New Idea

(my first photo attempt...what do you think?!)

So I've been thinking a lot about how to sell things I make. Every one's first response is either craft fairs or etsy.com.

Each has its advantages and disadvantages for me.

Start with craft fairs. Advantages: fun, outdoors, draws a crowd, fun to chat with customers and vendors

Disadvantages: need big inventory, competition with other vendors, not always target market, entry fees, need canopy

Etsy.com. Advantages: cheap fees (20 cents +3.5% per sale), easy, mostly target market, able to choose to shop local, don't need huge inventory, can sell continuously as items are finished

Disadvantages: need the internet, huge amount of sellers to compete against, great pictures are a must, shipping, packaging

SO...I plan on entering the Spring Lake Heritage Festival Craft Fair this June. It's got a realistic entry fee, and I'm hoping I can have some inventory made by the middle of June...however, the Great Hawaiian Escape may interfere with that plan. After the craft fair, I'm going to give etsy.com a try and post all the items that didn't sell at the fair.

Wish me luck!!

Windows Down Weather

I wish I had an update on my table, unfortunately it is still not complete. The stools are upholstered and painted and complete, but the table still needs paint in a few spots. I'm hoping to finish painting it today, and I will have it home by Friday, fully dry and functional. I can't wait!!


(Image found here)

In the mean time I will be enjoying this amazing windows down weather! Good thing too since my car heater is on the fritz! I LOVE driving with my windows down. The fresh air is so refreshing. I don't even mind the mess it makes of my hair. I do believe my next car will be a convertible, or at least have one of those really big sun roofs!

This summer like weather is such a tease, but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts, you should too!!

Weekend Project

I bought this table and stools off of craigslist for $25. I am tired of eating my meals at my couch and my grandma's old trunk that I use as a coffee table. I have ruined a few nice shirts and stained a couple of khakis from trying to drag my food from the trunk to my mouth. It was more economical to buy the table than to replace my wardrobe!



Anyway, I bought the table. It is much smaller than the picture makes it look, which is ok, because I have a small space. I haven't actually seen it in my apartment yet, I am working on the table in my parent's garage. I hope to have the table completely finished by tonight! It is definitely a change. I didn't want to spend all the time to sand off all of the current finish, to re stain it and make it look perfect. So I went for bright and funky.

I am hoping to complete the table tonight, and will post a picture of the transformation. It's going to be different but I think the table will really brighten up my whole apartment. And I know it will definitely save a lot of my clothes!!

Kelly Rae

I won! I won! I won!

Since I don't have the internet, I was slow to find out that I won a giveaway sponsored on Kelly Rae's Blog.

I hope I wasn't too late getting back to her! As soon as I receive the gifts I will post them for all to see!!

Until then please check out Kelly Rae's blog and etsy shop, you will love what you see! This is one of the many things she's created.

Bright Idea!

I'm taking a break from Honduras to post this fun and inexpensive project.

I receive emails from ReadyMade. They send all kinds of creative ideas and projects you can make yourself. These lamps that are hanging in the picture is one of the projects. It is just string wrapped around an inflated balloon, papier mache style.

I think I will do this! I am not quite sure where I'll hang it yet, but I'm thinking it would be nice to do a smaller one and use it as a bedside reading light on either side of the bed. I think there are already holes in the wall too!

DIRECTIONS:

Inflate your balloon to the desired size, and tie it off.

Take one end of the thread and tie it to the knot on the balloon.

Begin wrapping the thread around the balloon, keeping it taut but not letting it distort the shape of the balloon.

Keep winding the thread around until you have good coverage over the whole surface of the balloon. The final trip around the balloon should end up back at the knot.

Cut your string and tie it to the knot of the balloon.

Cover your work area with a drop cloth, and fill a shallow bowl with fabric stiffener.

Wearing rubber gloves and using the foam brush, gently apply stiffener to the entire surface of the balloon. Be generous, making sure to saturate the thread completely.

Hang the thread-covered balloon with a clothespin and let dry overnight.

Once it’s completely dry, pop the balloon with your needle and remove it from the globe.

Cut a hole where the balloon knot was, and insert your light fixture.

Install the ceiling hook in a nice spot, hang your new light, and let it shine.
{ TIP } To suspend light bulbs within larger globes, cut a small hole in the center of a round plastic takeout lid, and make another cut from the outer edge to the hole. Tie the cord in a loose knot, and slip the lid above the knot. To insert it into the fixture, fold the plastic lid and push it through the hole in the top. Once inside, the lid unfurls and the bulb remains suspended in place.

Daily Candy

I found this website after reading this blog post by sfgirlbybay . I love the postings on sfgirlbybay. She always finds the most interesting and inspiring pieces of furniture or artwork or designs.







I love the idea of placing beautiful fabrics in embroidery hoops and decorating with them. I think this may be the perfect idea for my new apartment.

And look at those pillows, so easy to make and embellish, such a pretty idea! Her whole blog is filled with stuff like this!

Anyway, back to Daily Candy. This website finds all kinds of special offers and events happening around a specific city and shares them all on their site. I chose Daily Candy Chicago because it's the closest city to me and because I'm going there next weekend for a bachelorette party!!


For example there is an article advertising this 'new' margarita. There is a showing at a fashion building and they are serving these tasty drinks while customers wander the store, they are also offering 20% off any item in the entire store.

Maybe there will be fun events like this next weekend!

Just another fun website I thought I'd share!

Great Job

I said in a previous post that I would post about the earrings Ross gave me for Valentine's Day, well here they are.

I need to start taking pictures during the day. The beads are actually purple, but at least you can get the general idea of the style. I've worn them a few times already. I like them a lot. The purple isn't too purple, which is good since I don't wear much purple, I've worn them with black and they look really nice.

Ross started an internship with Julie Sanford. He found her by looking for an internship on Grand Valley's website. He only needs 150 hours and he does most of his work on his computer from home. It's not a bad deal for him. Unfortunately it is unpaid, but he's learning new things too. Here are a few samples from her website. I'm not sure if you can order from the site, but I'm sure she can be emailed if you find something you love!

I would love to have a job like hers, or any creative design work. Julie recently set up her studio in a little building in Grand Haven. I'm hoping Ross will introduce me to her so that I can learn how she started up her business. I also see that she has already signed up to attend a few craft fairs this summer...I wonder if she needs any help!!

I don't know how Ross finds these great jobs. He doesn't even know how great of an opportunity this would be for me, but I'm hoping he keeps me in mind through all of this. He is setting up a data base of her current mailing labels, and she wants him to research how to get her work sold at current retailers. She seems very talented.

Jess and I are taking a silver clay class. I thumbed through some of Julie's magazines that she wanted Ross to look through to learn the industry, and I noticed that silver clay was a very popular theme through out the magazine. So Jess and I are taking the class at Creative Fringe. It is a little expensive for 2.5 hours, but I think it will be something fun to learn. I feel like I've been spending all my money on classes. But I don't want to be sitting in a cubicle forever, this job is just to get me to the next item on my wish list, and the list is growing quickly!

New Ring

I thought making wire wrap rings would be easy, quick and fun. I think I was right! I went down to Creative Fringe, our local bead shop in Grand Haven and picked up a ring mandrel so that I could form a circle and in a specific ring size. I need to work on wrapping the wire tightly around the mandrel, it's pretty hard to hold it tight! I also bought some 18 gague silver wire so it won't tarnish. I think it turned out alright. Not perfect but it was my first attempt, I can only get better!!
I need to work on my picture taking skills as well. It was late last night when I took this, that's my excuse. I should take a better one, but this will have to work for now.