Archive for November, 2011
The surreal, ethereal Canadian landscapes that Sandra Arduini of Sweetblue Photography captures are really making a trip to my northern neighbor very inviting. It might be the way the fine art photographer catches the light, or the mysterious timing she has in each scene for that oh-so-special effect. Pick up a print or two or enjoy gifting a set of handmade cards featuring the Sweetblue stylings.
Visit Sweetblue Photography on Etsy.
This contributor post was written by Patty of P.S. it’s in the details. This is Patty’s first contributor post on papernstitch. She’ll be here every month to share a new diy project with you. Take it away Patty…
I came across a bunch of assorted sizes of embroidery hoops at a yard sale. They were super cheap, so I added a bunch of them to my craft stash. I’ve seen ideas where pretty fabrics are used with the hoops to make wall art. I thought it would be really fun to use PhotoFabric to make a personalized wall art display.
Here are the materials you’ll need…. 1. embroidery hoops in assorted sizes (I used a 7″, 6″, 5″, 4″ and 3″ hoop) 2. spray paint in your favorite color(s) 3. PhotoFabric 4. image files of pictures you’d like to frame. 5. common crafting supplies: scissors, pencil, double-sided tape, kraft paper
Here is how you make it:
1. Lay down a piece of kraft paper that is large enough to accommodate all of your hoops. Arrange the hoops so you have a pleasing design. Use a pencil to trace the outside of each hoop onto the kraft paper. Mark a dot on the inside of each cirlce, at the top, where the nail will be. This step will help with hanging the hoops once they are completed.
2. Take the hoops apart. Set up in a well ventilated area to spray paint (I worked outside). You only need to spray paint the outside rings since the inside rings will not be seen. Apply several light coats of spray paint, allowing dry time between each coat, until your rings are completely covered.
3. Select photos and edit the sizes in your photo editing program so they will fit inside their respective hoops. Print the photos onto the PhotoFabric and let dry. Peel the paper backing off the fabric. (Manufacturer directions say to rinse the fabric and then lay flat to dry, but I skipped this step.)
4. Pinch your fabric between the rings of the hoop and tighten the screw to hold the fabric taut.
5. Turn the hoop over and trim the excess fabric. Leave enough fabric to tuck under and adhere to the inside of the ring.
6. Apply a double-sided tape to the inside of the ring. Press the fabric down onto tape to hold in place.
7. Repeat process for all of the hoops.
8. Tape the kraft paper guide from step 1 to the wall where you would like your embroidery hoops to be displayed. Use a hammer and a nail to make a hole in the wall where each hoop will hang. Make the hole at each dot you marked on the paper. Remove the paper once all the holes are made.
9. Hang all your completed hoops and enjoy!
About Patty: Patty Schaffer is the owner of P.S. it’s in the details, an Etsy shop where you can find creative paper things that will make you ooooo and ahhh! Her shop specializes in paper accents for scrapbooking, card making, gift giving and home decor. Patty also shares DIY and craft projects, news on upcoming shop releases and other fun things on her blog, Capture the Details.
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Had such a late night sweets craving last night and then I stumbled upon these. Typographic recipe prints from One Little Bird. Wouldn’t they look great lining the walls or counters of your kitchen, along with helping you line your tummy with treats? Of course, I’m also a meat and potatoes kind of girl (I want to eat everything these days!), so this beef cuts print is right up my alley as well.
Just desserts for you: a buy one, get one half price sale going on now. Yum.
Fill up a cart with goodies from One Little Bird on Etsy.
This contributor post was written by Tiffany Moore.
Q: How do you eat an elephant?
A: One bite at a time.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about vision and how important it is to have a clear plan for what you really truly want your business to be.
This week’s post is all about action.
While vision is the road that we take to get our business where it needs to be, action is the car that allows us to move down that road and actually get somewhere!
Without action, vision means nothing.
So where does that leave you?
You have your vision. Awesome. You know why this is important. Great. Now what?
So often, it’s easy to get stuck there: now what?
“Eek! But my vision is so big and cool and awesome, it’s scary! I just can’t understand how I’d ever get from here to there,” says the artist who then buries her head in the sand which is one very effective way of getting nowhere fast.
How do you do it? How do you hold the vision while not letting the possibility of what can be paralyze you into not doing a thing?
You step outside of the vision and take the very next obvious step.
The next obvious step: If you are dreaming of opening up your own etsy shop so that someday you can spend all of your working hours making homemade jam in your beautiful kitchen but haven’t ever sold jam before, the next obvious step is not to research press releases and commercial kitchen locations.
The next obvious step is to make some jam that people will trade you money for.
The vision is what helps you determine what kind of decision to make and what choices will drive you. Where you are now (here. right now. get really real about this!) is what helps you determine what the next obvious step will be.
Trust this: those next-obvious-steps will get you to your vision if you have patience and keep taking them. Making the vision big and scary and impossible will not.
Which do you choose?
*image via UUPP: Do Small Things with Great Love
PS. What are your biggest struggles with your creative business? Time management, making time for yourself, trying to fit it all in? I’d love to hear about it for future posts!
Tiffany Moore, co-founder of Teahouse Studio is an artist, life coach, change agent and magic maker. She helps creatives live their happiest, most sparkly lives (starting NOW) and thinks that everyone in the world is beautiful, including you.
Something else sweet, the offer of free shipping on all US and Canandian orders from the shop.
This guest post was written by Allisa Jacobs.
The holiday season is an exciting time for online creative businesses. The virtual hustle and bustle breathes vitality into your shop and the rush of orders keeps you on our toes. In the frenzy of gift wrapping and last minute shopping, it can be easy to overlook an awesome opportunity though. For online shops, the holidays mean you’re creating for two.
You’re creating for buyers but also their mums, daughters, friends, co-workers, relatives, and secret-santa partners – the recipients of their gifts. These are people who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to get to know your products or who are new to the handmade scene in general. So look at this period of gift-giving jubilee as a golden moment to welcome new folks to your brand.
Here are three tips on how to make the most of this wonderful opportunity and earn loyalty from both gift giver and receiver:
1. Make it gifty: While it’s certainly beneficial to offer super-lovely packaging year round, going the extra mile to prepare your orders for gift-giving can really set your item and shop apart from the rest. Buyers really do appreciate the tissue paper, gift cards, boxes, ribbon and such to make their order ready to share.
Plus, not only are you taking the burden off your customer, you’re also ensuring your item will look its best when presented to someone else!
2. Make it theirs: It can be challenging to offer during the holidays, but any sort of personalization makes for an ultra-thoughtful gift. Whether it’s a gift card with the package sent directly to the recipient or adding that extra customized touch to your product is a sure fire way to make your shop remarkable to them both.
On a personal note, during my first year selling on Etsy, a husband contacted me asking for a custom pouch with fabric and details he thought his wife would enjoy. It was created and shipped with much anticipation and covertness. She was absolutely overjoyed, both with the thoughtfulness of her husband and with my handiwork. Three years later, she is one of my most loyal and supportive customers.
3. Make it easy: Imagine someone gleefully opening up their gorgeously packaged gift sent to them by Aunt Bea in Kansas to find your amazing item tucked inside! Smitten and intrigued, they want to know more. They just HAVE to see more from this brand. In fact, they want to tell their whole world about this lovely handmade gift made by…made by…uh…who made this? There’s a tag without a website and of course Aunt Bea lost the business card. Googling produces 11,234 hits for something else. How will they ever find you?
Make it easy for your gift recipient. Perhaps attach a hang tag, include business cards for buyer and recipient, purchase those labels you’ve been putting off, and ensure your brand name is Googleable.
There you have it. Three tips to make your shop really stand out this holiday season. Not just for your current customers, but for your future ones as well.
Have your own tips to share for the holidays?
Leave your response in the comments below.
image credit mini animal snowflakes
About the author: Allisa is the dreamer and designer behind the Allisa Jacobs line of handbags and accessories. She love the process of making from sketch to finish. She also enjoys sharing her entrepreneurial insights and wrote an e-book, Rise & Shine, to help others develop their creative small businesses.
