)

my little sister-in-law's 8th grade graduation (June 2007)

Iowa State Fair (August 2007)

Mexico/Honduras cruise (late December 2007/early January 2008)

Minneapolis, MN (August 2008)

my cousin's wedding (May 2009)

a good friend's wedding (May 2010)

Match Day (St. Patrick's Day 2011)

Jake's med school graduation (May 13, 2011)

my little sister-in-law's HS graduation (June 2011)

(For anyone wondering where the photos of my graduations are, I didn't attend my undergrad or master's program graduations for various reasons.)

Most of you already know that we have done a lot of neat things since we moved to Milwaukee, but I don't have very many pictures from events that include both of us. I'll have to work on that!

Of course I had to include a photo of our little Angel, too. She's 16 years old. She lived with my in-laws for 10 years and then moved in with me right after I finished undergrad. She's been with us through a lot, too.

As many of you know, what I really wanted for our 5th wedding anniversary was a ring. After a lot of searching and much debate about what kind of metal I wanted (you really don't want to know how long I've been working on this little project), I finally settled on this ring from Madelynn of onegarnetgirl. She did such an amazing job with it. I could not be more happy with my decision and with her work. If you're thinking about ordering metal gemstone jewelry, please consider her shop. You will not be disappointed. Click to see the larger photos.

Thanks for taking this personal trip with me today. Stay tuned tomorrow for our regularly scheduled programming.

I included this post in Erika's It's a Wrap Link Party - Happy New Year!.

2011 family gift reveal

2011-12-28T08:00:00.012-06:00

In addition to making part of my BBA Secret Santa gift this year, I also made several gifts for my family and purchased other handmade items for gifts. Even when I'm not making all of the gifts myself, I still enjoy giving handmade gifts when I can.

I ordered several laser engraved wooden picture frames from Edi of memoriesforlifesb. I got the idea to make a custom college frame for my little sister-in-law (who just started college this fall) a while back and then more recently decided to order a couple more frames, too. I came up with the concept/wording for all of these, but Edi put everything together. I knew that Edi was going to do an excellent job, but I was still wowed by how professional these are. Thank you Edi!

As mentioned earlier this week, I ordered a bunch of tea from Tim of teaman. I only took this picture of Karen's tea, but I ordered enough for four more people, too.

I traded with Yvonne of yjja123 way back in the summer for a couple of her pendants. Yep, she was way ahead on her Christmas shopping! I've traded with Yvonne the past couple years as well and have kept both of my pendants. This year it was time to give them to others. I put this first one on a simple chain for my little sister-in-law.

Whenever I think of colors that I want to use for my brother's girlfriend, my mind always goes to rainbow. Do you remember my button necklace from last year? I knew that I wanted to give her this second pendant and knew that I also wanted to make her a herringbone wrap bracelet/necklace. It wasn't until I had my color palette ready that I decided they belonged together. I included a chain with a jump ring on the end so she can wear the pendant or any of her other charms without the beaded rope. You can check out a close up photo of this pendant from the transaction since I didn't take one myself.

I have been having fun with my new charms and pendants and wanted to include a couple more for her, too. She's a singer so that the music note charm is pretty self-explanatory. I could have easily left it at these two charms/pendants but I decided to make a Star Wars one, too, just for fun. She's a huge Star Wars fan. I knew that she'd get a kick out of this. I also know that there is a huge amount of glare on that pendant. My listing photos for these new charm sets will not look like that. But you can get the idea here.

Remember my Chai mix from my final 2011 show? I got some for my brother and his girlfriend, too. Again, unfortunately this lovely business does not have a web site or I would share it with you.

I'm sure that it's not a surprise that one of my favorite gifts to get is crafting supplies. I love to buy crafting supplies for other people, too. I always enjoy picking out fabric for my mom.

Also on the supply end of my present giving, a lot of people were very intrigued about what was in the huge Amazon box that I received at the beginning of the month. I ordered two cutting mats: one for me for my paper crafts and a new portable sized one for my mom for her quilting and other fabric projects.

Amazon carries Alvin brand mats, which are supposed to be some of the best on the market.

I used this post for Michelle's Delicately Constructed Friday 12/30/11.

BBA Secret Santa reveal

2011-12-27T08:00:00.005-06:00

One of the things that the BBA decided to do for the end of 2011 was a Secret Santa present exchange. We could give handmade and/or store bought gifts totaling no more than $20. Sharla did an excellent job with the logistics of this endeavor. Thanks Sharla! Everyone did an excellent job getting their gifts together and out on time so the whole process went very smoothly.

I was Santa for Karen of MysticWynd. Karen loves Chai tea. I ordered a bunch of tea from Tim of teaman for gifts this year, including some Chai tea for Karen. For the Secret Santa package, I also included some Tazo Chai tea bags, as this has been one of my all-time favorite teas for about 7 years now.

Karen loves bookmarks and two of her favorite colors are purple and blue. I created this set of reading bookmarks for her. I used ribbon scraps left over from tying jewelry packages. I covered the bookmarks with contact paper (which I still have a lot of left over from teaching) so they'll last a long time. These were a lot of fun! I may be making more of them in the future.

I also made Karen a little set of winter cards. I included envelopes that are not pictured. These were also a lot of fun to make. I'm so glad that I'm working with paper again.

My Secret Santa was Sher of SherHastingsDesigns. She ordered three sets of beads from Shannon of beadsandbabble that were in my favorites list on Etsy. These will definitely go to good use in 2012!

Sher picked out this beautiful holiday picture frame. We don't have any holiday frames so this will be a nice addition to our collection.

She also picked out a holiday scented candle for me. It is VERY strong! I have kept it closed in my craft storage/photography room and the smell is still very evident. This may be one that I keep closed on the mantel or buffet and let it do its work like that. I love the cinnamon scent in it and how it has little tiny "candies" on top.

I enjoyed making/selecting my Secret Santa gifts and am really happy about the gifts that I got in exchange. Sher did an awesome job selecting items that fit my interests and preferences. Everything was beautifully packaged, too. Thank you Sher! Thus far the team consensus has been very positive about the gift exchange so hopefully we'll do it again next year.

Check out the BBA blog this week to see what other team members received in the gift exchange! If you are not already part of the BBA, hop over to the join section while you're there and think about becoming part of our team. We'd love to have you!

Newest HubPages articles:

Button Wedding Theme Ideas: Bouquets, Wedding Cakes, Invitations, Favors, and More

Valentine's Day Card Ideas: How to Make Unique Homemade Handmade Cards (no, it is not too early to start thinking about this!)

Button Greeting Cards: Ideas for Handmade Homemade Card Making

If you've missed any articles or can't find links to older articles, click here.

Etsy 12 Days of Christmas: the 2011 version

2011-12-26T08:00:00.008-06:00

I had this day reserved for the weekly Scavenger Hunt, but there is no hunt this week! So I worked in a 12 Days of Christmas feature instead. I did this back in 2009 and it was way past time to revisit it. For those of you who aren't ready to let go of Christmas yet, enjoy!

A lot of these shops have sets of 12 Days of Christmas items so if you like any of these designs, check out the shops because there may be more from the 12 Days there.

Partridge in a Pear Tree Original Watercolour Holiday Card by jellybeans

Two Turtle Doves by FeltForest

Three French Hens - Ukrainian Egg by Suzy6281

Four Calling Birds Stamp by thefolkheart

Five Golden Rings - Perfect for Christmas by missashleylu

Six Geese Laying Golden Eggs by TeroldegoAndTomatoes

The Twelve Days of Christmas - Seven Swans Swimming - ACEO Print by sqstreater

Eight Maids a milking - Eighth Day of Christmas Ornament Paper Cut Wall Hanging by mountainbrook

Glass Ornament with Original Nine Ladies Dancing Drawing Inside by jenniferhanson

Ten Lords a-Leaping Print - 8x10 by lisachow

Stained Glass Christmas Ornament by SingularArt

Antique AQUA Twelve Days of Christmas Twelfth Drummers Drumming Postmarks Music Digital Download for Transfer, Pillows, etc Burlap No. 3409 by AntiqueGraphiqueAged

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T08:00:00.002-06:00

Wishing all of my readers and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas! Treasury round up will return next week.

These are actually for a Valentine's Day project (yep, trying to keep working ahead so I have these things ready before the actual holidays are here), but I thought that it would be a good message for today. I don't think that there's a much better place to find inspiration than in the true meaning of Christmas. Take some time to think about that today while you're enjoying your celebration.

Enjoy the day off today and see you back here tomorrow with our regularly scheduled programming.

Saturday Link List: the New Year's Eve edition

2011-12-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Christmas Eve! Welcome to the final holiday edition of my weekly link list for 2011. Since I started working on my New Year's Eve Pintrest board last week, it has had a ton of interest so clearly I haven't been the only one thinking about this topic. I don't have any of my own articles or other resources for New Year's Eve, but I found a lot of great decoration ideas, printables, recipes, and more.

You can check out the entire board here. Here are a few of my favorites.

The Practical Mommy on HubPages wrote a great article about things to do with children of all different ages on New Year's Eve. She breaks down her ideas for different age groups. There is nothing wrong with letting kids stay up for the holiday, but you should structure the evening so that they have fun.

Source: thepracticalmommy.hubpages.com via Rose on Pinterest

The Fiskar's company has several fun New Year's craft ideas, all of which are very inexpensive and many of which require on hand materials. Aren't those little corks with the star punched numbers cute?

Source: fiskars.com via Rose on Pinterest

Here's a fun tutorial for New Year's poppers. Bookmark this one if you ever want to make poppers for other occasions, too, such as birthday parties.

Source: makeandtakes.com via Rose on Pinterest

This was repinned 8 times within the first couple hours of me pinning it on my board so I figured it would do pretty well here, too! This isn't actually a tutorial for this cute cookies, just a lovely picture of them, but those with some crafty initiative shouldn't have too much trouble creating something similar.

Source: beeinourbonnet.com via Rose on Pinterest

The author of this post explains how she and her family put together a "best of" list/collection for the year on New Year's and create some sort of scrapbook or envelope to preserve it. I love this idea! You can customize it any way you like.

Source: kojodesigns.blogspot.com via Rose on Pinterest

Again, you can check out the board for the complete set. Have fun with all of your crafty New Year's Eve endeavors this year!

Did you use one of the resources, tutorials, or recipes from my link list? Leave me a link in the comments or send me an e-mail (randomcreative28@gmail.com) with your photos and stories. I would love to post them here!

Friday feature: roses

2011-12-23T08:00:00.056-06:00

Before I get to my regularly scheduled feature, I wanted to mention that there are a couple people who were nice enough to feature me and my work on their blogs this past week. The first is Athena of MissMillificent: BBA Team Member Feature for December: randomcreative!. I really appreciate Athena doing this for me! The second is Eleise of oneartsymama who agreed to feature me this fall and finally got the feature up: feature: rose. Thanks Eleise! Please check out these posts if you get a chance.

The last time that I did a roses feature was over the summer so it's definitely time to revisit this theme. Enjoy!

Single Wrap Beaded Leather Bracelet, Never Promised You a Rose Garden by riskybeads

Art Nouveau Rose Necklace in Rhodolite Garnet by onegarnetgirl

Romantic Country Farmhouse Brooch Shabby by TrueRebelClothing

Golden Roses Vintage Zipper Lapel Pin by ZipperedHeart

cherie - vintage brass leaf and rose earrings by jewelryvixen

Pink rose necklace by daniellart

Fabric Wreath with Felt Flowers - 10 in - Lace Wreath v. True Blue - SALE by cakoons

Smokey Quartz and Thai Silver Rose Necklace by LiTelle

Sterling Silver Three Rose Ring by ThirtySixTen

Turquoise Rose Ring by meltemsem

accomplishments for 2011

2011-12-22T08:00:00.003-06:00

I was going to post this sometime next week, but things are filling up there very quickly so I'm doing it a little bit early. I'm sure it's not a secret for most of you that 2011 was a huge year for me and Jake. A lot of great things have happened for us, but it has not been an easy year. We are both looking forward to 2012 a lot more. With that being said, I want to recognize our accomplishments for this year before we move onto the next one.

Jake completed his final med school rotations, matched to intern and residency programs, and graduated from med school. I'm so proud of him!

I completed 4 years of teaching special education. One of the things that I do miss about teaching is my students.

I completed my master's degree in special education in May. I'm glad that Jake and I were able to complete our post-undergrad education at the same time. If you would love to earn a master’s degree too, you can look into accredited online masters programs on Guide to Online Schools.

We sold our condo, bought a house, and moved to Milwaukee. We are really glad that we were able to sell our condo within three months of listing it, and we love our house and life in Milwaukee in general.

I created over 130 pieces of jewelry, which doesn't include any of my show only pieces (magnets, tacks, etc.) or some of the multiple versions of single designs that I created. This allowed me to keep listing 1-2 new pieces on Etsy every week.

To date, I had 78 sales on Etsy (some of which were for multiple pieces of jewelry), 3 successful craft shows, and a handful of sales elsewhere, too.

I wrote almost 365 posts for this blog.

I started my freelance writing career and have written over 230 articles since April.

Thanks to everyone who has been with me through all of this. Your support has made a huge difference!

Stay tuned for my 2012 goals post in early January!

mid-week feature: my newest sponsor and 2012 calendars/planners

2011-12-21T08:00:00.082-06:00

I am happy to announce my newest blog sponsor: Nancy of nfall2rt! Be sure to check out Nancy's blog, Facebook page, and Twitter, too.

Nancy just released an awesome new set of heart brooches for Valentine's Day. These are so cute and versatile. I love the different colors and sayings.

She has a major sale going on right now, too. 50% off all knitwear and 25% off all jewelry. She has a number of note card sets marked down as well. Take advantage of these great deals on her beautiful work while you can.

If you're interested in becoming a sponsor for my blog, check out my advertising page. If you run private sponsorship on your own blog, I am happy to consider trades as well. In addition to the ad spot on the left hand side of my blog, all sponsors will receive a shout out post like this and additional promotions on my blog, Facebook, and Twitter all month. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!

I did a calendar/planner feature around the end of 2010 that was well received so I decided to bring it back this year. If you're thinking about ordering a calendar or planner for the new year, now is a great time to do it. Enjoy!

2012 Wall Calendar - Photo Calendar - coworkers gift - holidays gift - Hostess Gift - stocking stuffer by 464Handmade

2012 Recipe Calendar - Culinary Pleasures in Pyrex Treasures - Mini 6x9 by erinink

2012 calendar, 8 x 11 by CathyMcMurray

2012 Calendar, Beach Calendar, Fine Art Photography Calendar, Paper Goods, Hostess Gift, Desk Calendar, Fine Art Prints, Calendar by MelanieAlexandra

Planner Printables. 8.5 by 11 Personalized Set: You Choose Five by CrownBindery

2012 Planner by PlumPaperDesigns

2012 letterhappy wall calendar . 8x10 by letterhappy

2012 Tea Towel Calendar DIY Embroidery Kit by curiousdoodles

sneak peek: charm and pendant sets for 2012

2011-12-20T08:00:00.003-06:00

I took photos of my first glass/metal charm sets for my new line. I started working on my initial ideas for this line back in the summer, so it's hard to believe that I'm really going to start getting these new listings up in a week or so.

Most of my wrap bracelets/necklaces will include one charm, but I will have separate sets of charms for sale. I will definitely get this custom initial set up first. Please click on the photos to see larger versions of them.

The large pendant is glass, and the letter charms are sterling silver. Most of my charm sets will have silver plated charms to keep the cost down, but I wanted to do sterling silver for the letters.

I also photographed my flower charm set.

Most of my metal charms will be silver. I really liked that little bronze flower so I picked it up for this initial set. I ordered a bulk set of silver flowers for future sets.

My next sets will be: leaves (surprise, right?) and beach/tropical. I'm also working on a heart set for Valentine's Day.

Future set ideas include: music, pets, cross/religious, dotted/circles, stripes, ballet/dancing, snowflakes, Christmas, other seasonal/holiday sets, kids, buttons, celestial, and books/reading. Some of these ideas are coming together more easily than others.

I'm debating including a photo in the charm set listings with at least one of the charms on a sterling silver chain. I may just photograph a few charms with the chain for the separate chain listing, though.

Feedback on the photos and set ideas would be much appreciated. If there's anything else that you'd like to see, let me know.

I included this post in Michelle's Delicately Constructed Friday 12/23/11.

Scavenger Hunt and I Heart Macro on Monday

2011-12-19T08:00:00.013-06:00

Welcome to another edition of the photo Scavenger Hunt and I Heart Macro! Enjoy!

1) What is it?

My stack of boxes earlier this month would have made a great photo for this theme. I love to make and purchase Christmas presents, but I am not very fond of wrapping them. I found an abundance of gift bags when we moved this year and decided that was the way to go. The final three bags in the front there are for jewelry gifts that I wanted to photograph before I wrapped them. That's all done now! You'll notice my little helper safely out of the way now. She has really enjoyed sitting with the bags all week.

2) Children/Furbabies Sleeping

Lately Angel has really enjoyed sleeping in the cracks of the sofa. She loves to sleep with a blanket whenever possible, too.

3) Joy

These were some of the final Christmas orders that I got out this past week. I had more Christmas orders on Etsy in November than December, but I'm glad that so many people kept ordering through December, too.

4) Window

We have a few beautiful stained glass windows in our house.

5) Half

For breakfast, I usually eat half a bagel.

Please check out Ashley's blog to see what other people photographed for these themes this week!

Here's my photo for I Heart Macro.

I am starting to photograph and edit my first brand new charms and pendants. As expected, this is a brand new product so there is a whole new photography learning curve.

treasury round up

2011-12-18T08:00:00.002-06:00

Please help me thank the curators who were so kind to include my work in their treasuries this week by checking out their shops and the treasuries!

Monica (MonCreacionS) included my Button Bracelet - Christmas in her Christmas treasury. The holiday collection is so awesome! I can't even begin to pick a favorite item. Check out Monica's Giraffe Brooch.

Sarah (MagnoliaSurprise) included my Beaded Cuff Bracelet - Chocolate Temptation in her Foodies -- BBA Style! treasury. This is such a fun idea for a treasury. Who knew there were so many great items with food titles in the BBA group? Check out Sarah's Crochet Coasters, Sage Green Cotton, Set of Four - Summer Meadow.

Karen (MysticWynd) included my Beaded Cuff Bracelet - Chocolate Temptation in her You Can Feel the Warmth... treasury. The colors here are so rich. I love the mix of items, too. Check out Karen's Cultured Pearl and Crystal Bracelet w Two Strands - Pomegranate and Mango.

Meg (ABeadedWorld) included my Beaded Bangle Bracelet - Christmas in her Santa Claus is Coming to Town treasury. I'm still not tired of the Christmas collections. This beaded collection is awesome. Check out Meg's Regal Tones OOAK Brooch.

Nelly (NellywithWings) included my Beaded Cuff Bracelet - Color Explosion in her Today's Mood treasury. As evidenced by my work and my own favorites on Etsy, I clearly have a lot in common with Nelly at least when it comes to color preferences. Check out Nelly's Knotted Beaded Bracelet - Dusty Rose and Gray.

Jamie (ForLoveofCupcakes) included my Button Charm Bracelet - Christmas and my Beaded Wrap Bracelet/Necklace - Green - Christmas Tree Charm in her Best Christmas Items treasury. This such a fun holiday collection! Check out Jamie's Christmas Glass Magnets Nativity Scene and Red Bulb Ornament.

Margaret (SplendidLittleStars) included my Beaded Dangle Earrings - Peyote Triangles - Red in her Christmastime is here...happiness and cheer treasury. I hope that this made at least a few other people think of the song! Check out Margaret's SILK Cut VELVET POUCH, zipper, hand dyed, luxurious.

Please note that this is the last day that I can guarantee that in stock items from my Etsy shop will arrive by Christmas! Please place your order by late tonight or very early tomorrow morning so that I can ship it tomorrow. Thanks! Get free shipping on your order with the code FREESHIP.